You discovered the wonders of flight years ago and earned your pilot wings. Over the years since then however, life events may have kept you out of the cockpit. Now that you’ve decided it’s time to knock the rust off and get back in the left seat, where’s a good place to start?
At Airman’s Angle “we've got your six.” If you're familiar with Rod Machado, you know he has developed some of the best pilot courses and training materials in the aviation field. Our team has researched his books and courses and highly recommends the Rusty Pilot Collection below as it offers the most comprehensive training materials to get you flying high again.
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Rod Machado's Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook
Looking to make flying fun again? Rod Machado's Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook is your ultimate guide to mastering the skies! Whether you're refreshing your knowledge for an FAA private or commercial pilot exam or just revisiting the fundamentals, this handbook takes the stress out of studying and replaces it with engaging, enjoyable learning.
Packed with over 1,200 vivid illustrations and photos, this 704-page handbook is more than just a study aid—it's a complete aviation education. Written with Rod Machado's signature clarity and wit, you'll discover why we can fly, all while rekindling your passion for the art and science of aviation.
Here’s why it stands out:
- Comprehensive Yet Accessible: Covers everything you need for private pilot flight reviews, oral exams, and knowledge tests—perfect for beginners and pros alike.
- Aligned with 2024 ACS Standards: Stay current with the industry's most up-to-date and reliable content.
- Flexible Formats: Available in both softcover and eBook (PDF) options to fit your lifestyle.
- BONUS eWorkbook Included: Reinforce your learning with practical exercises for hands-on mastery.
This is the most modern and trusted resource on the market. Endorsed by pilots everywhere, it’s a must-have for anyone serious about aviation—whether you're just starting out or sharpening your skills as a professional.
📚 Take your aviation knowledge to new heights! Order your copy of Rod Machado’s Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook today and make your next flight your best one yet.
Rod Machado's Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook - Audiobook Version
Transform your downtime into learning time with Rod Machado's Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook Audiobook. With over 30 hours of engaging, downloadable audio content, you can now master aviation concepts effortlessly—anytime, anywhere.
Imagine this: you're tackling your morning commute, relaxing on the couch, or even taking a walk, all while absorbing Rod's conversational teaching style that breaks down complex topics into clear, digestible insights.
Rod’s tried-and-true approach simplifies learning, making the material not just easy to understand but enjoyable too. Whether you're a student pilot or brushing up on your skills, this audiobook is your ultimate tool for learning on the go.
Why read when you can listen, learn, and soar? Download Rod Machado's Audiobook App for iPhone or Android and start your aviation education today!
Rod Machado's How to Fly an Airplane Handbook
Looking to sharpen your flying skills and gain complete control of your airplane? This practical handbook is for pilots who want to master the fundamentals of stick-and-rudder flying. Whether you're piloting simple or complex single-engine airplanes with tricycle landing gear, this book is your go-to guide. (Note: This isn’t meant to replace a comprehensive taildragger handbook.)
Why does this book matter?
Many modern pilots rely too heavily on panel instruments, even in visual conditions. While helpful, this dependency can prevent you from developing the instincts and confidence needed to fly safely and effectively. Flying by the seat of your pants—using sights, sounds, and tactile sensations—marks the difference between an average pilot and one who truly masters the skies.
This handbook focuses on the basics of attitude flying, helping you build the stick-and-rudder skills that every pilot needs. Learn how to predict what your airplane can do, what it will do, and what it cannot do. By the time you finish, you’ll fly with confidence, control, and safety in every situation.
Unleash your potential as a pilot—grab your copy today and take the first step toward mastering the skies!
Rod Machado's How to Fly an Airplane Handbook – Audiobook Version
Take your aviation knowledge to the next level with Rod Machado's How to Fly an Airplane Handbook—now available as a companion audiobook! Spanning a comprehensive 18.5 hours of engaging audio, this guide is your go-to resource for expert flight training.
Whether you're commuting, exercising, or relaxing at home, you can conveniently access the audiobook via Rod Machado's iPhone/Android-Phone Audiobook App. That means expert guidance and actionable tips are always at your fingertips—no heavy manuals required.
Why choose this audiobook?
- Expert Insights: Learn directly from Rod Machado, one of aviation’s most trusted educators.
- Comprehensive Content: Covers everything you need to know about flying, from the basics to advanced skills.
- On-the-Go Convenience: Perfect for multitasking, so you can keep learning wherever life takes you.
Elevate your aviation skills with Rod Machado's companion audiobook today! 🎧✈️
Rod Machado's 40-hour Private Pilot eLearning Ground School
Looking to refresh your skills for your flight review? Start with Rod Machado's 40+ Hour Private Pilot eLearning Ground School—your ultimate resource for confident, stress-free training.
This comprehensive course not only prepares you for your private pilot flight review but also strengthens your foundational aviation knowledge, making your refresher training more engaging and enjoyable.
Why Choose This Course?
- Up-to-Date Standards: Fully aligned with the new ACS 2025 guidelines.
- On-the-Go Learning: Download videos directly to your iPad or Android tablet for flexibility.
- FAA Knowledge Exam Prep: Get ready to ace the test—and beyond.
- Lifetime Access: Revisit materials anytime with free updates to ensure you're always current.
Empower your aviation skills today! Join thousands of pilots who trust Rod Machado’s training to elevate their knowledge and proficiency.
➡️ Get started with lifetime access now! (This course is always current.)
How to Fly an Airplane eCourse
Looking to take your flight training to new heights? This 15-hour, highly engaging and animated eCourse is designed to give you something other flying programs don't—a thorough understanding of how to control an airplane during takeoff, in the air, and while landing. Whether you're new to flying or a rusty pilot looking to freshen up your skills, this course is tailored for you.
Unlike other courses that simply show airplanes performing required maneuvers, this eCourse breaks down the exact skills you’ll need to master the aileron, rudder, elevator, and throttle. You'll gain a clear, step-by-step understanding of the precise control movements required to perform both basic and advanced flight techniques—essential for achieving your private pilot certification.
Flexibility is key! Watch the course on your PC, laptop, Mac, iPad, Android tablet, or smartphone. Need to study offline? Download the videos directly to your iPad or Android tablet for viewing anytime, anywhere.
Take the controls, deepen your knowledge, and gain the confidence you need to soar. Start your aviation learning journey today!
Handling In-Flight Emergencies eLearning Course
Rod Machado's interactive eLearning course on handling in-flight emergencies is the ultimate guide for rusty pilots ready to sharpen their skills.
Wondering if you could confidently manage a wide range of in-flight emergencies? This course offers practical, actionable strategies taught through engaging animations and real in-flight demonstrations. Designed to be both fun and highly educational, it delivers a six-hour immersive learning experience complete with interactive quizzes to test your knowledge.
Best of all, the course is fully portable—download it to your tablet for offline viewing, and learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere. Reconnect with your passion for aviation and elevate your confidence in the cockpit with this dynamic training from Rod Machado.
Are you ready to take off?
Basic Cross Country Flight Planning for Beginners - eLearning Course
Are you a rusty pilot looking to brush up on your cross-country flight planning skills? Look no further—this course has got you covered!
Rod Machado’s Basic Cross Country Flight Planning for Student Pilots is an interactive program designed to help you master the fundamentals of flight navigation. From plotting your route on an aviation sectional chart to calculating compass headings that account for magnetic variation, compass deviation, and wind, this course breaks it all down in a clear, easy-to-follow way.
You'll also revisit how to use a flight computer to calculate speed, time, distance, and fuel—skills every pilot needs. For those shaking off the cobwebs, this course reinforces essential navigation techniques like pilotage and dead reckoning while ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge to ace a private pilot flight review.
Get ready to build confidence, refine your skills, and soar with precision once again.
Radar Imagery Explained - Interactive eLearning Course
Enhance your piloting skills and boost your confidence in navigating convective weather with this comprehensive course designed for modern aviators. Whether you’re an IFR pilot relying on uplinked cockpit radar or a VFR pilot looking to improve decision-making in changing weather, this course is your essential guide to safer, more efficient flying.
Why This Course is a Game-Changer:
Master the art of identifying and avoiding hazardous convective weather using cockpit radar imagery. With practical insights tailored to real-world flying, this course ensures you stay ahead of potential risks, enhancing both safety and operational efficiency.
What You’ll Learn:
- Radar Essentials Made Simple - Get a clear understanding of radar theory to interpret weather data like a pro.
- Predicting Gusts and Turbulence - Learn to anticipate turbulence and avoid bumps in your route.
- Decoding NEXRAD Displays - Understand what those colors really mean on different weather systems.
- Navigating Vendor Variations - Discover how uplinked weather providers use different color scales and their impact.
- Strengths and Limits of Uplinked Weather - Avoid common missteps by understanding the capabilities and shortcomings.
- Approach Control Radar Insights - Explore ASR-9/ASR-11 radar and how to spot convective weather patterns.
- Real-Time Weather Insights - Utilize STARS weather radar to make better, faster decisions.
And much more actionable content to refine your weather-avoidance strategies.
Why Pilots Choose This Course:
Unlike generic weather training, this course dives deep into actionable techniques and real-time scenarios. The goal? To equip you with the skills and confidence to make safer, smarter decisions every time you take to the skies.
Elevate your flying experience today—Get this course today and make convective weather one less thing to worry about!
The Art of the Instrument Scan - Interactive eLearning Course
To master the art of flying, every private pilot must develop a strong instrument scan technique. However, many find this skill to be one of the most challenging—and costly—parts of their training. Simply being told to "keep your eyes moving" isn't enough to truly control an aircraft using its instruments. That’s where Rod Machado’s The Art of the Instrument Scan eLearning course comes in.
This engaging, 2-hour and 20-minute interactive course introduces an easy-to-learn, three-step scan process that simplifies instrument navigation. Designed for both new pilots and those with instrument ratings, this method significantly reduces workload and improves control, making flying more intuitive and less stressful.
Don’t just move your eyes—master your scan. With Rod Machado’s expert guidance, you'll progress faster, feel more confident, and ultimately become a safer, more competent pilot.
Take the first step in perfecting your instrument scan today.
Understanding Weather - Interactive eLearning Course
Struggling with tricky weather concepts? Rod Machado’s Understanding Weather eLearning course is here to change that. Designed with pilots in mind, this 5.5-hour course simplifies the fundamentals of weather, making them easy to grasp and apply to real-world flying.
What sets this course apart? Rod’s signature Laugh & Learn teaching style combines engaging humor with clear, practical explanations, transforming normally complex topics into enjoyable learning sessions. Whether you're a seasoned pilot brushing up or a student who's ready to build confidence, you'll gain the tools to understand the skies like never before.
By connecting abstract weather theories to real-life flying scenarios, Rod ensures you’ll walk away feeling confident and prepared for the environment you fly in. Don’t just learn weather—truly understand it and make safer, smarter decisions in the cockpit.
Take the stress out of weather knowledge—start learning today!
The Art of Takeoffs and Landings eCourse
Every flight begins with a takeoff and ends with a landing, yet many pilots struggle to master these essential skills. Why? Often, they were never taught the right techniques—or they haven’t practiced enough to build consistent proficiency.
That’s where this course comes in. Even if you pick up just one valuable takeoff or landing technique, you’ll find it worth your time. These aren’t just tips you’ll use once—they’re tools you’ll depend on every time you fly.
This course is packed with actionable, practical techniques. Some are completely unique to Rod’s teaching, while others may be familiar, but with a fresh perspective or example that makes everything click. Whether you learn a new skill or validate approaches you already use, the insights you’ll gain can make a world of difference in your confidence and precision as a pilot.
Great takeoffs and landings aren’t about luck—they’re about understanding and technique. And Rod delivers exactly that. This course is your opportunity to refine your skills and elevate every flight you take.
Rod Machado's Instrument Pilot eGround School
Rod’s Machado's Instrument Pilot eGround School stands out as the definitive resource for mastering IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). Whether you’re just starting your instrument rating or you’re a seasoned pilot seeking to refresh your skills, this course delivers unmatched depth and clarity on critical IFR concepts.
Here’s what makes it an essential tool for every pilot:
- 26 comprehensive online courses
- 686 short, focused video lessons
- Over 50 hours of in-depth training
- 151 quizzes to test your knowledge
- 3 practice exams for real-world preparation
The learning platform is designed with pilots’ busy schedules in mind. Lessons are broken into bite-sized segments, each focused on a single topic, so you can jump directly to the information you need, when you need it. With an intuitive menu system, finding specific topics or refreshing a particular concept is effortless—no more losing time searching through hours of video or flipping through textbooks.
What sets this program apart is Rod’s commitment to keeping it up to date. Regular updates ensure you’re learning the latest regulations, procedures, and standards, so your knowledge stays sharp and relevant in the fast-changing world of aviation. It’s not only a study tool but a long-term resource you can rely on for years to come.
If you’re looking for a straightforward, expertly crafted way to deepen your IFR knowledge, this eGround School is your ultimate library. Get ready to keep your skills polished and your expertise rust-free—all at your own pace.
Rod Machado's FREE Instrument Flight Training Syllabus
Rod Machado's FREE Instrument Flight Training Syllabus
This IFR flight training syllabus is your go-to companion for clear, effective, and practical instrument training—crafted for both flight instructors and students alike. Too often, existing syllabi swing between two extremes: overly simplified and loosely structured, leaving one doubtful about earning an instrument rating, or overly detailed and cumbersome, making the process needlessly overwhelming.
Enter Rod’s syllabus, where minimalism meets functionality. Here, minimalism doesn't mean cutting corners—it’s about cutting through the clutter. Every lesson is boiled down to the essentials, neatly and thoughtfully presented on a single page. These one-page lessons include everything you need, from training objectives and elements to completion standards, homework assignments, and insightful commentary on the training philosophy.
Designed for ease and efficiency, this syllabus streamlines the learning process, giving instructors a straightforward teaching framework and students a structured, manageable path to achieving their instrument rating. With its focus on clarity, practicality, and simplicity, Rod’s IFR syllabus transforms instrument training into an accessible and rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Rod Machado's FREE Instrument Ground School Syllabus
Rod Machado's FREE Instrument Ground School Syllabus
This FREE printable syllabus is your ultimate guide to mastering the instrument (airplane) knowledge exam in just nine weeks. Designed with both flight and ground instructors in mind, it streamlines the process of teaching a nine-week instrument ground school. With its clear, easy-to-follow layout, it helps instructors efficiently prepare their class of aspiring pilots for success.
But it’s not just for instructors—if you’re an instrument student determined to ace the test on your own, this syllabus has you covered too. Use it to structure your self-study, stay on track, and confidently tackle the instrument airplane knowledge exam.
Whether you’re leading a classroom or studying solo, this syllabus is your practical and effective tool for exam success. Get started today and make the next nine weeks your launchpad to becoming a better pilot!
Rod Machado's FREE Flight Training Syllabus
Rod Machado's FREE Flight Training Syllabus
This syllabus is your pathway to earning a private pilot certificate in just over 40 hours of flight time. Designed by renowned aviation expert Rod Machado, it’s the same trusted guide he’s used to train pilots for decades. Focused on mastering essential "stick and rudder" flying skills, this program empowers motivated students to succeed.
Rod Machado's FREE Ground School Training Syllabus
Rod Machado's FREE Ground School Training Syllabus
Rod Machado is making available to you for FREE his Private Pilot Ground School Syllabus. It is completely FREE and can be obtained by clicking the link.
