It’s amazing what you can do with a flight simulator these days.
Flight simulators are used extensively for pilot training, especially for complex and very expensive aircraft. While obviously they cannot substitute for real flying time, they do provide excellent learning opportunities for a very low cost and total safety.
Today’s common, inexpensive simulator programs are far and away better than even professional, FAA approved simulators of only a dozen years ago. You can get sophisticated control mechanisms like yokes and pedals, throttle quadrants, dual screens, and so on.
Plus, you can do a host of other things …. to learn more, see this section http://www.livingpictures.org/flightsimulator.htm
A Commercial Pilot License is one that allows a pilot to fly aircraft and be recruited by a company for the same. As with driving, the license covers all types of aircraft for which the holder is qualified e.g. multi-engine, single-engine, sea-planes, etc.
The license is issued by the governing aviation authorities once the pilot has completed his training with a qualified instructor and has the necessary experience and knowledge. Most pilots get their basic training from private flying institutes; those who have started out with the armed forces get all the training and experience from there.
Certification comes in five categories. Pilot certificates include a student certificate that is issued by the aviation medical examiner. It is not mandatory to have any knowledge or experience; you must only meet the medical requirements. Then there is a sport certificate, where the applicant must have a minimum of five hours of solo flying. This is followed by a private pilot certificate, where the pilot must have thirty-five hours of flying, which includes twenty hours with an instructor and five of solo flying, some night flying, and cross-country flying; it also requires the pilot to clear an oral exam.
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Flying, probably one of the greatest achievements of modern civilization, has its roots in the legends of the ancient world. Man has always been fascinated with this concept of defying gravity and has spent many a day wondering whether it would ever be achieved. Once the Wright Brothers took flight, there was no looking back, and man continues to fly to greater glory with each passing day.
With the advent of flying, there arose various related aspects, and pilot training is one very important factor.
The word “aviator” is most likely derived from the Latin word Aviatrix, also used to denote lady pilots. An aviator can be described as someone who flies an airplane either professionally or for pleasure.
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Marine helicopter pilots have the distinction of flying some of the oldest and some of the newest helicopters in the US inventory. A career as a Marine helicopter pilot offers excitement, challenge, and adventure. The Marines operate a variety of different helicopters each performing its own specific mission.
The AH-1Z Cobra is an attack helicopter whose lineage can be traced back to Vietnam. The Cobra can carry an assortment of ammunition including but not limited to machine guns, cannons, rockets, air to ground missiles and air to air missiles. The cobra carries out a number of different functions. It supports marines on the ground. It attacks enemy armor, troops, and fortified positions. It also escorts other helicopters into landing zones where hostile fire is expected. Because of its thin profile the cobra can be very difficult to target by gunners on the ground. The Cobra has a crew of two pilots.
The UH-1 Huey is another helicopter that can not only trace is lineage back to Vietnam but was made famous by Vietnam. The Huey is used for utility missions. That’s everything from ferrying troops and cargo to transporting VIPs. The Huey has a crew of three, two pilots and a crew chief.
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A private pilot license can be obtained in the U.S. as long as you’re over 16 and can pass a Physical- a basic license allows you to fly single-engine aircraft. You can upgrade to a commercial or professional license as you continue on your quest. Here’s how to get a private pilot license:
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The private pilot license requirements are broken down into a few different sections. In most cases you will see something like this:
40 Hours Total
20 Hours Dual Instruction
10 Hours Solo
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