Questions on frequency
The short answers live here. The long answers live in the logbook. Still stuck? Say again.
Frequently asked
Are the instrument and chart graphics actually correct?
Yes — that is the entire premise. The airspeed arcs sit where a real ASI puts them (white 42–85, green 48–127, yellow to 160, red radial at 160), the traffic pattern turns left with a 45° entry to midfield downwind, US runway numbers drop the leading zero, and the hold-short dashed pair faces the runway. Every diagram is drawn to survive a CFI’s squint.
Why are there no aircraft-manufacturer or airline logos?
Because those marks are licensed trademarks, and because they mean nothing if you fly something else. We draw the visual language of flying itself — six-pack, sectional, pattern, whiz wheel — which belongs to every pilot. No licensed marks, no model badges, no liveries. The airspeed arcs are right, so no logo is needed.
Is Fairweather Field a real airport?
No. Fairweather Field (KFWX) and every other place on our charts is invented. FAA sectional chart language is public domain, but we draw fictional fields anyway so nothing is tied to a real airport’s branding. Tail marks like “SOLO” use letters that real N-numbers can’t contain — invalid by design.
How long do merch orders take?
Everything is made to order: usually 3–7 business days of handling, then shipping. Most US orders arrive within 5–10 business days total, with tracking emailed on dispatch. Made to order means we print what you want rather than warehousing guesses.
How does Short Final make money?
Two ways: affiliate commissions when you buy recommended gear through our links (as an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission), and our own original merch. No brand pays for placement in a ranking, and a pick that stops earning its spot gets pulled.
Is the gear advice from a flight instructor?
Our picks reflect cockpit time, CFI input, and community consensus — not certificated flight instruction or airworthiness advice. For anything that touches safety of flight, currency, or your aircraft’s airworthiness, follow your CFI, your POH, and the FARs.