Brrr…..its cold! It’s safe to say this airplane isn’t going flying anytime soon. In this TOPIC we are going to talk about the factors that make ice form on airplanes as well as the different types of icing, what to do if you suspect icing, and how to get rid of it. First off, why… Continue reading Icing SC
Topic Category: Private Pilot
Fog SC
All these types of Fog are foggy in my brain! While there are 6 different types of fog, they all have somewhat unique characteristics, and at the end of the day all you really need to know is when to expect fog to appear out of thin air. For the purposes of your written test,… Continue reading Fog SC
Thunderstorms / Convective Activity SC
Ain’t that pretty?! Well ya, but it would probably be a lot less pretty if you were flying in the middle of it rather than on the ground trying to figure out which filter made your pictures look the best on your new iPhone. In this TOPIC we’ll go over how thunderstorms form and how… Continue reading Thunderstorms / Convective Activity SC
Weather Fronts SC
Don’t stand in front of that Front! Well actually let’s say don’t stand fly in front of that front. A Front is a boundary or transition zone between two air masses of different densities (think oil and vinegar). Air masses of different densities don’t mix well, thus the layer in between them is the FRONT. … Continue reading Weather Fronts SC
Basic Cloud Types SC
Cloud Spotting Games Next time you have nothing better to do, go be a kid again and look up at the clouds and see what shapes and animals you can find in the sky. Just this time around, add a little twist to it and see if you can also identify which of the main… Continue reading Basic Cloud Types SC
VOR SC
The Very Inaccurate VOR Approach! It’s no surprise this is a non-precision approach. They might as well call this an obstacle clearing procedure rather than an Instrument Approach Procedure. In my experience with the reliability of the VOR stations in the USA the way it is and the condition of most VOR receivers in today’s… Continue reading VOR SC
Airport Diagrams SC
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 SC
Airport Lighting SC
I can see the Light!!! There are lots of different lights out there to help you find your way at night and in low visibility. In this TOPIC we’ll cover; Runway Types RCLM-Runway Center Line Markings (paint on the runway) Taxiway Lighting Runway Lighting Approach Lighting Runway Types Runways fall into one of three categories:… Continue reading Airport Lighting SC
Chart Suplement SC
Because there wasn’t already enough info on your Sectional Chart Since the FAA was only able to cram five thousand and one pieces of info onto your sectional chart, they decided that they wanted to give you even more information and they thought the best way to do this was through a Chart Supplement (note: the… Continue reading Chart Suplement SC
Transponders SC
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 SC