Night Visual Approaches – Deserving of a Backup

You’re in the third hour of a cross-county flight which will push your landing in to the night hours. Your destination is a first time visit and ATC instructions will require a non-standard pattern to the unfamiliar airport. Or perhaps, arriving at a pilot-controlled airport, the temptation to fly a non-standard arrival is too great due to the lack of activity at this late hour. Sound realistic or something that has happened to you ?

Tips to Help Streamline IFR Training

/
1 Comment
When stressed learning to fly approaches, it is very easy to…

Performance in the Real World – Part 2

Takeoff performance calculations start with a chart from the airplane's POH but there may be more to the story. We'll take a look at one of these charts along with the conditions and notes on the chart that many pilots overlook. We'll also address what to do when the runway just doesn't fit the mold defined by the chart.

7 ways to stay informed about Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)

/
3 Comments
Presidential TFRs will be popping up more and more throughout the year as we approach the 2012 election this fall. Find out how you can stay informed about them and not get caught off guard.
Report card grades

Are you grading yourself as a pilot?

One of the best ways to become a better pilot is easy, free and doesn’t require a flight instructor. Sound too good to be true? Hardly. In fact, you may already do it, at least in some form.

Performance on FAA Tests and in the Real World – Part 1

/
3 Comments
Pressure and Density Altitude on FAA Tests and in the Real World One…

Is Corrective Vision Surgery for you?

/
1 Comment
It's estimated that some 55% of civilian pilots use some form…
ForeFlight Mobile

Top 10 apps for student pilots

/
2 Comments
The iPad is a great tool for pilots of all skill levels, from airline captains to student pilots. Student pilots can take advantage of all these benefits and use the iPad to save time and money during flight training with great apps available from the app store. Here are our top ten favorites.
RWSL

Transponders and runway status lights

At first glance you're probably wondering what Runway Status Lights (RWSL) have to with aircraft transponders. The short answer is that they both help make the airport surface environment safer by helping to reduce runway incursions. Both provide additional information to pilots and air traffic controllers to allow for better decision-making and an in increase situational awareness.