Tight Grip VS Light Touch
P The left hand has only two useable digits while flying The forefinger is behind the yoke for back pressure and the thumb is for forward pressure...Age as a Factor In Flying
P The average General Aviation pilot was 39 years of age in 1990 Pilots over 60 have 2 1 times more accidents than pilots in their 50...
Descending Mechanical Failure Frequency
1 Clogged fuel system BR 2 Throttle mixture control BR 3 Oil line BR 4 Clogged...
Operating Without a MEL (Minimum Equipment List)
P B Minimum Equipment List B P P Most older aircraft have been certified without a MEL but everything operational...
Wearing Thin Pants
In many respects flying an airplane is much like riding a horse A horse goes where its head points so does an airplane ...
Dehydration
P Human need for 2 4 quarts of water a day You become thirsty with a deficit of 1 5 quarts of body fluids or 2 of...
The Second Solo
P The first solo is deceptive in that it overcomes much of the tension related to quot;can I do it quot; The next few lessons ...
Tie Down
P Given a choice of where to tie down always face into the wind A crosswind tie down means that the aircraft will be trying to ...
Cold Weather
P Hot or cold temperatures affect the quality of the preflight In the winter as your body cools you tend to mentally and physically slow down...
Advice From Over 30 Years Ago
B The performance of any complex activity such as flying an airplane requires the learning of highly conditioned responses ...
Permanent Records
P Total time on airframe engine propeller since last overhaul of items required to be overhauled P P Status...
Side Notes
1 The Law of Firsts Haviland #39;s quot;The first time you do you shouldn #39;t have The first time you don #39;t...
Trim Exercises (Instructor Notes)
P To teach the effectiveness of trim try the following exercise The instructor should demonstrate how to hold the nose in one fixed position while the student...
The Student As A Student
P How much does it cost Depends on motivation of student BR How long does it take 62 hours is average My students may...
Fatalities and Survival
ul li 90 of people involved in ditching accidents survive BR li Only 1 out of every 6 airplane accidents results in...
River Flying with Steep Turns
P On some subsequent lesson it is well to select an upwind track along a very S shaped course By flying upwind the relative ground speed...
IFR Rated Pilot
ul li 1 accident in 4 459 hours in IFR conditions BR li 1 accident in 61 900 hours in...
Lost Procedures
Maintains original heading BR Identifies available landmarks BR Uses Navaids and contacts ATC for assistance BR Considers precautionary landing as an option ...
Are You Ready?
In the real world of life some things are done too soon Getting married having children picking fruit and going into your own business are...
Warning Areas
P Same as Restricted area but over international waters beyond 3 mile P P limit of our borders Contains hazards related...
1989 - 1993 US Accidents
#133;Accident__________Deaths_ BR 1 Highway Accidents 228 000 BR 2 Murders ...
Reaction and Anticipation
P In searching for an appropriate place for this material I was surprised at how often the terms appeared the variety of context and application to...
Landings on Final
Over the fence Vref U U 5 knots or 1 2 Vso No exact POH figures BR B Soft field Approach...
What's New
With so much history in the past I would like to take you into the future: BR I am most proud of my...
Cruise Control
P Learning to trim for level flight requires that you think in terms of setting as many constants as possible for a given flight situation First ...
Teaching Memory
P The way an instructor presents material has a great influence on student retention of what is being taught Trauma is proven to be the absolute best...
Thinking Through Patterns
P Depending on the student or airport weather conditions I will use paper diagrams and walk through the patterns on the ramp I will illustrate turns about...
Would You Believe That You Can...
ul li Be a non instrument rated pilot and fly in VFR condition of top of overcast at night in a VFR only...
Mountain Accidents
li 40 more than in flatlands BR li 155 higher at some airports ...
Flight Review
All slow flight BR All stalls BR All landings BR Go arounds BR Steep turns BR Spirals BR Unusual...
Preflight & Cockpit Management
Inspects using checklist BR Passenger briefing on belts and emergency procedures from checklist on how to: BR ul li Tighten belts BR ...
Engine Failure Accidents
ul li 22 of all accidents BR li 4 only partial failure BR li...
Spins - A History
An unheralded aviation pioneer is British scientist F A Lindemann The Prof as he was known led a very checkered...
Military Instruction
Instruction that uses the stair step approach is predicated on the absence of surprises A military preflight can take hours In my own...
Rectangular Patterns
P Under calm conditions almost any rectangle can be used If there is a wind the longest leg of the rectangles should be planned to be...
How We Got Pattern A and Pattern B
These patterns have been for many years a part of the Instrument Flying Handbook as among the first lessons in acquiring the aircraft control required for instrument flying ...
MEL Decision Sequence
P The pilot recognizes inoperative instruments or equipment P P B Question: B P P...
Teaching Ground Reference
P More often than not ground reference is taught as though it were the end itself and not a tool for use We are not trying to...
Getting the ATIS
P One of my readers asked that I expand of the following statement: quot;The student will benefit from getting the ATIS with the engine running at all...
Pilot in Command Time
There are five different ways to get logable pilot in command PIC time according to FAR 61 51 c 2 BR BR ...
Takeoffs
Alignment BR Rotation and liftoff BR Drift correction BR Airborne alignment check BR Clearing turns ...
Instructional Constants
A number of constants have been recommended Constants while not the only way to fly simplify the complexities of maneuvering an...
Introduction to The Radio
P I introduce the ATIS frequency 124 7 the alphabetical sequencing order of information during the day and how to use this information ...
Statistics on Fuel/electric related accidents
ol P li Experience level of the pilot does not seem to matter in fuel related accidents BR li 86...
Basic Maneuver Tolerances
Altitude U U 200 feet BR Heading U U 10 degrees BR Speed U ...
Go-around
Power to full BR Hold heading and altitude BR Milk flaps or to 20 degrees according to IAS BR At Vy flaps up and climb...
Dealing with Delays
One of the advantages of learning to fly in the fall is the greater probability of weather delays A pilot learns to live with and accept delays of any kind...
The PTS
Everything about the Practical Test is a given If you have studied the PTS you know what is going to happen You may not know when or just how...
Private Pilot Currency
3 landings in last 90 days before carrying passengers BR 3 full stop landing for night currency ...
Buchannan Field (at Concord, California)
Within the immediate vicinity of Buchannan Field Concord CA there have been over seven airports over the years One of the very first...
Don’t fly here ever. White House, Personal residence of
President, Area within 5 miles of president is prohibited airspace
at any time. Some prohibited areas include crucial national defense
sites, nuclear plants, missile installations, etc. All are under
radar surveillance.