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In Flight USA Articles
Light Sport Flying With In Flight USA - April 2011
Sport Pilots and Flight Planning
By Ed Downs
Is there something different about a shiny, new Sport Pilot planning a cross country flight and what we might expect to see from a typical pilot coming out of the pre-GPS world that preceded the late 1990s? It is possible that there is, and pre 90s aviators might be able to learn a thing or two.
As spring fights its way into existence to end a long, cold winter, many are planning flying trips to a variety of business or recreational locations. A lot of aircraft owners are beginning to realize that their passion for recreational flying may dribble over into the more mundane transportation needs for which they have used the airlines in the past. Policy and pricing changes within the airline industry have become increasingly customer hostile, service to cities other than major hubs has been further reduced, and the TCA continues to add significant inconveniences to the travel experience. The fact is, point-to-point travel time for most trips of less than 600 miles is significantly less in the typical S-LSA than by modern airliner. The bottom line is that many more folks will turn to their recreational hobby planes for day-to-day travel needs.
A Flight Down Memory Lane
By Steve Weaver
I was thinking during a flight the other day, as I watched the little airplane that represented my position over the planet earth, skimming over the towns, roads and other conveniently-identified objects on the GPS moving map, that navigation isn’t as much fun as it once was. Pilots who have cut their teeth on VOR, Loran and now GPS navigation must find it hard to imagine finding their way across the country with only a map and a watch, and nothing to back up those humble aids. It can be done, and many of us who wouldn’t dream of describing ourselves as “Old Timers” have done it, for hours and hours and miles and miles.
New to Flying?
By Ed Downs
Let’s assume the reader of this month’s column is not an aviator, but would like to be. Perhaps you are a pilot and know of a friend who would like to learn to fly, but just can’t afford it. Is a Sport Pilot certificate really worth looking into? Would it be better to simply wait until you can get into private pilot training and be a “real pilot?” You have a lot of company if those questions are floating around your enthusiastic, but confused head.