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.
