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 ground against the will of the pilot, in the majority of cases things come out acceptable and nobody dies. As a matter of fact, after …
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 airplane is accelerating (or, if it’s landing, while the airplane is approaching the runway). That view is fantastic, and it is not available for passengers …
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 Airport District Scholarship,” a $725 tuition reduction awarded to three Kern County residents who attend California Aeronautical University’s summer aviation camp, AeroCamp. As a Kern …
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 as 19.5%. That’s a small spread. And it’s not just the percent of oxygen that is important: It is the pressure of the air, and …
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 considerable finesse in handling pilot communications properly, but it is not the end of the world if you have flaws in your technique. Pilots are …
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 on during a preflight. Does a pilot walk-up and kick the tires and peer into a gas tank to make sure there’s enough then start …
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 and Director of Flight Training to give us their tips for new students. Early is on time. On time is late.In the world of …
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 look to the sky as planes came and went and watched his father work on aircraft. Life as a military child took Dr. Berry all …
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 and take offs, it’s always thrilling to see an air machine connect with or depart from the pavement. There’s just something special about seeing thousands …
Passengers in big airliners hear certain aviation sounds that have become commonplace in our flying experience. They hear machine made aviation sounds (like the engines humming as the jet flies through the air) and other assorted things like the flight attendant call button tones. But, on the whole, the auditory environment within the giant flying tube …
Even without having ever been in a functional airplane, Leonardo Da Vinci observed, For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Flying in a small airplane, whether as the pilot or as a passenger, is …
Pilots necessarily have a significant aeronautical vocabulary that has been refined for decades. Much of it is formalized in the Pilot/Controller Glossary (Federal Aviation Administration, 2014) and in the Airman’s Information Manual (AIM) (Federal Aviation Administration, 2017). Both of these are published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is the governmental arm responsible for overseeing air …
Let’s begin with this: Airplane accidents and incidents, whether in a relatively small plane like a four-seater or in giant airliners, are incredibly-rare events and, despite the common fiction, people do not typically die in airplane accidents. According to the National Transportation Safety Board’s latest, 2015 Civil Aviation Accident Statistics (the latest combined data available), …
In the outstanding TV series Sky King, which ran from 1951 to 1962, “Sky” would rush out to his twin-engine Cessna, the Songbird, start her up, and spring into the sky, ready to do good deeds at a moment’s notice. Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? It’s not. It’s death-defying. Before any flight, all pilots must do …
Remember back when you were learning how to drive? At the beginning, it was probably kind of confusing, especially if you were trying to learn on a stick shift. How fast do I let the clutch out? How can I figure out where to put my foot when I’m not looking down? How do I drive …
In commercial airline flights these days the cabin where the pilots are located is always locked up and secured, allowing the pilot and co-pilot to fly the plane without distractions. The same is not true when you look at a small plane situation with the cockpit open to the rest of the smaller craft. Let’s …
Each year, ten of our nation’s top performing aviation universities are invited by Textron-Cessna to apply for the Top Hawk program. Of those ten, only five are selected for Top Hawk Program. The Top Hawk program is designed to reward exceptional universities through a partnership internship by providing them with a brand-new Cessna 172 aircraft, …
California Aeronautical University is excited to announce three new program offerings! CAU now accepting applications for the Bachelor of Science in Aviation Business Management, Master of Business Administration (MBA). Students in the Bachelors of Science in Aviation Business Management will obtain their degree in just three years. This program includes courses like Accounting Principles, Payroll …
The world of professional aviation can take many forms from airliners to corporate flying, career flight instructing to skydiving operations. The largest portion of university students hoping to become professional pilots will ultimately head to the airlines. To help bridge the gap between school and employment, many regional airlines have created cadet programs which give …
Result of winning national aviation university competition For more information: Call (661) 615-5915 / Monica Raymond After selecting California Aeronautical University as a 2018 Top Hawk University, Textron Aviation Inc., the leading general aviation authority, will deliver a much anticipated new, custom branded Cessna Skyhawk 172 to the University on March 30, 2018. California Aeronautical …