Blinded by the light
Weather conditions, crew responsiveness, incoming hazards and myriad meters, gauges and measurements. These are just a few of the things a pilot has to be wary of when flying an aircraft. A new concern is affecting Coast Guard pilots from Cape Cod, to Hawaii, from Puerto Rico to Seattle. Every air station in the Coast Guard is on the lookout for a simple beam of light.
Green lasers halt Coast Guard air searches
The SAR alarm is sounded and a Coast Guard helicopter is launched. As the aircrew arrives on scene, ready to search for the boater who needs their help, a green light enters the cockpit. It’s a green laser being shined from land and its blinding beam forces the pilots to head back to base, unable to finish their search. This life-threatening incident is not a made-up story but something happening to Coast Guard aircrews along our nation’s coasts as they take flight to save lives.
100 Years of Naval Aviation: Why diversity matters in flight
In the late 80s, a series of airline accidents led the Federal Aviation Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration to take a hard look at human factors and how interpersonal communication and decision-making could be taught to improve airline safety. What followed was one of the greatest safety advances in aviation – crew resource management.
Women in Aviation: Coast Guard aviators of tomorrow
Hundreds of aviators from around the world have descended upon Reno, Nevada, for the 2011 Women in Aviation, International Conference. Pilots, mechanics, engineers and aviation enthusiasts alike are all taking part in this year’s conference devoted to the themes “Inspire, [...]
