Commentaries :: General

TSA reverses rule against carrying knives aboard aircraft

By Arthur Alan Wolk

(March 6, 2013) In an inexplicable move, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has reversed its ban on the carrying of penknives aboard commercial aircraft. It is now legal to do so, provided the blades are 2.36 inches or less in length, and less than ½ inch in width. The rationale behind the reversal of the ban was to align our safety rules with international standards... [more]

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Needs Fire Suppression
Recent fires, short circuits and thermal runaways of Boeing 787 Lithium Ion batteries demonstrate that Boeing's choice of this technology was misplaced and is a life threatening hazard. [more]

Big Brother is Watching Everything - Including Your Flight
The Dept. of Transportation is aware of every movement of every aircraft, including who is on the plane and it's available to anyone with an Internet connection. [more]

As Close as it Gets
It’s time for us, the passengers, to take control of aviation security. The Northwest Airlines near terrorist disaster brings back into focus just why we are in this horrible security predicament in aviation... [more] 

Repeat Lesson
Landing in thunderstorms is dangerous. American Airlines learned yet again that attempting a landing in a thunderstorm can be very tricky... [more] 

Three Asleep in the Cockpit
The Captain, The First Officer, and The Department Of Homeland Security. All accidents and incidents have more than one cause. In this case it was... [more] 

Hudson River Tragedy
Same Old, Same Old - Inadequate Job by the FAA - Nine people dead and everyone is wondering how this could happen... [more] 

One Level of Safety
An elusive goal for commuter airlines. There is only one level of safety. The problem is the experience level of the pilots and outdated safety systems are... [more]  

Stop Faulting Crew
Stop faulting the flight crew for the crash of Colgan 3407! The flight crew was blameless for this crash and everyone investigating the crash knows it... [more]

Pilatus PC - 12 Crash Stinks
Fourteen people killed in an aircraft that can only carry 10 has the stench of carelessness all over it. Most PC-12s can safely hold only... [more] 

Why Turboprop Aircraft Shouldn’t Fly in Ice
The Continental 3407 crash reminds us of long-forgotten lessons. The reality is that large airplane manufacturers gave up deicing boots fifty years ago because they knew... [more] 

Criminalization of Air Disasters
Nothing good comes of criminal prosecutions following air disasters. While such proceedings may satisfy the public’s zeal to punish... [more] 

The Cure for Carburetor Ice
That nobody in the industry wanted. Carburetor ice has been a problem since airplanes were first invented... [more] 

Change to Advisory Frequency Approved
All too often the pilot switches his primary radio to the advisory frequency without tuning in approach control on the second radio and turning up the volume so he can listen... [more]

De-Ice or Anti-Ice
A decision that can cost you your life. Aircraft wings and tails have forever been the collectors of enough ice to make them quit working... [more] 

Illegal Double Engine Failure
NTSB recommends more pilot training... [more] 

Integrity in Government?
How the party system has run amuck at the NTSB... [more] 

NTSB Chairman Fails to Understand
Why privacy relating to cockpit voice recorder tapes deters safety, rather than enhancing it... [more]