The time has come to buy a plane and start my own flight school. I have been teaching for many years and have really enjoyed helping people learn to fly or to advance their skill level. I have been an independent contractor, flight instructing from various places for years. It has allowed me to meet many new people, which I really enjoy, but there has been something missing.
I realized that even though I enjoy what I do, that I was doing it for someone else. My attention to detail and doing the best I could do for my students helped give a good reputation to the flight schools or clubs where I gave training, but at the end of the day, I would go home without anything of my own to show for my years of teaching. I decided that I wanted something to show for my hard work and passion. I know I won’t get rich off a flight school, but it’ll be mine. I will still get to do what I love but I will have my own flight school to show for my hard work.
The Plane
I have a 1983 Piper Warrior II with a Garmin 530W. This year Warrior goes faster and carries more weight than an older Warrior and has a max ramp weight of 2447 pounds with a top cruise speed of around 122 knots. The Garmin is great for instrument training and super easy to use. The plane is also very easy to fly and handles great for those of you that are considering getting their pilot license.
Where The Flight School is Located
My flight school is based out of 3CK (Lake in the Hills Airport), which is around 25 miles WNW of Chicago. Look for the big blue building where the Flight Center is located, right next to the taxiway and you’ll find my office inside. Everything should be ready to go by March 11th. Feel free to email if you have questions or want to get started.
What I Have to Offer
I can get you your pilot license, instrument rating, flight review, IPC and more in your plane or mine. I also do a 10 Day IFR rating and can also help you with pinch hitter training for those pilots that want their non-pilot spouse to learn to land the plane safely. If you have a specific area or some ground knowledge you’d like to improve, such as a review of airspace, towered airport operations, crosswind landings, emergencies, performance charts, GPS use or anything else you can think of, just let me know! The plane is also available to rent. You can email me from this site or contact me from the Flight School website here. I look forward to flying with you!
The new change to the FAA medical requirement goes into effect on May 1, 2017. This is good news for many people but not quite as hassle free as some would have hoped. The new program called BasicMed has a few things you still need to do in order to be legal to fly. It’s not as simple as just being able to fly as long as you have a drivers license, as many had hoped. It sill requires action on your part every couple of years, as well as doctor visits.
Getting Started
Once the rule takes effect, anyone that has held a valid medical certificate any time in the 10 years following July 15, 2006, will not need to get another medical certificate as long as they meet the requirements of the new rule. If you’re a new student pilot that has never had a medical certificate, then your first visit must be to an FAA examiner to get a medical certificate. After your first visit, then the new rules will take effect.
In order to remain current and qualified to fly without a medical certificate you must do an online course related to aeromedical factors within the preceding 24 months and you will also need to visit a local physician within the preceding 48 months. The physician will need to fill out paperwork that you must keep with your logbook, along with your certificate of completion for the online course.
The online course will be offered for free on the AOPA website and they will have the information you and your physician need. When that information is published we will post a link to their course. Special issuance medicals are acceptable just as any other medical, as long as you had one within the time-frame then you can use the new rules to keep current. Certain health requirements will obviously need to be met in order to qualify and should be spelled out in the online course.
Pilots that Do Not Qualify for the New Medical Rules
Pilots that fly for compensation or hire will still need to get a medical through an FAA Medical Examiner. This does not seem to be the case for flight instructors according to AC 68-1 dated 1-9-17 in section 5.2.2.2
Pilots that have been denied a medical do not qualify unless they are able to pass a medical exam and get a medical certificate first, with an FAA medical examiner. Once they are able to pass and receive a medical certificate, then they can stay current using the new rule. If your medical was suspended and then reinstated, you do not qualify unless you get a medical first.
Limitations for operating under the New Medical Rule
You cannot fly an aircraft with more than 6 seats or with more than 6 total occupants
You cannot fly any aircraft over 6000 LBS
VFR and IFR operations must be below 18,000’ MSL, and cannot exceed 250 knots
You must have a valid drivers license and it must be carried with you. If there are any limitations or restrictions on your drivers license they apply to flying also. If your license is suspended, so is your ability to fly!
UPDATE: The requirement for ICAO flight plans has been extended a few times now and is still not required yet
If you’ve never filed a flight plan using the ICAO format, then now is the time to learn it! In October of 2016 the old flight plan forms will be obsolete and you will be required to use the ICAO format when filing domestic flights.
How to Fill out an ICAO Flight Plan
This video tutorial should help you through the learning process. There are a few things that are different from the way you do it now, but after watching this video you should feel more comfortable. Of course there are online flight planning services but as a student pilot or a pilot that is trying to set up the specs of the flight planning application, you still need to know what is going on to be sure you are doing it right. I hope you enjoy the video!
Here is a link where you can find the designators for each aircraft as discussed in the video:
Running out of fuel is a common cause of engine failure
Here’s another story sent to us by a one of our readers. This is more common than you think and could have ended very badly! Many pilots just put fuel in the plane and don’t give it much thought afterwards. You have to keep track of your fuel, change tanks regularly and use descent and landing checklists because missing any of these could cause an engine failure.
The following story was submitted by Golan Bar Tal
Fuel starvation – The most stupid reason for engine cut-off
I had this cross country flight with a friend. I checked the available fuel, calculated the required for the full flight (both directions) and made the decision we are good to go. Landing at our destination, I checked the fuel again, and realized I was consuming more than expected. But still, should have enough for the way back.
In the last part of the flight, before descending into the pattern, my fuel gauges showed EMPTY. I was above mountainous area, full of trees, and could only think what I’m going to do if the engine quits! I was never so terrified in my life! I was back with about 3 gallons of usable fuel. It was enough, but looking at empty indication on fuel gauges was scary….
Lessons learned:
1. ALWAYS take the maximum fuel that you can. Even if calculations (including spare) show it is enough – don’t get lazy and get some more. If you don’t have weight limitation, fill it all the way up!
2. At our destination, it was required to schedule fuel in advanced. Since I thought I would have enough, I didn’t schedule it. Once I realized I burned more fuel than I planned for, I should have gotten more fuel. It’s better face a mistake and deal with it on the ground, than to feel bad by doing so and deal with it in the air. There is nothing more stupid than dealing with engine cut-off due to lack of fuel, especially if there is no real reason to go with less than maximum.
Advice From Flight Instructor Joe
My advice to any pilot, whether you are a student or not is to be sure that know your fuel burn well and always be conservative in your estimates. Always take more than enough fuel. Get in the habit of changing fuel tanks every half hour because there have been many accidents with pilots running out of fuel and crash landing with a full tank of fuel in the other wing. Also, if you are flying at a high altitude and you have leaned the mixture for cruise, the engine could stop while descending due to lack of fuel if you forget to enrich the mixture. Reading the checklist helps prevent this kind of situation.
Engine failures and mechanical problems are not all fuel related though so knowing as much about your plane as you can is very important for preventing problems before they happen. We have a few e-lessons that are related emergencies in flight or mechanical issues that would be beneficial to anyone and we also have an e-lesson specific to emergencies during IFR flying that you will find helpful in our IFR pilot section.
Do the best you can to remember and learn from this story. Fly Safe!
If you’re thinking of spending money on a nice headset and are not sure which one to get, I just have to say that I have two Zulu headsets and think they are just as good as the Bose when it comes to quality, but they are more comfortable. I wear it every day, sometimes all day long. I just wanted to give you my 2 cents for what it’s worth. Check it out here at Pilot Mall. They have lot’s of other pilot supplies too!
COMMUNICATION WITH APPROACH , DEPARTURE, TOWER AND GROUND
Hey Student Pilots!
I made this a few years ago for a student I had that was struggling to understand what the controllers were saying. I decided to make a list of as many of the most common things said by controllers that I could think of. It made a big difference for him and really helped him to anticipate and understand what they were saying. I hope it helps you too!
Straight in runway 25
Enter a right base for 25
Plan a right downwind for 25
Number 2 following a Warrior on a 3 mile final
Cleared to land 25 (two five)
Cleared touch and go
Cleared stop and go
Cleared for the option
Extend your downwind
Continue upwind
I’ll call your base
Base your discretion
Make a right 360 for spacing
Vectors for spacing
Vectors for traffic
Report 3 Northwest
Report 2 mile final
Say altitude
Say type aircraft
Say call sign
Say position
Advise other aircraft in sight
Advise of any altitude changes
Climb maintain 3000
Maintain at or below 3000
Frequency change approved
Report back with me
Do a 180 there
Advise when ready
Say intentions
Where do you park?
Say parking
Taxi to parking
Position and Hold
Hold short landing traffic
Contact ground on point niner
Squawk vfr
Squawk 1200 (twelve hundred)
Ident
Stop altitude squawk
Recycle your transponder
I’m not receiving your mode c
Radar contact
Fly heading 240 (two four zero)
Radar contact 18(one eight) miles East
Traffic at your 10:00, 2 miles, southbound altitude indicates 3000’
Type and altitude unknown
Fly runway heading
Departure on 121.0 (one two one point zero)
Altitude your discretion
Proceed on course
Maintain present heading
Departure to the north approved
Left turn-out to the west approved
Report leaving 3000
Report passing through 3000
Caution wake turbulence
Standby
Contact ground for clearance
Contact clearance delivery
Advise when you have the weather
Advise when you have information Zulu
Contact tower
Contact departure
Taxi full length
Intersection departure
Turn right when able
Traffic has you in sight
Traffic no factor
Advise when you have the field in sight
Radar service terminated
Radar contact lost
You’re leaving my airspace
Advise on initial contact you have zulu
Contact ground on the tower frequency, positions are combined
Remain on this frequency
Stay with me
Say again
Cleared to depart 19
Cleared to depart 19 at foxtrot
Cleared to depart 19, on departure enter a right downwind for 7
Say destination / on course heading & altitude
For those of you getting ready for your Checkride, you may want to check this out. It’s ONE OF THE MOST REALISTIC, TRUE TO LIFE, PRIVATE PILOT CHECKRIDE PREP COURSES ANYWHERE with a Pass your Checkride Guarantee!
If you’ve never filed a flight plan using the ICAO format, then now is the time to learn it! In October of 2016 the old flight plan forms will be obsolete and you will be required to use the ICAO format when filing domestic flights.