January 16, 2015 - VOL 15, ISSUE 3

Flight Training News

Advocacy

FAA withdraws rule to restore simulator time

AOPA is once again asking the FAA to expedite the rulemaking process to allow 20 hours of aviation training device instruction to count toward the instrument rating. AOPA made the request Jan. 15, after the FAA announced that it was withdrawing a direct to final rule that would have had the same effect. Read more...  

Article

9 habits of successful students

Are you setting yourself up to achieve your flight training goals in 2015? You can take the reins of your flight training and tackle challenges faster by adopting habits that set you up for success. Read more...  

Schools take Piper deliveries

The University of North Dakota and Kent State University have each added new aircraft to their training fleets with recent deliveries from Piper Aircraft. UND acquired three new Piper Seminoles in December; the four-seat twins are now among more than 120 aircraft used by the school, which is replacing older aircraft. Two Piper Arrows were recently added to the Kent State training fleet, the largest of its kind in Ohio.

PDF

No such thing as a 'little ice'

Plan ahead and allow extra time to remove all frost, ice, and snow clinging to the surfaces of your aircraft. Follow these simple steps found in the Air Safety Institute's Cold Facts: Wing Contamination Safety Advisor to carefully clean that wintry mix off the airplane. You may get away with it hugging your car, but not your airplane. Learn more...

'FAA Safety Briefing' looks at airspace, ATC

The "rules of the sky" are the subject of the January/February issue of FAA Safety Briefing, which covers topics related to airspace and air traffic control, from temporary flight restrictions to airspace modernization. Find out from controllers what they would tell the pilots who frequent their airspace if they had the opportunity.

Training Resources

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Enjoy flying safely into the future

You may be young at heart, but time does march on, and eventually the question arises: Should you be flying the same way you did when you were younger? Regardless of your age, delve into the Air Safety Institute's Aging Gracefully, Flying Safely online course for tips to enjoy flying as you get older. Take the course...

Did you know that student pilots who join AOPA are three times more likely to complete their flight training? Membership includes unlimited access to aviation information by phone (800/USA-AOPA, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time) or from Flight Training Online or AOPA Online. If you're not already a member, join today and get the pilot's edge.

Career Pilot

NetJets hiring amid labor dispute

Business aviation fractional operator NetJets has received more than 1,000 résumés from qualified pilots and 200 from flight attendants since announcing it was hiring, the company announced Jan. 6. NetJets said it has recalled pilots who were furloughed in 2009 and plans to fill up to 187 new pilot positions and up to 50 new flight attendant positions through 2015. Meanwhile, a labor dispute between the company and the union representing its pilots is escalating; the union criticized NetJets for demanding cuts in compensation and benefits from its current pilots while the company is experiencing growth and profitability.

Safety management systems required for airlines by 2018

The FAA issued a final rule Jan. 7 that requires most commercial airlines in the United States to have safety management systems in place by 2018. A safety management system is "the formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls," according to the FAA, and a 2010 law mandates that the FAA develop a rule requiring Part 121 operators to implement these systems. Airlines must submit their implementation plans to the FAA within six months of the rule's effective date.

NGPA hosts airline recruiting event

The National Gay Pilots Association will host an airline career recruiting event with 19 major and regional airlines Jan. 25 in Palm Springs, California, the association announced. The NGPA PSP Industry Expo, scheduled for NGPA's twenty-fifth anniversary, will be the association's largest of its kind, NGPA said. It is open to NGPA members and Winter Warm Up registrants, and will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Renaissance Palm Springs Resort.

United closing pilot base at Sea-Tac

United Airlines is closing its pilot base at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the Seattle Times reported. While the closure will be official in March, Jan. 7 was the last day pilots at the base were scheduled to start or end their trips out of Sea-Tac, according to the newspaper. The flight attendant base at the airport also is closing.

For more aviation career news, see the Flight Training website.

Plane Spotter

Speed under pressure

They fly from 34 countries on five continents. From the North Pole to the South Pole, plane spotters were tracking one special airplane among them whose pilot was seeking to circle the globe while overflying both poles. Spotters know these aircraft as members of Redmond, Oregon's speedy Lancair family of kit-built aircraft (named for founder Lance Neibauer). They feature advanced composite structures, and range from two-seat aerobats to a pressurized turboprop. A modified Lancair IV was attempting the polar effort as 2015 began. The aircraft pictured here is a pressurized Lancair IV-P.

Training Products

Buck wrote the book on weather flying

Robert Buck's 1970 book Weather Flying, which Air Safety Institute Senior Safety Advisor Bruce Landsberg called "one of the best books ever written for pilots," offers clear explanations of real-world decision making related to weather: assessing it before takeoff, coping with en route weather changes, dealing with ice and turbulence, and more. The fifth edition, released in 2013, was updated by Buck's son and is available on the Sporty's website for $25.

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.

Member Benefits

Member benefits

Medications database helps pilots stay informed

When you run through the "IM SAFE" checklist before a flight, consider that even over-the-counter medications may have adverse side effects. The FAA requires a waiting period after use of certain medications, and others are not allowed at all. AOPA offers a searchable database as a free service to members to help pilots understand the FAA's position on medications. Search the database...  

Blogs

Just ahead in the February issue

An AOPA editor went on a quest to fly to as many classes of airspace as he could in a single day. Find out how it turned out in the February issue of Flight Training. Also in the February issue, learn about landing on the numbers, talking aviation and getting paid for it, and much more. Read more...  

Instrument Tip

IFR Fix

An uneasy compromise

The pilot wasn't the first "expert" ever humbled by an icing encounter. Here was a chance for redemption. Read more...  

Final Exam

Question

What are the two basic ways fog forms?

Answer

In general, fog forms when air is cooled to its dew point or moisture is added to the air near the ground. (Source: FAA Advisory Circular AC00-6A Aviation Weather, Chapter 12.) Learn more about fog formation and the relationship between temperature and dew point in Chapter 11 of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.

Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.

Career Opportunities

Aviation job board

Job of the week: Assistant chief flight instructor, LeTourneau

LeTourneau University seeks an enthusiastic and qualified individual to serve as assistant chief flight instructor. This year-round position is responsible for classroom teaching, flight instruction, and other duties as required. Read the full job description now.

AOPA career opportunities

Join the AOPA team

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a member services representative, graphic designer, associate editor—Web/ePilot, senior advertising sales/account executive, online marketing manager, .Net applications developer, and account manager II. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.