With the internet and technology, there are endless resources available to student pilot’s. The FAA’s website is a vast resource for pilot’s and student pilot’s. The Federal Aviation Regulations , the Airplane Flying Handbook, The FAA Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge are all available through the FAA for free. There is also information about certification of pilot’s, air traffic control, and airports around the country.
Weather services:
Online weather sources and apps have taken over the way Pilot’s now receive information for the weather. Flying Apps also have weather services built in, with the ability to check official weather reports quickly and simply. Firelight, as well as Garmin Pilot have these options.
Most of these weather reports are coming from the the NOAA Weather Services – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. All of the graphic weather charts can be found on this site and is the go to resource for most FAA Examiners.
Learn to use your GPS:
Becoming familiar with your aircraft’s GPS can take a little time, and it’s just a matter of knowing what button does what. To become proficient using your GPS, you can download a computer version for free. The Garmin 400 series simulator is available for a free download and is a great way to become quick at setting in frequencies and approaches. Also, the Garmin 500 series is available for a free download.
Tablets and Flying Apps:
With the introduction of ForeFlight and the Ipad, flying has become a whole new experience. All students must learn to use the “old school” paper charts and book, but ForeFlight is a great tool that utilizes GPS tracking over aeronautical charts, making it easy to navigate and make flight plans, helping to stay organized in the cockpit.
ForeFlight provides real time weather and satellite images of current weather. It also allows you to file flight plans and store aircraft profiles for flight planning purposes. There are many additional downloads such as FAA publications, checklists and so much more!
