How to Save Money Using a Flight Sim in Private Pilot Training

Teaching, Tools / / , ,

The theory is pretty simple: the FAA only requires 40 hours of flying the airplane, but a typical private pilot in the Bay Area needs ~80 hours. Could we close that gap and save money using a flight sim? At ~$230/hour for a Cessna 172S, wouldn’t it be nice to shave off an extra 40hr * $230/hr = $9,200?1

I initially wrote about simulators in 2024 (How to Leverage a Simulator for Flight Training). The additional years of teaching have further clarified and generalized those ideas. This post provides a framework for students and instructors to reduce flight hours, optimize instructor time, and avoid future costs.

…

How to Save Money Using a Flight Sim in Private Pilot TrainingRead More »

Aeronautical Decision-Making: A Quick Night Flight With the 3Ps

Other / / ,

Aeronautical decision-making occurs through all stages of flight. This particular situation happened on the initial climb.

While departing from San Carlos Airport (KSQL) in my airplane (N81034) to practice night instrument approaches, CFI Ed1 and I noticed our Vy pitch was 8° instead of the normal 12°.

The plane had not shown any abnormalities in our preflight, run-up, or takeoff checks. And yet, pitch + power ≠ performance.2

Perceiving this issue was the first step in the FAA’s 3P model.

…

Aeronautical Decision-Making: A Quick Night Flight With the 3PsRead More »

How to Save Time with Keyboard Text Replacements
avoid writing your address, certificate number, and other data each time you file

Productivity / / , , ,

For all it’s usefulness, ForeFlight can be painful when filing flight plans. Every few days, it clears our address, certificate number, and other information.

Fortunately, there’s a easy trick to reduce friction on this and many other online forms: keyboard text replacements.

…

How to Save Time with Keyboard Text Replacements
avoid writing your address, certificate number, and other data each time you fileRead More »

Risk Assessment: Student Solo with Showers in the Vicinity
thinking about risk as a cfi with a solo student

Other / / , ,

To help learn ADM and risk assessment, I require solo students to get permission before they fly. (PPR.)

A student recently wanted to fly solo in the traffic pattern with showers in the vicinity (VCSH). The winds were calm and the ceilings were high, but rain is a real concern.

Is it safe to fly as a student solo with rain showers in the vicinity?

…

Risk Assessment: Student Solo with Showers in the Vicinity
thinking about risk as a cfi with a solo studentRead More »

Wanted: Earlier Go-Arounds, More Go-Arounds
how complacency can erode safety margins

Teaching / / ,

I didn’t have ‘runway excursion’ on my personal bingo card for 2024. Some of the reasons it happened were pretty mechanical, like my student needing more right rudder in landing. Some are more subtle, like complacency and not adjusting to changing circumstances.

What I (and hopefully now others) learned from this experience is how we can unconsciously erode our safety margins.

…

Wanted: Earlier Go-Arounds, More Go-Arounds
how complacency can erode safety marginsRead More »

How to Leverage a Simulator for Flight Training
using a simulator for private pilot training while avoiding the drawbacks

Tools / / , , , , ,

There’s significant debate on how much, or even if, a student pilot should use a simulator for flight training.1 They are a fun and inexpensive way to practice, but they can build bad habits.

This post highlights a few private pilot lessons where a flight sim can be beneficial, and a few areas where it can be problematic.2

…

How to Leverage a Simulator for Flight Training
using a simulator for private pilot training while avoiding the drawbacksRead More »

6 HITS: Beautiful Practice Approaches of Minnesota and Wisconsin
handy circuit of practice approaches for a trip around Minnesota and Wisconsin

Travel / / , , , , , , ,
Practice Approach into Sky Harbor

My colleague1 Edward Abraham and I departed from California to Minnesota in N81034 to train for our CFI-I ratings.2 We laid out a training program to test our CFI-I syllabus, including a day of practice instrument approaches.

These practice approaches were chosen for challenging variety, interesting destinations, and efficiency when stringing several together.

…

6 HITS: Beautiful Practice Approaches of Minnesota and Wisconsin
handy circuit of practice approaches for a trip around Minnesota and WisconsinRead More »

How to Convert Knots to MPH, and More Unit Magic
using conversion factors to change units and confirm results

Math and Physics / / , , ,

The boring way to convert knots to mph is to multiply knots by 1.15.1 But this skips over some awesome unit magic.

Specifically, we can use conversion factors to change between related units. Let’s look again at how to convert knots to mph.

Suppose you’re traveling at v\ \text{knots}=v\ \frac{\text{nautical miles}}{\text{hour}}. Then,

    \[v\ \frac{\cancel{\text{nautical miles}}}{\text{hour}} * \frac{1.15\ \text{miles}}{1\ \cancel{\text{nautical miles}}} = v * 1.15\ \frac{\text{miles}}{\text{hour}}} = v * 1.15\ \text{mph}\]

Did You Just Cross Out the Units?

I did! This is called a conversion factor,2 and is based on the principle that anything multiplied by 1 equals itself. It is an easy way to convert between units, and allows us to solve a variety of aviation problems.

…

How to Convert Knots to MPH, and More Unit Magic
using conversion factors to change units and confirm resultsRead More »

The Lost Airports of California’s Bay Area
locations of 60 historic Bay Area airports with several georeferenced airport images

History / / , , , , , , ,

Given its rich aviation history, from early experiments in lighter-than-air flight to the modern Fleet Week1, it’s no surprise there are old Bay Area airports waiting to be discovered.

What I didn’t understand, until finding this incredible resource by Paul Freeman2, was just how many airfields there used to be. With Paul’s blessing, I created this map of 60 airports in the areas of San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, and Monterey.3

…

The Lost Airports of California’s Bay Area
locations of 60 historic Bay Area airports with several georeferenced airport imagesRead More »