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Laser Strikes on Aircraft: A Few Seconds of Fun Can Put Hundreds of Lives at Risk

There are some things that look harmless from the ground but can become extremely dangerous when viewed from the cockpit of an aircraft. A laser pointer is one of them. For someone standing on the ground, pointing a laser at an aircraft flying overhead may appear to be a harmless prank, an experiment, a way of attracting attention or simply an act of curiosity. But inside the cockpit, particularly during takeoff, approach or landing, that apparently tiny beam can suddenly become a serious aviation-safety threat. The latest figures released by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) show that the problem is declining, but it remains far too common. On September 17, 2026, the FAA reported that pilots had reported 4,470 laser strikes in the United States during 2026, representing a 24 percent decrease from the same period the previous year. This is the third consecutive year in which reported laser strikes have declined. However, the FAA says the numbers remain too high...
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An ILS Approach After 14 Years – A Journey Through Time and Skills

  Shooting an ILS approach after 14 years. It was on Microsoft flight simulator, but it was worth knowing, it was consoling to know that I still know the things. I decided to fly out from Lakefront airport, as I was familiar with the environment. I decided to fly out to Gulfport airport which is just over 50 nautical miles from Lakefront airport at New Orleans. It was the flight path which was flown by me when I did my first cross-country flight. I asked for an IFR clearance and it was given as cleared for Gulfport airport as filed asking me to climb to 3000 feet. I was on runways 18R and decided to keep the climate foggy to get a real feel of using the ILS approach. I put in the throttle and climbed out, after a positive rate of climb I made a left turn to 067 degrees. The GPS showed that the airport was 54 NM from here. Since it was all white outside there was not anything to look around except to track the instruments. It was easy to maintain the altitude however, it was difficu...
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15 Years Journey of Using Flight Simulators - Microsoft Flight Simulator Steam Edition and X-Plane 11

  Few years back, nearly 10 years ago, I purchased a Microsoft flight simulator steam edition. I dared to purchase it as it was within my budget.  It cost me nearly INR 900, I was living in Anandpur Sahib at that time and the internet there was really slow.  I ordered the game online, even though I had little idea of how it would work, and what this steam edition was all about. Till now, I was only aware that computer games are available on CDs and I didn't know that they can be downloaded from the internet.  It took more than one day for me to download that game. The MSFS was 30 GB heavy and getting that much data from the interest back then and in a secluded place like Anandpur Sahib was something in itself. I was actually 10 km inside in the interior of Anandpur Sahib and BSNL was the only service provider at that time. Unfortunately, I did not realize that my laptop was not made for it, as there was no graphic card in it. My laptop was a basic office laptop from ...
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The Role of Air Traffic Controller in the Cirrus Tragedy at William P. Hobby Airport

  Just now I saw a video that was uploaded by Air Safety Institute. I feel sorry for the three people who died in that tragedy, particularly feeling sorry for the female pilot who was at complete peace and calm till the last moments even though she was burdened by air traffic controllers with frequent instructions throwing her all around at the airport. The elaboration detailed by the Air Safety Institute mostly blaming the pilot for the tragedy forced me to write this article. We may agree that in most cases we blame the pilot for any incident or accident. The elaboration given by ASI is quite sorted, but the thing I didn’t like in here is that the first culprit here is found to be the private pilot who had minimal amount of flying experience. It is easy to blame the pilot for not being alive to fight for her case and everyone else involved in the tragedy, particularly the ATC who want to save their jobs and reputation.  What I didn’t like was the cirrus private pilot was as...
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The FAA Enhances Air Traffic Controller Training with New Program

Thousands of pilots across the globe enjoy their time in the air because there is someone on the ground that is keeping them separate from one-another and preventing them from colliding. The importance of Air Traffic Controllers will forever be there in aviation as long as man wants to travel by air. As the air traffic is increasing there is a growing need for rigorous training to ensure the safety and efficiency of anything that is moving in the air and on the ground in an aviation setting. Addressing the growing demand of the aviation industry.  The Federation Aviation Administration (FAA) recognises their importance as well, and have designed the best training for them. One of the premiere agencies in aviation, the FAA, and the best known private training academy, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have collaborated to start the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative ( AT-CTI ). The Importance of Enhanced AT-CTI Training There has been a surge in air travel in...
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The Impact of US Election on Immigration Policies and Programmes

The 47th US Presidential elections on November 5, 2024, are a pivotal moment not only for the American people but also for international higher education. Many political observers billed the race as the most consequential and unpredictable in decades. While candidates for both major parties, Republicans and Democrats, make their political stances, the international education sector will have to prepare for new perceptions and decisions. Border security, pathways to citizenship, international student intake, and asylum rights have been important debate topics for each party in the US Presidential election 2024. The outcome of the US election will have far-reaching implications on immigration policies. The results will determine who can enter and remain in the country, and how they do so. Here is a look at the potential effect on immigration, covering both a Republican and Democratic victory. Future of Temporary Work and Employment-Based Visas The landscape for legal immigration and inte...
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Unseen Scars of COVID-19 that Shaped my Life

  COVID-19 has not only uprooted economies, but also destroyed individuals both financially and healthwise. My daily routine was brought to a standstill during the second wave of the pandemic, as the notorious disease caught me. But even as the symptoms subsided, the lingering effect of the virus has been disrupting my life. Here I talk about my journey that went through the post-covid recovery and how it reshaped my thinking of health both mentally and physically. After being a victim of corona a lot of things have changed in my body and in my thoughts. I was still working in a college near Chandigarh, when, one early morning while riding towards my work I felt that something was just not right with me. By the time I reached the hostel room of the college, I was just not feeling the energy to move ahead. This happened during the second wave of the pandemic. Private colleges had partially opened and they had allowed some essential staff to stay within the hostel and look after dail...
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