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How much baggage weighs is very important in pre-flight planning, but so is proper loading. Improper loading can severely impede an airplane’s performance and maneuverability. The load must also be secure. If the load moves to the aft of the plane, the center of gravity moves aft as well. This will decrease the stability of…

Pilots must heed warnings signals to avoid tragedy. For example: Is the pilot under pressure unduly influencing his deceive to fly? Will the pilot have to stretch the fuel reserves to the limit? Does the pilot have a plan B? Does the pilot and respect the limits of his or her own skills and experience?

Mid-air collisions are rare, but deadly. Pilots are responsible to “see and avoid” other aircraft. This isn’t just a slogan, it is the law. FAR 91.113(b) states: “When weather conditions permit, regardless of whether an operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual flight rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an…

In May 2019, the crew of a chartered Cessna Citation 550—being operated as an air ambulance flight—experienced a total power loss that began just over an hour into the flight. With a tremendous amount of skill, and with nurses and patients on board, the pilots performed a successful no-engine landing. The failure was later traced…

Weather is a cause or contributing factor to a number of plane and helicopter crashes. Weather is constantly in flux and even though pilots may focus on pre-flight planning including weather, they must monitor weather forecasts during the flight and make changes when and if necessary. General aviation pilots should always plan an alternative course…

Since 1994, Arizona’s Notice of Claim Statute, codified as A.R.S. § 12-821.01, has protected the State of Arizona from persons attempting to use it.  The Notice of Claim Statute applies to every conceivable claim a person may bring against the State of Arizona.  The protections found in the Notice of Claim Statute also extend to…

As part of a preflight preparation, general aviation pilots on cross-country flights may want to avoid high-traffic areas near busy airports. The pilot should also check the status of military airspace, alert areas, and look for notices to airmen outlining potential hazards such as unmanned aircraft operations. Careful flight planning can help ensure safe operations…

Arizona Attorney magazine recognized the $5,000,000 Johe verdict as one of the top 10 civil verdicts in 2019. The trial was in May, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona, where Bob and Jeff represented the mother of a 20-year-old man that died while detoxing at Sierra Tucson, a drug rehab facility . Sierra Tucson denied fault for…

There are safety rules for pilots, just like for  people driving cars. For instance, a pilot should not consume alcohol or other intoxicants within 8 hours prior to flying and should always consider the lasting effects of alcohol the following day. Issues that seem mundane for the general public can be of great concern for…

Riding a motorcycle comes with inherent risks, such as an increased risk of head and brain injuries in a collision. The greatest risk for motorcyclists, however, is driver negligence. In 2016, 3,104 motorcyclists were in accidents in the State of Arizona. Motorcycle accidents caused almost 2,600 injuries and took 144 lives. Many of these collisions…

If an airplane or helicopter is damaged or encounters mechanical difficulty that is hazardous to flight or ground operations, the pilot should land as soon as practical and not attempt to takeoff. Continuing on to the intended destination is often an unnecessary risk that can lead to a crash.

Airplane and helicopter owners and operators should maintain their aircraft in accordance with the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness found in the Airplane Maintenance Manual. Failure to do so can make the aircraft unairworthy.

A trial by jury is the foundation of our civil justice system, so important that it was included as the Seventh Amendment to our Constitution in the Bill of Rights written by the Founding Fathers over 200 years ago.  But over the years, the cost of litigation, the risks of an all or nothing trial…

Pilots should use supplemental oxygen and confirm saturation levels are above 90% by utilizing a pulse oximeter when operating aircraft above 10,000 feet during the day or above 5,000 feet at night.