Learn to Fly Blog – ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.)

ASA has an expanding library of aviation titles for everyone in the industry, whether you’re a student pilot, mechanic, instructor, or flying for a major airline. Here are three to consider this season:

For the student pilot…
Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms
Fifth Edition, by Dale Crane

The aviation industry has a language all its own, and the Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms (or “the DAT” as we call it here) is an essential reference to make sense of it all. ASA editorial and support staff even rely on it as a guide to industry-standard terminology and jargon. Now with over 11,000 terms, the DAT includes definitions from 14 CFR Part 1 and other parts, the Pilot/Controller Glassary from the AIM, glossaries from government handbooks and manuals, and more. We’ve also included useful tables (phonetic alphabet/Morse code, triginometric functions, and Periodic Table), an exhaustive list of acronyms, abbreviations, and V-speeds, and over 500 illustrations. The DAT is useful for anyone in the aviation industry, but it’s the perfect reference book for a student pilot who’s absorbing a lot of new and critical information. It is a reference that will serve a student pilot over the course of their training and aviation career.

For the flight instructor…
The Savvy Flight Instructor: Secrets of the Successful CFI
Second Edition, by Greg Brown

In the new edition of The Savvy Flight Instructor, Greg Brown shows not only how to make flight training engaging, effective, and rewarding for students, but also how to make flight instruction work as a business. Greg covers marketing, using social media and other internet tools to reach prospective and inactive pilots, and how to network and build relationships with local, regional, and national flying organizations without losing sight of the fact that flying is fun. Also included are guest perspectives from commercial pilot Heather Baldwin, CFI and DPE Jason Blair, flight training standardization expert Ben Eichelberg, flight school owner Dorothy Schick, and flight-training writer Ian Twombly.

For the flyer…
Severe Weather Flying
Fourth Edition, by Dennis Newton

In this brand-new fourth edition of Severe Weather Flying, author Dennis Newton continues to build on great resource that’s been in print for over 30 years. Weather continues to challenge aviation, but the scientific understanding, tools, and models have evolved making it easier to predict and survive severe weather. As a meteorologist, flight instructor, weather research and engineering test pilot, Dennis Newton believes that by understanding weather science, pilots can truly lessen their chances of encountering thunderstorms and other severe conditions. This is an excellent book for an aviator of any skill level, as it offers strategies for better airmanship and greater understanding of atmospheric sciences and insight into the weather research that shapes aviation policy.

Looking for a specific recommendation? Give ASA a call at 800-272-2359 or email us at asa@asa2fly.com or cfi@asa2fly.com. Check out past Editor’s Picks posts for more recommendations, including last year’s stocking stuffers!