Dave Hirschman

Ijamsville

Editor-at-Large at Aopa Pilot

Featured in: Favicon

aopa.org

Articles

Crosswind landings

1 week ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

Crosswinds didn’t exist in aviation’s early days. Airfields in the first third of the twentieth century were literally open fields, sometimes with a windsock or tetrahedron in the middle. Pilots would simply note the wind direction and then take off or land into it. It was the invention of actual runways that created crosswinds—and they’ve cursed and confounded pilots ever since.
NOAA pilot

1 week ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

Hubbard became a general aviation pilot and flew an Aeronca Champ, but he didn’t see a way to combine his passions for flying and public service until 2018 when he learned of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which operates a fleet of scientific research aircraft. NOAA crews fly a P–3 Orion into hurricanes to measure their intensity as well as a fleet of de Havilland DHC–6 Twin Otters, a Gulfstream IV, two Beechcraft King Air 350s, and a King Air 360.
The Courchevel Altiport

1 week ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

It’s the shortest, highest paved runway in Europe, and with an 18.66-percent gradient slope, it’s by far the steepest. The challenges of flying in and out of the Courchevel “Altiport” are many, but the reward is high, too. The scenic airport in the midst of the French Alps is unique, and its lessons about mountain flying, aeronautical decision-making, airspeed control, and landing placement can be applied elsewhere.
‘Sit on your hands’

4 weeks ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

Get extra lift from AOPA. Start your free membership trial today! Click hereEverything about this maneuver feels wrong. AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Dave Hirschman joined AOPA in 2008. He has an airline transport pilot certificate and instrument and multiengine flight instructor certificates. Dave flies vintage, historical, and Experimental airplanes and specializes in tailwheel and aerobatic instruction.
French revolution

4 weeks ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

Get extra lift from AOPA. Start your free membership trial today! Click hereThe sight I’m seeing is glaringly at odds with the sound I’m hearing. AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Dave Hirschman joined AOPA in 2008. He has an airline transport pilot certificate and instrument and multiengine flight instructor certificates. Dave flies vintage, historical, and Experimental airplanes and specializes in tailwheel and aerobatic instruction.
David Clark Jet-X

1 month ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

I wore the Jet-X on a recent series of trips totaling 10 flight hours in Cessna Citation CJ1 and CJ2 aircraft and found it exceptionally light and comfortable with good noise canceling. But as the name implies, this on-ear headset isn’t meant for the noisier environments in piston or even turboprop airplanes. The Jet-X also intentionally abandons the ongoing headset arms race that has added evermore features such as carbon monoxide detectors and pulse oximeters.
Flying over water

1 month ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

Some of the best flying destinations on the planet require flying over water to get there. And it can be done in a safe and sane way in single-engine airplanes with some preparation. First, the essential equipment: an inflatable life vest worn by each occupant, a raft for extended overwater trips, drinking water, and a waterproof personal locator beacon. Confirm whether you have ADS-B weather coverage for the areas you’ll be flying.
The coastal marine layer

1 month ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

This stratus layer of low clouds and sometimes fog forms when warm air interacts with the chilly Pacific Ocean, cools to its saturation point, and creates a temperature inversion. Cool, humid air near the ocean surface becomes opaque, and then it gets pushed against the coastline by onshore sea breezes. Warm, dry air above the marine layer “traps” this cool air at the surface, and it’s known to stick around for days at a time.
Unique utility-on land or water

2 months ago | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

The secret to giving a utility airplane superior performance isn’t much of a secret at all. It begins with a massive boost in engine power to shorten the takeoff roll, increase the rate of climb, and raise the airplane’s cruise speed and service ceiling.
Purpose-built firebomber by Game Composites

Jan 14, 2025 | aopa.org | Dave Hirschman

The GB2 is an all-composite, two-seat, low-wing design capable of carrying 1,200 gallons of fire retardant at speeds in excess of 200 knots. Unlike existing single-engine firebombers that began as agricultural airplanes, or multiengine models that are repurposed military aircraft or airliners, the GB2 is a clean-sheet design made specifically for aerial firefighting.