Matt Claiborne

One of the most misunderstood jobs in aviation is that of the DPE—the Designated Pilot Examiner. For many student pilots, the DPE that gives their checkride and (hopefully) hands them a license is the first contact they have with the “real” FAA. The problem with that is that DPEs do not actually work for the

Flight physicals can be a source of anxiety for many pilots. For example, should you list your anxiety about a flight physical as a medical condition? However, flight physicals can be straightforward, and any issues found don’t have to be the end of the story. A flight physical is a generic term used to describe

Aviation is a world of acronyms. If you’re researching flight training, the term “CFI” is one of the first that you’ll hear. What is a CFI, a CFII, or an MEI? Today, let’s look at some of these flight training terms and talk about the people behind them. CFI stands for Certified Flight Instructor. The

Aerodynamics involves the study of airflow, and we often think of the air moving over the wing to make lift or the drag produced by air moving over the fuselage. But it also looks at the airflow around the whole airplane, and sometimes that changes during flight. Ground effect refers to the change in the

Every once in a while, an aircraft catches your eye. Some planes just look different—like they popped in from the future, even. Designers are constantly finding new ways to make airplanes fly better—more efficient or more maneuverable. The canard is one design tool that engineers have played with over the years. A canard is a

One of the most incredible advancements in aviation has been the introduction of satellite navigation. But GPS technology alone isn’t enough—the regular GPS signals aren’t accurate enough to guide a plane to a safe landing during bad weather. So the FAA created a system to make GPS better and more accurate, called WAAS. WAAS stands

Most aviation buffs know that if an airplane flies too slowly, it will stall. If there isn’t enough air flowing over the wings, the airplane cannot fly. A ‘high speed stall’ sounds contradictory. However, it’s very real… Contrary to popular belief, an airplane can stall at nearly any airspeed—including very fast ones. When the plane stalls

A few terms that might be unfamiliar to US pilots, CAVOK and CAVU, pop up in some international weather reports from time to time. So what do they mean? Both CAVOK and CAVU are abbreviations used in some local weather reports. They mean “Ceiling and Visibility OK” or “Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited.” Neither term is

Learning basic aerodynamics starts by studying the various forces acting on a plane. The four forces of flight are lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Each one of these items is complicated in its own right. Let’s take it one step further and explain the aerodynamic center and the center of pressure. Pilots think of lift

The most famous aircraft developed during World War II were undoubted those fast and sleek fighters, or perhaps those brawny bombers. But the war years were a time of incredible technological advancement by all countries involved, and aviation itself grew more than many people today realize. For example, did you know that helicopters were developed during