Pilot Products

As you prepare for the transition to jet aircraft or an important airline interview you need to know the differences between advanced turbine aircraft and the piston-engine airplanes you've probably been doing your training in. The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual, Second Edition, by AOPA Flight Training contributing editor and NAFI Master CFI Gregory N. Brown and major airline pilot Mark J. Holt, covers all the basics of turbine aircraft.

The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual addresses high-speed aerodynamics, crew resource management, wake turbulence, and high-altitude meteorology, along with detailed descriptions of turbine aircraft engines and systems. State-of-the-art cockpit instrumentation also is discussed in depth. With the second edition, the authors have created an accompanying CD-ROM (for Macintosh and PC) with narrated, animated illustrations to help make understanding these systems easier.

The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual retails for $39.95. For more information, contact the Iowa State University Press, 2121 South State Street, Ames, Iowa 50014-8300; telephone 800/862-6657 or 515/292-0140; fax 515/292-3348; or visit the Web site ( www.isupress.com ).

AVCOMM Convertible Headset

One gotcha about transitioning from airplanes to helicopters is the fact that these types of aircraft typically require different headset plugs -- the trusty headset you've used throughout your private pilot training in a Cessna 172 won't fit the plugs in a Schweizer 300CB. For those pilots who know both rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft are on their scopes, Aviation Communications offers a versatile new headset, the Avcomm AC-747 PNR convertible model.

Two cords are included with the AC-747: a straight general aviation cord and a coiled helicopter cord, and the two interchange easily by plugging into the headset. A coiled general aviation cord is also available. Should you break a cord, replacement is simple and doesn't require shipment back to the factory. The AC-747 features samarian cobalt speakers and an M-60 microphone with a chip that promises to filter up to 75 percent of background noise. Cotton ear covers, a mic muff, head pad, and five-year factory warranty are also included in the $247 retail price.

For more information, contact Aviation Communications Inc., 1025 West San Bernardino Road, Covina, California 91722; telephone 800/845-7541 or 626/967-4183; fax 626/332-7563; or visit the Web site ( www.avcomm-inc.com ).

IFR Communications Kit

Cockpit radio communications under instrument flight rules (IFR) play out according to a structured script - and as the pilot, you need to know your lines.

In addition to its product for VFR communications, Hugh Ward Co. recently introduced its IFR Communications Kit, a softbound compilation of templates covering almost every potential situation you may encounter during an IFR flight. From ground operations and requesting an IFR clearance at a tower-controlled airport to deciphering cryptic holding instructions, several copies of each template are included for practice and everyday use. Prepunched holes allow the approach-chart-sized templates to be inserted into airway manual binders for quick reference.

The IFR Communications Kit is priced at $17.95. For ordering information, contact Hugh Ward Co., 2170 Lauren Lane, DeLand, Florida 32720; telephone 386/738-3412; or visit the company's Web site ( www.hcwardco.com ).

Sporty's Pilot Courses On DVD

Since digitized video hit the mainstream a few years ago, a number of aviation training programs have sought to incorporate video into interactive programs with varying degrees of success. One of the problems is that of size: Video files are big and can easily gobble up most of the space on a CD-ROM, leaving little room for anything but the videos on the disc.

Sporty's Pilot Shop recently introduced its popular recreational and private pilot video courses on DVD. The DVD (digital versatile disk) format has tremendous capacity compared to CD-ROMs, and it allows the entire 10-hour recreational pilot course to fit on a single DVD, with the private pilot course on six DVDs. At four times the resolution of the average CD-ROM video presentation, image quality and playback is much easier on the eyes than in video-only CD-ROM courses. Closed captioning in English is helpful for hearing impaired students or those who have trouble understanding English.

The content hasn't changed much from the existing video courses, updated last year, which feature excerpts from Richard Collins' Air Facts video series. However, the picture quality is improved and the system has the advantage that the user can jump back and forth to indexed segments, essentially going straight to the lesson desired without having to fast-forward through a videocassette. The system isn't perfect - a detailed index of the video segments is lacking - but the lessons themselves are engaging, with a lot of in-flight footage and practical advice. "Interactive" in this case means quiz questions at the end of each DVD for the student to review.

Sporty's Complete Recreational Pilot Course retails for $99, and the private pilot course costs $159. Both courses include a study guide with test questions and a syllabus. For more information, contact Sporty's Pilot Shop, Clermont County Airport, Batavia, Ohio 45103-9747; telephone 800/ 643-8633 or 513/735-9000; fax 513/735-9200; or visit the Web site ( www.sportys.com ).

Aviation Tutorials VOR/NDB Simulator

The cockpit is far from the ideal place to learn complex tasks such as navigation-especially when navigation skills can be developed on the ground more efficiently. As a complement to its program, The Navigation CD-ROM, Aviation Tutorials recently introduced the VOR/NDB Simulator.

Four simulators are included on the CD-ROM: standard VOR and NDB simulators, and horizontal situation indicator (HSI) and radio magnetic indicator (RMI) simulators. A well-thought-out tutorial guides students through the program, and each simulator includes detailed instructions for its optimum use. You can manipulate the real-time simulations by adjusting the airplane's airspeed and heading as well as wind speed and direction. Aircraft instruments are displayed alongside a full-screen moving map. Many complex airplanes have an HSI or RMI, and these instruments may not be found in basic trainers; thus the VOR/NDB Simulator offers a way for students to ease their transition to more advanced aircraft at a lower cost. Also, GPS units may feed data to an HSI display, and the concepts of course interception with an HSI are similar whether the data is from a VOR or GPS source.

The VOR/NDB Simulator retails for $69. For more information, contact Aviation Tutorials, 245 Gillick Street, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068; telephone 847/823-5417; fax 847/823-5421; or visit the company Web site ( www.avtutorials.com ).