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January 2008 Volume 2, Issue 1 |
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 Welcome
to the fifth issue of Reach For The Sky,
EAA’s monthly e-newsletter written and created
for people interested in learning how to fly.
Our ranks have grown…more than 5,500 people
are subscribed. There’s always room for more,
so feel free to forward your copy to someone who
might like to receive the newsletter. Remember,
you don’t need to be an EAA member to subscribe.
Note: If you’re
a pilot just starting out and would like to
share your story, contact us at LearnToFly@eaa.org.
Who knows? We may feature your story in a future
edition of the newsletter.
In
this issue ...
- Slow Flight,
by Steve Krog, CFI, Editor
- What you're
asking: Questions for your instructor
- A Personal
View: Flight training, an ageless
endeavor
- Aviation
Glossary: Learning the language of
flight
- This
month's poll: Have you flown a flight
simulator?
Got a question
about flight-training? Drop us an e-mail
at LearnToFly@EAA.org.
Slow
Flight!
By Steve Krog
Flying an
airplane safely and confidently involves much
more than cruising around looking at the
beautiful scenery below. Do you recall when you
first learned how to drive a car? Whether it was
your father or a driver's training school
teaching you, different skills had to be learned
as well as developing judgment so that you could
drive safely and earn an official driver's
license.
Learning to fly
is quite similar. To fly safely we must learn
the various skills to operate the airplane, and
also develop judgment. Thus, there are different
maneuvers we must learn.
In previous Reach
For The Sky articles, we discussed the first
flight experience and attitude
flying. Once we've demonstrated the ability
to climb, descend and turn the airplane using
coordinated control inputs, the next challenge
is slow flight. Read
more
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Q&A:
What you're asking
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Common
questions for the instructor from beginning flight students
By Steve Krog
Q.
My
son is now twelve and eager to try and
learn how to fly. He has already gone up
on one Young Eagle flight. I would
consider lessons for him but do not know
how to gauge the quality of flight
schools. He is not interested in the
Civil Air Patrol, and I am trying to
figure out how to get him more
opportunities to gain knowledge that
would ultimately help him learn to
fly.
A. I
think it’s wonderful that your 12-year
old son has a keen interest in flying.
Where are you located? I’d like to
help you and your son connect with an
EAA mentor and locate a flight school
near you that will meet your needs.
I have
been giving instruction for over 30
years and have worked with a number of
12-year olds. Because they cannot solo
an airplane until their 16th birthday, I
usually set them up on a more relaxed
schedule, flying 2-4 times per month. I
find that most 12-year olds adapt very
well and are quite capable of flying
solo well before turning 16. I don’t
want the young student to get bored, so
I just slow down the progress.
Another
option might be glider flight training.
Once we know where you are located we
might be able to put you in contact with
a local glider flight operation. Your
son could solo at age 14 and get his
private pilot glider rating at 16.
 Q.
Should
I have any ground school training
completed before I start lessons in the
air?
A.
Having some ground school completed
before beginning your flying lessons
will help but it is not necessary to
have the ground school completed before
flying. One thing I will caution you on
though, it is sometimes very easy to put
off the ground school until after you
begin flying. Then, all of a sudden, it
seems you are well into completing your
flight training but haven’t yet
studied and taken the written test. Now
you’re playing catch up. Ideally, you
would want to be taking flight lessons
while working on the ground school.
Q.
Are there any online “ground
schools” available for Sport Pilot
students? If so may I have the web site
addresses?
A.
Currently, I am unaware of any online
ground schools. However, the next best
thing would be the ground school DVD
sets available from several different
sources (i.e. Sporty’s Pilot Shop).
You can study at your own speed. Each
segment runs about 15-20 minutes with Q
& A at the end. The DVDs are
interactive should you answer a question
incorrectly. More
questions |
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A Personal
View - Flight training, an ageless endeavor |
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| By Steve Krog
I’ve been a
flight instructor for a number of years,
focusing primarily on training sport pilot and
private pilot students. Frequently, I get asked
questions about age. How old should my son or
daughter be to begin flight lessons? Or, I’m
nearly 70 years of age. Am I too old to learn?
Recently, in
response to Reach For The Sky, I received
the following short note and poem. After
reading, I was quite intrigued by the author and
wanted to learn more. I contacted her and
received a most delightful reply. I’d like to
share both with you. Read
more
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torque
- a twisting, gyroscopic force acting in
opposition to an axis of rotation, such as with
a turning propeller.
gross weight
- the total weight of an aircraft when fully
loaded, sometimes referred to as takeoff weight.
The aircraft manufacturer, through testing and
certification, determines gross weight for the
aircraft.
adverse yaw
- yaw generated when the ailerons are used. The
lifting wing generates more drag, causing an
airplane to yaw (or turn) toward it.
see-and-avoid
- the FAA requirement that all pilots are
ultimately responsible for separation from other
aircraft when visual conditions permit spotting
traffic.
nautical mile
- the most common distance measurement in
aviation. A nautical mile is equivalent to 1.15
statute (standard U.S.) miles.
controlled airspace
- a generic term including all airspace classes
in which ATC services are available. VFR
aircraft may operate without ATC contact in most
controlled airspace as long as weather
conditions will permit them to see and avoid
other aircraft.
more
glossary terms >>
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Last
month's poll: Favorite
aircraft category
Last month's poll asked, "What aircraft
category are you most interested in?" Over
half (51 percent) of the nearly 1,000 replies
voted for "Warbirds/Military." Second
place went to "Light-Sport Aircraft"
with 19 percent of the votes, and
"Experimental/homebuilt" took third
with 15 percent of the votes. View the complete results
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Join the EAA
Facebook group
|
 We
invite you to join the official EAA Facebook group, “EAA - The Spirit of Aviation.” Whether you’re an EAA member
or not, joining the group allows you to share pictures and
video, send personal messages, discover others who share
your passion for aviation, and participate in lively
discussions on what's happening in the organization. Visit the Young
Eagles website for instructions on how to sign up.
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A moment to
join, a lifetime to fly
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 If
you’re preparing to become a pilot, the EAA
community is here for you. Membership gives you
access to the collective passion, knowledge,
experience, and support of 170,000 members
worldwide. You'll get to participate in EAA
events, connect with fellow members, and have
access to the tools and resources to get you
airborne. Join the fun by visiting http://www.eaa.org/membership/benefits.asp
today.
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Reach for the Sky - EAA's Guide to Learning
to Fly and Light-Sport Aircraft
|
 EAA’s
guide to learning to fly and light-sport aircraft
is a resource to help anyone take the first
steps toward becoming a pilot. Whether you want to
have fun in a powered parachute or one day want to
command a Mars mission, Reach for the Sky is a
great place to start. It is
available
as a PDF
that will take a few minutes to download with a
high-speed connection.
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