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Category Archives: Flight Instructing
New Portrait
Sometimes we are resistant to change. Frequent readers will recognize that I changed the banner above. It is something I have been meaning to do for a while. The old photograph was long overdue for changing. So now I’m using … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, Teaching
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Tagged 1946 Aeronca 7AC, adverse yaw, antique airplane, centered ball, Champ, keeping altitude, maintaining airspeed, New Portrait, stick and rudder flying, taildraggers
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As Arnold said, “I’ll Be Back!”
Hello, again. I have been away up from writing for a while. I had a few things going on in life that prevented me from writing. As Arnold said, I am back. Those things keeping me away from putting words … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing
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Tagged CFIs, flight instructing, old pilots, Professional flight instructors, teaching, the early days, the FAA
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Engine Failure on Takeoff
Last night one of my former students from a long time ago hosted a pilot get together on zoom.com. He had a great turnout and the theme of his meeting dealt with engine failure on takeoff. He led a discussion … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airspeed, All American Aviation, control of the plane, engine failure, engine failure on takeoff, Flight instructors, low altitude, pilot action, spin, stall, “impossible turn”
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Big Field, No Sweat
Okay, it happened again. Another pilot decided to try landing his crippled airplane on a road. Follow this link to view dramatic law enforcement dashcam video of a Cessna 150 trying to turn a road into an emergency runway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkriThuaaB0 … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Cessnas, crashing, discipline, Emergency Landings, flight training, inexperienced pilots, judgment, landing on roads, learning to fly, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, training aircraft
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Lost Logbooks
This past week, one of my students, Jo, asked about the problem. After I told her the solution, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell the class?” I usually do, but at the point in the course when I usually talk … Continue reading →
Posted in Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, logbooks, lost logbooks, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots
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Understanding the Wing
Wings are very cool things. Many pilots like wings; they fly wings and most know the working speeds of wings (if only by rote). The question is, though, exactly how does a wing work? Keep in mind that designing an … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged "know the numbers", aerodynamics, airplanes, AR=b/c, aspect ratio (AR), Cessna 172, Cessnas, chord, flight training, flying characteristics, math, mission, P-51, pilots, Pitts Special, power to weight ratio, professional pilots, Reno race pilots, S = b x c, straight and level, student pilots, trailing edge, transport airplanes, unaccelerated flight, wing area, wing span, wings, working speeds
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A Dozen Rules to Spin a Prop
I looked at my Facebook page yesterday and found a photo of a pilot who lost the tip of a finger while hand propping his ultralight airplane. Pretty gruesome stuff. I often tell my students that hand propping an airplane … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged aerobatic, Aeroncas, airplanes, Cessnas, Champs, Continental A-65, Cubs, flight training, hand propping, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), Luscombes, pilots, professional pilots, Rotax, student pilots, Subaru, taildraggers, the "Armstrong" technique, training aircraft, ultralight, VW
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Flying for Fun
As always, I woke early. Most of my students can’t believe I wake up so early – and without an alarm. I set my phone to sound at 6:05 and it is a rare morning when I sleep past 6 … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, barnstormers, Cessnas, early morning flight, Flight instructors, flight training, flying, friends, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, memories, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, sunrise flying, taildraggers, training aircraft
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Finally!
I have not been blogging, because of work with my publishing company. I have been editing projects, organizing workflow, marketing, and giving advice to many would be authors and finally, after seven years in the business, finally got around to … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, History, Life in General, Personal, Publishing, Reading, Writing
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Tagged airplanes, aviation essays, aviation history, blogging, BluewaterPress LLC, first flying lessons, flight instructing, flight training, From Cubs to Jets, General aviation, inexperienced pilots, learning to fly, making plans, memories, Military Flying, pilots, professional pilots, setting goals, student pilots, Tips and Techniques, writing
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2 Comments
Getting a License
One of the books we produced at BluewaterPress LLC came to us from Captain LeRoy Brown. LeRoy lived the life all pilots would have wished to have lived, if they could have been as lucky. LeRoy, a fine gentleman of proper age, … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged airplanes, aviation history, CAA inspector, Captain LeRoy Brown, cropdusters, discipline, Dr. Leo Murphy, Florida, Getting a License, inexperienced pilots, judgment, L-1011, learning to fly, memories, National Airlines, open cockpit biplanes, Pan American World Airways, professional pilots, Samuel Dellinger, Stormy, taildraggers
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