How is this thing flying?
July 16, 2011 2:47 PM Subscribe
Where can I find good visual learning aids for flight school? (not looking for flight simulation.)
I'm just starting flight school and as a visual learner, I would really find it helpful to visualize the mechanics of flight...e.g., how does air lift work, effects of flaps and rudders, turns, etc. I want to see what it looks like from the OUTside. My google-fu is failing me in this one.
I'm just starting flight school and as a visual learner, I would really find it helpful to visualize the mechanics of flight...e.g., how does air lift work, effects of flaps and rudders, turns, etc. I want to see what it looks like from the OUTside. My google-fu is failing me in this one.
Here's a good start on YouTube.
This all seems important now, but other than passing your written test it's not that critical to know in order to fly.
posted by Long Way To Go at 3:14 PM on July 16, 2011
This all seems important now, but other than passing your written test it's not that critical to know in order to fly.
posted by Long Way To Go at 3:14 PM on July 16, 2011
The FAA publications are quite good, free, and very visual. You want the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Language. The AIM is also quite good, particularly when preparing for exams, but it's pretty dense.
Seconding dacoit's recommendation of some of the ASF courses. The one on runway markings, in particular, was a big help to me as a student.
I found the written test prep material of limited use in learning how to actually fly airplanes. But the courses do contain a lot of the basics. I used the King Schools online program to pass my PP written, it's pretty cheesy but effective.
posted by Nelson at 3:46 PM on July 16, 2011
Seconding dacoit's recommendation of some of the ASF courses. The one on runway markings, in particular, was a big help to me as a student.
I found the written test prep material of limited use in learning how to actually fly airplanes. But the courses do contain a lot of the basics. I used the King Schools online program to pass my PP written, it's pretty cheesy but effective.
posted by Nelson at 3:46 PM on July 16, 2011
Is this kind of thing available in your country? I also consider myself a visual learner, but for PPL level at least, see if you can attend a five day groundschool. I did that, and it was ten times easier having someone explain things to me as opposed to sitting down with a mammoth pile of learning material and trying to discrern what was relevant and what wasn't.
posted by dougrayrankin at 4:17 AM on July 17, 2011
posted by dougrayrankin at 4:17 AM on July 17, 2011
Have you looked in to software/book packages? There are two competing products out there right now, one by King and the other by Gleim. They're both multimedia instruction and are designed to replace standard classroom ground school. King's Private Pilot and Gleim Private Pilot. You should talk to your flight instructor about whether they're a good fit, and the flight school you're with may carry one or both.
I used the King package when I did my private and was generally pleased with it, but the pace can be a little slow sometimes. It should save you some money, since you don't need to pay for ground lessons as often - you do the CD-ROM coursework and then update your status weekly or so with your instructor.
If you don't mind digging around a little bit, Cessna used to sell an "integrated flight training system" (that was meant to sell you Cessna aircraft, but the books have some great info). The Professional Manual of Flight starts from the very beginning and takes you through some very complicated aspects of flight training. It seems to be designed for training professional pilots - and I only have book 2 - but there are lots of diagrams and explanations of everything.
posted by backseatpilot at 4:55 AM on July 17, 2011
I used the King package when I did my private and was generally pleased with it, but the pace can be a little slow sometimes. It should save you some money, since you don't need to pay for ground lessons as often - you do the CD-ROM coursework and then update your status weekly or so with your instructor.
If you don't mind digging around a little bit, Cessna used to sell an "integrated flight training system" (that was meant to sell you Cessna aircraft, but the books have some great info). The Professional Manual of Flight starts from the very beginning and takes you through some very complicated aspects of flight training. It seems to be designed for training professional pilots - and I only have book 2 - but there are lots of diagrams and explanations of everything.
posted by backseatpilot at 4:55 AM on July 17, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the input everyone! I've ordered Stick and Rudder after looking though it on the Google Books link. I'm taking time today to go through the other suggestions.
posted by Gusaroo at 10:09 AM on July 17, 2011
posted by Gusaroo at 10:09 AM on July 17, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
However, when it comes to really understanding the dynamics of flight, nothing has helped me nearly as much as reading Stick and Rudder, a book written in 1940 by Wolfgang Langewiesche, and I've spoken with many pilots who agree.
posted by dacoit at 3:03 PM on July 16, 2011