Learning to fly is an amazing experience. And flying solo is a part of the experience that can really get your blood pumping. You have no one else to depend upon except yourself. It’s an empowering, yet frightening experience. Once you start venturing away from the practice area, a whole new world of experiences opens up for you.
I can remember my first few solo cross country flights. I was in a Piper Warrior renting at $55 an hour wet (try to find that today). I had a close encounter with a yellow Cessna 195, landed with a flat nose wheel tire, and asked a tower controller if I could turn on course…into the path of a DC9. Yes, there were some growing pains, but each flight was filling up that oh-so-important experience bucket.
Fast forward to today with more than a decade of flying, I still find myself on many long, solo cross country flights. While the excitement never subsides, I’ve found these five tips really help to make my flights safer and more enjoyable.
1. Bring a backup of everything. I was recently flying along on the second leg of a five hour flight and my headset microphone stopped working. No worries, I can always use the hand mic. What?! Who took the hand mic out? Luckily, I had a backup headset in my bag. Using an iPad for charts? Bring some form of paper or even another electronic source just in case – even if it’s slightly outdated. Flashlights? At least two. And a hand-held radio is a must.
2. Keep you flight bag on the right seat. The seat is empty anyway so you might as well keep your toys handy. Your backups are always close at hand.
3. Learn the Avionics. Do you know everything there is to know about that GPS in the panel or the navigation app you’re using? To pass some time over the desolate Kansas landscape, start learning the functions. Use this opportunity to experiment with setting up VNAV, performing flight calculations and editing flight plans.
4. Take advantage of flight following. I’m not a big fan of talking to ATC, but long flights are an excellent opportunity to practice radio communications. It’ll also help keep your mind on the flight. Having the resources of ATC to help look for aircraft is extremely valuable and they’re always just a key of the mic away in the event of an emergency.
5. Listen to Music. Instructors hate this tip. How dare you institute a distraction in the cockpit!!! Studies show that people are more focused and productive at work when they are listening to music. After several drowsy long flights, I started listening to music. It definitely helps keep your brain in the game. I only listen en route. Adhere to your own form of sterile cockpit rule and turn it off when you approach your destination.
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Many students beginning their training often ask the question “is the iPad the right tool for me in my flight training?” There are many schools of thought on the use of technology during flight training and I couldn’t possibly cover all of them, so rather than try, I will stick with how we recommend the use of technology in a balanced learning approach to flight training.
Does the iPad have a place in flight training? Absolutely, if used properly.
Depending on if you are working on your first certificate (Sport, Recreational or Private) or if you are adding on the Instrument Rating to your Private certificate, the use of an iPad will differ greatly on how best to integrate it into your training so as to not provide an unnecessary distraction or complication. The most important rule that you should follow when using an iPad, regardless of VFR or IFR, is to learn to use all of its functions properly! Fumbling to find a required piece of information or getting lost into the sea of images and functions will only delay or compromise your training; not accelerate it. Spend the time to learn the features of the iPad and the aviation app that you are using. This time can be by yourself with the help page or a tutorial video, or it can be spent with a qualified instructor who has experience in that app. This training time will save you money and make your investment work for you.
VFR Training
One of the most important decisions about using an iPad during VFR training is to decide when do you want to begin using the device? The right answer is as soon as you get it, but with one large caveat; don’t bring in the air until you’re ready. The iPad is a fantastic tool to use during ground training and preflight briefings. Its notepad functions are extremely useful for detailing items to remember from ground lessons. Using the internet or an aviation app allows access to a sea of weather information to help during the go/no-go decision. Having access to PDF documents of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, or the Aviation Weather book, along with the POH for your aircraft and a FAR/AIM app, will turn your lightweight iPad into the largest library you can carry with you. These tools you can begin using on day one.
I mentioned that you shouldn’t bring the iPad into the air with you until you are ready. How do you know when is the right time? Your instructor will often be the best judge, but in absence of their judgment, I would wait until after you have soloed the plane and have mastered basic flight and flight maneuvers. The use of the iPad in this critical VFR, outside perspective time, can distract from subtle learning cues whose importance can’t be overstated in the long term of your flying. I often use the milestone of consistent travel to other airports as a good marker to help introduce the iPad’s flight usability to a primary student.
The inflight moving map feature is probably the most important, obvious assistant to the new pilot. It’s easy to use, self-locating functions help a student pilot get from A to B that much easier, but a word of caution; don’t rely on GPS-based moving maps as your sole source of pilotage/dead reckoning information. I always teach my students how to use just the map feature without GPS positioning before I allow them to use all the full features.
One of the most anticipated, welcomed capabilities of most aviation apps is using the flight planning section to calculate your dead reckoning, fuel burn, time en-route, and other cross country related items. The unfortunate problem with this immediate use of technology is the over-reliance on it later in flying. The best way to handle this is the balanced approach I referenced to early. For each automated feature (like fuel burn calculations, time en-route, wind correction angles, etc.) learn the manual way FIRST! This might seem like double duty, or perhaps even a slow-down in your training, but it won’t be. The knowledge that you gain by learning “the old school method” will allow you to appreciate the speed and simplicity of the app, but more importantly it will help solidify these important learning concepts in your head (i.e. How long does it take to travel 10 NM at 120 kts?). Learning these key objectives and how they interrelate to other topics in aviation is one of the foundations that aviation teaching has been using for decades.
Other useful tips for VFR
When planning a VFR cross country, one of the shortcomings of many aviation apps is the inability to specify a fuel/distance to climb, different fuel burn rates based on altitudes, and time to climb performance. The best way to overcome these is to use a blended approach from “old school” paper and POH and the technology of the app. Using a TOC (top of climb) waypoint that is calculated based on POH numbers can be used as an add-on to the time and fuel calculated by the program to increase its calculations’ accuracy. Using a GPS to help update your dead reckoning planning (like you would with a timer and Pilotage checkpoints) will help keep you honest during your cross country flights. Don’t forget that sometimes an E6B app is still the only way to get the calculation that you want. Don’t be afraid to supplement the information from your app with some common sense and manual numbers.
IFR Flying
Geo-referenced approach charts can be a great training tool.
If using an iPad and aviation apps for VFR flying is good, then using them for IFR flying is great. An app like ForeFlight can become your best friend in the IFR world for resource information, calculations, situational awareness, and cockpit management. But before you rush out and burn your paper TPP’s, there are still some things to consider.
IFR flying as a rule is less forgiving than VFR. As such, our understanding of the device and software go from important to critical. All the basic rules listed above for VFR flight come into play in the IFR world: things like know the “old school” method before you let the automation do it for you, or know where to find source information so as to not be surprised when asked for something unexpected. If I have a student wanting to train with an iPad for IFR training, we sit down and have a full ground lesson dedicated to the safe use of it in flight. Failing to understand what the app does for you behind the scenes could leave you in a perilous situation if the app decided to fail (i.e. situational awareness).
IFR chart information is often separated in most apps to be in different locations than you might think, and in several cases not all information is automatically downloaded; you have to select certain supplements and download them in a different location. Knowing where to find this information and having it current and downloaded is vital to using these wonderful tools in IFR. A great example of this is the digital terminal procedures supplement in ForeFlight. This is located in the documents section and contains vital information like legend data, inoperative components table for non functioning lighting equipment, and climb/descent tables. Without this key supplement, “going digital” would leave you without required information that you might need or an examiner might ask for. Also in the documents section, there are additional guides that can help you with weight & balance, filing flight plans thru the app, and app legends, just to name a few.
When practicing multiple approaches, know how best to locate different approach charts for close-by airports and practice switching them on the ground. In many apps you can create folders or favorites that allow you to access these faster without having to search the whole database. Setting these up in advance is one of the items that we teach as a preflight action for cockpit management and organization for an IFR flight (local or cross country).
For those students who are having difficulty with situational awareness, or if you are flying without a panel mounted GPS, one of the options available to you is geo-referenced approach plates. This feature will allow your iPad (with GPS) to depict the aircraft position on the approach plate plan view. When flying without additional situational awareness tools (like IFR approved GPS) this additional feature can be a tremendous help to getting you aware and prepared for your approach. I don’t recommend it for all students, as the additional cost can be a deterrent for some, not to mention unnecessary depending on the other equipment in the airplane.
Safety Concerns
When going to an all-digital solution for VFR or IFR flying, there are obvious safety questions that should be answered and anticipated. This topic is so vast, rather than covering it in this article, it is easier to refer you to this article to fully explain these important preparation concerns. If you are looking for a more specific day-to-day preparation process for your iPad, I would suggest this article on how to pre-flight your iPad.
For those students flying in actual IFR, most apps now offer some form of backup attitude indicator, if tied to an appropriate attitude information source. The Foreflight app when tied with a Stratus 2nd generation ADS-B receiver will display a full backup panel display complete with actual attitude information, GPS based airspeed, and altitude information. This display is not a legal replacement for what is in your aircraft, but will definitely help in the event of an instrument failure or vacuum pump failure leaving you in a partial panel situation.
Decision time
Deciding when, how, and with what, to go digital with your iPad in flight training is a topic that you should give great consideration to and discuss with your instructor. If you are looking for an in-depth discussion of learning to fly with an iPad, I might suggest this free webinar. Given certain precautions and using it in a balanced manner, the use of an iPad and aviation app will greatly aid your flight training, regardless of VFR or IFR. These tools are invaluable and offer a tremendous value to help you learn faster, cheaper, and fly safer.
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You have dreamed of this day for months. Through all the study for the knowledge test. Through that tenuous first flying lesson as you observed the airplane’s array of buttons, switches, knobs and dials making you wonder if you could ever make sense of it all. But you did. Soon you could interpret the instruments, you developed a “feel” for when the airplane was ready to fly on the takeoff roll. After hours of maintaining altitude, turns to a heading, turns around a point, and stalls, you began to “feel” how airplanes fly and how airplanes “feel” when they’re about to quit flying on landing.
You passed your knowledge test, your medical certification and your check ride. You have your temporary pilot certificate, medical and state-issued photo identification in your pocket and it’s now time to show off by taking a spouse, friend, parent or child for a ride. The next hour will be memorable – for you and your passenger – the question is how it will be remembered? A fun time and a great way to get from point A to point B, or a terror never to be repeated.
Begin at the Beginning
Every flight begins with planning including a weather briefing and preflight inspection. These phases, however, may serve to provide opportunities to plant the seeds of doubt in your first time passengers. Aeronautical charts might resemble other maps they have seen but have big spaces marked off as “Prohibited Area”, “Restricted Area” or “Military Operations Areas” along with markings for Class B, C and D airspace and indications where Class E transitions to Class G. Your passengers may be apprehensive about these and quietly wonder if they will be shot down for getting too close. Your briefing may include predictions of thunderstorms, icing and turbulence but far from your route or time of flight.
As pilots, we know to conduct a thorough preflight inspection of the airplane, but your passengers probably haven’t looked over their car that thoroughly since they bought it and have never had to add any oil between changes. “I guess the darn thing was junk because he had to fill it up with oil even before we took off” is a logical viewpoint of a casual observer. Therefore it is best to conduct the preflight before bringing your passengers out to the airplane and then just conduct an abbreviated walk around (wings on, propeller on, tires on) prior to boarding.
Stalls
The word “stall” means only one thing to most people – the thing has quit running. Aerodynamic stalls are a maneuver we all practiced many, many times on our way to our certificates and we may want to show off what we have learned. Don’t even try to explain to your passengers how an airplane that has “quit flying” can be a good thing while the airplane is in the air. What may seem to you as a normal buffet followed by the nose dropping may be interpreted by passengers as “We were just going along and then the darn thing dropped out from under us! You can bet your bottom dollar, I’m never getting in one of those little darn things again.” They will surely relate this experience at the office water cooler and every party they attend hereafter.
Wanna See What It’s Like to Weigh 300 (or Zero) Pounds?
“Pulling some Gs” is another thing we all got used to during our training. We learned that a 60 degree bank coordinated turn will make a 200 pounder feel like they weigh 400. We also learned what weightlessness feels like either during an aggressive nose over or turbulence. Although we have gotten use to the sensations, rest assured your 2-G maneuver will turn into “We were just flying along and all of a sudden he made this turn and – I swear – there was so much force that it pulled the snot right out of my nose! I expected the wings to break any minute. I’ll tell you one thing, you will never catch me in one of those darn things again.”
The “B” Word
Flying airplanes is safest when we keep then towards the middle and away from the edges of the sky. The edges are marked by things like antennae, buildings, trees, dirt and rocks. Unfortunately, the farther we fly from the edges, the less likely we are to get noticed when flying over our friends’ houses. So there is the temptation to fly low. We get an enhanced perception of speed, we get noticed by our neighbors, and it’s fun to fly a strafing run through the neighborhood using our right thumb to activate an imaginary machine gun to take out enemy cars, bicycles and boats. That is…until you look over at your passenger, sweating like James Bond in Fort Knox.
Tomorrow they’ll be saying, “We were flying along and all of a sudden, we were diving straight towards the house. He leveled off barely – and I mean barely in the nick of time. I thought we were going to hit my chimney. Then, just as quick he pulled up so hard, it drained all the blood from my head. I could tell it affected him too because he had this grin – this strange grin like a guy about ready to pass out. I prayed we would land soon and we did. I got lucky that time but I’ll be darned if you ever catch me in one of those darn things again!”
Lessons Learned
This is a personal article for me because I was the pilot in each of those scenarios. I thought I was giving passengers a ride of a lifetime but it turned out to be the ride of their lifetime because it caused them to swear off flying in anything with propellers. They didn’t tell me but they told their friends and co-workers. These days I get to the airport and do my preflight before my passengers get there, or while they are still inside. I make sure any squawks are addressed before I bring them out to the plane. I do explain some procedures (such as the run-up) and reassure them everything checks out. I explain that I need to attend to business during the takeoff and landing phase but will be happy to chat about our flight and answer questions during cruise. Unless absolutely necessary I try to limit my bank angles to 15 degrees and maneuver so as to minimize the G forces. Finally, even if they ask to buzz the neighborhood I tell passengers the FAA limits how close we can fly to people or their property and 1,000 feet is close enough. I want them (and me) to be safe because no one has ever had a collision with the sky.
So enjoy your certificate, take friends and family along for rides, have fun, enhance your business, but most importantly: be safe y’all.
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An activity that many pilots enjoy involves sitting at the airport and watching other pilots takeoff and land. While enjoying this pastime you may see some aircraft that look a bit different from your typical trainer.
You may see an airplane with more than one engine. These are known as multiengine airplanes.
Your airport may be home to jet powered airplanes. These airplanes do not have a propeller. They get their thrust through the exhaust of the jet engine with some help from a ducted fan that is powered by the same engine. These engines may also be called turbine engines.
You may see an airplane with a propeller but whose engine sounds like a jet. These airplanes are known as turboprops. The turboprop engine design is based upon the jet engine. Instead of the exhaust providing the thrust, the majority of the engine’s energy is used to turn the propeller.
Some airplanes look like a cross between an airplane and a boat. These are known as seaplanes. They are designed to takeoff and land on water. Amphibious seaplanes, which is what you will see at a traditional airport, are designed to operate from the water or the runway.
You may also see other aircraft besides airplanes.
An aircraft with a rotating blade over the cockpit is known as a rotorcraft or a rotary wing aircraft. They are called rotary wing because spinning blades are actually airfoils that provide lift. If you look at one closely when it isn’t operating, you can see that it is shaped like a wing.
There are two types of rotorcraft. The more familiar type is a helicopter. Helicopters use a piston or turbine engine to turn the wing. Most also have a small rotor at the back. It is used to prevent the fuselage of the helicopter from rotating opposite the main rotor blades. The pilot changes the angle of the rotary wings in order to change the flight of the helicopter.
Another rotary wing aircraft is known by the FAA as the gyroplane. You may also hear them called gyrocopters or autogyros. The gyroplane looks a bit like a cross between an airplane and a helicopter. The gyroplane obtains its thrust through an engine and propeller. The main rotor spins as air is pushed up through it. The rotor provides lift for the craft but it is not driven by an engine, only by the wind.
Gliders, sometimes called sailplanes, are a type of fixed wing aircraft. They look kind of like an airplane but do not use an engine as their primary means of flight. Many gliders have no engine at all. These gliders must be towed into the air by another aircraft or towed aloft by a winch or car on the ground. Motorgliders have an engine and propeller but their primary use is to get the glider off the ground. Once in the air, the engine may be shut off for soaring flight.
If you see an aircraft with a triangular wing that looks like a motorized hang glider, you are likely seeing a weight-shift controlled aircraft. WSC’s do not have traditional flight controls. They are controlled through a steering bar that allows the pilot to shift his weight and the weight of the carriage beneath the wing. This weight shift changes the flight of the wing to control the aircraft. Some people refer to these aircraft as trikes.
An aircraft with a powered cart beneath a parachute wing is known as a powered parachute. Powered parachutes are controlled by the pilot through the use of steering lines that deflect the back of the parachute downward. The speed of the aircraft is relatively constant. Adding or decreasing power simply changes the climb or descent rate.
Photo courtesy of Dave Conrad, PPG Pilot
Similar to the powered parachute, you may also see a foot launched powered paraglider or paramotor though these ultralight inflatable wings often fly from fields with some distance from an airport. The pilot wears a harness connected to the motor and the wing.
Aircraft classified as lighter-than-air come in two forms, balloons and airships.
Airships, often called blimps or dirigibles, are typically filled with helium gas. Since helium is less dense and thus lighter than the air surrounding its envelope, the airship is pushed upward into the sky. An airship will have motors for propulsion and will be steerable by the pilot.
Balloons have no means of propulsion. Some steering is accomplished by the pilot using the winds at different levels to control the destination. Most balloons use a propane burner to heat the air in the envelope and make it lighter. Some balloons utilize helium or hydrogen gas to provide their lighter-than-air properties.
Now that you know some of the aircraft that you might see, why not join your fellow pilots relaxing at the airport and seeing the sights?
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There will be days during your training when it seems tough to get excited about another lesson consisting of basic flight maneuvers. Don’t worry, this is completely normal and your instructor obviously has good intentions. Refining the skills required by these maneuvers will ultimately make you a more capable and well-rounded pilot. But of course one of the main reasons you’re learning to fly in the first place is for the fun of it. And if you ever find yourself losing interest in the next flight lesson it’s time for a change of scenery.
One of the best ways to break up the maneuvers phase of your flight training is to leave your local airport environment and fly to new airport. Even better find an airport that has a restaurant on the field, and make time to grab breakfast or lunch with your instructor. Don’t worry if you haven’t learned cross-country flying yet — your CFI will talk you through it. Flying is all about traveling to new places, and what better way to experience what it means to be a pilot then flying to a new airport for lunch.
A few days later when it’s time to practice your maneuvers again, try scheduling your flight lesson at a different time of day. For example if you regularly fly during the afternoon in the hot summertime turbulence, try a few lessons in the morning when the temperature is cool and the air is still. Or if you normally fly during the week in between school or work, try a few weekend lessons when you have less on your mind.
When practicing landings, a change of scenery can make all the difference in the world. While you can save time by staying at your home airport for repeated takeoff and landing practice, you may find it beneficial when having trouble with the traffic pattern and landings to head to a new airport for a new perspective.
If your flight school is based at a non-towered airport, ask your instructor to take you to a towered-airport for multiple landings. Your instructor can take care of the radio calls while you concentrate on flying the airplane, and you’ll enjoy the sights and sounds at the bigger airport while fitting in with a new mix of air traffic.
At the same time if you regularly operate out of a towered-airport, fly over to a non-towered field for some practice. There’s a good chance the runway will be shorter to help you hone your speed and touchdown control, and the lack of a control tower will give you more flexibility with your traffic-pattern work.
Your instructor should notice when your interest begins to wander, but don’t feel like you have to wait for them to mix things up. You should always be open with them and speak up if you want a change of scenery during your lessons, even if only for a lesson or two. You’ll be instantly reminded of how much fun flying truly is and learn valuable skills along the way.
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My first job in aviation was working at a Fixed Base Operator (FBO): driving the fuel truck, tying down airplanes and cleaning windshields. I enjoyed it immensely, since the job paid me to hang around airplanes all day. I got really good at naming airplane types from a distance, but I also learned a lot about the way different pilots approach aviation – some good, some bad.
I try to keep that experience in mind when I visit different FBOs, this time as a pilot. There are some small things we can do as pilots that have a major impact on both safety and camaraderie. You might call this the unofficial FBO rulebook – tips we all need to know as pilots, and they don’t appear in the FAR/AIM book or on the FAA written test.
Always stay with your airplane when it’s fueled. You’ve just landed and you’re desperate to visit the bathroom and get a cold drink. But not so fast – if you ordered fuel, it’s a good idea to stay with the airplane. Most FBO employees are very conscientious, but everyone makes mistakes. Check to make sure it’s the Avgas truck and not the Jet A truck (if you ordered Avgas). Also make sure the right amount gets added to your airplane. Trying to fix either mistake after it has happened is a real pain, and if you don’t catch it the result could be fatal.
Don’t be afraid to tip friendly line guys. Pilots’ approaches toward tipping tend to vary greatly, and in most cases a tip is not required for typical line service. But if someone really goes out of his way to help (staying late to fuel, loading lots of bags in on a hot ramp, etc.), don’t be afraid to thank them with a few dollars. It goes a long way.
Return the courtesy car with more gas than when you found it. The whole concept of a courtesy car – a vehicle pilots can take for free to get lunch – seems too good to be true. But the system works very well, assuming we all obey the classic advice to leave things in better shape than you found it. Take a few minutes to clean up your mess, and add a few gallons to the gas tank. This “pass it on” attitude is part of what makes the aviation community special.
Sign the guestbook if it’s out. Some small airports like to leave a guestbook out for transient pilots to fill out when they arrive. It may sound a little old school, but I’ve found it to be a wonderful tradition. Take a moment and fill in your name and N-number. Also stop to read where the last few visitors came from. This is a great way to strike up a conversation with the local airport bums.
Don’t sit with the engine running in front of the FBO. Be a good airport neighbor – after you start the engine and have your headset on, pull away from the FBO door to complete your checklist. It’s both unsafe and a little rude to sit in front of the door for 15 minutes while you run down every last item.
Leave your parking brake off. If you’re parking overnight, be sure to leave the parking brake off in your airplane. You never know when the FBO might need to move airplanes around, and if your brakes are on you will be a major inconvenience. Worse still, if severe weather moves through, they won’t be able to move your airplane into a hangar. So leave the brakes off – and bring a pair of chocks if you want some insurance.
Update fuel prices online or in your favorite app. Many of us check fuel prices religiously before a trip, but most of those fuel prices are only as good as the pilots who submit them. If you buy fuel, take 30 seconds and update the price on Airnav.com or ForeFlight or whatever you use for pre-flight planning. Some of these sites and apps also allow you to leave reviews of the FBO’s facilities and service. These are very helpful too.
Help another pilot if you notice something wrong. If you’re walking to your rental car at 11pm on a Sunday night and you notice another airplane is untied and unchocked, take a moment and secure the airplane. Sure, 2% of pilots will complain that you touched their airplane, but 98% will appreciate the gesture and you may save an airplane from damage. If nothing else, it prevents that airplane from becoming a danger to other airplanes. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, talk to the FBO and point out the issue.
Now it’s your turn – what rules should pilots obey at FBOs? Add a comment below.
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5 Tips for Solo Cross-Country Flying
/in Having fun/by StudentpltnewsI can remember my first few solo cross country flights. I was in a Piper Warrior renting at $55 an hour wet (try to find that today). I had a close encounter with a yellow Cessna 195, landed with a flat nose wheel tire, and asked a tower controller if I could turn on course…into the path of a DC9. Yes, there were some growing pains, but each flight was filling up that oh-so-important experience bucket.
Fast forward to today with more than a decade of flying, I still find myself on many long, solo cross country flights. While the excitement never subsides, I’ve found these five tips really help to make my flights safer and more enjoyable.
2. Keep you flight bag on the right seat. The seat is empty anyway so you might as well keep your toys handy. Your backups are always close at hand.
4. Take advantage of flight following. I’m not a big fan of talking to ATC, but long flights are an excellent opportunity to practice radio communications. It’ll also help keep your mind on the flight. Having the resources of ATC to help look for aircraft is extremely valuable and they’re always just a key of the mic away in the event of an emergency.
5. Listen to Music. Instructors hate this tip. How dare you institute a distraction in the cockpit!!! Studies show that people are more focused and productive at work when they are listening to music. After several drowsy long flights, I started listening to music. It definitely helps keep your brain in the game. I only listen en route. Adhere to your own form of sterile cockpit rule and turn it off when you approach your destination.
iPad & flight training – what you need to know
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsDoes the iPad have a place in flight training? Absolutely, if used properly.
Depending on if you are working on your first certificate (Sport, Recreational or Private) or if you are adding on the Instrument Rating to your Private certificate, the use of an iPad will differ greatly on how best to integrate it into your training so as to not provide an unnecessary distraction or complication. The most important rule that you should follow when using an iPad, regardless of VFR or IFR, is to learn to use all of its functions properly! Fumbling to find a required piece of information or getting lost into the sea of images and functions will only delay or compromise your training; not accelerate it. Spend the time to learn the features of the iPad and the aviation app that you are using. This time can be by yourself with the help page or a tutorial video, or it can be spent with a qualified instructor who has experience in that app. This training time will save you money and make your investment work for you.
VFR Training
One of the most important decisions about using an iPad during VFR training is to decide when do you want to begin using the device? The right answer is as soon as you get it, but with one large caveat; don’t bring in the air until you’re ready. The iPad is a fantastic tool to use during ground training and preflight briefings. Its notepad functions are extremely useful for detailing items to remember from ground lessons. Using the internet or an aviation app allows access to a sea of weather information to help during the go/no-go decision. Having access to PDF documents of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, or the Aviation Weather book, along with the POH for your aircraft and a FAR/AIM app, will turn your lightweight iPad into the largest library you can carry with you. These tools you can begin using on day one.
I mentioned that you shouldn’t bring the iPad into the air with you until you are ready. How do you know when is the right time? Your instructor will often be the best judge, but in absence of their judgment, I would wait until after you have soloed the plane and have mastered basic flight and flight maneuvers. The use of the iPad in this critical VFR, outside perspective time, can distract from subtle learning cues whose importance can’t be overstated in the long term of your flying. I often use the milestone of consistent travel to other airports as a good marker to help introduce the iPad’s flight usability to a primary student.
One of the most anticipated, welcomed capabilities of most aviation apps is using the flight planning section to calculate your dead reckoning, fuel burn, time en-route, and other cross country related items. The unfortunate problem with this immediate use of technology is the over-reliance on it later in flying. The best way to handle this is the balanced approach I referenced to early. For each automated feature (like fuel burn calculations, time en-route, wind correction angles, etc.) learn the manual way FIRST! This might seem like double duty, or perhaps even a slow-down in your training, but it won’t be. The knowledge that you gain by learning “the old school method” will allow you to appreciate the speed and simplicity of the app, but more importantly it will help solidify these important learning concepts in your head (i.e. How long does it take to travel 10 NM at 120 kts?). Learning these key objectives and how they interrelate to other topics in aviation is one of the foundations that aviation teaching has been using for decades.
Other useful tips for VFR
When planning a VFR cross country, one of the shortcomings of many aviation apps is the inability to specify a fuel/distance to climb, different fuel burn rates based on altitudes, and time to climb performance. The best way to overcome these is to use a blended approach from “old school” paper and POH and the technology of the app. Using a TOC (top of climb) waypoint that is calculated based on POH numbers can be used as an add-on to the time and fuel calculated by the program to increase its calculations’ accuracy. Using a GPS to help update your dead reckoning planning (like you would with a timer and Pilotage checkpoints) will help keep you honest during your cross country flights. Don’t forget that sometimes an E6B app is still the only way to get the calculation that you want. Don’t be afraid to supplement the information from your app with some common sense and manual numbers.
IFR Flying
Geo-referenced approach charts can be a great training tool.
If using an iPad and aviation apps for VFR flying is good, then using them for IFR flying is great. An app like ForeFlight can become your best friend in the IFR world for resource information, calculations, situational awareness, and cockpit management. But before you rush out and burn your paper TPP’s, there are still some things to consider.
IFR flying as a rule is less forgiving than VFR. As such, our understanding of the device and software go from important to critical. All the basic rules listed above for VFR flight come into play in the IFR world: things like know the “old school” method before you let the automation do it for you, or know where to find source information so as to not be surprised when asked for something unexpected. If I have a student wanting to train with an iPad for IFR training, we sit down and have a full ground lesson dedicated to the safe use of it in flight. Failing to understand what the app does for you behind the scenes could leave you in a perilous situation if the app decided to fail (i.e. situational awareness).
IFR chart information is often separated in most apps to be in different locations than you might think, and in several cases not all information is automatically downloaded; you have to select certain supplements and download them in a different location. Knowing where to find this information and having it current and downloaded is vital to using these wonderful tools in IFR. A great example of this is the digital terminal procedures supplement in ForeFlight. This is located in the documents section and contains vital information like legend data, inoperative components table for non functioning lighting equipment, and climb/descent tables. Without this key supplement, “going digital” would leave you without required information that you might need or an examiner might ask for. Also in the documents section, there are additional guides that can help you with weight & balance, filing flight plans thru the app, and app legends, just to name a few.
When practicing multiple approaches, know how best to locate different approach charts for close-by airports and practice switching them on the ground. In many apps you can create folders or favorites that allow you to access these faster without having to search the whole database. Setting these up in advance is one of the items that we teach as a preflight action for cockpit management and organization for an IFR flight (local or cross country).
Safety Concerns
When going to an all-digital solution for VFR or IFR flying, there are obvious safety questions that should be answered and anticipated. This topic is so vast, rather than covering it in this article, it is easier to refer you to this article to fully explain these important preparation concerns. If you are looking for a more specific day-to-day preparation process for your iPad, I would suggest this article on how to pre-flight your iPad.
For those students flying in actual IFR, most apps now offer some form of backup attitude indicator, if tied to an appropriate attitude information source. The Foreflight app when tied with a Stratus 2nd generation ADS-B receiver will display a full backup panel display complete with actual attitude information, GPS based airspeed, and altitude information. This display is not a legal replacement for what is in your aircraft, but will definitely help in the event of an instrument failure or vacuum pump failure leaving you in a partial panel situation.
Decision time
Deciding when, how, and with what, to go digital with your iPad in flight training is a topic that you should give great consideration to and discuss with your instructor. If you are looking for an in-depth discussion of learning to fly with an iPad, I might suggest this free webinar. Given certain precautions and using it in a balanced manner, the use of an iPad and aviation app will greatly aid your flight training, regardless of VFR or IFR. These tools are invaluable and offer a tremendous value to help you learn faster, cheaper, and fly safer.
Hey Y’all – Watch This! Five Ways to Scare Your Passengers Away from Flying
/in Personal stories/by StudentpltnewsYou have dreamed of this day for months. Through all the study for the knowledge test. Through that tenuous first flying lesson as you observed the airplane’s array of buttons, switches, knobs and dials making you wonder if you could ever make sense of it all. But you did. Soon you could interpret the instruments, you developed a “feel” for when the airplane was ready to fly on the takeoff roll. After hours of maintaining altitude, turns to a heading, turns around a point, and stalls, you began to “feel” how airplanes fly and how airplanes “feel” when they’re about to quit flying on landing.
You passed your knowledge test, your medical certification and your check ride. You have your temporary pilot certificate, medical and state-issued photo identification in your pocket and it’s now time to show off by taking a spouse, friend, parent or child for a ride. The next hour will be memorable – for you and your passenger – the question is how it will be remembered? A fun time and a great way to get from point A to point B, or a terror never to be repeated.
Begin at the Beginning
As pilots, we know to conduct a thorough preflight inspection of the airplane, but your passengers probably haven’t looked over their car that thoroughly since they bought it and have never had to add any oil between changes. “I guess the darn thing was junk because he had to fill it up with oil even before we took off” is a logical viewpoint of a casual observer. Therefore it is best to conduct the preflight before bringing your passengers out to the airplane and then just conduct an abbreviated walk around (wings on, propeller on, tires on) prior to boarding.
Stalls
Wanna See What It’s Like to Weigh 300 (or Zero) Pounds?
“Pulling some Gs” is another thing we all got used to during our training. We learned that a 60 degree bank coordinated turn will make a 200 pounder feel like they weigh 400. We also learned what weightlessness feels like either during an aggressive nose over or turbulence. Although we have gotten use to the sensations, rest assured your 2-G maneuver will turn into “We were just flying along and all of a sudden he made this turn and – I swear – there was so much force that it pulled the snot right out of my nose! I expected the wings to break any minute. I’ll tell you one thing, you will never catch me in one of those darn things again.”
The “B” Word
Tomorrow they’ll be saying, “We were flying along and all of a sudden, we were diving straight towards the house. He leveled off barely – and I mean barely in the nick of time. I thought we were going to hit my chimney. Then, just as quick he pulled up so hard, it drained all the blood from my head. I could tell it affected him too because he had this grin – this strange grin like a guy about ready to pass out. I prayed we would land soon and we did. I got lucky that time but I’ll be darned if you ever catch me in one of those darn things again!”
Lessons Learned
This is a personal article for me because I was the pilot in each of those scenarios. I thought I was giving passengers a ride of a lifetime but it turned out to be the ride of their lifetime because it caused them to swear off flying in anything with propellers. They didn’t tell me but they told their friends and co-workers. These days I get to the airport and do my preflight before my passengers get there, or while they are still inside. I make sure any squawks are addressed before I bring them out to the plane. I do explain some procedures (such as the run-up) and reassure them everything checks out. I explain that I need to attend to business during the takeoff and landing phase but will be happy to chat about our flight and answer questions during cruise. Unless absolutely necessary I try to limit my bank angles to 15 degrees and maneuver so as to minimize the G forces. Finally, even if they ask to buzz the neighborhood I tell passengers the FAA limits how close we can fly to people or their property and 1,000 feet is close enough. I want them (and me) to be safe because no one has ever had a collision with the sky.
So enjoy your certificate, take friends and family along for rides, have fun, enhance your business, but most importantly: be safe y’all.
That Doesn’t Look Like My Airplane!
/in Get Started, Having fun/by StudentpltnewsAn activity that many pilots enjoy involves sitting at the airport and watching other pilots takeoff and land. While enjoying this pastime you may see some aircraft that look a bit different from your typical trainer.
There are a wide variety of airplanes out there. You may see the latest high performance single-engine airplane streaking down the runway. Some airplanes have retractable landing gear which gives the airplane a sleek appearance after takeoff. You may see an unusual experimental airplane…yes, I said experimental airplane. The FAA allows homebuilt and experimental aircraft to fly with some restrictions.
Your airport may be home to jet powered airplanes. These airplanes do not have a propeller. They get their thrust through the exhaust of the jet engine with some help from a ducted fan that is powered by the same engine. These engines may also be called turbine engines.
You may see an airplane with a propeller but whose engine sounds like a jet. These airplanes are known as turboprops. The turboprop engine design is based upon the jet engine. Instead of the exhaust providing the thrust, the majority of the engine’s energy is used to turn the propeller.
You may also see other aircraft besides airplanes.
An aircraft with a rotating blade over the cockpit is known as a rotorcraft or a rotary wing aircraft. They are called rotary wing because spinning blades are actually airfoils that provide lift. If you look at one closely when it isn’t operating, you can see that it is shaped like a wing.
If you see an aircraft with a triangular wing that looks like a motorized hang glider, you are likely seeing a weight-shift controlled aircraft. WSC’s do not have traditional flight controls. They are controlled through a steering bar that allows the pilot to shift his weight and the weight of the carriage beneath the wing. This weight shift changes the flight of the wing to control the aircraft. Some people refer to these aircraft as trikes.
An aircraft with a powered cart beneath a parachute wing is known as a powered parachute. Powered parachutes are controlled by the pilot through the use of steering lines that deflect the back of the parachute downward. The speed of the aircraft is relatively constant. Adding or decreasing power simply changes the climb or descent rate.
Photo courtesy of Dave Conrad, PPG Pilot
Similar to the powered parachute, you may also see a foot launched powered paraglider or paramotor though these ultralight inflatable wings often fly from fields with some distance from an airport. The pilot wears a harness connected to the motor and the wing.
Aircraft classified as lighter-than-air come in two forms, balloons and airships.
Now that you know some of the aircraft that you might see, why not join your fellow pilots relaxing at the airport and seeing the sights?
Change of Scenery
/in Having fun/by StudentpltnewsOne of the best ways to break up the maneuvers phase of your flight training is to leave your local airport environment and fly to new airport. Even better find an airport that has a restaurant on the field, and make time to grab breakfast or lunch with your instructor. Don’t worry if you haven’t learned cross-country flying yet — your CFI will talk you through it. Flying is all about traveling to new places, and what better way to experience what it means to be a pilot then flying to a new airport for lunch.
A few days later when it’s time to practice your maneuvers again, try scheduling your flight lesson at a different time of day. For example if you regularly fly during the afternoon in the hot summertime turbulence, try a few lessons in the morning when the temperature is cool and the air is still. Or if you normally fly during the week in between school or work, try a few weekend lessons when you have less on your mind.
When practicing landings, a change of scenery can make all the difference in the world. While you can save time by staying at your home airport for repeated takeoff and landing practice, you may find it beneficial when having trouble with the traffic pattern and landings to head to a new airport for a new perspective.
If your flight school is based at a non-towered airport, ask your instructor to take you to a towered-airport for multiple landings. Your instructor can take care of the radio calls while you concentrate on flying the airplane, and you’ll enjoy the sights and sounds at the bigger airport while fitting in with a new mix of air traffic.
At the same time if you regularly operate out of a towered-airport, fly over to a non-towered field for some practice. There’s a good chance the
runway will be shorter to help you hone your speed and touchdown control, and the lack of a control tower will give you more flexibility with your traffic-pattern work.
Your instructor should notice when your interest begins to wander, but don’t feel like you have to wait for them to mix things up. You should always be open with them and speak up if you want a change of scenery during your lessons, even if only for a lesson or two. You’ll be instantly reminded of how much fun flying truly is and learn valuable skills along the way.
The unofficial FBO rulebook – what your CFI didn’t teach you
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsMy first job in aviation was working at a Fixed Base Operator (FBO): driving the fuel truck, tying down airplanes and cleaning windshields. I enjoyed it immensely, since the job paid me to hang around airplanes all day. I got really good at naming airplane types from a distance, but I also learned a lot about the way different pilots approach aviation – some good, some bad.
Now it’s your turn – what rules should pilots obey at FBOs? Add a comment below.