Learn to Fly

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AVIATION ARTICLES

Jim’s Checkride by James Anuth

On July 5, 1999 I took the checkride for my PP-ASEL and passed it. Here’s a quick run…

⏱ 8 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

I’m Celebrating! by Sandy Reutter

There’s hope (and excitement) for ALL of us! About a month ago, when I hit “The Big Five-Ohhhh”,…

⏱ 5 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Multi-Engine Checkride… by John Stricker

I thought some of you might be interested in this. I passed my multi-engine w/instrument a week ago…

⏱ 14 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

What You Need To Know About NTSB Accident Investigations by Phil Kolczynski

Whether you are a witness, a party, an insurer, a technical expert or an interested airman or survivor,…

⏱ 22 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

CFI Checkride Report by Richard Kaplan

This week I passed my CFI Airplane checkride! I thought I would post some background on my training…

⏱ 4 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Protecting Yourself Against FAA Enforcement Actions by Phillip Kolczynski

Try This Preventative Legal Medicine If you hold an FAA License, no matter whether you are an airman…

⏱ 14 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

What If You Are Involved In An Air Crash by Phil Kolczynski

Because of the risks inherent in flying, all airmen should have an understanding of their rights, options and…

⏱ 13 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

FAA Versus Airman (10 Tips) by Phil Kolczynski

The Relevant Facts of An Exemplar Case A student pilot fails to refuel his private airplane on a…

⏱ 13 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Aircraft Owner Liability by Phil Kolczynski

The purpose of in this article is to alert you to the basic issues of individual owner liability,…

⏱ 20 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Small Airports: Crimped by Costs and Pinched by Prosperity by Michael Marotta

[This story originally appeared in the June/July 98 issue of GREAT LAKES PILOTS NEWS. $12 per year at…

⏱ 7 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

The Ohio Aerospace Institute by Michael Marotta

When you walk through the Ohio Aerospace Institute, you feel the unlimited horizons, freedom of travel, freedom of…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

First X-Country

Yesterday, Saturday 18, 2006 and Sunday the 19 were my first cross country flights. Saturday was the dual…

⏱ 6 min read
AVIATION ARTICLES

Private Pilot Checkride

Today December 6, 2008 was my private pilot checkride, completely by accident. I went up at eight in…

⏱ 10 min read
EMERGENCIES

Trivia Testers: Down In Flames

According to a recent study, the elapsed time between the first indications of a hidden fire and the…

⏱ 5 min read
EMERGENCIES

Wind Socked

At about 11 AM, just as I arrived to fly an R-22 into a cool blue March sky…

⏱ 6 min read
EMERGENCIES

When Cylinders Fail

Believe it or not, the cylinders in aircraft engines have been known to fail. While this doesn't happen…

⏱ 2 min read
EMERGENCIES

I’ve Been Watching You…

And I have been taking notes. Over the course of many years I have had the opportunity to…

⏱ 8 min read
EMERGENCIES

Deciding Factor

It's nearing midnight. A damp fog rolls lazily off the Gulf of Mexico, thick clouds blurring the lines…

⏱ 5 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

Cold Weather Tip: Check Your Tires

Cold weather has arrived -- rather brutally this year for many of us. Whether that cold weather translates…

⏱ 2 min read
EMERGENCIES

When Your Com Goes Silent

STUFF HAPPENS WHEN WE FLY. Whether that stuff is exciting (like an engine failure), or it's just a…

⏱ 3 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

When Your Engine’s Intake Clogs

Airplane engines suck. Pistons move up and down (or in horizontally opposed engines, in and out) and create…

⏱ 5 min read
EMERGENCIES

My Last Near Miss

I happened to remember the other day while I was driving this experience from my life as a…

⏱ 3 min read
EMERGENCIES

Distracted by Automation: #5 of the Big 5

Although not yet reflected by a huge wave of incident reports. Regardless, technological distractions are a growing problem…

⏱ 5 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

Got a Meter? Check Your Alternator

It's cold, it's dark, it's winter. The alternator is the electrical lifeline for your aircraft. While the battery…

⏱ 3 min read
EMERGENCIES

Prepare to be Aware – #4 of the Big 5

The lack of awareness continues to be a source of problems when aircraft move on the ground. Not…

⏱ 5 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

Danger Signs – When A Drip Is More Than A Drip

A cockpit is one of the best classrooms. When you fly, there are always chances to learn lessons…

⏱ 3 min read
EMERGENCIES

Prepare to be Aware – #3 of the Big 5

Every year it happens. Pilots press on into deteriorating weather conditions. It is the leading cause of fatal…

⏱ 6 min read
EMERGENCIES

Prepare to be Aware – #2 of the Big 5

The lack of position awareness takes place more often than we want to admit. In a post 9/11…

⏱ 7 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

A Primer On Primers

We don't give much thought to starting the engines in our cars, even in the dark depths of…

⏱ 5 min read
EMERGENCIES

Prepare to be Aware –The Big 5 Problems

The accident numbers and NASA reports seem to cluster around particular areas of operation. This fact should serve…

⏱ 8 min read
EMERGENCIES

Air Filters and Fires (and Volcanoes) – A Bad Combination

I heard about this one from a wanna-be pilot in the California area, which if you've been following…

⏱ 4 min read
EMERGENCIES

Minor, Major and Critical Errors … and the Highly Qualified Pilot

Maybe one of the best "flying lessons" I ever got took place 60 feet below ground level! Back…

⏱ 5 min read
EMERGENCIES

Point Of Diversion 5 — In The Dark

Should the title of last week's accident report be, "When you gotta go, ya gotta go." Or, "Always…

⏱ 4 min read
EMERGENCIES

Point Of Diversion 4 — Landing Diversion

Common sense and calculations were missing when two pilots ran out of fuel in flight and experience off-airport…

⏱ 4 min read
EMERGENCIES

Point Of Diversion 3 — Lessons Learned

Bad things can happen when a pilot flies without understanding the complete situation that surrounds them. Last week…

⏱ 5 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

Danger Signs – Loose Rivets

I HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS A PILOT, AND WHO OWNED A BEECH SUNDOWNER. The Sundowner had a…

⏱ 2 min read
EMERGENCIES

Point Of Diversion 2 — Takeoff Diversions

If we can spot where a pilot goes wrong on a flight, will it be easier to recognize…

⏱ 3 min read
EMERGENCIES

No Flaps, No Problem

Flaps are a pretty standard device on airplanes, and one that many pilots take for granted. Whether we…

⏱ 3 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

RETIRE (Those Old Tubes!)

BEWARE OF WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE ON AN AIRPLANE. That lesson hits home with the plight of a…

⏱ 3 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

Illegal Repairs

I've managed to see some of the seamy side of the world of aviation in my time, including…

⏱ 3 min read
PRE-FLIGHT ARTICLES

Old Mags

All pilots share a common trait. Is it money? Background? Education? Daring, or caution? No, pilots come from…

⏱ 4 min read
EMERGENCIES

Forced Landings: Preventive Measures

Not every engine-out need take you by surprise and even if there's nothing you can do about the…

⏱ 6 min read
EMERGENCIES

It’s Only A Flat Spot

Tires are one of the most forgotten parts of our airplanes. After all, we spend a majority of…

⏱ 3 min read
EMERGENCIES

Turbo Failure

Most aircraft engines are limited by the structure of the atmosphere -- the higher you go, the less…

⏱ 5 min read
EMERGENCIES

Staying Ahead Of The Airplane (Don’t look past the obvious)

It seems that the most obvious thing can become elusive when you don't concentrate on the details. A…

⏱ 2 min read
EMERGENCIES

Trimmed Stalls

Some years ago I was deposed as an expert witness in the case of an aircraft accident. The…

⏱ 6 min read
EMERGENCIES

Bingo Fuel – Don’t Let It Happen to You!

When I heard about this story, I nearly fell out of my chair. A pilot and his passengers,…

⏱ 5 min read
EMERGENCIES

Fuel Starvation — Avoiding the Big Splat

I leveled at 11,000 feet as Santa Fe slid beneath the left wing. Turning southeast onto the airway…

⏱ 7 min read