Entries by Eric Radtke

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

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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.

Sporty’s courses offer a modern solution for your flight school

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While Sporty’s courses are the perfect fit for a Part 61 training program, if you are an instructor or flight school operator, or a student who would prefer to train under Part 141, Sporty’s courses also provide a modern, comprehensive Part 141 training solution. The requirements for Part 141 certification are contained within the regulations and further detail and guidance is provided in Advisory Circular 141-1B.

Pilot’s Guide to Airspace

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The purpose of the different airspace rules is safety. Some areas of the US have more flights than others. Therefore, the FAA has implemented classes of airspace to reflect this activity. The level of control goes from zero in some areas to considerable control around congested, big city, airports that serve considerable airline traffic. Airspace can be […]

How to fly a rectangular course

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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.

New episodes of Sporty’s Pilot’s Discretion Podcast

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Sporty’s Pilot’s Discretion Podcast has new episodes available with guests that include Bruce Williams on flight sims as well as EAA Chairman Jack Pelton, discussing EAA AirVenture and the experimental aircraft boom. The informative and entertaining format features wide-ranging questions with one intriguing guest.

How to prepare for checkride day

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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.

Combining IFR and visual flight

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If we didn’t have access to the variety of visual IFR procedures or the option for VFR flight, the system would quite simply be overwhelmed. Where the breakdowns and inefficiencies occur, can often be attributed to a lack of awareness on the part of pilots or failure to take advantage of our options for combining IFR and VFR flight.

Planning an IFR departure

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Departure procedures are designed primarily to provide obstacle clearance and should be used when published.  These procedures come in two varieties:  Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) and Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs).