What should you consider before beginning your flight training

/
3 Comments
Flight training is much different than learning how to drive a car. Yes, you will earn a certificate stating that you’re capable of operating a means of transportation, but a pilot certificate is much more nuanced and, in many cases, will take longer with a more significant time and monetary investment. Beyond time and money, there are many more elements to consider before beginning training. These are five topics that I always like to discuss with potential flight students to help build a plan for success. 

Pilot’s guide to special use airspace

/
0 Comments
It's important for pilots to understand the operating requirements and restrictions regarding Special Use airspace (SUA).  SUA consists of Prohibited, Restricted, Warning, Military Operation, Alert, and Controlled Firing Areas. All SUA is depicted on aeronautical charts, except for controlled firing areas (CFA), temporary military operations areas (MOA), and temporary restricted areas.

How to use VFR flight plans (video tip)

Pilots should get in the habit of filing and opening VFR Flight Plans when flying away from the local airport environment. Then, in the unlikely event that you have an emergency or off-airport landing, the authorities know to come look for you along your planned route of flight.
dual instruction

4 Tips to Make the Most out of Your Flight Lesson

Every moment in the cockpit is precious, especially given the…

Ask a CFI: Can a pilot fly through a MOA?

A military operations area (MOA) is airspace established below 18,000' MSL to separate non-hazardous military flight activities (air combat maneuvers, air intercepts, low altitude tactics, etc.) from IFR aircraft and to identify for VFR aircraft where these activities are being conducted.

March 2024 test question update from Sporty’s

Sporty's recently released its March written test question update in its 2024 Learn to Fly Course test preparation module. While the FAA does not publish actual test questions, representative test questions are available, and new questions released by Sporty's represent emphasis areas which you will likely enounter on the test.

Pilot’s Guide to Airspace

/
4 Comments
The purpose of the different airspace rules is safety. Some…

How to fly a rectangular course

Ground reference maneuvers integrate the fundamentals of flight and demonstrate that you have competence in manipulating the flight controls and applying control pressures to maintain a pre-determined aircraft course relative to objects on the ground. Applying this skill to the rectangular course is the basis for airport traffic patterns.

Keeping One Step Ahead of ATC when flying IFR

/
1 Comment
Gone are the days of making an educated guess on a route, only to have ATC respond with a full route clearance with intersections and airways. It now takes only a moment in ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot or FltPlan.com to enter a departure and destination airport and then see recently issued clearances to other aircraft flying the same route.

How to prepare for checkride day

Communication is key to the examiner understanding your thought process and decision making. Checkrides have plenty of emotion and pressure that will hopefully allow you to excel. Don’t bring unnecessary pressure or emotion to the flight by overreaching or trying to do too much. Fly like you’ve trained and be the PIC.