FAR ninety-one dot two thirteen and the broken instrument that might not ground your airplane
FAR 91.213 provides a step-by-step process to determine whether an airplane with inoperative equipment is legal to fly.
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FAR sixty-one dot one thirteen and the seven exceptions that let a private pilot share expenses without breaking the law
Understanding FAR 61.113's seven exceptions lets private pilots legally share flight expenses without risking certificate action.
PatternThe simulated engine failure on the checkride and the first thing most applicants forget to do
The first thing most private pilot applicants forget during a simulated engine failure on the checkride is to pitch for best glide speed immediately.
PatternThe passenger who needs a hospital and the three airports you have to choose between right now
How to choose the right diversion airport when a passenger has a medical emergency, balancing distance, services, and hospital proximity.
PatternThe go-around on the checkride and the three seconds of hesitation that fail more applicants than any botched landing
The go-around fails more checkride applicants than any other maneuver - not because it's hard, but because pilots hesitate.
PatternThe sunset you did not plan for and the forty minutes of daylight you just lost to a late departure
A late departure turns a safe cross-country into a high-stress race against sunset - here's how to recognize and manage that risk.
PatternThe steep turn on the checkride and the back pressure you forget halfway around that costs you a hundred feet
Learn why altitude loss in steep turns happens and how to fix it before your private pilot checkride.
PatternPicking your VFR checkpoints and the landmarks that disappear at altitude
Learn how to pick VFR checkpoints that actually work from the air, not just on a sectional chart.
PatternFAR ninety-one dot two thirteen and what you are actually allowed to fly with when something on the panel is broken
Learn the four-step process under FAR 91.213 to determine if you can legally fly with inoperative instruments or equipment.
PatternThe short-field landing on the checkride and the airspeed you let creep up on final that costs you the numbers
Master the short-field landing checkride maneuver by fixing the real problem - airspeed control on final approach.
PatternBuilding the navlog by hand and the six columns that keep you found when the GPS quits
Learn to build a VFR cross-country navigation log by hand using six essential columns that keep you on course when GPS fails.
PatternThe ramp at the divert airport and the second decision that undoes the first good one
The most dangerous decision after a weather diversion is the second one - deciding when to leave the unfamiliar ramp.
PatternThe engine runup you rush through and the magneto drop that is trying to tell you something
Learn what your magneto check RPM drops actually mean and why the differential matters as much as the individual limits.
PatternThe heading you planned versus the heading you fly and the five corrections between your plotter and your compass
Learn the five corrections that convert a true course from your sectional chart to the compass heading you actually fly.
PatternThe oil streak on the belly you find during a fuel stop a hundred and fifty miles from home
How to assess and respond to an oil streak on your airplane's belly during a fuel stop away from home.
PatternThe power-on stall on the checkride and the wing drop you fix with the wrong control
Avoid the most common power-on stall checkride failure by using rudder, not aileron, to correct a wing drop during recovery.
PatternThe Graphical Forecast for Aviation tool and the big-picture weather page most student pilots have never opened
The Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA) shows big-picture weather across your entire route - here's how to use it.
PatternThe NOTAM you scrolled past and the closed runway waiting at your destination
Learn how to efficiently read and interpret NOTAMs so you never arrive at a closed runway or miss critical flight safety information.
PatternThirty miles out with the ceiling dropping and the three options you have to rank in the next two minutes
When weather deteriorates 30 miles from your destination, here's how to rank your three options before the clouds decide for you.
PatternThe winds aloft forecast and the headwind hiding at your planned cruising altitude
Learn how to decode the winds aloft forecast and use it to pick the best cruising altitude for fuel efficiency and safety.
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