P. Smith

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  • Ask the pilot

    Who are the best writers about airplanes? And can autopilots really land planes by themselves?
  • Ask the pilot

    Two poems about airplanes (and women). Plus: Everything you ever wanted to know about jet fuel.
  • Ask the pilot

    Can we stop bombs in our baggage? And, how do pilots amuse themselves at 30,000 feet?
  • Ask the pilot

    Were United's pilots to blame for the airline's failure? And: How worried should we be about the specter of shoulder-launched missiles taking down a domestic jet?
  • Ask the pilot

    United isn't the first great airline to fall on hard times. Does anyone still remember Eastern? Or the glory days of Pan Am?
  • Ask the pilot

    The Pilot returns from Mali wondering why the service on U.S. airlines is so bad and recommending the JetBlue way.
  • Ask the pilot

    Why are pilots so scruffy? What happened to the mile-high hanky-panky of yesteryear? Plus: More entries for the rock 'n' roll jetliner hall of fame.
  • Ask the pilot

    The science of weighing airplanes. And, how many things can go wrong with a jet before it's not allowed to fly?
  • Ask the pilot

    Was Senator Paul Wellstone's death murder? Patrick Smith looks at the "evidence."
  • Ask the pilot quiz answers

    We have an ace! Actually, we have a whole squadron of aces.
  • Ask the pilot

    More fun with the poetry of airliner names. And, what to do about those narrow seats for wide people?
  • Ask the pilot

    Flying Beech 99's, ogling Gulf Air's stunning stewardesses and other career highlights. Plus: What are the scariest airports?
  • What's your pilot rating?

    Turnabout is fair play. Test your aviation knowledge against Patrick Smith's questions.
  • Ask the pilot

    The pilot seniority blues. And, what happens when avians and airliners collide?
  • Ask the pilot

    Dreaming of the long-forgotten Caravelle: Why do today's jetliners look so ugly?
  • Ask the pilot

    By popular demand: The full, unexpurgated story of what happens when dry ice is mixed with blue toilet acid at 33,000 feet.
  • Ask the pilot

    How could a pilot not be trained for fog landings? And how is "Jet Smarter" author Diana Fairechild like Ralph Nader with a tray of peanuts?
  • Ask the pilot

    What happens when you drop dry ice into an airplane toilet? And are regional pilots just rejects from the big airlines?
  • Ask the pilot

    Can an airliner get a speeding ticket? And, isn't it a bad thing when an engine bursts into flame?
  • Ask the pilot

    What are the 10 worst airline crashes of all time?
  • Ask the pilot

    Where are all the female pilots? And how do airliners find the runway in the fog?
  • Ask the pilot

    How hard is it fly an airliner? And why can't I keep my tray table down during takeoff?
  • Ask the pilot

    When airplanes collide, who is responsible? Are we doing enough to prevent such disasters?
  • Ask the pilot

    Can it really get too hot to fly? And what was it like to be in the air on Sept. 11?
  • Ask the pilot

    Do seat cushions actually save lives? And why don't U.S. airlines fly to Africa?
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