Plane and Pilot

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Flight controls mean ailerons, elevator, and rudder, of course, but on some airplanes, if the trim is mis-set, the plane might be difficult or impossible to control. Years ago, a very young pilot took her first passenger, her husband, on her first flight after getting a private certificate after 125 hours. Then there are canopies.

Airplanes

Inflight Pilot Training

MARCH 13, 2025

Mistakes are a natural part of learning, but understanding common pitfalls ahead of time can help you progress more efficiently, build confidence, and become a safer pilot. In this comprehensive guide, well take a deep dive into the top 10 mistakes student pilots make, why they happen, and actionable strategies to avoid them.

Pilot

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

Learning the right types of aircraft maneuvers isn’t just about checking off boxes—it’s about building muscle memory, sharp instincts, and total confidence in the cockpit. Fundamental Flight Maneuvers At Leopard Aviation, we understand that every pilot’s journey starts with mastering fundamental flight maneuvers.

Pilot

Vintage Aviation News

MARCH 5, 2025

That year, however, saw the airframe and a set of wings being donated to the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut so it could be transformed into a memorial honoring the pilots who flew Corsairs in combat. This was brainchild of World War II (WWII) Marine Corps Corsair pilot, and then the manager of Bridgeport Municipal Airport, Nick Mainiero.

Rudder

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

A power-off 180 is a critical maneuver that simulates an engine failure on final approach, requiring pilots to glide the aircraft and execute a precise 180-degree turn to a safe landing spot. Use ailerons and rudder together to maintain coordinated flight. Immediately pitch the aircraft to maintain the best glide speed.

Pilot

Vintage Aviation News

MARCH 31, 2025

Despite how many licensed pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, and other countless ground support staff there are, everyone seems to be somehow connected. In the case of warbird restorer and pilot Mike Porter, a lifetime in aviation seems predetermined upon his birth. Aviation is a large but close-knit community. He stayed the course.

Airplanes

Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

Elevons and Control Surfaces An ingenious solution is to combine the elevator and aileron, which gives you: the elevon. They combine the functions of elevators and ailerons. Theyre typically installed on each side of the aircraft at the trailing edge of the wing, where the ailerons typically are. Why design an aircraft this way?

Tail

Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 25, 2025

The aircraft is even still operational to some degree, as pneumatic and air pressure systems in place of the hydraulic system still actuate the 727’s landing gear, flaps, slats, rudder, elevators, and right aileron! On the nose of the cockpit section, the aircraft also bears the name of Captain William R.

Cockpit

Vintage Aviation News

MAY 20, 2025

Cliff Saari and his fellow P-47 Thunderbolt pilots were hunting for more trouble. On the landing approach, Saari, tightened the strap on his goggles, opened the cockpit, and stuck his head into the slipstream to see the runway, setting the Thunderbolt down safely and rolling to a stop. The Spitfire Mk.

Tail

Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 18, 2025

Photo by NASA The impetus for the program came from issues the Navy had encountered with inadvertent spin entries, which were traced back to the aircrafts aileron rudder interconnect system. View of the cockpit of NASA’s F-14, tail number 991. They were designed for maneuverability in air-to-air combat.

Horizontal Stabilizer

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Let us take you from first-time flyer to skilled pilot with personalized instruction designed for beginners like you. Aircraft Controls: Primary ControlsAilerons, Elevators, Rudder The three primary flight controls ailerons , elevators, and rudderare essential for piloting an aircraft. These are the building blocks of piloting.

Aileron

Pilot Institute

MARCH 17, 2025

A safety pilot has a key job: keeping the flight safe during simulated instrument training. By handling specific tasks and staying sharp, the safety pilot supports the flying pilot and makes sure the flight meets FAA requirements. Key Takeaways A safety pilot monitors the surroundings during simulated instrument flights.

Pilot

WayMan

MAY 25, 2025

For anyone training to become a pilot or aviation technician, understanding the anatomy of an aircraft is one of the first essential steps. It houses the cockpit, passenger seats (if applicable), and any cargo space. Cockpit: Where Control Happens Cockpit, also known as the flight deck , is the nerve center of the airplane.

Lift

Plane and Pilot

JULY 22, 2025

As pilots, we have a certain luxury that many do not—to escape the confines of earth for fleeting moments of peace and disconnection. Consider yourself to be in the rarer class of today’s modern pilot. Originally built to train pilots for World War II, the company lost the official training contract to the Boeing PT-17 Stearman.

Runway

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 8, 2025

Every pilot must master stall recognition and recovery techniques. This misunderstanding can lead to confusion and, in some cases, accidents, as some pilots concentrate on engine performance instead of addressing the actual problem, a loss of lift. How Do Pilots Recover From a Stall? Why Do Pilots Practice Stalls?

Lift

Plane and Pilot

JUNE 15, 2025

Piper PA-28-180 Riverside, California/Injuries: 1 Minor NTSB Report: WPR23LA156 The pilot completed the airplane’s engine run-up and carburetor heat function checks with no anomalies noted. The pilot initiated a forced landing straight ahead in a field. The owner reported that he discussed the turbocharger operation with the pilot.

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Flying Magazine

JULY 17, 2025

For pilots seeking a classic four-seat trainer with bold styling and backcountry chops, this Skyhawk delivers both nostalgia and performance. Pilots will appreciate its dual attitude indicators—vacuum-driven primary and electric backup—for added redundancy. Rosen sun visors improve cockpit comfort and safety.

Transponder

Pilot Institute

APRIL 22, 2025

These exercises aim to sharpen your skills and awareness in the cockpit. Think of them as the lessons where you learn to master wind correction, aircraft control, and situational awareness all critical skills for a safe and proficient pilot. Uncoordinated use of aileron and rudder, leading to slips or skids.

Crosswind

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 30, 2024

1910 Hartman monoplane (Adam Estes) By 1910, the Hartman monoplane was completed, and on May 10, 1910, at 5:00am, its 21-year-old pilot took off for a short hop in the presence of five witnesses (Henry Boyle, William Rheinschmidt, Tom Green, Hamey Winkler, and Will Apligate) at the Burlington Golf Course. Dittmer at the controls.

Airplanes

Pilot Institute

MAY 8, 2025

Belly landings, while rare, can happen to any pilot. This could be the result of pilot error or mechanical failure, but knowing how to handle landing gear failure can mean everything. Most belly landings are preventable through proper checklist use and pilot awareness. What Is a Belly Landing? What Is a Belly Landing?

Air Traffic Control

AV Web

MAY 20, 2025

If you ask a pilot, Have you ever panicked while flying? Even Famous Pilots Panic Lets look at a famous pilot who panicked. The young, still-learning cub steamboat pilot was Samuel Clemens. Twains pilot boss played a trick on him to teach him a lesson on how to overcome panic. Just what is this thing called panic?

Runway

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 9, 2025

A small fighter even for the standards of WWI, the Sopwith Pup was the darling of British pilots from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917. Sopwith Pup A7302 off the Royal Flying Corps (San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives) In October 1916, the Sopwith Pup would enter combat over the Western Front, flying with No.

Flight Deck

Vintage Aviation News

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

The Libeccio was of mixed construction, featuring a metal monocoque cockpit section attached to a welded steel tube fuselage frame covered in doped fabric, with wooden bars and panels on its top and bottom. 310 which featured a “stepless” plexiglass cockpit and two 700 hp Piaggio Stella P.XVI RC-35 radial engines.

Aileron

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 1, 2025

Both aircraft were the product of a design team led by Mervyn O’Gorman, the factory superintendent at Farnborough with Geoffrey de Havilland serving as chief engineer and test pilot. 2 had a two-man crew consisting of a pilot, sitting in the rear position, for balance reasons, and an observer, in the front seat, between the wings.

Cockpit

Vintage Aviation News

JULY 16, 2025

While on a training flight piloted by Richard A. The ailerons were originally controlled by a shoulder yoke (with the pilot leaning left and right) in the aft cockpit, but were replaced by a wheel, stick, or yoke by this D model. It could be fitted with a turtle-deck behind the cockpits to serve as an air ambulance.

Cockpit

AV Web

APRIL 15, 2025

Student pilots get a free pass, because theyre adorable skittering off runways in Loss of Directional Control (LODC) events that vex the best among us. But assumptions spiraled for this private pilot in a 1953 Bell 47D helicopter (think M.A.S.H) No mention if the Cessna pilot noticed. at Marana, Arizona, on 2021s first day.

Pilot

Air Facts

JULY 4, 2025

The Ace of Sewanee Air Facts Journal I got my pilot’s license in 1984, but it was another five years before I became a pilot. Beginning almost forty years ago, I spent time in the cockpit with a series of pilots whose influence I have only recently come to appreciate. Even then, my education had only just begun.

Tarmac

Thrust Flight

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Ailerons are one of the main controls you use to fly the plane, so it’s important to understand how ailerons work. This is also one of those times when understanding a little bit of aerodynamics will make you a better pilot in the cockpit.

Aileron

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

At this point, the pilots will contact ATC for push and start clearance , allowing the plane to be pushed back from its parking position (if applicable, depending on the airport) and to start its engines in sequence. Once this message is conveyed to the pilots, they disengage the aircraft’s parking brake, hence the ‘ wobble ’.

Cabin Crew

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Fabric patches are being applied to the aileron and flap coves, a common practice for Beechcraft of this era to prevent debris or wildlife from entering the structure. The replacement flap has been inspected, alodined, primed, and painted, and the permanent installation of ailerons and flaps is scheduled in the coming weeks.

Aileron

Vintage Aviation News

MAY 15, 2025

Discovering the Depth of the Work Once the project began in earnest, the team discovered a long list of issues that needed to be addressedfrom failing aileron linkages to worn-out plumbing. We had aileron linkage problems, wing fold lockdown problemsthe list is massive, McMahon said. That was a fairly recent install.

Aileron

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Although it is sort of heavy on the ailerons,” Storo said. ” On takeoff and landing, the pilot’s seat is adjusted to the upward limit of travel. However, in cruise flight, the seat is moved as low as possible to get the pilot’s head out of the slipstream as the blasting wind quickly fatigues the pilot.

Crosswind

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

When you’re starting to feel human again after major surgery, what’s a good plan for getting safely back into the cockpit? It’s curious to me that we pilots shoot LPV approaches, but ATC doesn’t know what they are. I’m focusing on the old pilot part, not the bold pilot. I had a total knee replacement.

Pitot Tube

Pilot's Life Blog

MARCH 15, 2024

One of the first things an aspiring pilot learns in flight school is the various sections of an aircraft. If you’re wondering how to become a commercial pilot in Arizona , this in-depth guide to important aircraft parts will help in your pursuit. Contact our flight instructors today for more information about enrolling.

Horizontal Stabilizer

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

The J-4’s cockpit is wider than the more common J-3, and the second generation brought about the replacement of the open cowl with exposed exhaust ports with a fully enclosed cowl. Efforts like this freed male pilots for combat missions, and her dedication led to her appointment as commander of Reading Station. Images By Gary Figgins.

Runway

Plane and Pilot

JUNE 2, 2025

Piper PA-28-180 Riverside, California/Injuries: 1 Minor NTSB Report: WPR23LA156 The pilot completed the airplanes engine run-up and carburetor heat function checks with no anomalies noted. The pilot initiated a forced landing straight head in a field. The owner reported that he discussed the turbocharger operation with the pilot.

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

AV Web

JULY 23, 2024

The aircraft, a successor to the Extra 330SC, features a wider cockpit, shorter fuselage, redesigned cowling, increased control stick clearance, and improved headroom compared to its predecessor. Extra said the 330SX model is much easier to fly— allowing pilots to achieve higher scores in aerobatic competitions.

Aileron