One thing I’ve learned over the years is that turning a wrench is only part of the job. The real magic often comes from knowing where to find the right information. I’ve met talented mechanics who spent hours reinventing solutions because they didn’t know the information already existed. I’ve also met people who walked away from aviation careers because they believed the knowledge they needed was locked behind expensive schools, subscriptions, or secret handshakes. Fortunately, that’s not true. Many of the best aviation resources are available to anyone with curiosity and an internet connection. The websites below are some of the places I’ve relied on throughout my career to learn, research, solve problems, and occasionally settle a hangar argument. I hope you find them as valuable as I have. Blue skies and happy wrenching, Wingnut Watson
Here are some of my favorite places for the information I need to do work in aviation.
Handy information for the flying Grease-monkey
Sometimes it’s hard to find the info you need. Here are some of my favorite sites to visit.
FAA Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA)
Job title or function
If you’re working toward a new certificate or rating, chances are you’ll become familiar with IACRA. This FAA online system guides applicants through the certification process, helps catch common errors before submission, and has largely replaced the mountain of paperwork aviation once required. The result is a faster, smoother process for both applicants and FAA inspectors, with temporary certificates often available shortly after approval.
FAA Manuals
One of aviation’s best-kept secrets is that many of the books you’ll need to learn the trade are available free from the FAA. Whether you’re studying for your A&P, preparing for your IA, earning a pilot certificate, or just feeding your aviation curiosity, you’ll find a treasure trove of manuals, handbooks, and reference materials here. Click the logo to explore the FAA Handbooks & Manuals Library.
Click on the logo to be taken to the FAA Handbooks & Manuals library
Even more stuff from the FAA!
If FAA regulations tell you *what* needs to be done, Advisory Circulars often help explain *how* to do it. These FAA publications provide guidance, accepted practices, and industry-standard methods for everything from maintenance and inspections to flight operations and training. Ask a room full of mechanics about AC 43.13 and you’ll quickly discover why it’s considered one of the most valuable references in aviation maintenance. Click the logo to browse the FAA Advisory Circular Library.
Click on logo to be taken to the AC library
Free Training !
One of the best bargains in aviation is free. The FAA Safety Team offers a wide variety of online courses covering everything from maintenance practices and regulations to human factors, safety programs, and accident prevention. Many courses can be completed at your own pace and provide credit or certificates upon completion. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, satisfy recurrent training requirements, or simply learn something new, you’ll find plenty of valuable information waiting here. Click the logo to explore FAA Safety Team training resources.
Click the logo to be take to FAA training website
Cuz it’s cool!
Sometimes it’s nice to put down the manuals and simply enjoy aviation. Flightradar24 lets you watch the world’s air traffic unfold in real time. Curious about the airliner passing overhead? Wondering where that helicopter came from? Tracking a warbird on its way to an airshow? Chances are you’ll find it here. It’s one of those websites that’s easy to visit for five minutes and somehow still be exploring an hour later. Click the logo to start your own aviation rabbit hole.
Click the logo to be taken to the Flightradar24 site
Commemorative Air Force
Some airplanes deserve better than becoming static museum displays. The Commemorative Air Force was founded to preserve, restore, and fly historic military aircraft so future generations can experience them as they were meant to be experienced: alive, loud, and in the air. Today, the CAF maintains one of the largest collections of flying warbirds in the world. Their volunteers work tirelessly to keep these remarkable aircraft flying while sharing the stories of the pilots, crews, mechanics, and support personnel who helped shape aviation history. For anyone who has ever felt the rumble of a radial engine in their chest or looked skyward as a formation of warbirds passed overhead, the CAF is well worth exploring. Click the logo to visit the Commemorative Air Force website.
Click the logo to be taken to the CAF site