From search and rescue to aerial photography, the possibilities for helicopter pilots are endless. Here is how to land a job as a helicopter pilot.

How Do You Become One?

The licensing process is similar to that of fixed-wing pilots. Aspiring helicopter pilots need to be a minimum of 17 years old and be able to obtain an FAA medical certificate.

A private pilot certificate is the first step in the journey to a career as a helicopter pilot. The training for this license teaches you the basics of flying a rotary-wing aircraft and prepares you to fly helicopters recreationally.

To make money while flying, you will need a commercial pilot certificate. You can work as a helicopter pilot with this license, opening the door to jobs in industries such as flight tours, medical transport, and law enforcement.

The airline transport certificate is the top-level license and requires significant training. Although it is not required for many helicopter pilot jobs, having it can make you more competitive during your job search.

Where Do You Train?

While they are less prevalent than fixed-wing flight schools, there are many schools offering helicopter flight training across the country.

 After you have researched local training options, your chosen flight school will be able to help you learn more about the process and requirements for obtaining your certificates. Once you have completed the necessary training for each, you will need to pass written and oral tests to earn your license.

Is It Expensive?

The cost of becoming a helicopter pilot varies greatly depending on your situation, but a private pilot certificate typically costs between $10,000 and $20,000. Earning your commercial license can cost upward of $100,000.

What Types of Companies Can Employ You?

Once you have your commercial pilot license, you can begin applying for helicopter pilot jobs. There are many types of companies and organizations in need.

Medical airlift and evacuation companies commonly use helicopters to transport patients, and therefore have a significant demand for pilots. Similarly, search and rescue operators also require pilots to operate their helicopters.

Helicopters are often used for observing the world beneath them or capturing imagery of the ground. There are companies that employ helicopter pilots for aerial photography and videography, and news organizations hire them as well. If you want to fly passengers, corporate transport and tour companies hire helicopter pilots.  

Government bodies also have a need for commercial helicopter pilots. For example, the military employs pilots to work as instructors, and the U.S. Forest Service  for their firefighting operations. Law enforcement agencies  hire civilian pilots to fly their aircraft.

Do You Make Good Money?

The salary for helicopter pilots can vary depending on their experience and employer, but you can expect salaries to start at around $70,000 per year. With more experience, one can easily earn upward of $100,000 to $200,000 annually.

Is There a Demand?

There is a significant need for helicopter pilots across the United States. Many employers are actively seeking new pilots, and the demand is forecasted to grow over the coming years.

Helicopters perform specialized tasks that are vital to society. Despite the cost and effort required to gain the necessary licenses and experience, helicopter pilots are rewarded with exciting career prospects and competitive salaries.

The post How to Land a Helicopter Pilot Job appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Flying is one of those things that so many people want to try—or have questions about. We answer some of those frequently asked here.

Learning to fly and obtaining a pilot certificate is not like learning to drive a forklift. You can’t do it in an afternoon. It usually takes a few months, with flying lessons two or three times a week.

It will be expensive, around $6,000 to $10,000 for a private certificate. You do not have to pay the money up front. Be wary about putting money on account at a flight school unless it has a refund policy and it is in writing.

Get your medical certificate early. If you are pursuing a certificate to fly an airplane, you will need to have it before you are allowed to solo. If deferred, don’t give up. There may be an opportunity for special issuance, or you may seek a pilot certificate that doesn’t require a medical certificate, like flying gliders.

You will need an aviation headset and pilot logbook. Bring both with you to your flight lessons. You will want to get a gear bag to carry these materials along with a notebook for taking notes and writing down information in the cockpit.

You will learn to read an aviation sectional, which is a map used for navigation. You will learn how to use the pilot’s operating handbook (POH) for your aircraft to determine its performance.

Part 61 vs. Part 141

The difference between training under Part 61 and Part 141 is structure. Part 141 is the more restrictive of the two. Under Part 141, the use of a syllabus is required, lessons are done in a specific order, only certain airports are authorized for flights to and from, there is a training course outline (TCO), and stage checks are required to advance in training.

• READ MORE: Pointers for Packing Your First Flight Bag

The material covered under Part 61 and Part 141 is identical, but some funding sources will require the applicant to be training at an accredited 141 program.

The benefit of Part 141 is that, in theory, the structure allows for the applicant to achieve the required experience in as little as 35 hours to be eligible for the check ride. Under Part 61, the minimum is 40 hours.

For best results, use a syllabus to make sure all the material is covered in a logical order. Your instructor should have a copy that they refer to, and you should have a copy of it as well.

Be advised, the national average for experience for applicants taking private pilot check rides is around the 60-hour mark, no matter which part you train under.

The benefit of Part 61 is that if there is a hiccup with the issuance of your medical certificate that delays your first solo, you won’t have to stop training. You can move ahead to other dual lessons (that means flying with an instructor) in the syllabus until your medical challenges are resolved. Also, you have more flexibility when it comes to airports you are allowed to fly to, therefore your experience will be broader than someone trained under Part 141.

Use the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which are the minimum “passable” performance for a pilot, from day one. The ACS provides performance metrics, such as holding altitude within 100 feet and heading within 5 degrees. Remember these are the minimum standards, so strive to do better.

Learn to Use a Mechanical E6-B Flight Computer

Don’t let it intimidate you. The instructions for solving time, speed, and distance problems are printed on the face of the instrument. The backside of the instrument is the wind calculation side, and it can be very useful for visualizing wind correct angles.

For the pilots (often lapsed CFIs) who argue that the cockpits of turboprops and jets have flight management systems and backups on backups for navigation that will tell you wind correction angles, ground speed, time en route, etc., please remember it’s going to be a long time before the private pilots who want to be professional pilots get to that level with those resources.

And not everyone wants to be a professional pilot.

• READ MORE: How To Use a E6B Flight Computer

Learning to use the mechanical E6-B before you go to an electronic version or an app is the aviation version of learning how to do basic math before using a calculator. It gives you an extra tool to use in the cockpit should your electronic device run out of juice, get stolen, or do an uncommanded gravity check with pavement that renders it inoperable.

Structure of Lessons

A traditional flight school is not like attending high school. You won’t be in a classroom or airplane all day. Your ground school can be done face to face and will be a few hours a day, or you can do it online. At the completion of the course you will be endorsed to take a knowledge test (commonly known as the written test, although it is all on computer now) administered by an FAA-approved private contractor.

Most flight lessons are at least an hour long for local flights. For cross-country flights that involve going to an airport at least 50 nm away, you will budget more time.

Your first lesson will likely be heading out to the local practice area (your instructor knows where that is) to learn how to do climbs, turns, and descents. Flying in the practice area is like learning to drive a stick shift in an empty parking lot. You want the room to make mistakes.

Learning to fly in the airport traffic pattern is like learning to drive a stick shift in stop-and-go traffic. It is considerably more stressful and can be counterproductive. Learn basic control before the stakes are higher.

Solo Flight

Your first solo is the halfway point of your private pilot training. There are 15 experience requirements listed in the Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual (FAR/AIM) rule book under Part 61.87 that are required to be covered before you can be soloed.

Keep in mind that performing the task once doesn’t mean you have learned it or can perform it well, so you will have to practice it a few times before the solo endorsement is given. There also will be an airport-specific knowledge test administered by your instructor before a solo endorsement is given.

Before you launch on your solo cross-country flights, a flight instructor must review your flight plan and provide you with an endorsement, stating they have reviewed your flight plan and you are prepared to make the flight. This endorsement will go into your logbook.

About Your CFI

Your CFI should want to talk before and after each lesson. This is known as the pre-brief (what we are going to do and how we are going to do it) and the post-brief (this is how you did, and what we will do next). This is considered part of your training. Don’t skimp on this.

Understand that most CFIs do the job to build their experience for other jobs, like the airlines. Some of them may be more interested in building their own hours than teaching you to fly, or their teaching style or availability might not work for you. If any of these issues crop up, it’s OK to seek a change of instructor. Conversely, if it’s not working from the CFI’s perspective as they cannot meet your needs, they may suggest a change of instructor.

We can’t control the weather. There may be days the CFI suggests a ground lesson, a lesson in the school flight training device (commonly known as a simulator), or canceling the lesson due to weather that is below VFR weather minimums or beyond your capabilities at the time. This is about you flying, not your CFI showing you what they can do. If you are on your second lesson and the crosswind component or gust factor are beyond the demonstrated component of the aircraft you are flying, it’s likely a better day to stay on the ground.

The post What to Expect When Learning to Fly appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The partnership expansion announced Thursday will add 50 DA40s and six DA42s to the Republic Airways training program. 

• READ MORE: UNSW School of Aviation Expands Diamond Fleet

According to Diamond Aircraft, the trainers are slated to bolster programs at new LIFT Academy campuses in Galveston, Texas; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

“These aircraft are chosen for their advanced technology and fuel efficiency, which not only align with our sustainability efforts but also closely mirror the aircraft our pilots will operate at Republic Airways,” said Ed Bagden, director of flight operations and academic programs at LIFT Academy. “This strategic expansion ensures that LIFT Academy continues to offer industry-leading training, preparing our students with a seamless transition to their careers as airline pilots.”

• READ MORE: Purdue, LIFT Academy Partner to Tackle Commercial Pilot Need

The Diamond DA40 piston single is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine and comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics. The aircraft offers a top cruise speed of 152 knots, 934 nm range, and maximum useful load of 900 pounds. The DA42 advanced piston twin is powered by 168 hp Austro Engine AE300 powerplants. It offers a top cruise speed of nearly 200 knots, 1,225 nm range, and maximum useful load of 1,276 pounds.

The post LIFT Academy Makes ‘Significant Fleet Expansion’ with Diamond Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company introduced its latest flight simulator technology, AX-D Flex: a “roll-on, roll-off” solution designed to train pilots on multiple aircraft, from business jets to midsize airliners, within a single mothership. Each simulation bay can accommodate up to three different cockpits, which can be swapped out in two hours or less, the company says.

Roll-on, roll-off flight simulators—which allow pilots to train on a variety of aircraft within a single system—are uncommon, but not unheard of. CAE and GlobalSim, for example, sell systems billed as roll-on, roll-off.

However, Axis says its solution is the first such simulator with a front-loading mechanism, which makes it simpler to switch between cockpits. The nonsimulated area, where the instructor and observer sit, stays in the simulator.

“Training providers are typically required to install specific simulators for different aircraft types,” said Christian Theuermann, member of the Axis executive board. “The launch of AX-D Flex will redefine the landscape of flight simulation, offering a cost-effective solution that allows pilots to train a variety of different aircraft types.”

According to Axis, AX-D Flex enables software-based avionics simulation using commercial off-the-shelf components that are “OEM-quality” and is designed to reduce maintenance costs and pilot downtime.

The mothership houses AX-D Flex’s basic structures, including the core motion and visual display systems. Accompanying it are “swap units” comprising a cockpit module and base frame, which contains computers and other technical devices.

With the front-loading system—which uses a stationary forklift—the swap units, including larger cockpits, can be lifted from the mothership and replaced with new modules. A pilot could go from simulating a business jet like the Bombardier Challenger 300 to a midsize airliner such as the Boeing 737 Max within two hours.

The simulator interior’s track-mounted seats can be repositioned according to the cockpit being loaded in. The transition requires a maximum of two technicians, Axis says.

“Our hardware team has extensive experience in designing components that exceed industry standards,” said Helmut Haslberger, director of hardware development and production management for Axis. “Through our precision control and electrical systems, we’ve designed a seamless lifting mechanism to allow smooth transitions between cockpits.”

The U.S. military also has an interest in multipurpose simulators. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), for example, has modified an F-16 into an AI-controlled test aircraft that can simulate the conditions of other aircraft while flying. U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall earlier this month said he would get in the cockpit of the self-flying airplane. 

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The post Axis Unveils Three-in-One Flight Simulator appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Hong Kong-based Volar Air Mobility, a company developing a fossil fuel-free aerial ride hailing platform that will use electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft developed by a partner in China, is one of the latest to signal interest in the UAE.

The firm signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Abu Dhabi-based Inovartic Investment, laying the groundwork for a partnership that would commercialize a family of zero-emission aircraft in the country.

Agreed upon in advance of the inaugural DriftX—an Abu Dhabi-based conference that last week showcased cutting-edge technology in air, land, and sea transportation—the collaboration will cover aircraft distribution, post-sale services such as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), crew training, and, potentially, manufacturing and assembly capabilities in the UAE.

“This partnership marks a significant step towards integrating sustainable technologies in aviation, which is crucial for environmental conservation and technological advancement,” said Henry Hooi, CEO of Volar. “This aligns with the goals as outlined in the ‘UAE’s Net Zero by 2050’ agenda.”

Volar seeks to commercialize aircraft that are safe to fly, affordable, and offer on-demand flexibility and zero carbon emissions: a set of criteria it dubs “SAFE.” Its goal is to enhance regional accessibility to private aviation in suburban areas, where environmental concerns and existing aircraft configurations can make traditional airline operations impractical.

Volar’s proprietary, aircraft-agnostic platform is designed to facilitate air taxi ride hailing, complete with booking, check-in, and flight status updates. The first aircraft to join its fleet will be the RX4E: a four-seat eSTOL design being developed by partners at Liaoning General Aviation Academy, which works with the Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

The RX4E is built for one pilot plus four passengers, with a maximum takeoff weight just under 2,650 pounds. It will have a range of about 186 sm (162 nm) and cruise speed of 124 mph (108 knots). Batteries can be swapped out in about 10 minutes, minimizing downtime.

Volar deliberately picked an eSTOL configuration over an eVTOL or a drone for several reasons, Hooi told FLYING at DriftX. For one, Hooi said, it offers greater range and endurance. In addition, the company claims on its website that the RX4E will be more affordable and offer greater time savings compared to “conventional” private aviation options. One of the biggest benefits, though, is ease of certification.

“We believe that, from a regulatory perspective, eSTOL will be quicker to be adopted,” Hooi told FLYING.

The RX4E first flew in 2019 and is in the type certification process with China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC). Volar claims the design will be the first commercial four-seat electric aircraft with Part 23 certification, which it expects to obtain by year’s end.

Unlike the tiltrotor designs common in the eVTOL space, Volar’s eSTOL uses a fixed configuration. The company says this will allow it to leverage regulatory frameworks similar to those for existing fixed-wing models.

The design also lacks the unique infrastructure needs of eVTOL aircraft, such as vertiports. In fact, Volar could reduce infrastructure requirements for operators, owing to the eSTOL’s ability to operate from shorter runways. According to Hooi, the company is developing models that can land on land, snow, or water.

Use cases for the eSTOL overlap somewhat with those proposed for eVTOL designs: private aviation, interisland transport, eco-tourism, medical logistics and evacuation, and services in rural areas with limited road infrastructure, to name a few.

But unlike many eVTOL air taxi companies, Volar’s focus is on the developing world, where it believes zero-emission aircraft can derive regional sustainability, accessibility, and economic benefits from aviation.

The firm envisions operations primarily in regions considered part of the “Global South.” It will first launch in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, a bloc of 10 nations that the company finds attractive due to its rapid economic growth and proximity to mainland China. After that, it will expand into African and Middle Eastern countries, such as the UAE.

“We fundamentally believe that the UAE is a fantastic hub for the potential development of green aviation in the region,” said Hooi.

Hooi said, for example, that he was recently approached with a proposition from a regional government in Southeast Asia. One of the country’s tourism sites lies atop an active volcano, requiring a three-day hike to reach it. The site is visited by as many as 100,000 tourists annually, who often leave a trail of rubbish in their wake.

Volar proposed flying tourists to the top of the volcano using an electric seaplane. Hooi said this could reduce the amount of trash on the trails and attract additional tourists by opening access to people incapable of making the three-day trek. He also suggested that by reducing travel time to the summit, visitors might spend more money at local restaurants and bars, bringing more economic activity to countries that rely heavily on tourism.

“You and I are not going to make an iota of difference if we cannot engage the rest of our communities to participate in collectively working towards a green environment,” Hooi said.

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The post Volar Looks to Commercialize eSTOL Aircraft in UAE appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In a recent briefing to pilots viewed by AirlineGeeks, company vice president of flight operations Russ Moore said that American plans to hire 1,300 pilots this year. In 2023, the airline hired around 2,300.

Moore cited “delivery delays from Boeing” among the reasons for the reduction but noted that 2024 is still poised to be the airline’s third-highest year for pilot hiring on record. In addition, he said the company plans to pause new hire classes in June, July, August, and potentially in December.

“In fact, we hired and trained more pilots in 2023 than we have in the history of this airline, and we did it efficiently enough that we were actually a bit ahead of where we needed to be for the summer of 2024,” Moore said during the briefing. “This allowed us to transition from a ‘hire and train as many as you can’ approach to a more traditional approach, which in and of itself reduced our hiring targets for 2024.”

During the company’s investor day event in early March, CEO Robert Isom also noted the airline’s plans to pull back on pilot hiring.

“So [hiring is] slowing down a little bit, but we have a considerable number of retirements,” Isom said. “And so we will be hiring for the foreseeable future at levels like that.”

Despite the slowdown, Moore added that hiring could pick up again as up to 850 of the airline’s pilots retire annually over the next five years.

“So I expect we will be back to the 2023 tempo in hiring in pretty short order,” Moore said.

American joins a slew of other major airlines reducing their 2024 hiring, including both Delta and United. Earlier this year, Delta said it would also cut its 2024 pilot hiring plans in half.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA)—which represents more than 16,000 American pilots—recently noted that the pilot shortage was “over.”

“The perceived pilot shortage is over, eliminating any further need for policymakers to consider changing the retirement age,” said APA president Captain Ed Sicher in a March statement.

American did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the hiring slowdown.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post American Scales Back Pilot Hiring Plans appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Before COVID-19 and for a bit afterward, there was a real shortage of qualified regional applicants—to the extent that many pilot groups saw raises of 100 percent or more. And there was a great deal of pressure to push new hires through training and onto the line.

I have friends who were simulator instructors and check airmen during that time, and they have stories of struggling applicants being afforded extra training sessions, multiple check ride attempts, and double or even triple the normal amount of initial operating experience (IOE) in an attempt to get them through.

• READ MORE: On the ‘Bax’ Foot: A Lifelong Writer Tackles the Spoken Word

But lately all the regional airlines have plenty of qualified first officers and even more qualified new-hire applicants—it’s qualified captains they are short on. It has become increasingly difficult to receive an interview at 15,00 hours. 

Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa Airlines’ longtime CEO, recently revealed that the company has more than 2,000 apparently qualified applications on file, all competing for a relative handful of new-hire slots. Thus, there’s no real pressure to hold new hires’ hands through training. In fact, the incentive goes the other way. The regionals need first officers who can pass captain upgrade training and IOE as soon as they’re legal to do so. It makes financial sense to winnow any that struggle as soon as possible. Brutal, but understandable.

One of the largest regionals has reportedly gone to a “two-and-through” policy. You are given one “freebie”—be that a check ride bust, training event repeat, or even extra preparatory sim session. The second one results in automatic training failure and termination. 

A friend was caught by this policy when his training partner, an older career changer, struggled and was offered “refresher” sessions before two check rides. My friend wanted to help his training partner and served as seat support for both sessions, only to have them counted against his own record, with summary termination the result. He now has an airline training failure as a permanent stain on his Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) file.

This should indicate how seriously you need to treat airline training. You are not particularly needed at the regional airlines now. Training is not a gimme, nobody will hold your hand, and if you do struggle, you cannot expect much sympathy or flexibility. Compared to primary and secondary instruction, most airline training is much less spoon fed—the onus is generally on you to study, show up with the answers, and shine in the sim.

• READ MORE: How Professional Pilots Can Survive Probationary Periods

If you suffer from check ride nerves, best find a way to calm them now. To be a professional pilot is to be a professional check ride taker. I would suggest that before even applying for the regional airlines right now, you should have total confidence in your ability to make it through a fast-paced, unforgiving training program.

That said, anyone can have a bad day. You might have shown up prepared, studied hard, done everything right—and still messed up. Maybe that got you rattled and affected your  performance, especially knowing that your job—your career, even—was on the line. I’ve never trained under that kind of pressure and can’t say for sure I’d handle it well. Perhaps you didn’t, and now you too have an airline training failure in your PRIA file.

What now?

First, you need to know that your life is not over and neither is your career. There are plenty of pilots working with a training failure somewhere in their past. Having this on your record is less concerning than being fired from a job for cause, aircraft accident, or FAA enforcement action, DUI/DWI, or losing your medical. You still have the same flight time and certifications that you had before the failure. I’ve never heard of the FAA suspending or revoking certificates, or even giving a 709 check ride, based on someone failing out of an airline training program. You can still make a living flying airplanes.

• READ MORE: Allure of International Flying Lies Across the Glittering Sea

The course of your career has changed, though. I’d argue that the “training/CFI/regional/major in five years” rocket ship career path was already becoming unrealistic as the pilot shortage wound down, but in any case, that gate is shut now. Its closing was always a possibility in this industry—perhaps even a probability. It slammed shut for every pilot of my generation when the Twin Towers fell on 9/11, and yet, as dark as things seemed for a while, many went on to have wonderful careers. My own career path took turns I never saw coming, and they led to some really interesting experiences and lifelong friends. I wouldn’t go back and change anything, even if I could.

In their current hiring mood, the airlines will likely not take a chance on you while your training failure is fresh. Your mission now is to build a record that puts your failure squarely in the past and shows that it was a one-off event. Take whatever time you need to get your head right, then jump right back into it. Get yourself into a position to pass a check ride as soon as possible.

If you’re going back to flight instructing, add that CFII or MEI rating. If you can land a Part 135 gig, better yet—it will require passing an approved training program and a 135.293 proficiency check, plus potentially a type ride depending on the aircraft. Most corporate gigs also involve a type ride. If nobody is calling just yet, a single-engine sea or glider rating can be added to a commercial certificate fairly cheaply. Just get back on that horse and pass a check ride.

• READ MORE: Financing the Pro Pilot Dream…Without Getting Scammed

I don’t normally advocate job hopping, and it can be a red flag to HR departments. But I will say that following a training program failure, you’ll need to go through two or three full training programs without incident to become competitive for a top-tier job. If you can do that with a single employer, fine. Move up to a different airframe as soon as you can. If you need to switch employers to pass another training program, do so after a decent interval.

No matter where you go, you’ll need to disclose the training failure on each application, and it will likely come up on every interview. Depending on how you handle it, this can become your biggest stumbling block or an unexpected asset. It is so important that you do not play the blame game. Regardless of what actually happened, you need to develop a credible explanation of why you weren’t ready, what you got wrong, what you learned from the experience, and how you are better equipped now to pass a tough training course.

Unfortunately, you’re in a poor position to judge whether your explanation is actually any good. This is where paying an interview prep company can be extremely valuable, especially if you’ve worked your way back to applying for a top-tier position. With some polishing and a solid post-failure history to support it, the tale of how your lowest moment turned you into a better person, and a better pilot, could just be the exact thing that eventually lands you that dream job.

The post After a Training Fail, What Comes Next? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Marines are buying 22 Northrup F-5 Tigers from the Swiss Air Force. The first one was loaded on a C-130 on March 18 for the trip back to the U.S., where it will live out the rest of its service life as an adversarial training aircraft along with the others in the sale.

• READ MORE: Marine Corps XQ-58A UAV Completes Test Flight

The Marines paid a little less than $1.5 million each for the Cold War speedsters, which are still being used by 17 countries and have been retired by 21 others. More than 2,500 were built.

Switzerland got its F-5s in the 1970s and 1980s and has flown them ever since. It sold some to the U.S. Navy for its adversarial program and even with the Marines sale it will keep 25 Tigers for training, targets and test flights and to supply the jets for the Swiss air force’s air demonstration team, the Patrouille Suisse. It’s not clear where the Marines will base their new acquisitions.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post U.S. Marines Buy 22 F-5s From Switzerland appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Learning to fly is rife with opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. Your flight instructor’s job is to make sure the mistakes don’t bend the aircraft or you.

Cultural Bias

In some cultures it is considered insulting to the teacher if the learner does not understand something. They will say they understand when they do not. This often results in unfortunate situations, so please, please, please, if you do not understand something or you are unsure, let your CFI know. A good CFI will break down the process to see where you got lost. 

Sidenote to CFIs: Repeating something louder and slower does not help someone learn. All it does is signal to the learner that you are getting frustrated with them.

• READ MORE: Always Remember to Taxi with Care

Self-Imposed Pressure

In my more than 20 years of flight instruction, I have found that people who are successful in other aspects of their life, such as their career or school, can get very upset when they struggle or make a mistake in the airplane. Please understand that aviation is not a “pay-your-fee, get-your-B” activity. As far as the translation of career success into the cockpit, if your career requires significant hand-eye coordination and multitasking—such as operating heavy machinery—there may be some positive transference. If the self-reported success is defined by a fat paycheck or owning a chain of businesses, it might be more difficult. Be gentle with yourself, especially if you are an older learner, because it has probably been awhile since you learned a new skill. Rejoice in the learning process.

Also, if you become frustrated, please don’t take it out on your instructor, and instructors, please choose your learners carefully. Most CFIs get to a level of experience where they realize after a few minutes they are not a good fit for a particular learner. Saying “I am not the right instructor for you” solves this problem.

Forgetting the Checklist

Instructors can address this by modeling good checklist use during all facets of flight. As learners tend to emulate their instructors, if you encounter a learner or pilot who tosses the checklist in the back seat after takeoff, there’s a good chance they learned it from their CFI.

Steering with the Yoke on the Ground

This is the classic beginning pilot move for the learners who already know how to drive. It’s the Law of Primacy in action. This is why many CFIs teach taxing the first time by having the learners either sit on their hands or instruct them to keep arms folded on their chest.

Riding the Brakes During Taxi

Taxing is about energy management. It’s often helpful for the CFI to handle the energy for the first part of the taxi lesson to demonstrate what it takes to get the aircraft moving.

Failure to Get a Preflight Weather Briefing 

Because you can drive in rain and fog, and airliners takeoff in rain and fog, some learners are surprised to find primary flight lessons are VFR dependent and require certain visibility and cloud clearance requirements. They may show up at the airport when the visibility is zero-zero.

One of the first ground lessons that should be taught is how to access a weather briefing and interpret it. The weather minimum for flights away from the airport, as well as those that are better suited for staying in pattern, are discussed. 

Fumbled Radio Calls

Everybody stumbles on the radio at first. Evvvvvverybody. Knowing what to say, when to say it, and who to say it to can be a challenge. Talking on the radio is a form of public speaking, and some people are terrified of it. It takes practice, but no one has ever been physically hurt from stumbling on the radio.

• READ MORE: Can You Pilot an Aircraft While Wearing a Cast?

Bounce Landings

Come in too fast or flair too high and you will bounce the landing. The first bounce is often followed by the first go-around. Learning usually takes place quickly.

Trying to Stretch the Glide with Back Pressure

This is a mistake that needs to be corrected immediately. Many CFIs take their learners up to a safe altitude and have them put the aircraft into the landing configuration and try to “stretch the glide,” which usually results in a power-off stall. These accidental stalls can be frightening, so the CFI should brief the learner about what is going to happen and how to recover from it.

Poor Rudder Use

Many learners over-control the aircraft with the yoke or stick because they haven’t been introduced to the rudder. One way to teach rudder use is to trim the aircraft for level flight and have the learner fly a rectangular pattern just using the rudders. The CFI may want to demonstrate a skid just so the learner feels and sees what it looks like.

Failure to Study the Syllabus

You will get more out of your flight lessons if you study the material that supports the lesson. When a learner doesn’t do the required studying, whines about having to read, or calls it boring, it’s a pretty good indication they are not taking their flight training seriously. As long as the learner understands that failure to study will slow their progress toward obtaining a pilot certificate, they can stretch it out as long as they want. The CFI will still get the hours.

Thinking You Have Mastered a Maneuver in One Lesson

You will learn a maneuver or task during one lesson then practice it in subsequent lessons. When you get close to solo, you may spend the entire hour in the pattern.

Repetition is the key to mastery. You will be practicing maneuvers over and over again. Refer to the Airman Certification Standards to determine if you have reached minimum acceptable levels of performance.

Failing to Use Reference Materials

If you have a question about a certificate requirements or regulations on how to log time, etc., look it up in an FAA-approved source, such as the Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual (FARAIM) instead of posting a question to social media or relying on “a guy you heard from.”

This is particularly true for the CFIs. We’re supposed to know where and how to look things up and teach that to the learners. Warn your clients to never rely on “my instructor told me,” because things can get lost in translation, such as the learner who insisted her CFI told her to always take off with the wind at her back.

• READ MORE: Never Let Them See You Sweat as a CFI

Trying to Force the Solo

There are learners who read stories online or hear from other pilots who claim to solo in six hours. I know they exist. I have met them. I also know a few of them learned to fly in the 1940s in a J-3 Cub or sitting on their father’s lap in the family airplane.

Solo takes as long as it takes, and there are 15 things you need to know how to do (and do consistently) before we cut you loose in the pattern. Check FAR 61.87 for details.

We Expect Mistakes

Unless you do something especially foolish—like arguing when you are told to go around—it is highly unlikely your instructor will become cross with you for making a mistake. That’s how you learn.

That’s not to say we don’t become frustrated when we’ve gone over the same topic or maneuver multiple times. In those situations, that’s when the CFI needs to figure out a better way to teach it or suggest a change of instructor because we are just not getting through. The learning process is about the learner’s needs, not the CFI’s.

The post Mistakes Are All a Part of Learning appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The T-7A, designed to train Air Force fighter and bomber pilots, is set to replace the 1960s-era T-38 trainer. Its iconic red-tail livery honors the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces’ first Black aviation unit. 

• READ MORE: Air Force’s T-7 Red Hawk Undergoes New Round of Testing

“We need to know the T-7A can operate in the environmental conditions it will encounter at pilot training bases around the country,” Troy Hoeger, chief development tester for the T-7 with the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center (AFLMC), said in a statement. 

The Air Force began a series of trials late last year at the McKinley Climatic Lab at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to verify the aircraft’s functionality during periods of extreme weather. 

On Friday, the aircraft concluded a monthlong trial, testing its endurance in heavy humidity conditions, as well as in temperatures ranging from 110 degrees to minus-25 degrees Fahrenheit.

To perform the tests, lab professionals created and re-created extreme weather environments before performing system operations and engine runs. 

• READ MORE: Air Force’s T-7A Trainer to Begin Next Phase of Flight Testing

The lab’s mission is to ensure the aircraft have been proven in extreme weather conditions before pilots use them in the field, according to flight chief Melissa Tate. 

“McKinley Climatic Laboratory maintains quickness and technical proficiency by retaining our own staff of highly experienced welders, machinists, electricians, instrumentation experts, test assembly personnel, and refrigeration operators,” Tate said.

The Air Force’s $9.2 billion purchase of the Boeing advanced trainer includes 351 T-7A jets, 46 simulators, and support.

The post Air Force’s T-7A Red Hawk Trainer Completes Extreme Temperature Testing appeared first on FLYING Magazine.