Flight Nerd Weekly Briefing
The latest updates to help you prep for FAA exams and enjoy the world of aviation!
Drag and Lift: The Push-Pull Relationship in Small Aircraft
When it comes to keeping an aircraft in the air, lift is the hero of the story—but drag is the ever-present villain, constantly working against forward motion. While drag might seem like an unnecessary nuisance, it’s actually an important part of the aerodynamic equation. Understanding drag and h...
Mar 23, 2025
Air Density and Lift: Why Thin Air Makes Flying Tricky
For small aircraft, the ability to generate lift depends not just on airspeed and wing design but also on the density of the air. While air may be invisible, its thickness (or lack thereof) plays a major role in how well an aircraft flies. Pilots must understand how changes in air density affect ...
Mar 19, 2025
Wing Area and Lift: Why Size Matters in Small Aircraft
When it comes to generating lift, wing area plays a crucial role in how well an aircraft stays aloft. While airspeed and angle of attack are often the stars of the show, the size of the wings determines how much air they can manipulate to produce lift. For small aircraft, wing area is carefully d...
Mar 19, 2025
Aircraft Stalls: What They Are and How to Manage Them
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds,
Stalls are one of the most critical topics for any pilot to understand, especially when flying small aircraft. They aren’t about the engine “stalling” but rather involve a rapid loss of lift caused by exceeding the wing's critical angle of attack (AOA). This article...
Mar 02, 2025
Airspeed and Angle of Attack: The Lift Connection for Small Aircraft
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
When it comes to how small aircraft stay in the air, the relationship between airspeed and angle of attack (AOA) is key. These two factors work together to generate the lift that counteracts gravity and keeps the aircraft flying. Let’s break it down in a straightfor...
Feb 23, 2025
The Airfoil: How Small Aircraft Achieve Lift
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
The airfoil is the unsung hero of aviation, working tirelessly to generate the lift that keeps small aircraft airborne. From its distinctive shape to the forces it interacts with, the airfoil plays a central role in flight dynamics. In this article, we’ll dive into ...
Feb 16, 2025
Newton’s Third Law and the Production of Lift in Small Aircraft
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
Newton's Third Law of Motion states: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." While this law is often associated with rockets and propellers, it also plays a critical role in the production of lift in small aircraft. Let’s break it down in the co...
Feb 02, 2025
Bernoulli's Principle and Small Aircraft: The Science of Lift
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
In aviation, Bernoulli's Principle plays a fundamental role in explaining how aircraft achieve lift. While Newton's laws also contribute to understanding flight, Bernoulli’s Principle offers insights into the pressure differences across a wing that help small aircra...
Jan 26, 2025
Understanding the Coefficient of Lift in Small Aircraft
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
The coefficient of lift CL is a vital concept in aerodynamics, encapsulating how well a wing or airfoil generates lift under given conditions. For small aircraft, understanding CL is crucial for optimizing performance and maintaining safe flight. Let’s explore what ...
Jan 19, 2025
An Introduction to Aircraft Aerodynamics for Small Aircraft
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
Aerodynamics is the science of how air interacts with objects, and it’s a fundamental part of understanding flight. For pilots of small aircraft, a solid grasp of aerodynamics can make the difference between smooth, efficient flights and challenging ones. This intro...
Jan 12, 2025
Welcome to the Cockpit: An Introduction to Small Aircraft Control Hubs
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
Stepping into the cockpit of a small aircraft is like entering a world of dials, switches, and screens, all designed to keep you safe and in control as you soar through the skies. For aspiring pilots, understanding the layout and function of a cockpit is an essentia...
Jan 05, 2025
Private Pilot License vs. Sport Pilot License: What’s the Difference?
Tally Ho, Fellow Flight Nerds!
When pursuing your aviation dreams, choosing the right pilot certificate is a crucial first step. For many aspiring pilots interested in small aircraft, the Private Pilot License (PPL) and Sport Pilot License (SPL) are the most popular choices. While both allow you ...
Dec 29, 2024
Flight Nerd Weekly Briefing
