As a student pilot there are two documents/certificates that you should have on you at all times while flying:
Endorsement from Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) for the aircraft your flying
Logbook
As a student pilot, you have no privileges to carry passengers and cannot fly for compensation or hire.
The minimum visibility required for a student pilot are the Visual Flight Rules (VFR) minimums.
Altitude |
Visibility |
Distance From Clouds |
1,200 ft or less Within controlled airspace Outside controlled airspace |
3 Statute Miles 1 Statute Mile |
Clear of Clouds |
1,200 ft to 10,000 MSL Within controlled airspace Outside controlled airspace |
3 Statute Miles 1 Statute Mile |
|
More than 1,200 ft and at or above 10,000 ft MSL |
5 Statute Miles |
1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 mile horizontal |
No, the student pilot operates under some general limitations, one of
which is the flight cannot be made without visual reference to the surface. A
private pilot can.
Prior to every flight the aircraft should be preflighted.
If the aircraft has been used very recently, i.e. same day, a walk-around inspection of the aircraft should be made at a minimum.
If the aircraft had a preflight the evening before and hangared, it would still be necessary to check for fuel contamination from condensation.
If an aircraft has been stored for a long time, in addition to the usual procedures, the aircraft should be checked for damage or obstructions caused by animals, birds, or insects.
A written checklist for preflight inspection ensures that all the necessary items are checked in a logical sequence.
Part 91 Preflight Requirements
The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of the aircraft.
The pilot in command is responsible for determining that the aircraft is airworthy prior to every flight.
Pilots are required to familiarize themselves with all available information concerning the flight prior to every flight,. and specifically to determine
For any flight, runway length at airports of intended use and the aircraft's takeoff and landing requirements, and
For IFR flights or those not in the vicinity of an airport,
Weather reports and forecasts,
Fuel requirements,
Alternates available if the planned flight cannot be completed, and
Any known traffic delays.
Pilots must wear seat belts and shoulder harnesses at all times while flying,
the passengers must wear seatbelts and shoulder harnesses during taxi, takeoff,
and landing.
The fuel reserve must be a half hour flight time at the normal cruise power setting.
The required certificates, which must be on board the aircraft, are:
Airworthiness Certificate
US Registration Certificate
Aircraft Registration Certificate
Radio Station License
Form 337, Fuel Tank in passenger compartment*
Operating Limitations
Weight and Balance calculations
* In the case of Piper Cubs, Aeroncas, et al, which has a fuel tank in the nose, just behind the control panel.
The right of way a. The lower aircraft, b. The aircraft being over taken, c.
The aircraft on the other pilot's right.
If you are flying a head-on collision course with another aircraft, alter your
course to the right.
The minimum altitudes when flying over a populated area and unpopulated areas,
In a populated area, you must maintain 1000 feet above the highest obstacle
within a 2000 foot radius. In an unpopulated area, you must maintain a 500 foot
radius from everything. In a sparsely populated area, you must maintain a 500
foot radius from all persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures.
When on magnetic courses of 0-179 degrees, fly odd thousands plus 500 feet
(3500, 5500, 7500). When on magnetic courses of 180-359 degrees, fly even
thousands plus 500 feet (4500, 6500, 8500, 10500, etc.). Remember, odd people
fly from the left coast.
Required equipment : airspeed indicator, altimeter, compass, tachometer, oil
pressure gauge, oil temperature gauge, fuel gauges, manifold pressure gauge if
engine has a constant-speed propeller, landing gear position indicator if gear
is retractable, seatbelts and shoulder harness, & possibly an
Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
V - terms
Carburetor ice would appear as a slow, gradual, and almost unnoticeable drop in
RPM over time. It is likely to form anytime the relative humidity is greater
than 50% and the temperature is between 20 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
It routes air from around the exhaust manifold (where it warms) and directs it
into the air intake. Because this air is warmer than normal air, it is less
dense. Therefore, the engine will not run as efficiently (represented by a
slight loss of RPM) when the carburetor heat is activated.
The best glide speed is the speed for which the lift to drag ratio is the
greatest. The aircraft will cover the most distance over the altitude lost,
which is why you try to achieve this in an engine out situation.
100 Octane | Green |
100 Octane - Low Lead | Blue |
80 Octane | Red |
Jet Fuel | Clear - Slightly Tan |
Yes, you can use automotive fuel in your aircraft, if there is a Supplemental
Type Certificate (STC) issued for your aircraft. The STC modifies the
operating limitations of the aircraft.
The takeoff and landing distances were established during the aircraft's
testing phase, when it was new. An older aircraft with an older engine will
not perform the same as a brand new one. Pilot experience also has an
influence over these performance figures. "Your mileage may
vary......."
Wake turbulence is the formation of air vortices that are formed off of the
aircraft's wing tips. Small aircraft can be greatly influenced by the wake
turbulence of larger aircraft.
Touchdown before the other aircraft's liftoff point.
Fuel weighs six (6) pounds per gallon.
It reduces your maneuvering speed. You can fly/stall slower.
The instruments form the pitot-static system are the airspeed indicator,
the vertical speed indicator and the altimeter.
The instruments that contain gyros that are driven by engine suction are the
attitude indicator and the directional gyro.
The engine creates the suction necessary to operate the vacuum-gyro instruments
with an engine-driven vacuum pump.
Typically the turn coordinator has an electrically-driven gyro.
The errors associated with the use of the magnetic compass are due to
acceleration. When turning toward or away from a heading of north, the compass
will lag the turn and may even show a turn in the opposite direction. When
turning toward or away from a heading of south, the compass will lead the
turn. When on headings of east or west, an acceleration will cause a turn to
the north and a deceleration will cause a turn to the south.
Typically a directional gyro should be manually reset every fifteen (15) minutes during
flight.
The danger of stalling an aircraft in uncoordinated flight is that the
aircraft may enter a spin.
Controlled airspace is that airspace in which you may be subject to air
traffic control (ATC). Uncontrolled airspace in that airspace in which ATC has
no authority over air traffic and no responsibility to control it. Controlled
airspace consists of Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace.
You must receive training within the Class B airspace you intend to fly into.
Also, if you intend to land at the primary airport in a Class B airspace, you
must receive training at that particular Class B airport.
For flights into Class B airspace and/or a landing at the primary airport in a Class B airspace, you need endorsements in your logbook from your flight instructor.
Class A airspace starts at 18,000 and extends upward to flight level (FL) 600.
It is for IFR operations only. You need to be an instrument rated pilot and your
aircraft needs to be instrument equipped to fly into Class A airspace.
On a sectional chart, the magenta colored rings identify the lateral limits of Class C
airspace.
Class D airspace is depicted by a dashed blue lines on a sectional charts.
Three good reasons of going to a cruise climb attitude after reaching at least 500
AGL are cruise climbs result in a faster airspeed, better engine cooling, and
better forward visibility.
You enter the traffic pattern at an uncontrolled airport by a 45 degree entry to
the downwind leg, at traffic pattern altitude. You should enter the downwind leg
at a point approximately across from the midpoint of the runway.
No, but radio calls on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) are always a
good idea. You should make them when departing, entering the downwind, base,
final and clearing the runway.
If you intend to fly over the traffic pattern at any airport, you should be at least, 500 feet above pattern altitude.
The standard direction of flow of traffic in a traffic pattern are left
turns.
The Airport Facility Directory contains information about an airport,
such as the frequency for activating the pilot-controlled lighting,
etc.
You can determine if a runway is closed, if there is a big yellow X
painted on it.
If you received instructions from ATC that compromises safety, do not comply.
Advise ATC that you could not comply with the instructions.
The radar facility (approach control) provides collision avoidance by
helping you identify traffic.
The standard ATC light signals are:
Steady Green - Cleared for takeoff
Flashing Green - Cleared for taxi
Steady Red - Stop
Flashing Red - Taxi clear of runway
Flashing White - Return to starting point
Green and Red - Extreme caution
This page last updated 04/19/2000.