AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition -- Vol. 6, Issue 19

MINIMUM LOSS OF ALTITUDE
When a pilot recovers from a stall, one component under the practical test standards is to "return to straight and level flight with a minimum loss of altitude appropriate for the airplane." Why is this a requirement? Are you giving this element of the task the attention it deserves during training? Your designated examiner will most likely have it in mind. He or she might even ask if you know how much altitude your aircraft loses.

Stalls are always a potential hazard, but that's especially so during flight at high angles of attack. Flight at high angles of attack typically takes place close to the ground, during takeoff climbs and landing approaches when there isn't much margin of error regarding altitude. So, although recovery must focus primarily on restoring an angle of attack at which the aircraft responds to the pilot's inputs, conserving altitude also is the goal. This is true whether you initiate recovery at the first indication of a stall or when the aircraft is fully stalled. Can you tell one stall from the other? See the February 10, 2006, Training Tips article "Pre-Solo Stalls."

In training, you should practice some stall recoveries without the use of power to see how lowering the angle of attack restores controllable flight to a stalled aircraft (or a glider). But in a real-world stall recovery, especially at low altitude, power keeps you from losing unnecessary altitude and is an integral ingredient. "Usually, the greater the power applied, the less the loss of altitude," counsels the Chapter 5 discussion of fundamentals of stall recovery in the FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook . Yes, it's a balancing act: Lower the nose firmly, but not so much that you impose a negative-G load or descend excessively. Simultaneously add power, then level off, avoiding both undue altitude loss or a secondary stall caused by excessive or abrupt pitch increase.

To sharpen your skills and knowledge, read the information available on stalls in AOPA's online subject reports. Then take the quiz at the conclusion of the article titled "Avoiding the Stall/Spin Accident." "Minimum loss of altitude" sounds terse and technical, but it's a priority item in a stall recovery.

"Why do I need legal protection if I'm learning to fly?" The AOPA Legal Services Plan is like a homeowner's, auto, or renter's insurance policy-it provides additional protection for you, the student pilot, in the event of an emergency. And when you become a certificated pilot, you can use the plan's services for things such as reviewing an aircraft purchase or sales agreement, a flying club membership, or a hangar lease. Coverage starts at $29 per year for AOPA members. See the Web site for more information.

If you have other questions, call the Pilot Information Center at 800/USA-AOPA weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern. As an AOPA Flight Training Member, you have access to all of the features within AOPA Online and AOPA Flight Training Online. Login information is available online.

FLIGHT TRAINING IS TOP PRIZE IN RED BULL FLUGTAG CONTEST
So, you think you've got something in common with Leonardo da Vinci, Louis Bleriot, and the Wright brothers? Then bring your creative genius and your original design to Red Bull Flugtag October 21 in Baltimore. Flugtag ("flying day" in German) is the event in which teams fly homemade aircraft down a 30-foot ramp. This year's first prize is private pilot training valued at $7,500. A West Coast Flugtag event was held April 29 in Tempe, Arizona, where Team Need for Speed won first place, soaring 26 feet over Tempe Town Lake in a glider named Ghostrider. Applications for the Baltimore event must be submitted by July 31.

WOLF AVIATION FUND OPENS ANNUAL GRANT PROGRAM
The Wolf Aviation Fund, a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports general aviation and the public's understanding of GA, is accepting grant applications for 2006. While funds are not available for flight training or scholarships, the money can be used for any project that supports the group's mission statement. Past recipients include AOPA Pilot contributing editor Barry Schiff, who obtained a grant in 1992 for a proposal to create VFR routing charts through busy terminal control areas. The deadline to apply for 2006 funds is November 30. For more information and specific application guidelines, see the Web site.

CROSS-COUNTRY AIR RACES HEATING UP
As the weather gets warmer, air races and other flying events get under way in earnest. The Air Race Classic, an all-women's cross-country race, launches June 20 from Mesa, Arizona, and ends June 23 in Menominee, Michigan. About 30 teams have signed up for the event. See the Web site for more information. In July, the Denver Pilots Association hosts the thirtieth annual Denver to Jackpot Classic. The 528-statute-mile race launches July 8 from Jeffco Airport in Denver and ends July 9 at Jackpot/Hayden Field in Jackpot, Nevada. The event is open to all pilots; aircraft are handicapped by the manufacturer's published maximum speed. For more information, see the Web site.

MOUNTAIN FLYING: APPROACH WITH CAUTION
Flatland pilots shouldn't attempt to fly in the mountains without proper training. If you need a better understanding of the special concerns associated with flying in the mountains, you have options. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation offers Mountain Flying , an online course that teaches participants about the challenges of high-density-altitude operations, flight planning and performance considerations, mountain weather, and more. It's free of charge and available to all pilots. The Colorado Pilots Association hosts a one-day mountain flying/high-elevation-airport ground school on June 17. The fee is $145 with an option to take an additional mountain flight. For ground school information, see the Web site.

AOPA HELPS TEXAS STUDENT PURSUE AVIATION CAREER
Mark Todd Jr., of Lake Worth, Texas, is the first recipient of the AOPA Scholarship through the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) to help students pursue careers in aviation. Todd, 25, is a private pilot who holds a business degree from California State University. To improve his knowledge of aircraft systems, Todd returned to Fort Worth to attend the aviation maintenance program at Tarrant County College. He currently works as a parts procurer for Texas Aviation Services in preparation for a career in aviation maintenance. Beginning in the 2006-2007 academic year, AOPA will contribute $2,000 annually for five years to AEA's Educational Foundation Scholarship program. The AOPA Scholarship will be available to high school seniors or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.

HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR AOPA MEMBER PROFILE?
To make the most of your membership and allow us to serve you better, please visit AOPA Online and update your personal member profile.

'WEATHER WISE' DVD PROVIDES PRACTICAL WEATHER INFORMATION
Looking for a weather DVD that offers practical flying information as opposed to dusty old theory? Then try the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Weather Wise: Ceiling and Visibility DVD. The interactive program includes simple ways to perform a "validation check" on forecasts, and how to spot potentially erroneous forecasts before you take off. An interactive portion of the 46-minute program lets viewers apply their knowledge and "fly" a trip making all the major decisions about the flight. The DVD sells for $19.95 and may be ordered online.

Note: Products listed have not been evaluated by ePilot editors unless otherwise noted. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors.

Answer: An airworthiness directive (AD) is issued by the FAA to aircraft owners or operators to notify them of an unsafe condition found to exist in a product of a particular type design. The product could be a particular make and model aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance. Compliance with ADs is mandatory as stated in Part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. ADs prescribe the conditions and limitations, including inspection, repair, or alteration under which the product may continue to be operated. Download Advisory Circular 39-7C for additional information on ADs. A service bulletin is a manufacturer-recommended repair or replacement to an aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance. It is possible for a service bulletin to become mandatory if required by an AD or if the manufacturer makes changes to a specification sheet or type certificate data sheet, which are FAA-approved. To search for an AD and for more information, see AOPA Online.

Got a question for our technical services staff? E-mail to [email protected] or call the Pilot Information Center, 800/872-2672. Don't forget the online archive of "Final Exam" questions and answers, searchable by keyword or topic.

Camp Springs, Maryland. The Joint Service Open House takes place May 20 and 21 at Andrews Air Force Base (ADW). Free to the public, this is the largest military display and airshow in the United States. Performers include the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, U.S. Army Golden Knights, Sean Tucker, Nancy Linn, Red Bull MiG-17, Lima Lima Flight Team, and many more. Flybys by F-117 Night Hawk, B-1, B-52, AV-8B Harrier, F-22, and more. For more information, see the Web site.

Lumberton, North Carolina. The Mid-Atlantic Sport Aviation Convention and Fly-in takes place May 18 through 21 at Lumberton Municipal (LBT). The third largest fly-in in the country, with a pilot-first attitude. Contact Steve Parker, 910/257-8452, or visit the Web site.

Tallahassee, Florida. AirFest 2006 takes place May 20 and 21 at Tallahassee Regional (TLH). GA fly-in and aviation expo, sponsored by EAA Chapter 445. Warbirds, military, vintage, and new aircraft on display. Contact Ed Copes, 850/558-0606, or visit the Web site.

To submit an event to the calendar or to search all events visit AOPA Online. For airport details, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online.

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Sacramento, California; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Houston, May 20 and 21. Clinics are also scheduled in San Jose, California, and Orlando, Florida, June 3 and 4. For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the CFI Refresher Online.

AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Providence, Rhode Island, May 15; Billerica, Massachusetts, and Poughkeepsie, New York, May 16; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and White Plains, New York, May 17; and New York, New York, May 18. The topic is "Do the Right Thing-Decision Making for Pilots." For more details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.