Flight Nerd Air Force: Aviation Training

Whether you’re an aspiring pilot or just looking to brush up on your aviation knowledge, understanding the basics of private pilot ground school is essential. Private pilot ground school covers the topics and skills required to receive a private pilot license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In this article, we'll break down what ground school entails and why it's so important for pilots.

Ground School Basics

Private Pilot Ground School begins with a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of aeronautical knowledge and safety. This includes topics such as aircraft systems and performance, airspace operations, navigation, weather, communication procedures, airport operations, aircraft weight and balance calculations, emergency procedures and more.

The classroom instruction will also include practice tests designed to prepare you for the FAA written test. During this time you will have a chance to ask questions and discuss concepts in more detail with your...

It can be frustrating to try and calculate the financial costs of flying.  Doing an online search will leave most people utterly overwhelmed.  But in my years of involvement in the aviation industry, I’ve learned that there are a few important factors that will help you know how much you will be paying and what you’re getting for your money.

The wet, hourly price to rent an airplane depends heavily on the type of aircraft.  The following are general guidelines for what you should be paying for different size aircraft:

1. Two-seat trainer: $90-120/hour
2. Older model 4-seat trainer: $120-170/hour
3. Late model 4-seat trainer: $125-179/hour
4. Six-seat single-engine: $220-384/hour
5. Six to 8-seat multi-engine: $290-479/hour

What is “wet-rate”?

Airplane rental prices depend very heavily on a number of factors.  The first factor is the difference between “dry-rate” and “wet-rate” pricing.

In the world of airplanes, having full...

Most people with a driver’s license are familiar with the process of starting their car and getting it ready to hit the road.  But few people understand what is involved in starting up an airplane, specifically a Cessna 172.  So, in this article, we’re going to show you how to start a Cessna 172.

According to the Cessna 172SP startup checklist, starting the aircraft engine involves the following steps:

1. Open the throttle ¼ to ½ inch.
2. Turn the master switch ON.
3. Turn the fuel pump ON.
4. Position the fuel mixture to full RICH until stable fuel flow is established. Then change it to full LEAN.
5. Turn the beacon light ON.
6. CLEAR the propeller area.
7. Turn the ignition switch to START.
8. When the engine starts, set the mixture control to full RICH.
9. Turn the ignition switch back to BOTH.
10. CHECK the oil pressure.
11. Turn the Avionics Bus 1 and Bust 2 ON.
12. Turn ON and SET the Radios.
13. Turn the transponder ON.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into each of these steps so...

In the world of aviation, what happens on your personal time can have an affect on your ability to fly.  One common question for new pilots and people considering flight training is:  Will a misdemeanor conviction disqualify me from getting a pilot’s license?

The truth is, if the conviction is not drug or alcohol related, it probably won’t affect your ability to get a pilot’s license.  Chances are that drug and alcohol related charges will be a problem.  If you hope to work for an airline, the airline will determine whether they believe the conviction is problematic for their needs and company culture.

But before you lose hope or assume you’re in the clear, it’s important to consider the following critical information.

Drug and Alcohol Convictions

The FAA is dead serious about criminal convictions that have anything to do with misuse of drugs and alcohol.  According to Federal Aviation Regulation 61.15, the FAA considers the...