Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

A flat spin is a thrilling (and potentially dangerous) flight phenomenon that pilots must prepare for. In reality, flat spins can challenge even experienced pilots, making it important for you to understand what they are and how to handle them. Ready to become a safer pilot? An aft center of gravity increases flat spin risk.

Center of Gravity

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) With lateral options dwindling, the Bell 47D went into a vertical lift.

Pilot

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 9, 2025

Center of Gravity: Used to calculate and balance the aircraft’s center of gravity. Wing Control: Flaps, slats, and ailerons change the chord line, impacting lift and control. This issue aside, there is another reason why pilots, aircraft engineers, and designers talk about chord lines. So far, so good?

Center of Gravity

Flying Magazine

MAY 10, 2024

With a better understanding of the structure of the test, the material the exam covers, and some sample questions, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a commercial drone pilot. Courses like those offered by Altitude University , The Pilot Institute and ASA , for instance, include several graded practice exams and quizzes.

Weight-Shift-Control

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

It was also the first VTOL aircraft to use a jet thrust diverter system for vertical lift. On February 19, 1957, the Bell X-14 made its first vertical takeoff, with the pilot keeping the aircraft in a hover until making a vertical landing. Fortunately, the pilot in this incident, Ronald M.

Thrust

Learn to Fly

JULY 11, 2024

What can pilots do to prevent this? During your student pilot training you are taught to rely on speed and the 1G stall speed to avoid stalls. This happens regardless of weight, bank angle, temperature, density altitude, or center of gravity. Without an AOA indicator, the AOA is invisible to pilots.

Airfoil

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

And ice doesn’t just make things slippery, it messes with the airflow over the wings, cuts down on lift, and ramps up drag. This leads to a serious loss of lift and an increase in drag. This roughness adds to friction drag, which can reduce lift and increase drag by as much as 50% on a wing’s leading edge and upper surface.

Pitot Tube

Pilot Institute

MARCH 26, 2024

A soft field landing is a technique pilots use when landing on unpaved surfaces. Why Do Pilots Perform Soft Field Landings? This tendency is due to their high center of gravity and heavy engine over the nose wheel. Crowd Source Information The next best resource for information about runway conditions is other pilots.

NOTAMs

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

Large aircraft use yaw dampers while small aircraft rely on piloting techniques to counter Dutch roll. The outer wing generates more lift than the inner wing since it’s temporarily moving faster. Extra lift makes the wing rise. Increased lift on the raised wing immediately creates more induced drag. What Is a Dutch Roll?

Stability

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 7, 2025

Lets unpack what makes PAVE an indispensable tool for every pilot who values safety and precision. It stands for: P: Pilot A: Aircraft V: Environment E: External Pressures Whats the use of this checklist? Pilot: Assessing Personal Readiness Now, lets go through each component in PAVE. A safe flight starts with good preparation.

NOTAMs

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

Landing an airplane is not easy, even for experienced pilots. Why Crosswind Landings Aren’t Easy Ideally, pilots want the wind to hit the aircraft dead on the nose while landing. If the pilot makes no corrections, the aircraft gets blown off the runway centerline. Many pilots de-crab right before touchdown.

Crosswind

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 16, 2024

These enhancements, along with an increased center of gravity adjustment through the addition of forward ballast, ensured that the Sunderland could effectively defend itself while maintaining balance during flight. The nose turret, initially equipped with a Vickers K machine gun, was later switched to a Browning machine gun.

Center of Gravity

Flying Magazine

MAY 6, 2025

Adventurous aerobatic pilot Frank Christensen, owner of Christen Industries, which built the Pitts Special series and the Christen Eagle II aerobatic biplane kit, watched as biplane sales fell during the early 1980s. In 1995, businessman, backcountry, and aerobatic pilot Stu Horn bought the company and changed its name to Aviat Aircraft Inc.

Gross Weight

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

When spelled geoduck it represents a grotesque, oversized mollusk, or clam to we pilot simpletons. Much depends on the aircraft’s weight, pilot skill and, surprisingly, “how much abuse you want to experience. Checking the oil is the main attraction to the pilot. The airplane will handle more than you want to.”

Airplanes