Masonry Blog : Flight Training Central

Quiz: Airspace classifications and rules

You'll likely pass through several classes of airspace on every flight, whether it's your first solo or a cross-country flight to the beach. Each class of airspace is depicted with unique markings on the sectional chart and different VFR weather minimums and equipment requirements. Take our latest quiz and test your knowledge of the U.S. airspace system.

March 10, 2025/by Chris Clarke

Regional Airline Association Opens Application Window for 2025 Scholarship Program

The Regional Airline Association (RAA) is now accepting applications for its 2025 scholarship program, which offers financial support to students pursuing careers in aviation. The RAA Scholarship aims to help the next generation of aviation professionals achieve their educational and career goals while strengthening, expanding, and diversifying the aviation industry's future workforce.

March 7, 2025/by Flight Training Central Staff

Tailwheel Pilots’ Guide to Smooth Grass Landings

The rugged design of a tailwheel airplane and its extra prop clearance opens up the opportunity to land at a wide variety of off-airport locations with soft surfaces, like sand, gravel bars, grass and even mud. A modified soft-field approach and landing technique should be used when operating in these conditions, which allows the wheels to touchdown at the slowest possible airspeed with the wings supporting the weight of the airplane as long as possible.

March 5, 2025/by Bret Koebbe

Mastering Stalls: How to Recognize, Prevent, and Recover Safely

The recovery procedure is the same as for all stalls. Reduce the angle of attack, add full power, and maintain directional control using coordinated rudder and aileron pressures. As you might expect, recovery from the full stall will require a lower pitch attitude to avoid the secondary stall and the altitude loss will be greater. As speed increases, retract the flaps- be sure that you have reached the best rate of climb speed before the final flap retraction.

March 3, 2025/by Eric Radtke

How to Choose the Best Alternate Airport for Your IFR Flight: A Pilot’s Guide

Keep an eye on the weather as you approach the destination, using both ADS-B datalink weather, and by tuning in the local ATIS/AWOS on the radio. If it looks like the weather will be near the minimums for the approach, it is time to start thinking about what the best alternate airport will be based on the current weather. If it still looks like the planned alternate is the best option, go for it.

February 28, 2025/by Bret Koebbe

Filing an IFR Flight Plan? Here’s What Matters Most to ATC

Most of the information filed in an IFR flight plan is based on weather forecasts that are released well before your wheels ever leave the ground. Here's a look at what parts of the flight plan actually matter to ATC so that you know how to react if and when the weather conditions don't match the forecast.

February 27, 2025/by Bret Koebbe

Webinar Video: IFR Quiz Hour—10 Questions to Test Your IFR Knowledge

Sporty's John Zimmerman hosts a fun, fast-paced hour of IFR flying questions and tips, covering everything from approach charts to weather theory. We'll tackle frequently missed questions from the Instrument written and practical tests so you'll be prepared.

February 27, 2025/by Flight Training Central Staff

PilotWorkshops’ Guide to Visual Approaches for IFR Pilots

Controllers need at least 500 feet cloud clearance above the MVA to vector an aircraft on a visual. There are workarounds. A controller can drive someone on a downwind for a published approach — that’s not a vector for a visual — but know they’ll likely report the field in sight and can hop off on a visual. Remember, if you’re cleared for a published approach, you can’t spontaneously switch to a visual.

February 25, 2025/by Pilot Workshops

S-Turns Across a Road—Sporty’s Flight Maneuver Spotlight

An S-Turn across a road is a flight training maneuver where a pilot flies their aircraft across a straight road, performing a series of coordinated turns in opposite directions, effectively drawing an "S" pattern on the ground, demonstrating their ability to manage wind drift and adjust bank angles while maintaining a consistent ground track.

February 24, 2025/by Flight Training Central Staff

Webinar Video: How to Ace Your FAA Instrument Written

The FAA Instrument Written is the source of plenty of angst and stress for IFR pilots. But not to worry as this webinar presentation we'll show you how to use reliable study methods and advanced learning features within Sporty's Instrument Rating Course, including Aviation Intelligence℠ (AI).

February 23, 2025/by Flight Training Central Staff