Why Airplanes Still Use Dead Reckoning

Why Airplanes Still Use Dead Reckoning

Dead reckoning is one of the most basic forms of navigation; you simply move in a known direction and record how far you travel going in that direction.  Using your old location, you can now compute your new location.  You might be surprised to find out that some of the newest most technologically advanced aircraft still use this form of navigation.  Join us to find out why this ancient form of navigation is still used today in the presence of much more advanced forms of navigation such as GPS.

Don't Fail Your Medical! A Pilot's Guide to Aviation Medicals

Most pilots are required to have a medical certificate.  This certificate helps to verify that a pilot is healthy enough to safely pilot an airplane.  While the medical certificate requirement is a very important part of aviation, it can cause pilots a lot of stress; there are a variety of medical certificates to choose from and each has its own privileges and restrictions.  Not to mention that a failed medical examination can spell the end of your aviation career. Join us on this episode of The Wing Wag as we discuss the intricacies of each type of medical certificate, decide which is best for you, and give you tips for avoiding failing a medical examination.

How to Pick the Perfect Flight School

So you've decided to become a pilot.  Choosing a flight school can be overwhelming.  Every flight school has its own personality and style of teaching.  You want to find the flight school that's the perfect fit for you.  Join me this week as we go over what to look for (and avoid!) when picking a flight school.

New Year, Better Flying: The Wing Wag's 2026 Resolutions

Happy New Years! Pilots are almost trying to improve their skill.  Here at The Wing Wag, we are no different.  Join me this week to discuss some of the ways in which I want to improve as an aviator, an airplane owner, and a podcaster in 2026.  Let's just hope that these resolutions last longer than my resolution to stop eating candy... If you have any aviation-related goals for 2026, I'd love to hear about them!  Let me know in the comments. If you are interested in flight training or just want to fly with an instructor, check out Olinde Aerospace: https://olindeaerospace.com/ [https://olindeaerospace.com/]

Is Santa’s Christmas Eve Flight Actually Possible?

Santa apologists, sometimes called full-flighters, have long held the belief that Santa himself delivers all the Christmas presents during a single flight around the entire world.  My brother Matthew and I set out to prove that this is not possible for a variety of reasons such as the distance of the trip, the number of stops, and the fuel requirements.  As we got further into our research, we began to see that maybe the Santa apologists were right after all. Sources supporting the full-flighter argument: * https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map [https://www.noradsanta.org/es/map] * https://www.altogetherchristmas.com/music/ISawMommyKissingSantaClaus.html [https://www.altogetherchristmas.com/music/ISawMommyKissingSantaClaus.html] * https://www.altogetherchristmas.com/music/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer.html [https://www.altogetherchristmas.com/music/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer.html] * https://www.adirondack.net/holiday/top-songs/grandma-got-run-over/ [https://www.adirondack.net/holiday/top-songs/grandma-got-run-over/] * https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43171/a-visit-from-st-nicholas [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43171/a-visit-from-st-nicholas]