Computer Magic… So what are the parts and pieces of a Glass Panel airplane? With glass panels, we don’t have lots of moving parts like we do in our “steam gauges”. Much like the accelerometer and compass in your cellphone, everything with a glass panel is “solid-state” meaning no spinning gyros and annoying errors associated… Continue reading G1000 and Glass Instruments SC
Topic Category: IFR
Instrument Insides Explained SC
Altimeter Errors There are certain errors associated with all altimeters. What you need to be concerned with as a pilot is understanding that when flying in cold air, even with the correct altimeter setting, the altimeter WILL indicate higher than you really are. This is a big problem when trying to navigate your way around… Continue reading Instrument Insides Explained SC
Control and Performance Method SC
Another way to cut the cake… So another approach besides the Primary and Supporting Method is Performance and Control. Let me sum this up in the simplest terms possible. Performance instruments tell you how the airplane is performing, Control Instruments are what you use to control the aircraft and affect the Performance Instruments. Another way… Continue reading Control and Performance Method SC
Primary v. Supporting Method SC
What Matters Most… So what matters most in life instrument flying? Well, that kind of depends on what phase of flight you are in of course… CFIIs love talking about Primary and Supporting instruments, and what instruments are “primary” for a certain maneuver (like a constant airspeed climb). While you may find that when actually… Continue reading Primary v. Supporting Method SC
Instrument Scanning Techniques SC
A Plan For Your Scan…. You’ll hear this constantly, that “the scan” is the most important part of instrument flying, “The secret to instrument flying is having a good scan”, and you need to “keep your scan going”. Well cool, but I hate it when you hear all these “important sayings”, yet no one ever… Continue reading Instrument Scanning Techniques SC
How to Prepare / Navigate Your Training SC
The Requirements To get your instrument rating (under part 61, which is what most pilots do), you will need a total of: 50 Hours of Cross Country Time as PIC (meaning your X/C time from being a Private Pilot in Training counts when you flew solo, but not the X/C time when your instructor was… Continue reading How to Prepare / Navigate Your Training SC
Choosing A School / CFII SC
Things to Consider when choosing a CFII Your instructor should have signed off at least 5 instrument students in the past year. If they haven’t, they most likely are not up to speed on teaching instrument flying (they may be very good at doing it themselves if they work for an airline or as a professional… Continue reading Choosing A School / CFII SC
Airport Diagrams Pr
No Google Maps at Your Destination Airport Unfortunately, you will not have google maps on your cell phone to guide you around the taxiways and other movement and non-movement areas at your destination airport. An essential part of your preflight planning needs to include becoming familiar with not only the runway information and layout at… Continue reading Airport Diagrams Pr
Instrument Insides Explained Pr
Altimeter Errors There are certain errors associated with all altimeters. What you need to be concerned with as a pilot is understanding that when flying in cold air, even with the correct altimeter setting, the altimeter WILL indicate higher than you really are. This is a big problem when trying to navigate your way around… Continue reading Instrument Insides Explained Pr
Transponders Pr
MODE C Transponders Well first, what is a transponder? A transponder is a little box mounted in the panel of your airplane where you can set a 4 digit code that ATC assigns to you. The purpose of this box is to tell ATC where you are and how high you are. Transponders are also… Continue reading Transponders Pr