P-37 Lightning – Wikipedia
In the 1940’s as aircraft were being flown closer and closer to the speed of sound, they began experiencing strange characteristics. Aircraft buffeting similar to a stall, aileron vibrations or “buzz”, controls shaking, losing effectiveness, or even locking up. People were really scared of this “Deamon that lived in the air.”
Coffin Corner – “The flight regime where any increase in airspeed will induce high-speed Mach buffet and any decrease in airspeed will induce low-speed Mach buffet.” – FAA Airplane Flying Handbook
From a pilots point of view coffin corner (also called Q-Corner or aerodynamic ceiling), is when the high-speed limit and low-speed limit on your airspeed come together as your altitude increases.
In the below image you can see the high speed and low-speed tapes converging.
“There was a demon that lived in the air. They said whoever challenged him would die. Their controls would freeze up, their planes would buffet wildly, and they would disintegrate. The demon lived at Mach 1 on the meter, 750 miles an hour, where the air could no longer move out of the way. He lived behind a barrier through which they said no man could ever pass. They called it: The sound barrier.”
If you’re thinking about starting an electronic logbook, spreadsheet software is the perfect tool for it. Here are some prime reasons to build your own logbook spreadsheet or find a template already made. Continue reading
If you’re having trouble updating a Garmin 296 database, it might be because your device doesn’t like the modern USB 3.0 used on most computers today. Try buying an old USB 2.0 hub like this one on Amazon:
I would have never thought it could be so difficult to update the database on a Garmin 296 GPS, especially after spending $50 on the database. However, after several weeks of different attempts, and multiple conversations with Garmin Tech Support, I finally figured it out.
Problem One: This GPS can’t be updated on a Mac.
I first tried using my MacBook Pro in OS X, I was excited to see Garmin had software for OS X called “WebUpdater’.
But it didn’t work.
“No Devices were found. Please ensure that your device is connected and turned on and try again.”
Come to find out, although the Garmin WebUpdater software does work on an Apple computer; the actual 296 hardware does not.
Then I attempted it again on my Mac in MS Windows through a virtual machine – Still “No Joy.”
Problem Two: Garmin requires Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3 or newer.
“This is an unsupported OS version. Must be Windows XP Service Pack 3 or greater.”
I really thought I had the problem licked this time. I dusted off an old windows laptop that was in the closet, connected it to the internet and attempted to run the update… Turns out my computer had Windows XP SP1. Still no luck.
Problem Three: This GPS won’t communicate through a USB 3.0 port.
I finally borrowed a friends Windows 7 laptop computer and was happy that I would finally be done with this project. But for some reason, it still wouldn’t work.
“There was an error communicating with your device. Please make sure your device is plugged in and turned on. If the errors continue to occur, you may need to restart your device.”
Nearly all new computers have USB 3.0 ports which are supposed to work with all prior versions of USB. But, according to Garmin tech support, “The device will not work with USB 3.0, try plugging the unit into a USB 2.0 port, the new USB 3.0 ports are too fast and overwhelm the unit.”
The problem is that my computer, and most other modern computers these days only have USB 3.0.
The Solution:
Find an old USB 2.0 hub, or buy one on online, plug it into your computer’s USB 3.0 port, and plug the Garmin into the hub.
Finally, it worked!
As winter is arriving this year, I thought it would be a good idea to review the Cold Temperature Restricted Airports and Cold Temperature Altitude Corrections unveiled by the FAA in 2014.
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Here’s how to run the Garmin 430/530 (400 and 500 series simulators) on a Mac / Apple computer, a newer version of Windows or even Linux.
I’ve had the privilege of working with a lot of different pilots over the years. Of these people I’ve seen many different styles and personalities. Fighter pilot wannabes, cranky pilots, ladder climbing politicians, and those just happy to be flying.
It takes all types to keep the aviation industry running, however, there seems to be a common thread among the strongest pilots. From the best student pilots to the highest paid captains, a certain mindset seems to be shared. An overwhelming sense of balanced and relaxed confidence.
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If your wanting to learn more about aviation and becoming a pilot it can be overwhelming sifting through the mass amounts of books, videos, computerized training programs, and other services for sale. Each usually claiming to be better than the rest, and to be the most effective way of learning. Some of these products are worth the money, but why not start with the free ones.
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If you want one thing that will significantly improve your flying ability, help you spend considerably less time and money on training, increase your confidence in the sky, and make your life as a pilot all around easier… VISUALIZATION!!
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