Video tip: takeoff and landing techniques from a short runway

You'll need to modify your takeoff and landing procedures when operating from shorter runways to obtain the maximum performance from the airplane. These techniques will allow you to shorten the ground roll and also provide additional clearance over obstacles if they are present near the runway.

Video tip – how to use aviation self-serve fuel facilities

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Many airports offer a self-serve fuel option at a cheaper price per gallon, which can offer big savings for large fillups and serve as a plan B for fuel when landing after hours when the FBO is closed. This week's tip takes a look at how to operate a self-serve fuel system to ensure that your first time using one goes smoothly.

Video tip: How to use a sectional plotter to plan a cross-country flight

As you enter the cross-country planning phase of your private pilot training, you'll learn the skills required to plan long-distance trips using a VFR sectional, plotter, E6B flight computer and Navlog. This week's tip takes a look at the first phase of this planning process and shows how to use a plotter and sectional to measure the trip distance and determine the exact direction you'll need to fly.

Video Tip: Convective outlook charts

The week's tip looks at the Convective Outlook chart, which provides both short and long-term planning guidance for determining the location and intensity of thunderstorm activity.

Video Tip: How to fly an LPV (GPS) approach with a Garmin GTN 650

LPV instrument approaches provide ILS-like precision to over 4,000 runways in the U.S. In this week's video tip, we'll explain the differences between a traditional LNAV and LPV instrument approach, and show how to fly one using a Garmin GTN 650 navigator.

Video tip: magnetic compass errors

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The magnetic compass is the only "self-powered", north-seeking instrument in the panel and you'll find one in just about every airplane. It's not a perfect instrument though and has some inherent errors due to its design and construction. This week's tip takes a look at when you're most likely to experience these errors and how to compensate for them should you ever need to rely on the compass for primary navigation guidance.

Video tip: what kind of cloud is that?

Clouds are often referred to as "sign posts in the sky", and for good reason since they are one of the best visual indicators of what mother nature has planned for the weather. This week's tip takes a look at the various types of clouds, when and where they form and what kind of flying conditions pilots can expect when flying in and around them.

Video tip: how to calculate takeoff and landing distances

Just about every airplane includes performance data in the Pilot's Operating Handbook to calculate the runway length required for takeoff and landing under various conditions. The FARs require you to determine these distances as part of your preflight responsibilities, but fortunately the charts published for today's modern airplanes make this task a breeze. This week's tip takes a look at how perform this calculation using the common "chase-around" style charts.

Aviation weather video tip: When flying IFR isn’t an option

Sometimes terrain, icing, lack of instrument rating or proper equipment can make flying on an Instrument Flight Plan (IFR) not an option. But that doesn't mean you need to cancel a flight though just because there's weather along the route or it's not perfect VFR.

Video tip: the Cessna 172 fuel system

It's important for pilots to have a good understanding of airplane systems to know how to properly operate their controls and troubleshoot them when things don't work as expected. This week's tip takes a look at the Cessna 172 fuel system to show each component and give you a better understanding of how all the parts work together.