In this episode we break down the aircraft magnetic compass from first principles to real world cockpit use, explaining how it aligns with the Earth’s magnetic field and why this simple instrument remains required for both VFR and IFR flight. We explore compass construction and readout, then dive into the core sources of error, variation, deviation, and magnetic dip, including how each one affects navigation and how pilots correct for them. You will learn the proper course correction sequence from true to magnetic to compass, understand northerly and southerly turning errors, acceleration and deceleration errors using the ANDS mnemonic, and how to manage oscillation when setting other instruments. We close with a look at the vertical card magnetic compass and how its design changes display, damping, and turning characteristics, giving you a complete and practical understanding of one of aviation’s most misunderstood instruments.

In this episode, we explore Angle of Attack indicators and why they represent one of the most powerful tools for understanding an aircraft’s true aerodynamic condition. We explain how AOA makes an otherwise invisible parameter visible, giving pilots direct awareness of stall margin and airfoil performance in real time. You will learn why airspeed alone is not a reliable indicator for stall avoidance, and why every aircraft, in a given configuration, always stalls at the same critical angle of attack regardless of weight, bank angle, temperature, density altitude, or center of gravity. We also discuss how AOA indicators enhance situational awareness, improve energy management, and help pilots better visualize the balance between lift, drag, thrust, altitude, and airspeed. This episode connects aerodynamic theory to practical cockpit decision making, showing how AOA fundamentally changes the way pilots manage safety and performance.

In this episode, we break down how modern aircraft determine attitude and heading, and why today’s systems are far more reliable than the spinning gyros of the past. We explore the evolution from free gyros to solid-state Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS), explaining how laser-based sensors and magnetometers work together to provide accurate pitch, bank, and heading information without the risk of tumbling. You’ll learn how the flux gate compass senses the Earth’s magnetic field, how remote indicating compass systems reduce magnetic interference, and why slaved gyros automatically stay aligned while free gyros demand constant pilot attention. We also cover common limitations and errors, from precession and vacuum failures to startup and taxi checks, and tie it all together with real cockpit instruments like the HSI and RMI. This episode is a practical, pilot-focused look at the technology quietly keeping you oriented in every phase of flight.