| ||||||
iPad 101: 5 tips for the novice |
| |||||
Click here for this week's custom content. |
AOPA Aviation SummitiPad 101: 5 tips for the noviceIs the iPad a legal replacement for paper charts? “The answer is yes! … asterisk,” said Sporty’s Vice President John Zimmerman in the seminar “iPad 101” at AOPA Aviation Summit Oct. 11. For normal Part 91 operations, pilots can use the popular tablet in lieu of paper but should use it during an evaluation period first. For those flying Part 121 or Part 135 operations, the answer is probably still “yes,” Zimmerman said, but you may have to fill out some paperwork. Zimmerman offered practical tips for novice iPad users, advising on topics from whether to spend the extra cash for 3G to how to configure it for in-flight use. Thinking of buying an iPad, or turning yours into a flying tool? Check out these five tips. Read more >> Connected, but unpluggedThe flight plan from your iPad appears on your multifunction display. A maintenance shop accesses post-flight engine diagnostics instantly. A pilot diverting for weather alerts family waiting at the airport via text messages using the Iridium satellite network, and makes arrangements for pickup at the alternate before touching down. Representatives of companies that have leveraged the iPad for aviation outlined a future where everything is connected and data flows freely in the presentation “Top Technology Changes You’ll Face in the Next 10 Years: Avionics—Unplugged.” Read more >> Summit by the numbersFind out what auction item reached $70,000 at AOPA Aviation Summit, who is dreaming of a Pilatus PC-12, and which new (but familiar) special light sport aircraft will come fully equipped at $115,000. Check out AOPA Aviation Summit from a statistical point of view. Read more >> Adverse condition alerts ping pilots after briefingsLockheed Martin Flight Services announced a flight planning and briefing Web portal Oct. 12 that allows pilots to sign up for alerts of adverse conditions that crop up along their planned route of flight after they’ve obtained a briefing. Read more and watch AOPA Live® >> Tips and secrets from ‘Flying Wild Alaska’ pilotsThe Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska pilots—John Ponts, Doug Stewart, and Luke Hickerson—traveled south to Palm Springs, Calif., for AOPA Aviation Summit to share flying tips with pilots and encourage future aviators. AOPA asked the pilots-turned-celebrities what it’s like flying for a TV show in Alaska, their pet peeves, and more. As you’ll see, their newfound fame hasn’t gone to their heads. These serious (but comical) aviators put safety first and provide advice on communication, backcountry flying, and more. Read more >> Heard at SummitIf you missed AOPA Aviation Summit, or couldn’t squeeze in everything on your to-do list while at the show, catch up on the highlights by perusing some of the notable quotes of what was heard in and around the Palm Springs Convention Center in California. Read more >> UFO sighting: Don NewmanAstute attendees of AOPA Aviation Summit may have noticed a number of UFOs among the taildraggers, turboprops, and other familiar airframes around the Palm Springs, Calif., convention center. These UFOs are rare, indeed—but they're not unidentified. They’re the United Flying Octogenarians, a group of men and women who have flown as pilot in command at age 80 and above. Read more >> PilotMall.com sponsors 2012-2013 Bahamas Pilot ChallengePilotMall.com has teamed up with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism to give pilots a little extra incentive to visit the islands, which start 50 to 60 miles off the coast of Florida. Pilots who log landings at 12 of the 20 Bahamian airports of entry by Nov. 30, 2013, will be eligible to win up to 23 nights of accommodations at various resorts. Fixed-base operators in Florida are standing by to support recreational missions. Read more >> Summit, StorifiedAOPA’s Tougher Than A Tornado Sweepstakes Husky made its final public appearance at AOPA Aviation Summit before heading to its new owner in Florida, and members had a lot to say about the rugged taildragger. Technical Editor Jill W. Tallman catalogues the top things members say about the Husky in a series of tweets compiled on Storify. Also, Benét J. Wilson, AOPA e-newsletter and social media editor, collects her favorite tweets from Summit. Reporting Points: Wish lists and budget buysIf your wallet had no limit, what would you buy in the exhibit hall at AOPA Aviation Summit? AOPA Online Managing Editor Alyssa Miller offers her wish list—and some more realistic selections. Read more >> Top 10 most popular articles from AOPA Aviation Summit‘A real dog’: Total surprise for Husky winner Van’s offers factory-built RV-12 Beech Debonair unveiled as new AOPA sweeps aircraft Flying club network, promotion to aid club growth ‘Active’ winglets: More than a pretty fin Harrison Ford talks passion for flying, promoting GA Sneak peek: Bendix/King’s MyWingMan EFB Parade of Planes kicks off Summit 2012 Electroair ignition approved for Continental, Lycoming Top flight schools, CFIs honored
Find more AOPA Summit news online. |
GA NewsHawker Beechcraft China deal collapses, jets jettisonedHawker Beechcraft announced Oct. 18 that a purchase agreement with a Chinese buyer has been scuttled, and the company has charted a new course out of bankruptcy. That plan includes the sale or cessation of Hawker jet production, but would keep the piston and turboprop lines running. The company announced “Hawker” would be dropped from its name, reflecting the impending departure of the Hawker 4000 and other bizjet offerings. Read more >> Baumgartner free fall reaches Mach 1.24Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner broke the sound barrier in free fall Oct. 14, 65 years to the day after Chuck Yeager's first supersonic flight. Baumgartner overcame claustrophobia and a foggy facemask that nearly forced him to abort, landing safely in the New Mexico desert. Baumgartner, based on a preliminary assessment, broke three world records, but left one of retired U.S. Air Force Col. Joseph Kittinger’s marks still in the history books. Read more >> NASA zeroes in on new cure for the queasyNASA has signed a deal with a California pharmaceutical firm that aims to bring to market a fast-acting nasal spray developed for treating astronaut motion sickness. The medication scopolamine has shown promise to take faster effect when administered in the nose than through tablets and other delivery mechanisms, and may soon bring relief to those who suffer on land, at sea, and in the air. Read more >> Found Aircraft lands certificates for three variantsFound Aircraft added turbocharging and a taildragger configuration, and landed certificates for three new variations on the Expedition (formerly the Expedition 350)—an aircraft built for backcountry and big city flying. The Canadian company is looking to fill the general aviation shoes of the Cessna 185 with a rugged multi-role airplane that is well-suited to backcountry landings, offers a spacious cabin, and has a 1,500-pound useful load. The company announced its newly certificated models at AOPA Aviation Summit in Palm Springs, Calif. Read more >> Former FAA chief Randy Babbitt takes airline postFormer FAA administrator Randy Babbitt has landed a new job with Southwest Airlines. Babbitt, whose aviation career includes service as a pilot for Eastern Airlines and past chief executive of the Air Line Pilots Association, will now serve as the air carrier’s senior vice president of labor relations, responsible for negotiating contracts with 11 unions, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram . A December 2011 DWI charge that prompted Babbitt’s resignation was dismissed this year. Babbitt sat down with AOPA Live in May to talk about his own future, and the future of general aviation. Catalina’s first airshow flies into historyWater-powered-jetpack pilot Dean O’Malley re-created Glenn L. Martin’s flight from Newport Beach to Catalina Island, Calif., as part of the first airshow on the island. The first Catalina Air Show and Festival commemorated the 100th anniversary of Martin's historic flight to the island on May 10, 1912. Read more >> Avionics industry icon Monte Mitchell rememberedMonte R. Mitchell, who built the Aircraft Electronics Association into a worldwide organization, died Oct. 16 following a brief illness. Read more >> Reporting Points: Flying club Facebook group takes offA week after AOPA’s new Center to Advance the Pilot Community announced it was creating a network of flying clubs as part of a long-term initiative to facilitate flying club growth, the AOPA Flying Club Network Facebook group had grown to more than 600 members. Find out what they’re discussing >> Hover Power: Rotor blade icingFlying in conditions conducive to ice formation is problematic for virtually all helicopters. Moreover, many twin-engine IFR helicopters are not certified for flight into known icing conditions. As such, helicopter pilots should understand the problems an encounter with icing can create for the rotor system. Read more >> Reporting Points: Strange but trueA Kansas City Chiefs fan took out his frustration on general manager Scott Pioli and quarterback Matt Cassel by hiring an aircraft to fly a banner over Arrowhead Stadium with a message about them both. All this and more in “Strange but true general aviation news.”
AOPA Live This Week: Quest for a ‘Baby Bonanza’AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Tom Horne went on a quest for a 50-year-old Beech Debonair in good condition—and for a good price—for AOPA’s new sweepstakes aircraft. Find out how he selected the “Baby Bonanza” the association will give away, and what upgrades lie ahead, on AOPA Live. Also learn how charts and weather are only a few taps away with a new iPad app, and how ADS-B receivers can deliver subscription-free traffic and weather to your iPad. Plus, get the dizzying view from a historic supersonic free fall. All that and more in AOPA Live This Week, Oct. 18. ‘Game changing’ in the desertThousands gathered in Palm Springs, Calif., for the energy and enthusiasm of AOPA Aviation Summit Oct. 11 through 13. Major announcements included the first factory-built Van’s Aircraft offering, the RV-12 special light sport aircraft. We also take a close-up look at “game changing” winglets for Cirrus that Tamarack Aerospace Group hopes will become a fuel-saving addition to many aircraft. AOPA Live This Week’s Oct. 13 special edition from Summit includes plenty of plane spotter eye candy, and a closer look at the education, training, and community building that marked the event. Comedian Dave Coulier is a fan: “It’s really gotten me excited about general aviation.”
For daily news updates, see AOPA Online. Safety & ProficiencyIt’s later than you thinkAn NTSB alert warning of unreported latencies in Nexrad images deserves the attention of every pilot who’d like to use this technology to help avoid violent weather. The alert was motivated in part by the in-flight breakup of a Piper Cherokee Six near Bryan, Texas, some six months earlier. Read more in this special report from the Air Safety Institute. IFR Fix: ‘Do not mistake’Nothing beats touching down on a 5,000-foot-long runway that appears dead ahead at the end of a close instrument approach. Unless the runway you meant to land on is still a few miles ahead. Read more >> Report outlines inspection requirementsCould you benefit from opting for a progressive inspection plan for your aircraft? Progressive inspections benefit owners whose aircraft experience high usage, such as FBOs, flight schools, and corporate flight departments. Find out if this type of program is right for you—and learn more about the inspection requirements for aircraft—in AOPA’s subject report. Attend a free seminarWho wouldn’t jump at the occasion to get something for free? Here’s your chance to raise the bar to improve aviation safety: an Air Safety Institute live safety seminar packed with exciting, educational content. Join the Air Safety Institute in exploring how aging as a pilot may impact our flying and identify different ways to maintain the same high level of safety over a lifetime of flying. Mark your calendar to attend a free “Flying for a Lifetime” seminar in your area. An aircraft's heart and lungs…Just as a human body has a heart and lungs, so too does an aircraft—in the form of its engine and propeller. The proper care and feeding of these vital mechanical systems will ensure a long and healthy service life. Learn how best to care for yours by visiting the Air Safety Institute’s Engine and Propeller online course. Leading Edge: Trolling for TFRsThe presidential campaign is taking its toll on general aviation: The average number of VIP TFRs for this campaign season has been 15 to 20 per week. In this day of instant notification via multiple means, why the FAA’s disclaimer on its website—that the TFR data may not be a complete listing, and pilots should contact flight service for the latest information? Read more >>
ADVOCACYMexico eyes advance passenger information systemMexico’s government has proposed establishing an advance passenger information system (APIS) for flights entering and exiting the country, but the plan has quickly raised concerns about “unworkable” procedures and pricy penalties for pilots who fail to comply. Read more >> See congressmen’s, senators’ take on issues affecting GADo your representatives in Congress support your freedom to fly? As Election Day 2012 approaches, you can decide, using AOPA’s 2012 Voter’s Guide on GA Issues in Congress. This powerful tool lets members analyze positions taken by representatives and senators on key aviation issues over the past two years. Medical exemption push continuesIf you missed the public comment window on a request from AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association that would reduce the burden of the third class medical, there’s still an opportunity to make your voice heard, the two associations told attendees at AOPA Aviation Summit Oct. 13. Read more >> AOPA’s Craig Spence named IAOPA secretary generalCraig Spence, AOPA vice president of operations and international affairs, was named the secretary general of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) on Oct. 13. He was named acting secretary general in May. Read more >> Join the Airport Support Network todayEnsuring the health and vitality of your airport is up to you—incompatible development and economic and political pressures can restrict your flying. Every day, close to 2,500 Airport Support Network (ASN) volunteers work with AOPA headquarters to help save their airports, but we need more. Below is a link to a list of the airports where an ASN volunteer could make a difference.
To nominate yourself or an associate to be a volunteer, visit AOPA Online.
To learn more about the Airport Support Network, visit ASN Online.
AOPA Close to HomePilots eye return to Minnesota’s ‘Northwest Angle’ Temporary MOA would block NM airway access Waypoint proposed to replace Moultrie VOR on V-537 GPS testing over California (PDF) Member BenefitsNASA report: Your ‘get out of jail free’ card?One of the tools in a pilot’s flight bag is the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), known to many as the “NASA report.” The program is designed to get valuable information about what is going on in the system from those who are actually using the system. The information helps bring about changes that benefit us all. But the best part is you may possibly “get out of jail free” by sharing the information, writes Kathy Yodice, an attorney for AOPA’s Pilot Protection Services and Legal Services Plan. Read more >> Visit the AOPA Insurance Services headquartersAt the AOPA Insurance Services office in Wichita, Kan., employees are always happy to greet any members who may stop by, like 56-year AOPA member and 10-year AOPA Insurance Services customer Dennis Oliver. Read more >> Unique aviation-themed holiday cards and gifts availableChoose cards this year that really say “I love to fly”—and help the AOPA Foundation at the same time. View all 26 designs (both Christmas and general holiday images), as well as all-new aviation-themed jigsaw puzzles and other fun gifts. The AOPA Foundation receives a portion of each sale to support its work. You receive high-quality products and free gifts with every order—and 100 percent satisfaction, guaranteed. See all designs >> AOPA Career OpportunitiesEver dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We’re looking for a strategy and financial analyst, executive assistant, director of media relations, major gifts officer, and Web graphic designer. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online. Community
|