Night flying is the most beautiful flying there is — and the most unforgiving of sloppy preparation. Maya and Rico take on Chapter 11 of the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook: the three definitions of night (and why the FAA has three clocks), how your eyes actually work in the dark, the illusions that have genuinely killed pilots, airport lighting, pilot-controlled lighting, and what to do when it all goes quiet.

In this episode:

Sources: FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Chapter 11 (Night Operations); 14 CFR §§ 1.1, 61.57(b), 61.109(a)(2), 91.205(c), 91.209; AIM Chapter 2. Current as of July 2026 — always verify against the current FAR/AIM.

Maya and Rico are AI-generated hosts. Episodes are produced from official FAA public-domain source material. Education and entertainment only — not flight instruction; always consult your CFI and the current FAR/AIM.

Welcome to Flying by the Book — the show where hosts Maya (a flight instructor) and Rico (a charter pilot) take the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook one chapter at a time and actually make it stick. All eighteen chapters, then checkride prep, then instrument training. New episodes weekly.

On Fridays, catch our sister show The Squawk Report: the week in aviation plus one incident review.

Maya and Rico are AI-generated hosts. Episodes are produced from official FAA public-domain source material. Education and entertainment only — not flight instruction; always consult your CFI and the current FAR/AIM.

Welcome to Flying by the Book — the show that takes the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook one chapter at a time and actually makes it stick. In this first episode, Maya (a CFII) and Rico (a charter captain) open Chapter 1: what flight training is actually for, who does what — student, instructor, examiner — what "airworthy" really means, and how the practical test and flight review fit into your life as a pilot.

In this episode:

Sources: FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Chapter 1, plus the regulations cited on-air (14 CFR parts 21, 39, 43, 45, 61, 67, 91). Current as of July 2026 — always verify against the current FAR/AIM.

Maya and Rico are AI-generated hosts. Episodes are produced from official FAA public-domain source material. Education and entertainment only — not flight instruction; always consult your CFI and the current FAR/AIM.