Blog

This week, I'm exploring California's beautiful but treacherous Half Moon Bay Airport (KHAF). On a clear day, it's a stunning coastal flight, but it's infamous for what one pilot called "the shortest 24-hour round trip in the bay." This joke stems from the stealthy marine fog that can roll in suddenly, trapping VFR pilots who made the quick hop over from sunny inland airports. A beautiful destination and a masterclass in respecting coastal weather, KHAF demands a constant eye on the forecast unless you're packing an overnight bag.

Published on June 27, 2025Airport SpotlightAirport of the Week

Big Bear City Airport (KL35) is a beautiful yet challenging destination nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains. While offering breathtaking views and alpine adventures, Big Bear is also a prime example of the "DA trap," where high elevation and rapidly changing weather conditions, particularly density altitude, demand utmost respect and careful pre-flight planning from pilots.

Published on June 16, 2025Airport Spotlight

I've been knee-deep in device firmware, tackling some unexpected issues, and now I'm excited to start sharing updates! Recent changes include a new system for website firmware management. The device now checks for new firmware whenever it gets new METAR data, prompting you with an option to skip if you prefer. Plus, your last used station is now saved and reloaded automatically. More updates are on the way!

Published on June 11, 2025Firmware

Discover the magic of KOSH - Wittman Regional Airport, especially during EAA AirVenture when it becomes the busiest airport globally. Read about my memorable first landing there as a student pilot, the incredible spectacle of incoming aircraft, and tips for navigating the event and its unpredictable weather. Get insights into why Oshkosh is a true pilgrimage for aviators.

Published on May 25, 2025Airport Spotlight

Pilots in Northern California have reported a truly bizarre phenomenon: spiderwebs floating in the sky! Imagine cruising along, enjoying the view, when suddenly... you're flying through a bunch of spiderwebs. It sounds like the start of a B-movie, but this actually happened! Pilots flying between Modesto (KMOD) and Sacramento (KSMF) received repeated warnings from ATC about "spider webs on your route of flight."

Published on May 20, 2025

Taking a break from aviation, today's post tackles the technical challenges encountered while building PaperMETAR's mobile app in Flutter to interact with the ESP32 chip. Specifically, I delve into the surprisingly complex world of ESP32's secure WiFi provisioning. Learn about the hurdles I faced, from understanding stateful sessions and decoding encrypted Protocol Buffers to the bizarre issue of encrypting empty request bodies, and how I finally got the proof-of-concept working. There is even a checklist at the end!

Published on May 19, 2025Technical

Middleton Municipal Airport (KC29) is where I earned my pilot certificate and have logged many flight hours. It has a mix of paved and turf runways, with the turf runway closed in winter. KC29 is a good training airport due to its proximity to KMSN and 91C. I cover weather-related flight cancellations, including METAR data showing high winds.

Published on May 12, 2025Airport SpotlightAirport of the Week

Ever wondered if the sky’s trying to send you secret messages? Spoiler: it is, and it’s called METAR. In this post I show you how to unpack this “sky status update” full of numbers, letters, and just enough mystery to keep things interesting. Whether you're working toward your pilot's license, looking for the perfect gift for your favorite aviator, or just tired of pretending you understand cloud speak, this post breaks it down with links to real resources, and a mention of your soon-to-be-favorite desk gadget--PaperMETAR.

Published on May 9, 2025