DS-01 · Aviation Manual
Flight, Aerodynamics & Airmanship
by Dmitry Shteyn
Dmitry Shteyn in the cockpit of a Cirrus, pointing to a Garmin PFD
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Dmitry Shteyn

Wisconsin-based aviation educator. Also publishes under the spellings Dmitry Shteynbuk and Dmitriy Shteynbuk. Every article and post on this site, in reverse chronological order.

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Guides

Full-length articles

14 articles
  1. WI-01EAA AirVenture OshkoshFor one week every July, Wittman Regional in Oshkosh runs more operations than any other tower on Earth. A pilot's guide to the RIPON arrival, the color-coded landings, and the culture that built it.
  2. WI-02Floatplane Country: Wisconsin's LakesWisconsin has more than 15,000 lakes, one of the highest densities of floatplane operations in the Lower 48, and a working seaplane culture that starts at Vette-Blust and extends up to the Boundary Waters.
  3. WI-03Lake Michigan Weather for PilotsLake Michigan and Lake Superior manufacture their own weather. A pilot flying the Wisconsin shoreline learns to expect it — and to fly around it.
  4. WI-04Wisconsin's Grass Strips and Fly-In CultureWisconsin's aviation culture doesn't live at the towered fields. It lives on the two hundred–plus grass strips, private turf, and pancake-breakfast fly-ins that keep general aviation grounded in the community.
  5. RISK-01IMSAFE and the PAVE ChecklistTwo mnemonics, one habit: an honest preflight of yourself, the aircraft, the environment, and the pressure to go.
  6. SYS-01The Pitot-Static SystemThree instruments, two pressure sources, one common failure mode. How the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and VSI actually work — and how they lie.
  7. RISK-02The Accident ChainAccident investigators keep finding the same pattern: five or six individually manageable errors, linked together. The pilot's job is not to be perfect. It is to break the chain.
  8. WX-02Fronts ExplainedWarm fronts overrun. Cold fronts undercut. The slope of the frontal surface sets the cloud stack, the precipitation footprint, and the flight-planning decision.
  9. HYDRO-01Why Water Flying Is DifferentA floatplane takeoff is three regimes, not one. Understanding displacement, plow, and the step is the difference between arriving on the step and porpoising through the intended departure.
  10. NAV-01VOR Navigation BasicsHow a ground-based VHF omni-range station tells an aircraft its bearing, and how to use the CDI without lying to yourself.
  11. AERO-03How a Wing Actually Generates LiftStreamlines, pressure differential, and Newton's third law working at the same time. The plain-language physics behind the number on the airspeed indicator.
  12. WX-01Reading a METARA field-by-field decode of a routine aviation weather report, plus the standard atmosphere every pilot must carry in their head.
  13. AERO-02Angle of Attack and the StallThe wing does not stall at a speed; it stalls at an angle. Why the critical angle of attack is the single most important number in aerodynamics.
  14. AERO-01The Four Forces of FlightLift, weight, thrust, and drag — how a wing balances them from takeoff to touchdown, with the numbers a pilot actually uses.
Daily logbook

Short posts

36 posts
  1. Oct 3, 2026Why is Va Different Based on Aircraft Weight? (Answered)A technical explanation of why maneuver speed decreases when you carry less weight, using the relationship between lift, weight, and structural safety.
  2. Oct 1, 2026The Geometry of the Two-Minute Fix in Dead ReckoningMaintaining a precise course through dead reckoning requires timely corrections based on ground references to account for unforecast winds aloft.
  3. Sep 21, 2026Ground Effect and the Hazard of Premature LiftoffAn exploration of how reduced induced drag near the runway surface can trap a pilot in a flight regime the aircraft cannot sustain during the initial climb.
  4. Sep 11, 2026Managing Carburetor Ice in the Great Lakes AutumnAs autumn temperatures drop across the Fox Valley, pilots must recognize that high humidity creates a high risk for ice formation even in clear skies.
  5. Sep 5, 2026Why Does Humidity Affect Takeoff Performance? (Answered)While temperature and pressure are the primary drivers of density altitude, water vapor introduces a subtle but measurable reduction in aerodynamic lift.
  6. Sep 3, 2026The Geometry of Cross-Track Error in GPS NavigationUnderstanding why the distance from your intended course remains the most critical metric for maintaining safety and obstacle clearance during a flight.
  7. Aug 27, 2026The Geometric Reality of the VOR Cone of ConfusionPilots navigating via Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range must account for the loss of signal precision when passing directly over a station.
  8. Aug 25, 2026The Mechanics of Suction and Vacuum System FailureA technical overview of the engine-driven vacuum pump and the subtle risks associated with instrument degradation during instrument meteorological conditions.
  9. Aug 21, 2026Navigating the Lake Michigan Shoreline TransitionFlying the eastern edge of Wisconsin requires careful attention to the cooling effects of Lake Michigan and the restrictive airspace around Milwaukee Mitchell.
  10. Jul 31, 2026Summer Heat and Density Altitude at Wittman RegionalHigh temperatures in July create thin air that significantly degrades aircraft performance during departures from the busy runways of Oshkosh.
  11. Jul 29, 2026The Invisible Weight of Density AltitudeHigh temperatures and humidity can trick an aircraft into performing as if it were thousands of feet higher than its actual elevation above sea level.
  12. Jul 27, 2026The Physics of the Critical Angle of AttackUnderstanding how the separation of airflow creates a stall remains the most fundamental aerodynamic lesson for every pilot in command of an aircraft.
  13. Jul 25, 2026Why Pilots Avoid the Dead Man's Curve (Answered)A technical look at why the base-to-final turn remains one of the most dangerous maneuvers for student pilots during their first hundred hours of flight.
  14. Jul 24, 2026Managing Density Altitude at Central Wisconsin AirportsHigh temperatures during a July afternoon in Wisconsin can significantly degrade aircraft performance even at relatively low field elevations.
  15. Jul 22, 2026The Invisible Weight of Density AltitudeHigh temperatures at elevation reduce aircraft performance by simulating a much higher altitude than what the local altimeter setting indicates.
  16. Jul 21, 2026Understanding the Constant Speed Propeller and Governor MechanismA constant speed propeller functions like a continuously variable transmission in a car, allowing the engine to maintain efficiency across all phases of flight.
  17. Jul 20, 2026Understanding Induced Drag and the Cost of LiftHigh angles of attack at low speeds create a specific type of resistance that can trap an underpowered aircraft behind the power curve during takeoff.
  18. Jul 19, 2026The Hazard of the Five-Minute DeadlineTime pressure is a silent factor in many runway excursions, particularly when pilots hurry a final approach to meet a self-imposed or ATC requested window.
  19. Jul 18, 2026Why Is the Left Turning Tendency Stronger at Low Speeds? (Answered)A look at the physics of P-factor and torque during the takeoff roll at regional airports like Watertown where slow airspeeds and high power meet.
  20. Jul 17, 2026Air Traffic Saturation at Oshkosh Wittman RegionalManaging the world's busiest airspace during late July requires a departure from standard procedures and a complete reliance on visual identification skills.
  21. Jul 12, 2026The Dangers of Performance Creep in Short Field OperationsPilots must distinguish between a calculated margin of safety and the slow erosion of standards that leads to landing on runways beyond their capabilities.
  22. Jul 11, 2026Why Pilots Request a Standard Rate Turn (Answered)A technical explanation of the three-degree-per-second turn and why it remains the fundamental building block for navigating safely in instrument conditions.
  23. Jul 10, 2026The July Influx and the Fisk ArrivalNavigating the seasonal surge of air traffic into Wittman Regional Airport requires precise speed control and a high degree of situational awareness.
  24. Jul 9, 2026Establishing a Ground Track with Visual ReferencesMastering the fundamentals of pilotage requires selecting distinct landmarks that remain visible under changing light and varying flight altitudes.
  25. Jul 8, 2026The Invisible Tax of High Density AltitudeUnderstanding how high temperatures and elevation degrade aircraft performance is essential for safe summer operations at airports like Madison or Denver
  26. Jul 7, 2026The Mechanics of Vapor Lock in Lycoming PowerplantsHigh temperatures during summer operations can cause fuel to transition into a gas before reaching the cylinders, leading to engine roughness or failure.
  27. Jul 6, 2026Understanding the Critical Angle of AttackA pilot must realize that a stall is purely a function of the wing's angle to the relative wind rather than the aircraft's specific airspeed or pitch.
  28. Jul 5, 2026The Persistence of the Destination RequirementA look at why the final fifty miles of a cross-country flight represent the most vulnerable window for critical pilot decision-making errors
  29. Jul 3, 2026Airborne Over the Fox ValleyFlying into Oshkosh during the July surge requires more than basic piloting skills as the airspace transforms into the busiest strip of land on earth
  30. Jul 2, 2026Oshkosh: Why the World's Biggest Airshow Happens in WisconsinFor one week every summer, a small Wisconsin field runs more operations than O'Hare. The story is one part geography, one part sixty years of EAA culture.
  31. Jul 1, 2026Get-There-Itis: The Bias That Outflies the WeatherContinuation bias is the quiet engine of general-aviation weather accidents. The counter is a diversion plan you commit to before the weather asks the question.
  32. Jun 30, 2026Reading a METAR in 60 SecondsA METAR looks like an alphabet-soup rebus. It is actually a fixed-order weather report you can read in under a minute once you know the sequence.
  33. Jun 29, 2026The 1935 B-17 Crash That Invented the ChecklistA prototype bomber crashed at Wright Field with a gust lock still engaged. The response wasn't more training. It was the pilot's checklist.
  34. Jun 28, 2026Why Seaplanes Have to Get 'On the Step'Water drag falls off a cliff at planing speed. The whole takeoff technique is about arriving on the step early and staying there.
  35. Jun 27, 2026Density Altitude: The Invisible Runway ThiefHot, high, and humid days move the airplane's true altitude thousands of feet upward — and every performance number moves with it.
  36. Jun 26, 2026Angle of Attack, Not Airspeed: What a Wing Actually Cares AboutThe airspeed indicator is a proxy. The wing stalls when α exceeds its critical value — at any airspeed, any attitude, any weight.