Being an Unofficial Co-Pilot in a Small Plane
A passenger in a small airplane cockpit’s front seat is in an entirely different environment than that of a passenger seated elsewhere in an airplane. Not only does the passenger …
Matthew Johnston
V1 and Other Airspeeds
In aviation, the concept of “speed” isn’t just “how fast an aircraft is going.” It can refer to a number of operating conditions in relation to the aircraft. To fully …
Do Small Airplanes Fly Better on Cold Days Than on Hot Days?
To a non-pilot’s eye, on cold days and hot days, an airplane taking off, flying overhead, or landing looks pretty much the same. Sure, if it’s icy or raining very …
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How Do Small Airplanes Find Their Way Around?
Giant airplanes like airliners and military transport aircraft use sophisticated, onboard methods to fly from Point A to Point B. Today, they usually use GPS (Global Positioning System) and/or a …
California Aeronautical University Launches Flight Centers in Ventura (KOXR) and San Diego (KMYF) Counties
BAKERSFIELD, CA – To better serve Southern California residents, California Aeronautical University (CAU) launches its new Flight Centers in the communities of Oxnard and San Diego, California. The University Flight …
The Science Behind Turbulence
If an airplane can zoom along at supersonic speeds and provide Wifi on demand, why are passengers still grabbing for barf bags and gripping armrests when it comes to turbulence? …
How Air Traffic Control Keeps Us Safe
The Crash in the Desert At the Desert View Watch Tower on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, which offers an unparalleled view of the Colorado River and …
Airplane Aerodynamics
An understanding of flight is rooted in a strong grasp of how an airplane gets in the air—and stays there. Both a passenger jet and a tiny paper airplane are …
How Do Airport Codes Work To Identify Individual Airports?
Have you ever flown CLT to ORD to COS? If you read that as “Charlotte to Chicago to Colorado Springs,” you’re clued into the language of airport codes. The world’s …
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Airplane Instrument Errors
Some pilots say that the only thing an airplane has in common with cars is that the tires are rubber, and that’s not really too far off the mark. The …
What Happens During a Small-Plane Takeoff?
Some people warm up their cars before taking to the road but others don’t. Some use electric turning signals, some use hand signals, and others don’t. There is a lot …
Preparing a Small Airplane for an Anticipated Hard Landing
With all of the safety advances in equipment and in pilot training, the vast majority of airplane problems are surmountable, and even if an airplane makes its way to the …
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Some Things that Surprise First-Time Small-Airplane Passengers
Flying in a small aircraft or even going down the runway is especially valuable for a first-time, front-seat passenger. In this case, they can look down the runway while the …
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Minter Field Airport District AeroCamp Tuition Reduction Program
Minter Field Airport District will award a $725 tuition reduction to 3 Kern County residents for Summer AeroCamp at California Aeronautical University Minter Field Airport recently announced its “Minter Field …
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Why Small Planes Don’t Have Oxygen for Passengers & Pilots
Oxygen (O2) is the most vital of the gases that comprise our atmosphere. The typical percent of oxygen in breathable air is 20.9%, although we can live with as little …
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Pilot Communications
Let’s begin with this: You can be a terrible communicator as a pilot, make every mistake I’m about to describe, and still have a safe and comfortable flight. There is …
Airplane Preflight
Pilots are taught that they must check out an airplane with great care before taking to the air with the machine. This process is called a preflight. But what goes …
Survival Guide for New Student Pilots
Aviation is a world of its own. For new students aspiring to become pilots, starting flight training can be much like learning a brand-new language. We asked our flight instructors …
Meet Dr. Berry CAU’s Director of Education
Dr. Michael Berry has always had a love for aviation. Growing up in a military family, his father would take him to the airfields as a child where he would …
Airplane Landings
Whether you’re sitting in an airport restaurant gazing out at the runway or maybe standing at a small airport with your nose poked through the chain-link fence watching airplane landings …