2019-AOPA Member Pilot Proficiency Portal

This quick reference guide to non-towered airport communications provides clear guidance on what to say and when to say it as you maneuver for takeoffs, landings or pattern work. Great for new students or as a refresher for rusty pilots.

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You made a series of reasonable decisions in the name of comfort and safety, only to create a situation where you’re tight on both fuel and options. Will you wager your last hour of fuel on making just one landing at the airport beneath you or take the chance on making it to an alternate? Watch the video and decide.

Scenario/Video

It’s no secret that many private pilots are uncomfortable with crosswinds. What seems like an issue with physical coordination comes from an incorrect or incomplete understanding of the concepts. We’ll cover common mistakes and practical fixes in this video.

Video 14:14

SIDs are essential for organizing and optimizing complex traffic flows and clearance delivery. Learn how finding the right SID can simplify your life.

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Learn 4 steps to deal with a non-powerplant system failure that can help you stay calm and execute a plan in many other emergency situations.

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It’s a pilot’s prized possession—and it almost certainly contains mistakes. Most are inconsequential; some are missed opportunities, and others are time-bombs that could go off when you show up for a checkride or provide proof of currency to an FAA inspector. Get it right from the start and you’ll avoid the headaches.

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Thinking like an IFR pilot offers advantages, even on a short VFR flight in great weather. We’ll show you how to reduce your workload–and avoid surprises–by incorporating some simple techniques into your routine.

Video 25:34

Go/no-go decisions are hard. The decision to continue a challenging flight or end it is even harder because the pilot is already committed. There are ways for pilots to make better decisions when the balance between risk and reward isn’t obvious.

Audio 43:42

Instrument pilots must have a solid understanding of their aircraft’s performance profile. Countless pilots have wasted valuable training hours—and struggle to this day—because their instructor skipped this first critical step. Here’s the step-by-step process for creating the essential performance profiles for each airplane you fly. It will help you fly IFR with more precision, and reduce your workload in every phase of flight.

Video 25:59

The most important meeting of your life is just one simple LPV approach away. However, encroaching weather is putting on the squeeze, so you speed things up with a tight intercept. Should you salvage this situation—or go back into the worsening weather?

Video Scenario

The WIRE briefing method gets the most import parts of the approach dialed in right away, followed by all the details you need and none of the fluff. It includes, however, often overlooked items such as creating real-world missed approach points given actual conditions versus the published minimums. The technique gets demonstrated on an old-school VOR approach with no GPS or moving map available—which is a great way to keep your mental map sharp.

Video 23:31

Learn some common situations that can expand your understanding of what an engine monitor is telling you about conditions under the cowling.

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