The daily aviation brief, curated for the cockpit.

Elixir Aircraft: A New Flight Trainer

Hi, I'm Sarah Diner with AOPA. We're here with the Elixir aircraft, which is a two seat flight training aircraft from France. There are 60 of these flying in Europe right now, but this is one of the very first ones to…

Why do modern american jet fighters still use rotary cannons instead of single barrel autocannons?

A question was raised regarding why modern American jet fighters retain rotary cannons such as the Vulcan despite design goals of lighter weight and space efficiency. The inquiry notes that air-to-air gun kills have…

A Civilian Plane Crashed in New Mexico. Was the Military’s Tech to Blame?

More 777X photos from KOA

Do you know any oversized airports?

A discussion explores airports that are oversized for their current passenger capacity, with Berlin-Brandenburg cited as a prime example. The airport features reserved space for unbuilt terminals 3 and 4 and maintains…

Two Cessna 172 aircraft collided mid-air, one crashed into a man-made pond and the other managed to make it to the local airport.

Two Cessna 172 aircraft from a local flight school collided mid-air. One aircraft crashed into a man-made pond with one fatality, while the other aircraft successfully reached the local airport.

What’s happening here?

A frequent flyer with approximately 250 flight experiences observed an unfamiliar activity during pre-takeoff procedures at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The non-pilot observer, despite extensive flying history, questioned the…

There’s even more where that came from.

A radial engine recovered as a fisherman's by-catch in the Baltic Sea and discovered at a marina in Wendtorf, Germany, was identified as a Wright R-1820 from a B-17 bomber. Aviation experts made the identification after…

Discovery flight recommendations

An aviation industry worker based in Puerto Rico sought discovery flight recommendations while evaluating whether to pursue piloting. The person has no flight experience or aviation family background and expressed…

Just another jobless CFI post

A certified flight instructor with nine years of CFII experience has been unable to secure CFI employment for nearly a year despite extensive efforts including in-person visits to flight schools nationwide and outreach…

6 Year Hiatus

A pilot who completed solo flight training before a six-year hiatus caused by school, military service, and exhausted flight scholarship funds seeks guidance on resuming aviation. The pilot trained under Part 141…

Flying Over Manhattan With a PPL & Only 49 Hrs in My Logbook!

A pilot completed an accelerated private pilot license course spanning 21 days for approximately $8,000 in 2025, advancing from zero to 45 hours and passing the check ride on the first attempt. After training in…

Building Hours

A pilot pursuing a private pilot license part-time while maintaining full-time employment seeks alternative career options beyond flight instruction for accumulating the required 1500 flight hours, having researched…

Best pathway to an airline career in Australia while working full-time?

A 35-year-old Sydney resident plans to pursue a full-time airline career through part-time flight training over three years while maintaining current full-time employment. The individual aims to eventually fly for…

Broken plug on Bose A20

A Bose A20 headset owner with a bent connector plug is deciding between sending the device to a service center at approximately $200 in shipping costs or purchasing a replacement assembly. The headset continues to…

Tell me about your worst flying days

A Reddit post solicited stories from pilots about their worst flying days, including instances of poor performance and bad landings, while asking what lessons those pilots learned from such experiences. The original…

Was told that airlines are only looking to hire army/navy/etc as pilots- is this true?

A prospective pilot received warnings from two former United Airlines employees that military background was necessary for airline hiring. The cautionary information prompted concern about pursuing flight training…

I 3D Printed My Discovery Flight Path

I coded a program to 3D print my first discovery flight. The yellow line is the flight path and altitude layered over a topographical map. I think it’s pretty cool so I thought I’d

Checkride Failures

A pilot discovered their friend has failed multiple checkrides spanning private pilot to commercial multi-engine ratings and is struggling to find aviation employment. The poster attempted to help their friend secure a…

need tips for 8s on pylons

A pilot sought advice on performing 8s on pylons, an aerobatic maneuver they found challenging despite understanding the procedural steps. Community responses indicated the issue stemmed from the pilot's setup rather…

lack of dpe's, worth traveling to another state?

An individual discovered a shortage of DPE appointments with no availability expected for 2-3 months in their area. With plans to relocate across the country for college, they are considering traveling to a neighboring…

Question for those who have worked for API.

A person inquired about housing arrangements at API, asking whether the company provides full apartments or only rooms for employees. The individual noted that relocating with a spouse for a 15-month position to occupy…

Bose A30 plug types: Which one should I get for a new commercial pilot?

A question was raised regarding the best connector plug type for Bose A30 aviation headsets intended as a gift for a newly licensed commercial pilot upgrading from basic aircraft equipment. The three available plug…

Checkride: Jared Bixenman questions

A pilot seeking a checkride with examiner Jared Bixenman requested community feedback about his background and checkride approach. The post specifically asked for information about how Bixenman conducts CFII and…