About us

We believe that by sharing personal experiences we gain insight and become better pilots. So we created this website where students, seasoned pilots, and everyone in-between can share their experiences with aviation in an easy to read, beautiful way. Our hope is that you will follow our site, read these heartfelt articles and continue to become the safest, most proficient pilot possible.

Carly Courtney

Carly Courtney graduated summa cum laude with her BFA in Creative Writing from Sierra Nevada College nestled in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Carly is still there, living the dream writing articles and flying (as a student pilot) whenever she can!
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5 in flight

Focke-Wulf Fw 190: The Butcher Bird of WWII

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 is considered to be the best fighter Germany’s ...

Carrying out solo landings at KTRK

Flight Lesson Journal: With Landings, Consistency is Key

A CFI Drops Some Great Advice on a Low-Time Student Pilot- For ...

A Cessna 172 Skyhawk, at KTRK, where a student pilot is learning proper emergency engine out procedure.

Flight Lesson Journal: Mayday Mayday! Practicing Engine Out Procedure

Diving into emergency landings and the engine out procedure in the Sierra ...

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk after a student pilot made her unassisted first landing

Flight Lesson Journal: I Survived My First Landing!

A Student Pilot at Truckee-Tahoe Airport Hits Her First Big Pre-Solo Milestone: ...

crosswinds at truckee airport

Flight Lesson Journal: Dealing with Gusting Crosswinds and Low Approaches

In Which A Student Pilot Gets Blown Around Battling Crosswinds [This is ...

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupery: World Famous Author and Renowned Aviator

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Was Born an Aristocrat and Died a Renowned Aviator and one ...

Skyhawk 172 on tarmac viewed from inside another 172 - Flight Lesson Journal: Landings and Flying the Pattern

Flight Lesson Journal: Landings and Flying the Pattern

A Student Pilot Struggles With Making Progress and The Elusive Concept of ...

pancho barnes posing with mystery ship

Pancho Barnes: The Most Unladylike Aviatrix in History

Pancho Barnes Lived Her Life Throttle to the Firewall – and Wouldn’t Have ...

Edwin Albert Link: Inventor of the First Flight Simulator

Edwin Albert Link Decided Flight Training Was Too Expensive and Changed Aviation Forever with ...

The Lockheed Vega, one of Jack Northrop's early designs

Jack Northrop: A Driving and Innovative Force In Aviation Design

John Knudsen “Jack” Northrop Fought Tooth and Nail for His Company, and ...