Learn to Fly Blog

It's a smooth flight on a beautiful evening over the Washington cascades as your passenger peers out of the window of the family Cessna 172. "How high are we?" she asks curiously. You respond simply with 8,000 feet, seemingly satisfying her interest. But there's...

In April 2018, the FAA changed it's long standing requirement for Commercial Pilot applicants to complete their practical exam in a "Complex" aircraft. Pilot's could now, with seemingly the flip of a switch, use "Technically Advanced Aircraft", or TAA for short, in...

No two pilots will agree... Everyone seems to over-glorify the aircraft which they learned to fly in. Maybe it's the joy of accomplishing a goal in a particular airframe; or maybe its that they are most familiar with that specific trainers flight characteristics?...

§91.205 of the Federal Aviation Regulations prescribes what equipment aircraft must have to operate in the United States. This is where pilot's can find equipment required for IFR. But like most things in aviation, It's a lot for anyone to remember! Luckily an acronym...

Early last week the Federal Aviation Administration released guidance to pilots and air carriers in the form of a special FAR, providing relief as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.  Among the changes, the FAA primarily addressed those regulations written under...

One of the most common questions many aspiring pilots ask is how much commercial pilots make? The answer is anything but straight forward, but is probably a good figure to get in mind before delving into flight school applications. While yes, most pilots make a...

Regulations require pilots to become familiar with all aspects of a flight before every departure. The prospect of remembering all of the items required to check can be dizzying. It's a lot for anyone to remember. Luckily an acronym exists to help break down the...

"Skyhawk 9ES, you're cleared as filed." Are the words you hear as you are receiving your clearance limits before your IFR departure. It's supposed to be an uneventful flight, but seemingly out of nowhere, everything you planned changes. Now under-prepared, you...

The FAA Oral and Practical exams are not fun. Besides being extremely stressful, checkrides can be challenging for a number of reasons. Every examiners "gouge" can be quite different, weather can change at a moments notice, and unpredictable circumstances can...

Six months ago the United States was in an airline pilot shortage. Today, hundreds of pilots will join the unemployment line. “It’s difficult to articulate or even comprehend the speed at which the coronavirus has changed our industry and our world, and the impact it...

Flight Simulators have created a new revolution in aviation training. Across the United States, thousands of pilots have taken advantage of their capabilities. From procedures training, IFR currency, and even emergency scenario-based training, simulators continue to...

Have you ever boarded an airline flight and wondered how to become a professional pilot? Commercial aviators go through lots of technical training to fly advanced airliners. But as cool as it is to fly heavy metal, every pilot once started in small single-engine...