Even with the incredible diversity of experience levels and kinds of pilots in aviation, there’s things they all have in common: Each maintains a logbook. A logbook is the indispensable diary of a pilot’s training, career, and solo journeys. It records not only where he has flown, but who he has flown with, the number …
Safety and success in aviation is a matter of knowing what possible and which limitations surround an aircraft or airspace. Smart pilots are also informed of the restrictions surrounding themselves. Becoming fully aware of the restrictions surrounding a flight is an important first step in conducting a safe one. Focusing on restrictions on a certificate …
When pilots reveal to a new acquaintance what they do for a living, the next question is usually: “Which airline?” While major and regional airlines, as well as the military, employ the majority of pilots, a significant portion of the pilot population works in general aviation or for a charter flight company. It is a …
Nearly every entry on this blog has mentioned, or at least linked to, the Federal Aviation Administration. There’s a reason for that: It’s the governing body of American aviation. Every aspect of every US flight, from who may climb into the cockpit to pre-flighting to tower communication to cruising, landing, and putting the airplane to …
Pilots who begin flight training with the goal of making a living in the cockpit are in a much better position to do so than those with similar plans about 20 years ago. Post 9/11 and the economic struggles which followed, becoming a pilot was difficult. In fact, less than a decade ago, if someone …
The pilot shortage is creeping further into the aviation industry. Not only are pilots needed, flight instructors are too. The need for Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) is great. Not only is news of the pilot shortage attracting more students– corporate, regional, and airline jobs are pulling instructors away from the classroom as soon as they …
Welcome to your private pilot’s certificate. Many people say they’d like to learn to fly, but aren’t prepared for the sacrifice and diligence completing the course of study requires. Earning your private pilot certificate takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and time, so it’s a tremendous accomplishment. If you’ve passed your check ride as …
The pilot shortage is real, and it’s affecting every aspect of aviation. For pilots, it means a welcome upswing in opportunities after over a decade of struggle post-9/11 and in a slow economy. It can be overwhelming to know which course is best for a student pilot or a newly licensed one who is building …
There are many paths to having a career in aviation. When most people think of becoming a professional pilot, they usually picture airline or military pilots. However, flight instructors, transport pilots, general aviation pilots, and charter flight pilots are a vital part of the nation’s aviation system. Flight schools and universities offer programs which can …
The airline industry offers many exciting career opportunities which range throughout the salary scale. If the goal is to simply work around airplanes, the current economic climate and shifting expectations regarding student loans means that many paths are open. As long as certifications, logged hours, and background checks are in order, a career in the …
Being a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) is a tremendous responsibility. Before becoming a CFI, one must ask oneself if he or she really wants to teach, or if the CFI certificate is simply as a means to build flight time and experience towards the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and/or another job requiring more hours …
Although commercial aviation is a relatively young industry, it has changed a great deal since its beginnings in the last century. Let’s have a look at commercial crew roles and how they evolved into their modern components. Meet The Crew In the early days of transport-category airplanes, it took a crew of many different …
Most people take it for granted that pilots must communicate over the radio with ATC (air traffic control). After all, how else can airplanes know what to do and when to do it? The fact is, for private pilots, there are lots of situations where no communication with ATC is required or even possible. (For …
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 have the privilege of seeing out the front of the airplane and experiencing all the wonderful interactions with weather, radio communication with air traffic control …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …