Behind the Prop

There are many misconceptions about the differences between Part 61 & Part 141 flight schools.  Is one better?  Does one save you money over the other?  Who better to ask than a flight school owner and a DPE!  Bobby and Wally lay it all out and answer some great questions!

What do most pilots do wrong?  How often should you change the oil?  If you could only check ONE system during a preflight, what would you check?  Our fascinating guest, mechanic/pilot Ray Villalba of E&E Aviation answers all these questions and more on this week's episode of Behind The Prop!

Whether you're a student entering that exciting next phase of training, a new private pilot looking to head out and explore, or a seasoned pilot who has done it for years... the guys share some great tips that will help you become a better pilot on those long cross country trips!

You're cruising along enjoying your flight... when all of the sudden you notice the low voltage light on the panel is flashing.  You glance over to the amps gauge and sure enough, it's showing a discharge.  What do you do?  How much time do you have?  Is it even an emergency??  All that and more on this week's episode of Behind The Prop!

Wally has been a DPE for years, and it's safe to say he's seen almost everything!  This episode includes some great pointers for checkride preparation, as well as some things NOT to do.  If you come prepared you will reduce your stress and anxiety on the day of the checkride... and you will also increase your chance of success!

Learning radio communications is an essential part of learning to fly... but it can be really scary at first!  You're sharing the frequency with many experienced pilots and controllers, and here you are a brand new pilot.  How are you supposed to keep up??  Bobby and Wally bust out the A.I.M. and give us a great list of things to do... and things NOT to do on the radio while flying!

Women make up 50% of the population... but only account for about 6% of pilots in the United States.  Jessica is on a mission to raise that number!  To learn more about the Houston Chapter of Women in Aviation, visit WAIHouston.org.

Night time can be confusing for pilots, but hopefully we help each pilot with some regulations and a few tips.  This week Bobby and Wally break down what constitutes night time, when you can log night time in your logbook and when you can log your night landings.  They also give a number of tips to be safe while flying at night.  

Primary and Secondary Flight Controls.  Hopefully, you use all of them on every flight.  Hopefully, you check them before every flight.  Today, Bobby and Wally go into detail on what you should be checking, how they should be working, and a few best practices.  Let us know what you think and please share the show with a friend.  Thanks!

There is nothing like the first time and this week we both reflect on and celebrate the FIRST SOLO.  Probably a day that aviators remember more than most, join us as we reflect on Wally's first solo exactly 39 years later today - December 7, 1981.  Bobby's first solo came in July 2015 and we both reminisce on those days.  We also interview a student who just solo'ed and get to relive that moment all over again,  Finally, we share a number of tips and tricks to make your solo go great!  Check out Bobby's first solo video below!  Enjoy!

Bobby's First Solo Video