Chart Smart: VFR Sectional Concentrated Obstructions

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Concentrated obstructions of wind turbine farms are portrayed by an overlying hatched area and dotted outline to represent the approximate parameters of the farm. One or more single turbine symbols will populate the farm. A boxed elevation figure representing the MSL elevation of the highest wind turbine within the area is placed inside the farm or, if space is limited, just outside.

Fly Perfect Patterns: Rectangular Course Techniques for Pilots

The rectangular course is one of the most basic maneuvers pilots learn during flight training. While it may sound boring, there's a lot to learn from this simple pattern. In our latest Video Tip of the Week, we walk through each step of the rectangular course, with in-cockpit video and 3D animations.

Flight Training for Young Pilots: How to Start Flying Early

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If you are not a pilot or don’t have easy access to one, the EAA’s Young Eagles program may be an option for a free first flight if your child is 8-17. Your child will also receive several other free materials and opportunities through this program. You might also be able to book a flight experience with a local flight school or ride operator.

FAA Continues Transition to Graphical Forecasts for Aviation

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The FAA has announced the next step in its ongoing effort to modernize aviation weather products by further transitioning from traditional area forecasts (FAs) to the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) tool. This change, detailed in an Information for Operators (InFO 25004) dated April 8, 2025, reflects the FAA’s strategy to provide pilots with more accurate, accessible, and visual weather information.

Airplane aerodynamics: Why do airplanes want to turn to the left?

Airplanes always seem to want to turn left, especially in a climb. But why does this happen? In this three-minute video tip, we dive into the physics in a way that makes sense for pilots. 3D animations and in-flight video show the effects of P-factor, gyroscopic precession and spiraling slipstream.

Flight Maneuver Spotlight: Turns Around a Point

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Welcome to the latest edition of the Flight Maneuver Spotlight series. Here we’ll highlight the various maneuvers you’ll practice during your flight training and be expected to demonstrate during your checkride.

FAA Issues New Safety Alert on Risks of Visual Approaches

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The FAA recently issued a new Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 23004 to highlight operational risks associated with visual approaches. Released on April 2, 2025, this SAFO urges operators, flight departments, and training providers to take proactive steps in mitigating potential hazards during visual approaches—particularly as they relate to controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), loss of separation, and unstable approaches.

Video tip: how to calculate takeoff and landing distances

Just about every airplane includes performance data in the Pilot's Operating Handbook to calculate the runway length required for takeoff and landing under various conditions. The FARs require you to determine these distances as part of your preflight responsibilities, but fortunately the charts published for today's modern airplanes make this task a breeze. This week's tip takes a look at how perform this calculation using the common "chase-around" style charts.

Pilot training experience requirements—just do what the regulation says!

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The crafty, creative CFI thought it would be a great opportunity for the student to get in some practice at another airport. In this case, he had the student grab another airport (a 4th) along the way. They thought that the student doing another landing at Marion (KMWA) would be some good additional experience for them at a towered airport. They aren’t wrong about that, but in a strict sense, it now means that cross-country solo flight doesn’t count toward the experience requirements for a private pilot certificate.
frequently missed test questions

Sporty’s Most Frequently Missed Test Questions—March 2025

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Here are the five most often missed questions from March 2025 on the simulated Private Pilot Knowledge Test.