Flight Instructor Blog

Mike writes in asking:
I am an out of work, corporate pilot who has let his CFI expire . I am applying for a job that requires a valid CFI license. I have not instructed for some time. In your opinion, what is the most cost effective and painless approach to re-instating my license?
Hi Mike.  There […]

Sally has a question about retesting after a failed knowledge test:
I failed the written FAA test for Private pilot last month. I have studied hard and now I am ready to take it again. How soon can I take it again?? Do I have to have my instructor sign off again?
Hi Sally.  I’d encourage you […]

From Mark, we have another question about Sport Pilot:
Does a current Private Pilot have to get a Sport Pilot rating as part of the requirements of being a CFI-SP Sport Pilot flight instructor?
Mark, the FAA has a table (pdf; it’s hard to track down!) that lists all the requirements for various SP certificates. CFI – Sport […]

Here is a great question that I received recently from Brian wondering if he should choose an aircraft equipped with a G1000 or an aircraft with traditional instruments for his primary training.  His question:
I’m trying to decide between doing flight training in an airplane with a G1000 cockpit versus an airplane with the traditional mechanical […]

, When entering a holding pattern via a radial intercept that routes you directly over the holding fix (exactly outbound on the inbound radial) should the pilot perform a teardrop or parallel entry?

Have you ever wondered what is meant by the term “Five by Five?”  You’ll hear this sometimes as a response when an aircraft or tower is asking for a radio check:
“Citation XYY, how do you hear this transmitter?”
“5 by 5”
Well, I’ve heard this term used countless times and it was a recent transmission that finally […]

(This was originally published for AOPA’s Let’s Go Flying Blog)
One of the enjoyable things about being a corporate pilot is the relationship and conversations I enjoy with my passengers.  Inevitably the question usually comes up in conversation, “So, how did you learn to fly?”  Here is my answer:
I was one of those boys obsessed with airplanes. I loved drawing airplanes, tracing airplane […]

One of the great things I love about having an aviation website / blog  is the people I get to meet as a result of the site. One such individual is Edwin Quinlan.
I received a question about 6 months ago from a CFI candidate looking for a lesson plan template that he could use […]

Scott writes:
I have the following certificates/ratings: ATP MEL, commercial helicopter, instrument helicopter, private SEL, and CFI helicopter. I am wanting to add a commercial or ATP to my SEL certificate, followed by my airplane CFI and MEI. 1st question: When I take my commercial checkride, does it have to be in a complex aircraft? 2nd […]

I love the question I got recently from Rob who asks:
Paul, What is the origin of the instrument airway routing system and how are the alpha-numerical descriptions based for them?
I liked this question becuase I knew immeadiately after reading it that I didn’t have a clue what the answer was going to be (which isn’t […]

I’ve been going through my computer lately, trying to do a little housecleaning and organizing of some old files.  While browsing through some folders, I stumbled unto a little gem that I thought I would share with you, a digital copy of a Cessna 172 N Model POH in Adobe PDF format!  What a nice […]

Michael writes me asking:
Hi, I am currently working towards my PPL but am still not ready for solo despite having approximately 35 hours of flight time. The problem is the landing – the flare in particular – and I just do not seem to be getting it. Initially, I was not flaring at all and […]

Lance asked:
“Can I do my instrument currency approaches, hold, and intercepting a radial in an aircraft that is not IFR certified? Such as a DA-20 with Garmin 530, so long as I’m in VFR conditions with a safety pilot? Thanks!”
The FARs are permissive in the sense that if something is not prohibited, then it’s allowed. […]

Very exciting news for Askacfi.com.  Max Trescott, winner of the 2008 National CFI of the year, has just agreed to come on board as a resident instructor!  As the founder of  Glass Cockpit Publishing and the author of the G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook, Max brings a wealth of knowledge on modern glass cockpit avionics and […]

In case you haven’t heard, the comment period is ending soon (Feb 27, 2009) for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that has been issued by the TSA.  This NPRM seeks to amend the current Twelve Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP) and Private Charter Standard Security Program (PCSSP) and apply new security requirements to all […]

Arthur writes in asking:
What’s the difference in a generator and an alternator?
Good question and I’m sure that it is one that many student pilots have asked themselves before.  The key difference between an alternator and generator is how the current is created.  In other words what is “fixed” and what spins.

Checkride.
What is your first thought when you hear that word? Excitement? Anxiety? Fear?
A checkride for many pilots can be a wave of varying emotions.  Excited by the prospect of another rating, anxious to perform well for the examiner and possible fear of the consequences of a failed maneuver or demonstration.

What happens if you lose radio communications while arriving at Seattle Int’l (SEA)?
That is the essence of the question asked recently by Michael, a private pilot working on his instrument rating.   Michael, you have just asked a very good question….and one that honestly doesn’t have a good answer.
To try and provide some understanding of […]

Have you ever wanted a quick and easy way to get text weather (METARs, TAFs and NOTAMs) for a selected airport from one website?
This can be handy if you are wanting to check weather at an airport before a training flight or perhaps a flight just around the traffic pattern.   Maybe you don’t need a […]

Take a look at this METAR:
KSGH 021156Z AUTO 28006KT 7SM UP CLR M03/M06 A3004 RMK AO2 FZRANO 50006 60000 T10271061 10000 21027 UPB26 P0000 SLP181
Any idea what the contraction “UP” stands for?  That is “unknown precipitation”.  You’ll see another mention of unknown precipitation near the end of the report, “UPB26”  That means that the unkown […]

Here is a very important question that came in from Travis:
I’m training in C172’s from the early-mid 80’s, and I’ve got a mag check question: Occasionally when I do the mag check, I’ll get an RPM drop on one mag, but not on the other. The engine always runs fine, just no RPM drop on […]

I was on my way home tonight and had an interesting experience that I thought I would share.
I fly often between Springfield, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois.  This is a pretty regular trip and I am familiar with how much fuel I can depart with out of Springfield, make the round trip to Chicago and still […]

Kevin writes:
I’m flying out of Inyokern airport (IYK).  It’s just west of the China Lake Naval Air Station and north of Edwards AFB.  IYK is within the Isabella MOA if I’m reading my LA sectional correctly. Thanks!
Kevin, I’m not quite sure what you’re asking, but Inyokern lies under, but not within the MOA. The MOA normally starts at […]

Josh wrote us recently asking:
Personal Minimums.. Every pilot should have them, right? I am working on creating a personal minimums checklist for myself, but the thing that really worries me is the wind. I feel OK with crosswinds, but what advice would you give on the wind portion of personal minimums. I fly a Cessna […]

Josh writes me asking:
Is it good that I am overly critical of my flight training? My instructor tells me that I am doing a great job, but I criticize everything I do. For example, I will tell my self, “that approach was not good, I was high..” or, “that was not a good landing” for […]