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Category: Life of a Pilot

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by Mike Bliss Summer often brings some of the best flying weather, but also its share of challenges: turbulence from uneven surface heating, reduced visibility due to haze, and diminished aircraft performance due to the hotter air. The greatest threat, however, comes from thunderstorms. To fully understand this threat,
pilot proficiency training
For many pilots, the phrase “Pilot in Command” (PIC) is a proud milestone — the moment you took full responsibility for the aircraft, the crew, and the decisions in the air. But here’s a question every aviator should ask regularly: When was the last time you were the PIC?
airline pilot training program
If you’ve started exploring flight schools, chances are you’ve seen this promise over and over: “We have connections with major airlines. “We guarantee you an interview.”  It sounds impressive—until you realize most airline pilot training programs make the same claim. In today’s aviation landscape, the truth is this: due
Beyond the Familiar Skies Embrace New Challenges to Grow Your Pilot Skills
Flying is a pursuit that rewards precision, discipline, and consistency. But it also thrives on variety. As pilots, we spend countless hours refining procedures and mastering fundamentals, often in the same aircraft, over the same routes, and in predictable conditions. While repetition is valuable, staying within your comfort zone
Differences between a Private Pilot and Commercial Pilot Certification
For anyone passionate about flying, earning a pilot’s license is a major accomplishment. But as you progress through your aviation journey, you’ll quickly discover that not all pilot certifications are created equal. Two of the most common — and often misunderstood — are the Private Pilot Certificate and the
Is your aircraft clean, stocked and organized before takeoff
In aviation, every detail matters. Safety isn’t just about checklists and clear skies — it starts long before you taxi to the runway. One of the most overlooked yet essential habits every pilot should develop is keeping their aircraft clean, organized, and properly stocked before each flight. It may
Choosing a Flight School - What to Ask What to Consider
Deciding to become a pilot is an exciting milestone, but choosing the right flight school is one of the most important decisions in your aviation journey. The path from the classroom to the cockpit will shape your skills, mindset, and future opportunities. With so many training options available, knowing
Gain-real-Flight-Experience
Logging flight hours is an essential part of pilot training and certification, but it’s important to understand that accumulating hours isn’t the same as gaining meaningful flight experience. The real difference between a pilot who simply logs time and one who develops true skill lies in how those hours
Take the First Step and Finish What You Started
We get it. You are a successful professional and don’t have the time to finish getting your pilot certificate. If you are like the several thousand other students we have, you probably work late during the week and spend your weekends either working or with your family. You couldn’t
Technology has changed the face of general aviation. Everything pilots had to do for themselves in the past, technology now does for you. It accurately tells you where you are, the airspace you are in, the nearest airports and how to get there, all the instrument approaches that apply
Ambassadors of Flight
When I spend time in the American Flyers flight schools or airline academy, I hear the phrase “Ambassadors of Aviation” a lot, and it’s directed at flight instructors. Old joke: how do you know if there’s a pilot at a party? Oh, they’ll tell you. So, you better believe
By: Mike Forth Congratulations! You got your PPL (private pilot license). Actually, it’s a certificate, not a license, but that’s a topic for a different discussion. The important thing is you got it! Now you can fly around in almost any single engine aircraft, take passengers and do all
Dog Days of Summer
By: Steven Daun, National Chief Pilot Last year around this time, as it happens every year, we read about the airlines canceling flights in Phoenix, Arizona. The public is still amazed each year as the headlines read 119° F and these marvelous multi-million dollar jets are reduced to nothing
By: Steven Daun, National Chief Pilot Flying is one of those endeavors in which nobody can know everything. My advice to those who think they know all they need to know about flying is to stop flying, or for your sake and that of your passengers, please keep reading.
Spring into flight
By: Mike Forth Spring has sprung! You know what that means. It’s time to get back in your favorite airplane, take the family and friends out, show them the local sights or plan that long-awaited vacation.  It’s a chance to remind everyone that you belong to a rare group
Important Milestones in a Pilot’s Life
By: Steven Daun, National Chief Pilot It is hard to describe to non-pilots the feeling that pilots get while flying.  Regardless of what type of flying you do, we all start at the same point.  And for most of us, there are certain milestones that we have in common. 
Aviation Love Story
By Butch Filline Looking back at my younger years, it’s hard to imagine a better time than my freshman year of college. A year earlier I had earned my pilot’s license just after graduating from high school. I was young, passionate about aviation and fairly certain I was going
Having trouble filling out your holiday wish list? Look no further than our 2017 holiday gift guide for pilots. From headsets to gift certificates, we have you covered!   BI-PLANE PROPELLER MOUNTA unique twist on displaying your old propeller or antique propeller, this wall mount is designed to look like the
Cross Country
Chronicles of a Corporate Pilot By Mike Forth Flying Home for the Holidays…or a Limousine, a Dirt Strip and a Cowboy! Flying for a corporation can be fun, boring and at moments terrifying, but around the end of the year during the holiday season it was always fun. I have
When we take a look back in time it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in the world of aviation, from tweed jackets and scarves to iPads and headsets, things couldn’t be more different today. Lets take a look back in history to see where it all changed.