The U.S. Air Force will be training less pilots this coming year in 2008 at roughly about 925, a decrease of about 12 percent from the 1,100 that will graduate this year which is what the Air Force Times is reporting. However it may come back up in 2009 to 1025, which is expected to remain constant for several years according to the Times. According to the newspaper the reduction is directly related to the decline in the volume of aircrafts available and will be particularly felt in the fighter pilot ranks. "If the Air Force did not slow down pilot production, the service's fighter squadrons would be overwhelmed by first-assignment pilots who could not get adequate training because there wouldn't be enough jets or instructors," the newspaper reported.
The correct percentage of experienced and upcoming fighter pilots is about 55 percent veterans and 45 percent rookies, the Times said. Transport and other types of military aircraft offer new pilots more training opportunities and the ability to ride along on a multitude of flights to gain experience. The Air Force has already reassigned almost 200 bomber and fighter pilots because there's nothing for them to fly. The Air Force Academy and ROTC program will continue accepting the same number of officer trainees but fewer of them will be offered pilot training.
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Air Force pilot cut backs
Piper Cherokee
The Piper Cherokee is one of the most used aircrafts like its successor the Cessna. This aircraft too just like the Cessna is also used in conjunction with flight schools is offered. The Piper aircraft is a 4-6 passenger aircraft depending on the number of seats you are looking for in an aircraft can be accommodated for you. It is a single piston engine driven airplane with a 140-300 horsepower rating.
The Piper Cherokee comes with the option of a fixed or retractable landing gear, and fixed-pitch or constant-speed propellers. All members of the Cherokee family aircrafts are all metal body and have a low mounted wing.
The Cherokee's main competitors historically have been the Cessna 172, the Grumman American AA-5 series and the Beechcraft Musketeer.
Here are some little known facts on the Piper Cherokee. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 2,440 lbs. Service ceiling is 11,000 ft., Empty weight is 1,500 lbs. It fuel load is 50 US gallons (189 liters) total and has a range of 513 nm (950 km) at best economy mixture, 75% power, no reserve, 8,000 ft (2,438 m) density altitude, 2,300 lb (1,043 kg) gross weight, no wind.
Rate of climb at 640 ft per minute. Its fuel consumption is 11.4 US gallons per hour at best power mixture setting, 75% power; 9.2 US gallons per hour at best economy mixture setting, 65% power; 8.5 US gallons (32 liters) per hour at best economy mixture setting, 55% power.
Below is a video I included with the Piper Cherokee that will explain more of the aircraft.
Flight plans
Flight plans are documents that are filed by pilots with the Aviation Authority prior to departure. It has basic information pertaining to the aircraft,number of passengers on board, its destination, and points along the way that can be used in case of bad weather. A sample flight plan is above you can click on to get a better view of it. This document is required at all IFR airports in the U.S., IFR stands for "Instrument Flight Rules". These set of rules pertains to using the aircrafts instruments and air traffic control to tell where you are, your altitude,speed, etc..There is also VFR which is "Visual Flight Rules" and as it explains you use your vision instead of the instruments onboard.
All major carrier airlines use flight plans especially at bigger airports. Its actually a good idea to fill one out and fly via IFR even if your flying a single engine Cessna. Reason being is if you go off radar for any reason they can track your last known flight plan and trace you. Its truely a smarter idea because you never know what may happen.
Of course smaller airports don't require IFR and most fly VFR. The choice is yours however your flight school will explain this more in detail with you.
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Flight Simulators
You have probably played the game in Microsoft's version. However the simulator we are talking about is the one used by both pilots in commercial airliners use and astronauts to train in.
Pilots are trained in all sorts of weather and different mechanical and electrical failures that may arise in to be aware and know how to react to the situation.
All pilots have to be ready for the unforeseen. You never know what may happen or when so this is the biggest reason for a simulator. They are also used in schools to teach future pilots how to fly and get themselves familiarized with the controls and movement the aircraft would make in the air.
In some schools even Microsoft Flight Simulator is used to learn for the first time potential pilots. So you may want to look into buying yourself a copy of you don't already have one. The latest version Microsoft has is Flight Simulator X Deluxe Edition. You get the entire experience right from the comfort of your own home. Push backs, watching the ground crew work, talking with air traffic, and other traffic in the sky. Of course the game does require you to have at least 15gb of disk space, Windows XP or Vista with 512 mb, (256mb for XP but more is better) and at least a 1 ghz processor to run. I suggest using a top notch computer to avoid freeze ups while you are flying or even worse while you are trying to land. Nevertheless the program is perfect for learning to fly if you can't afford like most of us a real actual simulator like NASA uses.
Celebrity Pilots
Ever wonder who famous also carries a pilots license? Well you will be surprised. We decided in this post to list a few for you.
JOHN TRAVOLTA (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 9/6/2005 (Last Update)
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Type Ratings: P/B-707(SIC PRIVILEGES ONLY)
P/CE-500(VFR ONLY) P/G-1159 P/HS-125 P/LR-JET
CLINT EASTWOOD (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 06/06/1989
ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER
JAMES WILLIAM BUFFETT "Jimmy" (Singer)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 10/04/2004
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND & SEA
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
Type Ratings: C/CE-500 C/DA-50 C/G-111
ANGELINA JOLIE (Actor)
STUDENT PILOT 06/23/2004
PRIVATE PILOT (FOREIGN BASED) 07/29/2005
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
Limits: ISSUED ON BASIS OF AND VALID ONLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY UNITED KINGDOM PILOT LICENSE NUMBER(S) UK/PP433873A/A. ALL LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE UNITED KINGDOM PILOT LICENSE APPLY
JOHN FORBES KERRY (Senator)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 04/02/1986
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
GLIDER AERO TOW
MORGAN FREEMAN (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 03/02/2005
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
KRISTOFFER KRISTOFFERSON (Actor)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 07/07/1967
ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
MICHAEL DORN (Actor - Star Trek)
PRIVATE PILOT 03/18/2000
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Type Ratings: P/N-265
DENNIS WILLIAM QUAID (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 06/17/1994
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Type Ratings: P/CE-500
CHARLES "Chuck" WOOLERY (Game Show Host)
PRIVATE PILOT 08/19/1994
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
AARON DUPREE TIPPIN (Singer)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 6/9/2004
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER
MECHANIC
AIRFRAME
POWERPLANT
Roy Linwood Clark (Musician) 1933-
PRIVATE PILOT 7/28/1998
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
CLIFF PARKER ROBERTSON (Actor) 1925-
COMMERCIAL PILOT
LIGHTER-THAN-AIR FREE BALLOON
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
GLIDER AERO TOW
FESS ELISHA PARKER (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 7/13/1960
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
HARRISON FORD (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 05/06/2005 (Last Update)
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER
Type Ratings: P/CE-525
THOMAS CRUISE (Actor)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 04/03/1998
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
PATRICK WAYNE SWAYZE (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 01/15/2004
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
GEORGE WALKER BUSH (President)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 12/08/1969
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
GEORGE H WALKER BUSH SR. (President)
COMMERCIAL PILOT 10/09/1945
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
KURT VOGEL RUSSELL (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT 12/02/1992
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
HUGH MALCOLM DOWNS (TV Host)
PRIVATE PILOT 05/18/1976
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
GLIDER AERO TOW
LIGHTER-THAN-AIR FREE BALLOON
Limits: LIMITED TO HOT AIR BALLOONS WITH AIRBORNE HEATER
ALAN EUGENE JACKSON (Singer)
PRIVATE PILOT 03/17/1997
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
ARNOLD DANIEL PALMER (Golfer b1929-)
PRIVATE PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Type Ratings: P/CE-500 P/CE-650 P/CE-750 P/LR-JET
SYDNEY POLLACK (Actor)
PRIVATE PILOT Last Update 06/23/2000
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Type Ratings: P/CE-750 P/LR-JET
LORENZO FERNANDO LAMAS
COMMERCIAL PILOT 12/09/2002
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER
LARRY DEE WILCOX (Actor Chips)
PRIVATE PILOT 09/26/1990
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
Limits: NIGHT FLYING PROHIBITED
PHILLIP CALVIN MCGRAW (TV Psychologist)
PRIVATE PILOT 1/8/1976
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
ROGER BARNES (Wrestler Ron Garvin) b1945-
COMMERCIAL PILOT 5/11/1993
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Type Ratings: DC-3
DAVID IRVING ORECK (Businessman) 1924-
COMMERCIAL PILOT 3/29/1962
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND & SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
DAVID LEE ROTH (Singer)
PRIVATE PILOT 12/12/2006
ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER
This should give you an idea of how many celebrities have done it and you can get your license too.
Cessna
The Cessna 172 is the most popular, most manufactured small light weight aircraft ever built. This aircraft is also widely used in teaching future pilots to fly. When you too decide to learn to fly this will probably be the airplane you will to end up flying.
The aircraft is a four seat passenger single engine high wing airplane. The first production models where delivered in 1956 and are still being made up to today 2007.
Even up to some of your airline pilots today that work for the major airline carriers have flown in a Cessna to start out their careers in aviation as well. It is the perfect plane to take your friends and family for a sight seeing tour or to travel to another state.
A few known facts about the 172 is that its cruising speed is between 105-125 knots depending on the engine and vintage. The older Cessnas had a 145 horsepower engine and later airplanes had a 180 horsepower engine. However the 150-160 horsepower are more common with a service ceiling of 15,100 feet.
It is also an easy aircraft to learn how to fly in which makes it ideal for schools to use in teaching their own students.
Pilot John Travolta
Learning to fly has been practiced by many walks of life including actor John Travolta. The difference is that John has always had the dream even before his acting career to become a pilot himself. Becoming an actor for John has given him the opportunity to learn how to fly all types of aircrafts in his life. It is also said that at a young age he also had a room full of model airplanes in his room.
Of course is not cheap to learn how to fly, just learning to fly a single engine aircraft can run in the neighborhood of $4000-$5000 dollars. However Johns acting career has given him the opportunity to be able to do it all.
Now don't go thinking you cannot go learn to fly because of cost. Courses can be taken over time and not all at once. Getting your single engine private pilots license is something that you should do if flying is your dream.
John Travolta is so enthusiastic about his aircrafts and flying that he owns a total of five of them and parks two of them in the picture seen below in his private home. Even the Boeing 707 is parked there too. This is how strongly he feels about aviation and perhaps you do to since you are still reading this article.
The photo above is of John Travolta's home and where he parks his jets. This is how passionate he is about his aircrafts, by the way located there to is his of course air strip.
Perhaps you feel as passionate as John does when it comes to flying. All it takes is determination to get your own pilots license yourself and you will be well on your way to your flying career as well.
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Alberto Santos Dumont
Alberto Santos Dumont was a very important pioneer in aviation history. There of course is lots of controversy between Santos and the Wright Brothers in whom made the first flight successfully. According to Europe and the rest of the world excluding the United States believe it was Santos Dumont. This is because he was awarded and seen by thousands to have flown an aircraft under its own power in Paris. The Wright Brothers where seen by a few people and needed a sort of catapult system to get their aircraft airborne.
Santos Dumont born in Brazil, had immigrated to France in 1891 with his parents that owned a coffee plantation. His career began when he worked on motorized tricycles before turning to ballooning. He was greatly noticed when in 1901 he piloted an airship around the Eiffel Tower winning him 100,000 francs which he later gave to his mechanics.
In 1902 Santos Dumont turned his attention to heavier-then-air flying. His first invention was a glider then tried building a helicopter that never took flight. He was however noticed and to this day for his creation of what is now known as the 14-bis.
The 14-bis meaning 14-encore since the airplane made its first appearance suspended from the belly of Santos Dumont's No. 14 dirigible. The aircraft actually resembled the closest looking aircraft framework to what we have today with the difference being that it was flown backwards in that time.Nonetheless it flew and under its own power winning Santos an award in Paris, France.
On November 12,1906 he set the first aviation record in Europe flying 722 feet (220 meters) in 21 1/2 seconds with members of the Aero-Club du France in attendance. This won his 14-bis 1500 francs for flying more then 100 meters and because he was observed by officials from what would become the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (the designated keeper of aviation records), he was credited with making the first powered flight in Europe.
Below is a picture of his 14-bis.
This monument is located in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Santos Dumont flew it for the last time on April 4,1907 after reaching a dead end. He decided to turn it around and creat the 15-bis made out of plywood and would fly as we know planes to fly today but it never left the ground.
Later in his life He was stricken with multiple sclerosis, dropped out of aviation, and retired to Brazil in 1916. He died there in 1932.
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Pilots license
So what does it take to get your pilots license? Well that all depends on the license you want since there are a few different types. There is your private pilots license to your recreational one and then there is yet another one for you to become an actual airline pilot.
If you are just looking to get your private pilots license or recreational one not for hire it can take you about 4-6 months to get if you go to school part-time. If you go full time then you could get it much quicker in about 2-3 months time. The requirements for this type of license is that you are at least 16 years of age, full knowledge of the English language and that you pass a class 3 medical exam.
Learning to fly is the best experience you will ever encounter in your life. The freedom to get in a airplane and just go and fly anywhere you want, you have to admit would be great.
Your recreational pilots license is about the fastest and easiest way to get to flying. This license will not allow you to fly at night which you would have to take an instrument ratings test in order to do that. To get yourself going with this type of license your looking in the neighborhood of about $4000-$5000 to get your private pilot or recreational license for non commercial usage. Of course you can take your friends and family with you if you choose.
For those of you choosing to become an airline pilot you too of course will start off with a private pilots license as well. The airline industry requires that pilots have extensive amount of hours to get hired. This is why a lot of graduates that get their pilots license become instructors. By doing this they accumulate flying hours for their log books.
The steps to becoming an airline pilot is as follows, first they obtain a private pilots license. After that they go for their instrument ratings exam. Next its on to getting their twin engine license. Yes, when you go for your private pilots license its for a single engine.
New pilots become instructors to accumulate flight hours for their log books. To become an airline pilot there is another special schooling to learn about jet/turbine engines. These types of engines are a different beast then turbo props that you first learn to fly.
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Becoming a pilot
Becoming a pilot is not as hard as one might think it is. There are just a few requirements needed in order to hold a pilots license. The basic requirements are you must be 16 years old, Understand the English language, and pass a medical examination.
Of course there are different types of pilots in the field ranging from individuals who just fly for the fun of it to airline pilots who get paid to do what they love to do. If your goal is to become an airline pilot you too can become one only it will take you time to get there. Even those students that go to school to become airline pilots all start by flying the majority of the time in a Cessna. The aircraft used is a single engine one to get the student familiarized with the aircraft , its controls, the feel for flying, and not to mention you have to learn how to crawl before you can walk.
As far as being an airline pilot the major carriers do tend to hire those with military backgrounds first due to the nature of them already having a number of years experience in the air and the strict guidelines they have gone through in becoming pilots in the military. However this is something that should not discourage you if you have no military background yourself, there are many companies out there that actually do hire a lot of graduates from the major flight academies.
Starting out as an airline pilot you will most likely be put as a reserve pilot. As a reserve pilot you will be basically paged when your services are needed and they can call you at anytime. However after putting in your time will land you a position and get a line. A line is a scheduled flight that you will be flying for the rest of your career pretty much.
Becoming an airline pilot can prove itself to be a stressful climb to the top but it can be accomplished with commitment and the reward is great at the end if this is something that you have always wanted to do.
There are many excellent schools out there with a few great ones like Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. This school teaches more then just becoming a pilot. They also have other areas of interest in the aviation industry you may be interested in pursuing you can check them out. There is also Delta Connections Academy,another fine school of aviation.
The trick is to keep your options open, there are many schools out there but before deciding to become a pilot you can take a test flight. Basically you pay a small fee like $30 and see if you are going to like flying.
The two schools that I mentioned have to deal with airplanes. Helicopter enthusiast I am looking into some schools for my next post so stay tuned on that.
