Hot Aviation How-Tos « Aviation

How To: Avoid dangerous runway tailstrikes in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft

This is something every pilot should know: tailstrikes. What are they? It's when the tail of your aircraft smacks (strikes) the runway, either during landing or takeoff. During takeoff with a fixed-wing aircraft, it could happen because of a pilot pulling up too rapidly. During landings, it could happen when a pilot flares too aggressively. Either way, it needs to be avoided.

How To: Balance a wooden propeller of an airplane

Learn how to balance a wooden aircraft propeller. Watch how to mount the prop. drill a hole, and add a lead balance weight. This is a very thorough video and is perfect for people with patience.

How To: Perform textbook-style short-field approaches and landings as a pilot

One of the most integral parts to being a pilot is knowing when and how to land. And in short-field areas, some may find this tricky, depending on what type of aircrafts you're flying. This video features pilot Mike Lents, Lead Flight Instructor, shows you landing standardization by introducing the Short-Field Approach and Landing.

How To: Maintain that centerline

This episode discusses the four causal aerodynamic factors leading to the overall left turning tendency that an aircraft experiences during flight. Join Scott Ludwig and Seth Hardley as they teach about Torque Effect, Spiraling Slipstream, Gyroscopic Precession and P-Factor and how these principles will affect your aircraft on your next training flight. During the takeoff roll, remember to maintain centerline at all times and don’t get lazy feet.

How To: How Area 51 Fooled the Soviets with Fake Spy Planes

Area 51 is the most secretive military base in the United States, a base that U.S. government officials to this day still barely acknowledge because of its top secret development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems. But a slew of Cold War-era documents have finally been declassified, and National Geographic has discovered a rather low-tech method the military used to hide its high-tech prototypes.

How To: Prevent inadvertent spins in flight with prevention techniques

Being an aircraft pilot can be frightening, but as long as you have the proper spin awareness training, you should be good. Most pilots out in the general aviation public that have never conducted spins in an approved aircraft for the purpose of developing their spin recognition and recovery techniques to become a more safe and reliable pilot.

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to landings with NASA

Want to know about Newton's three laws of motion and how they affect aircraft landings? NASA has answers. NASA, aka the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, tells how Newton's laws apply to landings. There's no better place to learn from than the juggernaut of space exploration.

How To: Master Newton's first law of motion with NASA

Demystify Newton's first law of motion with none other than NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The United States government's most infamous agency and powerhouse of space exploration teaches you the law of inertia… Newton's first law of motion.

How To: Launch a Glider - Aerotow

How a sailplane glider is launched into the air from being towed behind another aircraft (Aerotow). Step 1: Launching a Glider

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to thrust force w/ NASA

Learn Newton's laws of motion from the utmost authority on aeronautics -- NASA aka National Aeronautics and Space Administration. See how Newton's laws apply to aircrafts from the powerhouse of space exploration. They talk about thrust force as applied to aviation.

How To: Crosswind land a plane in FSX

The landing method used in this video, crosswind landing, is the method which can be most useful in FSX. There may be better ways to land in this scenario but for this basic tutorial this approach was best. So watch and learn how to crosswind land a plane in Flight Simulator (FXX).

How To: Fly a helicopter in FSX

This tutorial will explain and demonstrate the basic techniques used to fly a helicopter in Flight Simulator X. These techniques can be applied to real helicopter flight. The video highlights a few techniques you can use when flying a helicopter, but will be difficult to follow if you don't know the basics of how a helicopter operates.

How To: Practice the rectangular course maneuver

Martin Rottler, Commercial Pilot, teaches the rectangular course. Practice the rectangular course maneuver.

How To: Refinish a wooden propeller for an airplane

Learn how to refinish a wooden propeller for an airplane and repair small nicks using epoxy. Watch how to sand to prepare for the epoxy. (Afraid the epoxy will flow off? Learn how to keep it in place!) Be careful not to sneeze . . .

How To: Start the engine of a DC 3 jet plane

Half the fun in flying any round engine airplane is in the starting. Here's how to start a DC-3.

HowTo: Fly the Harrier Jump Jet (World's First Vertical Take Off Fighter)

The Harrier Jump Jet was designed by the British military in the '60s, noted for being the first successful vertical take-off jet fighter, powered by thrust vectoring.

How To: Draw up a VFR flight plan

When flying, having a well constructed flight plan is the key to flying safely and effectively. This video will teach you how to calculate the perfect flight plan, research flight paths, traffic, and calculating fuel flow and flight time. There's so much in this video it'll make your head spin!

How To: Perform a standard non-precision approach and landing procedure in an aircraft

A pilot that earns an instrument rating is a pilot that's mastered his or her flight skills to a level or precision and accuracy needed to safely fly an airplane through clouds, fog, and other adverse weather conditions. While flying in these weather conditions, known as IMC, or instrument meteorological conditions, a pilot is tasked with flying an airplane solely by reference to flight instruments. The pilot needs to be able to go from takeoff to landing, without having any outside visual re...

How To: Perform textbook-style normal approaches and landings as a pilot

As far as landings go, it seems that there is nothing more basic than a standard, normal approach and landing. Even the name suggests that this is a bland procedure of routine and mundane performance. Despite disguise, however, the normal approach and landing is one of the most challenging parts of any flight to consistently master.

How To: Use safety precautions and techniques to avoid wake turbulence in aircrafts

In 1998, a Beechcraft Baron was following a Boeing 757, with approximately 3 to 5 miles separation. Air Traffic Control warned the Baron pilot three times with the phrase the phrase pilots hear on a regular basis: "Caution. Wake Turbulence".

How To: Standardize aircraft checklist procedures from preflight to postflight

Safety is everything, and for pilots, safety means checklists. Pilots need to develop a pre- and post-flight checklist for each different aircraft they are responsible for flying, to make sure everything runs nice and smooth in-flight.

How To: Perform textbook-style soft-field approaches and landings as a pilot

If you've figured out your short-field approaches and landings, then it's time to tackle "soft-field" approaches and landings. As a pilot, you need to be able to perform all types of landings, and you have to be prepared for inadvertent reactions in the air and on the ground.

How To: Perform commercial eights on pylons when flying

This video, brought to you by UND AeroCast, will teach the fundamentals of commercial eights with pylons when flying. The objective of eights on pylons is to develop the ability to maneuver the airplane accurately, while dividing attention between the flight path and selective pylons on the ground.

How To: Calculate density altitude when you are flying

In flight school, at some point or another you will be asked to determine your density altitude. In this professionally taught tutorial, lean how to calculate density altitude on a flight computer. This lesson is taught by an instructor from the Golden State Flying Club at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, California. So, if you are just beginning to fly, check out this clip and make sure you know all there is to know.

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to rollouts with NASA

Learn what happens during an aircraft rollout from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, more commonly known as NASA. They spill the goods on Newton's three laws of motion and how they affect the rollout phase of landing airplanes. Learn from the master of space exploration -- NASA!

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to flares with NASA

In this video, learn about aircraft flares from NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides valuable information about Newton's three laws of motion and how they apply to aircraft landings and what happens when mistakes happen (flares).

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to approaches with NASA

Learn the basics of airplane landings and how Newton's laws of motion apply. NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, gives this quick, informative video on Newton's laws pertaining to aircraft landings, specifically the approach. The powerhouse of space exploration explains all.

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to cruise with NASA

See how Newton's laws of motion apply to an aircraft's cruise performance with this educational video from NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the leading resource for space exploration. There's no better place to learn about aerospace and Newton's three laws of motion and how they apply to aeronautics than NASA.

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to climb/descent w/ NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), provides this educational video on how Isaac Newton's three laws of motion apply to aerospace and the climb and descent of an aircraft. The powerhouse of space exploration is one place you should learn these concepts from.

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to takeoffs with NASA

Understand the concepts of drag force and how Newton's laws of motion apply to an aircraft's take off with help from NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The juggernaut of space exploration lays everything out on the table for you. Learn from the best, learn from the pros, learn from NASA.

How To: Apply Newton's laws of motion to drag force with NASA

The powerhouse of space exploration, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), sheds light on Newton's laws of motion as pertaining to drag force on aircrafts. This is a great source for any aeronautics major. The infamous government agency breaks drag down for you.

How To: Master weight and balance concepts with NASA

Join NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) as they give the basics on the concepts of weight and balance as applied to aerospace. There's no better place to learn about aviation theory than NASA, the United States government's most infamous agency--the powerhouse of space exploration.

How To: Master Newton's third law of motion with NASA

Learn everything you need to know about Newton's third law of motion from none other than NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the United States government's most infamous agency and powerhouse of space exploration. Why wouldn't you want to learn Newton's laws of motion from them?

How To: Master Newton's second law of motion with NASA

The second law of motion. Force equals mass times acceleration. F=MA. Learn the facts about Newton's second law of motion from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, otherwise known as NASA. The United States government's most infamous agencyand the powerhouse of space exploration explains motion theory.

How To: Master Newton's laws of motion in aerospace with NASA

NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States government's most infamous agency, the powerhouse of space exploration -- teaches you the basics of Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion. Who better to learn motion theory from than NASA?

How To: Fly safely in a United Airlines B747-400

Just in case you've never flown before, or need a reminder of the safety measures all passengers need to take when flying, this safety video from United Airlines will show you how. Watch and learn how to be safe in a United Airlines B747-400 airplane. The video may be a bit old, but none of the safety tips are.