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Learning to fly is a dream for many people. But becoming a pilot takes more than just wanting to go up in the air and zoom across the world. Being a pilot takes study, practice, and knowing the right information. That is where Sky Power: A Handbook of Aeronautical knowledge For Students and Private Pilots comes in, breaking down everything a new pilot needs to know.
Written by Joseph F. Olufowoshe, Sky Power guides readers through the basics of flight in simple terms that anyone can understand.
What Makes Sky Power Different
Sky Power is not like other books on flying that use highfalutin words and hard-to-follow concepts. Olufowoshe wrote this book for people who are just starting, focusing on single-engine planes that most student pilots learn in. This makes the information found in the book immediately useful.
Olufowoshe covers many topics, starting with how to become a student pilot, before moving into how planes fly, how to navigate, and how to talk on the radio.
Each part builds on the last one, so readers never feel lost or behind.
“[Sky Power] brings together the aeronautical subject areas including study guides to those of aviation regulations and airman’s information manual in which an applicant for the private pilot certification may be tested.”
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Getting Started as a Pilot
The first part of Sky Power explains what it takes to become a pilot. Despite being a very popular career in the minds of a lot of people, the majority of folks do not know the rules for becoming a pilot.
Olufowoshe lays them out clearly.
In the United States, a student pilot must be 16 years old and be able read, speak, and understand English. You also need a medical certificate from an FAA doctor. These are just the first steps of an even longer road.
For a private pilot, the rules are a bit different. You must be 17 years old and pass a written test and a flight test.
Olufowoshe lists everything that will potentially appear on these tests, so you know what to study.
Sky Power also explains what private pilots can and cannot do. For example, private pilots cannot fly for hire, but they can share flight costs with passengers. Olufowoshe writes, “You may also share the operating expense of a flight with your passengers.”
This is good news for people who want to fly with friends and family.
Functionality of Planes
Many people wonder how a heavy plane stays in the air. Sky Power answers this question in a way that makes sense.
Olufowoshe explains the four forces of flight: lift, weight, thrust, and drag. Lift pushes the plane up, and weight pulls it down. Thrust moves it forward while drag slows it down.
In straight and level flight, these forces are equal.
Olufowoshe uses simple examples to illustrate these forces, writing about Bernoulli’s Principle, which explains lift. He also elaborates on how the wing is shaped so that air moves faster over the top than the bottom to create lower pressure above the wing. The higher pressure below the wing pushes it up. This is how the plane flies.
He also explains stall, which happens when the angle of attack is too high, preventing the air from flowing smoothly over the wing. Olufowoshe writes, “Stall is that flight attitude when the airplane falls rather than flies.” This is just a few examples among many.
This is a terrifying thing for new pilots, but knowing why it happens helps pilots avoid it.
Weather and Performance
Weather changes how a plane flies; it’s literally the medium through which the plane goes.
Sky Power explains this in a way that new pilots can grasp.
Hot days, high places, and wet air all make the air less dense, creating what is called high-density altitude. When this happens, the engine makes less power, and the propeller is less efficient. Takeoff runs get longer while climbs get slower.
Olufowoshe writes, “When air density lowers density altitude increases and lowers engine horsepower and propeller efficiency. Under such conditions takeoff distance increases and the rate of climb decreases.” This is vital knowledge, and pilots who do not understand this can get into trouble easily and frequently.
Sky Power includes charts that illustrate how these factors interact, so that readers learn to check temperature, pressure, and humidity before flying and learning to adjust their plans based on conditions.
Why Every Student Pilot Needs Sky Power
Sky Power is more than just a book. This work by Olufowoshe is a complete guide for anyone who wants to fly and wants it so badly that they want to learn how to. Olufowoshe wrote it for beginners, using the clearest words and the best examples, covering everything from the first lesson to cross-country flying.
Although the book is based on US rules, pilots in other countries can still learn from it and take away a ton. Olufowoshe advises readers to check their own country’s rules, of course, showing he cares about all pilots, not just those in America.
Sky Power will help prepare readers for the written test and the flight test the Federal Aviation Authority commends, covering regulations, weather, navigation, and emergencies; explaining phenomena, both natural and manmade, like stalls, turns, takeoffs, and landings; and teaching readers about instruments, radios, and performance charts.
By the end, readers have the knowledge they need to move forward in their training.
Photo by DC Studio
Final Thoughts on Sky Power
Flying is an amazing thing, but it takes work to do it right.
Sky Power makes that work easier, breaking down hard topics into simple ideas and giving readers the confidence to keep learning to attain their dreams of the sky.
If you want to fly, this book belongs on your shelf. Read it before your first lesson. Keep it nearby as you train. Use it to study for your tests. Joseph F. Olufowoshe’s Sky Power will be there every step of the way.
Get your copy of Sky Power today and start your journey toward the sky.
