Category: Airplane

  • Demystifying Flight Time Logging: Navigating Tricky Differences in Aviation Regulations

    Logging the flight time can be a challenge when you need to meet the requirements of different authorities such as FAA, EASA and Transport Canada. While they share many similarities, there are some crucial differences that you should know to stay out of trouble and probably save some money. Firstly, let me explain some terms.…

  • Pilot’s Logbook

    Every pilot logs the flight time and needs a logbook for that. There is no any problem with the paper one, but it is not very convenient when you need to filter the flight time for some task. For example, sometimes it’s good to know the complex time, or the time in a multi-engine airplane,…

  • Bartow

    Today I finally succeeded in my efforts of trying to wake up early at the weekend. Actually it was a good reason to do it: much more chances to fly cross-country wherever you want before thunderstorm activity. Today I was going to Bartow. It is an airport in about 70 miles to the South-East. Close…

  • Lake-City

    At the weekends I used to fly from the early morning, but this Saturday I decided to sleep some more: it is not a good idea to fly if you’re tired. Today the weather was good, so it was possible to fly to Lake-City. So, why that place? First of all, the weather is much…

  • High-Performance Airplane

    Commercial pilot license requirements contain 10 hours of complex airplane flight time (at least it was so in 2018 – as far as I know, now only technically advanced aircraft time is required). Complex airplane means the one with a retractable gear, flaps and constant-speed prop. But from the April 2018 it is not required…

  • Mastering Spin Recovery: Essential Training for All Pilots

    Spin training is part of the flight instructor course, but I believe it’s valuable for all pilots. While it’s best to recognize and prevent a spin in advance, sometimes sh*t happens anyway, and it’s crucial to know how to handle it. In theory, the process isn’t very complicated: neutralize the ailerons, stop the rotation with…

  • Fly-In Breakfast Adventure: the Fun of a Busier Airfield

    Today we had a fly-in breakfast at a nearby airport, about an hour’s flight away. This airport does not have a dedicated communication frequency, so in these cases in Florida, we should use either 122.9 or 122.75. In our case, it was 122.9. Despite arriving rather early, we heard a lot of traffic on the…

  • Embracing the Complexity: Commercial Maneuvers in a Multiengine Aircraft

    Currently, I am accumulating complex airplane hours to meet the commercial license requirements, opting to do so in a multi-engine aircraft. While the fundamental principles of maneuvering remain consistent between multi-engine and single-engine airplanes, the former involves additional procedures and a broader speed range. The primary distinction, for me, lies not just in the extra…

  • Navigating around Thunderstorms on the Way to Gainesville

    As I already mentioned, I encountered an issue preventing an IFR flight with the school’s black N4642J due to an oil temperature problem. However, the weather conditions were still suitable for flying, and another aircraft became available. By 2:30 pm, there was still an opportunity to make a flight to Gainesville and back. The weather…

  • Navigating Summer Skies in Florida

    Summer in Florida proves more challenging than winter for flying. While it’s generally feasible to fly year-round (as we can see in nearly all flight school ads), the extended daylight hours in winter contrast with the limited 2-3 hour windows in summer, sometimes nullifying flying altogether. Anticipating thunderstorms around 2-3 pm became my routine every…