Plane and Pilot

JULY 31, 2025

Aviation then was a realm of VOR needles, paper charts, and the pure joy of stick-and-rudder flight. Cockpit Revolution: Steam Gauges to Glass Thirty-three years ago, my Skipper’s panel was a cluster of analog “steam gauges”—altimeter, airspeed, and attitude indicators, their needles prone to subtle quivers.

VOR

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 27, 2025

The six primary instruments (the six-pack) are the Attitude Indicator (AI), Heading Indicator (HI), Turn Coordinator, Airspeed Indicator, Altimeter, and the Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI). For example, when the ball is displaced to the left, this informs the pilot that left rudder input is required. vertical speed), and airspeed.

Pitot Tube

Flying Magazine

JULY 1, 2025

Some do well while others struggle as they get used to the feel of real controls, refine their rudder coordination skills, and attempt to tune radios and VORs without the option of hitting a “pause” button. Rudder Pedals Are Not Optional Too many home pilots skip rudder pedals. It’s what they used, and how they used it.

Rudder