Pilot Institute

JULY 4, 2025

Key Takeaways TCAS involves aircraft transponders interrogating each other to predict a collision course. In 1956, a United Airlines DC-7 and a TWA Constellation collided over the Grand Canyon, killing all on board. By the 1970s, attention turned to using the signals from transponders to create a collision avoidance system.

Transponder 52

Transponder Air Traffic Control Pilot Cockpit 52

WayMan

JUNE 16, 2025

Flight Management Systems (FMS): Sophisticated computer systems with integration of navigation, flight planning, performance management, and systems monitoring. Autopilot Systems: Can automatically pilot the aircraft’s flight path according to pilot inputs or pre-programmed parameters.

Omni-Directional Range 52

Omni-Directional Range Instrument Meteorological Conditions Primary Flight Display Cockpit 52

WayMan

MAY 25, 2025

While commercial airliners are made up of millions of individual components, the foundation of every airplanewhether a Boeing jet or a training aircraft like a Cessna 172 starts with the same key parts. In pilot training, students learn to interpret readings from the Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Display (MFD).

Lift 52

Lift Thrust Tail Horizontal Stabilizer 52