Below you will find podcast readings of the different sections of the Aeronautical Information Manual. These can be great tools for studying on-the-go. Below each podcast you will also find a list of the general topics that are covered in that particular chapter. If you would like to search for a particular study topic, follow the instructions listed below:
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Chapters of the AIM (click to jump to a section):
CHAPTER 1: AIR NAVIGATION
Section 1: Navigation Aids
Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB)
VHF Omni-Directional Range (VOR)
VOR Receiver Check
TACAN and VORTAC
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)
NAVAID Service Volumes
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
Simplified Directional Facility (SDF)
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)
Section 2: Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) and Area Navigation (RNAV)
Required Navigation Performance (RNP)
Use of Suitable RNAV Systems
GPS Interference
CHAPTER 2: AERONAUTICAL LIGHTING AND OTHER AIRPORT VISUAL AIDS
Section 1: Airport Lighting Aids
Approach Light Systems (ALS)
Visual Glideslope Indicators (VASI)
Runway Lights
Pilot Controlled Lighting
Airport/Heliport Beacons
Taxiway Lights
Section 2: Air Navigation and Obstruction Lighting
Aeronautical Light Beacons
Obstruction Lights
LED Lighting Systems
Section 3: Airport Marking Aids and Signs
Airport Pavement Markings
Runway Markings
Taxiway Markings
Holding Position Markings
Other Markings
Airport Signs
Aircraft Arresting Systems
Security Identification Display Area (SIDA)
CHAPTER 3: AIRSPACE
Section 1: General
General Dimensions of Airspace
Overlapping Airspace
Basic VFR Weather Minimums
VFR Cruising Altitudes
Section 2: Controlled Airspace
Class A Airspace
Class B Airspace
Class C Airspace
Class D Airspace
Class E Airspace
Section 3: Class G Airspace
VFR Requirements
IFR Requirements
Section 4: Special Use Airspace
Prohibited Areas
Restricted Areas
Warning Areas
Military Operations Areas
Alert Areas
Controlled Firing Areas
National Security Areas
Section 5: Other Airspace Areas
Airport Advisory/Information Services
Military Training Routes (MTR)
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR)
Parachute Jump Aircraft Operations
Published VFR Routes
Terminal Radar Service Area (TRSA)
CHAPTER 4: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
Section 1: Services Available to Pilots
Air Route Traffic Control Centers
Control Towers
Flight Service Stations (FSS)
Traffic Advisory and Approach Services
UNICOM and MULTICOM
Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS)
Radar Traffic Information Service
Safety Alert
Transponder and ADS-B Out Operation
Section 2: Radio Communications Phraseology and Techniques
Radio Technique
Contact Procedures
Aircraft Call Signs
Phonetic Alphabet
Communications for VFR Flights
Section 3: Airport Operations
Airports with an Operating Control Tower
Traffic Patterns
Visual Indicators at Non-Towered Airports
Use of Runways/Declared Distances
Low Level Windshear/Microburst Detection Systems
Runway and Braking Action Reports
Intersection Takeoffs
Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO)
Low Approaches
Traffic Control Light Signals
Taxiing
Exiting after Landing
Practice Instrument Approaches
Use of Aircraft Lights
Hand Signals
ASOS and AWOS
Section 4: ATC Clearances and Aircraft Separation
Clearances and Clearance Items
Amended Clearances
Special VFR Clearances
Pilot Responsibilities
IFR Clearance VFR on Top
Adherence to Clearances
IFR Separation Standards
Runway Separation
Visual Clearing Procedures
Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)
Traffic Information Service (TIS)
Section 5: Surveillance Systems
Radar
Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS)
Surveillance Radar
Precision Approach Radar (PAR)
Traffic Information Service (TIS)
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Services
Section 6: Operational Policy/Procedures for RVSM
Applicability and RVSM Mandate
Flight Level Orientation Scheme
Flight Planning into RVSM Airspace
Guidance on Wake Turbulence
Pilot/Controller Phraseology
Section 7: Operational Policy/Procedures for the Gulf of Mexico
General Policies
Non-RNP 10 Aircraft
Flight Plan Requirements
CHAPTER 5: AIR TRAFFIC PROCEDURES
Section 1: Preflight
Preflight Preparation
Notices to Airmen (NOTAM)
VFR Flight Plans
IFR Flight Plans
Military Flight Plans
Defense VFR Flight Plans (DVFR)
Flights Outside US Airspace
Changes in Flight Plans
Closing Flight Plans
Section 2: Departure Procedures
Pre-Taxi Clearances
IFR Clearances at Uncontrolled Airports
Taxi Clearances and Line Up and Wait
Abbreviated IFR Clearances
Clearance Void Times
Departure Control
Instrument Departure Procedures
Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODP)
Standard Instrument Departures (SID)
Section 3: En-Route Procedures
ARTCC Communications
Position Reporting
Additional Reports
Airways and Route Systems
Changeover Points
Holding Procedures
Section 4: Arrival Procedures
Standard Terminal Arrival Procedures (STAR)
Approach Control
Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) Charts
Approach Clearance
Instrument Approach Procedures
Procedure Turn and Hold-in-lieu of Procedure Turn
Timed Approaches from a Holding Fix
Radar Approaches
Simultaneous Approaches to Parallel Runways
Approach and Landing Minimums
Missed Approach
Use of Enhanced Flight Vision Systems (EFVS) on Instrument Approaches
Visual Approach
Contact Approach
Section 5: Pilot/Controller Roles and Responsibilities
Air Traffic Clearance
Contact Approach
Instrument Approach
Missed Approach
Vectors
Safety Alert
See and Avoid
Traffic Advisories (Traffic Information)
Visual Approach
VFR‐on‐top
Instrument Departures
Minimum Fuel Advisory
RNAV and RNP Operations
Section 6: National Security and Interception Procedures
National Security Requirements
ADIZ Requirements
Civil Aircraft Operations To or From U.S. Territorial Airspace
Civil Aircraft Operations Within U.S. Territorial Airspace
Civil Aircraft Operations Transiting U.S. Territorial Airspace
TSA Aviation Security Programs
Interception Procedures
CHAPTER 6: EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Section 1: General
Pilot Responsibility and Authority
Emergency Condition- Request Assistance Immediately
Section 2: Emergency Services Available to Pilots
Radar Service for VFR Aircraft in Difficulty
Transponder Emergency Operation
Intercept and Escort
Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)
Search and Rescue
Section 3: Distress and Urgency Procedures
Obtaining Emergency Assistance
Ditching Procedures
Special Emergency (Air Piracy)
Fuel Dumping
Section 4: Two-Way Radio Communications Failure
Two‐way Radio Communications Failure
Transponder Operation During Two‐way Communications Failure
Reestablishing Radio Contact
Section 5: Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Communications
Discrete Emergency Frequency
Radio Call Signs
RFF Emergency Hand Signals
CHAPTER 7: SAFETY OF FLIGHT
Section 1: Meteorology
National Weather Service Aviation Weather Service Program
FAA Weather Services
Use of Aviation Weather Products
Preflight Briefing
Inflight Aviation Weather Advisories
Flight Information Services (FIS)
Weather Observing Programs
Weather Radar Services
Runway Visual Range (RVR)
Reporting of Cloud Heights
Reporting Prevailing Visibility
Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs)
Microbursts
Thunderstorms
Section 2: Barometric Altimeter Errors and Setting Procedures
Barometric Pressure Altimeter Errors
Altimeter Errors
Section 3: Cold Temperature Barometric Altimeter Errors
Effect of Cold Temperature on Barometric Altimeters
Effects of Cold Temperature on Baro-Vertical Navigation (VNAV) Vertical Guidance
Cold Temperature Airport Procedures
Section 4: Wake Turbulence
Vortex Generation
Operations Problem Areas
Vortex Avoidance Procedures
Pilot Responsibility
Air Traffic Wake Turbulence Separations
Section 5: Bird Hazards and Flight Over National Refuges, Parks, and Forests
Migratory Bird Activity
Reducing Bird Strike Risks
Reporting Bird Strikes
Flights Over Charted U.S. Wildlife Refuges, Parks, and Forest Service Areas
Section 6: Potential Flight Hazards
Accident Cause Factors
Reporting Radio/Radar Altimeter Anomalies
VFR in Congested Areas
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Mountain Flying
Seaplane Safety
Flight Operations in Volcanic Ash
Precipitation Static
Flying in Flat Light, Brown Out Conditions, and White Out Conditions
Operations in Ground Icing Conditions
Section 7: Safety, Accident, and Hazard Reports
Aviation Safety Reporting Program
Aircraft Accident and Incident Reporting
Near Midair Collision Reporting
Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) Reports
CHAPTER 8: MEDICAL FACTS FOR PILOTS
Section 1: Fitness for Flight
Fitness For Flight
Effects of Altitude (Hypoxia)
Hyperventilation in Flight
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Flight
Illusions in Flight (Spatial Disorientation)
Vision in Flight
Aerobatic Flight
Judgment Aspects of Collision Avoidance
CHAPTER 9: AERONAUTICAL CHARTS AND RELATED PUBLICATIONS
Section 1: Types of Charts Available
Obtaining Aeronautical Charts
Selected Charts and Products Available
General Description of Each Chart Series
Where and How to Get Charts of Foreign Areas
CHAPTER 10: HELICOPTER OPERATIONS
Section 1: Helicopter IFR Operations
Helicopter Flight Control Systems
Helicopter Instrument Approaches
Helicopter Approach Procedures to VFR Heliports
Departure Procedures
Section 2: Special Operations
Offshore Helicopter Operations
Helicopter Night VFR Operations
Landing Zone Safety
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Multiple Helicopter Operations