I’ve got something special to share with you guys this week. Last week on Flight Training Radio I did a show called “Becoming Pilot 2.0″ talking all about how to fly in this new digital age.

The show runs about 40 minutes in length and would be a perfect listen while you’re working on commuting home.

Enjoy… Jason

TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Becoming Pilot 2.0

News & Notes

Today’s news and notes. The towers will stay open until October 1st. Apparently, this was announced by The department of transportation. The government miraculously found 253 million dollars which they believed keep the towers open. I really wish they come over to my house and find 253 million dollars. They’re gonna reassess it come september, october time frame, and will see where we go from there. The point is the towers will stay alive a little bit longer as we continue that. The big concern of mine, the big concern of a lot of ours, do I call this a victory? Not quite. We’re not quite out of the woods just yet. Certainly better but don’t let this pat yourself in the back to quick because October will becoming quick.

Anyway guys, you are listening to Flight Training Radio. Flight Training Radio is a part of the Pilot’s Inner Circle where members of the ground school or members of the Pilot’s Inner Circle earn FAA wings credit. Sort of like CEU’s continuing education units for renewing your pilot’s certificate. But that’s what you want to do and you want to earn FAA wings credit. If you want access to weekly webinars. We do over 320+ flight training videos. I encourage you to become a Ground School Member. I encourage you to become Pilot’s Inner Circle Member. Go ahead and check out PilotsInnerCircle.com to learn more. By the way members I have a super exciting webinar planned tonight. I email you guys about that earlier in a day.

I hope you guys get my email about the Foreflight and AOPA FlyQ EFB App Comparison. More or so just sharing with you some key features I really like and lead you to Digital Flying. I’ve tons upon tons. I probably got a hundred great emails. I still need to go through a lot of them. From you guys related to Digital Flying. I appreciate it so much. For super encouraging and it really means a lot to hear from you guys. It satisfies what really we’re doing. You guys know the goal is to create more safer and smarter pilots. If you guys haven’t download Digital Flying. It’s totally free. You can do it by going to DigitalFlying.com to learn:

Which Ipad I use

How I mount the Ipad in the cockpit

Which app I use

How I use them

Becoming Pilot 2.0

We’re going to stick with this Digital flying, this Pilot 2.0 sort of theme. Be a pilot of the future. That is why I really want to chat you guys about today is Becoming that Pilot 2.0. And really some areas where I can see it being great. I know there can be some problems as well. We will gonna discuss both of those because there are pros and cons to each side of this. I want to help you guys become that safe, smarter pilot 2.0 as we go ahead and technology continues to update.

When it comes to becoming pilot 2.0. I’m talking about more or so than just the Ipad kind of aviator. We are ultimately dry fly with an Ipad. Yes, but you know, you can do any of this. When you talks a lot, you guys talks about this too. You can do it with an Android Tablet, a Windows Tablet, it doesn’t matter guys. The point is that technology that’s making it’s way to our cockpits. There has an intent to make a safer pilots. You know a lot of times it does but I want to show you some situations and some stories where some case it hasn’t and some things you need to be on the lookout for in regards to that. The aspect where it helps me the most and it helps with you guys as well. This age of Digital Flight planning. I love jumping on the Ipad. Just talking to a friend of mine, Jim, I met before, chat with him about doing a flight up to Kitty Hawk. A flight that I’ve always wanted to do. I’d love to go up there. Some friends have been fly up there with and it’s so nice to jump on the Ipad. Jump on the computer doesn’t matter and punch in a few variables. Really, the first variable where I’m leaving and where I’m going to and just see about how long it will take. About what kind of airspace I’m gonna cross along the way. When previously back when I was learning to fly too terribly long ago. It was sectional chart. Sometimes multiple sectional chart when you’re doing a long flight. It depends on where you live if you’re on that split so when you come up the sectional chart and straight line, draw online. There was no way to pump something on computer and seal that beautiful stuff. Do as at the time when it was very primitive and new, you know, when I was learning to fly.

I just want to show you that and look how far everything come now. But Digital Flight Planning the ability to pump in to airport, to departure and destination for it to know the time you’d like to depart and count with the winds for you. Just like I shared the video today at the FlyQ app, the AOPA calculates the best altitude to fly based on the winds are doing. Let’s say I would fly 7000 feet today and supposed of 9500 feet because you’ll get a better tailwind altitude or less of a headwind on that certain altitude. I mean so much had done for us and that could be a good thing, that could be a bad thing. You know, I really came with this flying stuff during an interesting time where we still had to do everything by paper. You know, I could still do a weight on balance the old fashion way. Make three columns: my weight, my arm, my moment and really worked through all of those. Doing weight and balance I used to have for each in every flight.

Never forget the Basics

Now there’s a computer who does that. Now there’s an app who does that sort of stuff for you and it’s well and good and it’s all wonderful but with this Digital flight planning, it’s important to never forget the basics. That’s gonna be the theme throughout today. Don’t expect to show up to your checkride and just have your flight planned calculated on foreflight or whatever you may used. Don’t expect to print that out and show it to them and expect that to work. You still have to do the old fashion navigation log because that examiner can ask any question like How did you come up with this number here? Maybe that number is a magnetic heading. Maybe that number is your fuel burn. You got to able to explain each and everyone of those numbers. How you would actually come up with that?

One thing I love to do and again I’m not just gonna give you a bunch of causal thing. I’m gonna give solutions here. This is what I do with Rick. When he was down here. We plan out to cross-country the old fashion way. However I let him planned it on foreflight and I let him do it the old fashion way and cross checked using foreflight. You and I both know if you calculate just one number incorrectly. Early on, in the flight plan, all the other numbers will be screwed up as well. So really stinks when you forgot carry over numbers, your fuel burn, screw up a distant and just a mile. Because it all adds up and affects every check point after it. So it’s important to be accurate and I had no problem with you using foreflight. Kind of as you cheat sheet to make sure you’re on the right track. Trust me, it’s pretty rewarding feeling to plan out a flight plan by hand and then plan out the same thing with foreflight. You’ll say “Woah, I came with the same thing foreflight did.” That’s a pretty good feeling. You’re just about the smart as the computer. You know, that’s something good. Use something like that to cross. It doesn’t have to be foreflight. It could be the Garmin Pilot. It could be the FlyQ. I don’t care.

The point is to cross check with something. So digital flight planning which brings us to digital navigating. I think I know the Ipad as a stand alone device is incredible. However, I’m still tracking VOR’s. I’m still using the GPS on the airplane. I’m still have this sort of stuff going just to kind of cover my butt with the Ipad from a digital navigating standpoint. I’m using all available resource. I’m also not letting the Ipad cause a distraction or really not cause too much head-down time. I mean unless you are straight up IFR in the soup and even then you’ll be focus in the instruments. Nine times out of ten. You need to be VFR, you need to be a VFR pilot. You need to look inside that cockpit. Maybe give an Ipad to co-pilot to help you navigate or you’ll gonna learn how to multi-task real quick with that Ipad. Guys, such a great resource.

I’ve shared with you the story of my student who had an alternator failure at night. That means the Garmin 430 went out. That means radios went out. That means everything went out. The only thing was still there was the Ipad in the end. He was able to navigate to an airport and land safely. I’ve shared that interview before. If you would like to hear it again. I can share it with you again sometime. Just email me and let me know. Having that Ipad is a great back up, is a super important thing to have now. Trust me, I’ve shared to you guys this before too. I have charts still in the back of the airplane. I have approach plates still in the back of the airplane. I’ve got my I’s dotted and my T’s crossed when it comes to that sort of stuff. Always having a back up plan.

Listen. Being a digital pilot. Live on that digital flying is more than just flying with a tablet. It could be flying with a handheld GPS. It could be flying Garmin 696. Originally, it was flying with a hand held radio that also allow you to navigation capabilities and I highly suggest. I’ve shared different post to you guys before like The 10 Things you never leave on a flight bag. I might be doing another post like that here in the near future because that’s change recently. But one of them is my handheld radio. My handheld radio will not leave my flight bag, well on the airplane sometimes. Handheld radio is a crucial piece of equipment to have with you at all times. It falls to digital flying category as well. I mean, really, using this extra information, using all the stuff to help make better go and no-go decisions. You guys know I’m big on that sort of stuff but previously you’re going to no-go decisions where made just by what you could gather from the flight service station. I still to this day called the flight service station. Call them. I like to talk to another human. Kind of mastermind with him and get her/his opinion on the weather. VFR not recommended, you know kind of thing, I’m sure you all heard of that before. Really, check in, on that sort of stuff. I still do that for TFR’s sort of stuff but with this current technology guys, with the Ipad, you can be sitting in your couch, watching a T.V show with your wife, and checking the weather in the next 3 to 4 days. Look at the prognostic charts to be planning your next flight. You can make a go or no-go decisions 3 days out now. You previously had to listen to the weatherman on T.V to make kind of those decisions. That’s no longer the case. To have this all resources at our fingertips is huge. It helping you make go and no-go decisions. Ultimately all these devices created for one purpose and that purpose is to increase situational awareness. It meant to increase how you fly the airplane.

I’m a big fan of Keep-It-Simple and I find that a lot of times we get into the overkill mode where you gonna go out and you gonna download every aviation app. You want to have it all. You want it all running for your entire flight. Basically it will drain your Ipad’s battery which it’s your decision, ultimately. This apps is meant to increase situational awareness not take away from it. If they are cause to take down time on the cockpit. They are taking away from that situational awareness or some times you can have information overload where you got so many things and your brain is trying to process but you can’t make a decision. You are so enamored with all this information. You can’t digest it and you get yourself into a predicament. A lot times happen to new pilots.

When I’m teaching landings to a student. I’ll usually help them with the basic task and take the radios and teaching a new maneuver. I’ll take the radio because when you add this multi-task elements. They got to be talking. They got to be turning. They got to be looking for other traffic and do this flight maneuver. It’s a lot to grasp. Always, they have to grasp but eventually get them small and little bits. Get them smaller tasks. Same with this Ipad. Take in all on little bit. I’ve shared with you guys a hundred times. Again, learn everything on the ground with the Ipad. Don’t download foreflight at the flight school at the FBO right before your cross-country that’s not the time to be learning it. That would cause a decrease of situational awareness. That would cause a distraction in that case. This devices are meant to increase your situational awareness in that regard, not to be a distraction. It brings back to point. You’ve got to know how to navigate. You’ve got to know how to flight plan the old fashion way. You’ve got to know how to track it, intercept it VOR.

I used to make great webinar to ground school members the other day. Last week, actually, a week from today on VOR navigation. We really drew it out and plan for the stuff out. It was really neat and lot of people say “Hey, finally, it clicked for me.” VOR’s aren’t taught a whole lot anymore. Do you know what? Be on your checkride. Do you know what? They might save in your butt one of these days. When you have a navigational mishap or VOR’s only the means of navigation. When there’s poor GPS satellite day. Something along those lines.

This Pilot 2.0, this Digital Flying is incredible but it’s meant to make you safer, smarter and increase that situational awareness like a lot of you do. For example like a lot of you taking your learning online. I mean online ground school and checking that sort of stuff, downloading ebooks and just download the book Digital Flying. There’s so many ways to make you safer, smarter and increase situational awareness with this stuff but you have to be the pilot in command. The master of the Ipad and whatever device you choose end up using. Guys, I want to propose a question to you.

What are some ways you are becoming a digital pilot?

First off, a question from Larry.

Larry said I bought an Ipad today. I’m a student private pilot. How I choose which apps to purchase? foreflight, FlyQ, WingApp, Garmin etc. How on earth will he choose which app to use? Well, Larry, I know you’ve already downloaded Digital Flying and that’s where I start that sort of stuff. Really, for everybody, go to DigitalFlying.com for a free book report.

I give some in-depth reviews of the stuff. Some great video showing how I use it in the cockpit but more importantly, every single one of this apps you mention offers a free trial of some sort and some cases that’s the best way to start. Download the free trial and take it a spin and see one suites you the best because everybody process the things differently. Some apps are better for others than would be me for say. Digital flying is great. Download the trial is equally as great and checking them all out in regards to that. Start with DigitalFlying.com download the free report. From there, checking out the trials.
Grant has left some great comments on the facebook here. On how he becomes a Digital Pilot. Using that to furthers educations with some aviation weather workshops. Awesome stuff, Grant. Also participating online discussion like in the pilots of america forums, studentpilot.com, AOPA forums, Hush Kush 65, absolutely great websites, my friend. Certainly, looks like you are living out that good always learning motto as you listening to this show. Well, Grant, that’s absolutely incredible.

I want to show you guys that there are so many ways to use the Ipad. Not only for flying, navigation, flight plan, and for continuing your education. One of my big requirements when we are building the online ground school was for to be noble Ipad, android friendly because learning needs to happen on the go. So now, my online ground school, have access to almost, I keep saying 320+, I really need to start saying 400+ because that’s we are at now. 400+ HD videos that you can be stream on your Ipad, Iphone and android devices. Just neat stuff and keep it on the go. Our Webinars are available on the Ipad. Half of the ground school members tell me “Listen, Jason, I put the Ipad up on the dinner table and listen up to your Webinar.” While I’m laying on bed I listen to your Webinar and on Iphone. Cool stuff and always learning. Really, Grant, I appreciate for sharing that great point and great websites.

Let’s buzz over to twitter. Here’s Steve. Steve becoming a Digital Pilot by integrating Ipad Mini with foreflight into my cockpit routine. It takes time to make it seamless. Steve, you are exactly right, this is all system oriented. You know what? Everybody has their different system. Just like, Steve, I know you are probably like me like to plan out your day and everything else and just randomly go about your day and jumping into an airplane. Everything has a checklist. Everything has a system. Everything has something to do and figure out what’s right for you. It’s what that really comes down to. You also chime in and said Ipad is great but can be a distraction. I consider a back up to paper as I get more comfortable. Ipad will become more primary. Even if it becomes a primary. I still carry paper plus have it prep and ready. Also, a good back up for the Iphone for foreflight. Yeah, Steve, that’s another point to bring up. Do I have an Ipad? Yes. Do I have the Iphone with this same app as well? Absolutely, because for using the same app store I.D it doesn’t cost you any extra for having both devices. So you now have double redundancy in the app department as far as that sort of stuff goes. Really, neat from that aspect. Steve, I really appreciate you chiming in there. I love how you just slowly working in integrating into your system and kind of use that as secondary now. So you are comfortable with that and I think it’s really, really, smart.

Also in regards of Digital Flying. I am giving away an Ipad Mini loaded with all the apps you could ever want, aviation apps that is. Complete with the Ipro Aviatior M and kneeboard for mounting that. As a kneeboard in the cockpit. It’s the ulimate flying suite that you would dream of having. We are giving that away today but you have to download Digital Flying to get it and inside the book will tell you how to enter to that contest. Go to DigitalFlying.com to learn more about How I use the Ipad in the cockpit and learn how to enter to that contest. So I encourage you guys to do all that.

Guys that all I have for you today. Thank you so much for all you guys do. Everything I can do this week to make you a safer and smarter pilot. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Please do check out DigitalFlying.com and with that guys enjoy the rest of your week and most importantly remember that a good pilot is always learning. Have a great day guys! See ya!

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