If you’ve caught the flying bug or you’re looking out the window and it’s a nice day and you’re dreaming of flying, go take a flight!  If you’re contemplating enrolling in a training course, but haven’t fully committed to the lifestyle or investment, you can still go take a flight!  If you’re trying to decide between a bike ride or round of golf and flying, go take a flight! (Yes, it’s more fun!)  In fact, you can take flight after flight after flight.  After all, it’s about having fun.  And while it really can be this easy, there are still some important choices to me made that will have a profound effect on your future flying and even your desire to come back again.

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No matter what kind of test you're taking, we all feel the pressure to perform. Whether if it's for your driver's license, or mid-terms, or your final exam. Each test is a final measure of your knowledge and ability, one you prepared hard for, and one you've invested a great deal to achieve. A checkride for a pilot's license is no different.

I'm Matt Meyer, the FAA designated pilot examiner (DPE) based at Sporty's Academy. What that means is I'm designated by the FAA to examine pilots, and hopefully issue their pilot's license. I'd like to get you familiar with what my role is and what you can expect during your checkride with me. Hopefully after reading this, you'll feel less anxious about taking your checkride. I'm not the FAA, so don't let that cause you any anxiety.

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Say those two words together and you might picture an airplane flown by computers instead of a human pilot. While the unmanned airplane concept works well for some military applications, there is going to be a need for pilots in the front of most airplanes for many years to come...

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I spend a great deal of time talking with prospective students each day who are searching the area for a flight school.  Although each student is unique, those who have done their homework and know what they are looking for generally ask the same types of questions.  Those who have done little to prepare for their search rarely ask key things that a prospective customer should know.  These customers are either assuming certain things based on our reputation, or are not aware of the implications of the differences between flight schools.  Here are some of the things that any prospective customer should consider...

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January 25, 1975. In response to an ad in the Kentucky Kernel, the student newspaper at the University of Kentucky, I drove out to Bluegrass Field KLEX. For $10 and the coupon in that ad, I was going to take an introductory flight.

Let's wind back about 15 years.  I remember watching...

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