Heading Indicator
All aircraft must have a magnetic compass that tells you which way you're going relative to magnetic north. However, if you've ever […]
Category: Frugal Pilot Flight Guides
Articles on how to discover your wings and save money on flying!
Your Cross-Country Flight Plan
Cross country flying is what aviating is all about. Going from one place to another in a (relatively) straight line, completely unrestricted […]
Engines and Props
If you're building your own experimental aircraft, plan to spend one third to one half of your budget on the engine, sometimes […]
Tail (the Airplane's Rudder)
Cars have no real counterpart to the airplane's tail section. Boats do. A boat's rudder turns the stern one way and the […]
Colleges and Universities
Want to get serious about flying? As sport flying grows you will see it as an option at colleges and universities that […]
Flying for Business
Technically, you cannot fly your private aircraft for pay. You can't carry passengers or freight for money. However, you can accept remuneration […]
Turning To Crosswind
The next phase of flying the pattern is making a moderate turn from the takeoff leg to the crosswind leg. It's a […]
Meet Regularly
It's a good idea to meet with your partner(s) once a month to pay bills, work out the next month's flying schedule, […]
Keeping Your Distance
VFR for private pilots means being able to see the ground and keeping away from other objects including clouds. In a nutshell, […]
Understanding Clouds
Clouds are simply pockets of moisture in the air. If the moisture becomes saturated it will turn into liquid and fall to […]
Classes C and D Airspace
Class C airspace is "crowded," meaning there are many aircraft trying to take off or land and requiring assistance, but not as […]
After You've Soloed
Once you've soloed you can start limited flying on your own. However, the wiser decision is to get back in the aircraft […]
Boating By Plane
Had to sell your boat to buy your new aircraft? Pilots living in areas with navigable waters can do both by installing […]
Taking Possesion
There are a couple more pieces of paper that need to be completed during the purchase of your sport aircraft. The first […]
Engine
Both a car and an airplane have engines that power them. Aircraft engines that power sport pilot-eligible aircraft can be two-stroke or […]
Decide How to Hold Title
Will the plane, hangar rent, and other liabilities be in the name of both partners or an entity? If an entity, will […]
Zodiak XL
The Zodiac XL is a low-wing, side-by-side, light-sport aircraft with tricycle gear. It has a gross weight of 1,232 lbs. with an […]
S-Turns
S-turns are ground-reference maneuvers designed to improve your flying skills when confronted with wind, which is most of the time. If there […]
Thrust & Drag
Thrust is what moves your car or airplane forward. Thrust is applied to a car's wheels to rotate them and move the […]
Need Some Help?
Among the many benefits the EAA offers is a mentor program for those who are building their first custom aircraft. You can […]