Alaska Has More to Offer Than an Abundance of Flight Time

A guest blog by Drew Glastetter of Alaska Airlines When I was a child, I was fortunate enough to be raised by a family of travelers. My family enjoyed seeing new places and finding adventures in different parts of the world. During one of our vacations when I was 12, I was invited into the cockpit by the pilots where they spoke with me for an extended period of time about being a pilot. I decid...

Posted on March 9, 2018March 12, 2018 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Gleim Releases New Commercial Pilot Practical Test Prep Resources

Gleim Aviation is proud to announce the release of the sixth editions of the Commercial Pilot Syllabus and the Commercial Pilot Flight Maneuvers and Practical Test Prep books. Additionally, an updated Commercial Pilot Training Record and combined ACS & Oral Exam Guide are now available. Commercial Pilot Syllabus The Gleim Commercial Pilot Syllabus is a step-by-step plan for your commercial ...

Posted on March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Share Your Aviation Passion as a Sport Pilot Instructor

If you are a sport or private pilot and want to share your passion for flying as an instructor, consider becoming a Sport Pilot Certificated Flight Instructor. A Sport CFI, or simply CFI-S certificate, can be obtained in about half the time required to become a traditional CFI. You can become a CFI-S without becoming a commercial pilot and still get paid to teach sport pilot students (more…...

Posted on February 23, 2018March 9, 2018 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Do I Need a Remote Pilot Certificate?

The small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) rule, also known as Part 107, was designed to minimize risks and establish the certification requirements for the thousands of pilots expected to fill the role of Remote Pilot in Command (PIC). This rule streamlined the process of operating drones for routine commercial flights. More than 69,000 remote pilot certificates have already been issued by the FA...

Posted on February 16, 2018March 18, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Q & A with Blue Skies Flying Services and Pilot Shop

Meet Mike Carzoli, the owner of Blue Skies Flying Services and Pilot Shop. In 2017, Blue Skies received the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) award for Best Flight School in the Midwest region. Additionally, Jim Fellers of Blue Skies was awarded Best Flight Instructor in the Midwest region. We spoke with Mike to find out what separates Blue Skies from the rest (more…)

Posted on February 9, 2018February 9, 2018 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Making Money Using Drones in 2018

In 2016, the much anticipated Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) rule went into effect and streamlined the requirements to operate sUAS (or drones) commercially. In the first 16 months, more than 69,000 remote pilot certificates have already been issued. However, FAA certification is just the first step to earning a living as a drone pilot. (more…)

Posted on February 2, 2018March 18, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Gleim Student Challenges the Pond through Preparation, Patience, and Persistence

“We live once and if we do it well, once is enough.” - Alla Berezovaya Learning to fly an airplane can be more than a means to an end – a shiny new job. Flying is an incredibly rewarding hobby, and taking to the skies provides a joy that is unrivaled. The history of aviation is full of pilots pushing themselves and their aircraft to accomplish new feats and thrills. (more…)

Posted on January 26, 2018March 18, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Soft Skills Prevent Hard Landings in a Competitive Pilot Job Market

What does it take to get hired as a professional pilot? You spend hundreds of hours honing your skills. You acquire the certificates and qualifications. You prepare by studying aerodynamics, aircraft systems, meteorology, navigation, regulations, physiology, and other technical minutiae. By all means, you thought you were prepared, but you didn't get the job. While technical skills are vital at e...

Posted on January 19, 2018March 18, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Barry Hyde: A Pursuit Against Pilot Negligence

Most people involved in the aviation industry are truly passionate about the work they do. In no pilot is this passion more evident than in Dr. Barry Hyde. Hyde has loved aviation for as long as he can remember. As a young boy, his older cousin, a pilot, would take him up for leisure rides. This sort of regular, meaningful, and exciting exposure to the cockpit hooked Hyde, and still to this day it...

Posted on January 12, 2018March 18, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Learning to Fly at Home Saves Student Pilots Time, Money, and Frustration

For people learning to fly a plane, visits to the local airport spending many hours under the instruction of a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) is standard practice. It's a successful formula, but there's room for improvement. The cockpit is not always the most efficient classroom, so students who are well-prepared before climbing into it will always get more out of the actual flight-training ...

Posted on January 5, 2018November 26, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Fire Department adds an Eye in the Sky with Drones

As the holidays came and went, we spent some time with the Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) reflecting on years past. Budget meetings are like the holidays because, often times, you don't get exactly what you ask for. “I asked for a tanker. Instead, I got two nerds and a drone,” teased Larry Stewart, Assistant Chief of the ACFR. Those two nerds are Scott Fielding, Network Administrator, and Tim D...

Posted on December 29, 2017March 18, 2019 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty

Flight Instructors! Let’s Talk About Aviation English Language Standards

With all the checks we perform and procedures we follow to keep safe, it can be easy to overlook one of the most essential safety tools we have at our disposal – our language! Aviation English is the language used around the world by aviation professionals, on the ground and in the air. Universal use of Aviation English helps to minimize the number of accidents caused by miscommunication. (more&he...

Posted on December 22, 2017March 19, 2020 by Paul Duty

Paul Duty