Ask a Flight Instructor

Archive for the ‘Videos’ Category

I know very little about this flight training video except that 1) it was developed by the USAF and 2) it is one of the best videos I have ever seen on collision avoidance tips.   I think the background to this movie is that it was developed for GA pilots who flew in and around Southern California but the advice that is contained is applicable to any pilot flying anywhere.  Read the rest of this entry »

Crosswinds can be a real problem – “On Landings Part I”

That is a actually a pretty good summary of how most pilots feel about crosswind takeoffs and landings.

Here are two usual methods taught  in accomplishing a crosswind approach and landing:

Read the rest of this entry »

Disorientation is a critical danger to flight safety not only because of how often it occurs but also because of how often the cases of disorientation result in fatal accidents.  In fact, during a recent 5 year study by the FAA it recorded over 500 accidents where disorientation played a large part in the accident.   Out of those 500 accidents, 90 % of them were fatal (AC 60-4A).

This 1973 flight training video developed by the FAA alerts pilots to inflight situations that are potentially disorientating by describing how this physiological phenomenon influences and often distorts flying judgments. It suggests that when physical senses are at variance with cockpit instruments, you should not randomly hit buttons.

Read the rest of this entry »

Even the best of pilots can be distracted in flight by preoccupation with personal problems, ranging from nagging wives to pressing business matters.  Mental distraction is a serious flight hazard (especially in the age of twitter and iPhones).  How five psychological problems frequently encountered by general aviation pilots affect their performance is dramatically presented here.

25 minutes, 1969, FA-801

Read the rest of this entry »

In this film a seagoing lumber barge becomes lost and a twin-engine aircraft is used for the search and rescue operation. A pilot’s switch from familiar single-engine operations to twin-engine aircraft is illustrated along with proper in-flight procedures to follow in the event of engine failure. The film is especially scenic and the dramatic search is attention-holding in itself.

31 minutes, 1969, FA-802

Read the rest of this entry »

What makes an airplane get off the ground and stay aloft? This question and many more are answered in this easy-to-understand film which combines animation and live sequences to explain basic aerodynamics for general aviation pilots and high school science students alike. Forces of lift, weight, thrust and drag are shown in relation to flight. 16 minutes, 1969, FA-703

Read the rest of this entry »

The eagle is acclaimed for its keen eyesight and superior flying ability. This film, beautifully photographed in Alaska, stresses that a pilot’s “eagle” vision and flight safety go hand-in-hand. It acquaints the general aviation pilot with the physiology of pilot vision, particularly highlighting the limitations of the eye in flight and factors that can affect and impair sight and safety while airborne.  14 1/2 minutes, 1971 FA-05-70

This film follows a young married couple on a vacation flight from New Orleans to Lake Tahoe. In crossing the Rockies and the High Sierras, they learn the hard way about the effect of high altitude and temperature on light aircraft performance.  The film illustrates proper operation of airplanes under density altitude conditions.  29 minutes, 1966, FA-603A

The FAA’s charge for this video? $106.00  Your price? Free.  Enjoy.

A good accompanying material to read while you watch this video would be the FAA-P-8740-2 Accident Prevention Program’s pamphlet entitled “Density Altitude” which you can download here:

Density Altitude (421)

In this video you will see a sample arrivial and instrument approach flight crew briefing.  This video is courtesy of the FAA’s Runway Safety Office. This bonus video was included in the Runway Safety Collection DVD and the segment “Was that for us?”

This video is a demonstration of a sample takeoff crew briefing.  This can also be referred to as a pre-depature briefing.

This video comes from the FAA and is part of the collection of Runway Safety Videos which explores risk, and prevention strategies while operating in the terminal airspace and on the surface of airports.