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The takeoff is one of the exhilarating parts of flying, but requires some basic knowledge of aircraft control and the airport environment. Here we’ll look at a series of tips to help ensure each of your takeoffs are executed both smoothly and safely.
Airshow pilot and flight instructor, Spencer Suderman, simulates several inflight emergency scenarios and how to handle them, including loss of engine power, flight instrument failure and loss of radio communications. Then on the return flight back to Jacksonville’s Craig field, Spencer shows how to work with ATC in a busy traffic pattern.
It’s something all pilots have to do during training for a Private Pilot license — pass the FAA Knowledge Test. While this test has gotten a bad rap over the years from some, the reality is it’s a non-event when you approach it with the proper mindset and use the right study tools.
In this fast-paced webinar video, Chris McGonegle, a commercial pilot and Sporty’s flight simulator expert, will discuss how to use simulators effectively and how to avoid making mistakes that will degrade your flying skills.
The most popular question I address with prospective pilots is how much and when? Of course the time and money variables go hand in hand. While difficult to arrive at an exact date and decimal point, pilots control much of their own destiny and we can provide ranges for time and money with reasonable accuracy based on past performance.
Starting the airplane engine is one of the first hands-on procedures you’ll learn when starting your flight training. In our latest video tip, we’ll show you step-by-step the procedure for starting the Cessna 172S fuel-injected engine.
To taxi from the ramp to the runway at a towered airport, (across the “movement area”), you need to receive a taxi clearance from the Ground controller. First, listen to the current ATIS broadcast (weather). Then call Ground with your request, mentioning the phonetic alphabet code of the ATIS you heard.
AOPA Flight Training Advantage (AFTA) is an adaptive flight training system that offers a fresh alternative and replacement to a traditional syllabus. AFTA automatically generates individualized lessons based on student performance so each lesson is unique to your training needs. And the system can be accessed online or via a dedicated iPad/iPhone app.
In this episode, Spencer demonstrates how to fly several of the common ground reference maneuvers, including turns around a point and the rectangular course. Not only will these help you learn to better control the airplane while compensating for the effects of the wind, but they’ll help you fly a better traffic pattern when returning to land after each flight.
Getting into the air and taking your first flight is the most important—and most enjoyable—step you can take in your journey. There’s nothing like your first takeoff in an airplane to show you the fun and freedom of flying. If you’re on the fence about learning to fly, go take a first lesson!
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