Insights, updates, and aviation stories.
Most people know that the FAA is responsible for certifying pilots (or airmen, as the FAA calls them). But did you know that the FAA also certifies aircraft? And not just when it comes to N-numbers and registrations, either. When a manufacturer wants to build a new airplane type, the design must go through a […]
Helicopters often appear to fly at relatively low altitudes compared to other aircraft. This may lead people to wonder how high a helicopter can truly fly. Are they able to achieve the same altitude as airplanes? What happens if they go too high? TLDR – Helicopters with turbine engines can reach altitudes of 25,000 feet […]
Buying an airplane isn’t unlike other major purchases one might make. It’s not much different than buying a car, a house, or a boat. You can choose new or used. You can buy a beautiful ready-to-fly example or a sorry fixer-upper. But there is a striking difference. Cars are well known to only depreciate, but how […]
Drones are cool gadgets, but what can you do with them? If you grow tired of flying your drone above your property, try exploring other fun, legal things that you can do with it. Getting an aerial view of your house is just one of many cool things to do with drones. Private drones have […]
They are and have been for many years the pinnacle of private aviation, as well as trusty people movers in the sky. Twin turboprops are classy, reliable, and most importantly, fast. All while being way more economical than their modern day competitor, the jet plane. Twin turboprop aircraft are easily recognizable by their unique design […]
Looking at a propeller airplane whilst the engines are on, it is impossible to tell the direction they spin. Do all propellers spin the same way? And what if there is more than one? Read on to find out… TLDR – The propellers on most airplanes spin clockwise, when viewed from behind the engine. This […]
Have you ever wondered what the numbers and letters on an airplane mean? On some planes, they are huge, while on others, they look tiny. And do they all start with N? Let’s answer some of these common questions about airplane tail numbers. What is an Airplane Tail Number? Tail numbers, or N-numbers in the […]
Throughout the first seven and half decades of the airline industry, passengers and crew could smoke on commercial flights. As most airlines and governments have banned inflight smoking, many travelers want to know if you can still smoke on private jets. TLDR – There is no law against smoking tobacco on a private jet. However, […]
After flying drones over their own properties a few times, drone owners may wonder how far they can fly their devices. They may be able to fly their drones down the street but, but can flying one over a neighbor’s property result in a fine? TLDR – There are no federal laws against flying a […]
As with other devices that rely on electronic communications, drones send and receive transmissions across a specific radio frequency. Depending on where the drone is operated, one frequency range may provide better performance compared to another. So, what frequency do drones use? TLDR – Drones primarily operate at frequencies between 900 MHz and 5.8 GHz. […]