JO Flying Service

We too often read of the consequences of poor crew resource management and aeronautical decision making. The occasions on which crewmembers worked together, followed SOP, and made sound decisions often go unmentioned. Articles like this are rare and are particularly enjoyable because they present the opportunity to learn from a positive outcome.

Engineering Judgment Key In 757 Forced Landing In Antarctica Foresight and cool-headed teamwork by pilots of a Royal New Zealand Air Force Boeing 757-200 likely saved their aircraft, 11 fellow crewmembers and 117 passengers—including scientists from New Zealand and the U.S. and New Zealand’s minister of foreign affairs—from a crash-landing in near-zero-visibi…

Battling high density altitudes? Forced to depart with a tailwind? Can't find anybody to help remove your straight floats? RATO might be your solution! Many people are familiar with the concept of assisted take off technology applied to large transport aircraft such as the C-130. The idea of using a rocket to reduce an aircraft's takeoff roll is actually older than you may think. Assisted take off research began in the 1920s in Germany as a method for launching gliders. The first rocket-assisted takeoff in the United States was performed by an Ercoupe at March Field, CA in 1941. It was probably an exciting event to see this Cessna 120 take off on straight floats from a dolly with a rocket!