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Tag Archives: first solo
Veteran Airshow Fans
I overheard the Chair of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), Bob Meder, say, “You can tell who the veteran airshow fans are. They’re the ones not paying attention to the show.” I thought about it and concluded he … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, AOPA, barnstormers, Cessnas, EAA, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, Florida, inexperienced pilots, learning to fly, memories, NAFI, open cockpit biplanes, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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The Safety of “Little Airplanes”
Many question the safety of “little airplanes.” By the way, they are only “little” until you have to wash and wax them; then the smallest airplane suddenly appears similar in size to a Boeing 747. General aviation aircraft have always … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged accident files, airplane accidents, airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Cessna 170, Cessna 182, Cessnas, discipline, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, General aviation, highways, instrument flying, judgment, learning to fly, little airplanes, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), pilots, poor judgment, professional pilots, sailors, student pilots, training aircraft
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2 Comments
First Flights
When you first go flying with a new student, you should make certain everything is as perfect as possible. In other words, a new student’s first flight should occur very early in the morning when the temperatures are low and … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Cessnas, CFI, engine failures, First flights, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, friends, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, memories, new students, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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4 Comments
On Buying An Airplane, Part IV
Well, it is yours! The question now becomes, how much will it really cost to operate? The price of operating an aircraft falls into two broad categories. These include “fixed” costs and “variable” costs. Pilots (and accountants) appropriately refer to … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Cessna 170, Cessna 182, Cessnas, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, learning to fly, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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On Buying An Airplane, Part III
Okay, after discussing where to find airplanes, we now come to the question of what to look for when appraising the airplane. As with any mechanical conveyance, there are things that stand out right away when you evaluate the machine. … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, Cessna 170, Cessna 182, Cessnas, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, learning to fly, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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2 Comments
The Souls of Airplanes
I remember the first time I realized an airplane could seem as though it were a living being. I was out at the Zephyrhills airport near Tampa, where I met a young man who owned a Republic Seabee amphibious aircraft. … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Cessna 170, Cessna 182, Cessnas, discipline, engine failures, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, for the sake of flying, friends, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, learning to fly, memories, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, Piper Cubs, professional pilots, Republic Seabee, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft, Zephyrhills airport
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6 Comments
The Cub Versus the Champ
One of the ongoing debates in general aviation pertains to the merits of two of the most classic airplanes that flew in the formative years of aviation. The airplanes are the Piper Cub and the Aeronca Champ. I have written … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, discipline, first solo, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, professional pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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Off to School
Every two years flight instructors must renew their credentials in order to continue teaching. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides three ways to accomplish this task. The easiest way is by providing documentation of flight activity showing at least an … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Personal
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Tagged 80 percent success rate, Air Force, airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Avon park bombing and gunnery, Cessna 150, Cessnas, CFI endorsements, discipline, documentation of flight activity, F-16 Falcons, FAA check ride, first solo, Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic (FIRC), Flight instructors, flight training, flying, friends, Guantanamo, gun sights, judgment, learning to fly, memories, Off to School, pilots, professional pilots, rolling in “hot”, student pilots, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), training aircraft
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1 Comment
Learning How to Land
This one is for all the students trying to master the technique of bringing an airplane back to earth. This is from the notes I kept when I was trying to learn how to land. ———————– Now, how does one … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, discipline, first solo, flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, memories, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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Crosswind Landings
We were leaving school about 6:30 in the evening. I was with my wife and one of our authors—they had been working on a book while I was teaching school and we agreed to give him a lift home afterward. … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, bad landings, Cessnas, crosswind landings, crosswinds, discipline, drift, excessive speed, first solo, flight training, float, flying, incorrect crosswind landing technique, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, landings and takeoffs, learning to fly, light twin on final, non-flyers, opposite rudder, pilots, Pilots’ Operating Handbook (POH), professional pilots, runway behind you, student pilots, taildraggers, the approach end of Runway 34, training aircraft, Trim the airplane, “aero-rudeness”
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3 Comments
