I am compelled to let you know that I enjoy your magazine very much and look forward to each new issue. Flight Training has evolved to become my first pick of the litter each month. I thoroughly enjoy your writers, articles, photos, graphics, and yes, advertisers. Although not a CFI yet, I share the articles and enroll as many prospective pilots and pilots that I can.
Steven Pinello
Brooklyn, New York
As an aerospace engineer with 35 years experience, I am quite puzzled by your description of how a radial engine works (“Birth of the Boom,” August Flight Training. “In a radial, the crankshaft is a central hub, where most cylinders are connected indirectly—one cylinder, called the master, is directly connected to the crankshaft as one solid piece.” This can’t work—the engine would be incapable of motion. Actually, the master cylinder’s piston is connected to the master rod, which is what is connected directly to the crankshaft. The other piston rods are also connected to the master rod via a ring that allow the rods to articulate and rotate the crankshaft.
Robert Zimmerman
Conifer, Colorado
In his article on slow flight (“Slow Down,” August Flight Training) Scott Hotaling expresses mathematically an aerodynamic concept I found confusing. He says, “as airspeed increases, induced drag decreases at the square root of the speed.” I think a more clear way of explaining this concept is to say that induced drag is inversely proportional to the square of the airspeed.
Gregg Solove
Albuquerque, New Mexico
I am instrument rated and seek a clarification on Jill Tallman’s article in the August Flight Training (“Back in the Hood”). She states IFR currency requirements can be met using an aviation training device “as long as an authorized instructor is present.”
Could you clarify this statement? I do not see any requirement in 61.57 that an instructor be present when using an ATD to maintain instrument currency. Thank you.
Larry J. Gallagher
Daly City, California
Illogical as it may be, there’s no reference to an instructor in the applicable section of FAR 61.57. For that you’ll have to turn to FAR 61.51(g)(4).—Ed.
