Valerie Smith – Writer, Pilot, and Flight Instructor
It's not magic, it's just hard work!
It isn’t often that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issues a press release about a truck driver. While trucking accidents resulting in serious injury or death happen every day all over the country, the Feds rarely blast out a press release about a driver.
Continue reading “FMCSA’s Bad Truck Drivers: A Closer Look at the Four Truck Drivers Labeled “Imminent Hazards” by the Federal Agency in 2020”Two things you need initially (purchase right away):
Logbook: The Standard Pilot Log (Black): ASA-SP-30
Cost: $10.95
Book: Airplane Flying Handbook (Federal Aviation Administration): FAA-H-8083-3B
Cost: $15.15
Continue reading “Amazon’s Best Inexpensive Private Pilot Supplies”We’re back at Nemacolin Resort (Farmington, PA) for week 2 of the Bach. The opening promo promises a rose ceremony health event that is sure to be, you guessed it, dramatic. Opening B-roll shows leaves changing colors and birds chirping, and a chilly September morning.
I’ve learned a bit about cryptocurrency in the last year, through research for fun and having been asked to write about BitCoin and digital wallets. In the course of the pandemic, I got my own little Robinhood account, and along with a bunch of random stocks, I scooped up some Dogecoin and Ethereum Classic. Ethereum Classic was my first toe-dip into crypto.
I’ve recently learned about Pi, thanks to Zach, who, when he isn’t flying jets and helicopters, has joined me in the crypto adventures. This currency, the first on a cloud mining format, shows promise. Here’s the good news. You can get in on it with zero risk.
Continue reading “What is PI (New Digital Currency) – And How to Get it For Free!”Steve Barnes’ last five words to Air Traffic Control(ATC) were, “Yes, sir, everything’s fine 965 Delta Mike…” Clearly, and sadly, from the events that transpired next, everything was not fine. Somewhere between 11:42 AM, when the the Socata TBM700N was at 28,000 feet, and 11:56 AM, when it crashed into the ground, something went very, very wrong.
By the night of October 2, 2020, news of Steve Barnes’ death was covered by dozens of local news outlets on the east coast, and even nationally on People.com and other outlets.
What makes N965DM’s crash so mysterious? We really don’t know what happened. It’s common for pilots to issue a Mayday call and announce an emergency. Especially at 28,000 feet when there are several minutes to descend before impact. Steve Barnes had time to say something… but he didn’t.
Continue reading “The Mysterious Crash of N965DM and New York Personal Injury Lawyer Steve Barnes”Yesterday, my husband Zach flew the Robinson R44 at Upper Limit Aviation and I tagged along. It was a cross-country flight from French Valley Airport (F70) to Montgomery Field Airport (KMYF) to Palomar Airport (KCRQ). Although I’ve been to all those airports many times, it was fun to enjoy as a passenger – and in a helicopter! Great views of San Diego the whole flight. I was able to see as far north as Big Bear, to as far south as Mexico. Saw I-15, I-8, I-5, CA-76, CA-78, CA-67, and many lakes: Lake Mathews, Lake Murray, Lake Miramar, Lake Hodges, and more.
Enjoy this video of the flight, and some highlights in my IG story. Happy flying!
The preflight is often covered on the first or second lesson, and then CFIs put students in charge in determining if an aircraft is ready for a flight. And while a checklist should always be used, not everything is defined on a checklist.
In another article, I discuss the preflight on the CFI checkride, and things that applicants should specifically mention. I created a quiz (free printable PDF right here) which tests some of these things. The quiz is also below. It is by no means comprehensive, but designed to check some of the basics.
Continue reading “Private Pilot Preflight Quiz – Can You Name These Trainer Aircraft Parts”
I recently read Eleanor Herman’s Sex with Presidents: The Ins and Outs of Love and Lust in the White House and wanted to share a review, because this book was absolutely fascinating and very eye-opening. You might think a book about presidents many years ago might be boring, but this was the opposite of boring. Non-fiction at its best, with the marriages, sex lives, and scandals of U.S. presidents summarized, with so many “who knew” and WTF moments. All the stories you didn’t know you didn’t know.
Someone on Goodreads reviewed the book “Came for the sex, stayed for the history!” which I believe is a fair summary of the contents of the book. It does talk about presidents’ sex lives, but is filled with colorful history, heartbreak, and the consequences of decisions. Herman also talks about how many presidents likely suffer from hubris syndrome, bipolar disorder, narcissistic disorder, and a “superfluity of testosterone.” I found the history of the wives even more fascinating, with personal favorites being Edith Bolling Wilson and Jackie Kennedy.
Continue reading ““Real Housewives of the White House” – Book Review: Sex with Presidents: The Ins and Outs of Love and Lust in the White House”Yesterday, 2021 treated us all to the new season of the Bachelor with Matt James. As a long-time, but low-key fan of the franchise, I am excited to see a new season. And honestly glad to not be watching the La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs anymore. It is also refreshing to finally have a lead who is relatively brand-new to the Bachelor franchise. I say relatively, because, we know he is BFFs with Tyler Cameron from Hannah Brown’s season.
The season starts with Chris Harrison telling us that “Never before in the history of The Bachelor….” has there been such intense interest about someone as a lead. I feel like maybe CH has said those words before. 🤔
Continue reading “Matt James Bachelor Episode 1 Recap: “We Gotta Find Out Who Miss James Is””Like most people, I am looking forward to closing the book on 2020 and beginning a new, fresh, chapter. This year has been challenging in more ways than I could ever imagine.
This morning, I made a few phone wallpapers for 2021. Thanks to the great creators on Unsplash and the awesome website Canva for making things so beautiful, easy, and fun to create. And for Maya Angelou, Emily Giffin (my favorite author), and Elbert Hubbard for the inspiration. Feel free to use any of these! There is one quote I do not know the source of: “I may doubt myself at times, but I will never allow myself to stay there.” I got this one off of To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA).
Continue reading “2021 Inspirational Phone Wallpapers”