Does the iPad have a place in flight training? Yes, if used properly.

Depending on if you are working on your first certificate (Sport, Recreational or Private) or if you are adding on the Instrument Rating to your Private certificate, the use of an iPad will differ greatly on how best to integrate it into your training so as to not provide an unnecessary distraction or complication. The most important rule that you should follow when using an iPad, regardless of VFR or IFR, is to learn to use all of its functions properly! Fumbling to find a required piece of information or getting lost into the sea of images and functions will only delay or compromise your training, not accelerate it. Spend the time to learn the features of the iPad and the aviation program that you are using. This time can be by yourself with the help page or a tutorial video, or it can be spent with a qualified instructor who has experience in that app. Either case, this training time will save you money and make your investment work for you during your training.

VFR Training

One of the most important decisions about using an iPad during VFR training is to decide when do you want to begin using the device? The right answer is as soon as you get it, but with one large caveat; don’t bring in the air until you’re ready. The iPad is a fantastic tool to use during ground training and preflight briefings. Its notepad functions are extremely useful for detailing items to remember from ground lessons. Using the internet or an aviation app allows access to a sea of weather information to help during the go/no-go decision. Having access to PDF documents of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, or the Aviation Weather book, along with the POH for your aircraft and a FAR/AIM app, will turn your lightweight iPad into the largest library you can carry with you. These tools you can begin using on day one.

I mentioned that you shouldn’t bring the iPad into the air with you until you are ready. How do you know when is the right time? Your instructor will often be the best judge, but in absence of their judgment, I would wait until after you have soloed the plane and have mastered basic flight and flight maneuvers. The use of the iPad in this critical VFR, outside perspective time, can distract from subtle learning cues whose importance can’t be overstated in the long term of your flying. I often use the milestone of consistent travel to other airports as a good marker to help introduce the iPad’s flight usability to a primary student.

The inflight moving map feature is probably the most important, obvious assistant to the new pilot. Its easy to use, self-locating functions help a student pilot get from A to B that much easier, but a word of caution; don’t rely on GPS-based moving maps as your sole source of pilotage/dead reckoning information. I always teach my students how to use just the map feature without GPS positioning before I allow them to use all the full features.

One of the most anticipated, welcomed capabilities of most aviation apps is using the flight planning section to calculate your dead reckoning, fuel burn, time en-route, and other cross country related items. The unfortunate problem with this immediate use of technology is the over-reliance on it later in flying. The best way to handle this is the balanced approach I referenced to early. For each automated feature (like fuel burn calculations, time en-route, wind correction angles, etc.) learn the manual way FIRST! This might seem like double duty, or perhaps even a slow-down in your training, but it won’t be. The knowledge that you gain by learning “the old school method” will allow you to appreciate the speed and simplicity of the app, but more importantly it will help solidify these important learning concepts in your head (i.e. How long does it take to travel 10 NM at 120 kts?). Learning these key objectives and how they interrelate to other topics in aviation is one of the foundations that aviation teaching has been using for decades.

Other useful tips for VFR

When planning a VFR cross country, one of the shortcomings of many aviation apps is the inability to specify a fuel/distance to climb, different fuel burn rates based on altitudes, and time to climb performance. The best way to overcome these is to use a blended approach from “old school” paper and POH and the technology of the app. Using a TOC (top of climb) waypoint that is calculated based on POH numbers can be used as an add-on to the time and fuel calculated by the program to increase its calculations’ accuracy. Using a GPS to help update your dead reckoning planning (like you would with a timer and Pilotage checkpoints) will help keep you honest during your cross country flights. Don’t forget that sometimes an E6B app is still the only way to get the calculation that you want. Don’t be afraid to supplement the information from your app with some common sense and manual numbers.

IFR Flying

Geo-referenced approach charts can be a great training tool.

If using an iPad and aviation apps for VFR flying is good, then using them for IFR flying is great. An app like ForeFlight can become your best friend in the IFR world for resource information, calculations, situational awareness, and cockpit management. But before you rush out and burn your paper TPP’s, there are still some things to consider.

IFR flying as a rule is less forgiving than VFR. As such, our understanding of the device and software go from important to critical. All the basic rules listed above for VFR flight come into play in the IFR world: things like know the “old school” method before you let the automation do it for you, or know where to find source information so as to not be surprised when asked for something unexpected. If I have a student wanting to train with an iPad for IFR training, we sit down and have a full ground lesson dedicated to the safe use of it in flight. Failing to understand what the app does for you behind the scenes could leave you in a perilous situation if the app decided to fail (i.e. situational awareness).

IFR chart information is often separated in most apps to be in different locations than you might think, and in several cases not all information is automatically downloaded; you have to select certain supplements and download them in a different location. Knowing where to find this information and having it current and downloaded is vital to using these wonderful tools in IFR. A great example of this is the digital terminal procedures supplement in ForeFlight. This is located in the documents section and contains vital information like legend data, inoperative components table for non functioning lighting equipment, and climb/descent tables. Without this key supplement, “going digital” would leave you without required information that you might need or an examiner might ask for.

When practicing multiple approaches, know how best to locate different approach charts for close-by airports and practice switching them on the ground.  In many apps you can create folders or favorites that allow you to access these faster without having to search the whole database. Setting these up in advance is one of the items that we teach as a preflight action for cockpit management and organization for an IFR flight (local or cross country).

For those students who are having difficulty with situational awareness, or if you are flying without a panel mounted GPS, one of the options available to you is geo-referenced approach plates. This feature will allow your iPad (with GPS) to depict the aircraft position on the approach plate plan view. When flying without additional situational awareness tools (like IFR approved GPS) this additional feature can be a tremendous help to getting you aware and prepared for your approach. I don’t recommend it for all students, as the additional cost can be a deterrent for some, not to mention unnecessary depending on the other equipment in the airplane.

Safety Concerns

When going to an all digital solution for VFR or IFR flying, there are obvious safety questions that should be answered and anticipated. This topic is so vast, rather than covering it in this article, it is easier to refer you to this article to fully explain these important preparation concerns.

Decision time

Deciding when, how, and with what, to go digital with your iPad in flight training is a topic that you should give great consideration to and discuss with your instructor. Given certain precautions and using it in a balanced manner, the use of an iPad and aviation app will greatly aid your flight training, regardless of VFR or IFR. These tools are invaluable and offer a tremendous value to help you learn faster, cheaper, and fly safer.

Photo Journal

Digital cameras were just gaining popularity when I started flight training in 1999. Growing up I was always interested in photography, so I made sure to always have my big Sony with me for every flight. And today it’s even easier with the great quality pictures that can be quickly taken with an iPhone, Android or other smartphone. Looking back I’m glad I made the effort to take hundreds of aviation photos, from the day of my first solo to the ATP checkride, and of many trips in between. Here are some ideas for pictures to take when the opportunity arises:

• Aircraft – get photos of each of the aircraft you fly, both of the exterior and instrument panel.
• People – I keep a photo record of all my instructors, along with the friends and family that I’ve taken flying, with the airplane in the shot of course.
• Milestones – first solos, certificates, and new ratings; these are a must for the photo journal.
• Dynamic Weather – look for interesting cloud formations, distant thunderstorms and morning valley fog.
• Scenic Airports – I like to get shots both from 1,000’ above the airport looking down, and another on short final (who would have guessed Meigs Field in Chicago was going to close when I took the picture above in 2003?)
• Sunsets/Sunrise – these never get old, and the dynamic colors make each one unique.
• Cockpit shots – it’s always fun to get shots of the altimeter the first time you’re above 10,000’, a picture of the GPS screen on international flights when crossing the US border and shots of groundspeed indications with an exceptionally strong tailwind (how else is someone going to believe you were doing 180 knots in a Cessna 172???)

Video Log

Ten years ago you would have had to spend thousands of dollars to get mediocre video (by today’s standards) from the cockpit. Now for as little as $299 you can get a GoPro portable HD camera that easily mounts just about anywhere in the cockpit and records high-quality HD video. For those who want the best picture and sound, you can spend a little more to add the NFlightcam Kit for GoPro, which adds a lens filter to eliminate prop distortion and an audio cable to record the intercom and ATC audio. Once you have a camera set up, here are some ideas for what to shoot:

• Takeoffs/Landings – position the camera out the front for an exciting pilot’s view at interesting airports.
• Pilot & Passengers – mount the camera so that it records you flying and the passenger riding along – great especially for someone’s first flight in a GA airplane.
• Terrain – position the camera pointed out the side window towards the wing when climbing or descending through mountainous terrain.
• Instrument Panel – this makes for great review for instrument students during training.
• Flight Training – mount the camera in a way to see either the flight controls, or outside the window to review your performance after flight lessons.

The NFlightcam accessory kit for iPhone helps you stabilize and set up the iPhone for video shooting.

For those that already have an iPhone, consider using this to record the video from your flights. The iPhone 4S and 5 both record full 1080p HD video that often looks as good or better than dedicated video cameras. You’ll want to secure it in the cockpit for a stable picture, and to do that I’d recommend the NFlightcam accessory kit for iPhone. This includes a mounting cradle, prop distortion reduction filter, and an audio cable to record intercom and ATC audio from the flight. The main drawback with recording video on the iPhone is that you’ll need to have some free space available on your phone to store the video. To give you a frame of reference, 10 minutes of video recording on the iPhone requires about 1.4GB of free space.

One last important point – make sure to back up your pictures and video files. You’ll most likely transfer them first to your computer for organization and review. I highly recommend you then back these memories up to either an external hard drive, or to an online “cloud” based storage. Computer hard drives don’t last forever, and your flight photo journal and video logs would be impossible to replace.

For more information on using video cameras in the cockpit, check out Sporty’s in-depth webinar on the subject:

But as Ben Franklin famously said, “It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.” Franklin may have meant that in a revolutionary way, but the same basic idea still applies today. Whether it’s a kid questioning his parents or a driver talking to the police officer who pulled him over, there’s nothing wrong with double-checking that the authority is correct (just be respectful about it).

Trust but verify, as they say.

This same philosophy applies to pilots and ATC. While most controllers are outstanding at what they do, they are human–and humans make mistakes. When we’re talking to ATC, it’s all too easy to assume they’re in control and you don’t need to think anymore. Resist that temptation. You are still pilot in command, and the one ultimately responsible for the safety of your flight.

Here are just a few scenarios where you should be especially alert:

• Line up and wait–At some airports, you will be cleared to “line up and wait” on a runway (some controllers may still say “position and hold”). That means you are cleared to enter the runway and line up for takeoff, but you are not cleared to start your takeoff roll until ATC clears you specifically for that. There’s nothing wrong with this procedure, but you should be very impatient (maybe even paranoid) in this situation–you are on an active runway, unable to see any traffic that may be coming in to land. That’s a very vulnerable place to be. So if you’re told to line up and wait and you’ve been on the runway for more than about 20 seconds, don’t hesitate to remind the controller that you are holding in position. He probably hasn’t forgotten, but the last thing you want is an airplane landing on top of you. Some pilots even start a timer when they enter the runway, so they know how long they’ve been there.
• Terrain avoidance–You take off and request a left turn on course. ATC approves your request and you start to bank left–ATC said OK, right? You may get away with this in Florida, but certainly not out West and not even in Florida if there’s a tall tower out there. Just because ATC approved a turn, it does not mean they are guaranteeing terrain and obstacle clearance. This is even true for IFR pilots in many situations–see the TWA 514 crash for a good reminder.
• Traffic–When you’re in the pattern at a non-towered airport, you probably do a good job of looking in all directions for traffic. After all, you don’t have ATC there to look out for you. But do you relax your scan a little when you’re using VFR flight following? You shouldn’t. While flight following is a great service (use it on every cross country), it’s not infallible. For one, ATC may not see that Piper Cub that doesn’t have a transponder, so don’t mistake a quiet radio for a lack of traffic. Plus, VFR flight following is a lower priority for ATC, whose main job is to separate IFR traffic. If the controller gets swamped with traffic at Big City International, he may not notice a developing traffic conflict in your area. Keep your head on a swivel.
• Weather–ATC can be a big help with weather questions, but it’s important to remember that most controllers are not pilots. Their understanding of weather is probably quite different from yours, and in any case, you’re the one who has to fly through it. It’s perfectly fine to ask a controller for his opinion about a line of rain or the latest reported ceilings, but don’t let him make the decision for you. Only you know what the weather looks like out the window, and only you know your personal weather minimums.
• Taxi instructions–At busy airports, the taxi clearance can be the hardest part of the flight (“taxi to the hangar via C, E, D2, hold short 35L”). That means you need to be alert and looking outside. It also means you need to be 100% sure of where you’re going and where you’re supposed to be going. Never cross a runway if you are not completely certain that you are cleared to cross it–take 2 seconds and confirm with ATC. It’s better to get chewed out for being unsure than to cause a runway incursion. Another good practice is to always look to ensure the runway is clear. Every time I cross a runway, I look left and right, then verbally confirm “clear left, clear right, cleared to cross.” I trust that clearance, but I like to verify there’s not a regional jet barreling down the runway at me. It has happened before.

I’m not suggesting you start an aerial revolution, or you refuse ATC clearances just because they’re inconvenient. After all, ATC is there to help us, not punish us, and only they know the big picture. But a smart pilot retains a bit of skepticism, and is never afraid to key the mic if he is uncomfortable.

Aviation has a good safety record precisely because everyone double checks everyone else. The stakes are simply too high to be complacent.

Procedure Not Understood

The maneuver in question was the Power-Off Stall. The students were doing it correctly now but apparently did not understand the correct procedure until working on their Commercial pilot certificates. I don’t know if the students’ primary instructors did not teach the maneuver correctly or if the students simply didn’t understand it as well as they should have. Regardless, they shouldn’t have gotten as far as they did without understanding it fully.

I won’t go into the details of the missing elements of the maneuver here but I would like to take the opportunity to review instructor and student responsibilities when it comes to teaching and learning maneuvers.

Instructor Responsibility

The Aviation Instructor’s Handbook has a chapter dedicated to Instructor Responsibility. Other chapters discuss planning, techniques, and a variety of other topics. I only have a few paragraphs in this blog post but you can find much more information in this book and several others.

As an instructor, it is your responsibility to teach your student the proper way to do a maneuver from the beginning (recall that Primacy thing from the FOI exam?). This means that you need to know the proper way to do the maneuver yourself. If it has been more than a month since you last picked up a copy of the Practical Test Standard for the rating, the Airplane Flying Handbook, or a good maneuvers guide, you are likely short changing your student. It doesn’t matter what you think that you know or how long you have been instructing, you need to review and refresh yourself on a regular basis.

I don’t recommend trying to sit down and go through a review of everything every month. Instead, plan a schedule for reviewing individual Areas of Operation in much greater depth. Over the course of a year, you should cover everything, but go for narrower and deeper coverage on a monthly basis. When going for depth, include the Flight Instructor PTS as a source in your study. It includes topics and common errors that you may have forgotten.

It is your responsibility to set appropriate standards of performance and ensuring that your student obtains these standards. While the PTS provides minimum standards for the rating, you can set intermediate standards to be met while the student is in the learning process. The key is for the student to know what is expected and for you to be consistent in your application.

Student Responsibility

As a student, you should not expect spoon feeding of information from your instructor. It is your responsibility to come to each lesson prepared for the day. This allows your training to go faster and will save you money.

A good flight instructor will use a syllabus that lets you know what is coming up. If your instructor doesn’t, consider a change or at the very least, ask “what’s next?” before leaving from your prior lesson.

Knowing what to expect, you should review the maneuver in the Airplane Flying Handbook, the Practical Test Standard, or a good maneuvers guide. Also check to see if the manufacturer of your aircraft has anything to say about the maneuver. The manufacturer’s recommendations will be found in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook or a reprint of this document.

If you get an opportunity, “chair fly” the maneuver in the privacy of your own home or while sitting in the cockpit of the airplane if this is allowed at your flight school. This will help you to develop muscle memory and you can have the procedure handy in case you forget a step.

Conclusion

Whether instructor or student, highly experienced or brand new in your role, you need to take time to review the material that you are teaching or learning. Instructors owe this review and refresher to their students. Students owe this review to themselves. Take some time and start planning today.

For those of you training at a non-towered airport, or as I prefer to call it, a pilot-controlled airport, these operations are simply what you know. And as you also know, pilot-controlled operations can be conducted safely and efficiently as is done at the majority of airports across the country daily. But for those not accustomed to operating in the “pilot-controlled” environment, there is no need to fear the unknown. Safety and efficiency is dependent upon pattern standardization, predictability and a keen awareness of the see-and-avoid concept.

The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), along with Advisory Circular 90-66, describe operations at non-towered airports. While it would be impossible to address every imaginable scenario, the guidance available does provide a solid framework. Adhering to the guidance material is what will allow you to accurately predict what other pilots will be doing.

The traffic pattern – we all know that the traffic pattern consists of six legs to create a logical flow of traffic (downwind, base, final, upwind, crosswind, departure). Entry to the traffic pattern at a pilot-controlled airport should be 45 degrees to the downwind leg, midfield at pattern altitude (typically 1,000 AGL). A standard traffic pattern consists of left-hand turns unless noted on the Sectional chart as “RP” or in the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD). If an over flight of the airport is necessary to determine wind direction, or if approaching from the opposite side of the downwind, always fly well above (at least 500’) pattern altitude to avoid other aircraft.

Speed and configuration should be no different than what you would fly in a traffic pattern assigned by ATC, but not more than 200kts. It is up to you to make speed and configuration adjustments to maintain adequate spacing for other aircraft in the pattern, just as you would if accepting a visual approach at a towered airport. One important note, in the interest of being a good aviation citizen, also consider airplanes waiting for departure and not just other airplanes in the pattern when creating space.

Alternate pattern entry – while not specifically provided for in the AIM, and not the preferred method for pattern entry, it is generally accepted if approaching the airport from the opposite side of the downwind, to enter a midfield crosswind at pattern altitude. This generally will require less low-level maneuvering and provide a more clear view of oncoming traffic.

Departures – departures at a pilot-controlled airport should be straight out or a 45 degree (ground track) exit in the direction of the traffic pattern upon reaching pattern altitude. If your on-course heading is in the opposite direction, climb to at least 500’ above pattern altitude before overflying the airport to ensure you’re well clear of other traffic.

Communication – communication requirements are very simple. The AIM recommends broadcasting position before taxiing and before departure for outbound aircraft. For inbound aircraft, announce your position 10 miles from your destination and while entering downwind, base, final and leaving the runway. While that sounds fairly straightforward, there are some additional items for consideration.

When in doubt, use the rule of common sense. First, listen before you do anything. This will allow you to avoid “stepping on” any other broadcasting traffic and allow you to gain a wealth of important information on airport operations before you ever have to make the first broadcast or request an airport advisory. Listening will also allow you to gauge the volume of traffic in the area which, in turn, will dictate how frequently you may need to make position reports.

Instinctively, you may think a busy pattern requires you to make additional position reports so that other aircraft are aware of your presence, but keep in mind that with each transmission, you’re taking time away from another aircraft that may also wish to make an important position report. Ultimately, this will be a judgment call, but a universal rule of communication is to be brief and to the point.

Also, be sure to avoid a few of the cardinal sins of pilot-controlled airport communication. NEVER invite any and all traffic to advice of position. This only invites frequency congestion. Also avoid making position reports relative to local landmarks that transient pilots may not recognize. And never conduct a telephone conversation on the frequency. This would be classified as poor citizenship and can be dangerous.

See and avoid – plain and simple, you, and only you, are responsible to see and avoid other aircraft. Flying in the traffic pattern is no time to debate right-of-way rules or race someone to final approach. If in doubt, always give way – you’ll last longer! It’s also good practice to maintain a “lights-on” policy within 10 miles of the airport to make your aircraft more visible.

Be a good citizen – remember, we’re all in this together. We’ve mentioned several operational techniques that can be classified under the category of good citizenship. Additionally, it’s unlikely that any two pilots will fly the exact same pattern (speed and dimension) so be patient and be prepared to create space and help out when able. Remember to turn off any potentially blinding lights while taxiing so as not to distract any arriving or departing traffic. And finally, maintain the discipline of these widely-accepted and proven pilot-controlled airport procedures to avoid the pitfalls and danger of localized procedures that your fellow pilots are unable to predict.

After some cancelled flights for a variety of reasons, pilots feels less confident about their flying abilities and find themselves a year or more later, having only made a few flights, most of which were taken right after they earned their license. No longer current to carry passengers, or comfortable flying themselves, they may even stop flying all together, but the promises continue.

These same pilots promise themselves they’ll get back to flying when spring comes or work slows down, but never seem to take that next step.  They may even be at a loss for where to turn. They may consider turning to a flight instructor, but perhaps embarrassment from letting the license sit idle so long leads them a different direction.  However, seeking out a flight instructor is always a good decision.

So how do you get back to flying?

My favorite suggestion is to keep learning. A Recreational or Sport pilot could begin training toward a Private certificate and a Private pilot could begin work on the instrument rating. If you’re an instrument rated pilot with no aspirations of obtaining a commercial license, you could work on lowering your personal minimums for ceilings or visibility.

If you don’t have the time or money to dedicate to another license, try a fun, less expensive flying adventure. Seek out an instructor to learn about the challenges, pitfalls, and exhilaration of mountain flying. With your instructor’s help, plan a few trips into and over more challenging terrain. In addition to being a lot of fun, you’ve also added new skills and confidence in managing this type of flying on your own.

You might also consider adding a high performance and/or complex endorsement – a great way to make your business trips quicker. Flying a faster airplane will generally be more expensive by the hour, but may result in a break-even investment given the time savings.  Add to this some high altitude flight training with the use of supplemental oxygen and you’ve allowed for even more flexibility in your flight planning as you may be able to take advantage of more favorable wind or the ability to climb over (versus around) weather.

Find a flight school with access and the knowledge to teach turf runway operations. Flying from a grass runway is another thrill that will enhance your “feel” of the airplane.  Some of these same flight schools may offer tail wheel training or even glider flying. Even if you don’t plan to add a glider rating or tail wheel endorsement, the training alone makes you a better stick and rudder pilot. Soaring flight requires planning descents while considering vertical and horizontal air movement which is sure to provide confidence flying the airplane in a real engine-out emergency.

Aerobatic training is not only fun, but teach you the very crucial aerodynamic understanding and ability to recover from stalls and spins. Training is accomplished in aircraft rated for spins and aerobatic flight.  For a few hundred dollars and a fun weekend, you walk away not only a current pilot, but with new skills to keep you safe.

Given all of these options, still the best way to get back into flying and keep current is to keep your instructor’s number handy. Add a recurring quarterly alert on your smart phone to remind you to schedule a lesson.

In terms of what to accomplish with your instructor is up to you. Ask your instructor to create a syllabus that offers flexibility to grow and evolve. Items to consider would be emergency and abnormal procedures, landings (especially crosswind), and anything else that you believe could use practice. Don’t be shy about tackling what you know to be weaker areas. I personally have several students, each at various experience levels, who fly with me every few months to be challenged. No matter the skill level it’s beneficial and it keeps you coming to the airport.

But I believe, as pilots, we must fix stupid because too many incidents/accidents happen as a result of poor decisions, inattention and stupidity.  A perusal of AOPA’s Safe Skies, a ten year study of GA accidents reveals we, as GA pilots, kill ourselves and others for stupid reasons.  The results for individual years vary but on average, 7% of the fatalities were caused because the engine did not have fuel!  7% may not sound like much but that should be 0%!

Almost every airplane these days has at least a portable GPS on board providing time to destination, so the unforecast headwinds can no longer be an excuse.  A recent accident which fortunately did not result in a loss of life, resulted when an SR22 may have run out of gas after only 30 minutes of flight.  A review of the basics reminds us that airplanes move forward on thrust. Propellers provide that thrust, engines turn propellers, and engines need fuel.  Taking off with inadequate fuel is not only against regulations (30 minute reserve on landing), but simply defies common sense.

More than 20% of fatal accidents occur during a catch-all category called maneuvering flight.  While this category may include trying to return to the runway after an engine failure and the dreaded stall/spin on the base to final turn, it also includes low passes (buzzing), poorly executed aerobatics and high load turns.  In other words, showing off.

Too many pilots in an attempt to impress friends or others, try some maneuver that exceeds either their own or the airplane’s ability to recover from the resulting inertia or stall.   As pilots, we learn that the wing stalls when relative wind exceeds a critical angle and that can theoretically happen at any airspeed and any attitude (even upside down).  The reality is during normal flight (less than 30 degrees of bank and 10 degrees of pitch), the aircraft will likely stall only when airspeed decays below the stall speed.  Resisting the urge to show off and leaving the aerobatics to air show pilots will add life to both the airframe and occupants.

All flights terminate with a landing.  Although this phase of flight accounts for the highest percentage of accidents (about 33%), it usually results in very few fatalities (probably because the aircraft is traveling slowly, is close to the ground and by design, there are fewer hard things to hit near runways).  The stupid thing pilots often try to do is “save” a bad landing.  The smarter pilot will reject a bad landing (the sooner the better) with a go-around.  The pilot who is still trying to save the landing after the third bounce or after half of the runway has passed under the wing will probably experience a bad outcome.

Although weather only accounts for less than 5% of the accidents, it accounts for 15% of the fatalities. When weather deteriorates, or is worse than forecast, it can be easy for pilots to convince themselves to press on with the thought that the weather will probably get better just ahead.  As this video, 178 Seconds to Live chronicles, VFR into IMC is likely the stupidest pilot trick of all.

So as the days get longer, the weather warmer and blue skies beckon us to commit aviation, let’s resolve to fix stupid as we grasp the controls.  Fully 75% of all accidents and over 30% of aviation fatalities can be prevented by a) making sure we have enough fuel in the tank b) resisting the urge to show off c) rejecting bad landings with a go around and d) not flying into weather for which we are not equipped.

If we don’t regulate ourselves, rest assured the NTSB will do it for us.  We CAN fix stupid!

First impressions when visiting or calling a prospective flight school are important.  Was your call answered or promptly returned?  Is the representative you are speaking with interested in your unique situation (interests)? Or are they just rattling off numbers trying to get through their sales pitch?  Did you feel like you were important to them, instead of just another person calling?  These ‘little’ things or feelings that you get will most likely have a much larger implication when it comes time to being their routine customer.  All too often in the flight training business, customer service is thrown out the window because you are considered a student, not a customer.  Although you will be a student of their school, you are foremost their customer, and how they interact with you says volumes about their business practices.

On a more technical side, what type of airplanes do they train in?  I am not going to discuss the advantage of one type of trainer over another (too many to discuss), you should be more focused on age, condition, appearance, and equipment.  I am not directly suggesting that a new airplane is required to get quality flight instruction, nor do ‘bells and whistles’ solve your future difficulties with landings, but there is something to be said for getting what you pay for in aircraft experience, safe and high quality maintenance, and how their aircraft look (appearance).  Paying too much for flight training is something we never want to do as customers, but be careful to compare ‘apples to apples’ when it comes to pricing flight training.

Although choosing an instructor can sometimes be a discussion unto itself, if you have found a quality flight school, they will have many different instructors to choose from, ranging in different experience levels, different backgrounds, and a willingness to change instructors during training if you (the customer!) aren’t getting the most out of your student – instructor relationship.  Be sure to ask about background, experience, pass rates, and personality type of instructors when looking at flight schools.

I cannot express how important it is to have a flight school that schedules around your needs.  One of the many things that discourage students from continuing training is scheduling difficulties.  We are all busy people, and finding time in our schedules to fly can be a challenge (some more than others), but making sure that the school is willing to work around your schedule, and having availability to meet your scheduling needs is an important logistical consideration that cannot be overlooked.  If you find yourself always wanting to fly, and your school being unable to meet your requests, it may be time to find another flight school.

Those customers who have really done their homework ask about part 61 or 141 flight schools.  A part 141 flight school is an FAA approved school using an approved syllabus.  There are many advantages of a 141 school, but that is not to exclude part 61 training and some of the benefits that it offers to students.  Many part 141 schools offer part 61 training in addition, which one that is suggested to you should depend on your situation.  I don’t necessarily offer a preference to part 61 or 141 training schools, but their training materials do matter.  I do highly recommend seeking out flight schools which operate from a published syllabus.  Whether part 61 or 141, a syllabus is a crucial piece for you to monitor your progress, determine strengths & weaknesses, and to avoid costly training oversights that come back to haunt you later in flying.  If the flight school does not operate from a syllabus and references to ‘years of experience’ there are some questions that should be asked about average hours to complete the certificate, pass rates, and quality of instruction.  Just because they have been teaching for years, doesn’t mean they have been teaching well for years.

I don’t consider these to be the only things to consider when choosing a flight school, but they are questions that are often missed when a prospective customer calls me.  A good flight school will point these items out (whether asked or not) and many other items when you call or visit. You should spend a good deal of time investigating the prospective school, including a through tour of their facilities.  Remember, your impression of their entire operation may speak to many other aspects of their business and instructional quality.

Happy flying

The same held true in my experiences in recreational boating. After heading back to the marina to refuel, I left with nothing short of a full tank. I used the same logic as when fueling my car – I could run the engine a longer time with less visits to the gas station. There was nothing else to consider.

When I learned to fly an airplane though I quickly learned that I needed to throw that logic out the window. Airplanes are more sensitive to weight and loading, and more often than not can’t be operated with the tanks full of fuel on every flight. Every airplane has a limiting maximum takeoff weight specified by the manufacturer, and you’re legally obligated to follow it (common sense should tell you it’s a good idea too).  Flying over a manufacturer’s maximum weight leads to degraded performance in flight, and that’s assuming you’re able to get the aircraft safely off the ground in the first place.

Payload in training aircraft varies a good deal between different models. A Cessna 172R Skyhawk, for example, can carry around 450 lbs of passengers and bags with a full load of 53 gallons in the tanks, yielding nearly 5 hours of flying time. That’s pretty generous, considering it would be a challenge for a pilot, training gear and flight instructor to exceed this limit (that might help explain why the Skyhawk is one of the most popular training aircraft ever built). What if you want to take more gear, or another passenger on the flight though? The simple answer is to depart with less than full tanks. If you need to take along an extra 120 pounds, have the tanks filled up to only 30 gallons — this still provides over 2 ½ hours of flying time with reserves.

As you move up to larger aircraft, you’ll find the same principles apply. While you might think that a high-performance jet can carry a full passenger load and still fly with full fuel, that’s not the case. In fact many jets filled to the brim with jet fuel can only carry 2 pilot crewmembers and maybe a passenger or two before reaching the weight limit. Even if there isn’t a full passenger or cargo load, it’s still not efficient for larger transport aircraft to carry more fuel than needed for each flight segment. The extra weight decreases performance and will increase the amount of fuel needed to complete flight. One exception here is when there is a considerable price difference between the airports of intended use (right now AvGas & Jet fuel range from $5 to $9 per gallon in the U.S. depending on location – do the math).

Take fuel planning seriously throughout your flight training. Even if you’re flying a C172 loaded full with 5 hours of fuel for every lesson, pay attention to how you manage the fuel. Lean properly on the ground and in the air according to the guidance in the POH, and mentally note the fuel burned for each flight during shutdown. That way when it’s time to maximize the performance of the airplane for longer trips or taking additional passengers, you’ll be very knowledgeable about the expected fuel burn, and can confidently plan to arrive with your required fuel minimums. You’ll also have the right mindset for flying other aircraft that don’t offer the luxury of providing a large payload with the tanks topped off.

Smooth flying doesn’t mean you sacrifice safety–after all, you can’t be smooth if you’re unsafe. But it does mean you care about not just what you do, but how you do it. Things that pilots may not notice can be very uncomfortable for passengers. Focusing on these finer points will make you a better pilot and a better advocate for general aviation.

So how do you fly like a pro and impress your passengers?

• Taxi carefully. Smooth flying starts before you ever leave the ground. If you’ve ever ridden in an airplane with a pilot who’s constantly stomping on the brakes, you know how unsettling it can be. So be gentle as you pull out of the chocks and avoid sharp turns. Use power and brakes sparingly–the less of one you use, the less of the other you’ll need. A good goal is to use as little braking as you can, so the whole trip from ramp to runway is hardly noticed.
• Focus on level-offs. As you approach your cruise altitude, don’t jab the yoke forward to capture the planned altitude. This can create a momentary weightless condition, and scare nervous flyers. Instead, plan ahead. As you get within 500 feet of your desired altitude, start gently nosing over and reducing the rate of climb–400 ft/min when you’re 400 ft away, 300 ft/min when you’re 300 ft away, etc. The goal is to level off without your passengers ever knowing you stopped climbing. You can practice this on every training flight to learn the feel for it.
• Plan descents. There’s nothing worse than a 2000 ft/min descent rate, especially if your passengers have a cold. Rapid changes in altitude are uncomfortable and unnecessary in most cases. Plan ahead so you can make a gentle 500 ft/min descent, and know when you need to start your descent.
• Throttle control. Have you ever been on an airline flight when the autothrottle system was engaged? This is usually obvious on final approach, as the computers constantly increase and decrease power to maintain speed and glidepath. It works fine, but it’s not ideal for passengers. Great pilots set the power once on approach and leave it there until crossing the fence, so passengers never hear the engines change. This same technique works in a Cessna as well as a Boeing. Learn your profiles (for example, 1500 rpm  and 80 knots on base) and then leave the throttle alone.
• Be conscious of weather. Part of weather flying is staying safe–avoiding thunderstorms, low visibility and high winds. But the other, more subtle part, of weather flying is passenger comfort. If it’s a hot summer day and you’re on a cross country, climb up above the haze layer to smoother air. You might not mind bumping along at 500 ft, but most passengers do. If it’s going to be gusty later in the day, plan your takeoff for earlier to avoid the turbulence.

Of course, safety always comes first, so never be afraid to make your passengers uncomfortable if the situation demands it. But when you can, a little extra effort will lead to a much more enjoyable flight. Beyond passenger comfort, all of these habits are very desirable for professional pilots. If you plan to make a career out of flying, get started now.

What tips do you have for smoother flying? Any pet peeves you wish pilots would avoid?