The Use Of Flight Simulation Training For Pilots And Its Benefits

Whether you are young or old and are a pilot living in the European continent you need to keep your piloting skills up to date and stay sharp with your skills. All pilots need to take enough practice time, they need to learn to stay focused and learn everything on the practice deck as it can be a very difficult and trying time, especially when so many lives are on the line. The general consensus is that after thousands of hours on a simulated flight deck or even in the actual flying of a plane one might have the ability to navigate any plane anytime.

Many pilots need to upgrade their skills on a regular basis and with using a flight deck simulation process they are able to work on their skills to be able to keep up the individual licenses and certifications needed to fly a plane, be it a small aircraft or a large airliner. The different flight schools simulation programs, which are offered at flight schools, and training facilities around the world are one of the main way these pilots can get the specialized experience they need.

There are different types of flight simulators that can range from a simple computer program that a pilot can use or a large simulator where a practicing pilot actually sits at a functioning control board that makes it seem like the real thing. There are many reasons and advantages to using a flight simulator for practice to keep your skills honed. Real time flight can be far more strenuous than a simulation, so by using a simulator you can log more hours in for practice. Also with so many training facilities and flight centers popping up throughout Europe and the United Kingdom, a traveling pilot can log in hours on a day off and check out new flight simulators and new control configurations.

Another option that many pilots utilize to help keep their skills sharp and get some extra hours of flying time, considering their hectic work schedule, is to book some flying time on private charter airplanes. Many airline pilots who have left a position with an airline find this option has a lot of advantages as the flight schedule with private charters can be much less rigorous. Flying a small charter plane for practice or as a career is far less demanding than flying in the mainstream airline industry for numerous reasons.

Obviously, because the charter plane is much smaller, the pilot has less controls and functions to worry about. In addition, because the plane is smaller it holds a limited number of passengers allowing the pilot to be able to break his routine occasionally and speak with the passengers.

Being a pilot can be a very demanding type of profession that requires constant attention to the changes in the industry and planes in general. Though it may be somewhat time consuming to put the extra hours into the practice that all pilots need, it ultimately ensures the safety of the millions of people that fly every year.

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That Grainy Old Photograph - The Crash of Flight 191

I often find myself looking at old photos, not of people I know or places I've been, but of people I don't know and places (at least sometimes) I haven't been. There's one aviation photo I find myself looking at time and time again, it's an image I find captivating but for all the wrong reasons - it's such a tragic event caught on film and one I find so hauntingly interesting. American Airlines flight 191 was a regularly schedules passenger flight flying out of O'Hare airport in Chicago, captained by Capt. Walter Lux it should have been a regular flight. Captain Lux had been flying the DC 10 since its introduction in 1971 and with 22,000 flying hours, he was one of the most experienced pilots flying with American Airlines.

As horrifying as this crash was, it's not the crash itself that I find so interesting, it's more, the thought of the crash, that fraction of time, that split second frozen in a single frame that I find so intriguing - it's the photograph. For me, it's a feeling that if stare at that infamous photo taken by Michael Laughlin back in 1971 for long enough I can sea Captain Walter Lux along with co pilot James Dillard fighting with the controls like true heroes, I can hear the warning alarms, the ground proximity warning I can see the sheer determination of both pilot and first officer.

Looking at this grainy, faded old photo of the crash and looking at the plane (a DC10) it's easy to imagine the horror the passengers inside must have felt. Most (if not all) would have been able to tell something was not right with the take off, hearing a loud bang as the number 1 engine (the left side) detached from the aircraft flew up and over the wing tearing vital hydraulic lines as it did so. I find it frighteningly easy to imagine the noise coming from inside the plane, the sound of passengers gasping and baggage falling from over head. I can imagine loved ones holding hands as they sit, helplessly strapped into their seats and strangers staring at each other in fear and disbelief - what were they thinking? What were they saying? All this from a single photograph.

Unlike a lot of other airline accidents, flight 191 differs in that there is very little cockpit voice recorder audio. A single word is all that's picked up, "Damn", an air traffic controller sees what's happened to American Airlines 191 and asks "...do you want to come back, and to what runway?" - there was no response. It's strange how much can be read from a single photo - or rather, how much we think can be read, but with photos like Michael Laughlins' the harrowing truth is presented to us in a basic and frightening form. The sense of horror and the sense of 'end' is so prevalent in this image one has an almost overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. May they rest in peace.

[http://www.seaorair.com], all the latest news from the aviation and marine industry, upload your photos and check out the forum - sea you there.

How to Become a Pilot

Mary Wells was wrong. She was the head of a trendy New York advertising agency back in the 1970 era and she once said...advertising is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Yes, advertising is fun, but compared to flying, advertising is just a little snuggle.I am often asked by dads and sometimes young folks, what do you have to do to become a pilot?

The journey can be a tough one. You have to get through lots of tests and ratings and frankly, you have to have some luck. I had my share.

I came out of the general aviation ranks. That means I went out to the airport, paid the nice folks $25 for a test flight, and $10,000 later, I was in the front end of a Learjet. Trust me, I got lucky. I had no business being in the front end of a Learjet at that time in my career.

Baby Pilot, one of my dearest friends, went to school to become a pilot...a pilot college if you will. He went about it just like you would go about becoming a teacher or a business person. He went to class and his classes were in the air. He is zooming around the skies in a 747 somewhere and was one of the youngest guys to ever become a 747 left seat driver. (Left seat is the captain. Right seat is the copilot. Sideways is the flight engineer.) Not all planes have engineers anymore. There role has been replaced by computers and demands by airlines to cut cost by cutting the engineer.)

Baby Pilot went to Emery-Riddle Aviation University. There is no guarantee you will get that cushy airline job just because you went to an aviation university! Aviation is a brutal lover. It is about supply and demand and standards are very high. It is a popular career, too. If you want to check, just ask five of your friend if they would like to know how to fly a plane? Then ask the same group if they would like to become a bridge designer. You will get the idea.

The government is the biggest supplier of pilots. The Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines turn out tons of them and these pilots are popular with the airlines. Delta loves them! If you want to become a pilot and serve your country, why not check out the services? Most of the service pilots will come out of the officer corps so you should check into the service academies and use some congressional pull to help get you in. Frankly, having some pull is another big part of aviation. You will need some. Make pilot friends. Go to the airport and say hello.

You also have to be healthy. In fact, everything revolves around you being healthy. A pilot's license is good for life but you have to have a current medical certificate before you can get in a plane and fly it. There are three medical classes.

Third Class Medical. Your heart is beating. You can hear fairly well. You can see. Get this and you can fly but not for hire. In other words, you can fly but not be paid for it--no career potential. The certificate is good for three years and you have to be examined by a doctor certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (known as the FED's).

Second Class Medical. This one is a little more complex. It's usually reserved for pilots who get paid to fly but who are not airline captains. It's good for one year.

First Class Medical. Any pilot sitting in the left front of a commercial airliner has to have this medical certificate. It's a much more complex exam and is only good for six months.

If you are wondering what it will take to become an airline pilot, here's a great place to start. Find an approved FAA doctor--the pilots at the airport can help you with that or ask your family doctor--and get a first class medical exam. If you pass, you have a shot at being an airline captain if you stay healthy. If you don't pass, get passionate about something else and save yourself tons of money and frustration! Plus, you get a cheap physical.

On to the business of learning how to fly.

Category. Class. Type. Those are important words to the FED's and you! It's how the FED's sort things out and see who is qualified to fly what. Category refers to stuff in the air...plane, airship, balloon yada. Class refers to single engine, multi-engine. Type refers to the type of airplane. Think Ford...Pickup...F-150.

If an airplane is over 12,500 pounds in weight, you need an airplane type rating to fly it. In other words, you need a type rating to fly a 737 but that rating will not let you fly a 747 or a Learjet.

The FED's, or pilots they appoint, check you out to make sure you can fly that equipment. That little demonstration is called a check-ride. Today, most check-rides are given in simulators at the airline level and in the airplane at the little plane level. So, to sum up so far, in order to be a pilot, you will need:

1. A current medical certificate.

2. Rated for the category, class, and type of plane you want to fly.

Congrats. You can fly on nice sunny days! But what happens if it is cloudy and foggy? Well, you will need an instrument rating. You will have to learn how to fly using the information presented to you in the airplane without any benefit of outside such as where the sky is and where the ground is. Ground school, flight training and check-ride required. This rating makes a pilot a pilot.

Now you have:

1. A current medical certificate.

2. Rated for the category, class, and type of plane you want to fly.

3. An instrument rating.

Pretty big stuff! Now do you want to make a living at it? Well if you do, you will need a commercial pilot rating. The FED's want to know if you can fly the plane smoothly and with exact precision. That is import if you don't want to spill your coffee. Flight training and Check-ride required. Now you have:

1. A current medical certificate.

2. Rated for the category, class, and type of plane you want to fly.

3. An instrument rating.

4. A commercial rating.

Plenty neat. Now you really are hot stuff. You can fly a single engine land plane in the clouds smoothly and be paid for it. But how many single engine airliners are there?

The FED's want to see more from you and the more is called a multi-engine rating. Can you safely fly something with one or more motors going or one of those motors not going? Flight training and check-ride required. Now you have:

1. A current medical certificate.

2. Rated for the category, class, and type of plane you want to fly.

3. An instrument rating.

4. A commercial rating.

5. Multi-engine rating.

Now comes the toughest test of all and the FED's have nothing to do with it. The insurance companies call this one. Those folks want to see some experience before you go zooming off into the clouds and pay-for-play skies. 1,500 hours of flying experience would be dandy!

But not many people have the bucks to fly around for another 1,000 or so hours at $75 an hour to build the time to reach that magic 1,500 hour mark. What do young pilots do?

Back to the ratings. Pilots teach other pilots how to fly and it is often the young 500 hour pilots that become the teachers. They are called flight instructors There is ground school to take and a check ride from the right seat. That will allow them to teach new pilots how to fly on sunny days. Get an instrument instructor rating and you can teach new pilots how to fly in clouds. Get a multi-instructor rating; and you can teach them how to fly multi engine airplanes.

Get the picture? You can log the needed time sitting in the right seat and nagging a young pilot in the left seat like an ex-wfie at a son's wedding. Plus, the student pilot pays and you get paid to teach.

Last but not least, the ATP or Airline Transport Rating. You need 1,500 hours of experience to get this one. It's the master's degree of aviation. The ATP will help you get a better job.

Hopefully, you will, but always remember, there are a lot of pilots out there and as fuel prices go up and airlines merge and fold, the number of jobs is getting tighter. It's a tough business. It demands perfection. And it takes luck to get in.

But once you do, sorry Mary Wells, it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

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Airline First Officer - Doing Your Apprenticeship Before Airline Captain

Once you've got your private pilot license and are working towards a career as a pilot, its stimulating thinking about the variety of roles within the air carrier sector that your commercial pilot license is likely to make obtainable for you. Of course, the highest echelon of becoming a full-fledged aviator is to pilot the large international jet passenger liners. Prior to that though, an arduous journey between your current skill level and the role of Captain of the airliner exists. Therefore, first officer is a fantastic aim to start with.

Obviously, one way to speedily become the head of the team as a commercial airline pilot and earn a decent commercial pilot's salary could be to fly for any air-carrier which might have you piloting a smaller aircraft or you could work for a charter carrier so you are the only one in command of the airplane on every outing. That is a good opportunity and it is a respectable job using your pilot's license. Not to mention it's a great way to boost your logged flying hours. However, there's very little which can take the place of moving your way up the ladder in a larger commercial airline, in the process allowing you to take advantage of the large benefits. These will sooner or later have you becoming the chief pilot on a sizable plane flying to some exotic destination.

When you secure the status of first officer on the flight deck of a substantial airliner, that position or ranking is certainly nothing to sniff at. It is an "apprentice" status and your role is to be a backup and assistant to the aircraft captain whilst you learn the ropes. Eventually you will be at the control yoke of a big and complicated airplane. However if you're a junior aviator and you need to get a decent record of real-world cockpit practical knowledge, building up your hours as a 1st officer is a brilliant point in your career and an opportunity you can capitalize on tremendously. The job of first officer won't pay out as well as when you make captain of the aircraft; still you should view the role as your internship and be happy that by holding down that spot, you are on your way.

Much of the excitement of being in command of a large jet flown by the large airlines can also be experienced when working as the first officer. And the hours you rack up whilst holding down that role with a large air-carrier will look great on your resumé when you go to apply for more lofty roles and ranks. Along with studying the subtleties of the aircraft's operating systems and how to react to varying in flight events coming from a practical standpoint, any time spent in the co-pilot seat under the "wing" of an experienced and savvy commercial airline captain and flight crew will let you sort out the corporate culture in the air carrier which means you can not only navigate the jet but also your career path within the industry as well.

By working a good several months or years in the first officer role, you will be exposing yourself to the scrutiny of superiors whom create the choices about contracting for aircraft captain duties or other top opportunities inside of the commercial airline marketplace. Aircraft captain is not a ranking where you can merely stroll off of the street and perform successfully. And doing some solid hours as a first officer and getting noticed for your great effort in that role, you will end up prepared when the time comes that you register for the top job. So add a stretch as first officer into your career path while you commence the ascent through the various rankings of authority in your airline pilot career.

And remember, when you make this initial target and are being employed in a first officer position, never get overly quick to hurry through your time in this role of first officer. This is truly a fantastic time to grow associations and to illustrate skill not just to the people who may perhaps support you to aircraft captain but to your airline flight workers plus your fellow crew members who may at some point say "Yes Captain" to you when you sit down in the left hand seat to be in control of a big airplane flying to Sydney, Singapore or Berlin.

Making your way to captain of a large aircraft is a long journey which starts out with the simple step of getting your private pilot license. There is so much to know about learning to fly and becoming a pilot, you need a good guide to help you avoid the pitfalls. Check out www.pilotswanted.com for a good guide of where to start, information on pilot pay rates and more. Even if you're looking to research the costs of your helicopter license, you will find that information there at your fingertips!

The Hazardous of Aircraft Icing?

Many people who have a fear of flying only comprehend the hazards of icing condition involving airplanes taking off. Icing can be a hazard for aircraft in flight too. When it comes to icing, you should always have respect for it. The FAA always emphasize that you must have a clean airplane. That has been hammered into the brains of every pilot since their first days in flight school. Basically, having a clean airplane means having no ice, snow, or frost adhering to the airplane. Airlines make sure that all ground personnel receives yearly training on how to properly deice the aircraft on the ground. Only experience ramp personnel are allowed to deice aircraft. Communication is very important. They get trained on applying the right temperature, mixture ratio, & where to apply it on the aircraft.

Airline pilots are trained to make sure they depart the gate with a clean airplane, & if there is any doubt they will get the airplane deice anyway. Usually in the cockpit both pilots would have time to make an observation if there is any ice on the airplane. Sometimes flight attendants, or ramp personnel will be the first to notice it, & bring it to the crews attention. Departing with a clean airplane is a collective effort with everyone working together as a team to ensure a safe flight. But, ultimately it is the captain's responsibility.

Once you get airborne, your icing problems doesn't just go away. Most turboprop, & jet aircraft have anti-icing systems to prevent the ice build up on certain critical parts of the aircraft. For example, they usually will have engine anti-ice to prevent ice build up in the engine intake. There are wing anti-ice heaters on jets to melt off ice. While turboprops have boots that inflate like a balloon to break off ice on their wing. Other features are windshield anti-ice, fuel heat to prevent ice build up in the fuel lines,& anti-ice that heat certain probes that give pilots instrument readings. Airplanes that have all of these features are approved to fly into icing conditions.

But, just because you are approved to fly into icing conditions doesn't mean pilots will stay leveled at an altitude in prolong icing conditions. As a pilot, you always want to try to get out of icing whenever feasible. Icing degrades aircraft's performance & aerodynamics so there's no incentive to stay in it. Staying in icing conditions produces drag, & makes the airplane heavier therefore wasting more fuel. Furthermore, for airplanes not approved for icing conditions this could be dangerous. For examples of airplanes not approved for icing conditions would be some light general aviation single engine type airplanes & some light twin engines.

Some of the conditions you need to get icing in flight are visible moisture such as clouds, rain, drizzle, and you must be in the right temperature range between plus 6 degrees Celsius & minus 15 degrees Celsius. There are some exceptions when you could still get icing conditions in slightly colder conditions such as flying through cumulonimbus type clouds. But generally, its difficult to pick up icing when beyond minus 20 degrees Celsius. If you are flying in clear blue skies, you will not get in flight icing. Icing is measured on a scale from light, moderate, & severe. Any aircraft that is approved to fly into icing condition will generally not have a problem in moderate conditions.

But, you will probably want to change altitude soon to get out of it. Severe icing can cause a lot of problems for any airplane approved in icing conditions. Basically, it means ice accretion is continuous making the aircraft's anti-ice system ineffective. Severe icing is more of a problem at lower altitudes, but a quick change in altitude will usually get you out of it. In the higher flight levels where most commercial jets fly its generally too cold to pick up icing. If an aircraft in severe icing doesn't change course, or altitude soon it could be in real danger. Fortunately, Severe icing condition doesn't happen that often.

There are basically two types of in flight icing. Rime ice is formed when super cooled water freezes on contact with the airplanes wing. Rime ice looks like granular form white type with entrapped air. The other type is clear air ice. Clear air is a glossy form of ice a little harder to notice visually. Its a slow freezing of large super cooled water droplets. It forms a sheet of ice. Regardless of the ice form there are some clues that trained pilots could notice when they are picking up icing in flight. When pilots fly into visible moisture its almost instinctively to look at the temperature gauge in the cockpit to see if your in that temperature range to get icing. One big clue is the metal rod on the windshield wipers are usually your first clue to icing because they will start to build up ice on it. Also, you will notice a slight decrease in your airspeed. Other clues can come from the autopilot that will start having a harder time maintaining altitude. The autopilot will need more & more trim, or higher pitch to maintain altitude. But, there are so many clues that any professionally trained pilot can recognize very early before the icing becomes dangerous.

Finally, one last icing condition that is dangerous to all aircraft is freezing rain. This is also another rare type of icing. Most civilian aircraft are not approved to fly in freezing rain. Generally, the best thing to do is to avoid that area of freezing rain, or cancel a flight. Freezing rain makes anti-icing systems ineffective.

Captain Simmons is a MD-80 pilot for a major air carrier with over 20 years experience. To learn more please visit our site at [http://www.flyinganxiety.com]

Be the Kulula Airlines of Your Classroom

Let me take you to beautiful South Africa, home to wild animals, stunning beaches, delicious wines and lovely people. South Africa is also home to a very successful airline you've never heard of before. Out of the Southwest Airlines mold comes another unique airline in a very competitive and tough industry.

The airline - Kulula (in Zulu meaning "it's easy.") Airlines, "which, judging by their jets, has literally branded themselves as a fun airline. Everything is labelled in a fun way: the emergency row is called the "throne zone," the rudder is "the steering thingy" and the overhead compartments are "VIP seating for your hand luggage." (Humor at Work: Airline Has Great Fun Branding Itself, April 10, 2013)

This is a low-cost airline that doesn't take itself too seriously. You could understand it by looking at the images that I found of the aircraft. But it's more than the paint on the plane. It's a culture of fun, play and humor.

How do you differentiate in a mature industry (any industry for that matter). Why not look at an industry that is extremely mature - airlines. Not just any airlines, Kulula Airlines, a quirky upstart from South Africa.

After 11 years since launching, Kulula Airlines has actually become the No. 2 carrier in South Africa (2nd only to a government owned airline), thanks to eye-catching ad campaigns that depict ordinary flyers as superheroes, under their slogan, 'Now anyone can fly!' Now, the airline is going even further with humor, using it both inside and outside the plane.

Humour has been part of Kulula from day one, said Heidi Braurer, Kulula's marketing chief. It is well to be easy and funky, but this is serious business, too. They are encouraged to be interacting and original, but not insulting to anybody, Braurer said. We don't hire them as comedians, we hire them as flight attendants. But outside the plane's cabin, Kulula is turning heads and making a name for itself in the process. The company has become very liberal with their exterior decoration (lime green paint), painting some planes with cows, signs that read This Way Up, and even adding arrows that point out each individual feature of the plane, including the black box, the seats, the back door, the nose cone, and even where the co-captain sits. It's highly unusual for an airliner to not take itself so seriously, and people are noticing. (International Business Times, "Kulula Airlines: Funny 'Flying 101' Jet Brings Airplane Humor to the Skies," March 22, 2012)

One of their six core values is Great Fun, which they define as: "We help people lighten up. Smiles and jokes are free. We always want to be genuinely friendly and provide the right environment for our staff's natural talent to shine." ("Humor at Work: Airline Has Great Fun Branding Itself," April 10, 2013)

To deliver WOW experience could also be justified on what they have done to boring & lame "flight safety lecture" when delivering it to passengers by making it more entertaining and edible. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

• On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"


• On another flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."


• On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."


• After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo, a flight attendant on a flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."


• Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines."


• "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
• And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Kulula Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
• Heard on Kulula 255 just after a very hard landing in Cape Town. The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."

(D3eksha, Delivering Wow Experience: A Lesson to Learn from Kulula Air)

If in the airline industry - which relies on safety and security to the Nth degree - can inject humor into their daily operations with success, then it's a no-brainer that we in higher education can do so as well!

There are lots of great business examples of success while having fun (sounds like another post).

So next time you're struggling to create classroom and teacher differentiation, try a little humor.

As a recovering lecturer Russ Johnson makes a living in the classroom and corporate training room on a variety of topics (teacher training, student engagement, change management, etc). A popular speaker, trainer and author. http://teachertrainer.com/

Being a Commerical Airline Pilot

Today just in the UK there are well over 10,000 trained airline pilots flying different sized aircraft all over the world. There are also many more people looking to become airline pilots and it is arguably one of the best jobs in the world.

The gradual progression of the career path of an airline pilot is essential and should not be rushed under any circumstance. Putting a pilot into an aircraft who is not yet fully competent endangers the lives of all the passengers. Pilots will initially start off with smaller air craft often on short haul flights to help them build up their experience. Usually after about 5 years they will apply to become co-pilots on long haul flights and make the gradual progress to pilot. Promotion to the position of captain usually requires at least 2,400 flying hours but this is dependent on each individual and salaries can range from around £25,000 to £80,000 or more a year.

The minimum qualification required for an airline pilot is a 'frozen' Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL). This involves passing written examinations for the ATPL and doing 200 hours of flight training, including flight tests. Commercial pilots are put in charge of a machine that is literally worth millions of pounds and therefore to become a pilot you need to develop a number of key skills. Although this job has a number of benefits, their is also a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of the pilot as they are responsible for all the people on board. They must ensure they arrive at their destination safely.

Air Traffic control plays a key role in helping the pilot to undertake their job. It is this teamwork that often ensures a safe and secure landing and take off. As an aircraft progresses along a flight route and moves into airspace handled by different air traffic control centres, communication will be transferred to a new controller for each particular sector of airspace.

The pilot is the captain of the aircraft and he must therefore demonstrate leadership qualities by directing his crew and ensuring that they all fulfill their duties before, during and after the plane has taken off.

If you feel that you would not be able to handle the responsibility that the job of a pilot brings with it then it is recommended that you do not apply for this role. This is often a part of the job that many applicants do not consider and it can hinder them in their application.

Airline pilots are responsible for flying aircraft, people and luggage around the world safely. Airline pilots will typically work on a shift basis and many get to travel to all parts of the world. One of the great advantages of becoming an airline pilot is that each day is different, exciting and brings with it new challenges and new people.

For information regarding the pilot selection process please click here: Become A Pilot [http://www.become-a-pilot.co.uk]

Pilot Jobs - Did You Know That There Were So Many Different Types?

The job of the pilot is to fly the plane right? But I bet you didn't know that so many different types of pilot jobs exist!

There are many types of aviation pilot jobs in the market, and they all have different entry requirements, remuneration packages, and professional responsibilities.

These positions are among some of the higher paying professions in the world. According to 2010 official statistics, the median annual wages and salaries for commercial pilots and co-pilots was $103,210. However, aviators working in other fields in the aviation industry may earn wages a little bit lower or higher than this.

After completing the prescribed course of study and attaining the required flight-hours, these aviators can join any of the various fields available in the air transport industry.

For instance, a person can decide to pilot a helicopter, corporate jet, commercial airplane, charter or air taxi, cargo plane, test plane, agricultural plane, commuter airline or international airline, or even become a flight instructor among other positions. Each of these professions is rewarding, so qualified aviators can pursue careers in any of these fields.

Great information about the many different types of aviation careers can be found here or here.

Almost every aviator dreams of flying a large commercial airplane for a major regional or international airline. These jobs are often very rewarding with salaries between $100,000 and $200,000 annually.

The main responsibility of cargo pilots is to carry cargo from place to place. This can be for a courier company or an import-export company. Cargo aviators earn between $23,000 and $200,000 or more annually.

Helicopter pilots are normally tasked with ferrying workers to remote areas like offshore oil rigs, evacuating people during natural disasters, rescue missions, and flying reporters and photographers and others to their destinations. These are among many other jobs that they can do. Helicopter aviators take home between $27,000 and $59,000 annually.

Agricultural pilots earn between $20,000 and $70,000 per year. Their duties include flying crop dusters over farms to apply herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides, and to plant seeds. They can also carry out aerial surveillance of livestock or wildlife.

Before anyone can become an aviator, he or she must have a relevant college degree or diploma, specialized training, a certain number of flight hours and a license from aviation authorities.

There are many schools that offer aviation training around the world, so anyone who wishes to pursue an exciting aviation career can easily research them.

Aviation is definitely an exciting industry and there are so many different opportunities that exist for anyone wishing to obtain a pilot's job... It may even be a great idea for anyone who wishes to switch careers or start a new career!

Even if it's not as a career, flying a plane certainly makes for an exciting hobby. It doesn't have to be all that expensive as one may think either!

Information about flying a plane is so easy to find, so for those who like excitement in a career or as a hobby this field is definitely worth checking out!

By Ken L. Larizza

[http://pilotskill.com]

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Why You Shouldn't Be Scared of Flying

Even in its most abbreviated form it takes 20 minutes to explain all the things that happen before the engines start on the flight that takes you on holiday. For anyone with a fear of flying knowing about the care that goes into getting ready for a flight makes a difference to how they feel when taking a flight. The well-known saying 'Knowledge is power', is often quoted but it's nowhere more relevant than in flying, especially if you're scared. Here's a summary what happens before you even board the flight.

The crew meet about an hour before the flight. While the pilots check the route and weather and decide how much fuel they'll need. The cabin crew find out about the passengers and the services they'll be offering on the flight. Most airlines take their crews to the aircraft together and plan to be at the plane about 35 minutes prior to departure. One pilot checks the outside of the plane while the other 'sets' all the instruments for the flight. Meanwhile the cabin crew are checking all the safety equipment on board and ensuring that the food and beverages have been loaded and are sufficient for the flight. As soon as the crew have completed their checks the senior crew member will let the departure lounge know that they are ready to board the passengers.

For so many people with a fear of flying this is the moment when all those weeks or months of anxiety and all the efforts to overcome their fears will be put to the test. But it's important to remember that everything we do in commercial aviation is about safety, cabin service and passenger welfare are second to safety. Without safety and airline has no reputation. So as you board your flight be confident that you are in safe hands.

While you take your seat the engineer is completing their checks, the refueller will have put the fuel on board, and the airline's operations department will submit the flight plan to Air Traffic Control. Once you are settled the crew will make sure that the number of passengers is the same as the number checked in and confirm this with the dispatcher who will give the captain the weight and loading information for the flight. Once the captain has signed and accepted the 'papers' the plane is almost ready for the flight. Finally the engineer brings the aircraft maintenance log to the cockpit for the captain to sign and then and only then is it time to close the doors and start the engines.

The thing that passengers with a fear of flying won't see of course is the constant checking and cross checking of everything that the crew and ground staff do. They won't see the tightly enforced procedures that an airline has to use. They won't see the years of sophisticated training that ensures that every crew member is operating to the highest standards. If you have a fear of flying be confident that nothing is left to chance on your flight, everything is checked and double checked every procedure is approved everything is performed to the highest standards.

You can not travel more safely than on a modern jet aircraft...not even cycling to your local grocery store, flying is the safest form of transport. Meanwhile stay informed and remember that flying is normal and for everyone in the world of commercial aviation it's the best job in the world.

Author Captain Keith Godfrey has been involved in aviation for over 50 years. He has amassed over 20,000 flying hours experience and now runs the internet's biggest web site to help people to overcome the fear of flying as well as ground courses and fear of flying books.

Learning to Fly, and Where to Get All the Pilot Gear You Will Need

Learning to Fly: What You Will Need

So you want to learn to fly. Well, this article is for you. It's about the basic stuff that you will need to become a pilot.

Goals and Plans

Learning to fly is very much like flying itself. Before you start, you need to know what your objectives and goals are. It is easier to get there if you know your target clearly. It could help pare down your requirements, too, and this is very important because learning to fly can cost a lot of money and time.

Learning to fly starts with the selection of a flight school and ends with the obtainment of your private pilot license or private pilot certificate. The private pilot certificate allows you to fly for fun, with passengers, under visual flight rules (VFR), and on most types of airspace.

After getting your private pilot license, you can continue your education by completing an instrument flying rules (IFR) rating, which enables you to fly inside the clouds and with poor visibility, a multi-engine rating, a professional pilot rating, which allows you to get paid as a pilot, and many more other ratings depending on what your goals and destination are.

Navigating to the Flight School That's Best for You

After fixing your goal, your next stop is to shop for the flying school that best suits the kind of flying you want to learn. The good news is you have a lot of choices. All you need to zero in on the one that's best for you is a set of navigational questions, so to speak.

Now, here's the checklist of what you need to ask about flying schools:

· Aircraft Fleet. Is it maintained according to FAA standards? Ask the flight school representative to show you the maintenance records of the aircraft where you plan to receive instruction. Airplanes are required to be inspected by a certified aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) every 100 hours of flight, and every year (annual inspection).

· Curriculum. Does the plan for ground and flight training have FAA approval? The FAA must approve all flight schools so make sure you ask.

· Schedule. Is the training plan suited to your own work schedule or plan? Flying demands time. Make sure that your life schedule fits that of the school. Keep in mind that you will need to fly during the day, so you should have daytime available. Most school offer instruction on weekends.

· Instructors. Do you like the flight instructors at the school? Do they inspire trust? You will be spending a lot of time on small cockpits with you flight instructor (CFI) so make sure you like them.

· Costs. What are the items you need to pay for? Make a checklist of these requirements.

Shopping for Training and Pilot Gear

After setting on your flying school, you may also want to find out what you need and where to find them. Pilot shops are usually found in the vicinity of flying schools and they offer the latest in pilot gear, supplies, aviation apparel, charts, reference materials, and the like. Be aware that pilot shops near the school or airport will charge you a premium on their products. That is more money spent on flight gear, and less money spent on flying. So it is better to get your pilot gear online.

The Aviator's Den ( www.aviatorsden.com ) offers the best prices in the market for pilot gear and aviation supplies. We have the best brands logbooks, flight computers, aviation headsets for general aviation and helicopter, navigation plotters, pilot training supplies, aviation apparel, aircraft checklists, aeronautical charts, and more.

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America's Top 3 Flight Training Schools

So, you want to become a pilot but you don't have a clue how to get started. Well, the first piece of advice is to attend a flight training school. There are many different flight training schools in America so finding a school is not difficult. But, if you want to attend one of the best then you will want to know about America's top three flight training schools. The following three flight training schools are considered by many to be the nation's top three. So, you could attend any one of them and get a great education and really learn how to fly.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

This flight training school is also a university and is great for individuals who want to be pilots but also want a four year degree. Graduates of this university are prepared to be pilots in every sense of the word. This university also prepares students for all types of jobs in the aviation field.

ATP

Airline Transport Professionals, also known as ATP, provide pilot training at schools across the nation. If you want to work in the airline field then ATP is the best flight training school for you because you will be trained in top of the line aircraft in an environment that is comparable to that of the airlines. Flights are cross country, in various weather conditions, as well as in high traffic areas to really teach the pilot in training how to be the best possible pilot in all situations.

Delta Connection Academy

The Delta Connection Academy is another of America's outstanding flight training schools. This school trains more FAA part 141 pilots than any other school in the nation. Additionally, since the Academy is owned by Delta it gives graduates an advantage of receiving a job with the company. Of course, graduates of this flight training school may work with any airline and the academy has successfully placed graduates with 26 different airlines worldwide. Pilots from more than 86 different countries have been trained by the Delta Connection Academy. The Delta Connection Academy was previously known as Comair Aviation Academy.

If you are considering one of these flight schools then keep in mind there are a few things you will need. First of all, you will want to buy a Telex headset or a Peltor headset to protect your hearing and ensure great communication. Other things you need to buy will be addressed by the training school. So, check out the above recommendations and start your flight training today!

Natalie Aranda writes about travel and recreation. If you are considering one of these flight schools then keep in mind there are a few things you will need. First of all, you will want to buy a Telex headset or a Peltor headset to protect your hearing and ensure great communication. Other things you need to buy will be addressed by the training school. So, check out the above recommendations and start your flight training today!

Working As a Commercial Airline Pilot

The commercial airline industry is often viewed as the ultimate goal for virtually every aspiring pilot, but it's an industry that requires quite a bit of work on behalf of aspiring commercial airline pilots and captains. For those considering a career in this line of work, it's worth considering what all of the requirements and recommendations are for those who hope to be met with success during their eventual search for jobs. Furthermore, those who are considering life as a commercial airline pilot will probably want to understand a bit more about what the typical day looks like for someone who has already landed this exciting and potentially lucrative position. Before choosing commercial aviation as a career, consider the industry's current structure, requirements, and areas of opportunity.

The Requirements: Education and Experience Are the Indicators of Success

Commercial aviation is highly regulated by virtually all developed nations where major commercial airline companies shuttle passengers to local and international destinations. The reason for this is clear: At any given time, a commercial airline pilot has the responsibility of safely transporting potentially hundreds of passengers without incident. Airline companies, and the governments that regulate them, both have an interest in training pilots and ensuring passengers will have the safest and easiest trip possible.

The process of developing the proper educational and experiential credentials all begins with acceptance to an approved, accredited flight school. In the United States, the best flight schools are those that bear approval and accreditation by the Federal Aviation Administration. In other countries around the world, similar accreditation is offered by local regulatory bodies and industry trade groups. As part of the flight school process, pilots will be educated in the theory of aviation and airline operation. They'll also accrue at least 250 hours of flight experience. At the conclusion of the program, pilots will typically be awarded their commercial pilot license as long as they have met FAA guidelines for that certification.

Beyond the Certification: Additional Requirements for the Successful Pilot

While some commercial pilots have experienced success simply by going to an approved flight school and working through the required number of aviation hours before receiving their license, many others have opted for additional education. In fact, many pilots enrolled in flight school already have a bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, or aviation-related field. This degree is evidence that pilots have gone to extra lengths to ensure their knowledge of the physics and mechanics of flight.

After receiving their degree and attending an approved flight school, most pilots on track to work in commercial aviation will next pursue their medical certificate. This document is critical to ensuring they're in good health and able to fly a commercial jet without incident. Most pilots will also pursue an instrument rating and a multi-engine rating, which serve as proof of their proficiency in operating complex, commercial airliners. Most airlines will further require an airline pilot transport certificate either prior to hire or within a few months of a pilot having joined the company.

Most Pilots Work Their Way Up to Tier-1 Commercial Flight

Though commercial aviation is a big draw for aspiring pilots and those with a new license, it should be viewed as the ultimate promotion and the final destination for a successful career in the skies. Most pilots do not start their careers at major commercial operators with only their certificate and 25 hours of flight. Instead, most of today's pilots worked their way up through private aviation experience, local and regional airline companies, and entry-level co-pilot positions at commercial operators in the United States or abroad.

As with all positions, pilots who want to maximize their chance at long-term success in commercial aviation will need to build an impressive resume. That resume should include not only the classroom theory needed to understand flight, but also the real-world experience needed to demonstrate the pilot's capacity for safe flights of any duration.

A Day in the Life: What Commercial Pilots Can Expect on the Job

Commercial airline pilots can expect to arrive at the airport about two or three hours prior to their scheduled flight's departure. Like their passengers, commercial pilots have plenty of things to get done at the airport before they can even make their way to the aircraft. Upon their arrival, pilots will immediately check in and then meet with representatives who will discuss weather conditions, potential hazards, and any relevant delays that might impact the pilot's flight.

After this initial briefing, pilots will next meet with the flight's co-pilot or captain. They'll also meet with the flight crew and discuss the flight's expected departure, duration, and arrival. With this meeting completed, the pilots and cabin crew will next proceed to the aircraft itself. There, they'll check the plane's instruments and ensure that the aircraft is ready to take off without any problems.

If the flight is a short-haul route, typically to a domestic destination just a few hours away, pilots will typically conduct their round trip all in the same day. If the route is longer, or is an international flight, pilots can typically expect to stay at least one night in the destination city before they return to their home airport with another group of passengers. In most cases, airlines fully or partially compensate pilots for overnight arrangements. Most airlines offer their own pilot "communities," which typically consist of a small apartment, a community center or gym, and other basic amenities.

Though many pilots are assigned "regular" routes, some pilots work in shifts or fly alternating routes throughout a given week or month. The decision of whether or not to assign regular or rotating routes typically lies solely with the commercial operator. Pilots may want to assess which style of assignment is used prior to interviewing for a position or accepting a job with a given commercial airline.

Follow the Jobs: New Commercial Pilots May Want to Work Overseas

The commercial aviation industry in the United States has been in a period of either stagnation or contraction for the past several decades. Wide-ranging consolidation of regional and national commercial carriers has left aspiring pilots with fewer job opportunities and a far greater level of uncertainty about their future in aviation itself. Most airlines in the United States receive thousands of applications for just 20 or 50 positions each year, making it a long process for the typical pilot, but that doesn't have to be the case.

In countries throughout Asia and the Middle East, commercial aviation has never been stronger. In fact, many airlines throughout this part of the world have more positions available than they have qualified commercial pilots to fill them. For American pilots, that means a real chance at success in the industry. Thanks to the shortage of qualified commercial pilots in Asia and the Middle East, as well as the superior aviation training available in the United States, most international air carriers are willing to pay a premium salary to applicants with U.S. flight experience. When combined with the more generous pension, health benefit, and vacation time options available upon hire, these jobs represent a real opportunity for experience, growth, and advancement for determined commercial pilots.

A Great Career with International Opportunities

With an exciting daily routine, fascinating domestic and international destinations, and airline job opportunities that span the globe, those interested in commercial aviation are in store for an exciting professional life. Though it might require applying outside of U.S. boundaries, those determined to succeed in this industry will find all of the job openings and long-term advancement possibilities they need to enjoy a long, rewarding career in the world's skies.

Get started with your career as a commercial airline pilot today. The most lucrative aviation job markets at the moment are the Asian and the Middle-Eastern markets so considering an international career might be a good way to go. There's a high demand for new talents every day - don't miss out on a great opportunity.

Want Better Test Pilots? Stop Telling Them They Have to Fly Over Barren Deserts -New Scenery Needed

Not long ago I was talking to a Navy pilot who had retired and he went to go work for the airlines. He stated to me that he hated it, and he felt as if he was driving a school bus. This is because compared to the little fighter plane he was flying in the Navy, this big airliner was not very maneuverable, not very fast, and not very much fun to fly. Nevertheless, it was a job, a good paying union job, so that's what he did. He said if he had to do it all over again he may have chosen something else, perhaps a different path in life. It turns out that he did go to pilot test school in Maryland and he was well qualified to be a test pilot.

Of course, when the U.S. Congress back then was going through its budget cuts and BRAC strategies, he was no longer needed in the U.S. Navy, and so he got out and went to work for the airline. He had considered going to work for Northrop, Boeing, Lockheed, or one of the companies which is now merged with one of those three at the time. Unfortunately, they all wanted him to move out to the desert, live in the middle of nowhere, and work for them. Those weren't really very good working conditions, and he had always been stationed near the coast in Florida, California, and other military bases around the world.

This led me to consider something else that perhaps we haven't thought of. If we want better test pilots, better engineers, and better scientists working on the next generation of aerospace, then maybe we should stop telling them that they have to live in the barren desert just to have a good job. After all, if you are a test pilot risking your life, do you really want to be flying over a barren desert? Wouldn't you rather be flying out over the water off the coast of California? What's the difference anyway? If the plane is going to break up and you are going to eject, you're going to leave that airplane anyway.

If the airplane is able to come back and land, most of these military bases have giant runways near the coast and you wouldn't have to fly over populated areas. It seems to me if we want to have the very best of breed then we need to give them some new scenery, and stop asking them to go live in such harsh conditions in the middle of the desert just so they can work on a black project, or fly the latest and coolest aerospace innovation; just a thought. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Aircraft Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Tips to Teaching Student Pilots of Airplanes Recovery From Unusual Attitudes

As a flight instructor I recently gained some great tips on effectively teaching student pilots how to recover from an unusual attitude.

An unusual attitude can easily be created by a student or inexperienced pilot who for whatever reason is not paying attention to his instruments (often in poor visibility conditions) and gets into generally one of two positions. Either they inadvertently enter a climb that will eventually lead to a stall or spin, OR they enter a dive that will eventually cause them and their airplane to be used as earth moving equipment. We know it to be a bad idea to try to move mountains or earth with airplanes.

Recently I was flying with my chief flight instructor as he was conducting an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) for me. Any instrument rated pilot who does not fly at least 6 instrument approaches under simulated or actual instrument conditions in a 6 month period has to undergo one of these checks with a flight instructor who is current, in order to gain their currency back.

During part of the check it was necessary for me to do some partial panel work in which my chief covered some of the instruments to see if I was still able to fly an approach this way as well as recover from a couple unusual attitudes he placed me in. This is an expected part of this flight check.

When my chief did this he told me to use only the airspeed indicator (ASI) and the turn coordinator for the unusual attitude recovery. I had never been taught it this way. I always had the attitude indicator and the heading indicator to look at as well. Mistakenly until then I had thought that it was the vertical speed indicator (VSI) I was to look at in order to see when we were level again. If you do this you will quickly be a smoking hole in the ground as the VSI lags reality by 7 or 8 seconds. I learned from my chief that it was the ASI I was to look at.

So when you first teach unusual attitude recovery to your new private pilot students allow them to keep the hood (a view limiting device to simulate them being in actual instrument conditions) off while at the same time you demonstrate how they are to recover from this. They will see how, as the airspeed reverses either direction, i.e. goes from decreasing to increasing or vice-versa, that at that very moment the aircraft is level with the horizon.

Using the turn coordinator they can see if the wings are level or in a bank. It follows then that if the ASI shows the speed to be increasing, power should be reduce and if it is decreasing the yoke should be pushed forward and the power increased.

Once a student has seen this a few times to convince them of the validity of the ASI as telling them the aircraft is level they can do the recovery while under the hood using only this and the turn coordinator for the initial recovery.

I have seen this help students easily master this exercise.

iPads for British Airways Pilots

British Airways has just announced that they will be equipping their 3,600 pilots with iPads to improve the efficiency of their operations and their customer service. The company also recently provided iPads to its entire cabin crew and ground operations staff. These technological advancements are all part of a 5 billion dollar investment to improve the flying experience for all of their passengers. Whether you are purchasing discount flights on British Airways for economy class or you are purchasing the most expensive business class seats, these technological advancements are expected to improve your travel experience immensely.

British Airways asserts that having access to real-time operational data will allow the pilots to plan a more efficient flight using the most current and relevant information available. This information is expected to make flights quicker and to make arrival times more accurate. This is good news for both passengers and pilots alike. You can expect a smoother flight with a lower chance of a late arrival. If your flight time is going to be delayed, you will be more likely to be informed of this information further in advance and with a greater accuracy in the announced delay time.

This advancement in technology will also provide the flight crew with increased access to up-to-the-minute information which they can relay to the passengers. Everyone will be more aware of any delays or changes right when they happen which will make planning easier and more accurate.

Members of the British Airways flight crews are reported to be ecstatic about these improvements. They now have more information to offer to the passengers and are able to be informed of changes right as they happen. This marks a great advancement and is expected to improve the travel experience for everyone.

With more and more people obtaining discount flights on British Airways, you may think that the airline is going to be lessening their services. However, with the announcement of massive technological improvements such as these, it appears that all is well and is moving forward. British Airways is doing everything that they can to lead the way in using technology to improve flight accuracy and customer satisfaction. The iPads are expected to make flights safer and more enjoyable by providing staff with the most current and relevant information at their fingertips. The increased ability to provide more accurate information to both passengers and airline staff will result in a more personalized and enjoyable travel experience for all.

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Airline Flight Pilots

There are a whole lot of institutes that provide the requisite training to qualify anyone to become a pilot. Pilots are highly trained professionals, who either fly airplanes or helicopters to carry out a wide variety of tasks. Except on small aircraft, two pilots usually make up the cockpit crew. The most experienced pilot, the captain is in command and supervises all other crewmembers. The pilot and the co-pilot often called the first officer, share flying and other duties. These duties include communicating with air traffic controllers and monitoring instruments. Some large aircraft have a third pilot depending on the need. However, because new technology on aircraft can perform many tasks that a third pilot used to do, they have been eliminated.

Before departure, pilots plan their flights carefully. They also make sure that baggage or cargo has been loaded correctly. Takeoff and landing are the most difficult parts of the flight, and require close coordination between the pilot and first officer. Unless the weather is bad, the flight is usually a routine trip. Pilots and first officers usually alternate flying each leg from takeoff to landing. With autopilot assistance, the flight management computer, the plane travels a planned route and is monitored by air traffic control as it passes various terminals.

Although flying does not involve much physical effort, the mental stress of being responsible for a safe flight, regardless of the weather, can be trying. Pilots must be alert and quick to react if something goes wrong, particularly during takeoff and landing. Pilots must have an airline transport pilot's license. Applicants for this license must be at least 23 years old and have a minimum of 1,500 hours of flying experience, including night and instrument flying.

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The Curious Case of the Vanishing Airplane

The question on everyone's mind right now is: where did Malaysia Airline Flight MH370 go? And when I say everyone I mean everyone. It's all over the news, the social media, every newspaper, and last but not lease on every other person's mind. People discuss it when they meet, when they have dinner.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was a scheduled international passenger flight that disappeared on 8 March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport. The aircraft operating the service, a Boeing 777-200ER, last made contact with air traffic control less than an hour after take-off. The aircraft was operated by Malaysia Airlines and was carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers from 15 nations and regions.

Even after ten days of its disappearance the range of possibilities/conspiracy theories to explain the matter are still extremely wide. Some theories are plausible whereas some are highly unlikely. Leave it to the public to propose solutions to a problem that the experts from 26 countries cannot find.

Shot down by a hostile country

This theory suggests that the airplane was shot down by a hostile country after it entered foreign airspace or incurred a missile strike from land or by air. This theory is plausible but with a couple of gaping holes. First of all the missile would have shown on radar especially military radar.

Captain Amjad Faizi, a retired Pakistani aviator, who retired from PIA as a 747 captain and Director Flight Safety, believes that a foreign air object (a missile or some other type of projectile) hit the aircraft and as a result of this the cabin depressurized destroying the aircraft's tracking systems and resulting in heavy casualties.

Secondly, after being hit, the Boeing 777-200ER has a highly sophisticated system called an 'electronic locator device' which turns on automatically transmitting the aircraft's location. Boeing also monitors all its aircraft via various tracking devices and monitors, if the aircraft was shot down then why didn't they notify the airline. Again this theory is plausible but there is no evidence so far to support this.

Aircraft crashed into the Ocean

This theory explores the possibility that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 crashed into the ocean and went straight to the bottom due to its weight. This is highly unlikely because, firstly the Boeing 777-200ER is equipped with highly sophisticated satellite and radar guidance systems that help the pilots fly the aircraft, these systems would notify the pilots of any problems with the aircraft's path and whether or not it was going to crash into the ocean. Secondly, the aircraft has flotation devices that will keep the plane afloat and bring it back to the surface if it crashed into the ocean, more over in case of a crash the Electronic Locator Device (ELD) would turn on automatically transmitting the plane's location.

An example of a this type of landing on water would be that of US Airways Flight 1549 that took off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City that, on January 15, 2009, struck a flock of Canada Geese during its initial climb out, lost engine power, and landed in the Hudson River off midtown Manhattan with no loss of life. The plane floated on top of the water, as shown in the photograph taken after the crash.

Air France flight 447 suffered a similar fate when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 killing all 228 passengers and crew on board, the debris floated on top of the water and the plane was located by the authorities. In the case of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 there is no debris floating in the ocean and the plane has not yet been seen floating on the surface of water.

Hijacked by Terrorists

Experts have not said anything about the plane being hijacked by terrorists or any members of the crew, although law enforcement agencies are investigating families of crew members and the passengers. However in case of a hijacking, the hijackers would have to be expert aviators, they would've known how to turn off the data systems and the transponder.

A transponder is a device that sends electronic messages from the airplane to radar systems about the plane's flight number, altitude, speed and heading. Moreover in case of a hijacking the pilot transmits a code informing the ATC (Air Traffic Control) of an ongoing hijacking, the ATC in turn informs the law enforcement agencies.

Conspiracy theorists argue that the message broadcast on the radio by either the co-pilot, pilot or the hijackers that said "All right, good night" is one to raise suspicion after which there was no communication form any of the plane systems including the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS).

The Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System is the onboard computer that collects information and a whole lot of it about the aircraft's and the pilot's performance, this information is used by the airlines and the manufacturers to monitor pilot and aircraft performance.

Experts say that the phrase "All right, good night" is said before ending a radio communication as a pleasantry, and that it happens all the time. The biggest hole in this theory is this: A message is transmitted by the hijackers claiming responsibility for their act and state their demands, there has been no such demands in the case of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 nor any terrorist group has claimed responsibility for any such action.

Hijacked by the United States Navy

This theory emerged after a new report circulating the Kremlin(official residence of the President of the Russian Federation), prepared by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (GRU) states that the US Navy diverted Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) from its intended path to its secretive Indian ocean base on the Diego Garcia atoll. The report also says that MH370 was already under GRU 'surveillance' after it received a highly 'suspicious' cargo load which has been traced back to Republic of Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

The report said that the US Navy was able to divert flight 370 to its Diego Garcia base by remote controlling the aircraft, as the Boeing 777-200ER is equipped with a fly-by-wire system that allows the aircraft to be controlled like any drone type aircraft. This reports also notes that the transponder and the ACARS systems would have to be turned off manually, how these systems were turned off is unknown. Suspicious cargo or not someone is very successfully hiding something.

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has given rise to theories that explore one possibility or the other, some bizarre theories even suggest that the plane was abducted by aliens. The events seem to come right out of a Hollywood movie or a suspense novel. These are all theories, theories with a lack of concrete facts and empirical data. The truth will be unveiled when the wreckage, or hopefully the fully intact plane, with all the passengers and crew members alive and well is found. I much prefer that the plane is found with all the passengers and crew unharmed.

Airline Pilot Training

When speaking of airline pilots, you might immediately think of long flights that take you halfway or even around the world in hours. Airline pilots could be flying cargo or passengers.

Airline Pilots are paid in relation to the aircraft they are flying. A pilot flying jet aircraft would earn more than one who flies turboprops. They would earn upward of $100,000, depending on company policies.

Airline pilots have the advantage of a staff working together and behind them. They are generally not involved with any administrative aspects of flying. Most national carriers look for pilots with years of experience and an accident-free record. So pilots start off with commuter and/or domestic companies, acquire the required qualifications, and then move on to better jobs.

In some countries, it is mandatory for all civilians to serve with the Armed Forces for a certain duration. Here, one finds most pilots get their basic flying training; they are then able to take up commercial flying once they leave. From this platform, a pilot can branch out as per preference, fitness, etc. The other options for a pilot are charter flying, air-taxis, crop-dusting, flying doctors, search and rescue, etc.

To be a pilot, an individual needs a commercial pilot's license or certificate and flying experience. A pilot has to be eighteen years old and have good health, no physical handicaps, and 20/20 vision with or without glasses. First is the basic training, where a potential pilot learns the basics. This is followed by flying with an instructor, who puts you through various situations to help you to cope with emergencies, flies with you for 250 hours, and teaches the instrument rating--the ability to fly using instruments--and the multi-engine rating--the ability to fly aircraft with two or more engines. One needs to be fairly proficient with math and science, as progress in technology demands certain levels of technical expertise from its pilots. Civilian training is expensive, but it is an investment that pays rich dividends.

This profession is fascinating, and it never fails to delight those who actually fly the airplane. It is equally fascinating to the observer, who has high regard for the pilot's ability to take responsibility for so many lives and a multi-million-dollar piece of equipment.

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Airline Crash Kills 273 People

"Airline Crash Kills 273 People" was just one of the many headlines following the most deadly airline crash on US soil. What started off as a routine, daily flight between Chicago's O'Hare Airport and the Los Angeles Airport in California, ended in a horrific accident that killed 271 people on board and 2 residents who lived near the airport. There were also some who were injured by the flying debris from the crash.

The day was May 25, 1979. It was a clear and beautifully sunny day. There was a slight breeze blowing. The flight had been cleared for takeoff at 15:02. This appeared to be a normal takeoff. There was nothing out of the ordinary until the plane reached its takeoff speed.

That is when disaster struck. The pylon which was holding the number one engine to the wing of the plane broke off. Unbeknown to the pilots it had ripped a 3 foot section of the wing off. The plane had lost a portion of the wing and the engine. They were lying on the runway out of the view of the pilot and crew.

Since they were already at takeoff speed they continued take off procedures. They were aware that number one engine had failed, but there were back up systems to compensate for that problem. The control tower did not alert there was more to the problem.

When the engine failed it ruined the number one hydraulic system. The number three system had also been damaged and was losing a lot of fuel. When the engine fell off it took the compressor that operated the number 1 power bus., causing all of he captain's instrument panel to go offline. There were several back up and safety options that still could have kept the plane safely flying. The biggest problem is that the plane lifted 350 feet into the air, lost the engine and rolled, plunging it into the ground of an open field, all of which happened in about 50 seconds.

Even with all of the safety options available and in place, the wreck happened so fast that they couldn't be employed. All of this from the fact that the communication lines between the pilot and air traffic controllers failed due to human error.

Upon impact huge pieces of aircraft debris were flung into a trailer park in the area. There were 5 trailers, several cars, and an old aircraft hangar was destroyed. There was huge fireball that was caused by the leaking jet fuel. The smoke from this fire could been seen 17 miles away as the fire destroyed a lot of evidence, as well as the flight crew and passengers of Flight 191.

In the end the cause of the accident was improper maintenance procedures that were used by American Airlines. Many DC10 planes were grounded and later changed to transport planes. Not because of safety issues, but because there are now better and more efficient planes for passenger travel.

Don't let this happen to you with your remote control plane. Look out for others on the ground and in the sky. Best flying wishes.

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If Turbulence Makes You Scared of Flying, Hear What a Pilot Has to Say About It

For many years when security wasn't as tight as it is today, as the Captain of my plane I would make it a policy to have the flight deck door open when passengers were boarding so that if they wanted to they could pop in and say hello or ask me something about the flight. Once they had settled I would welcome them aboard and give them some details about the weather, and when I'd finished that I'd say that if there were any children, or first time flyers on board then they'd be welcome to come up and have a chat and a look around the cockpit. Now I could almost guarantee what was going to be asked. And on the ground too passengers would ask " Is there going to be any turbulence?" Then in the air they'd re-phrase it to "expecting any turbulence Captain?"

Of course not every question was just that but enough were to make me recall it all these years into my retirement. Were they justified in asking that same old question? Of course they were from their point of view because it was important to them, but from mine it was almost irrelevant, if turbulence had been forecast there was nothing I could do about it and if it was forecast to be calm then it might change. I soon learnt though that my point of view was irrelevant and that the best thing I could do was to re-assure passengers that the prospect of being bounced around was pretty unlikely, although there was a slight chance of encountering little bit of weather later in the flight...but we'd be doing our best to make the flight as comfortable as possible for them.

Most passengers take the pilots words as absolute truths, so you have to be careful not to say something that turns out not to be true or they'll lose confidence in you as a pilot as well as a weather forecaster! For some reason most worried flyers think that it's harder to fly a plane turbulence than in calm conditions, perhaps they've seen a Hollywood movie where the star has had to fight the controls to keep his hero status...but in real life nothing could be further from the truth. Flying a plane in turbulence is like driving a car over a rough farm track rather than the highway..no harder, no easier...just different.

The causes of turbulence are simple...somewhere the flow of air over the land or sea is obstructed by something. And when that happens the air is displaced up or around whatever is in its way and instead of being smooth it becomes choppy. This happens in a river or the sea, when different currents collide with each other...the difference is you can see the waves in the water but you can't see them in the air. And it's the ripples in the air currents that is the reason for turbulence. Amazingly you'd think that the movement of the air (wind) would need to be quite strong to cause bad turbulence but the worst rough air I've flown in was when the wind was blowing at about 5 miles an hour. So what's the best thing to do under these circumstances? First and most importantly: fasten your seatbelt as tightly as you can bear it, and throughout the turbulence say to yourself. "Turbulence is uncomfortable but that's not the same as dangerous." and you'll soon be through it out into the smooth air on the other side.

The other thing you can do is remember that flying in turbulence is something that both the pilots and the plane can manage without effort.

Author Captain Keith Godfrey has been involved in aviation for over 50 years. He has amassed over 20,000 flying hours experience and now runs the internet's biggest web site to help people to overcome their fear.
Join him on his free Fear of Flying Social Network or learn more about airplane turbulence.

The Pilot Shortage - Is It Real and What Could It Mean?

Remember the scene in the film "Catch Me If You Can" when the airline pilots, dressed in their crisp, blue Pan Am uniforms, emerge from the cab, and stride slow motion into the New York City hotel, gorgeous flight attendants in tow?

That golden age of air travel image of the pilot-high pay, great benefits, free travel, public respect-has somewhat faded over time, and many in the aviation industry are concerned that there won't be enough pilots to meet future demands.

Over the past several years, some numbers and statistics have been released indicating that a so-called pilot shortage is indeed happening. Is there really a pilot shortage? And if so, what does it mean to the industry?

A Look at Some Numbers

According to the Federal Aviation Administration's U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics, the FAA issued a little over 55,000 student pilot certificates in 2011. That's up over 100 from last year, but still falls short of the almost 67,000 student licenses in 2001. In 2011, the FAA issued just over 8,500 commercial pilot certificates, down from a high of 12,299 in 2002.

Boeing recently published its "2012 Pilot and Technician Outlook," an industry go-to guide for accurate predictions of future air traffic volumes and demand. Boeing projects a need for approximately one million new commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians by 2031, including 460,000 new commercial airline pilots and 601,000 maintenance technicians.

In their "pilot outlook," Boeing stated that a pilot shortage has already arisen in many regions of the world. Airlines around the world are expanding their fleets and flight schedules to meet growing demand in emerging markets, and Asia in particular is experiencing delays and operational interruptions due to pilot scheduling constraints.

Regulatory Reasons for the Decline?

If the number of new pilots is decreasing, while the need for them is increasing, what has caused the discrepancy? Some regulatory changes might be to blame.

The rise of regionals. The start could be traced back to 1978 when the Airline Deregulation Act became federal law, removing government-subsidized airfares and allowing free-market competition to drive down ticket prices.

Lower fares and competition among major carriers meant that airline unions lost some of their bargaining power. Lower profits drove some majors to drop point-to-point routes in favor of hub-based routing.

Regional airlines became more popular, but they hired less-experienced pilots for less than their colleagues at the major carriers. Today, a first officer at a regional airline starts out making around $25,000 a year - not exactly a competitive salary.

Retirement age extended. In December 2007, the FAA issued a statement extending the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots from 60 to 65 years of age. When the new rule went into effect, there happened to be a wave of pilots preparing to retire, which could have paralyzed the industry with pilot shortages. The extension delayed many pilot retirements for five years to December 2011, and some believe all those pilots who began retiring towards the end of 2011 created an increase in demand for new pilots.

Rest requirements increased. Around that same time in late December 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the FAA announced a new commercial pilot fatigue rest requirement. The new rule requires that every pilot rest at least 10-hours prior to a flight duty period - a two-hour increase over the old rules. The new rule also requires that a pilot must sleep uninterrupted for eight hours within the 10-hour rest period. The new rules in turn required many of the majors to hire thousands of new pilots to adhere to the new rest requirements, resulting in significant new hiring across the board.

Increase in flight hours. Another new FAA rule announced in February 2012 will require flight captains to have an additional 1,000 hours of flight time above the 1,500 to receive airline transport pilot (ATP) certification. Both captains and first officers will have to undertake additional training to receive the ATP, including 50 hours of multi-engine flight experience. The rule was enacted in response to the 2009 Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, N.Y. and will take effect in August 2013. The increased training hours will add significant time and cost to new pilots trying to graduate.

Other Possible Factors Fueling a Shortage

Expense of flight school. Over the years, financing a pilot education has become more expensive and harder to get a loan for. Flight school for commercial airline pilot training can cost as much as $80,000 - usually on top of already-existing college degrees. The military's G.I. Bill no longer pays for stand-alone flight training, and federal financier Sallie Mae now only provides tuition loans for certain flight schools because of high post-9/11 default rates.

Changes in the military. More pilots are opting to stay in the military rather than fly in the private sector. This has reduced the supply pool of military-trained pilots being hired by airlines. Also, the number of pilots in the military has greatly reduced, in part due to the increased use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).

Industry Outlook Looks Good

Despite the challenges outlines above, the future looks bright for the aviation industry as a whole. As the U.S. and world economy grows and airlines order thousands of new commercial jetliners over the next 20 years, the demand for pilots, mechanics and instructors will only increase.

As a new generation of airplanes takes over, airplane reliability will improve, maintenance check intervals will lengthen and the requirement for maintenance personnel will continue to expand with the size of the global fleet.

On the general aviation (GA) front, the FAA sees the demand for business aviation growing over the long term, and projects GA hours flown to increase an average of 2.2 percent a year through 2031.

For pilots, opportunities abound: The Asia Pacific region will demand an estimated 185,600 pilots. Europe will be second, requiring more than 100,000 pilots by 2031, and in North America, the demand will be for 69,000 new pilots in the next 20 years.

Is there a threat of a pilot shortage? Perhaps - but if so, it a reflection of growing demand for pilots, and that is a good thing for pilots and the industry.

As individuals, we can help stave off a future shortage by encouraging the next generation of potential pilots to go for it, train properly and take advantage of the career opportunities available to them. Because, despite changes in the industry, getting paid to fly a plane is still a pretty cool way to earn a paycheck.

Tango Yankee, LLC is the parent company of Business Aircraft Center and Danbury Aviation, a self- and full-service aircraft and pilot planning center located at Danbury Municipal Airport that includes aircraft management, hangar storage, tie-downs and plane detailing. Tango Yankee, LLC is owned and operated by Santo Silvestro of New Canaan, CT, who is a pilot and aviation enthusiast.

Visit Business Aircraft Center's website at http://www.businessaircraftcenter.com/

Flight Planning Importance and Benefits

Why is Flight Planning Important?

Flight planning is very important for any flight a pilot will undertake as it creates a recipe for the safest flight on a particular day for the specific aircraft in question. Of course, circumstances are never the same and therefore the calculations for each flight must be tailored to the individual aircraft. Whether a private flight or a commercial one, thorough preparation is needed prior to take-off and there are many careful details to be mapped out. The major points to be considered in a flight plan are that of fuel, weather and route. These details must be worked out in the best way to enable the aircraft to take the safest yet fastest route available and also to conserve fuel. Fuel is the most important aspect of flight planning and favourable weather conditions can actually assist an aircraft in making its journey using the least amount of fuel. Wind direction plays a big part in fuel consumption as wind that pushes a craft from behind or front can help or hinder a pilot in making the journey with minimum fuel.With the wind behind it, an aircraft will burn less than it would flying into the wind. Another concern when preparing for a flight is fuel costs. As they are now higher than ever before, companies are looking for ways to attempt to save fuel where possible.

What are the Benefits?

An effective flight plan will keep fuel consumption as low as possible, ensure a safe and efficient flight, limit risks and at the same time minimise expenditure. By minimising the risks and maximising savings, flight planning software today is at its highest level of sophistication and no matter the size of the company, there are many potential money saving opportunities. Thanks to the developments of the internet and technology, pilots no longer have to calculate a flight using their hands! The introduction of quality planning software not only saves money and time, but most importantly, save lives.

Benefits include:

• Saves airlines money.
• The latest software limits risk.
• Helps to keep fuel consumption low.
• Shortens the flight time.
• Helps to accurately pinpoint the amount of extra fuel needed.

Flight Planning and Extra Fuel

All flights need to carry not only enough fuel to complete the scheduled journey, but also a reserve amount to ensure that the craft can fly further afield if needed. Fuel must therefore be calculated to the closest possible gallon. There are times when a different airport may be needed due to disruption and this can make an alternative landing destination a much needed option for pilots. This is why it is crucial that pilots should account for extra fuel. The common circumstances in which an aircraft may be unable to land are bad weather which could cause visibility problems and technical problems with lighting or power. Although rare, other reasons may be security emergencies, fire or evacuation due to natural disaster. Another factor to consider when working out extra fuel allowance is that the aircraft may have to circle above the alternative airport for a significant amount of time. Flight planning needs to be very precise and extremely detailed to cover all eventualities.

Flight Planning