There are some changes that were made in the FAA knowledge testing process in January. As we flew to Oahu for our commercial tests, this was our first experience after the changes were implemented. We’ll share how we prepared for the commercial written test, and hope you’ll pick up some good tips no matter which test you might be studying for.

Flying at night can be beautiful, thrilling and challenging at the same time. Flying fundamentals at night are the same, but there’s an added layer of vigilance and focus that must be maintained to fly safely at night. Here in Hawaii, flying at night might as well be flying in instrument conditions. With no sense of the horizon flying over the black open water, a good instrument scan is essential. On Episode 61 we’re flying at night for the first time in four years, and doing it in Hawaii!

Personal minimums are clearly defined, written down, and regularly updated tolerances you give yourself when making a go or no-go decision. Some people just think wind and visibility, but your minimums should extend even to proficiency, fuel, and maintenance issues. The purpose of this exercise and sticking to them is to help you identify risks and possible stresses that could keep you from having a safe flight.

You have a dream to learn how to fly… but for whatever reason, maybe right now is not the right time to jump in the plane and begin lessons.  It could be that you’re too young or don’t have the money or time set aside yet for full time training. Having to wait can be terribly frustrating. In fact, a lot of potential students walk away from the dream in the process of waiting. On today’s episode we’re going to throw out some ideas how to make aviation a part of your life and prepare for flight tra

On Episode 58 we look back on some of our favorite aviation moments and highlights of 2019. We’ll also share our most downloaded episodes of the year. Just briefly we’ll look behind us at the past year, but our focus will be to the future and the new year & sharing our goals and dreams moving forward. Aloha from Maui!

Mele Kalikimaka from Maui! Wishing everyone aloha and happiness as we close out 2019 and look forward to new adventures in 2020.

Are you like us and have waited until the very last minute to do your Christmas shopping? If you have a pilot or future pilot in your family, you’re in luck! There are a lot of products out there for the aviation enthusiast, both fun and practical. Even though we’re just a week away from Christmas, it’s not too late to order and get your gift shipped in time for the holidays.

Checkride day brings its share of both anxiety and excitement. You’ve trained, studied, prepared, and made sacrifices to make it to this day. Your checkride doesn’t have to be a daunting ordeal. What if you had a guide to walk you through the preparation, organization and brief you on what to expect? Today we have Chris Palmer from Angle of Attack sharing some of his top checkride prep tips. Chris also introduces us to Checkride Ace, a program that will help you pass your checkride with flying colors.

One of the questions we were asked recently on our instrument check rides was, “How do you get your weather?” This is a question that examiners ask on nearly every check ride. It’s something that you as a pilot, or even student pilot, should be able to answer without blinking an eye. A safe pilot will not only gather, but also try to understand the weather along the route of intended flight.