25 Tips to Make You a Better Pilot

I seen this Article in Pane and Pilot magazine by Budd Davisson, and just had to post it. It is humorous, but very very true. 25 Tips to make you a better Pilot As long as there have been pilots, there have been instructors, cum writers, who have been eager to develop cure-all lists of…

Flying with passengers

Count on this: Each flight will be educational and entertaining for you and for those who join you. Something else to count on: The finer points of how you provide an awesome introduction to aviation will likely go unnoticed by the beneficiaries of your efforts. Covering every element would take volumes, but here are a…

How to pre-flight your iPad

The iPad is now standard equipment for most pilots’ flying, whether as a primary reference for digital charts or as a performance calculator. Something that important demands a quick pre-flight check, just like the airplane and the pilot. You wouldn’t take off without checking how much fuel you have on board – why would you take off…

On Guard

On Guard. Other than something you yell to your opponent right before a sabre duel, in aviation it is a restricted frequency that the Federal government has set aside for special purpose. The frequency is 121.5, which I (and Rod Machado) commonly refer to it as “The Suicide Hotline”, and it is reserved for emergencies…

Flight Simulators

Most new students view a flight simulator, as a game, or a toy, not really something that they want to get involved with. “I want to fly an airplane, not a simulator!!” is usually the comment that I hear. I guess that I can agree with that way of thinking, but I’d like to give…

Scanning for Traffic

“First, establish that your vision is up to par and corrected – preferably to 20-20. Ask your AME what your numbers are. Assuming everything is OK there, try changing your scan technique. Many pilots sweep the horizon and have difficulty spotting traffic. Instead, look at one 30 degree sector of view at a time and…

Pilots Guide to BasicMed

Third-class medical reform may eliminate the need to visit an AME. If you’ve held a valid medical certificate at any point after July 14, 2006, you may never have to see an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) again under the new BasicMed rule effective May 1, 2017. And for those just getting started, you may be able…