Explore the differences between relative humidity, specific humidity, and mixing ratio in this detailed explanation.

Discover the complex mechanisms behind the flap system of the Boeing 777, including operation modes, control systems, and emergency procedures.

Learn what adiabatic processes mean in meteorology. Discover the differences between adiabatic and diabatic processes and their impact on weather patterns.

Discover the functioning of spoilers and speedbrakes in the Boeing 777. Learn about their role in roll control and as speed brakes, including manual and autopilot operations.

Learn about the gyroscopic instruments in aviation, including the attitude indicator, heading indicator, and turn coordinator. Understand how they work and their importance for pilots.

Discover the workings of a variable pitch propeller, also known as a constant speed propeller, including its components, operation, and benefits in aircraft engines.

Discover how the rudder control system works in the Triple Seven aircraft. Learn about its operation through rudder pedals, autopilot commands, and rudder trim system.

Explore the aileron and flaperon mechanisms in the Triple Seven aircraft. Learn about their role in roll control and the integration with autopilot systems.

Discover how the elevator mechanism of a Triple Seven aircraft works, including the role of control columns, actuator control electronics, and autopilot integration.

Discover why airplanes can't reach space, the challenges they face, and the technology behind spaceplanes that can. Learn about altitude limits, engine capabilities, and the future of commercial space travel.

Learn about atmospheric pressure, its significance in weather prediction, and how it drives atmospheric motion. Discover how pressure variations affect weather conditions and air movement.

Learn about partial pressure, its significance in atmospheric science, and how it affects weather and air composition. Discover the role of different gases, including water vapour, in atmospheric pressure.

Learn why some airplanes have a split rudder, how it works, and its importance for flight safety, as explained by Captain Joe.

Discover the science behind why fog often appears around Bonfire Night. Learn how autumn weather and bonfire activities contribute to fog formation.

Learn how magnetos work in aircraft ignition systems. This tutorial covers the magneto's components, function, and its importance in ensuring continuous engine operation.

Learn how weather radar systems in aircraft help pilots navigate safely by detecting and displaying weather conditions, ensuring passenger comfort and flight safety.

Discover how airplane stability works, including static and dynamic stability, longitudinal stability, lateral stability, and directional stability in this comprehensive lesson for pilots.

Learn how the horizontal stabilizer functions in the Boeing 777's fly-by-wire system, covering its architecture, ground operation, and interaction with flight control computers for pitch trim adjustments.

Discover the composition and structure of Earth's atmosphere, including its four distinct layers and the chemical makeup. Learn about the varying amounts of water vapour and other gases.

Learn how ILS works, its components like localiser and glide slope, and why it's essential for safe landings, especially in poor visibility conditions.

This detailed explanation covers the mechanics of slats operation through fly-by-wire systems, their positioning, and how these critical components enhance flight control and safety.

This video breaks down Bernoulli's Principle and the role of wing design and relative wind in generating the upward force that allows an aircraft to soar.

This video explains the functioning of VOR, cockpit indications, and its utility in aircraft navigation, highlighting its importance alongside modern GPS systems.

Learn about shielded operations for drone flying, a crucial technique to ensure safe and responsible drone usage near airports and other sensitive areas.

This video offers valuable insights into how pilots can optimise their performance and safety through effective self-care and health management strategies.

This video breaks down the principles of shock waves and how ramjets harness high-speed airflows for propulsion, crucial for aviation and aerospace advancements.

Learn how air pressure measurements fuel key flight instruments like the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator for safe and precise flying.

Learn how GPS became a pivotal part of modern technology and the potential disruptions caused by not updating GPS firmware.

Learn what causes an airplane to spin, how to recognise uncoordinated flight that leads to spins, and the proper recovery procedures.

Discover the fundamentals of drag in aviation, including an in-depth look at induced drag and parasite drag, how they affect aircraft performance, and their relationship with airspeed

Explore how temperature differences and air pressure variations shape the movement of winds from the poles to the equator.

Learn about the technologies and innovations that changed aviation forever, from propeller design to flight control mechanisms.

TCAS operate to prevent mid-air collisions among aircraft, detailing the system's components, function, and critical role in modern aviation safety.

Understand the critical role of APUs in providing electrical and pneumatic power, starting main engines, and acting as a backup during flight emergencies.

Learn about different types of airspeeds, how they impact flight safety, and their importance on the check ride and written exams.

How jet streams influence the development of weather systems through the mechanisms of air movement, pressure variations, and atmospheric interactions.

Understand how these processes contribute to global climate patterns and the potential impacts of increased greenhouse gases.

This detailed explanation covers the concepts of air pressure, both static and dynamic, and how these forces interact to create lift, keeping an aircraft aloft in the Earth's atmosphere.

Explore the fundamentals of how forces and moments of force work together to maintain balance in an aircraft during flight.

Pressure and density altitude play a big role in performance calculations on the test and it's a consistent weak area so let's have a look at it here.

Explore how the position of an aircraft's center of gravity influences its stall speed, specifically examining the effects of a forward center of gravity.

Dive deep into the workings of the pitot static system, a crucial component for measuring an airplane's altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed through atmospheric pressure.

Dive into the harrowing tale of survival and aviation safety with A Mid-Air Explosion Leaves a 737 Passenger Cabin Exposed: Air Disasters.

Discover why these intense, small-scale storms posed a significant threat to aviation before advanced detection technology.

Explore the critical role of jet streams in shaping our weather patterns, including their influence on wind, temperature and weather fronts.

This video delves into the chilling events of April 28, 1988, and the lessons learned from one of aviation's most dramatic air disasters.

Discover how nitrogen generation systems enhance safety by preventing fuel tank explosions in aircraft.

Learn how the Gulf Stream, ocean currents, and atmospheric circulation play pivotal roles in shaping our world's climate.

Understanding the centre of gravity, pitch, yaw, and roll is essential for anyone interested in the mechanics of flight.

In this video we dive into the physics of airfoils, the angle of attack, and how these factors contribute to a plane's lift and potential stall.

Explore the extraordinary engineering behind the Concorde, the iconic supersonic airliner.

Learn how Earth's rotation influences wind direction and debunk common myths about water spinning in plug holes across hemispheres.

Learn about the four cloud categories, explore their combinations and hybrids, and gain insights into the fascinating world of meteorology.

Understand how these angles affect flight dynamics, stability, and control, particularly during stalls.

This video delves into the aerodynamic principles that allow airplanes to achieve successful climb.

Dive deep into the concept of the angle of attack in aviation, its critical role in generating lift, and how it influences an airplane's stalling characteristics.

Explore the scientific differences and advantages between gasoline and diesel engines.

This video breaks down the complex relationship between an aircraft's attitude and its actual flight path.

On a calm day, much like a helium balloon released into the sky, an aircraft ascends in what is termed the angle of climb.

Learn what thermal runaway is, which battery types are susceptible, and how nickel cadmium and lithium ion batteries can pose threats during high charging rates.

Explore the differences between service ceiling and absolute ceiling in aviation with our clear visual guide.

This video delves into the science behind satellite imagery and offers insights into reading and understanding weather phenomena.

This article outlines essential safety information for pilots and aviation professionals for navigating stormy skies.

Aidan and Alex teach you how to name the 9 main cloud types in just 3 minutes.

Navigating through the skies demands a deep understanding of various instrumental readings, among which altimeter pressure settings.

Fog poses a significant challenge to pilots, affecting visibility and complicating takeoffs and landings.

Understand the might and mechanics of microbursts, the intense and localised weather events capable of significant damage.

Explore the vital role of aircraft lighting in ensuring visibility at night, including beacon, strobe, position, and landing lights.

Explore the dynamics of stall speed in aviation, including factors that cause it to change.

Dive into the complexities of corona discharge in aviation, exploring how static electricity affects aircraft and the crucial role of static dischargers.

Explore the advanced engineering behind the SR-71 Blackbird's J58 engine.

Learn about adiabatic cooling and heating, the natural phenomena that explain why air temperature changes with altitude.

Gliders, often celebrated for their engine-free flight capability and impressive wingspans, epitomise the elegance of aviation in its purest form.

Learn the crucial difference between these two types of physical quantities through practical examples like distance, speed, and velocity.

Learn about the forces acting on aircraft, the significance of the lift-to-drag ratio, and how different design elements affect glide efficiency.

Within a cloud where temperatures are below freezing, ice crystals may be encircled by supercooled water droplets.

Pilots experience different flight characteristics of an airplane when flying very close to the ground, especially noticeable during the landing phase.

How does the heading indicator work? This device is one of the six primary flight instruments in an airplane.

The aspect ratio of an airplane wing determines many of its flight characteristics. Find out what they are in this video.

Understanding Relative Airflow takes a little imagination. We hope you will enjoy this super simple explainer.

In this video we explain how snow forms and how it is different from hail and sleet.

You may already be familiar with the "Suck, Squeeze, Bang and Blow" cycle of a typical piston engine.

An airplane wing that points up is not designed just for good looks. This feature is called dihedral and there is a very good reason for it.

In this video we covering key speeds like V1 and V2, which dictate takeoff decision and safety.

Steady and persistent winds which blow on the Equatorial side of the subtropical high pressure systems in both Hemispheres.

Although you can't see it, atmospheric pressure has a huge influence on our weather.

A magnetic compass is composed of a magnet that is attached to a float and a circular compass card that displays your heading in degrees.

Explore expert insights on improving safety at NZ's unattended aerodromes through better communication and awareness.

Incorrect barometric altimeter setting could severely affect the safety margins protecting a variety of approach procedures.

Dive into the phenomenon of the Deep Stall, also known as the Super Stall, in swept wing aeroplanes.

Uncover the science behind induced drag in aviation, a significant factor in aircraft efficiency.

In this video we look at how the rotation of the Earth influences our winds through the Coriolis effect and gives us jet streams and prevailing wind patterns.

Global circulation on our rotating Earth splits the atmosphere into three cells in each hemisphere: the Hadley cell, Ferrel cell and Polar cell.

Learn how differential heating shapes the planet's deserts, climates, and atmospheric patterns.

Discover how altitude affects static pressure, how the VSI measures the rate of altitude change, and what happens when the static port is blocked.

This Video elucidates how aileron deflection affects lift and drag distribution, initiating roll in aircraft.

This video delves into Newton's laws of motion, the concept of centripetal force, and how an airplane uses the lift from its wings to turn.

Learn about manoeuvre load diagrams and their importance in airplane safety. Understand airspeed, load factor, boundaries, and limitations for secure flight operations.

What's the difference in a turn coordinator and a turn and slip indicator, In this video we're also going to talk about how both of them work.

Explore the mechanics behind an aircraft's altimeter. Learn how aneroid capsules respond to changing static pressure, displaying accurate altitude readings to the pilot.

Dive into the intricacies of petrol vs diesel engines. Explore the mechanics, fuel efficiency, and operation differences between these two engine types.

Explore the Coriolis force, an invisible yet crucial factor in Earth's atmospheric dynamics. Understand how this apparent force, stemming from Earth's rotation, impacts wind patterns and weather systems.

Find out how GPS works, some of the roles things such as our own atmosphere has in reducing the accuracy of GPS and also how general relativity effects GPS accuracy too.

Navigation systems are a critical component of any aircraft, allowing pilots to safely navigate through the air and reach their destination.

Total parasite drag is comprised of skin friction, form drag, and interference drag.

Learn about the summer solstice, its impact on daylight duration, and the cultural celebrations surrounding this astronomical event.

A deliberately shaped twist in the wing design is called a washout. The wing is designed in such a way so that in flight the angle of attack at the wing tip is smaller than at the wing root.

The main purpose of the magneto is to provide electrical current to the spark plug so it can ignite the fuel and air mixture at the right time in the engine cycle.

The pilot of an airplane needs to be alert at all times to monitor traffic around the airplane, even when not in contact with air traffic control.

What a pilot sees outside the cockpit informs a lot of what they do inside the cockpit. Unfortunately, that view can also be deceptive.

Depending on the type of aircraft and the weather conditions, the potential effect of an aircraft’s wake turbulence on other aircraft can vary.

A good airport signage helps pilots navigate their way around an unfamiliar airport and is important for safety by helping to identify crucial intersections and crossing runways.

There are numerous signs and marking around the airport that help you navigate your way safely to your destination on the airfield.

The effect of wind on an aircraft's movement is most easily understood and solved by vectors and vector triangles.

Despite what many may think, the key to staying safe as an aging pilot is to get out and fly as often as you can! It’s an undeniable fact that as we age, our bodies change.

Stability is the aeroplane's ability to correct its flightpath for conditions like turbulence or control inputs. There are two main types of stability.

Also known as Asymmetric Blade Effect is an aerodynamic force that causes the propeller's centre of thrust to shift off-centre. Find out how it works in this video.

when the aeroplane executes a balanced turn of sixty degrees angle of bank, aeroplane is experiencing a load factor of positive two G.

The pilot flies an aircraft, manipulating controls that are linked to devices which are called control services. The wing produces an upwards-facing lift.

These three speeds play a major part during the takeoff roll, V1 (Decision Speed), Vr (Rotation Speed), and V2 (Takeoff Safety Speed).

A normal takeoff occurs when the aircraft is departing into a direct headwind from a paved surface with plenty of runway distance available.

Through stabilization of the fluid in the semicircular canals, a pilot may perceive straight and level flight while actually in a banked turn. In this video we talk about the Leans Illusion.

Tornadoes are one of the most violent and dramatic weather types - but how do they form? When the sun heats the ground, air near the surface is warmed and rises.

Clouds form in the atmosphere through the process of condensation, and this process releases latent heat into the atmosphere through which the cloud is forming.

Warm, dry and very gusty wind blowing down the lee side of a major mountain range. Strong Nor-wester which frequently blows from the Hawkes Bay to south Otago.

Delve into the phenomenon of katabatic winds, also known as downslope winds, that occur on clear nights over cool mountain slopes.

Explore the fascinating phenomenon of anabatic winds, also known as upslope winds, that occur over mountain slopes on calm sunny days.

Rotors are small-scale overturning circulations that cause localised changes in wind direction and speed. They are associated with high-amplitude mountains or lee waves.

Dive into the dynamics of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones—severe tropical storms that can cause devastating impacts around the globe.

Tropical cyclones, also called hurricanes and typhoons, cause catastrophic damage when they strike land.

Do you know the difference between Mass and Weight? Watch this video to understand the concepts of mass and weight!

To understand Inertia, we need to look at Newton’s first law of motion again. Here it is, an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays at motion.

When we are in a stationary car that moves rapidly to gain speed, we get pushed back against our seat. So when Velocity changes, we have acceleration.

Absolute Zero is the holy grail of temperatures but even that we know exactly how cold that is -273.15 degrees Celsius, reaching it has alluded us for centuries.

Jet Streams are another name for fast-flowing currents of air. There are many different jet streams that exist at both high and low levels in the atmosphere.

The tropopause is the atmospheric boundary that demarcates the troposphere from the stratosphere; which is two of the five layers of the atmosphere of Earth.

The earth’s atmosphere is the layers of gases that protect the earth from the radiations coming from outer space. Earth's atmosphere can be divided into five main layers.

60% of the world’s population lives in a monsoonal climate, with well-defined dry and wet seasons. What is a monsoon and what causes it.

This weather phenomenon occurs when the ground gets very hot and strong convection takes place. This causes the hot air to rise rapidly, carrying dust.

Clouds, we see them every day in the skies over our heads. But did you know you could make your own in your own home in a bottle.

Are you having a bad hair day, you may be able to blame the weather. On a humid day, straight hair can become wavy and curly hair can become frizzy.

Did you know that the Sun’s light shines differently on Earth at different times of the year.

Mist and fog, hazy horizons, layers of cloud and even persistent rain or drizzle can often be caused by temperature inversions.

A good briefing is essential. Weather in the mountains can change very quickly, so looking for any trends will help.

The flex temperature is an assumed outside air temperature, relatively high, forcing the FADEC unit to reduce the thrust output

I´ll go over some basic details on what defines the cost index, like flight operational costs and how they have an impact on daily flight operations.

The black hole approach is a serious risk during night VFR operations in terrain. In this video, we will show why black hole approaches occur and what you can do to avoid them.

The following Crew Resource Management training video shows an overly enthusiastic first officer, Paul Keane, preparing for a flight.

An abrupt change from climb to the straight-and-level flight can stimulate the otolith organs enough to create the illusion of tumbling backward or an inversion illusion.

The development of measuring systems is a great human accomplishment. The early Egyptians created a unit of length, the cubit, based on the human forearm.

We all know that the nautical mile is a different length from the statute mile. But why is that? Where does this measurement come from, anyway?

Human bodies are governed by circadian clocks, these clocks keep our internal systems in almost exactly 24-hour repeating patterns

When is it safe to fly after having a diving expedition, this is a major concern for divers. During basic training for divers, they learn that they should not go flying right after diving.

There are lots of ways to mess this up but hand propping can be a great way to start an aircraft engine, and with a vintage aircraft like this, it may be the only way.

In this video, we'll look at the major components of an aircraft, although aeroplanes are designed for a variety of purposes, nearly all of them have the same major components.

In this lesson, we're going to be looking at a basic navigational concept known as pushing the head and pulling the tail of the needle.

Jet engines have been the successful drivers of aircraft for nearly a century now. In this video, we will explain the technology behind the jet engine in a logical step-by-step manner.

Lift and the Coefficient of Lift are not the same things, in fact, the coefficient of lift is an element of the formula that determines lift.

Track and heading are not the same things. Let's have a look at what makes them different. The direct route you plan to fly from point a to point b on the earth's surface is called Track.

An airliner that has a large wingspan may experience a high-speed aileron reversal. At the wing root the wing structure is strong and rigid

We're just going to explain a little bit about why Valley Fog forms and why it is such a common phenomenon over winter.

Every few years the El Nino phenomenon kicks into life in the pacific ocean around the equator, it can affect weather around the world, changing the odds of floods, drought and heatwaves.

Kerosene is widely used to power jet engines, you may need to know why kerosene is heavier than avgas.

Coffin corner refers to the point at which the Flight Envelope boundary defined by a high incidence stall intersects with that defined by the critical Mach number.

Common to some aeroplane types, such as the training Piper Aircraft fleet, the propeller shaft is angled by a few degrees to the right.

In this video, you will learn what happens to the stall speed when aeroplanes turn. Does it increase, decrease, or does it stay the same?

If you have a turbocharger or supercharger in your plane, it means you're able to blast off to cruise altitudes that normally aspirated engines could only dream of.

Measures the electrical current flowing into or out of the battery. It is very important for the pilot to understand this as it can indicate a potential problem in the aircraft’s electrical system.

Detonation causes a very rapid pressure spike near the peak pressure point for a very brief period of time. Pre-ignition causes tremendous pressure that is present for a very long time.

When the starter cranks the engine, a spring-loaded flyweight in the impulse coupling catches on a stationary stop pin mounted on the magneto case. This stops the magneto shaft from turning further.

A simple gauge that measures the load on the alternator it's very important for the pilot to understand this gauge as it can indicate a potential problem in the aircraft's electrical system.

A spin is a yaw-aggravated stall that results in rotation about the spin axis. The aircraft follows a steep, "corkscrew" downward path.

Occurs when an aircraft rolls in one direction while yawing in the opposing direction. That’s a classic damped yaw oscillation, with a roll and, to a lesser extent, sideslip combined altogether.

There are 8 different types of lights installed on an Airbus A320. In this video, I will be explaining all the EXTERIOR lights on an Airbus A320. Where they are installed and their purpose and meaning.

In this video, the main characteristics of the great circle routes and the rhumb lines are explained.

This video explains how to determine the distance between two points defined by geographic coordinates.

If you've thought of upgrading to a faster or more powerful airplane, then you may have heard of these "constant-speed" propellers. What are they? How do they work?

Flying through turbulence can be stressful and fatiguing, so it's good to understand where and how it happens. Here are the 4 most common types of turbulence.

The pitot-static system includes a few components: a pitot tube and one or more static ports—which you’ve likely checked numerous times during the preflight.

In this video what we’re going to do is go over the principles of a gyroscope. Then we’ll talk about each of the instruments individually.

Coriolis discovered that any object in motion relative to a rotating frame of reference (the earth) will deflect to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

A barometer is an instrument that measures air pressure, allowing weather forecasters and scientists to better predict extreme weather events.

This video introduces you to the the 200-20 method of working out reciprocal headings.

This tutorial covers the transition from analog to digital displays, focusing on how the G1000 system centralises flight information and enhances pilot interaction.

This video is a must-watch for pilots seeking to enhance their understanding of aerodrome operations and ensure safe, conflict-free flying.

A thorough understanding of the primary and secondary effects of control inputs is the basis of all future flying.

In this video, we show the components of the electrical system on board the Cessna 172S. Here you will learn how electricity is generated and distributed throughout the airplane.

QNH is a ‘Q’ code that indicates atmospheric pressure adjusted to mean sea level for a given place and temperature. Like most countries, the QNH unit of measurement used in New Zealand is the international standard hectopascal (hPa).

A constant speed unit (variable-pitch propeller) is a complex topic. This video is a simplified representation of the mechanics behind a common CSU.

Please note a clarification to this video: Only "V²" is highlighted as IAS in this video but ideally "½ρV²" should have been highlighted as IAS. V = Velocity which is True Airspeed (TAS). ½ ρV² = Dynamic Pressure which is closer to Indicated Airspeed (IAS).

Struggling with Pressure Altitude calculations? I have made a video for you where I explain in detail what it is and how to calculate it.

Explore the vital role of oil systems in aircraft engines, ensuring optimal performance and safety.

In this video, we show you how fuel is stored, transferred, and distributed to the engine of the Cessna 172S.

Although it is not a major component of the Cessna, the hydraulic system plays an important role in many aircraft. In this video, we teach you the principles of hydraulic systems.

In this video, you will learn the major components that make up the engine, and how each relates to the operation of the airplane.

Learn about trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, and reserves required for safe and efficient flight planning.

In this video I will share with you hacks and tricks for simple mental math we pilots use in flight.