March 27, 2015 - VOL 15, ISSUE 13

Flight Training News

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'Checkout: OK' with new course

Are you contemplating or perhaps ready to experience the thrill of transitioning to another airplane or new avionics? The Air Safety Institute shares your excitement, and wants to help make that switch safe and fun. A first of its kind, the institute's free Transitioning to Other Airplanes course offers straightforward, important advice about what to expect when making the jump from a familiar airplane or avionics setup to something new. Enjoy your new adventure! Take the course on your desktop or mobile device...  

AOPA Premier Partner sponsored content

Avoid stick-and-rudder mistakes

Try these simple exercises from Master CFI Wally Moran to improve your rudder proficiency and avoid common mistakes. This 15-minute video from AOPA Premier Partner PilotWorkshops offers useful tips for all pilots. Visit the website and get instant access to this video, plus other programs free for AOPA members. Watch the video...

AB-Tech, WNC Aviation launch pilot degree

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in North Carolina will begin classes in August for a career pilot degree program launched with flight school WNC Aviation, the Citizen-Times reports. Students in the two-year associate's degree program may specialize in aviation management or earn a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating.

Female Afghan Air Force pilot flies with Blue Angels

The Afghan Air Force's first female fixed-wing pilot flew an orientation flight in the back seat of a Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornet March 11, the Navy announced. Capt. Niloofar Rahmani soloed a Cessna 182 in 2012, according to the U.S. State Department, and later qualified to fly the Cessna Caravan. While she and her family have received death threats from the Taliban, she said it's her responsibility to be an example to young girls, the Navy said. "You can't just see yourself as a woman, but as a human and believe in yourself," Rahmani said, according to a Navy release.

Article

FAA names 2015 National General Aviation Award honorees

The FAA has announced its 2015 National General Aviation Award honorees, four individuals recognized for their contributions to GA. Read more...  

Maintenance professionals to square off

Aviation maintenance professionals and students may test their skills in the Aerospace Maintenance Competition at the 2015 MRO Americas convention in Miami Beach, Florida, April 14 through 16. Teams divided into categories including commercial aviation, general aviation, space, school, military, and MRO/OEM compete in 16 timed events; the winner of the school category will receive a borescope from sponsor RF System Lab, according to a media release.

Training Resources

Safety video

Being on top of the clouds

How should you request and receive a clearance for "VFR on top," and what is expected from you and air traffic control? Watch this installment of Ask ATC...  

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

Sun 'n Fun to host career fair

Attendees at the Sun 'n Fun International Fly-In and Expo in Lakeland, Florida, can meet with recruiters for pilot, flight operations, avionics, engineering, and maintenance jobs April 22 at the event's second annual career fair. The career fair will be held at Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the website for the complete list of participating companies, for details about job openings, and to pre-register.

Boeing's SC plant delivers first 787-9, could face union vote

Boeing announced on March 17 that it has delivered the first 787-9 Dreamliner assembled at its North Charleston, South Carolina, facility to United Airlines. The aircraft also is the 250th Dreamliner to be delivered, the company added. The airframe is United's fourth 787-9; the airline also has a dozen 787-8s already in service. A day earlier, Boeing was notified that the International Association of Machinists union has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a union election at the plant. The union aggressively opposed the plant and fought to keep it from opening, said Beverly Wyse, Boeing South Carolina's newly appointed vice president and general manager.

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

Plane Spotter

A Mentor to many

What aircraft deserves the title of the most sought-after warbird in the world? To its devotees, the honor should belong to the T-34 Mentor. This Beechcraft airplane evolved from the four-place Model 35 Bonanza. However, the Mentor was designed with a prominently unswept vertical tail—in contrast to the Bonanza's unmistakable V-tail—and a canopied, two-place tandem cockpit. Mentors first flew as military trainers in 1953. They have been produced with piston engines and as turboprops. Many retired trainers are privately owned, and make popular airshow performers.

Training Products

Lessons available offline in Kings’ Companion App update

Version 1.3 of the King Schools Companion App for iPads and iPhones allows course takers to download lessons from their iLearn accounts to watch videos and answer FAA example questions while offline. Customers who have bought online ground school, test prep, practical test, and single-subject courses may download lessons, and their progress is synced the next time they log in to their King iLearn account so that they can pick up where they left off, even on another device. The Companion App is free, though prices for online courses vary.

Helicopter CFI offers online training, new book

Indiana helicopter CFI Kenny Keller Jr. has built a following with his online helicopter ground school, a program he developed from scratch. (Prices range from $299 to $399.) Keller more recently condensed his years of EMS aviation and instructing into a book: Helicopter Check-Ride rose to the top of its category in Amazon following its November release. Priced at $9.36 for the paperback and $0.99 for the Kindle version, the book offers 22 chapters with "a little bit of something for everybody," Keller said, including practical test tips and anecdotes from Keller's career.

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

Members only

Why did the FAA issue a new sleep apnea policy?

Former FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Manager Warren Silberman explains why the FAA issued its new sleep apnea policy March 2. Read more...  

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Warbirds lead in Showdown

Can a little yellow airplane outlast symbols of American military might in the Best Aircraft Showdown? The Piper J-3 Cub faces off against the B-24 Liberator as "Round of Eight" voting continues March 27 in the bracket-style competition, presented by Aero-Space Reports. The Cub, Mooney M20, and Boeing Stearman find themselves in the company of heavy warbirds: the B-24 Liberator, Supermarine Spitfire, B-17 Flying Fortress, P-38 Lightning, and Vought F4U Corsair. Only four aircraft will make it to the semi-finals March 31 and April 1—will your favorite make the cut? Vote now...

AOPA members get discount on Sun 'n Fun tickets

Visit AOPA's campus at Sun 'n Fun to learn new piloting techniques from aviation experts, visit with fellow pilots, see the 2015 You Can Fly Sweepstakes Reimagined 152, manage your membership, and shop in AOPA's store. AOPA members can receive $5 off the adult daily general admission pass and $30 off the adult weekly general admission pass by using promo code "AOPA217" when purchasing passes on the Sun 'n Fun website.

Blogs

Gian gets an angel

In the April issue of Flight Training magazine, Greg Brown introduced you to a 13-year-old named named Gian who loves aviation. Brown bought the teenager an introductory flight lesson, but the story doesn't end there. Read more...  

Improving stick-and-rudder skills: Seaplanes, taildraggers

Earning a tailwheel endorsement or a seaplane rating could not only be fun, but also refine your skills for other airplanes, according to Opinion Leaders blogger Rob Mark. "Both require all hands on the controls from the moment you turn over the engine until shutdown," he explains. "While flying both can be challenging at times, I've found the skills they build have truly made me a better pilot and instructor." Read more...  

Final Exam

Question

After you land at an unfamiliar towered airport on a solo cross-country flight, the ground controller asks whether you would like progressive taxi instructions. How do progressive taxi instructions differ from standard taxi instructions?

Answer

Progressive taxi instructions include step-by-step instructions from the controller with more detail than standard taxi instructions. (Source: Aeronautical Information Manual 4-3-18.)

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

Career Opportunities

Aviation job board

Job of the week: Sales exec, Corporate Aviation Insurance Group

Corporate Aviation Insurance Group is looking for a sales executive who is knowledgeable and passionate about aviation, excellent at building client relationships, and willing to work hard to establish a profitable portfolio of insurance business. The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills and a strong self-starting attitude and be responsible for developing a sales strategy to generate new business. Learn more about this exciting opportunity.

AOPA career opportunities

Join the AOPA team

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for part time, temporary digital product support; an outreach and events coordinator; aviation event and meeting planner; vice president for major and leadership gifts; Sitecore developer; director of studies, research, and analysis; associate editor—Web/ePilot; and account manager II. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.