Category: Flight Training Articles

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is among the most popular and iconic airplanes for aspiring pilots and seasoned aviators alike.  Understanding its cost both in purchasing and maintaining the aircraft is crucial for those thinking about buying one. In 2023, a brand new Cessna 172 Skyhawk carries a price tag of around $432,000.  However, for those […]

For a private or higher certificated pilot, the ability to fly when and where you want is a major asset allowing flexibility whether for personal or business reasons. But as distances increase, so do the chances of a pilot running across new or unfamiliar situations or conditions, potentially ranging from a minor annoyance to a […]

“More right rudder!” Who among us hasn’t heard those words, the favorite phrase of flight instructors everywhere?  To better appreciate your instructor’s sentiments, here’s a deep dive into all things rudder. What is the rudder, what does it do, and why is it there? And, for goodness sake, why is my CFI so wound up […]

Anyone who has flown on an airliner and looked out over the wing during flight is probably familiar with flaps. They come out of the wing, a sure sign that you’re slowing down for landing. The wing grows and changes shape in fascinating ways. Not all planes have flaps, but most do. And while the […]

The elevator is arguably the most important of the three primary flight controls. It is, after all, the one that gets you up off the ground. And once you’re off the ground, it’s the one that makes the aircraft stable and keeps you flying at your altitude. It’s one of the basic components of flight. […]

In this article we’re going to cover flying basics; how airplanes fly and the basic parts of an airplane. They say that the flying is the easy part. Once you start diving into the books and studying aerodynamics, you’ll quickly realize what they mean. But there’s good news: flight instructors have been doing this for […]

Misplaced your Private Pilot’s License and don’t know where to start when it comes to getting it back? The feeling of losing your license can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry. It’s not as inconvenient or annoying as it seems to replace the one you lost.  The FAA has made replacing your Private Pilot License a […]

A simple question with no simple answer. Matters of grooming and style are oven interwoven with ethical issues of inclusivity and equality, religious reasons and cultural expectations. In aviation, these questions go even deeper. Is it even safe for pilots to have long beards? How will an inked pilot reflect on the company as a […]

Transcript from the video: Hey everyone. It’s Liz from Thrust Flight.  Today we’re gonna be discussing the proper technique for the short field landing.  Setting Up for a Short Field Landing All right Lan so today I’m gonna demonstrate to you the short field landing here in our 172. So we’re on our downwind for […]

In this article, we’re going to take a look at all the stalls a private pilot should know. For many people learning how to become pilots, stalls are one of their biggest concerns. Stalls are a perfect example of why ground school is actually pretty important. All those hours you spend learning aerodynamics aren’t so […]

Accomplishing your private pilot certificate is an adventure no matter the category and class you’re exploring. Unless you’re learning in a glider or a balloon, at some point in your training it will be time to leave the proverbial nest of your local airport and training area to embark on a cross-country training flight. Requirements […]

The ATP, or Airline Transport Pilot, certificate is the highest pilot license level issued by the FAA. As such, it’s sometimes called the “doctorate of flying.”  What is the ATP? As the name suggests, the certificate is designed to be the license you need to fly for the airlines or charter operators. But anyone can […]

Women Of Aviation Week is from March 6th through the 12th of this year.  The event is put on by iWOAW (Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide), an organization dedicated to changing the face of aviation. During the week, the group sponsors Fly It Forward events and scholarship opportunities to expose young girls to aviation […]

Flight simulators can be great aids to help you with flight training. No matter what type of computer you have at home, you can download one of these programs and get flying in moments. There are really only two choices for realistic flight simulators–Microsoft and X-Plane. Here’s a detailed look at the two and how […]

Flight simulators have been popular personal computer games since Microsoft released Version 1.0 of Flight Simulator in 1982. Technology and graphics have come a long way since then, as you might imagine. But fundamentally, these applications haven’t changed much. They have always aimed to provide a hyper-realistic flying experience so that anyone might try their […]

Sometimes called the walk-around, the Cessna 172 preflight checklist is the initial inspection a pilot makes of the aircraft right before they take it flying. It’s a vital safety check to ensure that that plane is airworthy–that is, it has everything it legally needs to fly and is in good condition to do so.  Most […]