private pilot

ACS ACS standards aeronautical decision making airspace checkride checkride prep class bravo airspace cloud clearance cross-country flying engine failure FAR 91.155 flight maneuvers flight training go-around ground effect landing technique mode c veil sectional chart short field landing slow flight soft field takeoff stall awareness steep turns student pilot VFR weather minimums

Traffic Pattern Apr 23, 2026

Steep turns on the checkride and the altitude loss that starts before you even roll in

Master steep turns on your checkride by leading with back pressure during roll-in and managing energy throughout the maneuver.

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Traffic Pattern Apr 22, 2026

Short field landings and the checkride mistakes that start on downwind

Fix your short field landings by mastering the five-link chain from downwind setup through braking and full stop.

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Traffic Pattern Apr 20, 2026

Steep turns and the three mistakes that fail them on every checkride

Avoid the three most common steep turn mistakes that fail checkrides: rushed entries, chasing the altimeter, and botched rollouts.

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Traffic Pattern Apr 16, 2026

FAR sixty-one point one thirteen and the cost-sharing trap for private pilots

Understand FAR 61.113's cost-sharing rules for private pilots, including the three legal tests that keep friendly fuel splits from becoming illegal charter flights.

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Traffic Pattern Apr 16, 2026

Slow Flight Under the Current ACS - Why Your Old MCA Technique Will Bust Your Checkride

Under the current FAA ACS, slow flight is flown above the stall warning - not at MCA. Here's how to fly it correctly and pass your checkride.

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