Clear For Takeoff

Wingtip Vortices

iraheilveil — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:10:00 +0000

Never one to shy away from the latest technology, having in my time proudly been a “phone phreak,” I have been playfully exploring so-called large language models, such as ChatGPT, in several of its forms, just to see its capabilities, … Continue reading →

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The Cockpit and the Couch

iraheilveil — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:57:06 +0000

Back in the days when I used to socialize, there was always a danger that people would find out that I had a pilot certificate. I do like talking about flying; it certainly beats talking about psychology. Then those nice … Continue reading →

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Running on Empty

iraheilveil — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:34:22 +0000

There are gauges inside the airplane that tell pilots all sorts of things, from the temperature outside the airplane to the barometric pressure and even the direction that the wind is blowing. The one that everyone knows about is the … Continue reading →

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Cleared for the Option

iraheilveil — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 16:20:28 +0000

I was a student pilot when I first heard a controller tell another pilot who was approaching the airport that they were “cleared for the option.” I had no idea what that meant, and was too embarrassed to ask my … Continue reading →

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From Lawless to Aweless

iraheilveil — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:32:53 +0000

I began writing this post some time ago, so I don’t recall where I originally saw the phrase that caught my attention enough to want to say something about it. The phrase that kept shooting through this tortured head of … Continue reading →

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Clear Air Turbulence

iraheilveil — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Don’t tell the FAA, but those of you who know me beyond the casual fancy of this blog will know that I worry about losing my mind, about losing the razor-sharp cognition that I never had to begin with. You … Continue reading →

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Maybe He Won’t

iraheilveil — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:05:00 +0000

I do try to avoid social media, colossal waste of precious time that it is, but every once in a while, something leaks into my asylum and I get sucked in. I saw a post this morning that Glen Roberts … Continue reading →

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Flying on the Edge of a Stall

iraheilveil — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 18:09:56 +0000

Ever since the tender age of 14, when I was struck with an epic case of mononucleosis that left me nearly bed-bound for six months, my life has been an epic battle between lift and drag. Power is sometimes referred … Continue reading →

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Keep the Dynamite Dry

iraheilveil — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:29:04 +0000

It isn’t clear to me whether the long-time wife of an acquaintance was killed because she fell asleep at the wheel or lost her bearings as she wandered into the oncoming lane while driving up the Coast Highway in the … Continue reading →

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Checking Back In

iraheilveil — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 06:42:06 +0000

I want to express my gratitude for those of you who have been contacting me “off-line” stating that you are missing my posts. It seems that something went wrong in the virtual universe and I lost the ability for my … Continue reading →

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