Plastic Pilot

Keeping a proper level of theoretical knowledge is a challenge for each and every pilot, and it’s not so easy ! This does matter when it’s time to renew a license / rating, but it can also be a life saver at any time… Unfortunately, the training material is sometimes a bit too… let’s say… academic… I personally used the Oxford books for my IR rating. They are extensive, expensive, and not exactly fun.

To make review as fun as it can be (…), I propose you two books, one for meteorology and one for radio-navigation.

The first one is simply called “Aviation Meteorology” (ISBN 3-9522668-2-5), and has been written by K.H. Hack. You can get it from good aviation stores, or from www.aviamet.ch. A part from being edited by Pilatus, and featuring a PC12 on the cover and a PC21 on the backside, this book has the interest of presenting one concept per page. It covers the whole ATPL syllabus, and each page is illustrated with schemas and real-life photos.

Climatology has never been an easy topic, but the approach used by the author to each subject is really pedagogic, and makes things as clear as possible. Beacause of the one subject per page principle, this book is also very good as a quick reference.

The second book is called “Never get lost” (ISBN 3-00-008643-9) and is all about radio-navigation. It has been written by Wilhelm Thaller, and you can find it at www.nevergetlost.at. Many pilots are scared by radio-navigation because they beleive it involves mental calculations. This book makes clear it’s obviously wrong. All principles are presented with schemas in which the plane and the beacons are depicted on top of the instrument dials, to illustrate spatial orientation.

If you sometimes have doubts about the direction to turn to re-intercept a QDM, or about which kind of holding entry you should fly, this book is a must ! After reading it, you’ll fly using spatial orientation, not calculus.

I wish you good reading sessions, this will make you safer. Any other books sugestions are welcome in comments !