We are continuing our ACS breakdown series and expanding it to your commercial oral exam! We start the commercial series today with Pilot Qualifications. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwestaeronautics.com Music - Epidemic Sound: Go Highe…

Today we are discussing exactly what a Visual Descent Point is and how it is different from the missed approach point. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwestaeronautics.com Music - Epidemic Sound: Go Higher - FLYIN Vegas - Onda Norte…

Today we are discussing 5 tips that will make your initial pilot training more efficient, effective and will set you up for a long successful career! Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwestaeronautics.com Music - Epidemic Sound: Go Higher - …

Today we are discussing 5 tips to make you a better instrument pilot and to make your instrument training easier and more effective! Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwestaeronautics.com Music - Epidemic Sound: Go Higher - FLYIN Vegas - Ond…

It's no secret that sometimes the FAA just gets things WRONG. Sometimes they just make things confusing. Either way, these errors and ambiguities lead to many pilots mis-interpreting certain rules and requiring lawyers to clarify the FAA's position and intentions through letters of interpretation. Today we discuss two such issues with some very pro…

Holds can often be the most frustrating parts to students in instrument training. They have a certain complexity that tends to confuse and complicate when combined with all the other skills and items you need to learn in instrument training. However, the reality is they are much easier than most people initially realize, so today we are going to br…

Even though it's the most widely used approach in the professional flying world, the visual approach is largely overlooked in instrument training. In addition, the contact approach is so seldomly used at all, that most instructors fail to even mention it throughout a students' training. We talk about BOTH today! Send us a text Support the show Yout…

With everything there is to learn in instrument flight training, one of the most difficult things can be learning how to simply control the aircraft! Today we discuss instrument attitude flying and the techniques and methods such as control performance and primary and support that can be utilized to help make control of the aircraft in the instrume…

There are many ways I see subpar service and quality of training from CFIs, but today we are talking about the abuse I constantly see in one specific area of the experience requirements for the commercial pilot certificate. We will talk about the short-comings that are all too common with these training activities as well as the solutions I have pe…

Talking with ATC as a student pilot is often one of the most challenging things people face in flight training. Unfortunately it tends to just get more complicated as you get into instrument training, but there are a few key things every pilot can do to make this task a lot easier. Join us today as we discuss ATC clearances and communications. Send…

Today we are continuing with systems related to IFR flight. In today's episode we specifically discuss navigation systems, as well as airworthiness for IFR flight. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwestaeronautics.com Music - Epidemic Sound…

Today we are diving into systems related to IFR flight. In today's episode we specifically discuss Anti-icing and De-icing systems, as well as Autopilot. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwestaeronautics.com Music - Epidemic Sound: Go Highe…

I will start off by saying there is SO MUCH to go over in this portion of the Instrument ACS that I can't possibly fit it all into this one podcast episode. So if there is anything specific YOU want me to cover in a future podcast, please leave a comment and let me know what you want to hear more about! But until then, we continue with our overview…

If there is one thing that really separates and instrument pilot from a VFR-only pilot, it's probably their ability to read and decipher the weather! It's often said that a pilot needs to be just as much a weatherman as they are a pilot and that is never truer than when flying IFR. Today we breakdown the things that DPEs will be looking for to gaug…

IMSAFE is one of the first acronyms pilots are taught, but it often doesn't get the attention it really deserves! It's important to understand the real-life stressors and ailments we all deal with as individuals, rather than getting caught up in generalizations or hypotheticals. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaero…

When it comes to the priorities in the cockpit, we often use the little mnemonic "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate", but as CFIs there is a forth one that gets added into the mix and that is EDUCATE. Today we talk about educating and where in the order of priorities it should fall. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaero…

Back by popular demand and for the first time on YouTube. . . We are continuing our ACS breakdown series and expanding it to your IFR oral exam! We start the IFR series today with Pilot Qualifications. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Website: www.northwest…

So many pilots get it in their mind that go-arounds on a check ride are frowned upon, when in reality it's quite the opposite! The other oversight in training is that each specific approach and landing have their own techniques that need to be adhered to. We discuss all of this in this weeks episode! Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.you…

Today we talk about the differences between narration and actually teaching. Simply saying what you're doing doesn't convey all the information our learners need to know. We need to continue to incorporate the concepts of "what, why and how" into everything we do to help our learners fully embrace and understand the topics of flight training. Telli…

The Normalization of Deviance is inherent to human nature, but it is something that we has CFIs and pilots need to do our best to mitigate at all times! FLYING Magazine Article: https://www.flyingmag.com/cfi-central/normalization-of-deviance-can-cause-problems-for-pilots/?MailingID=%25CAMPAIGNID%25&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_cont…

The What, Why, How method is the basic structure I use for teaching almost anything! It's a great model that can be used both in the classroom and in the airplane. If you're an aspiring or current CFI, try this method out when teaching your students and let me know what you think! Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestae…

A great question was brought up by one of my viewers on Youtube about how much ownership should students be taking in their own flight training. Join us today as we discuss the answer to this question and the dynamics between a student and an instructor. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwes…

The Lazy 8 is not only one of my favorite commercial maneuvers, but is by far the HARDEST maneuver you will ever have to do on a check ride. Today we discuss the intricacies of this maneuver in an effort to help you understand and fly it better in the plane! Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @nort…

So many people like to ask about what the HARDEST check ride is. . and there really isn't any one right answer to that question. In this episode I give you my take on what the hardest check ride is, and offer helpful tips for any upcoming check ride you may be taking. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instag…

I have always said that the PAVE acronym is the acronym to rule all other acronyms! It doesn't get nearly the credit it deserves, so today I breakdown how I use the PAVE acronym and show you just how useful it can be! Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut Websit…

In our final edition of our ACS breakdown for your private pilot oral exam, we are discussing task H, Human Factors. Human factors are one of the most overlooked subjects in training, yet there is a lot to know and consider when evaluating our own airworthiness and fitness to fly. Hopefully after listening to this episode, you'll have a much greate…

Today we're discussing aircraft SYSTEMS! This is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood subjects in pilot training, but with a little explanation, I think you'll find it's a lot simpler than you might have initially thought. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_ae…

Performance and limitations is one of the hardest things student pilots tend to struggle with in their initial training. Reading the charts themselves can be challenging enough, but today we are going to dive in to the details that all too often get overlooked completely in this portion of private pilot training. Send us a text Support the show You…

NOTE: I misspoke when I made mention of a “minimum elevation figure”. I meant to say “maximum elevation figure”. The National Airspace System (NAS) is one of the most complex systems a pilot needs to learn and be aware of. Both student pilots and seasoned pilots alike often find confusion when it comes to keeping track of all the different types of…

This week we have a little bit longer of an episode but that's simply because there is SO much to cover in VFR Cross country flight planning! Join me as we talk through the Private Pilot ACS Section 1, task D. Cross-Country Flight Planning. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut Tik…

Weather is by far the one subject that all pilots tend to be delinquent in with their knowledge and understanding. Everyone from Private pilots to ATPs have trouble truly grasping weather theory and application to your flight planning. While there is certainly a lot more to talk about, we will start here to today by breaking down the things you nee…

Weather is by far the one subject that all pilots tend to be delinquent in with their knowledge and understanding. Everyone from Private pilots to ATPs have trouble truly grasping weather theory and application to your flight planning. While there is certainly a lot more to talk about, we will start here to today by breaking down the things you nee…

In this series we are going to go through the private pilot ACS with a fine-tooth comb. In each episode we will break down one section of the ACS in detail, so that when your check ride comes around, there won't be a single thing you don't know. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronau…

In this series we are going to go through the private pilot ACS with a fine-tooth comb. In each episode we will break down one section of the ACS in detail, so that when your check ride comes around, there won't be a single thing you don't know. Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronau…

This has been a busy Summer and I've done A LOT of pre-solo checks for student pilots lately. Throughout all these flights, I've seen some patterns developing in the deficiencies these pilots have which really shouldn't be the case for pilots getting ready to fly solo. Join me today as we discuss the things students should know and be able to do pr…

Today we are talking with a former student of mine - Ted. Ted was my first Sport pilot student and never thought that aviation would have as large of an impact on his life as it has ended up having. We talk with Ted about his journey as a Sport pilot, and the challenges he's faced along the way. Ted's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@flysp…

There has been a lot of talk about the 70/50 rule lately and people questioning it's merit. While I do think there is a place for the 70/50 rule in our pre-takeoff briefings, it is not a situation which should arise often and there are many other factors that need to be considered when doing a proper briefing. Today we dive into the departure and a…

I was recently debriefing some pre-solo and mock check ride flights with students and many of them expressed that they had never heard of these acronyms. So I thought it would be helpful to talk about these commonly used acronyms and hopefully they can be incorporated into your own flight training procedures! Send us a text Support the show Youtube…

Learning to land is one of the hardest things in flight training. This process is often made more difficult when flight instructors rush into it without establishing the proper baseline fundamentals beforehand. Today I discuss the steps I take BEFORE I ever get to teaching a student how to land, and how I go about the process once a student does ge…

In this episode we're back with Brian discussing some of our pet peeves! Everyone has them, and everyone thinks theirs are legitimate, but lets see if any of our pet peeves carry more merit than others. What do you think? Send us a text Support the show Youtube: www.youtube.com/northwestaeronaut Instagram: @northwest_aeronaut TikTok: nw_aeronaut We…

Today we are discussing the hardest things to teach a student in aviation and we are privileged to have Brian Musson join us for the first of many guest appearances he'll be making. Brian has many years of experience and great insights into the flight training process. He is one of my personal mentors and I'm excited for him to become one of yours …

Welcome to the new "On Centerline" podcast! Today I wanted to introduce myself and give you a little history on my background. I also wanted to talk about how I did all my flight training from private to MEI for $40,000 and how YOU can help overcome the financial burdens of flight training. This podcast is going focus on flight training and the cha…