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Top Stories
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Article
Tucked along the shoreline south of Boston, Marshfield's George Harlow Field is a welcoming destination with some recent improvements. Rebuilding the runway took 12 years, but the airport is now ready for the future, thanks in no small part to a cooperative community.
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AOPA Live This Week
Finally from Hollywood, a movie that celebrates aviation: A new IMAX film will soon be in a theater near you. A little shy about talking to air traffic control? A new virtual-reality program lets you fly with other aircraft and communicate with a controller, all without leaving the ground. Plus, there's one aircraft that stands above all others. We'll tell you what it is. And refurbishing an airport. Some of the problems are hard to believe. As of publication deadline, AOPA Live® producers were still finalizing the show, which will be available April 10. Watch AOPA Live This Week...
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Technique and Safety
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Article
Transition training, mountain flying, and post-maintenance preflight inspections are among the topics of four National Transportation Safety Board Safety Alerts issued April 7.
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Article
California pilot Michael Campolo is the first-quarter recipient of a Stratus 2 Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receiver, courtesy of Sporty's Pilot Shop. Campolo, who has been actively participating in the Air Safety Institute's "Learn & Earn Safety Challenge," discovered his completion of Accident Case Study: Time Lapse landed him the prize.
Learn more and enter to win...
Fly like a fighter
After getting sick on his first five flights in a T-37 early in his training, an Air Force pilot made it his goal to create an experience in which none of his passengers would get sick, whether he was flying reporters or controllers in an F-15 or T-38 or friends in a Cessna 172. Could his method work for your passengers?
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Aircraft Maintenance
Fuel injection systems are designed to be fairly bulletproof with few moving parts. The result is outstanding reliability, but it also can lead to complacency.
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Real Pilot Story
What would you do if an unexpected feathered guest entered the cockpit? In Real Pilot Story: Bird Strike, learn how the pilot managed the commotion his uninvited passenger caused, and take away tips and an understanding of how to prepare and protect against bird encounters.
Watch the video...
Blog
Citing fears of everything from germs to rapid decompression, a travel website's "fear of flying" list doesn't help the public image of airline travel. It does, however, make general aviation travel look more inviting, according to Air Safety Institute Senior Safety Advisor Bruce Landsberg.
Find out eight positives of flying yourself...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
Border-crossing procedures, Mexican airport fees, and an exemption from a 406-MHz ELT requirement were discussed during a meeting between AOPA President Mark Baker and Mexican Civil Aviation Authority General Director Gilberto Lopez Meyer.
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Advocacy
States across the country are again declaring the value of aviation, including jobs and other economic benefits that aviation creates or makes possible. Such recognition helps AOPA work with policymakers to protect and support general aviation.
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Survey
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is studying pilots' perceptions and understanding of the FAA's Jan. 1, 2020, mandate for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment to fly in certain airspace. The university is asking pilots who own, partially own, or lease aircraft to anonymously complete a short survey that gauges how much they understand the equipment requirements, whether they plan to equip, and how much they believe is acceptable to pay for the equipment.
Take the survey now…
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Technology
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Article
Clouds, rain, and the threat of thunderstorms curbed operations at Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia April 3—but inside the terminal, the frequency was alive with activity. Pilots at Internet-connected Redbird simulators in the National Capital Area Flight Simulation Network were practicing their communications skills in a virtual environment using software from Mindstar Aviation.
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Article
Appareo's Stratus ESG is a 1090-MHz Extended Squitter all-in-one Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out solution that Appareo plans to submit later this year to the FAA for certification. Read more...
Article
Sandia Aerospace combines ADS-B Out with a new Mode C transponder in its panel-mount STX 360 Sentinel that was announced April 8 at the Aircraft Electronics Association convention in Dallas.
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Article
Avidyne added three ADS-B Out solutions to its product line, two using 978-MHz universal access transceivers and one a Mode S transponder. They are designed to work with the company’s existing navigators and displays.
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Article
Aspen Avionics has announced its Evolution angle of attack indicator for Evolution primary and multifunction displays. The AOA system is integrated into the full Evolution display line through a software upgrade—no additional hardware is required.
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Article
Long known for pilot training, Redbird has branched out with its new flight nursing simulator.
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Article
Universal Avionics' InSight Integrated Flight Deck combines synthetic vision with Jeppesen's Airport Mapping Database to display accurate, high-resolution airport diagrams for operators of turbine business aircraft.
Read more...
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Opinion
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Blog
After suffering the loss of a loved one, Opinion Leaders blogger Jolie Lucas took a step back from flying until she was emotionally ready to get back in the air. Lucas takes you beyond the "I'M SAFE" checklist to offer tips to help you assess your own emotional health before flight.
Read more...
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Gear
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Article
Dynon announced new pricing of its D2 Pocket Panel Portable EFIS, a new remote magnetometer for its SkyView air data attitude heading reference system, and a new SkyView software release.
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Travel
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Pilot Getaways feature
Flying to Dauphin Island, a quiet escape 30 miles south of Mobile, Alabama, is an opportunity to ditch traffic, seek serenity, and enjoy outstanding Gulf seafood, according to the experts at Pilot Getaways.
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Blog
Pilots on a South American journey rounded out their adventure with a visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; a stay at a convent converted to a hotel; and a gusty short-field landing in Grenada. South American weather gave the pilots practice interpreting radar; cruising at FL370 or higher, the pilots of the Cessna CJ1+ looked down on the undercast and relayed information about buildups to their turboprop brethren wending their way through the clag. Look for an upcoming feature story on this journey in the pages of AOPA Pilot.
Read more...
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Financial
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Article
Aviation Access Project offered a low-cost alternative to individual ownership, with the promise of professional management of fractional piston ownership that would leave buyers with little to do but fly. But customers across the country learned a painful lesson.
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Article
Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales of more than $2.5 billion during 2014 were 4 percent higher than in 2013, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association, which released its 2014 year-end Avionics Market Report April 9.
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AOPA Foundation focus
Operation Migration, the organization made famous in the movie Fly Away Home, helps the whooping crane find its way to warmer weather in the winter. "When you use ultralight aircraft to guide birds on their first migration, everything depends on the weather," reports Operation Migration CEO Joe Duff. The organization was one of the 2014 recipients of AOPA Foundation Giving Back grants.
Read more...
Webinar
Thinking of refurbishing an older aircraft? Find out what makes some airplanes better candidates than others, where and how to start, what jobs to tackle, and how to find resources that fit your project in a webinar April 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. AOPA Editor in Chief Tom Haines and Editor at Large Dave Hirschman will share their expertise in the webinar, brought to you by AOPA Insurance Services and AOPA Aviation Finance Co.
Register now...
Member benefits
AOPA offers options on term life
AOPA Insurance offers an Accelerated Life Benefit with any Term Life policy. If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness with less than six months to live, the "living benefits" of your plan kick in and you can request up to 50 percent of your benefits, which you may use toward medical expenses, home expenses, or anything of your choosing. Your remaining benefits will then be paid to your beneficiaries after your death. This is just another way AOPA Insurance wants to help you and your family be prepared no matter what happens. Find out more about AOPA's term life options.
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News and Notes
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Article
The Vought F4U Corsair edged out the Piper J-3 Cub by 144 votes April 7 to be dubbed the 2015 champion of AOPA's Best Aircraft Showdown, brought to you by Aero-Space Reports.
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Article
Doug May, who was named Textron Aviation's piston airplane chief April 3, said, "I consider myself one of those passionate aviation enthusiasts." May spoke to AOPA about his plans for the future.
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Article
Lt. Col. Robert L. Hite died March 29. Hite, 95, was one of three surviving members of the group of 80 airmen who lifted their nation's morale in the dark, early days of World War II.
Read more...
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Article
Living in the Age of Airplanes, a documentary described as "a love letter to airplanes and what they mean to us," premiered April 8.
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Article
One of the hot topics this airshow season will no doubt be the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out equipage mandate set for Jan. 1, 2020. Learn about some of the products available during educational seminars at the AOPA Campus at Sun 'n Fun.
Read more...
Article
Nominations are open until May 31 for the Breitling Milestone Trophy and the Breitling Youngster Award, honors created to recognize innovation and excellence in aeronautics.
Read more...
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Career Opportunities
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Aviation job board
Are you a marketing guru with a passion for aviation? ForeFlight, a leading innovator in aviation technology, is currently seeking candidates for vice president of marketing. The successful candidate has a combination of traditional and digital marketing experience, a strong affinity for digital and mobile technology, and an innate ability to think "customer first."
Apply today!
AOPA career opportunities
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for part time, temporary digital product support; a director, pilot community development; vice president, information and technology; senior ambassador, You Can Fly; outreach and events coordinator; vice president for major and leadership gifts; Sitecore developer; director of studies, research, and analysis; and account manager II. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities,
visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
Which types of aileron systems are designed to reduce adverse yaw?
Answer
Four types of aileron systems have been developed to reduce adverse yaw: differential ailerons, frise-type ailerons, coupled ailerons and rudder, and flaperons. (Source: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge 5-4.)
Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA. |
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Education and Seminars
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Flight Instructor Refresher Courses
Apr 11-12 - Salt Lake City, Utah; Hebron, Kentucky; Atlanta, Georgia; and Indianapolis, Indiana
Apr 18-19 - Needham, Massachusetts; Denver, Colorado; and Ashburn, Virginia
Apr 25-26 - Tampa, Florida; and San Diego, California
May 2-3 - Sacramento, California; and Kansas City, Missouri
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the Air Safety Institute's Online eFIRC.
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Air Safety Institute Safety Seminars
Apr 13 - Tampa, Florida; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Salt Lake City, Utah
Apr 14 - Fort Myers, Florida; Boise, Idaho; Marietta, Georgia; Des Moines, Iowa; and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Apr 15 - Bellevue, Nebraska; Birmingham, Alabama; Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Apr 16 - Olathe, Kansas; King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; and Pensacola, Florida
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilot Seminars
Apr 11 - Savoy, Illinois; Boonville, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and Apopka, Florida
Apr 18 - West Lebanon, New Hampshire; and San Martin, California
Apr 25 - Lakeland, Florida; Quinton, Virginia; and Medford, New Jersey
May 2 - New Century, Kansas; Alexandria, Minnesota; and Southbridge, Massachusetts
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Aviation Calendar
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Check out user-submitted events from your region. To include an event or to search all events in the calendar, visit AOPA Online. AOPA does not endorse the events listed below, nor have ePilot editors edited the submissions. AOPA assumes no responsibility for events listed.
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Photo Contest
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Who's your favorite co-pilot?
We want to find the best general aviation photos that show pilots sharing their passion for flying with their best flying friend. Submit a photo and vote for your favorite from the submissions. The photo with the most votes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern each Wednesday will win a prize from Sporty's and AOPA, and be featured in AOPA ePilot. An overall winner will be picked by Sporty's and AOPA on May 29 for a grand prize. This week's winner is Jeff Fisher, who submitted a photo of him and his favorite co-pilot, his son, flying over the cranberry bogs in Massachusetts.
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ePilot Editors:
Sarah Deener
Alyssa Miller
Jim Moore
Production Assistant:
Melissa Whitehouse
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Contributors:
Jill W. Tallman
Elizabeth Tennyson
Warren Morningstar
Alton K. Marsh
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Ian J. Twombly
Dan Namowitz
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