AvFacts - Aviation knowledge without limits

I cover the different ways pilots put dumb bombs on target.

High-altitude, high-speed aerodynamics, including Mach tuck, coffin corner, and Dutch roll.

I cover the different types of airspeeds, what they all mean, and why they’re important.

I cover some details of laser- and GPS-guided weapons; how they work, tactics, and shortcomings.

Part 6 of 6: I cover gross navigational errors (GNEs), some of the procedures used in the cockpit to mitigate risk, and strategic lateral offsets, or SLOP.

Part 5 of 6: I cover performance-based requirements, including required navigation, communication, and surveillance performance; and some of the technologies we use to achieve those requirements.

Part 3 of 6: I cover organized track systems, including the busiest oceanic airspace in the world, the North Atlantic, and its North Atlantic Tracks (NATs).

Part 4 of 6: I cover extended operations, or ETOPS, and how pilots plan flights with the ability to divert to airports halfway across the ocean.

Part 2 of 6: I cover high-frequency radio, and how it’s used to send messages over the horizon, and selective calling, or SELCAL.

Part 1 of 6: I cover oceanic flight plans, including how they're received; and voice position reporting.

The basics of cross-country flying and racing in gliders, and an intro to Paul MacReady’s theory of efficient glider flight.

The different kinds of aerial refueling, its history, and its challenges.

Learn about the high-altitude redesign (HAR), non-restrictive routing (NRR), RNAV routes, and other new airspace projects.

Hypoxia, the different types of hypoxia and its signs and symptoms, and the different ways pilots have of receiving supplemental oxygen.

The first of a series covering how pilots defend against incoming missiles. On this episode: using geometry and exploiting radar.