Hello Everyone and Welcome to Blonds in Aviation. I created this website as a place where women AND MEN can share resources and information about aviation. As a new pilot I found that I struggled with specific things along the way. I’m a very VISUAL LEARNER and in the aviation world, with its tendency to over use acronyms I had a hard time visualizing what in the world I was suppose to do. I needed to SEE it, FEEL it in my body, and most of all UNDERSTAND it, otherwise I had a hard time remembering the information. There often is a lack of clarity in WHY we do things in aviation. That WHY, I believe, is what separates good pilots from wise ones. For example… in ground school I was warned about staying ‘Out of the Clouds’ and had to memorize & calculate ceiling restrictions. Well, since I didn’t ask WHY, I assumed that going into clouds was dangerous. I knew clouds contained moisture and are more turbulent and I literally thought that the clouds themselves would be harmful to my plane. As silly as it sounds, I was sort of afraid of them. If I had asked WHY, I would have understood that those restrictions had more to do with VFR / IFR separation than anything else. That IFR planes coming ‘out of the clouds’ and VFR planes directly below them needed that 500′ separation in order to see and avoid one another. These were the moments where I definitely felt like a BLONDE. I knew nothing about aviation, weather, engineering, aerodynamics, etc before decided to get my pilots license so much of the information was COMPLETELY new to me. Hey, it’s humble to ask even the seemingly stupid questions if you just don’t know it. AND it is wise when you do. So, to all us BLONDS out there (men included), this blog is for the humble & wise pilot in us all.
~Meira Leonard
Blonde verses Blond? Blonde is feminine and Blond is masculine or both…. thus Blonds in Aviation 🙂
Wow! Thank you so much Meira! This is so helpful!! The WHY is soooo important and often ignored. I’m an aspiring pilot and I look forward to your’s and everyone’s insights!
Thank you for creating this website. I too am a visual learner and student pilot. Originally from Maui, now in Florida studying to become a commercial pilot. Keep up the good work.
Scott T.
This is terrific – so much out there, but as you are sharing as your yourself train, it’s spot on. I’m going to connect my students to your website. All I can say is you better thing seriously about becoming a flight instructor!
Christine Mortine DPE CFI CFII MEI TCI and proud owner of C185
Thank you so much Christine! I really appreciate your comment and am very glad to share what I’ve learned. I hope it is helpful!
This is wonderful material. Currently going through my PPL training, this is going to be a huge assist. Maybe a page to add could be for helpful resources and links outside of your site. I’ve found that skyvector.com is useful for assisting, as a quick reference, for XC and firstflight.com helps explain how to fill out a navlog. Thank you for taking the time to put this website together. You’ve done wonderful with it.
LIFESAVER!!!! Thank you so much 🙂
What a fantastic website!!!
I am preparing for my checkride and your articles and check sheets are awesome helpful!!!Thanks!! Finally I understood Density altitude, pressure altitude and many other concepts with your visual explanations. Thumbs up, and thanks for sharing your hard work. Love Blonds in aviation!!! =)
LIFESAVER
THANK YOU!!!
– KELLY (KSNA)
The stuff you capture here is AMAZING! Thanks for documenting and making it available! I’m going to start working on making a binder right now :-).
This is such an excellent website and graphics! Wow and thank you! From one blond to another 🙂 I am about to take my check ride for PPL, and this is helping to bring everything together. One more question: Do you have any guides for engine systems and components? Someone told me to go to a whiteboard and draw the electrical system, for example. Thank you so much again for your work here!
Hi Rosie, Thank you for your comment. That’s very kind of you. Actually I don’t have a cheatsheet for eletrcial or engine systems. I only have this cheatsheet for instruments… https://www.blondsinaviation.com/flight-instruments-training-6-pack. Good luck on your PPL!!
I AM A BLOND! and I learn the same as you, so thank you so much for this blog and all the information you’ve made available.
Just found your website and IT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR to help me organize my study materials, requirements and confusing information so much better. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I just stumbled on your website and it is great! I’m a full time CFII and this is going to be SO helpful to my students. You do a great job of organizing information and summarizing weather resources.