On Centerline

Ground reference maneuvers are often taught as a collection of separate maneuvers—rectangular courses, turns around a point, S-turns across a road, and eights around pylons etc. But are they really different maneuvers?
In this episode, we go straight to the FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook to look at ground reference maneuvers from the source.
No matter the shape, the various elemental ground reference maneuvers are really teaching us the same fundamental skills. 
So rather than focusing on how to fly one particular maneuver, this episode focuses on the common techniques and fundamental skills that connect them all—and why understanding those commonalities can make ground reference maneuvers much easier to understand and teach.
This is a part of our ongoing series of episodes where we go directly to the Airplane Flying Handbook to cut through myths, misconceptions, and maneuver-specific lore and examine what the FAA actually says.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

Welcome to the On Centerline Podcast!

Slow flight is one of those maneuvers that seems to generate endless debate, myths, and misconceptions. How slow should you fly? What configuration should you use? How should the airplane be controlled?
In this episode, we’re setting opinions aside and going straight to the source: the FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook.
This is the first episode in what I hope will become a long-running series dedicated to reading directly from the Airplane Flying Handbook and examining what it actually says about the maneuvers we teach and fly. The goal is simple: cut through the myths, misconceptions, and endless interpretations by going straight to the source.
Rather than adding another opinion to the conversation, we’ll read the FAA’s guidance on slow flight and examine it as it is written. If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’ve heard about slow flight actually matches what the FAA teaches, this episode is for you.
No myths. No assumptions. No opinions. Just straight from the source.
Let’s read the handbook.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

Welcome to the On Centerline video podcast!

Episode Content starts at 10:47

Today we take a closer look at how instructors teach maneuvers — and why jumping straight into any given maneuver  may be missing the bigger lesson.

We will be using turns around a point as a case study today. Turns around a point isn’t really the skill. It’s an exercise designed to develop a pilot’s ability to maneuver an airplane in relation to the ground. That means understanding things like wind correction, ground track, and the relationship between speed, bank angle, rate of turn and radius of turn before we worry about checking the boxes of a particular maneuver.
This episode explores the difference between teaching a maneuver and teaching the fundamental skill that the maneuver is meant to develop.
We’ll get into the details of ground reference maneuvers, turns around a point, wind correction, and how I believe instructors can approach these exercises in a way that produces pilots who actually understand what they’re doing—not just pilots who know how to perform a checkride maneuver.

Because the maneuver isn't the lesson.
The maneuver is the practice.

If you're a flight instructor, student pilot, or simply interested in becoming a better pilot, this one is for you.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

The CFI-I check ride is designed to ensure flight instructors can safely and effectively teach instrument flying—but does the current practical test truly evaluate the skills that matter most in today's training environment?
In this episode of the On Centerline Podcast, I share my personal proposals for how the CFI-I check ride could be improved. We’ll discuss areas where the current evaluation process may fall short, skills that deserve greater emphasis, and potential changes that could better prepare instrument instructors for the realities of teaching in the national airspace system.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

What separates a professional pilot from everyone else? It’s often not the big things—it’s the small habits and skills that consistently show up in every phase of flight. In this episode of the On Centerline Podcast, we discuss five telltale signs of a true professional pilot: disciplined brake usage, smooth aircraft control, exceptional situational awareness, clear and concise radio communications, and precise airspeed management.
Whether you're a student pilot working toward your first certificate or a seasoned aviator looking to sharpen your skills, these traits can elevate both safety and proficiency, and show that you don't have to BE a professional in order to FLY like one. 

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

Before every takeoff, pilots brief engine failures, abort points, runway lengths, terrain, weather, and emergency plans… or at least they should. In this episode of the On Centerline Podcast, we dive into the often-overlooked art of the takeoff briefing and why so many pilots either skip it entirely or reduce it to a rushed, meaningless routine.

We discuss what actually makes a takeoff briefing effective, how different conditions should change the briefing, and why a one-size-fits-all script can leave pilots unprepared when things go wrong. From runway environment and aircraft performance to passenger considerations and emergency decision making, we break down the many factors pilots should think through before advancing the throttle.

A good takeoff briefing isn’t about sounding professional — it’s about building a clear mental game plan before one of the highest workload phases of flight.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

The airport traffic pattern is one of the highest-risk environments in aviation for mid-air collisions — and non-standard maneuvering is often a major factor. In this episode of the On Centerline Podcast, we break down the dangers of performing 360° turns in the traffic pattern, especially at uncontrolled airports, and explain why these maneuvers can quickly create confusion, blind spots, and collision hazards for everyone in the pattern.

We’ll discuss why 360s should never be used as a spacing tool in the uncontrolled airport environment and offer 3 safer, more predictable alternatives that help maintain sequencing without sacrificing safety.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

A good pilot is always learning! These are words I live by and that's why today we will be discussing additional training you may want or NEED as you go through your aviation career! For you flight instructors out there, there will be times you will have well established and accomplished pilots come to you for additional training, and you will need to know how to best structure their training and how to properly log and endorse their logbooks. Today we discuss the experience and endorsements required to train an established pilot for additional privileges and ratings.

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

With the passage of MOSAIC things have changed in a dramatic way in the world of aviation when it comes to medicals and the privileges of all pilots when it comes to not having a medical! Today we discuss these changes and talk about all the things you can do WITHOUT a medical!

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte

Multi-Engine flying is some of the most fun and rewarding flying you can do! As multi-engine pilots it's critical to understand the performance capabilities and limitations of our aircraft. Today we discuss the performance and limitations a multi-engine aircraft and how they can differ from single-engine aircraft!

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Music - Epidemic Sound:    Go Higher - FLYIN
                                                 Vegas - Onda Norte