Ranked #1

#16: Angle of Attack and the Stall
#16: Angle of Attack and the Stall
Angle of attack is the single most important number in aeronautics. It literally means the difference between flying and... Read more
13 Apr 2018
•
12mins
Ranked #2

#12: How to Start a Jet Aircraft
#12: How to Start a Jet Aircraft
In this episode, I cover the details of how we start up aircraft, and in particular jet engine-powered aircraft.
19 Feb 2018
•
5mins
Ranked #3

#29: Cross-country gliding and MacCready theory
#29: Cross-country gliding and MacCready theory
The most important number in cross-country gliding is “speed to fly.” Speed to fly is a complex topic, that involves the... Read more
12 Mar 2019
•
9mins
Ranked #4

#38: High-altitude, high-speed aerodynamics
#38: High-altitude, high-speed aerodynamics
Aircraft that fly high and fast deal with a whole range of aerodynamic issues that lower and slower planes never see. Th... Read more
11 Jul 2019
•
23mins
Ranked #5

#30: Transoceanic crossings, part 1
#30: Transoceanic crossings, part 1
This is part 1 of a 6-part series on transoceanic flights. Transoceanic flights date back to Charles Lindbergh’s famous ... Read more
6 Apr 2019
•
10mins
Ranked #6

#37: Airspeed, airspeed, airspeed
#37: Airspeed, airspeed, airspeed
In aviation, airspeed is life. But it’s also not simple — there are lots of different kinds of airspeed, from indicated ... Read more
20 Jun 2019
•
13mins
Ranked #7

#27: The national airspace redesign
#27: The national airspace redesign
The US airspace system is undergoing massive changes in the wake of RNAV and GPS. Learn about the high-altitude redesign... Read more
11 Jan 2019
•
10mins
Ranked #8

#19: Private Pilots and Ride-Sharing
#19: Private Pilots and Ride-Sharing
The private pilot certificate is the first license that many pilots get. It’s a handy certificate that allows the pilot ... Read more
16 May 2018
•
12mins
Ranked #9

#26: Hypoxia and oxygen delivery systems
#26: Hypoxia and oxygen delivery systems
One of the symptoms of hypoxia is decreased judgment and decision-making ability — not good for pilots. It can sneak up ... Read more
13 Dec 2018
•
16mins
Ranked #10

#8: Altitudes in Aviation
#8: Altitudes in Aviation
Surprisingly, pilots actually care about a lot of different altitudes in aviation. There’s the obvious ones: altitude ab... Read more
19 Dec 2017
•
13mins
Ranked #11

#7: Pursuits, Overshoots, and Reversals
#7: Pursuits, Overshoots, and Reversals
Lead pursuit, pure pursuit, and lag pursuit make up part of the bread and butter of basic fighter maneuvers, or dogfight... Read more
8 Nov 2017
•
10mins
Ranked #12

#22: Turn Circles and One/Two-Circle Fights
#22: Turn Circles and One/Two-Circle Fights
Turn circles are a fundamental concept in basic fighter maneuvers, or BFM -- the skill of dogfighting. In this episode I... Read more
24 Jul 2018
•
10mins
Ranked #13

#4: Close Air Support and the 9-Line
#4: Close Air Support and the 9-Line
Close air support is one of the most challenging air-to-ground missions a pilot can perform. Unlike an in-and-out strike... Read more
24 Sep 2017
•
32mins
Ranked #14

#11: Decalage
#11: Decalage
Decalage is not often taught to student pilots, but it’s a critical component of what makes an aircraft fly. Decalage pr... Read more
7 Feb 2018
•
11mins
Ranked #15

#25: Missile defense, part I: Geometry and radar
#25: Missile defense, part I: Geometry and radar
This is the first of a series covering how pilots defend against incoming missiles. In this episode, I will discuss how ... Read more
5 Oct 2018
•
8mins
Ranked #16

#39: CCIP, CCRP, and other bombing modes
#39: CCIP, CCRP, and other bombing modes
Bombing has come a long way from its primitive origins. Today, computers help pilots put bombs exactly where they want t... Read more
19 Aug 2019
•
9mins
Ranked #17

#28: Aerial refueling
#28: Aerial refueling
Primitive forms of aerial refueling have been around since the 1920s; since then, it has matured into a complex but effe... Read more
7 Feb 2019
•
14mins
Ranked #18

#15: Scotch Whisky
#15: Scotch Whisky
Scotch whisky is an alcoholic drink made from malted barley, aged for at least three years, and produced in Scotland. Sc... Read more
21 Mar 2018
•
7mins
Ranked #19

#23: Air Traffic Control Technology: Past, Present, and Future
#23: Air Traffic Control Technology: Past, Present, and Future
There are many technologies pilots and ATC use to locate aircraft and avoid mid-air collisions. The most important is th... Read more
17 Aug 2018
•
12mins
Ranked #20

#31: Transoceanic crossings, part 2
#31: Transoceanic crossings, part 2
This is part 2 of a 6-part series on transoceanic flights. Transoceanic flights date back to Charles Lindbergh’s famous ... Read more
6 Apr 2019
•
10mins