The Pre-Flight Briefing - Pilot Shop Blog

You’ve seen the different aircraft configurations and you point out high wing vs low wing aircraft to your non-aviator friends. You may even have taken sides in the perennial high wing vs low wing debate, but how well-versed are you on their key differences? Have you had the privilege of flying both types? Do you ever wonder about the pros and cons of each plus what type of flights they are best suited for?

The story of the Piper Tomahawk an interesting one filled with unique handling and flight characteristics, accidents, investigations, divided opinions, and controversy. The adage “be careful what you wish for because you just might get it” also applies. But before we delve into the details of this interesting aircraft, we will step back and take a look at where the Piper Tomahawk got its start.

Timely communication is critical to safe flight, and one of the ways that the FAA communicates important information to pilots is by using a type of advisory called a NOTAM. There are 9 types of NOTAMs, with each filling a distinct role in the pilot notification system. As a pilot, it is very important to check for and understand the relevance of all applicable NOTAMs in your flight path.

Not only do you get to serve your country and earn the privileges of being a veteran, but when you choose the military pilot route, you also benefit from high-speed training in some amazing aircraft. If you are considering becoming a Marine Corps pilot, here is everything you need to know about the process along with the answers to a few of your most pressing questions.

If you’re dreaming of becoming a pilot, but you don’t know how to pay for flight school, this post is for you. You don’t know how to find $70,000 for flight training, but here’s the thing: believe it or not, you have plenty of options.

Imagine you’re a freshly minted commercial pilot. Congratulations! One thing on the mind of many newly certified commercial pilots is, “How can I use this new certificate to earn some money?”

If your flight schedule involves an overnight, no matter how much you want to travel light, there’s just no way you’re cramming a change of clothes plus your toiletries inside your flight bag. (And really, do you actually want your dirty socks hanging out next to your headset case on the way home?)

“Make it strong. Make it simple. Make it fast.” These are Mooney Airplane Company’s words to live by as they design their legendary aircraft. The Mooney mentality has developed quite a following with Mooney aficionados - self-described as “Mooniacs.”

What kind of pilot would fly after a drink? Not you, right? Good. Same here, but if we are being honest, how many of us have experienced signs of hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) while at the controls?

Fair warning – if you think you are fully confident in your understanding of maneuvering speed, the article you are about to read may rock your world. When you research this topic, it quickly becomes apparent that many pilots think they have a solid grasp on the concept, but when asked to explain it, the certainty breaks down in the details. Even an understanding based on FAA documentation can get convoluted and confusing.

For all the new pilots wondering how to read a TAF, you are not alone. Pull up a terminal aerodrome forecast, and you will quickly realize that the entire thing is written using codes or acronyms that must be deciphered and decoded. The good news is that TAFs and METARs use many of the same abbreviations, so once you learn one, the other will be much easier and quicker to grasp.

One of the big debates when it comes to selecting an aircraft is the choice of turboprop vs jet engine. Light jets are more common in private aviation, but Forbes recently reported that charter activity for turboprops had increased by 8% year-over-year.

It’s the worst-case scenario that none of us want to think about. During a winter flight, we had to make an emergency landing in a remote location where there is no cell service. Our radio was damaged in the landing, and the battery in the portable radio is dead.  We were flying VFR and did not file a flight plan, so no one with the FAA will know we are overdue when we fail to arrive at our destination. Now what?

As a pilot flying out of a smaller airport just big enough to have a control tower, you will quickly become familiar with Class D airspace. This type of airspace is one that most general aviation pilots will encounter and need to be well-versed in.