Video tip: iPads in the cockpit

Paper charts are now a distant memory for many pilots today as digital charts on the iPad have become the preferred method to view aviation data. This week's tip takes a look at the regulations surrounding the use of the iPad in the cockpit and how it should be used along with the traditional methods of preflight planning and navigation during your flight training.

Video Tip: Runway safety for pilots

Aviation safety isn't just about flying. Getting around on the ground is a critical skill for pilots of any level - in fact, the most deadly aviation accident in history involved a runway incursion. In this week's tip, we share some helpful tips for understanding airport signs, asking ATC for help and using apps to prevent mistakes.

Video tip: Understanding Pilot Reports (PIREPs)

Understanding certain critical weather information only available…

Video tip: how to recover from unusual flight attitudes

There are 2 unusual attitude maneuvers you'll practice during your private pilot training, simulating the scenario of inadvertently flying into IFR conditions and ending up in a nose low descending or nose high climbing pitch attitude. This week's tip shows how to recognize either condition and use the flight instruments to recover to straight and level flight.

Video tip: it’s all about airspeed

Nearly every airplane has an airspeed indicator and it's arguably the most important flight instrument in the panel. This week's tip takes a look at how it works, the various types of airspeeds you need to be familiar with as a pilot and what the markings mean on the face of the instrument.

Video tip: S-turns across a road

During your flight training you'll practice several different types of ground reference maneuvers to help you understand the effect wind has on the airplane when flying close to the ground. Here we'll take a look at s-turns across a road, giving you a pilot's eye view on how to correctly fly the maneuver.

Video tip: How pilots and ATC benefit from ADS-B

The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B for short) is designed to replace the ground-based radar system used by ATC to track air traffic throughout the US. This week's tip explains how the ADS-B system works and how you can also benefit from in-flight traffic and weather services offered by the system.

Video tip: pilot’s guide to airport services

Most of your flight training will focus on the essentials of flying like stick and rudder skills, navigation and communicating on the radio. One item that's often overlooked is what to do after landing on a cross-country flight and taxi up to the airport parking area. This week's tip takes a look at the resources available to you at the FBO and some advice on how to take advantage of them.

Video tip: cross-country flights using pilotage and dead reckoning

The cross-country phase of private pilot training is an exciting time where you'll learn the flight planning steps and flying techniques required to fly longer trips between two airports. While it might be tempting to navigate directly to the destination airport using GPS, it's important that you first learn how to fly the trip first using the fundamental navigation techniques of pilotage and dead reckoning.

Video tip: what are AIRMETs and SIGMETs?

In a perfect world we'd always fly in blue skies with a tailwind, but unfortunately mother nature is an ever-present force that can deliver inclement weather from time to time. This week's tip takes a look at a few weather forecast products to help you stay away these conditions, like thunderstorms, turbulence, wind shear, icing and other in-flight weather hazards.