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POV: You’ve spent hours searching around the internet to find “aircraft rentals near me.” You’ve compared pricing, called companies to ask about the schedule, looked at photos, and even searched for recommendations on the KC Aviators Facebook Group. Suddenly, you find Go Fly Kansas - A great looking aircraft that’s clean, has updated avionics, has open availability, AND great pricing? …. So how do I book!  Like most aircraft rental companies, Go Fly requires a checkout flight before you’re cleared to rent. There are a couple of reasons a checkout flight is required: insurance, peace of mind, and safety.  So what does a C172 rental checkout flight entail?  Prior to the scheduled date, all of the required documents need to be submitted via the GoFlyKansas.com  website or by email to Info@GoFlyKansas.com . These documents include a copy of your driver’s license, pilot cert, CFI cert (if applicable), medical, non-owned aircraft insurance, and a signed rental agreement.  Once you arrive to the hangar, a Go Fly staff member will show you around and verify all of your information. Then, the checkout begins. Here’s where you’ll meet our flight instructor, Robert Grant . You’ll sit in the office and go over your flight history and get to know each other. Then, Robert will spend some time overviewing your paperwork, testing your knowledge on different parts and regulations, and most importantly debriefing on safety and care of the aircraft. Next, you’ll head out to the hangar for a preflight check. Robert will walk you through some of the supplies you need, the layout of the hangar, contact information, and how the record keeping works. Once you complete the preflight check, you and Robert will take flight.  During the flight, renters can expect Robert to test you on your safety and proficiency in the air. This is also a good opportunity for you to work on any weaknesses you may have or skills you want to focus on. In the air, you’ll complete basic and advanced maneuvers and practice a few landings.  Once you’ve landed, Robert will give you feedback on your flight and whether you’re approved to book. You’ll then receive access to Flight Schedule Pro and are free to book the C172 whenever you’d like.  Are you interested in booking a checkout flight? Click here to submit your documents - Or send us an email to info@goflykansas.com   We look forward to flying with you!

Start the fall season with a flight in the C172! Enjoy the cool air while you fly the pattern or head out on a cross-country adventure. Not sure where to go? We’ve included some of the top destinations pilots loved this summer to help spark your next trip. Reserve your flight today! Our Top Pick for Fall: Hermann, Missouri (63M) If you’re looking for a fall destination, this is the one. Hermann (63M) has it all with fall foliage, live music, and Oktoberfest every weekend in October with German food, Hoisting contests, the Arts & Crafts fair, and plenty to explore. Learn More about Hermann, Missouri and upcoming events here: https://visithermann.com/oktoberfest-in-hermann/ Where Pilots Loved to Land this Summer: Benton, Kansas (1K1) All signs pointed to Stearman Field Bar & Grill in Benton, Kansas as the season favorite. With famous burgers, cold drinks, and a front-row seat to the runway, it’s no surprise it was a go-to-Destination of the summer for Go Fly customers. Check out Stearman Fall Events here: https://www.stearmanbarandgrill.com/events Go far with Go Fly - Schedule your flight today!

Just a short walk from the ramp, the Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum is a hidden gem with something for all ages. Quiet and easy to explore, the museum features an aviation-focused STEM area where kids can get hands-on with interactive exhibits—and even learn the basics of flight. It’s a great stop for families or anyone looking to add a little history and fun to their flying day. Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. https://www.nicholasbeazley.org/

Located right on the apron at FOE, SKY Restaurant delivers solid breakfast, lunch, and dinner—with a side of ramp views. From weekend brunch to casual dinners, their menu covers all the comfort classics. Grab a table on the patio and watch aircraft come and go while you enjoy a laid-back meal just steps from your plane. Hours: Mon–Sun 8am-2pm Fri-Sat 5pm–9pm https://www.eatatsky.com/

Miami County Airport in Paola, Kansas is the perfect pit stop for great barbecue and small-town charm. Just steps from the runway, you’ll find We B Smokin' serving up smoky, no-nonsense favorites. Everything’s good here, but the rib platter is a must. Tender, flavorful, and cooked just right, it’s the kind of meal worth flying for.

Just 127 nautical miles from Lawrence Regional Airport, Stearman Field Airport is a fly-in favorite for pilots and foodies alike! The on-site Stearman Field Bar & Grill in Benton Kansas is a must-visit, serving up legendary burgers and cold drinks with a front-row view of the runway. Watch planes take off as you dig into their famous Stearman Burger or crispy buffalo chicken wrap. Looking to explore? Wichita is just a short drive away, offering world-class aviation museums, local breweries, and vibrant downtown shopping. 🚁🍽️

Just 50 nautical miles from Lawrence Regional Airport, Amelia Earhart Airport in Atchison, Kansas is a charming fly-in destination steeped in aviation history. Named after the iconic aviator who was born in Atchison, the airport is home to the Amelia Earhart Museum featuring the world’s last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E, which is identical to the plane Earhart flew on her final flight.

A quick flight lands you in Wichita—the Air Capital of the World and a perfect destination for pilots looking to mix flying with fun. Start your visit at the Kansas Aviation Museum , located in Wichita’s original municipal airport terminal. It’s packed with beautifully preserved aircraft and fascinating stories about the city’s pivotal role in aviation history. For a breakfast or brunch worth the flight alone, head to Doo-Dah Diner , a beloved local spot known for its banana bread French toast and crispy corned beef hash. It’s comfort food at its finest, served up with small-town hospitality. Wichita has plenty to keep you busy after a good meal. Botanica Wichita  offers acres of vibrant gardens and peaceful walking paths, while the Old Town  district is a lively hub of breweries, live music, and boutique shopping tucked into restored brick warehouses. Wichita makes a great getaway, whether you’re chasing aviation history, a great bite to eat, or both. It’s the kind of place that reminds you why you Go Fly in the first place.

Rosecrans Memorial Airport puts you right next to the heart of St. Joseph, Missouri—a city full of character, history, and great food. Once you’ve landed, make your way over to Boudreaux’s Louisiana Seafood & Steaks , a local favorite known for bold Cajun flavors. The blackened ribeye is a standout, and the seafood étouffée brings authentic southern comfort to the Midwest. It's a cozy, no-frills spot that delivers every time. If you're up for exploring, St. Joe has plenty to offer. The Pony Express National Museum  offers a hands-on look at the riders who helped connect the country by mail, while Krug Park  provides peaceful walking trails and sweeping views of the Missouri River. For something off the beaten path, the Glore Psychiatric Museum  offers a surprisingly fascinating look at the evolution of mental health care. Whether you’re chasing history or just a great meal, Go Fly to St . Joe!

Training Course If you haven’t already purchased one, the best value in aviation today is  Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course . It will give you all the knowledge you need to become a proficient aviator and help you ace your FAA tests. Home study is an essential part of your training and Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course will save you time and money. It works on all your devices and it never expires, so you can buy it once and use it for the rest of your flying career. Headset Airplanes are noisy. In order to communicate in the cockpit (and protect your hearing), you will need a headset. There are tons of different headsets to choose from. Many students start with a passive headset before stepping up to an active noise reduction (ANR) model later on, which are generally much quieter and more comfortable. Our advice: you get what you pay in aviation headsets, so stay away from really cheap models. Here are our favorites: ·         David Clark H10-13.4 : Classic, been around forever, will last 20 years, but a little tight on the clamping force. $344.95 ·         FARO Stealth 2 : A little large, but cancels a lot of noise and has Bluetooth. $249.95 for passive and $449.95 for active make these a good bang for the buck option. ·         Lightspeed Sierra : At $650, this entry level ANR headset is packed with many of the features you find on $1100 headsets. ·         Bose A20 : If money isn’t a deciding factor, these things are amazing. They are extremely comfortable and super quiet. Books The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) publishes several textbooks that are often considered as required reading for student pilots. Many of these books can be found digitally as part of Sporty’s Pilot Training app. Click below to find the paper editions. ·         Airplane Flying Handbook  – $17.95 ·         Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge  – $17.95 ·         Aviation Weather  – $19.95 ·         FAR/AIM  – $19.95 Fuel Tester One of the many pre-flight tasks pilots perform on aircraft involves fuel, and it’s not just confirming you have enough for your flight and required reserve. Specifically, pilots need to  inspect the fuel  to make sure it’s the right type and that it is free from contaminants. That is where a fuel tester comes into play. Types of Fuel Testers   Fuel Sampler Cup This simple, small,  inexpensive fuel tester  consists of a clear acrylic cup with a rod in the center. The size makes it easy to stow, but the size makes it less than ideal for aircraft with multiple sumps.   Sporty’s Fuel Tester The most popular style of fuel tester is  this longer model . It has a screwdriver at one end, which makes it convenient for opening a cowling during pre-flight. The center rod is removable to work with both types of drain valves.   GATS Jar The  GATS Jar  has room for a lot of fuel and is often used with larger aircraft. The piece that is used to activate the fuel drain can be reversed so it can fit both types of valves. The GATS Jar incorporates a screen so you can pour sumped fuel back in your tank if so desired, while straining out debris.   Multi-Sump Fuel Tester This is the  fuel sample cup on steroids . The cup is mounted on top of a larger reservoir. Once the fuel in the top cup has been inspected, a simple push on the side of the cup dumps the contents in the larger reservoir. This allows the pilot to hit a bunch of sumps without needing to dump every time. Flashlight Part of getting your private pilot license involves flying at night. While we all have a flashlight on our phone, it will be extremely difficult to use for preflight and in the cockpit. Try to get a flashlight with both white and red light, since red preserves night vision. Here are three of our favorites. Flight Gear Flashlight This light  is perfect for the cockpit. It has independent buttons for both the red and white light, so you won’t have to ruin your night vision to find the red light setting. The side is printed with the FARs pertaining to night flight, and a focusing head makes it easy to throw light up high on the tail of an aircraft.   Flight Outfitters Dual Color Headlamp A  headlamp  puts the right type of light where you need it without tying up your hands. The white light has two levels, low and high, and a focusing ring takes it from a flood light to a spot light. The red light puts just the right amount in the cockpit without waking sleeping passengers.   Flight Outfitters Bush Pilot Flashlight This  rechargeable flashlight  is the best we’ve seen for the cockpit. A selector ring on the back of the flashlight allows you to select the color and intensity of the light. A focusing bezel allows you to concentrate the light where needed. The best part of this flashlight is that it doubles as a backup phone battery. The same USB port used to charge the flashlight can be used to charge your phone. Flight Bag A student pilot generally has more gear during training and you’ll need a dedicated bag to store this gear. Flight bags are purpose built with pockets and features needed for pilots. Crosswind Flight Gear Bag   The most popular student pilot bag has enough space for a headset and books, yet is small enough to not throw off your weight and balance. The most important feature students wanted: price. Put more cash towards flight training and less towards gear with the  Crosswind Flight Gear Bag .   Flight Outfitters Lift Bag This  sturdy bag  has room for all the essentials, but won’t get in your way. Includes a large headset pocket, iPad pocket and multiple organizer sections with room for all your accessories. A helpful exterior pocket makes it easy to grab your backup radio in an emergency. Steel-reinforced carrying handles will haul even the heaviest load, and the reinforced sides offer additional protection.   Flight Gear Tailwind Backpack This bag has quickly become a favorite at Sporty’s Academy, our flight school, and is perfect for those who prefer a backpack. With dedicated pockets for a computer and iPad, you’ll find yourself using this bag every day for work or the gym, as well as flying. With a heavy duty carrying handle and padded, no-slip shoulder straps, the  Flight Gear Tailwind Backpack  will put up to the rigors of daily flight training abuse. Logbook You are required to keep a record of your training and flight time, which is done in a pilot logbook. The flight log entry will include the date, aircraft make and model, registration number for the aircraft, route of flight, duration of flight, aircraft category and class, instrument flying [when applicable], landings, and the type of pilot experience or training conducted.  For your convenience, Go Fly can provide you with a “Basic Private Pilot Starter Kit” which includes a Pilot Logbook, FAR AIM manual, Headset, Flight Bag, Kneeboard, Pilot's Handbook, Flash Light, E6b Flight Computer and more.  These are the two most popular logbooks. Sporty’s Flight Log and Record Most pilots start with  this logbook . Over 100 pages to fill with all of your training flights.   Senior Pilot’s Flight Log and Record This is a larger logbook with more pages and columns. The  Senior Pilot’s Flight Log  and Record is normally used by professional pilots, who have more things to keep track of. Over 250 pages and 32 columns make keeping your records up to date. Charts Much like learning to drive a car across the state, you will need to learn how to read maps for navigating. These maps will be filled with information and you will need to be able to comprehend them. There are generally two types of aviation charts: VFR (visual flight rules) and IFR (instrument flight rules). When you are starting out, you just need VFR charts. VFR Charts   The United States is divided into sections and each of these sections is covered by a  Sectional Chart . The Sectional Chart will be named after a larger city in that section.   Terminal Area Charts Terminal Area charts take a small area of a sectional chart and make it larger. You’ll find  Terminal Area charts  around larger cities and congested airspace.   Chart Supplement, formerly known as Airport Facility Directory (AFD) The chart supplement is the repository for information about each and every airport in a region. There are seven different  chart supplements  that cover the entire United States.   ForeFlight app Most student pilots also train by using  a navigational app , which has the ability to overlay charts (like Sectionals) on the screen. While these are approved for training, you may want to check with your instructor to make sure they are alright with you using electronic charts, as some flight schools want you to start with paper charts. Kneeboard During flight training, you’ll have a lot of information thrown at you. Having a platform on your lap to take notes or hold charts/iPads will make it easier for you to focus on flying the aircraft. Here are our three favorite kneeboards. Classic Aluminum Kneeboard This  basic clipboard  is perfect for holding a chart on your leg and is the most popular.   Flight Gear Tri-Fold Kneeboard The  Tri-Fold Kneeboard  adds side flaps for additional organization and pockets for storing small items.   Flight Gear iPad BiFold Kneeboard Perfect for using a tablet in flight,  it adjusts  to fit different models. The side flap has extra pockets for other gear. Flight Computer You don’t have to have a PhD in math to be a pilot. While there are plenty of calculations involved, pilots use purpose built flight computers to figure crosswind components, time/distance equations, and a whole slew of aviation conversions. There are two types of calculators; most student pilots choose the electronic version. ​ Manual E6B Flight Computer These trusty, old whizwheel computers have been around since the 30s. While they are great because they require no batteries, they have a fairly steep learning curve. The most popular manual E6B is  this aluminum one .   Electronic E6B Flight Computer Sporty’s E6B  takes the guesswork out of aviation calculations. The rugged design is easy to use and approved for use on FAA written exams.

A separate Non Owned aircraft policy provides Aircraft Liability, Aircraft Physical Damage and Medical Payments Coverage. ​ Aircraft Liability Insurance protects you [Renter] against claims arising from Bodily Injury (BI) and Property Damage (PD).  When your passenger is injured or you damage property not owned by you, your Liability Insurance will protect you on a per occurrence (OCC) basis.   Aircraft Physical Damage (PD), including loss of use for the Aircraft owner and will cover damage to the aircraft caused by the insured [Renter].  It is recommended the amount of Aircraft Physical Damage be at least $5,000.00 to cover the deductible for the Lessors insurance policy or equal to the cost of the most expensive aircraft you rent or borrow.  In certain cases where the Renter is negligent, the Renter can be liable for the total amount of damage to the aircraft, not just the deductible. The Owners insurance company will pay the Owner for the repair and or loss and could then subrogate against the pilot who rented the Aircraft.   This risk exists no matter what type of insurance policy the Lessor / Owner has in place to cover loss or damage to the aircraft. ​ Medical Payments are included in the amount of $1,000 to cover payments for medical bills and funeral expenses of an occupant of the aircraft. Options up to $10,000 are available. In addition to Medical Payments, your Bodily Injury coverage will help protect you in the event of a claim. If you're looking to purchase non-owned aircraft insurance, please visit this link: https://www.starrlink.com/public/sano?dib=617&diu=1960