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 Pr Copy
Topic Category: Written Prep
Fog Pr Copy
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 Pr Copy
Mountain Weather Pr Copy
Nice Hat! I want a hat like that! Looks pretty cool! Now we’ve already talked about clouds, but in this TOPIC we are going to talk about two cloud types specifically associated with mountains and big hills, as well as some of the things to be aware of when flying near mountains. We could spend… Continue reading Mountain Weather Pr Copy
Basic Cloud Types Pr Copy
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 Pr Copy
Thunderstorms / Convective Activity Pr Copy
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 Pr Copy
Weather Fronts Pr Copy
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 Pr Copy
VOR Navigation Made Easy Pr Copy
Fly me TO the moon! Ya, well, there isn’t a VOR station on the moon so we can’t actually use a VOR to get to the moon. You can only use a VOR to navigate directly TO or FROM wherever the station on the ground is located (often at or near an airport). Before we… Continue reading VOR Navigation Made Easy Pr Copy
VFR Chart Basics Pr Copy
I love this Section(al)! Me TOO! I mean, I love sectional charts. The Sectional Chart or “VFR Chart” is the primary map used by VFR pilots to navigate between airports or operate out of a new or unfamiliar airport. In this TOPIC we are going to cover the basics of using this chart so you… Continue reading VFR Chart Basics Pr Copy
The Weighing and Balancing Act Pr Copy
How much to put where? Manually calculating weight and balance is really the same as your basic high school math class. Take the example below to warm up your brain and get in back into math mode if its been a while since you were in a high school math class. After that, go ahead… Continue reading The Weighing and Balancing Act Pr Copy
The Instrument Panel Explained Pr Copy
The Power of the Panel While as a Private Pilot you will be training to fly VFR only and constantly look outside the cockpit, it is still important to have a basis of knowledge of how all the instruments work (along with being able to fly by reference to instruments in an absolute pinch). In… Continue reading The Instrument Panel Explained Pr Copy