Go No Go Criteria: Safer Flying Decisions
You're standing on the ramp with the airplane fueled, preflight done, headset plugged in, and a passenger who's already taking photos. The haze over the hills doesn't look terrible, but…
Phugoid Oscillation: A Pilot’s Guide to Aircraft Stability
You're probably here because you've seen it, or you're about to. You trim the airplane, settle into cruise, and the nose starts a slow rise. Airspeed eases back. Then the…
Aircraft Weight and Balance: A Pilot’s Essential Guide
You've got the route picked out, your passengers are excited, and the airplane is sitting on the ramp looking ready to go. For a lot of new pilots, that feels…
Somatogravic Illusion: Defeat This Deadly Pilot Threat
You rotate onto the centerline at Chino after sunset. Run-up is complete, radios are busy, and you're already a step ahead of the airplane because departures around KCNO don't give…
Unusual Attitude Recovery: A Pilot’s Guide
You're usually not thinking about unusual attitude recovery on a calm day in cruise. You're thinking about radios, weather, a checklist item you want to stay ahead of, or whether…
Spin Awareness Training: A Pilot’s Safety Guide
You're probably here because spin training sounds important, but also a little abstract. Maybe you're working on a certificate, getting back into flying after time away, or thinking ahead to…
What Is Situational Awareness in Aviation? A Pilot’s Guide
A student turns downwind at a busy towered airport, hears two fast radio calls, spots traffic late, and starts chasing the airplane. A more experienced pilot in the same moment…
What Is Angle of Attack Your Guide to Safer Flying
If you ask most new pilots what keeps an airplane in the air, they’ll probably say "speed." It's an understandable assumption, but it’s not the whole story. There’s a single,…