A pilot cannot ever be too educated. We are not talking about an Einstein type of smarts; we are talking about education in the characteristics of the aircraft you are operating and the conditions you are operating that aircraft under. Even though you are probably only preparing to take your FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test, I am going to ask you to look into the future and consider your follow on education.

Many people attend a traditional classroom type of ground school to prepare for their FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test. This is effective and most schools have a high pass rate, especially because the pass rate reflects on the school itself. You pay the school to prepare you to pass the test, that is their responsibility, and that is where their responsibility ends. Your education and understanding of aeronautics is your responsibility and that responsibility never ends.

Ground schools have been around for decades and they have not changed very much. What has changed dramatically is the advent of the internet and pilot education. The creativity, graphics and absolute knowledge that is had from a single DVD or a thirty-second download will put any ground school to shame. You are the only obstacle to the amount of knowledge you want to acquire.

You can talk to any experienced pilot and they will testify that experience counts. That is the truth; experience does count. The fact is though; the experience that counts came from a book first. That experience was either technical (how to start the aircraft) or it was theoretical (What to do if this happens), but either way that experience started from a textbook source. Applying that information in flight is practical experience, but you had to get it on the ground before you knew to use it in the air.
The only preparation for this situation is your knowledge of flight characteristic that you obtained through books and classroom training. This is just another reason why an online education is far superior to a simple weekend class. The same quality online course that prepared you for your FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test also has hundreds of theoretical flight scenarios specifically designed for your safety and the safety of others.

If you are going to a country lying in the distant part of the world from your home, you are most like to take plane, if your trip is not sea cruise. Plane is the fastest and the easiest way to reach your point of destination, but sometimes not the cheapest one. If you are traveling within your country borders or your way leads to the neighboring country, usually you have a choice of transport means – train, bus, plane – or even car. However, if you are to make several thousands of miles – it will be much more convenient to take plane, especially if you are short in time.

Several advises before taking the plane

* Take some pillows which can help you to avoid feeling seek.
* Take some books or magazines to entertain you.
* When you register your luggage – don’t forget to notice that it’s leading to the same airport as you. Sometimes it can fly to the other part of world and it will be very difficult to find.

Several advises during the flight

* If you can sleep in a plane – you are lucky. It is the best way to spend your flight.
* Don’t drink too much alcohol – or you will feel seek no matter having you take pillows or not.
* If you are still nervous, take some relaxants or soporific.

The existence and the amount of the food on board depend on the length of your flight and the air company you are traveling with. Sometimes during the flight you can not only eat or drink, you can also buy some goods duty free. Prices are mostly the same as in the airport duty free shops, but the choice can be more limited.

When you are leaving or arriving the country, you have to spend some time (usually quite a long time) in the airport. Be ready and prepare some patience – long queries and crowds of people arriving and departing are almost in every airport. Remember that the registration usually begins two hours before departure time. If you are coming half an hour before your flight, there is a risk that you will miss it. To travel abroad you need your foreign passport and sometimes visa. In some countries they stamp their visa in the airport.

Traveling by air is very convenient and there still some places on earth you can’t reach in other way. So, don’t exclude this comfort because of the baseless fear.