Filing a VFR flight plan and using Flight Following are excellent ways to provide an added margin of safety on all flights. Although these services are not mandatory for VFR flights, they are highly recommended. Many pilots are confused about the two services, what they provide, and are unsure of how to use them. VFR...Read More
On cross-country flights, pilots may be required to independently refuel at an airport before flying the next leg of the journey. Learn how to refuel your aircraft at a self service station, and the safety equipment available to you in this quick tutorial.Read More
Hazards Associated with Hydroplaning Wet weather season is upon us, and it is wise to review how to safely navigate inclement weather conditions. Wet weather can make air travel precarious both in the air and on the ground—during takeoffs and landings. In this article, we will address the types of hydroplanes, their causes, and how...Read More
Every pilot will use a variation of the E-6B flight computer for flight planning calculations. The traditional E-6B is primarily used during flight training, as many pilots opt to use online flight planning apps post training. While some students use electronic E-6B computers, the manual E-6B flight computer has some significant advantages, including lower cost...Read More
During commercial pilot training, advanced maneuvers are required to further evaluate the student’s piloting abilities; one such maneuver is eights-on-pylons. In this maneuver, students are required to demonstrate a strong ability to divide attention between precise control of the aircraft while turning around a ground reference at a specific pivotal altitude, which is constantly changing...Read More
Many pilots struggle with radio communication. This task is often overlooked when people decide to become pilots, but the struggle is not just limited to students. Just like learning any other language, it may initially be challenging, but once you memorize the vocabulary and develop a keen understanding of “radio grammar,” speaking on the radios...Read More
Of all the skills student pilots must develop, ground reference maneuvers (including rectangular course, turns around a point, and s-turns),are among the least understood. This article explains why these maneuvers are important and how to execute and conquer them. Why are ground reference maneuvers important? Ground reference maneuvers help students understand the relationship between flight...Read More
Inadvertent stalls are are an example and loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) and are a leading cause of fatal general aviation accidents. Many accidents involving stalls are caused by simple distractions. These accidents wouldn’t have occurred if the distractions had been avoided. The number of accidents could be further reduced by using proper technique to...Read More
One of the first maneuvers student pilots learn is how to fly straight-and-level. For a given airplane configuration, this maneuver is successful when the pilot can control the airplane with minimal altitude and heading changes. Except for basic instrument maneuvers, straight-and-level flight is not actually listed as a specific task in the Airman Certification Standards;...Read More
The FAA published Advisory Circular 61-142, on February 25, 2020, with guidance for pilots who may share flight expenses with passengers consistent with the Federal Aviation Regulations. The new AC 61-142 expands on the previously issued AC 120-12A, Private Carriage vs. Common Carriage, to clarify some ambiguities and provide modern applications. Private Carriage vs. Common...Read More
