Profs & Pints Richmond: How Do You Fly This Thing?
Profs and Pints Richmond presents: “How Do You Fly This Thing?” A discussion of the basics of piloting airplanes and navigating your local airspace, with Nate Young, FAA-certified commercial pilot and flight instructor at Washington International Flight Academy.
For many of us, riding in an airplane from point A to B is an act of faith. Lacking much understanding of how the plane flies, how anyone flies it, or what’s happening around us, we sit there experiencing varying degrees of trust and trepidation.
Profs and Pints is offering those who want a deeper understanding of airplane flight the next best thing to a seat in the cockpit: An evening with an airplane pilot and instructor at one of the region’s largest flight schools.
You’ll learn the basics of how airplanes fly, focusing on the importance of lift, weight, drag, and thrust as well as how airplanes harness the laws of physics. Young will explain what pilots are actually looking at when they scan the instrument panel, how to understand and predict turbulence, and principles on landing an airplane—and living to tell all about it—should you ever find yourself in a cockpit all by yourself.
We’ll cover the basics of how to read a navigation chart and look at the “roadmaps” that pilots of all types use in getting around the United States. You’ll learn how to read and predict weather like a pilot, based on how they take into consideration cold or warm fronts, low- or high-pressure systems, radar, and weather information sites. You’ll gain a sense of how to view clouds through their eyes, considering cloud shape, color, and height to predict bumpiness or unstable air and whether a nasty thunderstorm is brewing.
Young, who trains private pilots, commercial pilots wanting to become flight instructors, and retiring U.S. military pilots seeking to transition to commercial airline work, also will discuss how pilots make risk assessments using FAA-approved frameworks. We’ll cover explanations for in-flight turbulence and other things you might experience as a passenger.
Finally, we’ll explore Virginia’s rich aviation heritage, including Richmond’s pivotal role in early American aviation. You’ll hear about the famous visit to the city by Charles Lindbergh himself and how Virginia has long punched above its weight in terms of aviation’s historical milestones, from the early days of reconnaissance balloons used in the Civil War, to the first powered aircraft, to cutting edge aeronautical research during the Cold War.
Young will connect that history to the airspace pilots fly today and explain how regional airspace design reflects both history and modern safety needs. Whether you’re a nervous flyer, a frequent traveler, a history buff, or an aerodynamicist, you’ll be glad you climbed on board for this talk. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.)
Image: Photo by Nate Young.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3398273-0
