How Do Your FAA Written Test Scores Stack Up?

/
0 Comments
The FAA recently released its 2024 written testing statistics, and the results offer a look at how pilots are performing across the country. Whether you're studying for your Private, Instrument, or Commercial, these numbers can help you benchmark your own performance.

How to use a mechanical E6B flight computer

/
2 Comments
Most students today prefer to use an electronic E6B flight computer when planning a flight or preparing for the FAA knowledge test.  The electronic E6B is actually the evolution of a mechanical E6B flight computer, often referred to as a whiz wheel. While the mechanical E6B may take a little longer to learn compared to its electronic counterpart, the learning process is a fun challenge.
communication mistakes

Avoid These 5 Common ATC Communication Mistakes

/
2 Comments
Talking on the radio can be one of the most intimidating parts of flight training. Whether it’s your first solo or a cross-country to unfamiliar airspace, clear communication with Air Traffic Control is essential for safety and efficiency—but also a skill that takes practice. The good news? Most of the issues student pilots run into are both common and easily corrected.

Chart Smart: VFR Sectional Concentrated Obstructions

/
0 Comments
Concentrated obstructions of wind turbine farms are portrayed by an overlying hatched area and dotted outline to represent the approximate parameters of the farm. One or more single turbine symbols will populate the farm. A boxed elevation figure representing the MSL elevation of the highest wind turbine within the area is placed inside the farm or, if space is limited, just outside.

Fly Perfect Patterns: Rectangular Course Techniques for Pilots

The rectangular course is one of the most basic maneuvers pilots learn during flight training. While it may sound boring, there's a lot to learn from this simple pattern. In our latest Video Tip of the Week, we walk through each step of the rectangular course, with in-cockpit video and 3D animations.

Flight Training for Young Pilots: How to Start Flying Early

/
3 Comments
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.

FAA Continues Transition to Graphical Forecasts for Aviation

/
0 Comments
The FAA has announced the next step in its ongoing effort to modernize aviation weather products by further transitioning from traditional area forecasts (FAs) to the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) tool. This change, detailed in an Information for Operators (InFO 25004) dated April 8, 2025, reflects the FAA’s strategy to provide pilots with more accurate, accessible, and visual weather information.

Airplane aerodynamics: Why do airplanes want to turn to the left?

Airplanes always seem to want to turn left, especially in a climb. But why does this happen? In this three-minute video tip, we dive into the physics in a way that makes sense for pilots. 3D animations and in-flight video show the effects of P-factor, gyroscopic precession and spiraling slipstream.

Flight Maneuver Spotlight: Turns Around a Point

/
0 Comments
Welcome to the latest edition of the Flight Maneuver Spotlight series. Here we’ll highlight the various maneuvers you’ll practice during your flight training and be expected to demonstrate during your checkride.

Video tip: how to calculate takeoff and landing distances

Just about every airplane includes performance data in the Pilot's Operating Handbook to calculate the runway length required for takeoff and landing under various conditions. The FARs require you to determine these distances as part of your preflight responsibilities, but fortunately the charts published for today's modern airplanes make this task a breeze. This week's tip takes a look at how perform this calculation using the common "chase-around" style charts.