In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses the importance of examining the airplane as a whole during the preflight.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses some of the issues designated pilot examiners are coming across during checkrides.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses some of the observations he’s made while flying with his tailwheel students over the summer.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Robert N. Rossier discusses the amount of planning needed for what might be considered a simple flight.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses the concept of bringing experienced commercial pilots back into the general aviation flight training world.
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Vic Syracuse discusses some important maintenance observations he’s made in the last few months.
This is a video series that details Brady Lane’s experience (EAA 808095) and process in learning to fly and earning his sport pilot certificate. These were recorded in 2008 and 2009, but remain relevant today for anyone learning to fly.
Brady went up by himself to review ground reference maneuvers and took special care to keep his altitude within the plus or minus 100 feet guidelines of the practical test ... Read more
It was in the high 90s in Oshkosh in this lesson and well over 100 degrees inside the cockpit. Brady knew the heat would have an effect on airplane performance, ... Read more
In Brady’s last few flights, he noticed the Remos flew differently without a passenger so he wanted to go up to practice, practice, and practice some more solo landings. So, ... Read more
Leaving Oshkosh for the first time with no one else in the airplane is a big milestone, and was downright nerve racking for Brady. Those nerves were good though, because ... Read more
Brady had only soloed once before, five months before this lesson, so in many ways this felt like a first solo all over again. Even though it had been a ... Read more
Every flight is different. This time, Brady didn’t have strong winds to contend with, but instead several flocks of geese flying above the runway on takeoff.
Brady had a crosswind component of about 6-9 knots (gusting 12-14) and that was enough to give him a good workout! He learned you really have to be sharp and ... Read more
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses some of the issues designated pilot examiners are coming across during checkrides.
3:45 a.m. The sun is down, the sky is dark, my alarm goes off. It’s checkride day. My time to prove all the late nights and early mornings spent studying ... Read more
In a recent column for EAA Sport Aviation, contributor Steve Krog discusses some tips and tricks that aren’t necessarily taught during standard private pilot training.
After rigorous training, late nights, early mornings, and lots of support, I have officially earned the title of private pilot. Words cannot describe how happy and grateful I am for ... Read more
EAA recently paid a visit to see Lee Fischer and his Project First Flight glider trainer in action at the historic Larson Brothers Airport near Larsen, Wisconsin.
Josh Robinson, Matthew Platt Scholarship and Tex Edwards Scholarship recipient, shares where he is in the journey to earning his private pilot certificate, how the scholarships have helped him, and ... Read more
Although I did not come from an aviation background, with the support of my family and my local EAA chapter I became very involved and passionate about aviation. EAA and ... Read more
Jake landed an airplane for the first time at age 13 on July 1, 2019. Last week he turned 16 and on October 30 the weather allowed him to experience ... Read more
By Steve Krog, EAA 173799 This piece originally ran in Steve’s Classic Instructor column in the May 2021 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. During the past several months, I ... Read more
Evan Carell, EAA 1300856, and Maryjane Marroquin, EAA 1357794, were recently awarded Ray Aviation Scholarships through Chapter 35 in Texas, and they’ve written to share updates on their progress.
I would not have been able to receive my private or tailwheel endorsement without the guidance and help of EAA and the Tinker Murdoch Scholarship, and I am extraordinarily thankful ... Read more
As a 2020 recipient of the Elgin Wells, Jr. Starjammer CFI Scholarship, this past year I was able to complete my CFI rating. Achieving my CFI rating was one of ... Read more
I remember being excited, nervous, and anxious the first time I got in the left seat at the controls. I knew right after takeoff that this was something I wanted. ... Read more
I recently earned my Commercial ASEL certificate in my father’s 1948 Luscombe 8E in January 2021 with the help of EAA and the United Airlines Flight Operations Pilot Scholarship.
I have always been interested in becoming a private pilot, but something seemed to always get in the way. With the pandemic, I could not think of a more perfect ... Read more
I am excited to say I officially became a pilot on December 22, 2020, and I cannot express how happy I am. Receiving the scholarship took the worry out of ... Read more
When I first learned that I was chosen for one of the scholarships I had difficulty believing it. With the help of the scholarship, I was able to finance and ... Read more
After catching the flying bug at age nine, William McCarthy progressed from Young Eagle to Ray Scholar to private pilot, and he’d like to thank some of the folks who ... Read more
All of my hard work had paid off and my dream of being a pilot came true. When I returned to my home airport, my instructor and parents were waiting ... Read more
Rocklin, California, resident Hannah Treehan, EAA 1371080, celebrated a momentous milestone for a 16-year-old when she soloed on Tuesday, November 24, just two days before Thanksgiving.
Mother Nature provided some challenges for Jeremy, as the winds had been pretty strong. On September 25, Jeremy and his instructor did a couple “touch-and-goes” at the Northeast Ohio Regional ... Read more
This time on EAA’s The Green Dot, the crew sat down to share their thoughts, advice, and suggestions to any listeners considering learning to fly or early into their flight ... Read more
When the high school closed down in April to comply with Governor Whitmer’s executive order regarding COVID-19, staff put their heads together to find a way to help seniors who ... Read more
On July 2, 21-year-old Mac Copeland took another step toward joining the ranks of two generations of pilots before him by successfully soloing in a Cessna 172.
Congratulations to Piper Hechtl on her first solo! Piper, EAA 1166354, soloed a Cessna 152 on May 5 at Tracy Municipal Airport in Tracy, California. Piper began her flight training ... Read more
This time on EAA’s The Green Dot, the crew sat down together, virtually, for a discussion of several of their favorite flight simulators, including stories from multiple simulated worlds.
My wife and I recently had the thrill of seeing our son solo both a helicopter and a Cessna — as well as pass his glider private pilot checkride — ... Read more
Congratulations to EAA Chapter 976 Ray Aviation Scholarship recipient Tabitha Yeomans, EAA 1204058, who passed her private pilot checkride on January 12!
I passed my private pilot checkride, ultimately earning my certificate in less than seven months and contributing to the overall success of the Ray Aviation Foundation.
After hours of instruction, memorizing procedures and movements of the airplane, my instructor had prepared me for one of the biggest steps I would ever dream of taking as a ... Read more
Lily Busenbark, EAA 1293705, achieved a Ray scholar milestone on November 22, 2019, when she soloed in a PA-28-140 Cherokee at the Columbus Airport (KCSG) in Georgia.
Through the generous support of the Ray Foundation, EAA provided up to $10,000 to 100 deserving youths for their flight training expenses in 2019, with the support of EAA’s chapter ... Read more
Pilots and pilot prospects are all ages and come from all walks of life. To be a good instructor, one must be able to know and understand what makes each ... Read more
Earlier this summer, the four students who took part in the EAA Sport Pilot Academy all had one thing in common — they were college students who had nonflying aviation ... Read more
The cost of getting into flying has always been important to those dreaming of becoming a pilot. One strategy for would-be sport pilots is to take flight training in their ... Read more
I almost quit halfway through flight training. Apparently, I did not have the talent for flying. About a year prior to this dilemma, I woke up with the bright idea ... Read more
Seven weeks ago, my instructor Jamie Pittman, EAA 439727, told me he wanted me to take the FAA private pilot written exam by early January — before I solo and ... Read more
Flying clubs are a great way for existing pilots to get more affordable flight time, and theyprovide a window into aviation for the surrounding communities.
Zach Elliott owns and operates Ontario Advanced Ultralights, a flight school that serves any students wanting to fly, including those with disabilities.
Dozens of Piper Cubs landed as a group at Wittman Regional Airport Sunday morning in celebration of the type’s 80th anniversary, including one flown by 14-year-old Kyle Carden with help ... Read more
EAA staffer and new pilot Cory Puuri needed a kneeboard but couldn’t find one that did exactly what he wanted. So, in the best EAA spirit, he built his own. ... Read more
One of the toughest things about learning to fly is learning to trust the instruments, especially when they disagree with what we see and feel. However, we have no choice; ... Read more
Preflight, cruise, pre-landing, shut down, emergency — to name a few. Aviation is full of checklists. So if you’re interested in learning to fly, what better way to plan for ... Read more