The official start to summer is just right around the corner, an exciting time particularly up here in the Pacific Northwest. With summer upon us we tend to see an increase in temperatures and more VFR weather, resulting in an increase in air traffic at and around airports. Changing seasons
…Tag: Private Pilot
View All CategoriesIn March we looked at the basics of how an internal combustion works. Your airplane’s engine is a four-cycle engine: on the intake stroke, a fuel/air mixture is drawn into the cylinder as the piston moves down; the mixture is then compressed on an upward piston stroke; a spark
…Let me quote §61.103(b), “Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language…”. This here is one of the eligibility requirements for Private Pilots and every other Pilot Certificate for that matter. Throughout training, however, it seems as if we are learning an entirely new language consisting of
…This post on spins is derived from the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, available from ASA in print and in PDF format.
A spin may be defined as an aggravated stall that results in what is termed “autorotation” wherein the airplane follows a downward corkscrew path. As the airplane rotates
…Things can happen, and part of being a good aviator is competently handling adverse situations when they arise. It is possible that a pilot might experience a malfunction of the radio. This might cause the transmitter, receiver, or both to become inoperative. Here’s how to handle landing at a towered
…We’ve had a few posts about the Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR). Take a look at our introduction and at our CFI’s posts on VOR service volumes and a couple questions that might show up on your exam. Today, we’ll illustrate tracking to and from a
…As a pilot you should always expect change. Change can often occur prior to your flight even beginning. I’ve been in situations before where I have completed my entire cross country flight plan and weight and balance only to find out another friend wants to come along for the ride. Before doing
…This week, we’re taking another look at aviation forecasts and focusing on the terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF), one of the printed forecasts that all pilots need to be familiar with. TAFs are designed to be useful in the preflight planning stage. Here’s how the FAA breaks down a TAF in
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