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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The World’s Largest Pilot Shop is celebrating April 1st with the release of these amazing new products. Developed by Sporty’s team of expert pilots, each product was hand-picked for this special day.
Sporty’s 2015 Christmas Ornament is…..
the stealth fighter. That’s right! Not since the P-51 has an airplane changed the way our military approaches air-to-air combat. This ornament portrays the stealth’s most important feature: invisible to radar.
But wait, THERE’S MORE! Act now and preorder the stealth fighter 2015 ornament and we’ll give the stealth bomber ornament, a $29.99 value, absolutely free. That’s right, two stealth ornaments – the fighter and the bomber – for only $29.99! Just pay separate processing and shipping.
The Tourniquet Kneeboard
You’re flying along and your foot falls off…WHAT DO YOU DO? Not to worry because you have this innovative new product: the tourniquet kneeboard! It’s a kneeboard and a tourniquet in one simple design! Why carry two separate devices when this amazing product can serve both purposes? Simply attach the kneeboard to your leg. If you’re suffering massive blood loss, spin the kneeboard in a clockwise direction to restrict the flow of blood through your leg.
Indestructible Tie Down Kit
Are you tired of wimpy tie downs at rural airports? Say NO to frayed ropes and permanent restraints with this indestructible tie down kit. Each kit includes a bucket, one bag of concrete mix, and a 10’ chain. They are highly portable and easily fit into the baggage compartment of a Boeing 747. Water sold separately.
The Time the FAA Got It Right
This best-selling book is hot off the press. After decades of thorough research, author and CFI Purdy Crazee compiled a comprehensive review of every time the FAA got it right. “I spent many sleepless nights sifting though years of data to make this book 100% accurate,” says Mr. Crazee. This is a limited edition printing so order now before they are gone. The paperback edition is approximately two pages in length including the cover and back cover.
Flight Instructor Reinforcement Wand
Did you ever have that student who could not perform steep turns perfectly on the first attempt? Correct this unacceptable behavior with the Flight Instructor Reinforce Wand. No more whining, no more complaining! One jolt from this wand will have them thinking twice before drifting off altitude or airspeed. Fine print: batteries sold separately. Human use prohibited.
By now you’ve probably realized that these are not real products. Happy April Fool’s Day! Care to add to our list of outrageous items?
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Many “seasoned” pilots reason a new flight student arrives for their first lesson with two buckets. One holds the student’s flying experience, which is empty. The other holds the student’s flying luck, hopefully it’s full. From that point forward the student’s goal is to fill his bucket of experience before the luck bucket is empty because it is known that good decisions come from experience and applying the lessons learned from those previous experiences to the current situation. Unfortunately, too often experience is obtained as a result of bad decisions that are survived by making a withdrawal from the luck bucket.
While these notions reflect a fair amount of pragmatism, in my opinion they diminish both the role of the pilot and his instructor in addition to any additional mentors encountered in his flying career. It implies that any of us pilots who are alive today are only alive because of luck. Like most endeavors, pilots that depend on luck to keep themselves, their airplanes and their passengers in the air will someday find they have run out of airspeed, altitude, skill – and luck – simultaneously.
Now I admit to having relied on my luck bucket more than once in my flying (as well as every other) career. After one flight from Lafayette, IN to Rochester, MN I put 36 gallons of fuel in a 38 gallon tank. On another occasion the Skyhawk I was flying at 7,000 feet developed over an inch of ice on the leading edges of everything in about a minute. On a flight to Kitty Hawk I flew into a developing thunderstorm where we climbed over 2,000 feet per minute from 7,000 feet to nearly 15,000 while the throttle was at idle and the only piloting skill I was using was keeping the wings level and the airspeed around 100 knots maneuvering speed. Sure glad I wasn’t in a downdraft! Each of these “experiences” was gained by bad go/no-go decisions and I was lucky enough to deliver myself, my airplane and my passengers safely to our airport of intended landing.
Once subscribed to the “Two Bucket Hypothesis” then you must also believe that your luck bucket only has a finite amount of luck in it. If true, can we have a long rewarding flying experience while reserving our luck for riskier enterprises – like finding our spouse? I believe we can by making sure ourselves, our airplane and the atmosphere is ready for the flight.
Ourselves – are we ready to make the planned flight? Are we healthy, prepared and certified for the trip? A cramped, stuffy cockpit on a hot ramp or in rough air is no place to be nursing a cold, stomach virus, headache or that dreadful combination of a hangover. Have we acquired the necessary skills to complete the flight and are you ready to use them? Practicing seldom used skills is a great way to maintain proficiency and provides an excuse to go flying (like we need an excuse). On every flight I like to try my hand at some skill like spot landing, simulating an engine out, no flap landings or navigating a leg by pilotage or dead reckoning. It can be too easy to take off, turn on George (old pilot’s slang for auto-pilot) and sit back letting the equipment do the work – until one day it doesn’t. It pays to be ready.
Airplane – is our airplane ready for the flight? You have probably checked to make sure the airworthiness certificate and registration is there along with the POH and weight and balance. Those documents are important and a lack thereof will keep you on the ground but there is nothing about pieces of paper that will keep you flying once you are aloft. A thorough physical preflight is a must. Occasionally get out the POH. Make sure your preflight inspection hasn’t somehow been abbreviated over time. If you find a squawk, make sure it is resolved.
Putting air in tires covered by wheel fairings can be a pain, but landing with a flat – at a commercial airport – requiring shutting down the runway – and a tow – and a large service charge – plus being the subject of an NTSB report saying something like “incident occurred as a result of pilot preforming an inadequate preflight inspection” is a much bigger pain. Using checklists for each phase of flight is a good idea and the preflight inspection is a good place to begin that practice.
Atmosphere – is it conducive to completing the flight? Is it VFR, not only at your destination but along the route? There is no such thing as an “all weather” airplane (OK those P-3s the hurricane hunters use are close).
Even the airlines will throw in the towel cancelling flights because of weather. And those airplanes have professional crews, an abundance of power, high wing loading, anti-ice, and tactical weather systems on board. Be prepared to make a no-go decision and stick with it. Do not allow others (or yourself) to talk you into a flight that proposes unacceptable risks due to the weather. Check winds aloft. How will the winds effect groundspeed? Do you have enough gas? Will your trip require an extra stop? If so, have you checked out the conditions at that intermediate airport? Will its FBO be open? Do they have self-serve fuel? Is it working?
Years ago we had a plethora of flight service stations with knowledgeable technicians to answer these questions for us. Now, although a version of flight service still exists, apps such as Fore Flight puts much of this info literally at our fingertips as we swipe our iPads. Teamed with a GPS receiver your groundspeed and time to destination is constantly computed leaving little reason to ever come up short on fuel.
On your next flight make sure yourself, your airplane and the weather is conducive to safely completing it so won’t waste any luck on something over which you have control. You want to have plenty of luck left some day when you might need it to keep the airplane flying in a dire situation – or win the lottery.
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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.
Sporty’s Hot New Products for April 1st
/in Having fun/by StudentpltnewsEditor’s Note: Happy April Fools’ Day.
The World’s Largest Pilot Shop is celebrating April 1st with the release of these amazing new products. Developed by Sporty’s team of expert pilots, each product was hand-picked for this special day.
Sporty’s 2015 Christmas Ornament is…..
the stealth fighter. That’s right! Not since the P-51 has an airplane changed the way our military approaches air-to-air combat. This ornament portrays the stealth’s most important feature: invisible to radar.
But wait, THERE’S MORE! Act now and preorder the stealth fighter 2015 ornament and we’ll give the stealth bomber ornament, a $29.99 value, absolutely free. That’s right, two stealth ornaments – the fighter and the bomber – for only $29.99! Just pay separate processing and shipping.
The Tourniquet Kneeboard
You’re flying along and your foot falls off…WHAT DO YOU DO? Not to worry because you have this innovative new product: the tourniquet kneeboard! It’s a kneeboard and a tourniquet in one simple design! Why carry two separate devices when this amazing product can serve both purposes? Simply attach the kneeboard to your leg. If you’re suffering massive blood loss, spin the kneeboard in a clockwise direction to restrict the flow of blood through your leg.
Indestructible Tie Down Kit
Are you tired of wimpy tie downs at rural airports? Say NO to frayed ropes and permanent restraints with this indestructible tie down kit. Each kit includes a bucket, one bag of concrete mix, and a 10’ chain. They are highly portable and easily fit into the baggage compartment of a Boeing 747. Water sold separately.
The Time the FAA Got It Right
This best-selling book is hot off the press. After decades of thorough research, author and CFI Purdy Crazee compiled a comprehensive review of every time the FAA got it right. “I spent many sleepless nights sifting though years of data to make this book 100% accurate,” says Mr. Crazee. This is a limited edition printing so order now before they are gone. The paperback edition is approximately two pages in length including the cover and back cover.
Flight Instructor Reinforcement Wand
Did you ever have that student who could not perform steep turns perfectly on the first attempt? Correct this unacceptable behavior with the Flight Instructor Reinforce Wand. No more whining, no more complaining! One jolt from this wand will have them thinking twice before drifting off altitude or airspeed. Fine print: batteries sold separately. Human use prohibited.
By now you’ve probably realized that these are not real products. Happy April Fool’s Day! Care to add to our list of outrageous items?
The two bucket theory
/in Personal stories, Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsWhile these notions reflect a fair amount of pragmatism, in my opinion they diminish both the role of the pilot and his instructor in addition to any additional mentors encountered in his flying career. It implies that any of us pilots who are alive today are only alive because of luck. Like most endeavors, pilots that depend on luck to keep themselves, their airplanes and their passengers in the air will someday find they have run out of airspeed, altitude, skill – and luck – simultaneously.
Once subscribed to the “Two Bucket Hypothesis” then you must also believe that your luck bucket only has a finite amount of luck in it. If true, can we have a long rewarding flying experience while reserving our luck for riskier enterprises – like finding our spouse? I believe we can by making sure ourselves, our airplane and the atmosphere is ready for the flight.
Putting air in tires covered by wheel fairings can be a pain, but landing with a flat – at a commercial airport – requiring shutting down the runway – and a tow – and a large service charge – plus being the subject of an NTSB report saying something like “incident occurred as a result of pilot preforming an inadequate preflight inspection” is a much bigger pain. Using checklists for each phase of flight is a good idea and the preflight inspection is a good place to begin that practice.
Even the airlines will throw in the towel cancelling flights because of weather. And those airplanes have professional crews, an abundance of power, high wing loading, anti-ice, and tactical weather systems on board. Be prepared to make a no-go decision and stick with it. Do not allow others (or yourself) to talk you into a flight that proposes unacceptable risks due to the weather. Check winds aloft. How will the winds effect groundspeed? Do you have enough gas? Will your trip require an extra stop? If so, have you checked out the conditions at that intermediate airport? Will its FBO be open? Do they have self-serve fuel? Is it working?
Years ago we had a plethora of flight service stations with knowledgeable technicians to answer these questions for us. Now, although a version of flight service still exists, apps such as Fore Flight puts much of this info literally at our fingertips as we swipe our iPads. Teamed with a GPS receiver your groundspeed and time to destination is constantly computed leaving little reason to ever come up short on fuel.
On your next flight make sure yourself, your airplane and the weather is conducive to safely completing it so won’t waste any luck on something over which you have control. You want to have plenty of luck left some day when you might need it to keep the airplane flying in a dire situation – or win the lottery.