Category: Airplane

  • Piston Engine: “Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow”

    I am currently working on studying for the ATPL theory. Right now, I am focusing on Aircraft General Knowledge simply because it is the first subject on the alphabetical list after Air Law. I’m not quite ready to dive into EASA Air Law yet. I am still considering studying in the US, where the regulations…

  • Balancing Work and Study: My Journey towards an ATPL

    I still haven’t chosen a school for my theory and my license is still pending, but I’m planning my next trip to Europe. I hope to have my documents ready in one to two weeks, and during the trip, I’d like to get a first-class medical. It’s a requirement for the ATPL, and I want…

  • Exploring Commercial Pilot Course Options: Europe or the US?

    I have just finished my PPL and am now contemplating my next steps. Although the US is an attractive option due to its English-speaking environment, interesting airspace, internship possibilities, and easier written tests, there are several drawbacks. Firstly, it is too far away from Moscow and I had to return to Moscow at least twice…

  • Passing the EASA Private Pilot Checkride: Reaching the First Milestone

    Finally, I made it! To be honest, I was worried that I would have to return to Moscow before completing my PPL because I didn’t have any possibility to stay here after the 1st of July. It’s much easier to take the exam right after finishing the course because of the fresh skills, and I…

  • Completing Flight Training: Overcoming Weather Challenges

    Summer is approaching, which means thunderstorms will be on the horizon. I need two more hours to complete my flight training, and today those hours are going to fly by. As I arrived at the aerodrome, I noticed a dark cloud accompanied by thunder. I have to be back in Moscow soon, and extending my…

  • Exploring the Czech Mountains on a Cross-Country Flight

    I’m continuing with my cross-country flights, and today I explored the incredible mountains near the Czech border with Poland. I climbed to 5,500 feet, so I’m getting closer to the airliners! I really enjoy cross-country flights. I get to see beautiful forests, castles, fields, mountains, houses, cars, and people below my plane, with the incredible…

  • Long PPL Cross-Country Flight: A Crucial Milestone in Flight Training

    There was one more important stage for me today: I flew my long cross-country with two full stop landings in different aerodromes. In my case, there were Hradec Kralove (hurray, concrete runway!) and Pribram (hurray, asphalt runway!). I already mentioned that I like concrete and asphalt runways more than grass or turf ones. The landscape…

  • Mastering Cross-Country Navigation: My Latest Flight Check Experience

    Today, I underwent another check to endorse me for solo navigation flights. This internal check is mandatory for all students as per our syllabus. Basically it was a regular cross-country flight using a paper chart, and we flew a very beautiful route. I’m not scared of navigation flights, generally I do well. To be honest,…

  • First Solo Flight: A Milestone Moment in My Aviation Journey

    Finally, the day arrived – I flew my first solo today, a crucial milestone for any pilot. Prior to the solo, I had flown over 10 patterns with my instructor and another three with the examiner. The examiner stayed on the ground with a handheld radio and provided very clear instructions beforehand: if he were…

  • From Above: Land in Sight!

    We have been flying a lot of aerodrome patterns lately, trying them out in different aerodromes to get a richer experience. While I am improving, my instructor is not completely confident in my flying, and so he doesn’t want to let me fly solo just yet. Perhaps if I had only one instructor from the…