Pilot Proficiency

CFIs walk pilots step-by-step through practice sessions available on its app.

Scenic trips over the mountains out west often require creative flight planning. The smaller the aircraft, the more “scenic” the trip. That’s the whole point, so not worrying about how long it takes to make the final destination goes a long way to lighten the risk burden. Then, go in good weather to enjoy the […]

Q: Can you trust datalink weather even though it’s delayed? Yes. Just because the radar picture you see on your screen is delayed by five to 15 minutes doesn’t mean it can’t be used for smart in-flight decisions. Whether it’s from a portable ADS-B re-ceiver or a panel-mount Sirius XM receiver, datalink weather can help […]

Student pilots are taught about proper leaning technique, but how does it really work?

From the 1930s until the 1980s, many pilots got their weather briefings from a meteorologist at a flight service station or airline dispatch counter. The counter often ended up being a center of discussion about the World Series and chatting with other pilots who arrived for their briefing. Those in-person briefings gave way to weather […]

A FLYING reader has a question about backing in the iconic Boeing B-17 bomber, and Martha Lunken has the answer.

The FAA released an advisory circular on self-briefing in 2021, but what are the details?

You’ve probably heard someone tossing around the term “GOES satellite” at one time or another. This refers to a NOAA satellite program that has been in operation for 47 years. GOES stands for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, in other words, a weather satellite that’s parked 22,236 miles (35,786 km) above the Earth’s surface, directly above […]

Learning how to accurately determine the density altitude is a critical skill that all pilots must master to fly safely. Airplanes simply cannot perform as effectively in low-density air, potentially putting pilots, passengers, and other aircraft at risk. Specifically, a high-density altitude can impact aircraft performance during takeoff and climb. It can also affect the […]

To handle all the traffic flying in the sky in a safe and consistent manner, the FAA developed the National Airspace System. It divides the sky into sectors that serve different volumes of traffic or contain specific activities. Each airspace has different operational rules, pilot responsibilities, and even weather requirements to operate. How are Airspace […]