Author: Dan Pimentel
Any licensed private pilot who has tried to earn their instrument rating knows that traditional instrument flight training can be slow, frustrating and unnecessarily redundant. Medford, Oregon-based Certified Flight Instructor Field Morey realized long ago that he needed to get his instrument students away from the distractions of day-to-day life so they could focus on the process of learning IFR mastery.
To separate life from flight training, Morey takes two students at a time on what he calls "West Coast Adventure Flights" spanning six days flying throughout the American West. He has used this technique to teach instrument flying for over 40 years, with over 600 pilots building hours towards their IFR rating while seeing the Western United States from inside Morey's 2008 Cessna T182T Skylane aircraft.
Morey offers three different IFR adventure flights:
The Alaska Adventure is an incredible area to spend a week of flight training while enjoying the majestic scenery and grandeur of the great America wilderness. On this once-in-a-lifetime trip, is as important as the six days of IFR flight training you'll receive, much if it in the kind of real-world IMC that is found in Alaska.
After departure from Medford, IFR flight students cross over into Canada and clear Canadian customs using CANPASS. The flight then travels north along the British Columbia coastline, and after clearing U.S. Customs at Ketchikan, the trip has planned stops at Anchorage, Sitka,Yakutat, Cordova, Juneau, and other points of interest. If weather allows, students may also see Mt. McKinley (Denali).
For pilots seeking to learn backcountry flying and operations, Morey offers the Wilderness Adventure Flight, a six-day flight designed as an instrument refresher as well as a chance to learn the skills for operating in the Idaho backcountry.
The course begins in Medford with two flight students and Morey traveling north into Washington, Idaho and Montana to learn the "ins and outs" of operations from mountain strips as well as canyon techniques. On this adventure, pilots get time to hike, fish or just relax and enjoy the solitude of the Idaho Wilderness.
Pilot and flight student Blake Picquet of Fort Worth, TX was one of Morey's students on this adventure a few years ago. "Never will you find another opportunity to combine a legendary instructor with the panoramic views and intensity of the Idaho backcountry. The result is a trip that will put all your skills to the test...commercial, instrument, and of course, fly fishing," Picquet said.
Morey also offers the Rockies Adventure Flight, a six-day training session that combines IFR mountain techniques with beautiful scenery from the Rockies and American Southwest. After stops in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona, the training continues in the busy Class Bravo airspace of the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions before arriving back in Medford, Oregon.
One aspect of Morey's Adventure Flights is the a brand new Cessna 182 Skylane with glass cockpit. The turbocharged Skylane provides the additional performance needed in the mountainous areas along with additional power to climb above the icing conditions during the winter months. The aircraft has a full Garmin G1000 instrument panel and is soon to be equipped with Garmin "Synthetic Vision Technology" plus TAWS-B Terrain and Obstruction Data, GDL-69 Datalink with XM Weather and Radio, and Garmin GFC700 Autopilot, Morey has even outfitted his Skylane with Bose noise canceling headsets to create a quiet training environment.
The training program has proven to be such a success, all trips during Morey's 2008 training season easily sold out. He has launched a new website that is sure to continue making his West Coast Adventure Flights one of the most popular IFR training programs in the country.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/a-different-approach-to-instrument-flight-training-798340.html
About the Author:
Author and private pilot Dan Pimentel owns a creative studio in Oregon and frequently writes about aviation topics at his blog, World of Flying.
Pass Your FAA Checkride - 10 Tips You MUST Know
Author: Beto Valentine
Of all the tests you'll take in your life, the FAA practical flight test is one you don't want to repeat. Months of flight training and ground school have led to this one moment - the culmination of your aviation knowledge. Here's your chance to shine, to show the FAA examiner everything you've learned both on the ground and in the air. By following the 10 tips listed below, you'll not only pass your FAA checkride - you'll do it with skill and confidence.
Preparation is Everything - Days before your FAA checkride, have your homework done early. Know the practical test standards (PTS) inside and out, especially the suggested minimum altitudes for each required flight maneuver. Did you research your examiner? Have you talked to other pilots who might've gotten their license through him? You may be able to find out if there are certain aeronautical areas the FAA examiner stresses more than others. Are you taking your flight test at your home airport? If not, you'd make sure you take at least a few practice flights there. Know the runways, the taxiways - learn everything you possibly can beforehand, and arm yourself with that knowledge going into your flight test.
Get a Good Start - Not many people understand this, but your FAA checkride starts the night before. Forgo studying... getting a good night's sleep is way more important than anything you might cram into your head at the last minute. Wake refreshed, relaxed, and eat a solid breakfast. Think back to your flight training, and try to remember the good days: your first solo, your sharpest maneuvers, and all the best landings that you ever made. Get yourself into a mental state of cool confidence. Being a bit nervous is normal, but remember that to have reached this point you already know your stuff.
Have all your Paperwork Ready - Believe it or not, many pilots show up to their FAA checkride without all their identification or paperwork in order. Go over your 8710 airman certificate application with a fine-tooth comb, then ask your flight instructor to do it also. Inconveniencing the FAA examiner by having to fill out a new application during your flight test is going to leave a bad taste in his or her mouth. Check your sectional charts to make sure they're current. Ditto for your airport directory. Get two weather briefings: a standard briefing the night before and an abbreviated one the morning of your flight test. Write everything down and bring it to the test with you. Check and re-check your logbook, to make sure you have all the minimum flight hours for each area of your training. Have your CFI double-check to make sure you've been signed off on all necessary ratings and endorsements, and that all your dates are straight. Having everything current, neatly filled out, and in proper order will start your checkride off on the right foot.
Know your Route - Understand the route the examiner asked you to plot for your flight plan, as well as the route to your alternate airport. While you probably won't be flying the full length of the plotted course, you should know everything about these routes inside and out including altitude minimums or airspace requirements. Prepare a lapboard cheat sheet the night before, with all necessary frequencies of surrounding airports written down and easily accessible. Mentally prepare contingency plans based upon an in-flight emergency anywhere along those routes, because your examiner might pull the throttle on you at any time.
Know that you Don't Know Everything - The oral part of your FAA flight exam is just as important as the flying portion, and you should certainly treat it as such. However, remember here that you're an aviation student, and the FAA examiner is most likely an experienced pilot or aviation professional. The examiner isn't expecting you to know everything, but he or she is looking for serious holes in your aeronautical knowledge. Don't give the examiner a reason to fail you by not knowing the basics - you should know the fundamentals of flight inside and out. On the more complicated subjects you should have identified your weaknesses and worked on strengthening them before arriving at your checkride. Giving one word answers will demonstrate a lack of knowledge; always try to elaborate when answering a question but don't give false information or guess at the answers. You'll be asked situational and hypothetical questions as well. The instructor will not only be looking for the right answer, he'll be more interested in seeing if you know why your answer is correct. It's okay if you don't know everything, but it's not okay if you're showing the examiner a lack of having studied the material in your practical test standards.
Organize your Airplane - Don't show up to your checkride with under-inflated tires, low on oil, or anything else that could ding you right off the bat. When the preflight inspection starts, you're going to be concentrating on your checklist. This isn't the time to have to dig through the plane for your AROW and aircraft documents, so have them readily available and accessible way beforehand. Double check that you have the instrument visor or foggles within easy reach during the flight test. Clean the floor of the airplane of any charts, debris or other clutter, and make sure the seatbelts are adjusted correctly and in good working order. All of these little things add up to a smooth preflight and runup.
Maintain Balance - While flying, try to maintain a good balance of attention both inside and outside the aircraft. The examiner wants to see you scan for traffic, so when you do it, make it overly obvious to him. However, don't allow yourself to get lost in the world outside the cockpit for too long. You need to maintain airspeed and altitude minimums according to the practical test standards, and you also need to keep the aircraft within it's acceptable limitations. Trim the airplane as soon as you can, usually upon reaching cruise altitude. Not only will this help you concentrate more on flying and less on making small constant corrections, but it will also show the examiner that you value control. When asked to demonstrate steep turns, stalls, or any other flight maneuver, make certain you're at the proper altitude and airspeed (according to the PTS) before beginning. If not, announce to the examiner that you're going to climb, descend, or adjust your speed, then make your clearing turn before starting.
Use your Checklists - Just as the FAA examiner wants to see that you prepared for your checkride, he wants to see you prepared during your checkride. During every phase of your flight, make sure you use your checklist. Don't speed through the motions out of nervousness either - take your time and do things correctly. Aside from your standard checklist and sectional map, you should have a piece of scrap paper on your kneeboard with a pencil readily available. Use this during your preflight to jot down the ATIS information and wind direction. Before arriving for your flight test, you should also have neatly listed all of the frequencies you'll need during your flight. Don't be afraid to refer to this information during various stages of your checkride, but never forget to maintain control of the airplane.
Acknowledge Mistakes - Very few student pilots will fly a perfect checkride - mistakes happen. If you make a mistake during your flight test, don't expect it to go unnoticed. The best thing to do is announce the mistake, explain why it was a mistake, and then ask the FAA examiner if you can repeat the maneuver. Most likely you'll be given another chance to do it, and the examiner will appreciate that you recognized the failure before having to be told. If the examiner points the mistake out, once again apologize and ask to repeat. Don't make excuses or try the manuever again without asking the examiner. Maintain positive control of the aircraft, and try not to overcorrect when repeating the procedure the second time.
Fly Confidently and Safely - More important than just about everything else, you must be master of the airplane during your flight test. Put your nervousness aside and remember that flying the aircraft comes first before anything else. Make smooth movements through the throttle, and make coordinated turns with your rudder. Confidently announce your intentions to the instructor during various stages of the flight, such as when making clearning turns or leaning out the mixture. Throughout your flight test the FAA examiner will be writing things down - this is neither good nor bad, so don't let it distract you. If you don't fixate on the fact that you're being tested, you'll be more prone to relax and fly the plane a lot more smoothly and normally. If you need to, mentally remind yourself that you've flown and landed your airplane dozens of times before.
To pass your FAA checkride, you'll need to remain calm and focused. By following the tips above, any student pilot will begin and end his or her flight test by making a positive impression on the FAA examiner. In closing, remember that the flight training involved in getting to your checkride should have been the hard part. The checkride itself should be nothing more than nice day of flying.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/pass-your-faa-checkride-10-tips-you-must-know-540455.html
About the Author:
Visit Student Flying Club for more flying tips including flight planning, aviation articles, and all kinds of flight training tools for the student pilot - including an online E6B Flight Calculator. Also read the day-to-day flight journals of actual student pilots during their flight training.
Of all the tests you'll take in your life, the FAA practical flight test is one you don't want to repeat. Months of flight training and ground school have led to this one moment - the culmination of your aviation knowledge. Here's your chance to shine, to show the FAA examiner everything you've learned both on the ground and in the air. By following the 10 tips listed below, you'll not only pass your FAA checkride - you'll do it with skill and confidence.
Preparation is Everything - Days before your FAA checkride, have your homework done early. Know the practical test standards (PTS) inside and out, especially the suggested minimum altitudes for each required flight maneuver. Did you research your examiner? Have you talked to other pilots who might've gotten their license through him? You may be able to find out if there are certain aeronautical areas the FAA examiner stresses more than others. Are you taking your flight test at your home airport? If not, you'd make sure you take at least a few practice flights there. Know the runways, the taxiways - learn everything you possibly can beforehand, and arm yourself with that knowledge going into your flight test.
Get a Good Start - Not many people understand this, but your FAA checkride starts the night before. Forgo studying... getting a good night's sleep is way more important than anything you might cram into your head at the last minute. Wake refreshed, relaxed, and eat a solid breakfast. Think back to your flight training, and try to remember the good days: your first solo, your sharpest maneuvers, and all the best landings that you ever made. Get yourself into a mental state of cool confidence. Being a bit nervous is normal, but remember that to have reached this point you already know your stuff.
Have all your Paperwork Ready - Believe it or not, many pilots show up to their FAA checkride without all their identification or paperwork in order. Go over your 8710 airman certificate application with a fine-tooth comb, then ask your flight instructor to do it also. Inconveniencing the FAA examiner by having to fill out a new application during your flight test is going to leave a bad taste in his or her mouth. Check your sectional charts to make sure they're current. Ditto for your airport directory. Get two weather briefings: a standard briefing the night before and an abbreviated one the morning of your flight test. Write everything down and bring it to the test with you. Check and re-check your logbook, to make sure you have all the minimum flight hours for each area of your training. Have your CFI double-check to make sure you've been signed off on all necessary ratings and endorsements, and that all your dates are straight. Having everything current, neatly filled out, and in proper order will start your checkride off on the right foot.
Know your Route - Understand the route the examiner asked you to plot for your flight plan, as well as the route to your alternate airport. While you probably won't be flying the full length of the plotted course, you should know everything about these routes inside and out including altitude minimums or airspace requirements. Prepare a lapboard cheat sheet the night before, with all necessary frequencies of surrounding airports written down and easily accessible. Mentally prepare contingency plans based upon an in-flight emergency anywhere along those routes, because your examiner might pull the throttle on you at any time.
Know that you Don't Know Everything - The oral part of your FAA flight exam is just as important as the flying portion, and you should certainly treat it as such. However, remember here that you're an aviation student, and the FAA examiner is most likely an experienced pilot or aviation professional. The examiner isn't expecting you to know everything, but he or she is looking for serious holes in your aeronautical knowledge. Don't give the examiner a reason to fail you by not knowing the basics - you should know the fundamentals of flight inside and out. On the more complicated subjects you should have identified your weaknesses and worked on strengthening them before arriving at your checkride. Giving one word answers will demonstrate a lack of knowledge; always try to elaborate when answering a question but don't give false information or guess at the answers. You'll be asked situational and hypothetical questions as well. The instructor will not only be looking for the right answer, he'll be more interested in seeing if you know why your answer is correct. It's okay if you don't know everything, but it's not okay if you're showing the examiner a lack of having studied the material in your practical test standards.
Organize your Airplane - Don't show up to your checkride with under-inflated tires, low on oil, or anything else that could ding you right off the bat. When the preflight inspection starts, you're going to be concentrating on your checklist. This isn't the time to have to dig through the plane for your AROW and aircraft documents, so have them readily available and accessible way beforehand. Double check that you have the instrument visor or foggles within easy reach during the flight test. Clean the floor of the airplane of any charts, debris or other clutter, and make sure the seatbelts are adjusted correctly and in good working order. All of these little things add up to a smooth preflight and runup.
Maintain Balance - While flying, try to maintain a good balance of attention both inside and outside the aircraft. The examiner wants to see you scan for traffic, so when you do it, make it overly obvious to him. However, don't allow yourself to get lost in the world outside the cockpit for too long. You need to maintain airspeed and altitude minimums according to the practical test standards, and you also need to keep the aircraft within it's acceptable limitations. Trim the airplane as soon as you can, usually upon reaching cruise altitude. Not only will this help you concentrate more on flying and less on making small constant corrections, but it will also show the examiner that you value control. When asked to demonstrate steep turns, stalls, or any other flight maneuver, make certain you're at the proper altitude and airspeed (according to the PTS) before beginning. If not, announce to the examiner that you're going to climb, descend, or adjust your speed, then make your clearing turn before starting.
Use your Checklists - Just as the FAA examiner wants to see that you prepared for your checkride, he wants to see you prepared during your checkride. During every phase of your flight, make sure you use your checklist. Don't speed through the motions out of nervousness either - take your time and do things correctly. Aside from your standard checklist and sectional map, you should have a piece of scrap paper on your kneeboard with a pencil readily available. Use this during your preflight to jot down the ATIS information and wind direction. Before arriving for your flight test, you should also have neatly listed all of the frequencies you'll need during your flight. Don't be afraid to refer to this information during various stages of your checkride, but never forget to maintain control of the airplane.
Acknowledge Mistakes - Very few student pilots will fly a perfect checkride - mistakes happen. If you make a mistake during your flight test, don't expect it to go unnoticed. The best thing to do is announce the mistake, explain why it was a mistake, and then ask the FAA examiner if you can repeat the maneuver. Most likely you'll be given another chance to do it, and the examiner will appreciate that you recognized the failure before having to be told. If the examiner points the mistake out, once again apologize and ask to repeat. Don't make excuses or try the manuever again without asking the examiner. Maintain positive control of the aircraft, and try not to overcorrect when repeating the procedure the second time.
Fly Confidently and Safely - More important than just about everything else, you must be master of the airplane during your flight test. Put your nervousness aside and remember that flying the aircraft comes first before anything else. Make smooth movements through the throttle, and make coordinated turns with your rudder. Confidently announce your intentions to the instructor during various stages of the flight, such as when making clearning turns or leaning out the mixture. Throughout your flight test the FAA examiner will be writing things down - this is neither good nor bad, so don't let it distract you. If you don't fixate on the fact that you're being tested, you'll be more prone to relax and fly the plane a lot more smoothly and normally. If you need to, mentally remind yourself that you've flown and landed your airplane dozens of times before.
To pass your FAA checkride, you'll need to remain calm and focused. By following the tips above, any student pilot will begin and end his or her flight test by making a positive impression on the FAA examiner. In closing, remember that the flight training involved in getting to your checkride should have been the hard part. The checkride itself should be nothing more than nice day of flying.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/pass-your-faa-checkride-10-tips-you-must-know-540455.html
About the Author:
Visit Student Flying Club for more flying tips including flight planning, aviation articles, and all kinds of flight training tools for the student pilot - including an online E6B Flight Calculator. Also read the day-to-day flight journals of actual student pilots during their flight training.
What To Look For In A Pilot School
Author: Jack Stanley
Flying may be a natural talent for birds, but it's something you have to learn and work hard for as a human. You can, however, learn more quickly and easily with the help of a good pilot school.
Tips on Choosing a Pilot School Consider the following factors to find the best choice of pilot school:
61 or 141 - These are the two primary types of pilot schools. Part 141 are schools approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and allow you to earn a certificate after 35 hours' worth of flying. Part 61 schools on the other hand aren't FAA-approved and must therefore subject you to 40 flying hours before awarding you a certificate.
LOCATION - Naturally, it's best to choose a pilot school that's conveniently located near your home, but if there's none in the area that you like, choose one that won't force you to adjust to a higher cost-of-living.
EXPERIENCE - How long has the pilot school been in business? Is its faculty made up of veteran pilots? What have you heard about the quality of their education?
FACILITIES - Not all students have their own planes so will they be able to offer you use of aircraft of good working order during training?
TIME - How much time do you have? Do you wish to study part-time or full-time? Not all schools may allow you to study part-time.
OBJECTIVES - Why do you wish to learn to fly an aircraft? Is it for recreational or career purposes? Naturally, hoping for a professional flying career will require you to put in more hours during training. Also, what kind of flights do you wish to make - local or international? What kind of aircraft do you wish to fly - a chopper, jet, or a huge Boeing 747? Answering these questions will help you know not only which the best pilot school to choose is but the best flight course for you as well.
RATES - Tuition fees differ for pilot schools as well so look for one that will offer you great education for an affordable value. If you are a military veteran, your pension will let you enjoy lower rates only with Part 141 pilot schools.
ALLIANCES - If you're interested in getting additional flight courses and aviation degrees in universities and other educational institutions, look for an aviation school that has tie-ups with these establishments so that transfer of school will be made easier. When you find a pilot school that meets all your requirements based on the aforementioned factors then that's the best place for you to learn how to fly!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/what-to-look-for-in-a-pilot-school--813347.html
About the Author:
Visit the About Animals website to learn about cow pictures and types of cows .
Flying may be a natural talent for birds, but it's something you have to learn and work hard for as a human. You can, however, learn more quickly and easily with the help of a good pilot school.
Tips on Choosing a Pilot School Consider the following factors to find the best choice of pilot school:
61 or 141 - These are the two primary types of pilot schools. Part 141 are schools approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and allow you to earn a certificate after 35 hours' worth of flying. Part 61 schools on the other hand aren't FAA-approved and must therefore subject you to 40 flying hours before awarding you a certificate.
LOCATION - Naturally, it's best to choose a pilot school that's conveniently located near your home, but if there's none in the area that you like, choose one that won't force you to adjust to a higher cost-of-living.
EXPERIENCE - How long has the pilot school been in business? Is its faculty made up of veteran pilots? What have you heard about the quality of their education?
FACILITIES - Not all students have their own planes so will they be able to offer you use of aircraft of good working order during training?
TIME - How much time do you have? Do you wish to study part-time or full-time? Not all schools may allow you to study part-time.
OBJECTIVES - Why do you wish to learn to fly an aircraft? Is it for recreational or career purposes? Naturally, hoping for a professional flying career will require you to put in more hours during training. Also, what kind of flights do you wish to make - local or international? What kind of aircraft do you wish to fly - a chopper, jet, or a huge Boeing 747? Answering these questions will help you know not only which the best pilot school to choose is but the best flight course for you as well.
RATES - Tuition fees differ for pilot schools as well so look for one that will offer you great education for an affordable value. If you are a military veteran, your pension will let you enjoy lower rates only with Part 141 pilot schools.
ALLIANCES - If you're interested in getting additional flight courses and aviation degrees in universities and other educational institutions, look for an aviation school that has tie-ups with these establishments so that transfer of school will be made easier. When you find a pilot school that meets all your requirements based on the aforementioned factors then that's the best place for you to learn how to fly!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/what-to-look-for-in-a-pilot-school--813347.html
About the Author:
Visit the About Animals website to learn about cow pictures and types of cows .
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