Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Whether you’re aiming for a private pilot license or seeking advanced certifications, Leopard Aviation provides personalized training programs to fit your schedule and goals. Understanding the Basics of Flight Aerodynamics 101 Flying a small plane revolves around understanding four key forces: lift, thrust, drag, and weight.

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Weather Pilot Drag Rudder 52

WayMan

DECEMBER 18, 2024

This knowledge is crucial for anyone who wants to become a pilot. This range, also known as the stratosphere, is ideal for several reasons: Fuel Efficiency : The thinner air at high altitudes reduces drag, helping aircraft consume less fuel. How High Do Commercial Planes Fly?

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Turbulence Drag Ceiling Weather 52

Flight Training Central

MAY 7, 2024

As much as it seems sometimes that airplanes fly by magic, it’s important for every pilot to understand at least the basic fundamentals of aerodynamics. Understanding these concepts will create a smoother and safer pilot. The four forces acting on an airplane in flight are lift, weight, thrust, and drag.

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Gross Weight Longitudinal Axis Airfoil Lift 98

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. Understanding the Basics of Flight Principles of Flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag Flying a plane for the first time requires a basic understanding of the forces that make flight possible.

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Aileron Drag Rudder Descent 52

Aerotime

JULY 26, 2024

The UK has a rich and deep history in engineering, invention, and innovation, and in the 18 th century it was the epicenter of the Industrial Revolution which dragged the world into the new age of industrialization. Aerospace is undergoing its biggest revolution since the jet engine era.

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Lift Aviation Technology Cargo Drag 284

Air Facts

MAY 14, 2025

Throttle Mismanagement: A T-38 Lesson That Stuck Air Facts Journal An Air Force instructor teaches a powerful lesson on throttle finessein a jet that doesnt forgive overcorrections Have you ever been in a car or plane where the person driving or piloting is constantly adjusting the throttle? At least he didnt light the afterburners!

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AGL Crosswind Final Approach Threshold 52

Fear of Landing

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

For the next leg, from Corfu to Leeds Bradford Airport, the captain, an ATPL with 14,250 hours, of which 2,800 were on type, was the Pilot Flying. The autobrake engaged, reverse thrust was deployed and they began to decelerate. avoided the wheel brakes and cancelled the reverse thrust.

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Crosswind Rudder Knot Runway 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

When the aircraft is in a high-drag configuration, a stall at a low altitude can be quite dangerous. How to Perform a Power-off Stall The FAA’s Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards (ACS) outline the procedure for performing a power-off stall. Because showing sound judgment and preparation is part of what makes a good pilot.

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Descent Approach AGL Lift 52

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 26, 2024

The prototype made its first flight on October 26 that year with test pilot Vance Breese at the controls, the test flight giving successful results and the prototype showcasing good handling characteristics along with satisfactory payload at lower altitudes. As WWII proceeded, Mustang pilots almost destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft.

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Drag Payload Thrust Pilot 116

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 5, 2025

One of the most reliable aircraft for training is the Piper Seminole, a twin-engine plane that offers hands-on experience for future pilots. Section 1: Getting to Know the Piper Seminole The Piper Seminole is a versatile twin-engine aircraft frequently used for flight training, particularly for pilots advancing to multi-engine ratings.

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Descent Final Approach Approach Runway 52

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 11, 2025

Irving and Vultee’s chief test pilot Frank W. Ground testing from June to December 1945, however, found the T-31 difficult to start, and once started, difficult for the pilot to control. Davis to lead the project’s design team. The throttle controls also suffered from control lag, with Frank W.

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Thrust Tail Jet Drag 52

Flight Training Central

MAY 6, 2024

Because birds were designed by God and he created them with high wings”- quote by the late John Frank, Cessna Pilots Association. You don’t have to hang around airports, airplanes or pilots very long until someone will crank up the high wing versus low wing debate. “Low wing airplanes were designed by the very devil himself.

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Lift Drag Airplanes Ground Effect 97

Northstar VFR

JANUARY 8, 2024

By Josh Page, CFI Whenever I’m in an airplane as a passenger or a pilot , I still marvel that this heavy machine can get off the ground, soar through the sky, and land at my destination. Thrust Thrust is our forward motion. Drag I don’t mean to be a drag at this point, but let’s talk about what holds the plane back.

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Drag Lift Thrust Airplanes 52

Pilot's Life Blog

DECEMBER 20, 2024

What is pilot ground school? Its the first essential step in your journey to becoming a certified pilot. What Pilot Ground School Entails So, what is pilot ground school ? Its a crucial part of becoming a pilot. Air Law : Knowing the rules of the sky is essential for every pilot.

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Pilot Air Traffic Control Weather Flight Plan 52

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

It’s a rite of passage for pilots-in-training to hear these words come from their flight instructor repeatedly. The pilot can control the yawing of the plane by inputs on the rudder pedals. Some new student pilots think the rudder and vertical stabilizer are the same thing. The pilot controls the throttle to create thrust.

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Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Have you ever wondered how pilots keep control at high speeds, during stalls, or even when systems fail? The pilot is able to control the aircrafts roll by turning the control yoke or sidestick in the cockpit. The hydraulic system works similarly to a cars power steering and greatly reduces the effort needed by the pilots.

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Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Pilot Institute

MARCH 29, 2024

Key Takeaways Slow flight trains pilots to handle the aircraft at speeds just above stalling. That’s why it’s crucial for pilots to learn aircraft control at low speeds. Additionally, both private and commercial pilot checkrides require the demonstration of slow flight. Pilots use reference stalling speeds instead.

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Lift Rudder Drag Checkride 52

Airspeed Junkie

AUGUST 27, 2024

The common cockpit design allows pilots to transition between different Airbus aircraft with minimal additional training, enhancing operational flexibility. One of the standout features is its unique wing design with a high aspect ratio, which allows for improved lift and reduced drag, ensuring smoother and more efficient flights.

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Ceiling Drag Wide-Body Aircraft Lift 96

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. The engine creates thrust by burning fuel.

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Horizontal Stabilizer Aileron Air Traffic Control Lift 52

Latatuide 33 Aviation

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

Private air charter companies are implementing flight deck systems that optimize the pilot’s ability to engage various processes and visualize their flight path. New flight deck technology reduces the time between power-up and takeoff while helping pilots land on schedule and minimize times enroute.

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Flight Deck Drag Thrust Jet 52

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. Without an AOA indicator, the AOA is invisible to pilots. Of those fatal accidents, half involve stall/spin scenarios resulting in a crash. Types of angle of attack indicators.

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Airfoil Center of Gravity Density Altitude Drag 40

Vintage Aviation News

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

Bennett, who focused on incorporating a rotor-driven lift system with conventional wings and engines for forward thrust. This design reduced drag and increased efficiency during forward flight. Throughout aviation history, countless aircraft designs have sparked the imagination of engineers, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts.

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Runway Drag Thrust Knot 56

AeroSavvy

OCTOBER 26, 2020

The instrument provides pilots with a surprising amount of information. Read on to find out how the classic SI-800 works and how pilots use it! When an aircraft exceeds M MO , a shock wave forms over the wing causing increased drag, buffeting, and possible loss of control. Pilots set the bugs before takeoff and prior to landing.

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Pitot Tube Indicated Airspeed Knot Altimeter 52

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 1, 2024

Additionally, the straight-wing design of the XP-59 caused drag issues, which limited its performance and speed. Air Force Propelled to a New Start Despite facing all these challenges, “Airacomet” took its first flight on October 1, 1942, with Bell’s chief test pilot, Robert Stanley. pilots and engineers.

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Jet Stability Drag Thrust 52

Jetwhine

JANUARY 17, 2024

I’ve been flying jets for years as a corporate pilot, but not real jets to some … like fighter jets. When opportunity knocked with an offer to fly an Aero Vodochody L–39 Albatros (one “s” in the Czech spelling)—a single-engine bird still used as a basic trainer for some nation’s fighter pilots—I jumped at the chance.

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Knot Rudder Pilot Checkride 52

Flying Magazine

JUNE 2, 2025

An instrument-rated private pilot and flight enthusiast, he used the proceeds to create, with two partners, a new company, which they named Boom Technology. Approaching and passing through Mach 1, however, an airplane acquires, in addition to the drag it already has, a new kind of drag, called wave drag.

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Drag Airplanes Knot Indicated Airspeed 98

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

This principle is fundamental in generating lift, thrust, and maneuverability, allowing aircraft to fly. Newton’s Third Law helps pilots and engineers improve flight safety and aircraft performance. Thrust (how it moves forward). That force is called thrust. Thrust relies on Newtons Third Law as well.

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Lift Torque Thrust Aileron 52

Pilot Institute

JUNE 12, 2025

As you reach high speeds, especially near or above the speed of sound, you can then sweep the wings back to reduce drag. They delay the formation of shock waves that cause wave drag. These movements are controlled by hydraulic or electric actuators, which are managed by onboard computers or you, the pilot.

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Weight-Shift-Control Drag Lift Payload 52

Aerotime

MARCH 27, 2025

However, the Concorde, along with countless other military aircraft of various sizes and descriptions, could never have made that leap beyond Mach One, the official speed at which an aircraft is traveling faster than the speed of sound, without the bravery and spirit of adventure of one pilot and his unwavering passion for aviation.

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Pilot Drag Airplanes Thrust 244

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Powered by two Rolls-Royce Avon Turbojet 301R engines, mounted in a staggered arrangement, the Lightnings engines produced 32,720 pounds of thrust with full reheat, roughly equivalent to 80,000 horsepower. This arrangement also reduced drag by 25% compared to a conventional engine setup.

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Jet Drag Runway Thrust 119

Airspeed Junkie

AUGUST 6, 2024

The F-15’s vertical takeoff capabilities, achieved through its impressive thrust-to-weight ratio and advanced flight control systems, allow rapid ascents and extreme maneuverability, vital in combat situations. It allows pilots to engage enemy aircraft with precision.

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Jet Thrust Pilot Cockpit 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 9, 2024

We learn all about aerodynamics, thrust, drag, lift, and gravity, study flight manuals, emergency procedures, and FARs, take oral exams and check rides, and constantly review everything we can find about flying. The pilot now nervously reported that he was almost out of fuel and wasn’t there anything closer.

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Runway Pilot Approach Weather 95

Air Facts

JULY 22, 2024

Passing the torch Air Facts Journal Pilots are life-long learners, and, per the Feynman Learning Technique, the best way to learn anything is to teach it to someone else. With that in mind, plus a desire to pass the torch to a new generation, some old pilots developed a week-long aviation camp for youth, ages 14-18.

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Lift Knot Airfoil Airplanes 98

Aerotime

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

On June 15, 1985, during the second stop off in Beirut, a 23-year-old US Navy diver called Robert Stethem was dragged to the plane’s open door and executed with a gunshot to the head. The report concluded that the cause of the accident was “unlawful interference by the hijackers which resulted in loss of engine thrust due to fuel exhaustion”.

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Cockpit Tarmac Drag Thrust 275

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 29, 2024

From daring rescues of downed pilots as enemy forces closed in to handling a crazed water buffalo aboard a C-123K transport, seasoned veterans share their unforgettable and extraordinary experiences. As the new guy pilot, I was assigned the Number Two position in a four-ship formation, our flight leader’s right wingman.

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Drag Thrust Pilot Rudder 52

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 12, 2024

Power-off stalls can be anxiety-inducing for student pilots when they first experience them. Stalling with a high-power setting takes more effort since there is thrust and a high-energy slipstream from the propeller, which prevents boundary layer separation. There are very obvious indications the pilot receives of an impending stall.

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Stability Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes Lift 52

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 7, 2025

For pilots, memorable experiences are a combination of the where and when along with the what and the whom. Plane & Pilot associate editor Cayla McLeod is the youngster who, you might be surprised, isnt all about the latest stuff. Although todays airline pilots might scoff at the DC-3, true aviators could never.

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Airplanes Tail Pilot Jet 98