Maintaining Stick and Rudder skills is essential for ensuring safe flight, particularly during takeoffs and landings. Whether you are just a private pilot, or an Airline Transport Pilot, getting out there periodically and beating up the pattern with takeoffs and landings can help ensure you maintain peak stick and rudder skills that are transferrable to any aircraft you are flying.
In this video, LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan demonstrates normal and short field takeoffs, and 3 point landings and wheel landings in his Super Cub. H also demonstrates how to do a 180 power off landing. Lastly, he takes a quick tour of Lake Winnipesaukee to check out the spring ice conditions on the lake.
Congratulations to Diego Burgos who earned his Private Pilot Certificate today! And congratulations to CFI Erin Freemen for helping Diego achieve his success! ... See MoreSee Less
Having a fully qualified Safety Pilot onboard, and sitting at the other control seat in the aircraft, is a great cost effective way for you to not only build simulated IFR flight time, but for both you and the Safety Pilot to also earn PIC time, and for you to even earn cross-country flight time, if you are flying to another airport that has a straight line distance of at least 50nm from your departure airport and you make a landing at that destination airport.
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan goes over the qualifications to be a Safety Pilot, and how both pilots can log PIC time, IF, the Safety Pilot is FULLY qualified to fly the aircraft the he or she is acting as a Safety Pilot. ... See MoreSee Less
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan discusses Carburetor Icing and his recent need to replace an old and tired Carb Air Box in his Super Cub to ensure he had maximum protection against Carburetor Icing. He also discusses what carb heat is all about, when to use it in Piper Warriors, and what a pilot can expect if they turn carb heat on when they suspect carb icing in the aircraft. ... See MoreSee Less
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan summarizes what he got out of a recent public meeting with the National Flight Training Alliance’s (NFTA) on the FAA’s initiative to modernize Part 141 Flight Training. He also goes over the NFTA's schedule for follow-up meetings with the flight training industry such that by the end of 2025 the NFTA can provide its recommendations and comments to the FAA for consideration when it writes the new Part 141 regulations in 2026. ... See MoreSee Less
I this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan shows how to tune in and use a VOR for navigation. In particular he shows how to use a BendixKing KX-155 radio working with a CDI Instrument, and a Garmin GTN 650 working with a Garmin G5 HSI. He first shows how to tune in a VOR frequency, and listen for its morse code identifier to confirm the VOR frequency is tuned in and that we are indeed receiving it. He then shows how to find out what radial we are currently flying over, associated with the tuned in VOR. And then lastly, Mark shows how to actually fly to the VOR by putting in the bearing course that is the reciprocal of the radial we are currently flying over. ... See MoreSee Less
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan takes Laconia Flight Academy's newly restored Piper Warrior - N626NJ out for a test flight, and all goes very well! N626NJ has had a new Lycoming O320 Engine installed in it, as well as a lot of new avionics, including a GTN 650, two Garmin G5s, a Garmin GI275 Engine Monitor, and a Garmin aera 660.
Sign up today for a discovery flight in this newly restored aircraft! ... See MoreSee Less
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan goes over the best practices of flying at or around Uncontrolled Airports. In particular, he reviews Advisory Circular AC 90-66C on Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations, 14 CFR 91.113 on Right of Way Rules, and 14 CFR 91.126 on operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace. ... See MoreSee Less
While taking in the sights today from above, LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan found himself reflecting on the rash of airplane accidents and tragedies that have occurred over the past few weeks. The one that occurred in Arizona on February 19th hit close to home. The accident involved a flight school Cessna 172 and a Lancair aircraft, and reminded him of the importance of see and avoid when flying at uncontrolled airports.
He is thinking about conducting a 1/2 day workshop on the topic of operating aircraft at or near uncontrolled airports. If this is something you might be interested in attending please let us know. He would do it at the Laconia Airport, and also via a live stream with Microsoft Teams. ... See MoreSee Less
Maintaining Stick and Rudder skills is essential for ensuring safe flight, particularly during takeoffs and landings. Whether you are just a private pilot, or an Airline Transport Pilot, getting out there periodically and beating up the pattern with takeoffs and landings can help ensure you maintain peak stick and rudder skills that are transferrable to any aircraft you are flying.
In this video, LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan demonstrates normal and short field takeoffs, and 3 point landings and wheel landings in his Super Cub. H also demonstrates how to do a 180 power off landing. Lastly, he takes a quick tour of Lake Winnipesaukee to check out the spring ice conditions on the lake.
... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Congratulations to Diego Burgos who earned his Private Pilot Certificate today! And congratulations to CFI Erin Freemen for helping Diego achieve his success! ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
What does a private pilot license mean? Can you fly passengers?
Congrats Diego! You’ve worked really hard for this!!!!
Congrats, that's wonderful.
I love son 😍😇🙏
Congratulations!
Congratulations 🎉
Felicidades 👏 👏 👏 👏
Orgullo 💯 % Conchaguense Salvadoreño
Felicidades Dieguito
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Having a fully qualified Safety Pilot onboard, and sitting at the other control seat in the aircraft, is a great cost effective way for you to not only build simulated IFR flight time, but for both you and the Safety Pilot to also earn PIC time, and for you to even earn cross-country flight time, if you are flying to another airport that has a straight line distance of at least 50nm from your departure airport and you make a landing at that destination airport.
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan goes over the qualifications to be a Safety Pilot, and how both pilots can log PIC time, IF, the Safety Pilot is FULLY qualified to fly the aircraft the he or she is acting as a Safety Pilot. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan discusses Carburetor Icing and his recent need to replace an old and tired Carb Air Box in his Super Cub to ensure he had maximum protection against Carburetor Icing. He also discusses what carb heat is all about, when to use it in Piper Warriors, and what a pilot can expect if they turn carb heat on when they suspect carb icing in the aircraft. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan summarizes what he got out of a recent public meeting with the National Flight Training Alliance’s (NFTA) on the FAA’s initiative to modernize Part 141 Flight Training. He also goes over the NFTA's schedule for follow-up meetings with the flight training industry such that by the end of 2025 the NFTA can provide its recommendations and comments to the FAA for consideration when it writes the new Part 141 regulations in 2026. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
I this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan shows how to tune in and use a VOR for navigation. In particular he shows how to use a BendixKing KX-155 radio working with a CDI Instrument, and a Garmin GTN 650 working with a Garmin G5 HSI. He first shows how to tune in a VOR frequency, and listen for its morse code identifier to confirm the VOR frequency is tuned in and that we are indeed receiving it. He then shows how to find out what radial we are currently flying over, associated with the tuned in VOR. And then lastly, Mark shows how to actually fly to the VOR by putting in the bearing course that is the reciprocal of the radial we are currently flying over. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
N626NJ is back on the flight line!
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan takes Laconia Flight Academy's newly restored Piper Warrior - N626NJ out for a test flight, and all goes very well! N626NJ has had a new Lycoming O320 Engine installed in it, as well as a lot of new avionics, including a GTN 650, two Garmin G5s, a Garmin GI275 Engine Monitor, and a Garmin aera 660.
Sign up today for a discovery flight in this newly restored aircraft! ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
In this video LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan goes over the best practices of flying at or around Uncontrolled Airports. In particular, he reviews Advisory Circular AC 90-66C on Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations, 14 CFR 91.113 on Right of Way Rules, and 14 CFR 91.126 on operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
While taking in the sights today from above, LFA Flight Instructor Mark Donovan found himself reflecting on the rash of airplane accidents and tragedies that have occurred over the past few weeks. The one that occurred in Arizona on February 19th hit close to home. The accident involved a flight school Cessna 172 and a Lancair aircraft, and reminded him of the importance of see and avoid when flying at uncontrolled airports.
He is thinking about conducting a 1/2 day workshop on the topic of operating aircraft at or near uncontrolled airports. If this is something you might be interested in attending please let us know. He would do it at the Laconia Airport, and also via a live stream with Microsoft Teams. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Absolutely!
Count me in!