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How to Succeed at Flight Training Later in Life
Learning to fly isn’t easy, but it’s not supposed to be—that’s why it’s so rewarding when you earn that certificate. Acknowledge up front that you will have both good and bad days during training, and don’t beat yourself up after every mistake. I like to take a two week moving average of my performance, which prevents me from getting too high after a great lesson or too low after a really bad one.
May 16, 2025/by John Zimmerman5 Smart Ways to Cut the Cost of Becoming a Pilot
The most popular question we address with prospective pilots is how much and when? Of course the time and money variables go hand in hand. While difficult to arrive at an exact date and decimal point, pilots control much of their own destiny and we can provide ranges for time and money with reasonable accuracy based on past performance.
May 15, 2025/by Flight Training Central StaffDecoding the cockpit: an intro to airplane flight instruments
The flight deck of every airplane includes a collection of flight instruments that display important information, like airspeed, altitude, heading and turn information. In this video we’ll go over the standard 6 instruments you’ll find in a Cessna 172 and how to interpret their indications.
May 14, 2025/by Bret KoebbeMastering the approach and landing: A quiz for pilots
While it may be true that any landing you can walk away from is a good landing, there is certainly something to be said about always striving to make better landings. Most experienced pilots would be willing to admit that the perfect landing is much more of an art than a science. Take this quiz on landing techniques to hone your touchdown knowledge in search of consistently smooth and safe landings and see if you can squeak out a perfect score.
May 13, 2025/by Chris ClarkeIt’s Learn to Fly Week at Sporty’s and Flight Training Central
The week of May 12, 2025 is Learn to Fly Week at Sporty’s, a celebration of learning to fly designed to help new pilots achieve their aviation goals. In addition to offering savings on popular pilot gear and training resources, Sporty’s will be posting inspiring content on its social media channels, and delivering valuable flight training resources at FlightTrainingCentral.com.
May 12, 2025/by Flight Training Central StaffHow to Become a Pilot: Your Complete Guide to Learning to Fly
Learning to fly will unlock a world of possibilities and give you unparalleled freedom to see the world. It is a truly unique experience—one of the last great adventures in our modern life. It is challenging, rewarding and flat out fun! Some people start flying to make a career out of it, eventually working as a professional pilot.
May 11, 2025/by Flight Training Central StaffHow Do Your FAA Written Test Scores Stack Up?
The FAA recently released its 2024 written testing statistics, and the results offer a look at how pilots are performing across the country. Whether you're studying for your Private, Instrument, or Commercial, these numbers can help you benchmark your own performance.
May 9, 2025/by Eric RadtkeHow to use a mechanical E6B flight computer
Most students today prefer to use an electronic E6B flight computer when planning a flight or preparing for the FAA knowledge test. The electronic E6B is actually the evolution of a mechanical E6B flight computer, often referred to as a whiz wheel. While the mechanical E6B may take a little longer to learn compared to its electronic counterpart, the learning process is a fun challenge.
May 7, 2025/by Bret KoebbeAvoid These 5 Common ATC Communication Mistakes
Talking on the radio can be one of the most intimidating parts of flight training. Whether it’s your first solo or a cross-country to unfamiliar airspace, clear communication with Air Traffic Control is essential for safety and efficiency—but also a skill that takes practice. The good news? Most of the issues student pilots run into are both common and easily corrected.
May 5, 2025/by Eric RadtkeChart Smart: VFR Sectional Concentrated Obstructions
Concentrated obstructions of wind turbine farms are portrayed by an overlying hatched area and dotted outline to represent the approximate parameters of the farm. One or more single turbine symbols will populate the farm. A boxed elevation figure representing the MSL elevation of the highest wind turbine within the area is placed inside the farm or, if space is limited, just outside.
May 2, 2025/by Eric Radtke
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