Video Tip: Flying in and around special use airspace

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Special use airspace includes military operations areas, prohibited areas, alert areas, warning areas, restricted areas and controlled firing areas. This week’s video tip explains how to identify their location and best practices for making sure you don’t accidentally fly into one.
Standard Crosswind Pattern Entry

Video Tip: How to enter the traffic pattern at a nontowered airport

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The FAA recommends standard traffic pattern flows at nontowered airports in an effort to maintain order and a safe environment for aircraft arrivals and departures. This includes specific instructions on how to enter back into the pattern after spending some time practicing maneuvers at a higher altitude away from the airport. This week's video tip illustrates several methods to do this, depending on the direction from which you're approaching the airport, in an effort to get established on the downwind leg at the published traffic pattern altitude.

Commercial pilot video tip: Eights on Pylons

There are several new flight maneuvers to learn during Commercial Pilot Training. One of the new ground reference maneuvers is called Eights on Pylons, which involves flying a figure 8 pattern over the ground while varying the aircraft’s altitude in order to maintain a defined visual reference to preselected reference points, called pivot points, or pylons.

Video Tip: Night Flying

Night is simply one of the best times to fly–the air is smooth, the airport isn't as busy and the view out the window is incredible. This week's video takes a closer look at night flying and some best practices to follow to ensure your next flight in the dark is as safe as it enjoyable.

Video tip: How to avoid turbulence and find a smoother ride

During your preflight briefing, you observe that the air is clear and there are no storms in sight – does this mean you're in store for a smooth, enjoyable flight? Possibly, but you should also consider another weather factor that can have a big impact on the comfort of the flight on VFR days: turbulence. This week's tip takes a look at ways to avoid rough air and find a smoother ride on your next flight.

Video tip: How to recover from a bad landing

Not every approach and landing will be by the book during your training, and you'll inevitably encounter situations when you round out too high, overshoot the touchdown point or bounce after the initial touchdown. This is perfectly normal and learning how to recover from these scenarios will improve your confidence and help you make better landings in the long run. 

Video tip: practicing power-on stalls

This week we go flying to see what power-on stalls are all about. Some pilots are nervous about this maneuver, which can require a nose high attitude. But with a good understanding of the aerodynamics and a preview from outside the airplane, you'll have the confidence to perform these stalls smoothly - and hopefully avoid an inadvertent one on takeoff.

Video tip: how to fly with the Garmin GFC 500 Autopilot

This week's tip takes a look at the basic features of Garmin's popular GFC 500 autopilot, including how to turn it on and use airspeed, vertical speed, altitude and heading modes.

Video tip: How to handle crosswinds during takeoff

When planning for takeoff, it's best to choose a runway at the departure airport that is most aligned with the wind. Unfortunately, the winds rarely blow right down the runway, so you must learn how to accomplish takeoffs and landings under crosswind conditions. This week's tip looks at the control inputs required and performance implications when performing a crosswind takeoff.

Video tip: how do VORs work?

In the age of GPS and iPad it can be tempting to look past the traditional forms of ground-based radio navigation like VOR in favor of direct-to navigation and moving map displays. It's important you still take the time to understand how to use these systems since VORs serve an important role in the national airspace system and can provide a reliable source of backup navigation.