The first and last time I skipped the preflight checklist

"Lunken tower, this is Cessna Eight Eight Uniform, our windshield is covered with oil, we're returning for immediate landing." I'll never forget making that radio call 14 years ago, and today I can still visualize the oil-soaked windshield as vividly as the day it happened. Even more memorable is how one small, easily-preventable oversight led to this in-flight emergency.

Best-laid plans…

Things don’t always go as planned – a universal truth in…

3 non-aviation apps every pilot should have

While technology and the availability of flight planning and charting apps have replaced sectional charts and highlighters for most students, there is more information to be gained regarding your destination than what the NOTAMs and weather forecasts will provide.

6 tips for pilot proficiency and development

As you’re already aware, earning a pilot certificate is a…
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7 little safety habits to consider

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Some aviation tips are in the "commandments" category: never run out of airspeed and ideas at the same time, never take off over gross weight, never fly below minimums on an instrument approach. Those are all true, but that doesn't mean there aren't other, smaller tips that can reduce risk. Here are five I try follow in the cockpit.

Rusty Pilots – getting back in the left seat is easier than you think

If you're feeling a little rusty, you might be like more than 500,000 other pilots (that's right, half a million), who have taken a little breather from flying. Whatever the case, things are different now. You're back in the game and would like to start flying again. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) wants to help.

Recurrent training from a pro pilot’s perspective

What I often find when talking to flight students is the common myth that once “you make it” in flying, most of your studying days are over. If you still hold this misbelief or hope, I am sorry to burst your bubble.

5 flight planning resources you should be using

Flight planning today has never been easier for pilots, thanks to all the sophisticated mobile apps and wealth of up-to-date weather data available at our fingertips. Here are 5 flight planning resources outside of your favorite aviation app to consider while preparing for your next flight.

Flight maneuver spotlight: power-off stalls

You'll learn how to intentionally stall the airplane during your flight training so that you can recognize the sights, sounds and how the controls feel as you approach critically slow airspeeds. Equally as important, you'll learn how to quickly recover in the event you inadvertently reach a stalled condition in flight.

My first passenger flight experience

After you earn your license, there’s a feeling of freedom.…