Learn to Fly

Aviation Articles

AVIATION ARTICLES

FROM THE LOGBOOK: Today we are going to learn to TAXI?

Not again, I thought, we’ve already done that . . . TWICE!  Jim Trusty 2006      …

⏱ 5 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

FROM THE LOGBOOK: The “Ubiquitous” Computer is Here to Stay!

Are you ready to be one with the beast?  Jim Trusty 2012              Ubiquitous—adj.—existing…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

FROM THE LOGBOOK: The Newest Way to Reach Out For Information…

www.faasafety.gov Jim Trusty 2012             Yes, www.faasafety.gov is the newest way to communicate with…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

FROM THE LOGBOOK: HOW DO WE LEARN?

Jim Trusty 2012 It seems like such a simple question and really, it should be.  We have spent…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Mechanics of the Human Mind

A general aviation pilot rushed to make a VIFNO (Void If Not Off by) departure time for an…

⏱ 2 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Bahamas FAM Trip 2010

I was honored to be invited by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for the 2010 Gateway Fixed Base…

⏱ 5 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Mildred Benson: Toledo Queen of Private Aviation by Michael Marotta

Everyone at Toledo’s Suburban Airport knows Mildred Benson. She learned to fly there, back when it was called…

⏱ 2 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Flight Crew Crash Pads

For many young aviators making the leap (of faith?) into professional aviation, it comes as a shock that…

⏱ 5 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Instructors by Michael Marotta

I took my first lesson on October 31, 1983 after seeing The Right Stuff. My next three lessons…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

The 1-to-100 Glide: An EAA Chapter Meets a Skydiver by Michael Marotta

“You are up there with your friends. You might be the last one out and you make that…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Your Flight Service Station by Michael Marotta

On August 7, Paul Olson from the Dayton Flight Service Station spoke to the Sidney (Ohio) Pilots Association…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

What Next? Consider An Instrument Rating by Jerry Plante

The transition from student pilot to certificated pilot commences with the designated examiner handing you a temporary certificate…

⏱ 12 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

The Virtues of Aviation Culture by Michael Marotta

What is the culture of aviation? In what ways do pilots think, talk, and act differently from other…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Switching Instructors by Michael Marotta

Find an instructor you can work with and stick with that CFI until you earn your ticket. That…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

The Fearful FAA Check Ride Exam by Tom W

Well, there I was… Finally sitting in front of my FAA examiner thinking about how long and hard…

⏱ 7 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Simulators and the VFR Student by Michael Marotta

To see if working with a simulator can help me be a better pilot, I scheduled four hours…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Phantom 92’s Got A Problem! by Randy Haskin

An in-flight emergency is a time when pilots are truly “put to the test.” A pilot’s actions alone…

⏱ 12 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Radio Gaga by Michael Marotta

Livingston County Airport (OZW) in Howell, Michigan, gets a lot of business from high time pilots who prefer…

⏱ 2 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Night Forced Landings by Peter Bedell

When it comes to flying small airplanes, there’s not much that’s worse than having to make a forced…

⏱ 7 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

NOT BAD FOR $100 — When you fly to Toledo, eat at Max’s by Michael Marotta

You can land at Toledo Express (TOL) or Metcalf (TDZ) or Toledo Suburban, long ago called Wagonwheel in…

⏱ 2 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

My Cross-Country Experience by Sue Winsett

The day was perfect for flying. The clouds were at 5,500 feet with some haze below, but expected…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

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…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

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,…

⏱ 14 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Jason’s Commercial Pilot Checkride

My test began at about 9:00 AM, with George Barone at the Wurtsboro Airport. George had given me…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Checkride Success! by Chuck Fox

After many hours of sweat I passed my private pilot checkride at KRHV in San Jose, CA. I…

⏱ 7 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Can Flight Instructors Get Paid Enough? by Michael Marotta

“This is Eric, my flight instructor,” I said to my wife. They exchanged greetings and said a few…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Butterflies Be-Gone by Tom Wiseman

As usual I met my instructor at the FBO for a dual training flight. This particular flight was…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

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…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Code/A Alert

NASA CALLBACK REPORT: A pilot reported that he used GPS successfully to navigate to a distant point on…

⏱ 1 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

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…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

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…

⏱ 2 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

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…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

A Couple of Tales by Gerald Hanner

Here are a couple of tales from my flying days. The first is my encounter with wake turbulence…

⏱ 5 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Always Be Ready! by Kimberly Landson

I had it planned for three weeks. I was going to put my brand new private pilot certificate…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

My Long Cross-Country by Charlie Johnston

I took my long 300-mile x-country Sunday – it was an experience indeed! I got up at 7…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

1st Solo by Tom Wiseman

I began my day by meeting my instructor at my homefield here in California at 7:00am or 1100Z.…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Memorable first unsupervised solo! by Mark Bieschke

I guess that I’m about to be indoctrinated into the “unsupervised-solo-group” with this post, but its really the…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Cross Country Report by Jeff Volp

I enjoy reading articles from others, so I though I would share my long cross-country experience: My long…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

First Solo X/C by Dave Trahan

I didn’t write about my first solo because it so unexciting – takeoff, land, takeoff, land, takeoff, land…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Same old song, new singer by Greg Burkhart

After much advice, I finally got my landings acceptable and the CFI stepped out of the plane (at…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Warning: First time solo raving follows! by Chuck LaForge

The following is an actual account of what transpired on April 28, 1998. My scheduled flight time was…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

A Fun and Challenging Cross Country by Jean Liddle

Last Wednesday my instructor signed me off for my second cross-country flight after the successful completion of my…

⏱ 17 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

STAL*(The Four Letter Word) by Tom Brant

Up to this point in my long and storied career as a student pilot, I have experienced regular…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

I soloed (a Cub)! by Mark Burnham

This morning, after about 30 hours dual, I soloed a J3 Cub. Quite an interesting experience! I knew…

⏱ 3 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Long Cross-Country Story by John M Price

This was, perhaps the most thoroughly planned trip ever made in an airplane, aside from Lindberg’s and the…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

First Night Flight! by Dane Spearing

I had my first night flight last night and it was a BLAST! I managed to get all…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

I learned about long straight-ins from that… by Jim Sokoloff

I have been away for 3 week due to poor weather in New England and my normal CFI…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

I learned about long straight-ins from that… by Jim Sokoloff

I have been away for 3 week due to poor weather in New England and my normal CFI…

⏱ 6 min read