>I'm not sure what kinds of other heavy scientific computing you've done, but CFD is a very difficult field and takes years to understand.

CFD isn't this difficult.

On one side you have partial differential equations (PDEs) describing fluid flow. On the other side you have numerical methods used to solve those PDEs. Put the two together, implement it in code, and you get a rudimentary CFD simulation. For CS students, who typically already have knowledge of numerical methods, coding one of these basic simulations can be done within a semester's worth of focused effort. Venturing into finer, more complex domains and trying to model more advanced flow phenomenons do indeed require years of study, but a beginner -- a 3rd year CS undergrad of all people -- has no need to deal with that stuff when all they want to accomplish is to get their feet wet with the inner workings of the simplest CFD simulation.

So let's not intimidate the poor kid and not oversell the profession. A lot of people love pretending like this stuff is black magic, presumably because it promotes job security, but it just isn't. There are lots of people doing CFD that come from CS and Applied Math backgrounds instead of Engineering or Physics. They all started somewhere. So can the OP.

-------------------------------------

@ /u/AnotherBrownBike

Khan Academy Physics, Fluid Dynamics lectures are your best friend in this.

I would recommend that you start with getting a decent physical understanding of incompressible (also called divergence-free) advection-diffusion equation. This is a simple PDE that describes how particles (or other quantities like energy) are transferred inside a physical system due to the process of diffusion and advection (aka convection). Solving this equation using a numerical solution method for PDEs (such as finite volume or finite element) will allow you to practice the fundamental underpinnings of a CFD code.

Finite Volume methods are more popular in CFD than finite element methods, because they're mathematically easier for people who have a robust understanding of fluid mechanics. That's not going to be the case for you, because you're not studying fluids academically. I would recommend that you focus on finite element methods instead. These are mathematically more challenging -- using them with fluid PDEs require stabilization terms (like SUPG or GLS) to prevent the solution from oscillating. However, the application of finite element methods to fluid PDEs require essentially no knowledge of the physics behind the PDE. It's pure mathematics, and you as a CS student should be well equipped to handle this.

If you're not familiar with finite element methods for solving PDEs, I would strongly recommend starting with a Python library called FEniCS. This is a brilliant finite element solver that allows you to input the bilinear form of your partial differential equation (Google what "bilinear form" is for finite element methods) in Python and generate a solution. This will allow you to practice the mathematics of finite element methods without getting tangled up in the code implementation of the solution process. Solve the Poisson equation first, and then the advection-diffusion.

Simple solvers you might like working with:

EasyCFD -- Educational program intended to teach the basics of a "black-box" CFD solver.

CFD Python -- A Python program designed with a 12-step lesson plan to solving Navier-Stokes equations.

PyFR -- Another Python-based flow solver. Documentation is a bit sparse, so you need an understanding of how CFD works to use it. But once you have that, PyFR's open-source nature allows you to break apart an actual full CFD solver and look at its components before trying to write your own.

Useful literature you might want to check out from your campus library:

White, Fluid Mechanics and/or Cengel and Cimbala, Fluid Mechanics -- Basically the two beginner level fluid mechanics bibles, depending on who you ask. An overwhelming number of engineers out there have had one or the other as their textbook in school. They're both fantastic. Flip a coin.

Moin, Fundamentals of Engineering Numerical Analysis -- Yet another undergraduate bible, this time on numerical methods commonly used by engineers (of all types). It covers material so crucial in all scientific computing that one of my doctoral qualification examiners specifically requested that I know this book from cover to cover.

Anderson, Computational Fluid Dynamics -- Superb introductory book that covers most everything related to CFD. If you're going to buy anything in this list, buy this one.

Hughes, Finite Element Methods -- The bible on finite element methods. The book focuses on structural applications (which do not require stabilization terms) but the mathematics involved are identical regardless of the physics behind the PDE, so this is still a very useful reference.

Zienkiewicz, Taylor and Nithiarasu, Finite Element Method for Fluid Dynamics -- Great supplement to Hughes' book for anyone using FEM on fluid flow. Covers stabilized methods, starting with easy equations (like advection-diffusion) and scaling up all the way to turbulent flows (which you shouldn't bother with right now).

Anderson, Fundamentals of Aerodynamics -- Just putting this down in case you ever need to specifically learn about aerodynamic applications of fluid flow.

Anderson, Introduction to Flight -- Used nationwide as an introductory aerospace engineering book. I recommend it to everybody outside of the industry who wants to work/study in it. Superfluously covers every aspect of the discipline, from structures to propulsion, from aerodynamics to flight control, from aviation to space.

Panton, Incompressible Flow -- Often used as a graduate level book on theoretical fluid mechanics. Focused mathematical approach. Not an easy read, required some prerequisite knowledge of fluid flow (overview of the fundamentals is very brief), but it's the next logical step up when you're ready to take your fluid work further.

If you're starting the training process, the first thing you should start doing is preparing for the knowledge exam, and the PPL test prep book (2020) is the best place to start. These are effectively the questions you'll see on the exam, if not THE questions. Most CFIs/pilots treat this as an SAT score, get >90% and you'll get taken more seriously. You'll need a FAR/AIM, which at first seems daunting but quickly becomes a bedside book. Jeppessen Private Pilot Manual is a good resource which consolidates a lot of the information nicely, and provides nice plots for things that otherwise feel a bit disjointed (e.g. medical certificate requirements, airspace).

Books that are helpful in terms of learning helicopter dynamics, my favorite by far is Principles of Helicopter Flight, as well as Cyclic and Collective. Many people like the Helicopter Flying Handbook, but as someone who knows better (I'm a PhD trained physicist), I found it to be garbage. The authors try to simplify things down to make it accessible to a lay person, but get a lot of things flat out wrong or are just plain sloppy with their descriptions. PoHF on the other hand isn't overly complicated, but provides a very clean and correct description of helicopter dynamcics. Don't be dazzled by the bright colors and pictures in HFH. Learning to Fly Helicopters is one I found to be a fun read, which lightly touches on flight details, but provides a lot of tangential tidbits around real world situations.

Study the Pilot Operating Handbook's for your training helicopter(s)! If you got some spare money, I'd recommend buying them (Robinson's can be found at their website, either free PDF or for purchase for ~$60). As you get closer to your check ride, you'll want to become more familiar with the Practical Test Standards which is the rubric the examiner will test you on, and there's several oral exam guide (general, helicopter) which are quite helpful.

I'd also recommend recording your rides and re-watching them. I did this and it was very helpful to go back and see what was happening, much like a quarterback watching film on Monday morning. You can find my PPL training videos on my YouTube channel, which includes my full check ride!

I also bought other books / resources, but these are effectively the only ones I used for my PPL, and I got 100% on the knowledge exam and also crushed the check ride. Best of luck in your journey!

Why your plan is awesome

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I really like this topic. Hopefully this isn't so late that it's useless.

Most people will tell you that a home simulator is useless or worse than useless for PPL training. I disagree, provided you use it correctly. Let me break it down a bit. When you're flying, this is basically what's going on:

1. Every 10ms: Adjust control inputs in response to the feeling of the controls.
   
2. Every 100ms: Adjust control inputs in response to the sight picture of the cowling and wings relative to the horizon.
   
3. Every 1-5s: Adjust the sight picture you're trying to achieve based on the information on your instruments.
   
4. Every 1-5m: Check engine instruments, navigation, talk to ATC, etc.
   
   So, that basic model isn't exactly accurate in all phases of flight, but it's a reasonable approximation. Here's the thing. A good desktop sim can teach you all of those but the first one. Why wouldn't you want a tool that can mostly teach you how to fly for $0/hr after setup costs? I did this for my PPL training and had excellent results.
   
   

   How to use a sim effectively
   

   
   You can definitely build terrible habits in a home sim, and that's why they have a bad reputation for PPL students. However, there are some easy things you can do to avoid that.
   
   

• Get your feet wet with the XPlane Learn to Fly tutorial. You'll make lots of mistakes, but starting with something fun will keep you motivated.
  
• Read the PHAK.
  
• Read the AFH. The AFH details all the maneuvers you'll need to learn during PPL training. Learn how to do them in your sim!
  
• Learn how an airplane actually flies. I recommend Stick and Rudder and See How it Flies.
  
• Do not fixate on your instruments! Practice maneuvers with the instruments covered or failed, then check to see how you did. E.g. cover the instruments, do a 360 degree 30 degree bank turn, and then uncover the instruments to see if you gained or lost altitude. Do this until your error is < 50ft. You MUST learn to fly by looking outside.
  
• Don't fly with trim. This is hard in a sim because our yokes are dumb. In a real airplane, you set the yoke where it needs to be and trim until the pressure goes away. The yoke never moves. In a sim, it's a tricky dance where you hold pressure and then slowly ease it back to the center while trimming. It sucks, but it's way better than flying by trim, which will cause endless pitch and altitude oscillations.
  
• Once you can fly a pattern without embarrassing yourself, get online with PilotEdge. Trust me, it's a fantastic training experience and just plain fun.
  
• Once you start real flying lessons, ask your instructor what you'll be covering in each lesson a few days before. Then practice those tasks in the sim beforehand. This will save tons of time in the air because you'll be polishing and transferring skills instead of learning them fresh. For bonus points, practice until you can meet the Airman Certification Standards in the sim where applicable.
  
• Use the sim to practice things that would be unsafe in real life. Engine failure on takeoff? No problem in the sim. Elevator failure? Sure, why not. Lost coms procedure? Hop on PilotEdge and do it.
  
  

  Hardware recommendations:
  

  
  

• Yoke / Joystick: If you'll be flying something with a yoke, I'd get a yoke. I 100% agree with XPlane's recommendation of the CH Eclipse unless you're ready to drop $1500 on an Iris. Saitek's yokes look nicer, but their pitch axis sticks, which is infuriating. It basically makes precise pitch control impossible, which is the single most important part of a yoke.
  
• Rudder pedals: I have the CH rudder pedals and have no complaints except I wish they required a bit more force. I've also used the Saitek pedals, and they're fine too.
  
• Trim Wheel: Unfortunately Saitek discontinued their trim wheel, and it's now a bit pricey used. You definitely need one. I don't have experience with other options.
  
• Throttles: The Saitek throttle quadrant is great, and I love the fact that it comes with a nice row of buttons underneath. Alternately, you can use the throttles built into the yoke. I did that for a while, but found that reaching over the yoke to adjust the throttle was causing strain on my shoulder and giving me headaches.
  
• Head tracking: Not sure if you'll need this with 6 displays. I've got 3 set up for a 180 degree FOV, and I definitely need it. For pattern work, you really need a 270 degree FOV so you can look back at the runway. Also, it's really helpful to be able to lean forward, backward, and side to side so you can spot things that are behind the pillars. Obviously you won't go wrong with a TrackIR, but I've had great success with the DelanClip which is much cheaper.
  
• Switches and radios: Once again, Saitek makes some reasonably nice gear here. IMO this is completely optional for PPL practice.
  
• ATC: A subscription to PilotEdge is AMAZING for learning radio work and how to navigate airspace.
  
  Since you said money is not an issue, you might consider some more expensive hardware options. I have no experience with any of those, but they sure look nice :)

1. I never went to one of the pilot mill schools, so I don't really have an opinion. I did call them once a few years ago to ask about their multi engine rating program - which I believe has since been discontinued as an a la carte option - and the guy on the phone was a prick who seemed to think that a $6,000 multi engine rating was the cheapest I would find and that everyone takes out loans so I should too. That didn't sit well with me at all. Anyways, I have heard good and bad things about them. From what I have heard, you will do better there if you are very self-driven and can put up with sleeping, eating, breathing, and pissing airplanes for 6 or 7 months straight. They don't seem to be too bad of a deal in this hiring environment.
   
   
2. Glass cockpits are just more expensive. Some people will argue that "Everyone is going to glass and to stay competitive you need to know how to use it..." and to that, I say that you can go buy Microsoft Flight Simulator for $30 and you will have glass cockpits in there that are nearly identical to the real deal and you can learn them that way for now. More importantly though, for you Private Pilots License, you need to spend nearly all your time looking outside the airplane. The glass will invite you to stare at it because it is cool and powerful, but that will only hinder your abilities right now. IF you do want to go glass, wait until your instrument rating... and even then I would encourage you to get your IR in an airplane with no glass. It is MUCH easier to go to glass on instruments than to try to figure out how to fly a DME arc on analogue when you learned on glass. Heck, I did my IR training in an airplane with no glass, no GPS, and no distance measuring equipment, so we had to time all of our approaches or use cross radials and beacons. No, that was not in 1960 either - that was in 2015. I didn't care for it at the time but I am much more confident because of it.
   
   
3. All the Private Pilot books located here as well as Stick and Rudder. In that first link you can also find free PDFs of the FAA publications or buy them (which I would personally recommend, as having the physical book is much better).
   
   
4. Other questions would be anything that you are curious about. Let them know your priorities and see if they think you would be a good fit. When you get with an instructor, also let them know your priorities. If they are able to and are decent people, they will try to accommodate you. For example, I told my instructor during PPL training that money was very tight and that I wanted to be as efficient as possible so she told me that she would do what she could to minimize billable hours so long as I showed up 150% ready to go and studied up. Your instructor won't be able to help you with your needs - whatever they are - unless they know about them.
   
   
5. My John Travolta status dream would be to own and fly a battleship gray United 737-500 and I think that is because that was my earliest memory of airplanes, what I grew up on, and what flew over my house as a kid. That color scheme just wins and there is nothing today that even comes close to looking that cool. If I were to have a realistic dream flying job... I am not too sure. I've learned that the specific airplane is not so important. I would rather have good quality of life that involves being home nearly every night (maybe Hawaii/South Pacific/Europe a few times a year) and live somewhere like Central Oregon while being paid well. If I had those requirements met, it doesn't matter what I am flying, though I would prefer a jet of some kind. I think Falcons are cool, as are Globals, CJs, BBJs, and Gulfstreams.

I think X-Plane is great. I have tons of fun flying in it. It is definitely a hardcore simulator and does not contain any game-like modes.

There is FSEconomy which can work with X-Plane to add an economy metagame but I have never tried it.

There is Smart Copilot which lets two people fly the same aircraft at once which is pretty cool for some of the really complex aircraft like the FlyJSim 737-200 in that video.

There is PilotEdge and Vatsim for online flying with real live person ATC and traffic.

Pretty sure it has built in multiplayer too but I have never tried it.

You want to go here to download all sorts of free addons and planes. If you have a fast computer you can get even higher resolution scenery here.

I love using xplane for learning about real world general aviation flying. A copy of The Private Pilot Handbook plus Skyvector can teach you a lot!

There are a couple of things that are annoying about xplane however.

• The default ATC sucks, so many people use pilotedge and vatsim but if you don't want to (or aren't confident in your skills to) talk to real controllers then you are kinda stuck without much ATC. I have heard good things about Pilot2ATC for offline ATC but have not tried it myself.
  
• Cloud / weather rendering isn't very good. Overcast looks OK but nice puffy cumulus look like someone took a can of cheap spraypaint to the sky.
  
• Most airports don't have any buildings at them yet and are just runways/taxiways. They are adding a system to allow for user submission of airport layouts so that problem should start to go away soon. There are also a lot of free airport scenery downloads for popular airports.
  
• AI traffic is pretty useless. 747s will try to land and take off at remote grass strips in Alaska.
  
• You need a beast of a computer to have it look really nice. I run an i7 2600k@4.2ghz and a GTX770 4GB and get acceptable performance at medium-high settings. That being said turn on HDR lighting, turn up the cars, and fly over a city at night -- it will blow your mind how good the lighting engine is.
  
  
  

For what it is worth, I had done a good chunk of my PPL work back in 1993/94 and had a very long gap when I started up again in 2014. The first couple hours in the plane/radio were comical, but it only took about four hours before they cut me loose to solo xc again. Once you have your license, you don't lose it - but you do need to do an every other year review with an instructor (or add a rating) so he is due for his biannual review.

They did switch to a plastic license, so have him spend the $2 and fill out the form to get the updated version. The paper license is no longer valid. (do this sooner rather than later)

The medical could be easy, or could be a blocker. If he is taking meds for blood pressure or an array of other FAA issue items, that may prevent him from flying without spending a bunch of money on testing.

Were I him trying to do it cheap...

• I'd look for a place that is doing PPL ground school. My home base ran a 'free if you attended most the sessions' setup. It would be good review for the new airspaces and other things he will need in his biannual review. Of of the King/sporties/etc videos might be worth the $100 or so too.
  
  
• Get a picture of the cockpit he wants to fly in and a copy of the checklists. Be familiar with the procedures and be able to chair fly the maneuvers. Know the core V... numbers for the airplane, fuel burn, weight and balances.
  
  
• If his home field is towered, see if there is a liveatc.net streaming of the radio traffic. I found a copy of Say Again Please was really helpful for getting on the radio too. If there is no tower, a good handheld radio makes a great gift idea.
  
  ... and then schedule time with an instructor to actually fly. Things get expensive when people try to learn/remember these sorts of things while burning 100LL.
  
  One of the biggest changes are the hand held gadgets available to him. An ipad mini/gps with foreflight provides an amazing amount of information for planning and executing a flight. (Another great gift idea) There are some android options too, but one of the best is only available on IOS.

I found that Stick and Rudder is a good book on actually flying the plane. There are some technical inaccuracies (I'm an engineer so this bothers me, but others it might not so much) but it is a great for pilotage and helping with getting a feel for the plane. It's also a very good introductory book for flying, nothing too technical, just flying.

You can always study and take your written exam, many people think this should wait till you have some flight experience and that definitely helps, but you could still take it. The FAA manuals linked by /u/theygoup are good and free but boring. Rod Machado's PPL Book has similar information but is a little easier to read and has lots of really corny jokes, only $40 or $60 bucks, I refer to it much more often than the FAA manuals.

Sims could never hold my attention very long but I imagine there is some benefit to them, even if it's just instrument prep.

EDIT: I forgot, get a copy of the FAR/AIM from sporty's or someone (I prefer a print copy) or just refer to the online version. A lot of good information is there

Then definitely go for it.

Pick up (or get it from the library) a copy of Introduction to Flight by John Anderson (you can also get the international version on ebay for like $40-50). It was (is?) the book used in MAE 262, which would be your first aero specific class. It's actually a useful text even if it's not still used. We ended up looking up a lot of things in it during senior design.

Regardless of which major you end up in, get involved with a club like the Aerial Robotics Club, Rocketry, AIAA, ASME, Wolfpack Motorsports. They all look good on a resume, especially if you end up in a leadership role, and they're also lots of fun and a great way to put what you've learned into practice and a way to learn things you wouldn't learn in class. ARC and Rocketry would also be useful for aero senior design.

Also, get a co-op or internship as soon as possible and keep getting them until you graduate. They help a lot when looking for a job.

If you end up in aero, AIAA meetings are a great place to meet and network with people from industry. They have speakers fairly often and sometimes the speakers are there specifically to recruit.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

• Aerodynamics: Anything written by John Anderson. Specifically Fundamentals of Aerodynamics is a good general text. I have every book he's written and they're all pillars of excellent teaching. If you're just looking to get started, I teach incoming freshmen from his Introduction to Flight book which is very easy to pick up regardless of your level of knowledge.
  
  
• Jet Propulsion: Aircraft Propulsion by Saeed Farokhi. Don't let the name scare you away. This book is my engine bible. He's an excellent professor and his book is a labor of love.
  
  
• Rocket Propulsion: Rocket Propulsion Elements by Sutton & Biblarz is the standard and is the reference I keep on hand for rocket data and theory.
  
  
• Aircraft Design: Jan Roskam's Aircraft Design Series (8 books) contain an amazing wealth of information and serve as a 'cookbook' for aircraft design. Some of the information is dated and it's not always easy to read, but it's the only place you'll find a lot of the information. As a second reference, I keep Nicolai's Fundamentals of Aircraft & Airship Design Part 1 on hand as well. It's very easy to read and I feel it's superior in approach and presentation to Raymer's Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach which is what I originally learned from.

I'm just starting down the PPL journey myself, and here are a few links that have helped me out along the way...


MZeroA Flight Training Jason does a really great job dissecting everything into it's component parts.

Our very own Schteevie may be better known to you as FlightChops and puts together some really great videos about his flight experiences. He's Canadian, and thus super critical of himself, but we won't hold that against him. ;) Seriously though, the amount of humility this guy shows in his videos is awesome and really "grounds" the series. (no pun intended.)

ShareAviation.com is yet-another-resource that a few of the aforementioned pilots are a part of. It's more like a gathering of people, but you can use this as a spring-board to find a wealth of valuable information.

A few books that have also helped me along the way:

FAA Airplane Flying Handbook is a little light on the technical details, but details flight maneuvers you should work on and whatnot. Link goes to Amazon.

FAA's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is a lot more dense, but dives into a lot more of the mechanical concepts (and math!) of flying. Link goes to Amazon.

I bought this book and it was really helpful. Super super thorough. It was probably just as difficult if not a little more difficult than the test. I also bought this book. It was extremely easy, and I would not recommend it for preparation.

I first did the Peterson's practice test to find out what I needed to study and improve on. Then I studied out of the books. A week before the test I bought one practice tested from AFOQTguide.com. I also signed up for the news letter which got me a second (outdated) practice test for free.

I did pretty well. My scores were P94/N89/AA87/V89/Q68. I'm just a pretty average dude when it comes to academics so I think my studying is what really helped me.

Buy this book immediately: http://www.amazon.com/Pilots-Handbook-Aeronautical-Knowledge-FAA-H-8083-25A/dp/1619540207/ref=pd_sim_b_7. It pretty much has everything you want to know about all aspects of flight. Great continuous, repeated read.

After you're flying for a bit, right around when you're at solo status (either pre or post XC), you'll want to get this book: http://www.amazon.com/Visualized-Flight-Maneuvers-Handbook-Handbooks/dp/1560275219/ref=pd_sim_b_48. For your PPL license you'll need to demonstrate a number of maneuvers with proficency, and this is a great reference for all of them.

When you're studying for your PPL written, grab this book:http://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Test-Prep-2014/dp/1560279788/ref=pd_sim_b_23. Helped me a ton.

When you're getting ready for your checkride, get this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560279494/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Also, get an iPad and Foreflight. While you'll hear a ton from pilots about getting started too early with electronics during your training, the main thing to steer clear of is using it for in-flight navigation and relying on it for GPS. You have to learn dead reckoning, pilotage and old(er) school navigation like VORs. It's great for flight planning and the digital charts are incredible but I still plan out my flights using a paper flight plan. Also, it has a documents section that's just fantastic for downloading good FAA reads like the FAR/AIM, your aircraft's POH and a ton of other downloadable documents.

Love to hear some other suggestions.

Depends how much knowledge you're starting with. There are plenty of books. And lots of simulation software. I'm pretty sure you can even take classes, including the official ground school classes, and even flying lessons. The only age limit is on actually getting your license to fly solo, you can still fly dual (With an instructor) at any age. Of course, this gets expensive, and young age tends to limit your budget unless your parents are very supportive and generous.

That said I would say start with books and software. For books, assuming you are in the USA, the FAA publishes lots of free resources and here are some other useful suggestions. I am also a fan of From The Ground Up which is actually used as the official training manual in Canada (but this is the US edition).

For software, either Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane are excellent choices. Once you have a little more experience, both can connect to the VATSIM network, which is a group of volunteer air traffic controllers who strive to provide as realistic as possible radio control environment, flight tracking, and navigation services to simulator pilots. The DCS series is also worthy of consideration, despite being combat focused, as it contains by far the most detailed simulation of all the boring and usually forgettable details that you will have to know when you actually climb into an airplane. You can easily spend a few hours just learning where all the controls and switches are, before you even figure out how to follow the checklist, nevermind start the engines.

Finally, if all that's a little bit too intensely realistic for you, or you're still just struggling with the basics, maybe look at something like SimplePlanes or Kerbal Space Program.

Your confusion is partially due to incorrect definitions of terminology you are using. As spacecampreject mentioned, there are four fundamental forces acting on an aircraft at any given time:

Weight - the downward force due to the aircraft's mass. This force always acts downward towards the center of the earth.

Thrust - the propulsive force due to the aircraft's engines doing what they do. In general, this force is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, but some airplanes have their engines mounted at a slight angle for design reasons. Other airplanes (fighter jets) with thrust-vectoring capabilities can change the thrust axis slightly during flight, and many jets use some form of reverse thrust to assist in bringing the aircraft to a stop on the runway. But when the plane is flying normally, thrust pushes you forward and its direction is generally fixed with respect to the aircraft.

Lift - the component of the overall aerodynamic force that is perpendicular to the free-stream velocity vector (see below).

Drag - the component of the overall aerodynamic force that is parallel to the free-stream velocity vector (see below).

When an aircraft moves through the air, a overall aerodynamic force (sometimes called the resultant aerodynamic force) is created from the various pressure and friction forces imposed on the body. For engineering/math purposes, we separate this force into two perpendicular forces: lift and drag, defined in relation to the free-stream velocity vector. The free-stream velocity vector is the vector opposite the path of travel of the aircraft (sometimes referred to as the "relative wind"). (Here is a good force diagram)

In normal forward flight, lift is nearly parallel and opposite to weight, and thrust is nearly parallel and opposite to drag. If you were to point your airplane's nose straight up in an attempt to fly vertically, then with a purely vertical velocity, lift is now acting horizontally (not helping to keep the plane in the air) and the airplane's thrust must overcome the combined forces of drag and weight pulling the plane towards the earth.

To achieve/sustain vertical flight, an airplane needs a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 1.0. Some fighter jets can do this. Many RC planes can. Most private and commercial airplanes cannot (a common ballpark thrust-to-weight ratio is about 0.3).

References: M.S. in Aerospace Engineering; if you want a great introductory textbook, I highly recommend Introduction to Flight by John D. Anderson, Jr. I own the 6th edition, I believe the 7th edition is current.

Click Here and Here for a whole bunch of useful stuff from FAA.

Worthy of specific note-

Airplane Flying Handbook (AFH) and Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK, pronounced P-Hack). The PHAK and AFH will give you pretty much all the basics of how airplanes work, how airspace works, where you're allowed to fly, etc etc etc.

Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) basically tells you how you can legally fly an airplane, but without much of the shall-be-not-less-than style legalese. Officially the FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations) is the real legal base which it stands on, but the AIM says the same thing and can be read by a human much more easily. In the AIM you will VERY often see references to "14 CFR xx.xxx", Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (aka US national law) covers the FAA. This can be just as easily written (and frequently is) as FAR xx.xxx. The first part is the 'part', which covers a particular type of regulation- for example FAR Part 61 covers the certification of pilots and instructors, Part 91 covers general operating and flight rules (part 61 helps you get your license, part 91 helps you lose it). Often a particular business will be referred to by the FAR Part which governs it, for example most airlines are FAR 121 Scheduled Air Carriers. Some flight schools are Part 61 flight schools (anyone with a CFI (certified flight instructor) certification can provide flight instruction under Part 61), while some flight schools are Part 141 which covers more structured training programs with an FAA-approved curriculum, regular FAA audits, etc.

Note that if you don't mind a GIANT dead tree book, the complete AIM and several relevant parts of the FAR are available as one book for only $10

However if you just want to learn how shit works, download or buy the PHAK and AFH. They are free of legalese, are fun to read, and have lots of color illustrations so you understand what's going on. Go here and scroll down to 'frequently bought together' to get the PHAK, AFH and FAR/AIM all together for just under $40.

• Federal Aviation Regulations / Aeronautical Information Manual
  
• Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
  
• Airplane Flying Handbook
  
• Private Pilot Airplane Airmen Certification Standards
  
• Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide
  
  Keep in mind all the information you need to pass is available for free from the FAA. But I like having the books and in the grand scheme of things they're really cheap. The FARs are the regulations you need to know, mostly parts 61 and 91. The AIM has a ton of good information in it as well. All stuff that could show up on your written exam. The PHAK is going to be where a lot of your written material comes from. If you know the information in there forwards and backwards you'll do great.
  
  The ACS is the practical standards to which you'll be judged on the check ride. How close do you need to hold altitude? How close do you need to hold that 45 degree bank angle? All found in the ACS.
  
  The Oral Exam Guide's usefulness will vary based on who gives you your checkride. My DPE literally flipped through his copy of one and picked a few questions out of each section to ask me. If I messed up he stayed in that section longer. If I answered a handful near perfectly that section was done.

The previously mentioned Helicopter Flying Handbook is probably your best bet for free reading material.

If you don't mind spending a little money for reading material, I recommend:
(book title links to amazon)
[Principles of Helicopter Flight by W. J. Wagtendonk] (https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Helicopter-Flight-W-J-Wagtendonk/dp/1560276495) for around $25.
[Cyclic & Collective by Shawn Coyle] (https://www.amazon.com/Cyclic-Collective-Shawn-Coyle/dp/0557090660/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497929356&sr=1-1&keywords=cyclic+and+collective) for around $45.
Another good one from Shawn Coyle is The Little Book of Autorotations which focuses only on autorotations.
I own all three, and they're all good, but I would recommend Cyclic and Collective. The book is packed with damn near everything you could possibly want to know about helicopter flying. It also helps that Coyle's writing style helps hold the reader's interest even through dry and technical subjects.

From the Ground Up. Probably the greatest textbook for recreational pilots. Covers pretty much everything related to flight, from weather prediction, to radionavigation, to engine construction. Probably not exactly the kind of book one would expect to see in a thread like this, but I am sure the other pilots on reddit would agree with me that it's one of the best books in the discipline.

Stick and Rudder is an old classic that really explains well the basics of why airplanes fly and how to fly them. I also enjoyed Bob Buck's North Star over my Shoulder and Wind Sand Stars by Antoine De Saint-Exupery for some good armchair flying.

As others have mentioned, the FAA publications are indispensable. They are available for free from the FAA website, and cheap hardcopies are available on Amazon. Get yourself copies of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Airplane Flying Handbook. I think it's really worthwhile to get the hardcopy.

There are many useful websites related to general aviation. You can listen to air traffic control radio at liveatc.net, look up airport information at airnav.com, watch IFR flight paths on flightaware.com, and browse aeronautical charts in a google-maps-like interface at skyvector.com.

I'm currently studying for my 107 and want to add this to the list of things on here.

I didn't see a direct link to the FAA study guide. This is the one I found here. The problem I have with this guide is that some of the links go to the pilot section, instead of the non-pilot cert. Some of the sections contain only references to other guides so it can feel very confusing.

I'm currently reading the Remote Pilot Test Prep Guide. I think this book does a great job of breaking down some of the more complicated aspects of getting the 107 cert. The biggest headaches for me have been properly understanding airport rules, how to define source direction of planes, and reading air charts. The guide does a good job of covering these topics along with example questions. The other portions of the test about weather, maintenance, and acronyms is pretty straight forward.

For those of you who have never done a test like this before it's exactly like getting a standard IT cert like Cisco or Microsoft. The company who does the testing also does some IT related certs. These exams purposely try to trick you by giving similar sounding answers and an over use of acronyms. So make sure to memorize every acronym you can as these test will use them to trick you. If you fail the exam you have to wait 14 days to retake it so test when you're ready as the window to retake it is pretty big.

>a low pressure zone which pulls on the top of the wing

There is not really a pulling effect, it merely doesn't push down as much as the air is pushing up on the bottom of the wing.

>The engines are responsible for this

Do you mean thrust vectoring engines (tilted up relative to the flight path)? If so, normally this isn't a significant contributing factor as compared to the lift from the wings, with some exceptions (I can only think of fighter jets with high T/W ratios that can pretty much ascend vertically). Upon reading it again I don't think you mean trust vectoring, but I still don't know what you're getting at with this...

>wings in level flight are pitched upwards

Uhh, you really don't want to do this as you drastically increase drag. Most aircraft have cambered airfoils such that you don't have to fly with the wings 'pitched upwards' (called a positive angle of attack). Some planes, however, do have symmetric airfoils which have to be flown at a positive angle of attack, such as many aerobatic aircraft.

Sorry I'm being nit-picky, but some things just seemed a little off so I went and dusted off my aero engineering book to make sure. Everything else you said sees correct, have an up-vote fellow aeronautics enthusiast!

I used the remotepilot101.com website. At first, honestly, I thought it was a total rip off because of the price. However, I will note that the guy running the site is actively updating it and does promise to provide that $150 as a resource for as long as he is in business for your renewal memberships. In essence, you're paying a lifetime membership for his course for a certification you have to renew every two years.

He is very good at listening to feedback and his questions and courses were the most thorough I could find. However, his teaching style is of a type some people may not like. He repeats basic information, A LOT. Some people love that, other people hate it.

He also provides real time practical feedback via e-mail on his website which is nice. After considering the fact he responds to e-mail and the fact he keeps this up to date for life I feel it's worth the $150. If I had known those two things I would've felt better about paying it. I will, however, note that the weather section and the regulation section were a tiny bit lacking and I had to supplement them with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619544687/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Book which my test center proctor mentioned was a reputable test resource producer. The remotepilot101 guy did not explain the "pilots operating handbook" does not exist yet. He also did not explain squall lines and fronts to the detail the exam wanted, nor did he explain the procedure for entering an air traffic pattern from the pilot perspective.

I ended up with a 98% using both of these for about a week and a half.

Annoyingly, that link doesn't work for me because I'm currently in the Bahamas. Assuming that link points to Weather Flying by the Bucks (https://www.amazon.com/Weather-Flying-Fifth-Robert-Buck/dp/0071799729) then yes! Incidentally, the Bucks have had fascinating flying careers. If you yearn for the glory days of general aviation and/or like the history of aviation their other books make for fun reading.

Pretty prepared honestly. If you don't understand something in the ACS, chances are it will be what comes up. I read this book and I think it was super helpful. https://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Oral-Exam-Guide/dp/1619544598

This book is an awesome collection of what you need to know for your checkride. You honestly could probably just use this book and be completely fine. I’ve recommended it to everyone in my club who is nearing their checkride and they all love it.

Private Pilot Checkride Preparation and Study Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/152028795X/

do you need groundschool?

1. watch these at your convenience, and TAKE NOTES https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0EbtWieMNGzdtQ6fAfAQMiNvxG8F-gX7
   
   
2. Buy this ($13 ain't bad, but you COULD just download off FAA, though I find the hardcopy easier to use): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619545365/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
   
   
3. Buy this (yeah yeah I know don't learn the test, learn the materials, but this is still a good resource and you get 5 free practice tests): https://www.amazon.com/Test-Prep-2018-Private-Pilot/dp/B0748MJ4M8/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505318469&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=ppl+knowledge+test+asa

The acceptance rate for street to seat is 90-100% currently. Those who are already enlisted are having a harder time getting selected. I went through WOCS with two nineteen year olds. Your odds are excellent right now so give it a shot!

​

Here is what I provided to a friend currently applying. These resources helped me tremendously. Note I was no stellar candidate. I had a very average SIFT score. I did have to do a board which you no longer have to do (that's a huge plus). Check it out.

​

EDIT: The civilian rates are much lower than when I was applying a year and a half a go (around 30%).

​

Here are a few things to make things easier while you are putting together your packet. Some things to focus on are:

• Study/Schedule SIFT (give yourself 1-2 months to study)
  
• Scheduling physical at MEPS
  
• Schedule flight physical
  
• Letters of recommendation
  
• PT Score
  
  ​
  
  
• "Why I want to we an Army Aviator" Essay
  
  Watch these:
  
  Starting Strong -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jDe-oU_QW4&t=104sWOFT Application Process - 
  
  Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtV_U_weBk8Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTAkJpnEttk
  
  SIFT Overiew/Tips - 
  
  Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmFHSqsTDvsPart 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkR2ZbGlvaIVertical Reference Forum:http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/forum/32-general-military-helicopter-discussions/**SIFT Study Material:**SIFT Study Guide (amazon) -https://www.amazon.com/SIFT-Study-Guide-Questions-Instrument/dp/1628454318/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/132-0035256-5917327?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1628454318&pd_rd_r=f5448d08-91fb-11e9-861b-61bc490b1f71&pd_rd_w=ZQNTs&pd_rd_wg=046qd&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=2ZFPP2TZGFGACXV9SYGP&psc=1&refRID=2ZFPP2TZGFGACXV9SYGP**I bought a different one and it was not accurate. This one seems to be a good choice, but feel free to look through or purchase others.FAA Helicopter Handbook -https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/helicopter_flying_handbook/Army Fundamentals of Flight - https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-04-203.pdfPractice Tests** - http://www.nelnetsolutions.com/dod/DODHubPage.aspx?sponsor=12894&HubPage=15149**I made several accounts so I could take the test several times. I just used different email addresses each time**Math Resource (Khan Academy)** - https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra**Focus on Algebra 1

As mentioned, I would start by reading some FAA publications (assuming it's an FAA certificate you're going for):

PHAK - Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge - http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/

Aeronautical Information Manual - http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/media/AIM_Basic_4-03-14.pdf

You should also read through 14CFR sections 61 and 91:
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp&SID=257acc4699ee7253af775fc7e9492e51&r=PART&n=14y2.0.1.1.2

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=257acc4699ee7253af775fc7e9492e51&r=PART&n=14y2.0.1.3.10

All of this information is free, and covers around 95% of what will be on the FAA private pilot written exam.

If you're getting close to test time, I also highly recommend a test prep book (I used: http://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Test-Prep-2014/dp/1560279788 ) as these contain almost all of the questions you could find on the exam, as well as explanations for the correct and incorrect answers.

Good luck!

This is THE BEST, MUST HAVE book to read cover to cover and know by heart. You can probably find a used one for pretty cheap, although I don't know any pilot who would give their copy up!

Yeah definitely... I mainly used the AFOQT book listed below and once I learned what my weaknesses were or what my strengths needed to be (pilot had to be strong), I focused primarily on those with any online practice tests I could find. The book I linked will have information on the test sections.. X questions in Y minutes. Practice doing those with a bubble answer sheet so you get the full experience. GRE Vocab was a big help as well for the word knowledge section.


After studying a bit, you should know your weaknesses. But, IF you're not trying to be a pilot, don't worry too much about the aviation section even if you are weak.


Thanks and good luck!

​

AFOQT BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/AFOQT-Study-Guide-2018-2019-Questions/dp/1628455314/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=afoqt&qid=1556280745&s=gateway&sr=8-4

The Microsoft flight sim line has always had a handful of tutorial lessons. I would start there, as it will teach you the basics of many of the things you are likely to learn/practice using what /u/loveofphysics linked to you.

Lesson one starts with straight and level flight, but by the end of all of them, you'll know how to fly the pattern, a VOR approach, shoot an ILS, land jets, ect, ect, ect...

Also, I always recommend this book to anyone interested in flying who is not very well educated in this complex field yet. Stick and Rudder is a must-read for student pilots and simmers alike.

Feel free to PM me if you run into any questions. 'Fly' safe!

TC Seaplane Instructors Guide is good for learning the basics required for the rating.

Notes of a Seaplane Instructor is a great resource. This was my go to resource.

Seaplane Operations is great if you want to get technical.

Source- Taught float ratings in BC for 5 years

I would also recommend picking up "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langeweische. Written in the late 30's, but breaks the complexity of aerodynamics and airplane flying down to the basic level and with a great writing style that makes it easy to read.

Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying https://www.amazon.com/dp/0070362408/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8YJMDbMG8TQC5

I enjoyed reading this https://www.amazon.ca/Notes-Seaplane-Instructor-Instructional-Flying/dp/1560275588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492097199&sr=8-1&keywords=notes+of+a+seaplane From what I saw on the internets, it was a popular choice, and I can see why.

I'm only part way through the training. It was a good introduction. However, nothing compared to some good lessons with a former bush pilot.

Ok so I passed with a 98% (the one question still bothers me lol) and here is what I used in no particular order

• Youtube
  
• Google
  
• 3DR practice test questions
  
• https://jrupprechtlaw.com/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Pilot-Test-Prep-essential/dp/1619544687
  
• FAA official study guide
  
  I read the FAA study guide, did some of the 3DR questions, and searched google and youtube for anything I didn't get and watched multiple videos until it clicked. I did this for airspace, airport markings, weather, METAR/TAFS.
  
  Then I cracked open the ASA study guide and used that to reinforce everything I had been studying while also exposing me to more questions and concepts.
  
  I used all 5 practice tests that came with the ASA book and felt they were very helpful to my actual exam with out using the exact same words.
  
  Don't memorize the questions/answers, learn the concepts! They will try and trick you by changing stuff up, it's best to re-read every question. Learn how to decode METAR, learn where to drop 2 "0s" and make sure you know how to read sectional charts.
  
  The test only took me about 30 min to complete, however I started back at the beginning and re-read every question and answer to make sure I was going with the one that makes the most sense.
  
  Plenty of questions seem fairly obvious to any one who has been flying for a while and practices at least a basic level of safety.
  
  Spread your study time out over at least a week or two depending on how well you cram. I spread mine out over about 3 weeks. The practice test I spread out over 4 days, 2 the first, 2 the second, none the 3rd and one the 4th day, the day before my test.

Every pilot needs to own the Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and The Airplane Flying Handbook.

This may be beyond the scope what you're looking for, but the best aviation book I have ever seen is Everything Explained for the Professional Pilot. I highly recommend it.

A cheap subscription to Kitplanes is a great way to get into this whole plane-building thing in a measured way. I think you also get free online access to their past articles?

http://www.kitplanes.com/

I'm unaware of a "Kit Planes For Dummies" type book. But maybe the best, most general aviation book is one from 1944 called "Stick and Rudder." Most pilots end up reading it at some point.

https://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408

There are some pretty good resources on the web for free for college level Intro to Meteorology courses that I used. I don't have any specific links. Search 'Intro to Meteorology'. None of these courses are burdened by the traditional aviation products. You can see what the professor chose for a textbook.

It may help your motivation if you can make weather less abstract. Here is the definitive text that relates weather to flying. https://www.amazon.com/Weather-Flying-Fifth-Robert-Buck/dp/0071799729

Bit of trivia... Robert O. Buck (son of Robert N. Buck) teaches Aviation Weather at Vermont Technical College.

I bought a SIFT study guide off Amazon when I was looking at flight school. I switched career paths but couldnt return it on Amazon because I took too long. PM me your info and I can save you like $30. I think it has practice tests if you want.

​

it was this book:

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1628454318/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

While not exactly for instrument - I used an oral exam guide from ASA to prepare for my PPL. The guide has practice questions with references to the exact section in FAR/AIM that is applicable to that question. I tabbed each of the pertinent sections and this worked great for the oral exam and made it super easy to look up answers when I wasn't 100% sure. ASA makes an instrument oral exam guide that should work great for you.

​

Instrument Oral Exam guide - https://www.amazon.com/Instrument-Oral-Exam-Guide-Comprehensive/dp/1560277572

...all the FAA handbooks are available for free.

I suggest you start with:

• Airplane Flying Handbook
  
  
• Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
  
  
• Aeronautical Information Manual
  
  
• if you really get into it and want to know more about how things work, and are not afraid to get technical, The Aerodynamics For Naval Aviators is awesome;
  
  
• and one of my favorite See How It Flies by John S. Denker;
  
  
• and get yourself a copy of Stick And Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche while you are at it!
  
  When you are done reading this, you'll know more than many pilots out there! :-)
  
  

Find an instructor that has instructed more than 4-5 primary students. The instructor should be planning on staying with the FBO for at least the next year so you can finish the certificate with them. I would also suggest an instructor that is around your own age. This will keep you both on the same page and help build trust. Your instructor has to trust you enough to let you learn and you have to trust your instructor not to do anything reckless.

That said you should study on your own, The airplane flying handbook is your bible of practical knowledge. Also buy a copy of the Pilot's Information Manual for your aircraft (Make sure it is for your exact model of aircraft).

The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is another good resource produced by the FAA.

Private Pilot and Recreational Pilot FAA Knowledge Test 2010 gives you all the questions and answers for the ground school test. You can practice on the Sporty's Web Site for free which helps a lot.

The easiest way to save money is to study on your own, the more you study the less time your instructor has to spend with you on the ground. I wouldn't bother with flight simulators on your home computer, they are nice for learning how to scan instruments but at the beginning of your flight training they will only mess you up. That said if you decide to get an instrument rating flight sim is invaluable.

I'm not sure about this book, but if you're looking for something to help understand the principles and physics of flight, pick up a copy of Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying It's one heck of a book filled with great information.

Design is really complicated and encompasses a lot of different areas of engineering. If you're looking for an intro book to get started with, I'd recommend John Anderson's Intro to Flight.

Get one of the older editions for cheap(like the fifth edition). It's a good text that is focused on students that are not necessarily engineering. It'll get you started enough that you can start thinking about design principals if you want to tackle something like RC aircraft, a Flight Simulator, or Simple Planes.

I used this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619544598/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_L8DNAbTCRX32Z

The layout is great, and a non-pilot friend can pick it up and ask questions and let you know if you're right. If you've done your written and studied what you should, this is pretty much all you'll need to be ready.

I used the Apex book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628455314/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFUUkswTVc4UzdPMjUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2OTg2OTdDSkQ4SUdJTTVNNE0mZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDcxNDQ1MTJUSFBKVk1CNVQ2RVMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Excellent book. Covered everything it needed to cover and gave practice questions so that I could time myself. I got a 95 on the pilot section which is what I wanted to mainly study for.

I showed up for my AFOQT late the first go around so I had another month to prepare. Decided to go to the bookstore and see what they had. Found a book for all services and just went over the flight portion for each. Also a good book to study as well. https://www.amazon.com/Barrons-Military-Flight-Aptitude-Tests/dp/1438011040/ref=pd_sbs_14_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1438011040&pd_rd_r=3f8d5c00-bb3f-42df-995b-812a54f9b9ff&pd_rd_w=qEg81&pd_rd_wg=hRnUg&pf_rd_p=1c11b7ff-9ffb-4ba6-8036-be1b0afa79bb&pf_rd_r=BZCVESZEZ2WYHFN18VJZ&psc=1&refRID=BZCVESZEZ2WYHFN18VJZ

Awesome! I'll probably get those to suppliment. Just to confirm, you're referring to these, right?
https://www.amazon.com/Pilots-Handbook-Aeronautical-Knowledge-FAA-H-8083-25B/dp/1619544733/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499377298&sr=8-1&keywords=Pilots+Handbook+of+Aeronautical+Knowledge

and

https://www.amazon.com/Student-Pilots-Flight-Manual-Certificate/dp/156027719X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499377340&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Student+Pilots+Flight+Manual

Thanks!

What are the required test and inspections of aircraft and equipment to be legal for IFR Flight? Should be 6 things

I might recommend getting Instrument Oral Exam Guide it has tons of questions and answers that are popular for a DPE to ask. My DPE actually uses this book to get all his questions he ask so it was really helpful for me.

When I was a student pilot I was also very intimidated by flight following, and talking with ATC in general. Since I intended to fly a lot, I figured I should suck it up and work through my fear of sounding stupid on the radio.

Firstly, I found that reading Say Again, Please gave me a good understanding of what radio calls to make and what to expect to hear in a wide variety of scenarios. Being able to anticipate what controllers are likely to say makes it significantly easier to understand it when they do say it. That said, it's worth keeping in mind that different controllers and different areas have different conventions, so you may hear different things as you fly in different areas.

Secondly, I found that practice helps a lot. I started getting flight following on every single flight out of the pattern, and made some longer cross countries.

Thirdly, I found that a better headset made it much easier to understand some instructions from ATC. When flying on a multi-day cross country with a more experienced friend of mine, I found that I wasn't catching frequencies that ATC was giving me, while he was hearing them easily. I initially figured this was due to him having a better idea what to listen for, but when we swapped headsets for a leg (his Bose A20 for my Faro Stealth ANR), suddenly I was able to catch frequencies while he struggled. I bought a Lightspeed Zulu 3 as soon as we were back from the trip, and I've been happy ever since.

"Say Again, Please" by Bob Gardner is the one I was speaking about.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619540894

Not familiar with the other one, but it's probably good too. Just make sure you're practicing out-loud, instead of only reading in your head.

I used this one. I took the SIFT towards the end of last month and got a 63. Few discrepancies in the book, but appreciated how thorough it was. If I had spent more time studying this book I would have been more than adequately prepared if that makes any sense.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1628454318/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Should you wish to learn how airplanes work,

http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408

I ran across this book in the early-mid 1980's when I couldn't keep from crashing "Microsoft Flight Simulator II" on my Commodore 64 :)

The book was oldie but goodie even then. In fact I found it so helpful and interesting that I went on to get my pilots license and instrument rating.

Get the ASA Oral exam guide for Private Pilot. They will over prepare you if you know it cover to cover. Congrats on passing the written, it's a good feeling getting those over with.

http://www.amazon.com/Private-Oral-Exam-Guide-comprehensive/dp/1560279494/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458476616&sr=8-1&keywords=asa+oral+exam+guide+private

Might not be what you were thinking, but Stick and Rudder (itself perhaps historic) is a great overview of flight from the perspective of the past

Skunk Works by Ben Rich - This book is probably one of the best reads in aerospace engineering. It tells the story of one of America’s premier aerospace research and development labs, Skunkworks at Lockheed Martin. They built such famous aircraft like the SR-71, U-2, F-80, F-114. I review the book here.

​

If you are looking for more of a textbook, Introduction to Flight by Anderson is one of the best. It's a bit on the expensive side but there's an international paperback edition that's much cheaper if you're outside of the US.

​

If you want something a bit between Skunkworks and Introduction to Flight, there's Ignition by John D. Clark which is all about the development of liquid rocket propellent.

This book is great:

Say Again, Please: Guide to Radio Communications https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619540894/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vTCVCb0EBN1EV

If you're looking into aircraft side of things, then I would strongly recommend picking up Stick and Rudder

It's not a text on the engineering aspect, but it's good to have a grasp on how pilots will be using the aircraft you work on.

I can second GPA. I've met a couple of their instructors. It's good training at a good price.

http://www.flygpa.com/

Edit:
If you want to get your feet wet, this book will be indispensable during flight school.

Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: FAA-H-8083-25B (FAA Handbooks series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619544733/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_McvKybXBS5QKB

If you are trying to save money, it is actually a good idea to learn for your Private Pilot test with a textbook such as this: http://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Test-Prep-2014/dp/1560279788/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382652017&sr=8-1&keywords=private+pilot

Chapter one of a different Anderson book, Introduction to Flight has a good overview of the history. He also wrote a book just on history of aerodynamics that might be more useful to you.

Sure, its more aligned with "applied" aerodynamics, but Stick and Rudder is a good read that goes into how airplanes work (and how to fly them apply aerodynamics in a real-world environment).

Stick and Rudder would go well as a supplement to the PHAK. Cheers!

Thanks!

First of all, (assuming you're in the U.S.) Read the Private Pilot ACS!! It tells you every piece of information that can be covered in the checkride.

Also, buy the Oral Exam Study Guide!!!!!!!!! This book helped me out tremendously! Study that, and if it ever mentions a regulation (it does it a lot), then review that regulation in the FAR/AIM. Also, you really should spend and hour or two studying with your CFI. He can answer any questions you have and also ask you questions in the way your DPE will.

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https://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Oral-Exam-Guide/dp/1619544598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536759778&sr=8-1&keywords=private+pilot+oral+exam+guide+2018

http://www.amazon.com/Weather-Flying-Fifth-Robert-Buck/dp/0071799729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451753477&sr=8-1&keywords=weather+flying

I'm about halfway through it, and it answers a lot of your questions and does it in terms of aviation. Worth a read, IMO. A bit dry, but a lot of useful stuff. I don't have my IR yet, but I imagine I'll probably read it again once I'm done.

My favorite weather book is Weather Flying by the Buck's: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071799729/

Paid site, but I've been a fan of Scott's stuff since he setup shop: https://avwxworkshops.com (If I recollect, you can get a free trial by getting the WeatherSpork app, signing up for a trial within it (not on the website), and then using those credentials on the AxWx site. Could be wrong, its been a while.)

I'm a fan of Rod Machado's book. I feel like the FAA resources are a bit dry for a newbie:
https://www.amazon.com/Rod-Machados-Private-Pilot-Handbook/dp/0963122991/

I've been taking two sportys practice tests a day, one in the morning, and one at night.

Also using this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/152028795X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you get that book in printed form you can get it on Kindle for free. That book is pretty damn legit.

Found this to be a pretty good resource as well for $9. The book is small, but packed with quick references.

Private Pilot Checkride Prep

Don't feel down, just train and do it again!

There are a couple of resources that I found especially useful for the PPL oral: Rod Machado's book and the ASA Oral. You should have these cheat sheets memorized.

Though I did my PPL Part 61, I went to a Part 141 school that did three stage checks you had to pass (with an oral for each) so you could track your progress. If you can, I would have a CFI who routinely does stage checks for a Part 141 school do a mock oral with you before you go in front of the DPE again.

The weather section of this book pretty much covered it. Aside from that, I don't remember any serious "gotch-ya's".

We use this book heavily at my school (undergrad). I've also heard it's pretty much a standard around the US

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Flight-John-Anderson/dp/0073380245

Very classy plane. I believe its on the cover of my FTGU (from the ground up)

I read this book before starting, Notes of a seaplane instructor, to brush up on some topics I may have forgot or didn't quite understand. It's an easy read.

I really like John D. Anderson's Intro to Flight and Aerodynamics books.

This is the book I used while getting my pilots license:

https://www.amazon.com/Rod-Machados-Private-Pilot-Handbook/dp/0963122991

There's a couple chapters all about charts and VFR navigation. I highly recommend it

great read for anyone interested in the aerospace field.

Heres the link for anyone interested.

You can do an online ground school like Kings or Sportys and read/study the PHAK and AFH. Maybe get a copy of and read Stick & Rudder.

If my CFI were a redditor, I'd have you thank him.

In lieu of that, I'd suggest you get this book. It will teach you a lot about aerodynamics and basic flying skills.

In the case of these pilots, I think he was fair. If you haven't read his father's "Stick and Rudder" you might understand where he's coming from.

You're welcome :-)

> line is a bear for me. I can't sit in one place for awhile, so even at home, reading on a laptop that gets hot is killer. I'll spend the money for the print.

ASA publishes the print versions, here's the lazy-link: PHAK, AFH, and the FAR/AIM but it looks like the Gleim kit already has that one.

This?

https://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408

Stick and Rudder: http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408

https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Pilot-Test-Prep-UAS/dp/1619544687/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474216666&sr=8-1&keywords=remote+pilot+study+prep

I assume you downloaded these;

Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

Airplane Flying Handbook

Aeronautical Information Manual

Another book that helped me out is Stick and Rudder.

This:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619544733/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_gWyACbBY0R1E4

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/20154-just-took-the-sift/

https://www.amazon.com/SIFT-Study-Guide-Questions-Instrument/dp/1628454318/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539567546&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=sift+study+guide&dpPl=1&dpID=51-iB8lVLJL&ref=plSrch

get this book https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Flight-John-Anderson/dp/0073380245

100% this! I used the ASA guide by Mike Hayes. Link to amazon here. Go through that whole thing cover to cover. Get someone else to ask you the questions if you can.

https://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481303934&sr=1-1&keywords=Stick+and+rudder

Stick And Rudder - Google Books

Stick And Rudder - Amazon

Stick and Rudder

Buy this and read it cover to cover.

How about Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche?

I read through this book twice and passed first try with an 88%. Probably 30 hours total studying: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619544687/

I've heard nothing but good things about Shawn Coyle's book Cyclic and Collective. Goes in depth in a lot of the aerodynamics and performance features. Link here

The point about antilock brakes is nonetheless valid. GA aircraft are in too many ways analogous to automobiles of the 1960s (engines, brakes, lack of energy-absorbing passenger zones, mixture/prop/throttle not electronically interconnected, rudder pedals at all, etc, etc). Wolfgang Langewiesche would be so disappointed.

You are, partially correct. The way lift is generated in reality is similar to what happens with a venturi tube, think of air as a liquid, that cannot be compressed, so, when it goes through the "tube" it is funneled down into a smaller hole from which it started out from, and seeing as it cannot be compressed it MUST move faster in order to keep on moving, so in order for it to move faster it must lower the air pressure surrounding the smaller portion of the funnel, so the speed of the air increases and the air pressure decreases, pleasing Newton's third law. Now, how a wing works, is the top of the wing from the leading edge following the entire chord line, is longer than the bottom of the wing, why you ask? Well, seeing as the air is split into two by the wing, the air has to meet up again at the other side correct? So in order for this to happen the air on the top of the wing, seeing as it must travel a farther distance has to speed up, now if we recall the venturi tube example, when air speeds up, pressure decreases, and now the air pressure is lower on top of the wing than it is on the bottom of the wing, so that means the denser air on the bottom of the wing pushes the wing UP into the area of lower pressure, this is the force that we call LIFT. Now of course the engines provide thrust for us to achieve the air speeds necessary to get the air moving over the wings fast enough, put your example of how the wing is slightly titled up is INCORRECT... for the most part. Now, a stall is what happens when the angle of attack of the wing is so far exceeded that the air no longer moves along a straight line along the wing, but instead it just flows off and creates wake turbulence if my mind serves me correct, this means the two air flows do not meet, and therefore no lift is being created, meaning weight overcomes lift, and the aircraft falls to the ground.


If you want to learn all this fantastic theory of flight, just buy yourself the pilots bible, "From the Ground Up"


You also made me get out of bed and turn my computer on just to respond to this... goddamnit.

It's embarrassing that no one has mentioned Stick and Rudder yet, so I'll go ahead and do it. It's more "art of flying" than "stories about flying," but there's no excuse for a pilot to have not read it!

The "Art of the Kill" video has already been mentioned so I won't bother linking it. It's a good, if very basic, overview of air combat in modern fighters. Other resources to look at, that are unfortunately not video:

• Fighter Combat: Tactics and Maneuvering This is the bible of air combat. If you only get one resource on air combat, make sure it's this one.
  
• n Pursuit: A Pilot's Guide to Online Air Combat This is also rather decent. Do be aware it is more focused WW2 combat than modern fighters. Most of it applies just fine, but a few things in here will get you killed in and against modern fighters.
  
• Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying This isn't strictly about air combat, but it'll make you a better pilot. If you don't have the basics of flight down perfectly, all you're going to do is flounder around in the air during combat.

Obviously I'm commenting way after this is relevant, but I watched about half of the video and this guy has no idea about any airspace regulation at all and really underestimates the hazards of hitting a drone with a plane. 300 feet? That's class G airspace and is the minimum AGL altitude planes must fly. Controlled airspace is around airports and the distance and altitude varies depending on size.

Air strikes can cause damage which will cause planes to undergo documented certified mechanical checks. It's a serious problem.

He also seems to think watching the feed from the drone is better than seeing it. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. It doesn't matter which way the drone is facing, it matters where it is, and what it is near.

I agree that a lot of the legislation is dumb, or at least requires some nuance in how it is interpreted, but he vastly understates the problems that flying a drone in regulated airspace can cause because he doesn't know what it is. If he's so confused he should pick up a copy of From the Ground Up.