VSL Aviation

Comment ACCIDENT below and I'll send you the full breakdown, including charts and a link to the FAA database that tracks daily accidents and incidents.

There were 78 accidents and incidents in the first 11 days of June. Nearly 80% occurred during takeoff or landing, and more than half of those happened during landing alone.

Loss of control during landing remains one of the leading contributors to aviation accidents and incidents in the United States. What can we learn from this trend?

I have some thoughts on what we could be doing better in training. Comment ACCIDENT to learn more.

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Picking the correct type of holding entry can be a confusing topic for a new instrument pilot. Interestingly enough, most modern avionics will tell you what entry method to use. Fun fact - all three types are just suggestions so as long as you stay within protected airspace you are good to go!

In this clip (just part of a full video you can find on YouTube) I demonstrate how the Garmin 430/530 will automatically adjust holding pattern size as well as tell you what entry method to use.

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One of my favorite questions to ask private pilot applicants during their checkride is "what does carburetor heat protect you from?"

Most everyone says carburetor icing and then leaves it at that. But the correct answer is that it protects against two failure modes:
1. Carburetor Icing
2. Intake failure

The intake itself can fail or malfunction for several different reasons but in the end we can provide our engine with an alternate source of air by opening the carburetor heat.

This is a clip from a Livestream I did with Josh from

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Comment SOCKS to receive a link to this full YouTube video!

Turning early on a missed approach is dangerous in the real world and could cost you a disapproval on your instrument checkride. Checkout the full video breakdown on YouTube. Just comment SOCKS to receive a link to the video as well as a link to the Garmin 400/500 simulator I use on all the videos you see in this channel.

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👇 COMMENT "COMPLEX" below and I'll instantly DM you the direct link to read the official FAA Herman LOI shown in this video!

​Can you legally log PIC time in a complex aircraft BEFORE you have the actual endorsement? ✈️

​The answer is YES—as long as you are the sole manipulator of the controls and you hold the appropriate category and class ratings (Airplane Single Engine Land in this scenario).

​A lot of flight schools and CFIs get this wrong because they confuse acting as PIC with logging PIC. The FAA explicitly cleared up this exact logbook trap in the Herman 2009 Legal Interpretation.

​Don’t let tribal hangar myths mess up your logbooks or cost you points on your checkride oral exam.

​🔍 Want to audit the official FAA letter yourself?
Just comment COMPLEX below, and my automation will instantly slide into your DMs with the direct link to the full breakdown and the official PDF on my site!

​ cfi checkrideprep aviationdemystified vslaviation pilotlogbook

👇 COMMENT "HOLD" below and I'll instantly DM you the link to this complete 4-part series hub, the free flight simulator, and the FAA cheat sheets!

Think every leg of a holding pattern is a perfect 1-minute block? Think again.

If you roll wings-level outbound into a 20-knot headwind and blindly hit your timer for exactly 60 seconds, your groundspeed drops significantly. You won't travel far enough away from the fix. When you turn back inbound, that tailwind will increase your groundspeed and leave you with a 30sec inbound leg.

Nailing your holding procedures isn't about flying a rigid, perfect circle; it’s an iterative, lap-by-lap adjustment process. If your inbound leg was 30 seconds too short, you have to add that exact deficit to your next outbound leg.

Let's look at how the math actually plays out using the Slant Alpha Simulator to get those inbound legs stabilized right at 60 seconds.

Clear up the confusion before your instrument oral:

checkrideprep ifr aviationdemystified vslaviation holdingpattern

Ever wondered if you can log SIC time when the PIC has a single-pilot waiver or rating? It's not as simple as you think. Learn when SIC time is truly loggable and when it's not, based on aircraft certification, operating limitations, and required crew members.

Ever wondered how to get that SIC type rating? Your buddy can help! Learn the regulations, from 61.55 to 61.167, and discover the IACRA application process. Whether flying domestically or internationally, this guide breaks down the steps to earning your rating.

Learn how to manage messages and errors during flight approaches. Discover built-in tools that act as risk management and error-catching features, guiding you through frequency changes and CDI source settings. Understand when an approach is no longer legal and what to do.

Many pilots believe activating an approach is necessary to fly it, but that's not true. You only need to start flying one of the fixes within the approach. Activating the approach is just a shortcut to the first point.