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Instrument Rating and Staying Current
I’D ARGUE THAT AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND STAYING CURRENT IN ITS USE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT A PILOT CAN HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION. Inadvertent flights into IMC are one of the highest causes of accidents in general aviation, and, surprisingly, about one-third of those accidents
As a pilot, the evolution of aviation technology has undoubtedly changed the landscape of flying in the past 20 years. The advancements in avionics, the introduction of apps like Foreflight, and the development of Garmin’s innovative technology have all revolutionized how pilots navigate, communicate, and operate aircraft. These technologies
Preparing For Your Solo Cross-Country
You have decided to earn your private pilot certificate. The first half of your training is going well, and you just soloed. Now it’s time to prepare for the next step in your training: the solo cross country. This article will guide you through preparing for one of the
Adding Flight Hours or Gaining Pilot Experience
Building flight time versus gaining experience as a low-time commercial pilot is a critical topic in the aviation industry today. With the requirement of 1,500 flight hours to apply for an Airline Transport Pilot license, the focus has shifted to how quickly these hours can be accumulated versus the
2024 Oshkosh Air Show Recap American Flyers
The Oshkosh Airshow, held annually in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a mecca for aviation enthusiasts and professional aviators from all over the world. The event is a week-long celebration of all things aviation. With over 1,700 aircraft arrivals and more than 10,000 aircraft operating at Wittman Regional Airport and other
Do You Maintain Your Skills Like You Do Your Plane?
As the old saying goes, “FAR Part 61 tells you how to get your license, and FAR Part 91 tells you how to lose it.” What is always amazing to me is how some pilots can invest so much in their training and certificates, yet fail to keep them
Featured Instructors American Flyers Sept 2024
Jim Eller – CFI at Scottsdale, AZ (SDL) My favorite part of training new pilots is witnessing their breakthrough moments during their training when things just start to click for them. Seeing students gain understanding and confidence is a fun experience to share with them. I love being a
Devin Opfer
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. Hi, my name is Devin. I’m 18 years old and a private pilot currently working on my instrument and commercial ratings with American Flyers. I graduated from Tomball High School in May of 2024 and will be an incoming freshman at Arizona State
Jorge Fragoso
JORGE FRAGOSO IS A DEDICATED AND HARDWORKING INDIVIDUAL currently working as an administrative intern at our Morristown, New Jersey location. Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, Jorge came to the United States with a dream of pursuing a career in aviation. Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles along the way, Jorge’s
RADIO TALK AVIATION
The mark of a good pilot is staying ahead of the airplane, anticipating what’s coming, and being ready to act promptly. This principle applies to both flying the airplane and managing radio communications. To “stay ahead” of communications, the best place to start is on the ground. Before takeoff,
When Is It Night
By Mike Bliss As we approach summer, regardless of the fact that the days are longer, many pilots, especially those who’ve completed CFI academy, choose to take advantage of the nicer weather to engage in night flying. There are several regulations that govern what we do at night and
Additions To Your Pre-Flight Checklist
Every airplane checklist has a story. Sometimes the story tells the tale of a responsible pilot who double checks all of the boxes on their list, while other times the pilot has forgotten to check even the smallest detail before take off resulting in an unintentional accident. Each time
Defensive Flying
By Mike Bliss  When we first learned to drive, we were taught the importance of defensive driving. We learned how to develop the habit of anticipating situations before they happened and to be prepared to take action as we identified hazards in our path.  These same skills are equally
Preflight
By Chris Webb Here are a few of the questions I get in and out of airline academy. What does it mean to ‘preflight an aircraft?’ When should it be done and who should do it? It is very easy to just follow the checklist. After all, that is
Runway Incursions
By Mike Bliss Although much attention has been given in the last few years to the topic of runway incursions by those in and out of commercial pilot programs, it continues to be a problem, one that can potentially have very serious consequences. The key to avoiding such incursions
By: Richard Hyslop – Retired AA Captain   Is your runway long enough? This is the million dollar question, which has a complicated answer. Remember that Airlines are in the business of moving people from one place to another. Our customers choose their city of residence or destination by
Winter Weather
A Discussion on Temperature By Steven Daun, National Chief Pilot Winter is here and with it comes significant variation in the weather. It is important to note that when we discuss “winter weather” we are not just speaking about it being cold outside. Winter weather encompasses many different topics. For
Lessons from the Cockpit
By: Steven Daun, National Chief Pilot There is a famous saying that “if you don’t make mistakes you don’t learn.” Whoever wrote that must have been a flight instructor. As flight instructors, we want our students to make mistakes while they are flying with us, so they don’t make them