Air Traffic Control

ATC

Air Traffic Control provides a valuable service to all pilots of all levels. At some point in our training or piloting careers, we have to talk ATC. For many students as well as pilots that normally fly out of non-towered airports, communicating with ATC can be awkward, maybe even scary. Keep in mind that on the other side of the radios is a human being who is there to help.
For student pilots, ATC can be a huge asset if you are unsure of things like location, airport layout or simply didn’t understand the last set of instructions. For the private pilot, ATC is there to help you if lost, confused or you simply need progressive instructions. Sure it’s possible that a pilot’s ego may be bruised but as PIC, you are responsible for the safe operation of your aircraft and if that means you need to call ATC for some clarification or to say you’re lost, then do so and worry about your ego when your safely on the ground. Don’t be afraid to speak up!

Part 141 vs. Part 61 Flight School

As student pilots, you have two basic school structures or training curriculum to choose from. You can choose to learn under a Part 141 school or a Part 61 school. So what’s the difference and which one is better?

Part 141 flight schools must follow a structured training program. This means they will use a syllabus to ensure all necessary training is provided in order through lesson plans. Students need to attend a formal ground school as well. They will utilize stage checks to monitor the progress of students done by the Chief Flight Instructor or assistants, keep accurate/detailed records of the student’s progress for FAA review and provide instructor standardization. Part 141 schools must also undergo FAA inspections of facilities, aircraft and training equipment. In a nutshell, Part 141 flight schools are very regimented and structured, “by the book”.

Part 61 flight schools provide more flexibility in that the student does not have to have to follow an approved training syllabus. Instructors can re-arrange lessons to suit the student’s needs but they still must adhere to the FAR requirements that are needed to train their students under Part 61. The flight student does not need to attend a formal ground school and can complete an approved home study course, use a ground instructor or attend a formal ground school.

Ideally, Part 141 schools would take less hours (35 for a private pilot vs. 40hrs under Part 61) to complete the private pilot training thus costing the student less money. Regardless of the type training chosen, the student needs to pass the FAA Knowledge and Practical exams in order to receive their certificate. Some schools choose not to obtain their Part141 certification in order to provide the flexibility to the local student population while others want just the opposite. In my opinion both formats offer great training, it’s simply a matter of what environment the student is most comfortable in and what works for he/she. If a student needs formality in their training but also flexibility in their schedule, they are welcome to follow a syllabus with their instructor under Part 61 as I don’t know any CFI that would turn down an opportunity to teach. I’ve learned in both environments and believe both to be sufficient. The most important thing a student can do is to interview instructors, find one they are comfortable with and study hard and train hard. Most students will go well over the required hours to obtain their private pilot certificate so it’s important to make sure, as a student, that you are most efficient with your dollars. Have fun!

Aviation Weather

Aviation Weather

You want to go fly and need to find out what the weather will be like. There are numerous sources you can turn to check on the weather regardless if it’s a local flight or a cross country trip.

Your local news forecast can be possible give you an idea of what could be expected but in my opinion is better for those wanting to know if they will be able to mow the lawn tomorrow or not. The aviation community has great weather resources designed just for pilots and flying; use them.

  1. My personal favorite is ADDS put out by NOAA’s National Weather Service. It has just about everything a pilot needs.
  2. DUATS can provide you with crucial weather briefings for those cross country flights while simultaneously filing a flight plan.
  3. Jeppesen also provides a weather page full of resources for pilots.
  4. Universal Weaher.com has an aviation page tailored for professionals that broadcasts weather that may impact flights and commercial travel.

If you’re planning a flight, know your weather forecast. It may look good outside now but things can change in a matter of minutes and us pilots don’t have the luxury of “pulling over to the side of the road” when things get rough.

What Type of Pilot License Should I Get?

What type of Pilot license should I get?

If you are new to flying and you’re ready to commit some time and money to achieving your pilot’s licenses, then you should first determine which license will best suit your flying needs.

For the new pilot, there are three airman certificates you can obtain for fixed wing, single engine (not including a Student Pilot certificate); Recreational Pilot, Sport Pilot and Private Pilot. I’ll cover the basics and their privileges and limitations.

The Recreational Pilot certificate would be a good choice for the pilot that does not have a need to venture far or simply wants to be able to do local flights. The Recreational certificate allows the pilot to carry no more than one passenger and fly within 50 nautical miles of his/her airport. However, with the appropriate training and log book endorsement, that pilot may venture further than       50 nm from their home airport. Keep in mind that recreational pilots may not fly twin engines, aircraft with more than 180 hp, an aircraft certified for more than four occupants, with retractable landing gear, between sunset and sunrise, outside the US or more than 10,000 msl or 2, 000 agl whichever is higher. There are limitations on the recreational pilot that make it desirable for some but too limiting for others. A student must log at least 30 hours of flight time in order to obtain a recreational pilot certificate.
A sport pilot rating simply requires a minimum of 20 hrs of flight time making it an affordable option and a very attainable license. A sport pilot is able to fly a Light Sport Aircraft. They may fly in VFR (visual flight rules) weather, up to 10,000’ msl or     2,000’ agl, whichever is higher and in class E and G airspace. With proper training and endorsements they may fly in class B, C and D airspace. They are prohibited from flying in class A or outside the U.S. without permission. Like a recreational pilot, you may only carry one passenger but are limited to a two-seater aircraft. You are also limited to single engine operations.

The traditional private pilot license gives the most freedom for the small plane pilot. The private pilot may operate in both day and night VFR, obtain high altitude endorsements for operations requiring supplemental oxygen, add a high performance endorsement for aircraft with 200+ horse power as well as obtain ratings and endorsements for complex and multi-engine aircraft. Initially the private pilot needs to log a minimum of 40 hours in order to take a check ride so the cost is quite a bit more than a sport pilot license.

The private pilot may also add an instrument rating in order to fly IFR operations. This is a highly recommended rating as it not only allows one to fly in weather that would normally ground a VFR pilot, but it makes the pilot have a more safe flying experience. On top of that it’s fun to be able to communicate on the same frequencies as the airlines and brings the pilot experience to a whole new lever.

The bottom line is that depending on your long-term goal with flying, whether that is to simply fly locally for fun and scenery, fly a glamorous  King Air across country or land in the backwoods grass strip to go fishing, you will not regret obtaining any of the mentioned pilot license. You can always start off with a recreational or sport pilot license and when funds and desires are in order, step up to the full, private pilot license. Just go fly.

Flight Instructors as a Contractor or Employee.

Most flight instructors these days are independent contractors that teach out of a flight school, using their facilities and planes. They may also do other instruction outside of that particular flight school environment such as give a biannual flight review to a pilot with his/her own plane, teach at another airport or school or act as a ground instructor in various situations.

One thing that both the independent flight instructor and flight schools should keep in mind is the legal boundary and relationship between the two. Keep in mind that as I am not an attorney, in no way does this constitute legal advice but rather a few common areas that both parties should consult with one should there be questions. An independent contractor is just that, independent and not an employee. They may have certain arrangements with the flight school in their contract such as fees for using the facilities or possible a guideline of how to best represent the schools professional appearance (again guideline not mandatory).

One example of a big no no was a flight school requiring their independent CFI’s to attend mandatory meetings with the employees as well as mandatory uniforms. Right there the IRS would deem the CFI’s no longer independent but an employee in which that school would now be obligated to pay taxes on their wages.

Being an independent CFI is a great business to have and there is no reason both instructors and flight schools can’t reach reasonable agreements. It can be a great relationship for both as the schools provide the physical tools for the flight instructor and student and the flight instructor provides valuable teaching skills, a great reputation and most importantly, has the ability to bring as many students to train there as they would like, thus creating their own stream of income and hours.

Here’s a great write up at Flight School Business if you want more information: http://bit.ly/fdirxe