Improving your skills
On this page is a collection of useful articles, resources and links to help you improve your skills as a pilot.
Articles
Right click to download these to your computer.
- Ground Control in Strong Winds
- Flying after a break
- Flying with others Keeping a logbook
- Things to practice on the ridge
- Setting goals for yourself
- Guide to downloading tracklogs in GPSDump
- Making waypoint files
Podcasts
Judith Mole and Geoff Minshull have produced a series of podcasts (audio files you can listen to online or on an MP3 player) on various topics, e.g. XC flying, what to do after you’ve got your CP, SIV, mental training, etc. View them here:
Webcasts
Similar to the podcasts, except they also use visuals.
Pilot and AP Exam – reading list
- BHPA Pilot Manual – BHPA Mark Dale – Covers almost all that is needed to get through
- UK Air Map 500,000 – 2007/8 – CAA – Essential, need to know all the aspects and meanings
- Understanding Flying Weather – Derek Piggott – The ‘bible’
- Meteorology and Flight, Pilot’s guide to weather – Tom Bradbury – Another bible
- The Air Pilots Manual 1 Flying Training – Trevor Thom – Useful in parts for principles of flight
- The Air Pilots Manual 2 Aviation law and Met -Trevor Thom – Good & readable on air law but get an up-to-date one, Met OK too
- The Air Pilots Manual 3 Navigation – Trevor Thom – Thorough but others are better for what we do
- The Air Pilots Manual 4 The Aeroplane, technical – Trevor Thom – Interesting background reading
- Flying Conditions – Dennis Pagen – Pretty good theory and practical base – probably difficult to obtain now
- The Microlight Flying Manual – R D Campbell & J Jones – Good for Air Law, Navigation, Met, Principles of Flight – probably difficult to obtain now
- Hang Gliding Techniques Dennis Pagen – For a deeper understanding of HG flight theory & practise, cheap too
- BHPA DVDs – Various – OK for background, but not the same as reading and LEARNING
- Understanding the Sky – Dennis Pagen – good Meteorology book.
Pilot and Advanced Pilot exams
For information about the Pilot and AP exams, please email coaching@longmynd.org. Theory topics include Meteorology, Navigation, Flight theory & Instruments, air law, etc.