Handbooks Help You Choose Your Next Adventure
By James Williams, FAA Safety Briefing Magazine
It’s easy to think of your most recent airman certificate as a capping achievement, especially if you are a recreational flyer with no greater aspirations than an occasional $100 hamburger flight. However, staying proficient is a key factor in maintaining safe operations. Finding a new aviation adventure can be an excellent way to maintain proficiency and expand your world. But what should that next adventure be?
There are probably a million websites and YouTube videos that can help you make that decision, but one resource you may have overlooked is the FAA’s handbook and manual library. This might seem like an odd choice at first glance, but the FAA has a surprisingly wide selection of handbooks that cover the basics of many different forms of flying.
There are a few key advantages to using these handbooks. First, the agency researched, wrote, and verified the handbooks, so they are entirely reliable. Second, building from the previous point, the FAA’s focus is safety. There is no secondary motivation, sponsorship, or marketing deal to cloud any of the information. In fact, they’re all free, online, and accessible at your convenience. So, where to start?
The First Hop
One of the best departure points is the Airplane Flying Handbook (AFH). The AFH covers everything from your first flight to higher-end transition training. Even if you’ve already earned your pilot certificate, it allows you to scout opportunities to transition to a new experience. For example, the AFH covers transitioning to multi-engine, complex, tailwheel, or light sport aircraft as well as turboprop or jet-powered aircraft.
Perusing these chapters can be a quick way to get a solid background on these topics and see if anything grabs your attention as a next possible adventure. Some will be simple challenges to improve your existing skills. Others could open new possibilities. Each adventure has the potential to make you a better pilot and give you something to work towards.
Another good starting point is the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK), which provides a broader range of basic aerodynamic principles relevant to both beginner and seasoned pilots.
And Now for Something Completely Different
The AFH and PHAK are departure points from which you will have many adventures to choose from in the rest of the library. Exploring different types of flying can be a good way to hone specific skills that can pay dividends across your piloting career. For example, glider flying is an excellent way to learn about energy management and aircraft control. The Glider Flying Handbook is the place to learn all there is about glider flying, from basic operations to regulatory requirements and everything in between.
The Balloon Flying Handbook provides a unique window into a slower-paced flying experience with some excellent benefits. Aeronauts must have excellent weather skills because their chosen aircraft require more environmental cooperation than others. All aircraft are at the mercy of their environment, but balloons require a greater focus on weather fundamentals to ensure a safe flight. They also allow a greater connection to the sky than most other forms of flying. And of course, being able to read and understand the weather better translates to any flying.
The options don’t end there. Have you ever considered learning to fly a helicopter? There’s a handbook for that, too. What about adding some new venues for future adventures? We also have a handbook that covers seaplanes and skiplanes. Who doesn’t want to open up a new season or surface for extra flying?
Some of these new adventures may not appeal to you, and that’s fine. The goal is to see what is out there and what you might want to investigate further. By no means will these handbooks teach you these new skills, but they can serve as an excellent jumping-off point. Having that next adventure to look forward to keeps you learning and growing along your aviation journey.
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James Williams is an FAA Safety Briefing associate editor and photo editor. He is also a pilot and ground instructor.
