Wayforward News

I'm used to the look of fear etched into the pre-solo pilot's face as I climb out of the airplane. Reggie didn't have that look. It was more of a ...

I was sitting on a bench with a friend, Ron Trumble, watching Aaron do his three loops around the pattern. The airplane was at exactly the same altitude at each...

Mike Contros: 4 years, 4 airplanes, 5 instructors, obstacles and problems. The checkride was started January 14, discontinued due to weather, and then my airplane was down for scheduled maintenance.

He overcame all challenges, and passed on his first attempt...

Paula is the first Civil Air Patrol cadet that I've taught through to the checkride. She's already on to bigger and better things: she has the two required nominations (from Senator Akaka and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono) to apply for the U.S. Naval Academy.

She had asked me...

6 months, 30.6 hours of dual instruction, around 12 hours of solo, and another Civil Air Patrol senior member becomes a private pilot.

That was fast!

Bill has an interesting story: he took flying lessons some time ago (how long ago? ask him) and for whatever reason, didn't finish up.

I ran into him at the Civil Air Patrol, and flew with him for...

I find that people who use Microsoft's Flight Simulator, or any PC flight simulator, to be better prepared for flight instruction.

Yes, there's a moment of confusion when steering with the pedals...

After two flights in the Civil Air Patrol airplane and five (5!) flights in my airplane, N41282, Kawika Kekaualua flew solo.

Wow.

Talented students: a flight instructor merely needs to point them in the right direction and ...

When a student of mine does a couple of touch-and-go's (typical take-off and landing practice) without any help from me, I decide they're ready to solo. I tell them to stop on a taxi-way, and I climb...

He's a good stick, the D.P.E. said after the flight.

Congratulations, Andres!

Dale, one of the excellent Hawai'i Flight Academy instructors, needed time with his family; so he passed his student, Dickie Wilson, over to me.

I only needed to fly with...

Flight instructors in older aircraft were seated behind the student. The instructor would pull on the shirt of the student...

Jesse took his check-ride - excuse me, his Private Pilot Practical Test - with George Morikawa on March 21, 2008. George has done hundreds, if not thousands, of check-rides, so I think he knows his airplanes. More importantly, he knows...

Jesse came to me with an extensive aviation background: Air Force, Civil Air Patrol, flight instruction on the mainland.

9 flights later, I'm climbing out of my airplane at the runup area of Runway 8, Hilo International Airport, and Jesse motors off...