Done with coding, ready for takeoff ✈️
Where do I even start studying for the oral?
The steep spiral is a maneuver most of us only practice for the checkride. This time I actually had to use it.
I was in the right seat practicing for my CFI, with my instructor in the left seat. On the way back from a canceled pattern practice flight, every time I brought the RPM below 2,000, the yoke started shaking violently in my hands. We held 2,000 RPM and flew back to our home field at 4,000ft. Over the airport, I pulled the power to idle and never touched it again: a steep spiral down, into the downwind for RWY 32, and a power-off 180 all the way to touchdown. A week later, maintenance found the cause. Here is what happened and what we learned.
Starting December 1, 2026, a Convective SIGMET is valid for 1 hour, not 2.
How do I actually teach XC planning well?
It all started with one question
If I’m learning pilotage, why do I have to draw a straight line from departure to destination, like I was flying GPS direct?
What would you do if your RPM gauge started fluctuating at 1,000 RPM during a full-power climb at night?
I recently faced this exact scenario on an IFR flight. Although I chose a precautionary landing over declaring an emergency, the experience revealed some critical gaps in my ADM. Here is a raw debrief of what happened during my night flight and what I learned.
The Confusion Ends: Find out how the new AIM update permanently resolves the debate between the Departure and Upwind Legs.
