Flying Magazine

JULY 25, 2025

Fly the airplane you will or do fly in reality. Emergency preparedness isn’t just for checkrides—it’s for real-world flying. Most serious home simulator setups will include at least two monitors, a yoke, separate throttle control, and rudder pedals. Enhancing terrain and airport scenery also improves the learning environment.

Cockpit

Air Facts

JULY 15, 2024

I did a checkride in 30 knot winds in the flatlands of Kansas, almost straight down the runway. It felt like pushing it for that airplane, but checkrides are so hard to schedule I went. Several times I’ve landed smoothly in a strong crosswind, then had trouble keeping the airplane on the runway. How do you know?

Crosswind

Northstar VFR

APRIL 21, 2024

So, knock out that Commercial checkride, and hopefully in a relatively fast timeline, start on the CFI prep. Step Two: FOI and FIA Written Exam Your CFI ticket is going to require two written exams : the Fundamentals of Instructing exam (FOI) and the Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) exam. I ask them to teach me how an airplane flies.

Checkride

Northstar VFR

AUGUST 11, 2024

There are phases of flight when it’s critical that you know how to handle the airplane at slower speeds. Departure and arrival are two of the most critical phases of a flight and involves flying the airplane slow while being very close to the ground. When an airplane exceeds its critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall happens.

Checkride

Air Facts

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Aviation, for me, began when I was a small child, my father taking me to airports and setting me on, in, and around all manner of small airplanes. The movie featured dad’s favorite airplane, the Travel Air 4000. A few years later, one of the pilots in the movie brought his airplane to town and gave rides at the county fair.

Airplanes

Pilot Institute

MAY 9, 2024

Lazy eights sound like the least challenging commercial checkride maneuver to learn. The higher speed creates extra lift, causing the airplane to bank further into the turn. The pilot’s job is to prevent the airplane from banking too quickly or too far. The amount of rudder required depends on roll rate and airspeed.

Rudder

Pilot's Life Blog

MAY 6, 2025

At Leopard Aviation, we guide you through every stepfrom your first flight to your final checkride. Your training will include: Dual instruction with an instructor Solo flights Cross-country flights Night training Ground school A final checkride with an FAA examiner We guide you through every phase, from the written test to the last landing.

Pilot

Pilot Institute

MARCH 29, 2024

Common mistakes include neglecting clearing turns, delaying stall recovery, and misusing the rudder. Additionally, both private and commercial pilot checkrides require the demonstration of slow flight. As you increase the throttle, anticipate the need to add more right rudder. Use the rudder to stay coordinated.

Lift

Jetwhine

JANUARY 17, 2024

Cram enough L–39 knowledge and skill into my brain to pass a type-rating checkride. Only if a pilot chooses the complete course with a checkride is an instrument rating required. You’d think pilot problems would be all about stick-and-rudder skills here,” he said. Hold full right rudder and gently grab the handbrake.

Knot

iPad Pilot News

MARCH 27, 2025

Airbus FlySmart Airbus offers a collection of apps for pilots to assistwith performance planning, maintenance and other operational guidance when flying these airplanes. Bombardier Aerospace This collection of apps provides eLearning, operating procedures and maintenance utilities for operators of Bombardier jet airplanes.

Weather

Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

To learn all the maneuvers you’ll need to perform on your practical test, check out Airplane Maneuvers Mastery for more. Proper rudder use is required to counter adverse yaw to maintain coordinated flight. The Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for your airplane will list V A , typically for maximum gross weight.

Lift

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

You’ve got to study from books, do tricky things in airplanes, and talk on the radio to air traffic controllers. Focus on Hard Subjects Early Learning to fly is about more than just about stick and rudder skills. Overloading yourself with information right before checkrides. Skipping meals or depending on energy drinks.

Weather

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

They are also one of the most feared maneuvers during the private pilot checkride. Airplanes with higher wing loading may need power all the way until the flare. If conducting a checkride, you might blow past the stopping point, which could result in a failure. These stick and rudder skills will help you with crosswind landings.

Weight-Shift-Control

Northstar VFR

AUGUST 18, 2023

By Jordan Bullock CFI, Boeing 737 Pilot The first experience most people have in a small airplane is a discovery flight with a flight instructor. Most instructors let the newbie control the aircraft once at altitude while showing them how an airplane flies. Next, the student receives a safety briefing and then they hit the skies!

Checkride

Pilot Institute

AUGUST 2, 2024

Use rudder to check balance. Commercial Pilot ACS Standards You will have to recover from an unusual attitude during your checkride. High or increasing ‘G’ loading – felt by yourself. Increase of engine RPM – read from your engine RPM gauge. Recovery Close the throttle immediately and simultaneously level the wings.

Altimeter

Air Facts

AUGUST 26, 2024

Now it’s time to look at VFR pilots, and to spare you the suspense, the answer is similarly prosaic: loss of control on landing damages more airplanes than any other accident scenario. That means every day in the summer somewhere between two and five airplanes are damaged—just on landing! What can be done? First, some perspective.

Knot