brucew@bruceair.com
Seattle, WA
Every seat's a window seat on BruceAir
brucew@bruceair.com
Seattle, WA
Every seat's a window seat on BruceAir
This page includes links to aviation-related books, teaching and learning resources, online courses, and other information that I recommend to students, pilots, instructors, and virtual aviators (Flight Simulator hobbyists). The resources include:
Unless otherwise noted, items on this page are freely downloadable from the Web.
Most printed publications available via these links are in .pdf format, which requires the free Adobe Reader software; you can download the reader from the Adobe Web site.
You may also find resources in PowerPoint or Microsoft Word format. You can download free viewers for Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio) from the Microsoft Office Web site. The file viewers let you open and review documents (but you can’t edit the files) even if you don’t have an Office application installed in your computer.
The FAA offers many complete, public-domain training handbooks for free download in Adobe Reader (.pdf) format. These books are the official references for many pilot certificates and ratings, and they’re comprehensive, practical guides to the core knowledge every pilot should possess.
The best place to find the latest versions of these handbooks is the FAA’s Web site, especially the Online Resources page at www.FAASafety.gov.
The FAA has been revamping its Web pages, and sometimes it takes a bit of pointing-and-clicking to find specific titles. New titles are added periodically, so check back occasionally to see what’s been put on the virtual bookshelf.
Other good places to find these handbooks on the FAA Web site include:
The FAA breaks most of these titles into a series of files, sometimes making them awkward to read and search. To solve that problem, I've merged the separate PDF files for the most important books available from the FAA and posted the complete volumes in one of my SkyDrive folders. Now you can explore the complete texts without having to open multiple files.
You can use the links in the following list to download specific complete training handbooks (in .pdf format) from the FAA Web site. If you prefer real books, ASA offers reprints of many titles.
The Aeronautical Information Manual and many other references of interest to pilots are available free online in both .html and .pdf format at the FAA’s Air Traffic Publications Web site. Publications available include:
A wealth of practical information for pilots is also available free to everyone (although the content is copyrighted) from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation and its online library. Resources include:
I frequently use AOPA ASF materials as teaching aids, homework for students, and review materials for pilots getting back up to speed. To see a complete list of current publications offered by AOPA ASF, visit the Publications page.
AOPA has organized many of its valuable articles from AOPA Pilot and other sources in the AOPA Pilot Information Center, available only to AOPA members. The Pilot Information Center provides links to details about such subjects as aircraft ownership, flight planning, learning to fly, medical certification, and international flying.
AOPA has also created a special page for Flight Simulator aviators; it’s well worth a visit.
The Web offers an ever-increasing array of services to help pilots collect and understand information about the weather and to assist with flight planning. Many sites in the following list offer free products; others provide tools via subscription or purchase.
Of course, you should always use official sources, such as an FSS or DUATS, to get a complete briefing before you fly.
Aviation Weather Center
Skyvector.comThe following links take you to sites that offer a variety of information about airports, navigation aids, and regulations. Some sites also offer online charts and airport diagrams.
Other handy free sources of airport and navigation data include:
To learn more about U.S. aviation charts, you can download the Aeronautical Chart User’s Guide from the FAA National Aviation Charting Office (NACO).
The guide (now in its 8th edition) covers VFR and IFR charts, including:
ASA publishes a reprint edition of the 7th edition of the guide; expect an updated reprint soon.
You can also download IFR approach charts, airport diagrams, Airport/Facility information, SIDs, and STARs, and training charts from the NACO Web site.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation also offers many free publications (e.g., Safety Advisors and flash cards) and free online courses that can help you learn about charts and airspace.
If you prefer Jeppesen charts, you can learn all about them by downloading the free Chart Clinic Reprints available on the Jeppesen Web site. Jeppesen produced the Chart Clinics series that appeared in AOPA Pilot magazine from 1998 through 2001. Each two-page installment in the series includes a wealth of information about Jeppesen departure, en route, arrival, approach charts, plus detailed explanations of IFR procedures and terminology. These guides are available for free download in .pdf format from the Online Publications section of the Jeppesen Web site. Unfortunately, the Chart Clinic articles are organized by date of original publication, not by topic; but the following table points you to specific articles.
| Jeppesen Chart Clinic Topics | Date of Publication |
|---|---|
| Reporting points, navigation aids, intersections, etc. | April 1998 |
| Airspace | July 1998 |
| Airways, en route altitudes, etc. | September 1998 |
| Plotting airway and direct routes | November 1998 |
| More about minimum altitudes | December 1998 |
| Airway symbology | January 1999 |
| Understanding the title/index section of approach charts | February 1999 |
| The Briefing Strip | March 1999 |
| More about communications | March 1999 |
| The plan view | June 1999 |
| The segments of an approach | July, August, September 1999 |
| The profile view | October 1999 |
| Non-precision approaches | November, December 1999 |
| Minimums | January, February 2000 |
| More on minimums and missed approaches | March 2000 |
| Airport diagrams | May 2000 |
| Departure procedures | June 2000 |
| Arrival procedures | July 2000 |
Note that some symbols and terminology used on Jeppesen charts—especially those related to GPS navigation and approaches—have changed since the Chart Clinic series was published. For the latest information, refer to current Jeppesen legends and glossaries or to the Jeppesen edition of the Instrument Procedures Guide (JS312407).
Most manufacturers of GPS units and other avionics offer user manuals, PC-based simulators, training syllabi, and other resources via their Web sites. You needn’t be an owner of the equipment to download the information and resources. See, for example:
Garmin offers excellent general guides to the GPS system. Start with the About GPS page and then check out the GPS Guide for Beginners.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation offers many free interactive online courses and other resources about VFR and IFR operations with GPS; for example:
The following links take you to many resources that answer common questions about learning to fly and provide links to flight schools and additional information.
Dale R. Wilson, Professor and Chair of the Aviation Department at Central Washington University, has published several papers and articles on such topics as night flying and VFR flight continued into IMC. You can find links to his publications on his faculty page on the CWU Web site.
To learn more about the new Sport Pilot license and Light Sport Aircraft, visit EAA’s Sport Pilot and AOPA’s Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft pages.
The Light Sport Aircraft Manufacturers Association is another good source of information, including lists of aircraft that qualify under the LSA regulations.
ByDanJohnson.com contains up-to-date pilot reports and news related to Light Sport Aircraft, including lists of and links to LSA manufacturers.
To learn more about aerodynamics and related topics, check out NASA’s Aerodynamics Index. The site is aimed at teachers, but it’s trove of useful information for CFIs, students, and pilots.
If you’re a teacher or volunteer interested in teaching kids about aviation, start with the following links.
EAA Young EaglesTo learn more about general aviation (i.e., all flying except that conducted by the military and scheduled airlines), visit AOPA’s Communications Resources Web site. It includes information about all types of general aviation activities, GA security, airports, and the air transportation system.
My favorite flight-planning tool is Voyager from Seattle Avionics. It’s available in several versions, including a free edition, Voyager FreeFlight.
