Piloting - Page 9

The airplane rudder controls yaw, swinging the nose left or right. How it works, why it does not turn the plane, and the moments pilots need it most.

Aeromedical factors are the study of how the human body works when flying a plane. Quite a few things change for our bodies once our feet leave the ground. Perhaps one of the most apparent challenges we face at altitude is the reduced amount of oxygen. What is Hypoxia? Hypoxia is simply the medical term

One of the most fundamental concepts in aerodynamics is the concept of angle of attack, also called AOA. Aerodynamics is a complex subject and there are many concepts that go into understanding precisely what the AOA is and why it is essential. The angle of attack (AOA) is the angle formed between the wing and

The speed an aircraft flies is one of those things that seems like it should be simple, and yet it isn’t easy. In a car, your speedometer simply tells you how fast you are traveling between Point A and Point B. But in a plane, many variables must be considered before you can figure that

Several medical factors affect pilots while flying aircraft. Most of these have to do with operating at high altitudes, or medical considerations that could affect their ability to operate the plane safely. What Is Spatial Disorientation? Spatial disorientation, on the other hand, comes as a result of flight itself. Spatial disorientation occurs when the pilot’s

As professional pilots progress through their careers, they earn increasingly higher grades of certificates or pilot licenses. In the United States, pilot certification is handled by the Federal Aviation Administration. What is an ATP? ATP stands for airline transport pilot. The pinnacle of a pilot’s career is when they earn their ATP. The airline transport

Weather is the most crucial factor affecting airport operations. At towered airports around the world, air traffic controllers report on wind and visibility conditions so that arriving pilots know what to expect. But what do pilots do when they arrive at non-towered (also known as uncontrolled) airports? The answer is that many airfields have automated

Airports are complex and dynamic places. Just a slight wind shift can change the runway in use, and the traffic patterns planes must fly. Pilots are expected to enter these changing environs fully abreast of what is going on and where. How do they do it? What Is ATIS in Aviation? The answer is the

At first glance, the altimeter in an airplane seems like a relatively simple instrument. And it does work in a simple way, but not like most people would think it would. Pilots need to understand their instruments inside and out to get the right information out of them, and that’s especially true with something as

One of the essential factors in aviation weather is flight visibility. Visibility is the only legal weather requirement that must be met when landing after an instrument approach. If the visibility isn’t at least the minimum published on the approach plate, the pilot can’t land. What Does RVR Stand For? RVR is one way of