Justice Prevails in SR22 Mishap

Quick post: Hurray for common sense. In this litigious society we live in, seems to be rare.

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Learning to Fly

Over the last few years, I have talked to a number of people who have been interested in learning to fly and becoming a pilot. To that end, I had compiled a list of links and information and tended to email it to them when they were in the process of booking their first flight lesson. It dawned on me that I had never posted it to the blog so here's my compilation of links and info on learning to fly for all to see.

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AOPA/EAA

The general links to EAA's (Experiemental Aircraft Association) and AOPA's (Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association) Learn to Fly websites. If you get serious, you should join AOPA or both, it's inexpensive and well worth the annual dues:

http://eaa.org/learntofly/ - the have a nice downloadable PDF booklet called "Reach for the Sky"

http://www.aopa.org/learntofly/ - A free 6-month subscription to Flight Training magazine just for signing up

Introductory Videos

To get started, take a look at these courses, they are free and incredibly well produced.

http://www.aopa.org/asf/online_courses/

I would recommend these in loose order:

Pinch-Hitter ®

Essential Aerodynamics: Stalls, Spins, and Safety

Weather Wise: Air Masses and Fronts

Know Before You Go: Navigating Today's Airspace

also UND Aerospace, Sportys and King have some free instructional videos. The UND ones are fantastic.

UND - http://www.undaerocast.com/ (start from the bottom and work your way up)

Sporty's - http://www.youtube.com/user/SportysVideos

King - http://www.youtube.com/user/kingschoolsvideos

The Process
Here's a link to my blog where I wrote up my initial training (look for the early posts in 2007), but it's a good way to get an overall understanding of the steps. In the blog (you have to read the posts oldest to newest to get the timeline correct). This was for the private certificate but the sport license is a great way to get up in the air much sooner.

http://cld9.blogspot.com/


FAA Handbooks - They are free to download but I preferred to buy them in softcover off of amazon
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/ - from this link you want:

• Aeronautical Information Manual
• Pilot Safety Brochures
• Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
• Plane Sense - General Aviation Information (PDF)
• Safety Risk Management
• Student Pilot Guide (PDF)

You will hear a lot about the FAR/AIM which stands for Federal Aviation Regulations and Aeronautical Information Manual. (FAR now referred to 14 CFR or Code of Federal Regulations as they are trying to get away from the FAR terminology). The FAR details all of the federal rules for flying. You will pay most attention to part 61 and 91. It's best to always buy this and in the beginning of the book it will tell you which sections and rules pertain to you. Also, the AIM is just what it says it is. Bascially best practices and general knowledge related to Aviation. The FAR/AIM is the bible and those other handbooks are supporting matarial but much easier to digest and read. You can buy the FAR/AIM on Amazon as well:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156027655X
The FAA has a ton of additional information on their website if you want to check it out:
http://www.faa.gov/library/
http://www.faa.gov/pilots/


Other helpful books
Cessna 152 (A Pilot's Guide)
Visualized Flight Maneuvers Handbook: For High Wing Aircraft
Aviation Weather Services Handbook - another FAA handbook you can download


The Written Exam
You will also need to prepare for the written exam I found this book to be the most help
Private Pilot Test Prep 2008
Also, if you order a set of Sporty's videos (see Video section below), the will include a CD-ROM that has practice questions and lets you take mock exams.

Educational Videos

I've heard good and bad things about all three major instructional video producers: King, Gleim and Sportys. I purchased Sportys and was very happy with them.
http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=9747
Pricey at $199 but very worthwhile.


The Practical Test
Once you get past all of the required flight time and you've past your written, you will then prepare for the practical test with the Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). The practical test will begin with an hour to two hour "conversation" where the DPE will probe your knowledge of ALL the available material you've learned over since your training began. Everything is fair game from your aircraft systems to weather to FARs to aiport ops, etc. To help prepare for that oral portion, this is a decent book:
Private Oral Exam Guide

If you pass the oral portion, you will then be asked to demonstrate the flying portion, and here are the maneuvers you will be tested on the the performance metrics:
go here: http://www.faa.gov/education_research/testing/airmen/test_standards/pilot/
and click -> Private Pilot Practical Test Standards for Airplane (PTS) for the PDF
You will definitely want to read the PTS in the early portions of your training as it will help to make sense of the training and the eventual goals. The PTS, like the FAR/AIM, is another "bible".


Helpful Websites
here's some links to general website I thought were helpful and pertinent

• AOPA Flight Training - Online Library
• Phil Greenspun: Flying
• AOPA Online: AOPA Air Safety Foundation
• AOPA Online Forum - Great place to ask questions
• FAASTeam - FAA Safety Team - Learning Center Courses - Course Catalog
• AOPA Online - Airport Directory
• RunwayFinder - a flight planning tool for pilots
• SkyVector.com - Aeronautical Charts - Flight Planning
• http://www.liveatc.net/

Podcasts
I can't say enough about how helpful many of these were to listen to in the car on the way in, and they're free... I found them and subscribed to them through iTunes which makes managing them easy, search on pilot, aviation, and flying.

• The Finer Points - this is the best one for training by far. I listened to all of them (100+) back to back in my car over the course of a few months and they were very valuable. The annoying part being is listening to the intro music every time... Check out this particular podcast on learning to fly.
• Uncontrolled Airspace - general banter, but I like it because one of the guys is the editor of Flying Safety magazine (which you should subscribe to eventually)
• Airspeed - Another generally cool podcast, this guy is an aviation lawyer as well. Here's a link to a podcast you should check out early on, it's pretty inspiring: http://airspeedonline.blogspot.com/2007/09/why-i-fly.html - http://media.libsyn.com/media/airspeed/AirspeedWhyIFly.mp3

Gear
Flying wouldn't be flying without gear. For starters you really do not need anything, just show up and you may be able to borrow a headset from your instructor. If you decide you like it, buy a decent quality one that is relatively affordable (they go up in price to around $1,000...). I purchase a David Clark H10-14.3 which is a classic, passive noise reduction headset. DCs are known for legendary quality and now that I've purchased an active noise reduction headset I have one for passengers. When you and I flew in the 152, my old DC is then one you used.

For gear, charts, and other items I've found SkyGeek to have the best prices, shipping and customer service.

• Headset - http://www.skygeek.com/h10-134.html
• VFR sectional chart for our area (Detroit) - http://www.skygeek.com/sdet.html
• Plotter (VFR) - take your pick, folding ones are nice - http://www.skygeek.com/computers.html
• E6B (electronic) - E6B are slide rule computers, but of course they have electronic ones. You can get the slide rule one if you want to have street cred, or go with the electronic for ease of use:
• Regular - http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=19&Product_ID=225
• Flat - http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=10054

You may also want a flight bag of some sort but I just used an old duffel for a while.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Stupid pilot tricks redux

About two years ago, I wrote about stupid pilot tricks. Basically the discussion centered around the high percentage of accidents caused by "maneuvering" (for example buzzing your friends...) as well as just giving general aviation a bad name. Although I would classify the ATC recording of the this "pilot's" (I put pilot in quotes, b/c I'm not really sure he is one) interactions with the controller, humorous, I'd say actually it's rather embarrassing. Really, it is just beyond belief that he actually thought it would be cool to land on a beach...on Long Island!

"ROGAAAAH!"

http://www.avweb.com/other/piper-32nd_beachlanding_LiveATC-net.mp3

http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/AVwebInsider_BeachLanding_204462-1.html

RunwayFinder back on line!

This is fantastic news. Unfortunately Mr. Parsons is not able to comment on the resolution, and it appears that they had to accept a "license" from FlightPrep, but it is great to see the site back online.

In RunwayFinder's words:
"RunwayFinder is back on the air! Thanks to your overwhelming support and some great communication sat down with FlightPrep and FlightPrep agreed to dismiss the lawsuit! The exact details of the settlement license are confidential. RunwayFinder doees not ask for or support any further boycott of FlightPrep, its services, products, or owners. This is a big win for RunwayFinder and the pilots who depend on its services! We're back and lawsuit free, come check out www.runwayfidner.com. Again, thanks you for all of your support."

Reported from AvWeb
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/RunwayFinder_FlightPrep_Settle_Lawsuit_204369-1.html

NavMonster back online!

Big news, and I can't believe I've missed this for over a month. One of my favorite flight planning websites, NavMonster, is back online and operational. I wrote about their issue earlier in dealing with a litigious entity which initially seemed determined to try to exact damages relative to an issued patent, that frankly should not have been allowed. This is just great news, and just in time for flying season! NavMonster, I tip my hat to you for being tenacious and standing up for your rights.

Now we just need to get RunwayFinder back. Looks like Dave is still fighting the good fight.

Shuttle Discovery

Can't have a respectable flying blog without a tribute to the shuttle Discovery, last flight February 24, 2011. Thanks again to Wired for a great pictorial review of some of its' great moments.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/farewell-discovery-a-look-back-at-the-longest-lived-shuttle/

Also, have to give props to my alma mater, looking to win the Google Lunar X prize by landing back on the moon with their robotic lander. How cool is that?

http://astrobotic.net/

Travel - general aviation style

Stephen Pope, a blogger for Flying Magazine, gives a concise description of his trip in a rented Diamond DA40 from Morristown, NJ to Greensboro, NC. Couldn't have said it better myself, so here's the link:

http://www.flyingmag.com/blogs/fly-wire/only-way-fly-sometimes