One of the most fun things about flying is taking a cross country trip to somewhere unfamiliar. This is a night trip we took to Wendover in a 172. Flying directly west right at sunset is not usually a good idea, but we took some comfort in being with flight following there and back. Flying around an international airport is also fun. It makes you want to have more than just your normal charts (like a Terminal Area Chart (TAC) and approach procedures), but if you simply tell them that you are unfamiliar, they can ‘suggest a heading’. Different from an instrument flight plan where they assign a heading, their suggestions are sort of like a progressive taxi for the air. If you don’t fly these transitions very often, I would prefer both. If you don’t know the details of the charts (or haven’t read them before they’re assigned), then ‘unfamiliar’ would be the safest bet, even if they are right there in front of you.

One of the most important things in aviation is having the right information at the right time. Yes flying skills are obviously good, but getting the right information for your flight is critical to making educated decisions instead of just guessing or not caring. One of the major factors in decision making is knowing the weather. Aviationweather.com is a certified source for accurate weather. One of the coolest tools is the Flight Path Tool.

The flight path tool allows you to have a different java window open and look at all sorts of weather data at different altitudes, overlaid across a map. Everything from the Metar to TAF, wind and icing, this tool helps you see the big picture. It’s great having the information you need on a large map that is easy to access. The tool also displays a grid toward the bottom that indicates when the information was published and which information the map is using. Click on the image below to visit the page. Then click “Launch the new flight path tool Application”. Try it out and let me know if you like it!

If you have some down time, peruse through the website and see what other information you can find!

One of the best ways to get into a great aviation career is being social and not being shy! Getting to know those around you is an acquired skill. You really have to understand how to ask great questions that others find intriguing. When you ask the right questions, it shows that you are intelligent about the subject. For instance, when you are near another pilot and you ask him/her, “Hey, what is your final approach speed in that jet?”, the pilot should know off the top of his head. If he/she doesn’t then you can have a good laugh, or at least start up a conversation. Go with the flow and get to know the individual as an individual. If you can find anything in common, make sure to get contact information. Even if you never ‘have lunch sometime’, it’s a great starting point to finding an IN for that job you might want some day.

The blog posts will be coming soon.