Becoming an aerobatic or airshow pilot is a dream for many, but there are many steps to go through to achieve that goal.

Start With Primary Pilot Training

As with becoming any type of specialized pilot, the first step to becoming an airshow pilot is to become a private pilot. Such training teaches the basics of aircraft control, energy management, and aeronautical decision making.

Many airshow pilots also consider getting a commercial pilot certificate, regardless of whether they plan to fly in the events for a living. The additional training provides more expertise and aircraft control, and it builds upon the concepts learned during private pilot training to make an aviator more complete and well-rounded.

Specialized Aerobatic Training

After primary training, aerobatic pilots then need to go through aerobatic pilot training to hone their stunt skills.

A number of flight schools around the country provide acrobatic training in aircraft such as the Cessna Aerobat, Pitts Special, or American Champion Decathlon.

In addition to special training, aerobatic flight schools employ instructors with significant experience flying acrobatics. Real-world experience is a great benefit to help newer pilots learn the trade of aerobatic aviation.

To become a stunt pilot, one must complete at least 10 hours with an aerobatic instructor on top of the requirements to achieve an FAA pilot certificate. It is recommended that aerobatic training not be completed until a pilot receives their primary training and certification to make the process of becoming a stunt pilot easier.

It is important to note that one can become a stunt pilot with only an endorsement. This means that they fly with an instructor until it’s determined they are proficient to act as an aerobatic pilot by themselves. No additional FAA exam is required.

Maintaining proficiency as a stunt pilot is no easy feat.

After receiving their endorsement, a pilot should practice regularly to make sure their skills, decision making, and reaction times stay sharp. This is especially important for pilots performing at airshows or flying in formation with other aerobatic aircraft.

Career Opportunities for Aerobatic Pilots

Some stunt pilots are happy to fly only for themselves. They may enjoy the adrenaline of flying aerobatics or want access to a unique sector of aviation not available to all.

However, some decide to continue into a career as an aerobatic pilot. Many go on to fly as instructors or in fields such as aerial photography or film. Still others become test pilots, flying new or modified aircraft to ensure their performance and safety.

Again, flying in airshows is a top attraction for many stunt pilots. Some airshows are operated by volunteers flying antique or unique aircraft, while others are professional pilots who tour the country—or world—as part of an act. Major airshows across the country attract hundreds or thousands of paying viewers excited to witness a special facet of aviation.

Some stunt pilots are even sponsored by companies or branches of the military. Acrobatic flying can be such a spectacle that planes painted in certain colors can bring significant visibility in key demographics.

In addition, large companies and the military are among the few who have the resources to fund and maintain fleets of aerobatic aircraft, often jets, as they tour.

Resources to Start Training

There are a number of organizations that help pilots work toward acrobatic training and maintain proficiency as stunt pilots.

The International Aerobatic Club (IAC), for example, sponsors events and educational programs to help pilots attain and maintain their aerobatic proficiency. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is also a great place to make connections with pilots who have the knowledge and skills to help with aerobatic training.

Local pilots will know the best places to start aerobatic training. Participating in local IAC and EAA chapters, or stopping in at the local FBO, could help prospective pilots learn more about how and where to get started.

A great way to test out aerobatic flying is to visit a flight school with planes that can perform basic spins.

Every flight instructor in the U.S. is required to complete spins during their instructor training and thus have experience with the maneuver. Getting flight time practicing spins can help pilots decide whether acrobatic flight is a path they would like to pursue more in depth. If not, simply practicing spins can provide an adrenaline rush and help pilots hone their basic airmanship.

Ultimately, acrobatic flying is an exciting path to take. Whether you want to pursue acrobatics as a career or simply want to learn to improve your flying skills, there are resources across the country to help you pursue your passions.

Acrobatics help you learn energy management in new ways usually not accessible to standard category airplanes and can help you apply a wider variety of principles to your day-to-day flying.

The post How to Become an Aerobatic or Airshow Pilot appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“The EAA Sport Aviation Halls of Fame were established to honor the outstanding achievements of men and women in aviation who share the spirit of EAA and its community,” the organization said. “Those inducted into the halls of fame are selected by their peers for myriad contributions made to their respective areas of aviation.”

• READ MORE: NAFI Unveils Newest Flight Instructor Hall of Fame Inductees

The 2024 class will honor six inductees, representing the Vintage Aircraft Association, the International Aerobatic Club, ultralights, EAA Warbirds and homebuilders. 

The 2024 inductees include:

• EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame: Sebastien Heintz, owner and president of Zenith Aircraft Company;
• International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame: Linda Meyers Morrissey, a multi-time medalist at the World Aerobatic Championship, and long-time member of the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team;
• Warbirds of America Hall of Fame: Frank Stickler, a former U.S. Air Force and American Airlines pilot, and founder of Fox 51, a maintenance business focused on antique and warbird airplanes;
• Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame: Dave and Jeanne Allen (posthumous), the husband-wife restoration team known throughout the fly-in circuit for multiple projects including a 1930 Waco ASO and a 1947 Piper PA-11 Cub Special.
• EAA Ultralights Hall of Fame: Dave Goulet (posthumous), co-founder of Quad City Ultralight Corporation, known for manufacturing the Quad City Challenger.

The inductees will be honored by EAA at a dinner ceremony on October 16, in the Eagle Hangar of the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh Wisconsin.

The post EAA Unveils 2024 Sport Aviation Halls of Fame Inductees appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

This is the 100th installment of The New Owner, and I suppose it’s only natural that the milestone is occurring amid a maniacal blend of emotions swirling around said ownership.

On one hand, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is next week (July 22-28), so there’s massive excitement for epic times just ahead. On the other hand, some maintenance issues have arisen over the past couple of weeks that create severe trepidation and directly threaten those amazing times.

It’s a perfect representation of aircraft ownership as a whole. Amazing experiences put at risk of derailment from unforeseen circumstances, fighting back and forth like so many Hollywood heroes and villains. But instead of the villains threatening the powers of good with swords, guns, and death rays, the threats come in the form of grounded airplanes and massive repair bills.

Frankly, I’d prefer to take my chances with the guns and death rays.

• READ MORE: Airplane Types Unlock AirVenture Locations for Parking, Camping

The first sign that something was amiss came several days ago in the form of engine oil. More specifically, a few extra drops on the hangar floor, slightly higher consumption than normal, and a new sheen collecting on the bottom of the engine. It wasn’t that my Continental engine was leaking oil. That’s pretty typical for most old Continentals. It was that mine was quite suddenly leaking in new places, at higher volumes, much differently than normal.

At any other time of year, it would be a simple matter of postponing future flights and booking some time with my mechanic. But this was Oshkosh month, a time when the severity of any mechanical problems increases exponentially as the date of the magnificent fly-in nears. And being that the big event was only a couple of weeks away at this point, panic quickly set in.

I immediately texted my mechanic, Ryan. He’s a great guy who embodies rural Wisconsin friendliness and honesty. He’s the kind of person who will bend over backward to help you and happily provide educational lessons about the tasks he’s performing along the way. He and his brother own and operate Johnson Brothers Flying Service in Lone Rock, Wisconsin, about 40 miles west of Madison.

While I was waiting for his reply, I examined my engine. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the source of the oil, but I suspected my Continental C-145 was experiencing weepy pushrod seals. This is a known issue with the type, as well as with the later version, the O-300.

I’ve always been amused at the engine’s midproduction name change from C-145 to O-300. Continental evidently figured that referring to the engine by the displacement (300 cubic inches) made it sound more powerful and impressive than referring to it by the 145 hp it produces. Marketing 101, I suppose.

Ryan replied that he would try to make it out sometime during the week before my departure to Oshkosh. But because he was so busy, he couldn’t guarantee it. I’d just have to wait and hope. In the meantime, I opted to remove my upper and lower cowls for a closer inspection.

To someone like me with close to zero mechanical aptitude, dismantling your airplane’s upper and lower cowls to reveal an entirely naked engine is simultaneously empowering and intimidating.

In one respect, it makes you feel like you know what you’re doing. Anyone walking past the open hangar door would naturally assume you possess some rudimentary level of knowledge and proficiency. But in another respect, you’re pretty sure you’re fooling nobody.

For the purposes of an engine inspection, however, it worked out just fine, and I was able to trace the leak to the oil temperature probe on the back of the engine accessory case. I forwarded this intel to Ryan.

The next afternoon, I received a text from him. Unbeknownst to me, he made it out to my plane and addressed the leak. I was ecstatic and headed right out to the airport for a shakedown flight prior to my trip up to Oshkosh.

Sure enough, the oil leak appeared to be taken care of. I preflighted the airplane, pulled it out of the hangar, and hopped in—only to discover that the throttle was inexplicably encountering some kind of blockage halfway into its travel.

Thinking that a running engine might somehow solve the problem, I started it up but found that nothing had changed. The throttle knob would only advance about halfway to full throttle before encountering a hard stop.

Now, things were getting serious. It was a Friday evening, less than a week before my planned departure to Oshkosh. Ryan was busy and wouldn’t be able to chat until Sunday or Monday. Desperate not to miss the big event, I gave my friend Dan a call.

“Hey, man, have you sold your Ercoupe yet?” Dan replied that he had not. “And you’re not going to make it to Oshkosh this year, right?” “That’s right,” he replied. “We’ll be in Michigan all week.”

• READ MORE: Flying In to AirVenture: A Carefully Orchestrated Cacophony of Chaos

He knew I was angling for something, so I explained.

“I’m dealing with some mechanical issues on the 170, and I’m not sure if it’ll be fixed in time for Oshkosh,” I said. “If it’s not, how about I take the Ercoupe up and hang some of those big ‘for-sale’ signs on the prop so a half million people see it?”

After considering this for a moment, Dan agreed that it would be a win-win sort of situation.

With a backup plan firmly in place, Saturday came and went. On Sunday morning, I received a text from Ryan. He was available to zip out to the hangar and have a look at my throttle issue.

The fix took him all of about five minutes. He explained that he must have inadvertently dislodged part of the throttle cable while inspecting something else during the oil leak work. He assured me it wasn’t likely to occur again and said he’d be entirely comfortable flying it. He also said that because it was his fault, he wouldn’t be charging me for the trip out. I gave him a 100-dollar bill anyway to show my appreciation.

At the time of this writing, I have just about everything packed up. My tent, sleeping bag, cooler, chairs, underwing party lights, and coffee supplies are ready to go. This afternoon, I’ll fly a shakedown flight to check for any errant oil leaks and confirm all is in order. With any luck, I’ll be flying my own plane up to Oshkosh tomorrow and, much as I sincerely appreciate Dan’s offer, hopefully not an Ercoupe.

If you wonderful readers will also be at Oshkosh next week, please come find me. I plan to be somewhere around Row No. 67, right up on the airshow crowd line. I’d like to thank you in person for your readership and support over the past few years and give you a sticker or two.

Just look for the blue 170 with Alaskan Bushwheel tires. Or, depending on how things go, a classy little Ercoupe.

The post When Unforeseen Circumstances Threaten to Derail Amazing Experiences appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

If you plan to go to AirVenture this year, you can find our “Oshkosh LIVE” Redbird Studio on-site at Redbird Exhibit space 301, adjacent to Hangar A and facing Knapp Street. If you have never been to AirVenture, we hope tuning in to our daily coverage will inspire you to make the trip to Oshkosh one day.

If you’re simply unable to join this year, our goal is to ensure you don’t miss out on all of the excitement by bringing the experience to you live across several of our websites and social media channels. 

• READ MORE: 7 Things to Know Before You Go to AirVenture

What to Expect

Daily live segments hosted by editors from  FLYING, KITPLANES, Plane & Pilot, AVweb, The Aviation Consumer, and AirlineGeeks will host daily live segments featuring interviews with the world’s top airshow performers, a look at some of the most rare aircraft in the world, tips for how to build your own aircraft or pursue a career in aviation, and features on the rich history that has shaped AirVenture.

When and Where to Watch

Our live broadcast will run daily, Monday through Thursday, July 22-July 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EDT). 

• READ MORE: Airplane Types Unlock AirVenture Locations for Parking, Camping

On Friday, July 26, we will livestream additional original content from the week throughout the day. You will find us broadcasting and streaming live across all of our brand websites—on the FLYING and AVweb YouTube Channels, as well as FLYING and Plane & Pilot Facebook pages. 

Follow us on Facebook or click subscribe to one of our YouTube channels and you’ll receive alerts that we are live!

We hope to see you in Oshkosh or that you’ll tune in to see all the exciting news and activity from this year’s EAA AirVenture.

The post FLYING Unveils ‘Oshkosh Live’ Video Programming Lineup appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

You’ll see volunteers at the show wearing vests. They do everything from parking cars and airplanes to driving trams and making sure the infrastructure of the grounds, such as walking paths and parking lots, are ready for use. 

• READ MORE: 7 Things to Know Before You Go to AirVenture 

EAA doesn’t yet have an exact tally of how many volunteers will be helping out at this year’s event (July 22-28) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, said organization spokesperson Dick Knapinski. 

“It’s tough to gauge the exact number right now, because the big influx comes as people arrive,” Knapinski said. “However, last year we had nearly 6,000 volunteers assist before, during, and after the week.”

As the airshow approaches, many pilots have taken to social media to discuss contingencies for weather, as the area has been inundated with storms. When it rains in Wisconsin, it really rains, turning aircraft and automobile parking areas and roads into nearly impassable bogs.

• READ MORE: Airplane Types Unlock AirVenture Locations for Parking, Camping

“We have had quite a bit of rain, 7 inches in June alone,” Knapinski said. While a significant amount, it’s not as bad as it was in 2010 when the show was waggishly renamed “Sloshkosh” by some.

“The additional drainage efforts done after 2010 certainly have helped, as there are large open fields used for parking and camping, some areas are lower than others, and therefore mushier,” Knapinski said. “We’re moving early arrivals into the dry areas as they come in at this time. With two-plus weeks until opening day, a lot can happen to dry the grounds between now and then.”

• READ MORE: Flying In to AirVenture: A Carefully Orchestrated Cacophony of Chaos

Knapinski noted that there are stockpiles of wood chips and gravel that will be used to shore up soggy locations. 

“We’ve got large tractors to assist those who find themselves stuck, literally and figuratively,” he said. “EAA AirVenture is a massive public event with countless moving parts. Our volunteers and staff work very hard to make sure it runs smoothly, but sometimes factors cause it to run less so. With this many people in one place, chances are that if you’re headed someplace, so are other people. Bring your patience along with you.”

The trams will be operating this year as they have in year’s past—driven by volunteers. The tram stops and routes are marked on the AirVenture map.

For the people who chose Uber to get to and from the grounds, the four drop-off/pickup locations that have been in place for the past four years will be in use, Knapinski said.

• READ MORE: Oshkosh 2024 Notice Outlines Changes for Pilots Flying to AirVenture 

“They are designated by the black-and-purple circles on the site map available online, in the app, or via printed map available on-site,” he said. “Those points are off the North 40 near Friar Tuck’s on South Park Avenue; Foundation Road adjacent to Homebuilt Camping; the Camp Scholler West gate on Poberezny Road; and the South 40 gate at the intersection of Knapp Street and County Highway N.”

Oshkosh Rules

It also helps if everyone remembers the Oshkosh Rules started by the AirVenture founder, the late Paul Poberezny:

• Pick up your trash, and if you see trash on the ground, please pick that up too, and put it in a waste receptacle.
• Respect the no smoking rule on the flight line.
• Do not touch an airplane unless you have permission from the owner. Be very careful about lanyards, camera gear, etc. to make sure they do not scratch or bump the aircraft.

Questions About Aircraft on Display

Because AirVenture is an outdoor event it can be a challenge to say with certainty what aircraft will be on-site for outdoor display. It can change day to day. A common question this year is “Will there be B-17s on display?” There are just a handful of these left in airworthy condition, and they are expensive to operate, therefore, they don’t always make it to the show.

• READ MORE: EAA AirVenture: A Vintage Aircraft Paradise

Knapinski said he had not been made aware of any B-17s visiting the show, with the exception of the EAA’s Aluminum Overcast that will be parked on outdoor display next to the museum.

He said it’s important to have the right frame of mind when you are at Oshkosh—that is, focusing on what brings us together rather than what drives us apart.

“One reason is that we’re all here for the airplanes and each other,” said Knapinski. “Especially in these times, leave the politics and other dividing stuff at home and come enjoy the fun of flight.”

The post Army of Volunteers Gives AirVenture Its Lift appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

After months of several short-term extensions, the $105 billion legislation passed the House on Wednesday and the Senate last week before being sent to the president’s desk for final approval.

“The bipartisan [FAA] reauthorization is a big win for travelers, the aviation workforce, and our economy,” said Biden in a statement. “It will expand critical protections for air travelers, strengthen safety standards, and support pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers.”

Several aviation leaders echoed the president’s sentiments—applauding the bill for its commitment to strengthen aviation safety, grow the workforce, and advance technology and innovation.

The Air Line Pilots Associaiton (ALPA) called the bill a “major step forward” for the safety of our nation’s aviation system.

“This bill addresses runway and airport near misses, maintains rigorous pilot training standards and ensures that the United States remains the global leader in aviation safety,” said ALPA president Captain Jason Ambrosi.

FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker commended the new reauthorization that “allows for more runway safety technology, more air traffic controllers, and stronger oversight of aircraft production.”

The package includes language with a requirement for airlines to install 25-hour cockpit voice recorders on new and existing aircraft, up from two hours currently.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy also praised the bill.

“We appreciate Congress’s safety leadership in mandating the FAA to implement many of our most critical recommendations, which, once acted upon, will further strengthen our nation’s ‘gold standard’ of aviation safety,” Homendy said.

Notably, the FAA Reauthorization Act also includes the first general aviation title, drawing praise from groups such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). There are several provisions in the bill that support GA including expanding BasicMed, mandating a 24-month deadline for the FAA’s final rule on MOSAIC, and sections that address the continued availability of avgas among others.

“We appreciate the leadership of lawmakers who see the importance of this section and worked in a bipartisan manner to include provisions that enhance safety and support general aviation,” said EAA president Jack Pelton.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post Bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act Signed Into Law appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Founded by James and Joan Ray, the Ray Foundation enables EAA and its chapter network to provide up to $11,000 for deserving youth to help cover flight training expenses. The foundation has made $1.8 million available to the EAA this year.

“Many aspiring pilots fall short of their goal due to the cost of flight training, so EAA, working with the Ray Foundation, helps relieve some of the financial pressure and make the goal of becoming a pilot even more accessible for future generations,” said Rick Larsen, EAA vice president of communities and member programming. “The high completion rate of our scholars demonstrates the impact of a supportive environment provided by EAA chapters.”

In addition to the Ray Aviation Scholarships, the Lightspeed Aviation Foundation partners with EAA to award a Zulu 3 headset to each fight student upon completing their first solo. If the student had already soloed before starting in the Ray Aviation Scholarship program, the headset goes to them when they pass their written exam.

“This recognizes the scholar as they progress and ultimately complete flight training,” according to EAA.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post EAA Scholarship Program Has Launched 500 Private Pilots appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The 32-page document of official procedures, known as the Oshkosh 2024 Notice, is now available online and required reading for pilots intending to fly themselves to the Wisconsin event. 

According to the EAA, there are a few changes this year that are the result of “pilot feedback and FAA review of arrival procedure recommendations.”

The EAA said the notice is in effect from noon CDT on July 18 until noon CDT on July 29. The document outlines procedures for the many types of aircraft that fly to Oshkosh for the event, as well as aircraft that land at nearby airports.

New Procedures for 2024

This year there are TFRs in the Milwaukee area that have nothing to do with AirVenture.

• On July 15-18, the Republican National Convention will be held in the region, prompting a closure of airspace. On July 25-28, the Milwaukee Air & Water Show will be conducted with a TFR of its own.
• There is a new Fisk holding procedure. There are several pages on it in the notice that include drawings of landmarks and approved routes in addition to textual descriptions called out in boldface and boxes.
• No Fisk arrivals will be permitted before 8 a.m. CDT on Thursday, July 25.

In addition, the ATC assignable transition points located west of Oshkosh will be in effect again. They are designed to reduce holding time and air traffic congestion. The points are at Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, and Green Lake. According to the notice, they will be announced on the arrival ATIS when ATC activates during times of highest traffic flow.

This year’s AirVenture marks its 71st anniversary, and safety, as always, is paramount.

“The most essential information for any pilot flying to Oshkosh involves reading and thoroughly understanding the 2024 AirVenture Notice to ensure safe operations on arrival and departure,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “This FAA notice document states the official requirements and expectations for pilots. We also urge all pilots to log appropriate cross-country time prior to their trip to Oshkosh so they have the proficiency and confidence to fly safely.”

Pilots are advised to study the notice in advance and plan their flights carefully. 

Pro Tips:

• Add an additional 30 minutes to your estimated time en route, and be prepared to divert to another airport if weather, traffic, or an accident creates a delay.
• In addition to having the notice in digital form on your iPad or tablet, print it out and have a hard copy with you in the cockpit as a backup.

Good luck, and we’ll see you at the show.

The complete Oshkosh 2024 Notice is below. For a free, printed copy, call EAA at 1-800-564-6322.

The post Oshkosh 2024 Notice Outlines Changes for Pilots Flying to AirVenture appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Flying is one of those things that so many people want to try—or have questions about. We answer some of those frequently asked here.

Learning to fly and obtaining a pilot certificate is not like learning to drive a forklift. You can’t do it in an afternoon. It usually takes a few months, with flying lessons two or three times a week.

It will be expensive, around $6,000 to $10,000 for a private certificate. You do not have to pay the money up front. Be wary about putting money on account at a flight school unless it has a refund policy and it is in writing.

Get your medical certificate early. If you are pursuing a certificate to fly an airplane, you will need to have it before you are allowed to solo. If deferred, don’t give up. There may be an opportunity for special issuance, or you may seek a pilot certificate that doesn’t require a medical certificate, like flying gliders.

You will need an aviation headset and pilot logbook. Bring both with you to your flight lessons. You will want to get a gear bag to carry these materials along with a notebook for taking notes and writing down information in the cockpit.

You will learn to read an aviation sectional, which is a map used for navigation. You will learn how to use the pilot’s operating handbook (POH) for your aircraft to determine its performance.

Part 61 vs. Part 141

The difference between training under Part 61 and Part 141 is structure. Part 141 is the more restrictive of the two. Under Part 141, the use of a syllabus is required, lessons are done in a specific order, only certain airports are authorized for flights to and from, there is a training course outline (TCO), and stage checks are required to advance in training.

• READ MORE: Pointers for Packing Your First Flight Bag

The material covered under Part 61 and Part 141 is identical, but some funding sources will require the applicant to be training at an accredited 141 program.

The benefit of Part 141 is that, in theory, the structure allows for the applicant to achieve the required experience in as little as 35 hours to be eligible for the check ride. Under Part 61, the minimum is 40 hours.

For best results, use a syllabus to make sure all the material is covered in a logical order. Your instructor should have a copy that they refer to, and you should have a copy of it as well.

Be advised, the national average for experience for applicants taking private pilot check rides is around the 60-hour mark, no matter which part you train under.

The benefit of Part 61 is that if there is a hiccup with the issuance of your medical certificate that delays your first solo, you won’t have to stop training. You can move ahead to other dual lessons (that means flying with an instructor) in the syllabus until your medical challenges are resolved. Also, you have more flexibility when it comes to airports you are allowed to fly to, therefore your experience will be broader than someone trained under Part 141.

Use the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which are the minimum “passable” performance for a pilot, from day one. The ACS provides performance metrics, such as holding altitude within 100 feet and heading within 5 degrees. Remember these are the minimum standards, so strive to do better.

Learn to Use a Mechanical E6-B Flight Computer

Don’t let it intimidate you. The instructions for solving time, speed, and distance problems are printed on the face of the instrument. The backside of the instrument is the wind calculation side, and it can be very useful for visualizing wind correct angles.

For the pilots (often lapsed CFIs) who argue that the cockpits of turboprops and jets have flight management systems and backups on backups for navigation that will tell you wind correction angles, ground speed, time en route, etc., please remember it’s going to be a long time before the private pilots who want to be professional pilots get to that level with those resources.

And not everyone wants to be a professional pilot.

• READ MORE: How To Use a E6B Flight Computer

Learning to use the mechanical E6-B before you go to an electronic version or an app is the aviation version of learning how to do basic math before using a calculator. It gives you an extra tool to use in the cockpit should your electronic device run out of juice, get stolen, or do an uncommanded gravity check with pavement that renders it inoperable.

Structure of Lessons

A traditional flight school is not like attending high school. You won’t be in a classroom or airplane all day. Your ground school can be done face to face and will be a few hours a day, or you can do it online. At the completion of the course you will be endorsed to take a knowledge test (commonly known as the written test, although it is all on computer now) administered by an FAA-approved private contractor.

Most flight lessons are at least an hour long for local flights. For cross-country flights that involve going to an airport at least 50 nm away, you will budget more time.

Your first lesson will likely be heading out to the local practice area (your instructor knows where that is) to learn how to do climbs, turns, and descents. Flying in the practice area is like learning to drive a stick shift in an empty parking lot. You want the room to make mistakes.

Learning to fly in the airport traffic pattern is like learning to drive a stick shift in stop-and-go traffic. It is considerably more stressful and can be counterproductive. Learn basic control before the stakes are higher.

Solo Flight

Your first solo is the halfway point of your private pilot training. There are 15 experience requirements listed in the Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual (FAR/AIM) rule book under Part 61.87 that are required to be covered before you can be soloed.

Keep in mind that performing the task once doesn’t mean you have learned it or can perform it well, so you will have to practice it a few times before the solo endorsement is given. There also will be an airport-specific knowledge test administered by your instructor before a solo endorsement is given.

Before you launch on your solo cross-country flights, a flight instructor must review your flight plan and provide you with an endorsement, stating they have reviewed your flight plan and you are prepared to make the flight. This endorsement will go into your logbook.

About Your CFI

Your CFI should want to talk before and after each lesson. This is known as the pre-brief (what we are going to do and how we are going to do it) and the post-brief (this is how you did, and what we will do next). This is considered part of your training. Don’t skimp on this.

Understand that most CFIs do the job to build their experience for other jobs, like the airlines. Some of them may be more interested in building their own hours than teaching you to fly, or their teaching style or availability might not work for you. If any of these issues crop up, it’s OK to seek a change of instructor. Conversely, if it’s not working from the CFI’s perspective as they cannot meet your needs, they may suggest a change of instructor.

We can’t control the weather. There may be days the CFI suggests a ground lesson, a lesson in the school flight training device (commonly known as a simulator), or canceling the lesson due to weather that is below VFR weather minimums or beyond your capabilities at the time. This is about you flying, not your CFI showing you what they can do. If you are on your second lesson and the crosswind component or gust factor are beyond the demonstrated component of the aircraft you are flying, it’s likely a better day to stay on the ground.

The post What to Expect When Learning to Fly appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

They adorn the tops of bookcases, and photographs, paintings, and prints are framed on the wall. They range from the Graf Zeppelin to the Zeppelin NT, and  are kitbuilt. So imagine how impressed I was by the scratch-built model of the LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II hanging from the ceiling of the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The airship, done in 1:36 scale, was crafted by John Mellberg of Menasha, Wisconsin. Mellberg says his interest in aviation began early in life, thanks to his father who built and flew radio-controlled aircraft. Mellberg’s dad spent 17 years building a model of the Spirit of St. Louis, as Charles Lindbergh was one of his heroes. That model, flown 25 times before it was retired, is hanging in the EAA museum near the gift shop.

• READ MORE: ‘Starship Enterprise’ Model Found on eBay Authenticated as Original

Mellberg, who had a career creating models for General Motors, began the zeppelin project by doing research. His fascination was triggered in childhood by a photograph of the Graf Zeppelin II, the sistership to the Hindenburg. He has a fond memory of getting a Hawk Model plastic kit of the D-LZ127 Graf Zeppelin for Christmas in 1955. 

“I promptly built it,” he said.

Among the other airships he has built are a D-LZ127, which sits in a display case at the EAA museum, a tissue/stick model of the LZ126, the ship given to the U.S. Navy as part of reparations from World War I by Germany, and other plastic-kit models of the Goodyear Blimp, the Navy K-Airships, and tabletop models of the two Graf zeppelins, the Hindenburg and the British R-100.

The Graf II

“My model of the D-LZ130 Graf Zeppelin II was built as a flying model, and it is built to a scale of 1:36 because when I was considering its size, I was advised that the model would need at least 150 cubic feet interior volume for helium to provide lift to deem the model airworthy,” Mellberg said. “The 1:36 scale would give me 156 cubic feet of volume and would lift 9-plus pounds of model structure.” The model did not fly beyond being hung from the ceiling of museums.

The model weighs 8.5 pounds. As there was no kit for something that large, Mellberg had to create his own plans, and for that he needed to do research in his spare time.

“I began thinking about the model while working at General Motors Styling in the late 1960s, and I utilized the GM research library over my lunch hour to go through old Scientific American magazine albums to find the many articles they had written about the zeppelins and their technology to gain further insights,” he said. “I started making my 1:36 scale drawings in 1972, based on a ‘side-view’ drawing of the Hindenburg that was in a book I got from Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH that was printed honoring the 50th anniversary of the LZ. The drawing was roughly 6 inches long, and I enlarged it with a drafting divider tool to the 1:36 scale of my planned model.”

Today research is easily done with the click of a mouse and Google search. Back then, it was done by writing letters that could be painfully slow. Mellberg wrote to the LZ requesting drawings. 

“Eventually, they sent me blueprints that were of a larger size that I used to cross-check that which I had already drawn,” he said.

Once he had the drawings, he began building the more detailed and tedious parts of the airship from Vacuform plastic, such as the control car, four engine cars, two landing wheel assemblies, and the 12 gas vent hoods that were atop the hull.

Most of the model is made from balsa wood. If you have ever worked with it, you know that it can be unforgiving—measure twice, and cut once carefully.

The bulk of the build took place in Mellberg’s garage, which was space limited, so he decided to construct the hull in three sections. The model has 48 ring frames for the bulkheads, from nose to tail.

“I also built the 36 longitudinals, which ran through all the bulkheads from nose to tail, and the fabrication of the cruciform tail fins,” he said. “Each section was built on a vertical column/fixture using a cross-hatch scaffold arrangement, which could be removed when each section was completed. Then each section was lifted over and off the column/fixture, and the next section began.”

To facilitate the process, as Mellberg crafted the components, he put them in numbered bags, similar to the way mass-produced kits are done. These were then assembled in half sections where each segment butted up against the next.

“I placed and glued a U-shaped, three-ply aircraft plywood gusset at 1/64-inch thick for reinforcement, and a place for all the longitudinal sticks to fit during the assembly process,” he said, noting that he also drilled out lightening holes with a stainless-steel tube with a knife edge on the drill ends to reduce the weight of the model.

Building the assembly column and fixture jig was no small effort: It consisted of a tower 8 feet tall and took about eight hours to build.

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Like many experimental aircraft builders, Mellberg realized he didn’t have the space to perform the final assembly. Like so many builders, he opted to move the project out to the airport.

“Dick Wagner of Wag-Aero [in Lyons, Wisconsin] offered his hangar for the final assembly,” Mellberg said.

A small army of aircraft modelers were recruited to help with the application of the outer fabric covering and painting.

“The skin is aircraft Dacron that could be ironed on to the balsa skeletal structure, and then stretched tight using a heat gun, and then sprayed with a metallic silver coat of paint,” Mellburg said.

The model was finished in October 1989. In the museum there is a sign thanking all those who helped it along its 17-year journey. Mentioned are the Mellberg family along with Klaus Brink, Eric Brothers, Franklin Buckley, Robert Deschamps, Harold Dick, Chris Fenger, Arthus Forester, Mark Forss, Bill Kerka, Earl Kiernan, Hans Georg Knausel, William  Kramer, Ed Kurek, Daniel Maust, Bauken Noack, Benjamin Page, Vladimir Pavlecka, Bob Petak, Dick Pop, Douglas Robinson, Mike Robson, Admiral C.E. Rosendahl, George Schroeder, Dave Schrubbe, David Smith, Max Spielberg, Joe Stanton, Hendrick Stoops, F.W. Von Meister, Captain Hans Von Schiller, Elisabeth Pletch Von Schiller, Ralph Warner, Bernard Weisbrod, Richard Wagner, and the Wagner Foundation volunteer team,  Bud, Dave, Ernie, and Earl, Bill Walsh, and Hepburn Walker.

Mellberg estimated the model required more than $1,000 in materials but said the cost was not terribly painful because, like the build process, it was spread over 17 years.

In 1989 the model was put on display at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (KMKE)  at the Mitchell Gallery of Flight Museum. In 2019 the Mitchell gallery was relocated to a smaller space. 

“The model was placed in storage, later to be given to the EAA’s Aviation Museum in March of 2020,” Mellberg said.

Bonus Display

The EAA museum hung the Graf airship from the ceiling in the main gallery near other historical aircraft. Along with a 1:36 scale model of a Douglas DC-3 nearby, it represents the beginning of commercial air travel. 

The DC-3 was also used for commercial travel in the 1930s, and sometimes it worked with the airships. 

The model was built out of aluminized paper by Bob Lutz. It wears the livery of American Airlines, which used DC-3s to carry passengers to and from New York City when the Hindenburg, the sister ship to the Graf II, arrived and departed from Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey.

The last trip of the Hindenburg—and its violent demise—put an end to airship travel, and Graf II never saw passenger use. The LZ-130 and  its namesake LZ-127 were both scrapped in 1940, and the zeppelin factory was taken over by the Nazis for the war effort.

The post The Labor of Love That Gave a ‘Graf Zeppelin II’ Model Lift appeared first on FLYING Magazine.