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Find a lesson plan →Trivia of the Day
Trivia rolls over daily at midnight, Mountain Standard Time.
Private Pilot Question of the Day
How does a truss fuselage obtain most of its strength and rigidity?
Joined tubing forms a framework of triangular shapes.
Commercial Pilot Question of the Day
In a commercial helicopter operation, how should the pilot explain microburst structure, wind changes, performance effects, and why the initial headwind can be misleading?
A microburst is a concentrated downdraft that spreads outward near the surface. An aircraft may first encounter an apparent performance gain in headwind, then downdraft and a rapid tailwind that sharply increase power required and degrade climb; the initial gain must not invite continuation.
Instrument Rating Question of the Day
What weather factors must be evaluated at the departure, en route, alternate, and destination for an IFR flight?
Evaluate ceilings, visibility, clouds, precipitation, fronts, pressure systems, winds, temperatures, turbulence, thunderstorms, freezing level, icing, mountain obscuration, and surface conditions across the route and time window. Compare them with aircraft capability, fuel, alternates, and escape options.
Sport Pilot Question of the Day
What is the proper role of pitch trim during basic instrument flight?
Establish the desired attitude, power, configuration, and flight path with the primary controls, then trim to relieve sustained pressure while continuing to monitor the airplane.
Flight Instructor Question of the Day
What does the law of intensity mean for learning?
A vivid, realistic, or engaging experience is learned more strongly than a routine or abstract one. Intensity should support the objective without creating excessive stress or unsafe conditions.
Flight Instructor Instrument Question of the Day
While being vectored toward final, a pilot discovers that the navigator contains the wrong RNAV approach or runway. What is the safest response?
Do not continue the approach or descend on that procedure; tell ATC, maintain an authorized altitude and course, and obtain time or vectors to load, verify, and brief the correct procedure—or use another approach.
Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Question of the Day
Regarding prohibited airspace, does “TO” an altitude mean “to and including” or “to and not including”?
“TO” an altitude means to and including.
Advice of the Day
Maintain a consistent flight training schedule. Long breaks in any kind of training, but especially aviation, will cause a dramatic loss of progress.
System of the Day
Cabin Heating and Cooling Systems: Cabin Heating and cooling systems provide conditioned air for comfortable operations during various weather conditions
Maneuver of the Day
Procedure Turn And Hold In Lieu Of: A procedure turn is the maneuver prescribed when it is necessary to reverse direction to establish the aircraft inbound on an approach course.
Emergency of the Day
Engine Failure: The total loss of power requires immediate actions which depend upon speed (life) and altitude (life insurance)
Mishap of the Day
ERA14LA450: The NTSB determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a takeoff with the airplane's center of gravity aft of its limit and led the airplane to exceed its critical angle of attack and experience an aerodynamic stall during the initial climb.
