Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network.

Aero-Tips 07.01.06

We're at the midpoint of the year, and about halfway through the traditional "flying season" for recreational pilots. If you've not done so in the last couple of months, now's the time to schedule a little mid-year tune-up of your flying skills.

Optimally you'll find an instructor and take a full Flight Review. You might take it a step further and complete the FAA WINGS "trifecta" of one hour each of airwork maneuvers, takeoffs and landings, and instrument flight.

Most importantly, take a look at the type of flying you normally do, and compare that to the Practical Test Standards (or non-US equivalent) for the certificates and ratings you hold. Look at those items you're not flying day-to-day but were at least at one time competent to fly-and practice those maneuvers.

On your own

You don't need to make this a formal training event. For a self-evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses, and cues to whether and which Standards you need to practice further (perhaps with an instructor), try:

• Steep turns
• Stalls and recoveries, especially accelerated stalls (in a turn)
• Emergency flight by reference to instruments, for VFR pilots (not IFR or not IFR current) -- and take along a safety pilot
• Partial panel flight by reference to instruments without using an autopilot, if you're IFR rated and current
• Short- and soft-field takeoffs and landings
• Ded. Reckoning navigation in simulated instrument conditions (a student of mine recently found himself hand-flying a highly-equipped airplane "partial panel" by compass and a watch after a total electrical failure in the clouds)
• Any other Practical Test items you haven't flown lately.

Aero-tip of the day: As a mid-year tune-up of your flying skills, get airborne, have some fun, and do some maneuvers you don't often practice-but some day may need to know.

FMI: Aero-Tips