Articles

Sport Pilot Endorsements Made Easy

In aviation, regulations are a necessary evil for all pilots. And that includes Sport Pilots. Here's an easy way to understand them.

November 26, 2025 by Paul Duty

Side Slips vs. Forward Slips

It's easy to confuse a forward slip with a side slip. Here's an easy way to tell them apart.

September 4, 2025 by Jamie Beckett

Class E and G Airspace: No More Confusion

The two classes of airspace that cause students the most grief are E and G. Let's clear it up.

August 1, 2025 by Ryan Thomas

Class Foxtrot Airspace - What the Heck is It?

Is Class F airspace really a thing? Or is it just an urban legend, elusive as a unicorn?

July 7, 2025 by Russ Still

Airspeed vs. Ground Speed: Sailing on a River of Air

Ground speed, airspeed, heading and ground track are critical to preflight planning. Especially when terms are confused.

June 24, 2025 by Jamie Beckett

Radio Communications Are Established. Or are they?

What are the magic words a pilot needs to hear in order to enter certain controlled airspaces?

May 29, 2025 by Jamie Beckett

De-Stressing the Test

Why should you do your best on the Knowledge Test?

May 13, 2025 by Jamie Beckett

Time Building - Can You Split Time and Expenses?

Flying is expensive and that can create a challenge for pilots trying to build time as they advance in their careers.

April 15, 2025 by Jamie Beckett

BasicMed Has Changed and Now You're Wrong.

You learned the rules of BasicMed, but on November 18, 2024, they changed just a little bit. How will the knowledge tests be affected?

November 16, 2024 by Russ Still

A Troubling FAA Question, and Its Curious Journey

The FAA goes to great lengths to ensure that Knowledge Test questions are accurate. When questions are found to wrong, they promptly get rid of them. Or so you might expect.

November 13, 2024 by Russ Still

How to Safely Fly a Touch-and-Go

There is more to a touch-and-go than meets the eye. Here are a couple of safety tips that could save your day.

June 19, 2023 by Russ Still

Open-Book Checkrides – Are They Real?

You may have heard that the practical test is open-book. You better be careful.

June 8, 2023 by Russ Still

The Real Cure for Air Sickness

Training make you sick? You're not alone, but there are some easy tricks you can use to conquer air sickness once and for all.

September 15, 2021 by Nate Tennant

The Great Debate: Digital vs Paper

It's a long-standing debate, and one that is frequently misunderstood. Some important clues are found in the Private Pilot ACS.

May 28, 2021 by Russ Still

The 8-Hour Solo Myth

Most student pilots won't solo in eight hours, and that's perfectly fine. Here's why you shouldn't let it bother you.

February 11, 2021 by Russ Still

Save Your Life in 90 Seconds

Brief It Every Time - Be Spring-Loaded for Safety

November 21, 2020 by Russ Still

Your Successful Private Pilot Checkride

June 20, 2020 by Greg Brown

From High to Low, Look out Below!

Does your altimeter really tell you how high you are?

May 22, 2020 by Russ Still

The Surprising Rectangular Course

It's often overlooked during training. Don't be startled if the examiner asks to see one during your checkride.

May 1, 2020 by Russ Still

Knowledge Test Prep - Why Memorization is a Bad Idea

These days you can't get away with just memorizing FAA test questions. Here's why.

April 9, 2020 by Russ Still

Top 5 Myths About the Impossible Turn

The Impossible Turn is Frequently Misunderstood

March 9, 2020 by Russ Still

The Improbable Turn

It may be your best choice, or your worst... but it's always a bad idea if you don't know the difference.

March 6, 2020 by Russ Still

Choosing Your Flight Instructor

Learning to fly should be easy and fun. Careful selection of the perfect flight instructor is a key ingredient to your success.

January 11, 2020 by Russ Still

METARs on the Knowledge Test

See the METARs on the Knowledge Test in advance. CLICK and EXPLORE this interactive METAR tool!

December 18, 2019 by Russ Still

12 Myths About Spins

Spins are frequently feared, and even more often misunderstood. Rich Stowell demystifies the most common superstitions about this infamous flight maneuver.

December 14, 2019 by Rich Stowell

How To Save Money On Your Flight Training

Flight training is expensive. But there is something you can do to keep your costs to a minimum.

November 28, 2019 by Russ Still

VFR Radio Communications Made Simple

Talking on the radio doesn't need to be scary. In this article, we'll see how to avoid problems such as "Mic Fright."

November 19, 2019 by Russ Still

Top Five Landing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

The most common problems standing between pilots and good landings. Guarantee improved landings by fixing just one of these.

November 10, 2019 by Russ Still