I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find the “right” headset for noisy 172s, 182s and my all-time favorite 177s. The three that always rise to the top are: Below is how I see them from the left seat of a small 4 seat aircraft taking into account 4 major areas Bose A20 Comfort…
If you’re starting flight training a good headset is one of the best investments you can make for comfort, clear communication, and long-term hearing protection. You don’t need to spend $1,000+ to get there. For most new pilots on a budget, a well-chosen passive headset around $300 will do the job reliably through your private…
In aviation, few moments are as potentially treacherous as the transition from base to final approach with the exception of the “red zone” (what I call it) before I make it to 800 ft AGL and can’t safely teardrop back to the runway. I covered this in another article “Avoiding the Impossible Turn” HERE. Despite…
I’m not an instrument pilot myself but I’ve been doing a lot of research and asking pilots around the airport if they have their instrument rating and if so, why? In case it’s something that’s been on your mind for a while, here’s what I heard back. A lot of those who didn’t have their instrument…
This is an overview of all the pros and cons I’ve heard about choosing a high-wing plane like a Cessna or a Cub versus a low-wing GA airplane like a Piper Cherokee or Grumman Tiger. I will also give my honest opinion based on flying both types of planes. Fuel Management High wings have an…
How Much Should I Fly? This is what I was asking myself a year or so ago. Becoming a pilot is great and you are full of vigor but if you’re flying for fun and not for a career you have less motivation to keep the same pace. There’s also a concern of getting out…
“How dangerous is it to fly in your little plane” or “is it more dangerous than driving” is one of the more common questions I get from a person who just found out I’m a pilot and I’m guessing all you other pilots out there get roughly the same questions. Of course you will run…
The alphabet all pilots use to communicate clearly over the radio is sometimes called the Aviation Alphabet or the NATO alphabet which was developed in the 1920-1940s for military and civilian communications. A hilarious side note is that it was another alphabet you would recognize from the military and in shows like Band of Brothers…