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
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,
Whether you are learning to fly for fun or as a career, the journey of becoming a pilot is marked by many milestones. Among these, purchasing your first airplane can be one of the most significant. The price of new single-engine airplanes has surged to well over $400,000 in
If you are familiar with the aviation industry or are new and looking to get involved, you may have come across the term “fast track.” It is a phrase used to allure potential pilots by promising a rapid progression from zero flight experience to becoming an airline pilot. But
The airline business has not always been as it is today. Today’s pilots don’t suffer from airline furloughs. They don’t know what it is like to fly for five or ten different airlines because of airlines going out of business. Today’s pilots don’t know what it’s like to start
The holiday season is a time of celebration and joy, and for many aviation enthusiasts, it presents an opportunity to take to the skies and embark on memorable adventures with family and friends. However, flying during the holidays, especially to new and unfamiliar airports, demands meticulous planning and a
With the hot weather disappearing in most parts of the country, pilots are thinking about the upcoming winter weather and the challenges that will affect how we plan and execute our flights. While cold weather and icing conditions quickly pop into the minds of most pilots when thinking about
Thousands of pilots and aviation enthusiasts gathered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to witness the spectacle of high-flying acrobatics and cutting-edge aircraft technology. Before the air show began, pilots and air traffic controllers geared up to provide a seamless and safe experience for all attendees. If you’re not aware, the number
For those of you who play the board game Monopoly, you know what the “get out of jail free” card is all about. It gives you a second chance to continue playing the game without a fine. There is a similar concept in aviation under the Aviation Safety Reporting
Do you want to know a secret? There are a lot of pilot jobs available right now. I know you’re probably thinking, “No kidding. Tell me something that I don’t know.” Okay, I will. The prime jobs aren’t where you think they are. Did that get your attention? That’s
The FAA currently shows 617,000 pilots in their registry. That means that less than 1 percent of the US population are pilots. Of those, approximately 159,000 hold airline transport pilot certificates. And of those, approximately 110,000 are actively flying for airlines. There are differing opinions on whether the industry
Are you flying like an airline pilot or like a barnstormer? Have you ever asked yourself why all airlines and most reputable flight departments conduct structured proficiency/recurrent training every six months? Is it to give their pilots some much needed fun flying? Or maybe it’s just an insurance requirement?