5 Steps to Becoming a Pilot

Think you don't have the money or the time to learn to fly? Training to be a pilot can mean expensive instruction fees, high gas prices and maintenance charges, and it can require many hours of flight time. But becoming a pilot doesn't have to be out of reach. By planning ahead and making strategic decisions, anyone can become a licensed pilot. Just follow these steps:

1. Research, research, research Many aspects of the student pilot process require you to do your homework, and with all of the information available on the internet there is no excuse for you to spend a penny more than you have to. By accessing free pilot resources online (at FAA.org, for example) you will save on the cost of expensive printed materials. And if you do enough studying on your own you may not need to pay for ground school to pass the pilot's test.

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How Air Force One Works

Air Force One is a prominent symbol of the United States in general and the office of the presidency in particular. Whenever the president travels overseas or across the country, he takes his high-tech deluxe jumbo jet with him. On September 11th, the president's plane showed that it was much more than an executive jet — it became a mobile bunker when all ground positions seemed vulnerable to attack.

In this edition of HowStuffWorks, we'll see what sets Air Force One apart from other planes, and we'll find out what it takes to send the president around the world. With all of the things that Air Force One carries, it's no wonder the media calls it the "flying White House."

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Aviation English – Portuguese Dictionary

We are launching an English – Portuguese technical dictionary for aviation professionals. It provides the translation for technical aviation vocabulary for English and Portuguese. It also has an optional pronunciation guide for Aviation English terms.

Key benefits:

1. FREE to download (only pay for audio US$4.99)

2. Easy type and get dictionary (type by keyword and matching word will be listed below)

3. Confirm the correct English pronunciation

4. A comprehensive list of aviation terms included

5. Switch easily from Portuguese to English and English to Portuguese

6. Compatible for Apple iphone/ipad/itouch and Android

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Hijack-proof piloting

A hijack-proof piloting system for airliners is being developed to prevent terrorists hijacking the planes.

The mechanism is designed to make it impossible to crash the aircraft into air or land targets – and enable the plane to be flown by remote control from the ground in the event of an emergency.

Scientists at aircraft giant Boeing are testing the tamper-proof autopilot system which uses state-of-the-art computer and satellite technology.

It will be activated by the pilot flicking a simple switch or by pressure sensors fitted to the cockpit door that will respond to any excessive force as terrorists try to break into the flight deck.

Once triggered, no one on board will be able to deactivate the system. Currently, all autopilots are manually switched on and off at the discretion of pilots.

After it has been activated, the aircraft will be capable of remote digital control from the ground, enabling operators to fly it like a sophisticated model plane, manoeuvring it vertically and laterally.

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Top 10 Aviation Gifts

If you are searching for a gift for a pilot there are many options to consider. The fact of the matter is that this industry is always growing and expanding. With that in mind you should not have any problems finding the perfect aviation gift for the pilot in your life. But if you are having a bit of trouble there is no need to worry. Listed below are ten of the best aviation gifts on the market today.

1. An air band transceiver with navigation display is a great gift for a pilot. Even though you will have to spend several hundred dollars, this is one aviation gift that will be used time and time again.

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The Top 10 Uses of Aviation

Aviation has been and will always be one of the greatest breakthroughs in technological development. Aviation has been the backbone of many industries and has played key roles too for many years.

10. Broadcasting – Broadcasting journalism has benefited greatly from the aviation industry, with the advent of the "news chopper," providing live traffic updates to viewers and listeners. Stations employed helicopters to provide unique views of breaking news events.

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First Bird Strike In Aviation History

The first reported bird strike was recorded in 1905 by none other than aviation pioneer Orville Wright. According to his diaries, Orville was conducting a practice flight that lasted a little under five minutes total, during which time he covered 4,751 meters and completed four circles. During two of these laps, he used his aircraft to chase a flock of birds, killing one, which landed on the top surface of the plane until he was able to shake it off with a sharp turn.

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Flying over the USA

The USA is a big country with many amazing natural and man made features. It's a priveledge to see, but even more so from the air. This is one of the best videos I saw highlighting some of the fascinating places in the USA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=KcuDdPo0WZk

COWL FLAPS AND ENGINE COOLING

PURPOSE OF THIS MANUAL

The purpose of this manual is to advise simulator pilots of some of the ways cowl flaps and other devices are used to cool piston-powered aircraft engines.

DEFINITIONS

First off the cowl, or cowling, is the sheet metal that surrounds the engine of an aircraft. Cowl flaps are "doors" that are adjusted to control the cooling air that flows through the cowling.

INTERNAL ENGINE COOLING

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Can Brazilian Aviators speak English?

Can Brazilian Aviators speak English?

Do you believe that the level of English in Brazilian aviation is good enough? Is it ok because it’s better than China’s?

In this video we can hear the crew from British Airways having great difficulty to understand the controller at Galeão Tom Jobim International Airport.

News Report 1

In this video we see a report from Globo News about Brazilian pilots needing to redo their English proficiency test. They comment how bad the level of English is in Brazil.

News report 2

Do you believe this is all just media sensationalism? Or are these valid points? How can we improve the level of English is Brazilian Aviation?

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