6 bad habits to avoid as a student pilot

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We asked the pilots here at Sporty’s what they thought student pilots should avoid. We’re talking about bad habits that can get in the way of your goal of earning your wings. Here are the six bad habits to avoid when you begin your flight training. 

Preflight Like It Matters

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A thorough preflight is critical. When you learn to fly, one of the first things that your flight instructor will teach you is what to look for on the airplane before your go fly. Performing a preflight inspection of the aircraft is often one of the first things that your instructor will "solo" you on as well.

Student Pilot News print edition

Student Pilot News is the best place for articles, videos, quizzes, and special offers for new pilots. But in addition to our weekly online updates, we also publish a print version once a year. You can flip through a PDF version of the 2019 edition here.
Self serve fuel pump

How to use self-serve fuel pumps at the airport

Pumping avgas into a Cessna is pretty much the same as pumping 93 octane into a Chevrolet once everything is running. But like most things in aviation, the stakes are higher and the room for error is lower. So here is a step-by-step procedure to make your next self-serve fuel stop safe and stress-free. And yes, some of these lessons had to be learned the hard way.

How to file VFR Flight Plans using the new ICAO format

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Expand your thunderstorm forecasting skills

Thunderstorms and clusters of thunderstorms often intensify and weaken constantly over their lifecycle, and the threats they pose can rapidly evolve over time. Even with the volatility and uncertainty surrounding convection, products like the Extended Convective Forecast Product are helpful for determining how thunderstorms may impact your flight.

Ask a CFI: how can I incorporate the iPad into my flight training?

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