Why Do Some Airplanes Leave Contrails and Others Don’t?
Contrails are the visible reminder that on a daily basis numerous commercial and private flights cross the skies across the world. But some aircraft leave these white trails behind them and others do not, even when seemingly in the same general part of the...
Useful Load of Every Popular Cessna Piston Aircraft
Cessna aircraft are probably the most widely recognized and certainly most produced airplanes in the world today. When you are deciding between what airplane to train in, rent, or buy, there’s a good chance a Cessna is at least on your list of options, if not your...
Why Are Cumulonimbus Clouds Dangerous?
Weather can be a topic that new and seasoned pilots alike spend too little time studying and as a result have to do the bulk of their learning in the cockpit in real-world scenarios. Avoiding storms and obviously hazardous weather is usually pretty easy for even the...
Why is the Autopilot Called “George”? (Two Prevailing Theories)
For the non-pilot, aviation language can sound cryptic at first, like a secret code or confusing jargon. Once you start your flight training and become more well-versed in the vocabulary it really isn’t all that confusing after all. However there are still some...
13 ATC Communication Tips and Tricks for Pilots
It’s iconic, fun, and at first, intimidating. Talking on the radio as a pilot can be kind of a language in itself. A gathering in the sky that is social yet structured, cordial yet formal. If you’re just starting out your pilot training, talking on the radio can be...
CDI, HSI, OBS, and Heading Selector Explained
In navigation days of old, a pilot was lucky to have an ADF or possibly a VOR to get around. Other than that it was true IFR – “I Follow Roads.” As technology has greatly improved over the past decades, ADFs have been all but phased out, and even VORs are on the...
Heading, Track, Bearing, and Course Explained
It’s confusing because they are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably in conversation: Heading, bearing, course, and track. Even correctly used by ATC, “on course heading” is still a little misleading because below you’ll see they’re practically referring to...
Vision Requirements for Private and Commercial Pilot’s Licenses
It can be an intimidating thing that you don't always have complete control over. Your vision is sometimes born poor, or you can regress over time to have vision challenges, or even perhaps there was a notable even in your life (trauma, illness, etc.) that caused an...
Requirements for Aerobatic Flight (License, Rating, Parachutes, etc.)
Flying upside down is probably on most pilots’ aviation bucket list. I first got to experience aerobatics in a Citabria in Alaska and the flight maneuvers were as spectacularly overwhelming as the scenery around me. Fun fact: "Citabria" comes from the name "airbatic"...
Do I Need an Instrument Rating to Get a Commercial Pilot’s License?
The commercial license is a typical next step after gaining your private pilot’s license. Whether or not you want to end up flying for a living, lots of people will get their commercial rating for either the experience, the (minor) insurance premium break, or just as...
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