What Do the Numbers and Letters on Runways Mean?
Whether as a passenger on an airliner, or a student pilot in the cockpit, you’ve probably noticed rolling onto the beginning of a runway very large numbers and maybe even a letter painted onto the beginning of the runway. As with everything else in aviation, it’s...
Why Do Some Airport Identifiers Begin with “K”?
Airport identification codes are assigned according to a wide variety of standards, and in some cases, those standards even seem inconsistent. There are three letter / number codes, four letter / number codes, some that start with “K” (in the US) and those that...
The Difference Between an Autopilot and a Flight Director
If you’re lucky enough to be flying with an autopilot, or if you’re dreaming about one day having an autopilot, then the term “flight director” is probably going to be in your vocabulary at some point. At first glance both of these terms sound similar, if not...
The Difference Between True and Magnetic Heading
You’re flying along and ATC instructs you “turn to heading 220” and so you turn your plane until the numbers on your screen or instrument change, but what exactly are you heading towards? Why do we use two methods of showing our choice of direction and where did it...
10 Cessna 172 Landing Tips You Can Implement Today
The Cessna 172 in one guise or another appears in nearly every pilot’s logbook over the course of their flying career, and there are good reasons for that. The humble 172 makes for a good trainer, a respectable if not outstanding cross-country machine, a solid...
Are Winds Reported In True Or Magnetic Headings?
Quite honestly, it wasn’t until years after becoming a pilot that I even thought to ask this question. The only time that true vs. magnetic heading was really emphasized during training was in my cross-country calculations, where I had to always factor in a magnetic...
The Differences Between AvGas, Jet Fuel, Auto Fuel, and Diesel
There are two primary fuels in use in aviation: avgas and Jet-A. They are similar in nature to automotive fuel (unleaded gasoline) and diesel, respectively, but have some key differences in both their properties and ability to be used in aviation applications....
How Much Money Do Flight Instructors Make?
The airlines are a cool place to be. Or at least that’s what they keep telling me. As a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) I’m chasing the same goal as others: the coveted 1,500 hours to get to the airlines. Time and time again I get asked, “how much do flight...
Can You Fly IFR In Experimental Aircraft?
Conducting flight operations according to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) adds significant flexibility and capability for aircraft that meet the equipment requirements of IFR flight. Aircraft produced and registered according to a “standard airworthiness...
Why Are Airplanes Riveted Instead Of Welded?
Anyone who is interested in aviation has noticed that most commercially produced aircraft have a very similar architecture. Although powered flight has been through many extraordinary changes in the past century, many of the basic structural characteristics remain...
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