The day was perfect for flying. The clouds were at 5,500 feet with some haze below, but expected to move out before I reached my intended destination. Winds were calm, and not expected to reach peak gusts of 12 knots until between 3 and 6 p.m. - an hour or so after I would be … Continue reading My Cross-Country Experience by Sue Winsett
Author: Reader Submission
My First Night Solo was a Bad Duck by Clint Laurie
Do you remember you first solo? I believe every pilot who climbs into a plane and solo's for the first time will take that memory with them and keep it forever. I completed my first solo on October 8th 1999, and that is something I will never forget. My next training milestone was my first … Continue reading My First Night Solo was a Bad Duck by Clint Laurie
Jason’s Private Pilot Checkride
12-4-00 Piper Warrior Examiner: George Barone, Wurtsboro Airport (NY) I've read many descriptions of student pilots' flight tests, and most were very interesting. Hopefully mine will be too - the experience was definitely memorable for me. I was up late last night doing my flight plans and double checking that I had the paperwork and … Continue reading Jason’s Private Pilot Checkride
Jason’s Commercial Pilot Checkride
My test began at about 9:00 AM, with George Barone at the Wurtsboro Airport. George had given me my Private Pilot Checkride as well, so I knew what to expect first - rigorous paperwork. Stu turned up unexpectedly, and helped with this process some. But although tedious, it was at least fairly straightforward. I didn't … Continue reading Jason’s Commercial Pilot Checkride
Checkride Success! by Chuck Fox
After many hours of sweat I passed my private pilot checkride at KRHV in San Jose, CA. I was so prepared for the ground oral and flight test that I wasn't even nervous. Frankly that amazed me. I started flying 21 years ago in college in Wisconsin, got 15 hours under my belt and came … Continue reading Checkride Success! by Chuck Fox
Butterflies Be-Gone by Tom Wiseman
As usual I met my instructor at the FBO for a dual training flight. This particular flight was going to be at night to get the last of my night landing requirements out of the way. I needed 6, but wanted to try to get more in for the experience. I had flown at night … Continue reading Butterflies Be-Gone by Tom Wiseman
Color Vision Information for Pilots by Jeff Baggish
What is color blindness? The human eye relies on its 6-7 million cone cells and 100-130 million rod cells to produce normal vision. The cones?blue, green, and red?are located in the center of the retina?the part of the eye that receives images from the lens and converts them to electrical signals to send to the … Continue reading Color Vision Information for Pilots by Jeff Baggish
Cobwebs and Flying Don’t Mix by Ellen Paneok
Pilots, it's coming up on springtime and the season to fly is upon us. We shake ourselves from our winter sleep, ready to take on the warmer skies. That means preparing our airplanes and ourselves by getting the cobwebs out, so to speak. Remember that if your aircraft has been sitting all winter, it needs … Continue reading Cobwebs and Flying Don’t Mix by Ellen Paneok
Back in the saddle again by Joseph Wright
As promised here is my follow up to "First Crash Solo". Before I begin I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wife for her support and belief in me. After I crashed the airplane back in April I would have given up flying if it were not for her belief in me … Continue reading Back in the saddle again by Joseph Wright
2.5hrs of XC Fun, 2Min’s of Terror by Tom Wiseman
My CFI and I wanted to get the remaining 2.2hrs of hood time I had left out of the way before really getting into in the Cross Country part of my training. So we planned a Cross Country trip that would take us very close to that 2.2hrs. We planned a trip from O85 in … Continue reading 2.5hrs of XC Fun, 2Min’s of Terror by Tom Wiseman