Riley, a CFI candidate’s non-pilot flying companion from Florida, asks: “So what’s rotating when you say ‘rotate’ during takeoff? It seems to me to be more of a pull-back than a spinning motion.”
Search Results for: questions from the cockpit
Questions From the Cockpit: Who needs to be enlightened?
There are a lot of stumbling blocks in the way of accurately turning on Pilot Controlled Lighting, so it may be time for a refresher on lighting up the night.
Questions from the Cockpit: Going to the dogs
Sandra, a private pilot from Arkansas, writes: As I was flying into a small Class-D airport the other day, I heard the controller tell another airplane to fly a “dog-leg” to the runway. What the heck is that? I can’t find it in the Pilot/Controller Glossary.
Questions from the Cockpit: CarFax for airplanes
When a plane is damaged in a crash, there must be a record of it somewhere, right? Not according to a deep dive into the regulations by Questions From The Cockpit columnist William E. Dubois.
Questions from the Cockpit: Can someone give me a lift?
Truth be told, the four-letter word LIFT is a lot more complex than we are taught in flight training. This, perhaps, is what prompted a retired Naval aircraft hydraulic and pneumatic mechanic to write a two-page letter saying that all the current theories of lift are wrong. Having worked professionally with both fluids and air, he felt that outside of closed environments they “do not behave alike.” He advocates that airflow is irrelevant, and it’s all about pressure.
Questions from the Cockpit: A colorful question
The cost of a quality airplane paint job borders on the astronomical. But, in fairness to the paint shops, that’s because the work involved in doing it right borders on the astronomical. In an effort to save money, can you paint your own airplane? Here’s what the FAA regulations say.
Questions from the Cockpit: The numbers game
How do N-Numbers get assigned? Why are they so wildly different? Who has N-1? And what about other countries? These questions — and more — are answered by our Questions From the Cockpit columnist William E. Dubois.
Questions from the Cockpit: A toast to the law
While pilots have to report getting caught driving under the influence, what about other alcohol-related troubles? And why does the FAA care about our drinking behavior?
Questions from the Cockpit: Bright city lights (not)
Do the yellow shapes surrounding cities on the VFR Sectional Chart show the appearance of the various cities’ lights at night? Our intrepid columnist investigates this colorful query.