Is it hard to learn how to fly?

Well, yes. There is a lot to learn theoritically and practically. Most students are overwhelmed at the beginning of their lessons. At the beginning, the flight instructor takes up some of the work, like communications,while the student concentrates on the lesson of the day. Slowly and steadily, the student assumes all the tasks involved in flying the airplane while the instructor observes and critiques his/her performance. Learning to fly will require determination and focus. Failure is not an option. Begin your flying lessons only if you truly want to be a pilot, for the road to the checkride is long and full of challenges. You will end up wasting a lot of money, time, and effort if you go into training half-heartedly.

Should I fly high wing or low wing?

This is a very common question among student pilots. The Cessna 172, Cessna 152, and Piper Warrior are the most popular training airplanes out there. They are so because they are stable, forgiving of mistakes, and relatively slow. There are no distinct advantages between these airplanes except that the Cessna 152, a 2-seater, rents out cheaper than the other two mentioned. High wings provide a better view of the ground directly below while low wings provide a better view when turning. It boils down to preference. The Warrior and the 172 climb out at approximately the same speed, 80 knots, and their approach speed is approximately the same, 65-75 knots normally. There are other factors to consider, but again it will be a matter of preference. Early in your training, fly both and compare. I fly the Warrior AND the Cessna 172.

What is VFR and IFR?

VFR means Visual Flight Rules. You need to look out the window to seek and avoid traffic, and to fly and navigate. IFR means Instrument Flight Rules. You fly the airplane by reading and understanding what the instruments are telling you without the visual aid of the world outside your window. IFR is essential when flying in sub-normal weather conditions and when in the clouds. An instrument rating is an advance rating that many pilots earn after getting their pilot's licenses. You must have a pilot's license before you can start your instrument training. VFR pilots are not allowed to fly in IFR conditions, for fear of spatial disorientation. VFR minimums require a cloud ceiling of no less than 1,000 feet and a visibility of no less than 3 miles.

How long does it take to earn a pilot's license?

It depends on many things. The FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours of flight training. The average is around 80 hours. You will need to pass an FAA written exam. Then, on your checkride, you need to pass an oral exam and a practical exam given by an FAA designated examiner. It is said that younger students learn quicker than older ones. If you fly often, like 3 times a week, you will learn faster than one who flys once a week. You learn at your own pace and as your financial situation can afford. This is not a race. For many students, earning their license is further delayed by financial reasons more than by their individual abilities, or disabilities. My advice is, if you can manage it, to first amass a large amount of money---like$5,000 to $10,000---and then schedule your lessons 3 times a week.

Should I train at a controlled or uncontrolled airport?

You can go either way on this one, and there is no evidence that pilots training at a controlled airport are better than those who do not. One thing is certain though, and that is training at a controlled airport will require communicating with an air traffic controller. In many controlled airports, you will also deal with clearance delivery and ground control. So, your communication skills will get more practice at a controlled airport. Training at an uncontrolled airport doesnt mean that you will not communicate at all. At uncontrolled airports, you broadcast your position and intentions on a common traffic advisory frequency ( CTAF ) so that other pilots will know who is in the traffic pattern and where to look for them. Some pilots who are used to working with a tower dont like flying into uncontrolled airports. Inversely, some of those who fly in uncontrolled airports are nervous about working with a tower. You can do yourself a great service if you include both controlled and uncontrolled airports in your training.

How do I choose an instructor?

Recommendations help, but, if you dont have any, you will need to fly a few hours with an instructor to find out if he/she is the one for you. You want a certified flight instructor (CFI) to have patience, a professional demeanor, and a good ability to communicate. You want an instructor who can explain things to you, and not just refer you to a publish treatise on flying. You want an instructor who has time for you---some CFIs are so busy that it is hard to schedule a lesson. You want a CFI who doesnt give false praises. Objective criticism is very important to your advancement. You want a CFI who will push you and not give you an easy time. As for the time you will train with a CFI, many CFIs are instructing to build time until a major airline hires them. You might lose a CFI this way, but you can always work with another one. It is quite common to meet a student pilot who has worked with two or three CFIs to complete the private pilot course. There is something good about training with several CFIs because you can see how different they are in personality, in knowledge, in teaching technique, and in their individual preferences. It is, however, very disconcerting to lose an instructor who works well with you. No matter what, you will be spending time with the instructor. It is very important that you have a good rapport with the CFI. You want someone who doesnt diminish your joy and interest in flying. As for myself, by the time I earned my license, I have trained with five CFIs.

Is flying dangerous?

It is all relative to the other things you do in life. Sure, flying has its inherent dangers. You could mess up your landing and get killed. However, you could also lose control of your car and get killed. Why do you go on the road then and not seriously question its dangers? Personally, I feel that driving on the road is more dangerous than flying. For one thing, pilots get a lot more training in critical thinking and safety/ emergency procedures than a driver of a vehicle. If flying is so dangerous, then we would hear of midair collisions and crashes on a daily basis--but we dont. There are a lot of rules and procedures involved in air traffic control, in pilot certification and aircraft certification, in the use of forecasted weather for flight, that makes flying one of the safest way to travel. The media loves aviation disasters, and so every crash is portrayed spectacularly. This is where, I think, the impression of danger comes from. If the media were to report on every car crash with the same hoopla as they report a jetliner crash, you wouldnt be on the roads at all!

Why are checklists used in flying?

Flying is a complicated procedure. There are a lot of switches and settings to work with, and there are tasks that need to be performed at certain points of the flight. Even if you have a good memory, you will need to work with a checklist. It is not possible to remember everything, everytime, and all the time! Checklists are there to insure that all required items are attended to and tasks performed. There are checklists for preflight, inflight, and post flight. Take all of them seriously. There have been many cases where a careless preflight check resulted in injury and death. By using a checklist, you insure the proper operation of the aircraft and therefore you fly a safer flight.

What does instrument training mean?

First, let me tell you that even VFR pilots know how to read instruments. How else can the pilot know the altitude, the speed, the bank angle, the pitch angle, the rate of turn, the fuel supply, the course being flown, if he doesnt know how to read the instruments? Instrument flying is all about flying an airplane minus the usual visual reference points you get from looking out your window. Believe it or not, if you find yourself w/o those reference points, disorientation will quickly set in. Human beings need visual references for the brain to know where you are and in what orientation you are in. Instrument flying trains a pilot to rely on his instruments to tell him if he is climbing/descending, banking or flying straight, speeding or slowing down, in line for a runway when using an instrument approach, oncourse or not while enroute, arriving at certain waypoints or not by the use of navigational radios. The pilot needs to read several instruments at the same time, and process all these bits of information to make a determination as to the factors mentioned above. All of these things are done w/o visual references from the outside. In instrument training, a pilot wears a hood to prevent him from catching a glimpse of the outside world. A safety pilot, usually an instructor, is in the right seat. An instrument rated pilot can find his way in bad weather by flying an instrument flight plan and by performing instrument approach procedures.

Do you recommend flying?

Frankly, I would rather see someone approach flying on his/her own volition or conviction than through a recommendation. If I have to recommend flying to you, then maybe you are not convinced enough that you want to be a pilot. It should be that no one can dissuade you from taking up flying lessons! It is your dream and you will make it come true. Now, there's someone who will succeed! Furthermore, you might injure or kill yourself in training and I dont want to be part of that mess. Remember, there is an inherent danger in flying but that danger is reduced to a manageable level through good training and clear thinking. I can control my decisions and recognize my minimum standards, but no one elses. So, if you take up flying, you assume all responsibility for your success or failure. Having said that, I can say that I love flying. It is one of those times in my life that I feel I am living my life rather than just spending the time.

How much weight can an airplane carry?

This is a good question because it directly relates to safety. Every airplane has a maximum gross weight for takeoff. This weight limit should not be exceeded since it will result in control problems including a stall. The airplane's basic empty weight and its gross weight can be found in its operational handbook. For example, the Piper Warrior's gross weight is set at 2, 325 pounds and its empty weight is around 1,500 pounds. The difference between the two is the useable load, roughly 800 pounds in this example. A full load of fuel---50 gallons---will weight 300 pounds at roughly 6 pounds per gallon. That will leave 500 pounds for all the passengers, the pilot, and their bags. It really isnt much considering a regular guy like myself weighs 180-185 pounds. Two of us will already take up 370 pounds. That leaves only 130 pounds for the two other passengers and the bags in a 4-seater like the Piper Warrior. It cant be done! So, here is an important point: if the plane is a 4-seater, it doesnt mean it can take 4 people! The pilot has to balance the weight with the fuel load, or simply take less load. A pilot can trade fuel for weight. It's the pilot's decision, just keep within the maximum load of 2,325 pounds. The load gets lighter during a flight because fuel is burned enroute, but the plane must be at or below the maximum gross weight at takeoff. To me, a 4-seater airplane like the Piper Warrior is really meant for 2 adults and 2 small kids, or 3 adults provided not one of them is grossly overweight. This is a rough estimation. Of course, a larger and more powerful airplane can carry heavier loads, but all airplanes are restricted by a load requirement. You cant overload an airplane like you overload a car. There is also the matter of the center og gravity. The loading of the airplane will determine its center of gravity. The airplane's manufacturer has determined the front and aft limits of the center of gravity envelope. The pilot calculates the center of gravity and that point has to fall within the prescribed envelope. This is very important.