Paul Jurgens is the Chief Instructor for Multiengine and Flight Instructor Refresher courses at Sporty's Academy. He holds a multiengine ATP certificate with a Cessna Citation type rating along with commercial privileges in single-engine land and sea airplanes, gliders, and hot air balloons. Chief Jurgens holds instructor ratings for single & multiengine airplanes, instrument airplanes, & gliders. He also has instructing privileges in hot air balloons by virtue of his commercial certificate.
In his role as VP of Safety, Security, and Compliance for Sporty's Academy, Chief Jurgens develops and maintains the necessary systems to fulfill that role. He also develops material which eventually becomes a part of the courseware used at Sporty's Academy and sold through Sporty's Pilot Shop.
Distractions on the ramp can be deadly. From cell phones to social media, even small lapses in attention can put pilots, passengers, and line personnel at risk. Learn how situational awareness before, during, and after flight can prevent accidents and keep everyone safe.
The 1320-pound limitation was removed from the definition of LSAs (July, 2026) and Sport Pilot eligible (October, 2025) aircraft. The new rule shifts to a performance-based standard for both LSAs and Sport Pilots, though the criteria for both are not the same.
As pilots, we are required to understand the regulations that apply to our flight and ground operations. While most of us learned the appropriate rules during flight training, it’s easy to forget the ones we don’t use every day—and sometimes even misremember the ones we do use. The regulations outlined below tend to be overlooked by pilots and are worth a refresher.
Having at least a basic understanding of aerodynamics is important for all pilots and it will be evaluated on the practical exam for a certificate or rating. The further along a pilot is in their certificates, the more advanced their understanding of aerodynamics should be. Pilots should take the time to study this information and be prepared for the practical exam along with being prepared for flight situations that will test the application of their understanding.
With all of this affordable weather information available, you should have no excuse for not navigating the failure to stay updated pitfall. Even if you don’t have modern connectivity available to you, the old call to flight service or listening to AWOS and ATIS broadcasts along your route should still give you a basic picture of the weather.
If you are not a pilot or don’t have easy access to one, the EAA’s Young Eagles program may be an option for a free first flight if your child is 8-17. Your child will also receive several other free materials and opportunities through this program. You might also be able to book a flight experience with a local flight school or ride operator.
Class B airspace begins at the surface in the area surrounding the primary airport. As you move further from the primary airport, layers or shelves that start above the surface will be found. The shape of the surface area and layers are tailored to the individual airport and the instrument approach corridors to its runways.
Congratulations on passing your FAA Knowledge Test! You are further along your journey to your next certificate or rating. Now what? The FAA Written Test Report An Introduction to FAA Knowledge Test ACS Codes Reviewing Missed Topics with Your Flight Instructor FAA Written Test Report When you finished your test, the testing center issued you […]
Pilots complete knowledge and flight activities to earn WINGS credits. When the appropriate credits have been earned and approved on the FAASafety.gov website or in the pilot’s logbook, a Basic phase of WINGS is earned.
As a flight instructor, I am often asked the question, “How old do you have to be to start learning to fly?”
The short answer to the question is that there is no minimum age for a child to begin learning to fly. The longer answer is a bit more complicated and I will attempt to discuss that here.
