http://www.aopa.org A daily update of general aviation related news from AOPA. Copyright 2012 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:14:00 EDT http://www.aopa.org/images/rss/whatsnew-tn.jpg http://www.aopa.org The AOPA Airports iPhone app has been upgraded to AOPA FlyQ. AOPA FlyQ still offers the airport directory information you rely on, but also provides you with aviation weather and flight planning with auto-routing capabilities--free with your membership. http://www.aopa.org/membership/articles/2012/120516aopa-airports-iphone-app-now-aopa-flyq.html Wed, 16 May 2012 10:37:28 EDT http://www.aopa.org/membership/articles/2012/120516aopa-airports-iphone-app-now-aopa-flyq.html If you are flying near Chicago or the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area between May 18 and 21 and spy an F-16 or a Black Hawk off your wing, you're in big trouble. The FAA has issued notams restricting flight in both areas for the G8 and NATO Summits. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120516is-that-an-f-16-off-your-wing.html Wed, 16 May 2012 9:21:02 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120516is-that-an-f-16-off-your-wing.html The combination of increased flight activity and fewer accidents added up to lower noncommercial accident rates in both airplanes and helicopters in 2010, according to a preliminary report issued by the Air Safety Institute. http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120516flight-hours-up-accidents-down-in-2010.html Wed, 16 May 2012 10:42:34 EDT http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120516flight-hours-up-accidents-down-in-2010.html Nonprofit aviation service organization AERObridge is asking pilots in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia to participate in a full-scale hurricane disaster exercise in South Carolina on June 5. http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2012/120516pilots-sought-for-sc-disaster-drill.html Wed, 16 May 2012 9:30:12 EDT http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2012/120516pilots-sought-for-sc-disaster-drill.html LightSquared filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 on May 14. The wireless network based on mobile-satellite technology that was found to overpower GPS navigation signals made the filing two weeks after it negotiated an extension for making a payment on its debt. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120515lightsquared-files-for-bankruptcy.html Tue, 15 May 2012 9:38:10 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120515lightsquared-files-for-bankruptcy.html Analyst Richard Aboulafia described the jet market as "an absence of pessimism," and that, given the past four years, is seen as an improvement. In this environment, two manufacturers have launched three new models. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515bombardier-cessna-announce-new-jets.html Tue, 15 May 2012 9:22:11 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515bombardier-cessna-announce-new-jets.html Eclipse Aerospace has signed an agreement with PZL Mielec, the Polish company purchased by Sikorsky in March 2007, to produce the wings, empennage, fuselage, and related systems such as fuel probes for the Eclipse 550 personal jet. First deliveries are promised for 2013. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515eclipse-to-be-built-by-sikorsky-subsidiary.html Tue, 15 May 2012 11:27:28 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515eclipse-to-be-built-by-sikorsky-subsidiary.html One instructor, one Piper J-3 Cub, 27 solos, and more than 100 students in the first 12 months. The Elkins Pilots Club started with a bang 50 years ago and has continued ever since. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515strong-launch-sustains-pilot-club-fifty-years-later.html Tue, 15 May 2012 9:44:21 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515strong-launch-sustains-pilot-club-fifty-years-later.html Meredith Tcherniavsky and Dana Holladay of Rockville, Md., plan to launch July 4 on a two-month adventure that will take them 8,000 miles in their J-3 Cub. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515cub-summer-maryland-couple-to-fly-j-3-to-lower-48.html Tue, 15 May 2012 9:12:53 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120515cub-summer-maryland-couple-to-fly-j-3-to-lower-48.html One idea that emerges fairly clearly about instrument pilots is that the prospect of flying a real-world circling approach triggers considerable avoidance. Give pilots a plausible alternative, and circle-to-land loses. http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120514ifr-fix-pattern-b.html Mon, 14 May 2012 9:33:21 EDT http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120514ifr-fix-pattern-b.html Often dubbed the "Air Capital of the World," Wichita, Kan., has taken several severe blows since the economic downturn that started in 2008, with aircraft manufacturers laying off thousands. Kestrel Aircraft Co. is seeking to tap into that knowledgeable workforce. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120514kestrel-seeks-to-tap-into-wichita-workforce.html Mon, 14 May 2012 4:52:40 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120514kestrel-seeks-to-tap-into-wichita-workforce.html After a mandate from Congress last year, the FAA had to reverse a policy of publicly disseminating private aircraft flight data; now it is going a step further by publishing new procedures that would give owners and operators broader control over their flight information's disclosure. The agency will accept comments on its notice of proposed process until June 8. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120514faa-revises-flight-data-blocking-rules.html Mon, 14 May 2012 4:59:56 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120514faa-revises-flight-data-blocking-rules.html The lore goes that the Breezy became known as the "naked airplane" after the pilot unknowingly made an unscheduled landing in a nudist camp. The aircraft drew quite a crowd among the nudists who noted that the homebuilt "...looks like us. It?s got nothing on." http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120514naked-airplane-plies-west-virginia-skies.html Mon, 14 May 2012 5:08:57 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120514naked-airplane-plies-west-virginia-skies.html Honda Aircraft Co. marked a milestone toward certification of its HondaJet May 4 with the first flight of its fourth FAA-conforming test aircraft, the company announced at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exposition in Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120514fourth-hondajet-joins-test-fleet.html Mon, 14 May 2012 5:04:11 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120514fourth-hondajet-joins-test-fleet.html Evelyn Bryan Johnson, the legendary Tennessee flight instructor and designated pilot examiner better known to her many students over the years as "Mama Bird," died May 10 after a period of declining health. Johnson was 102. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120511tennessee_aviation_legend_dies.html Fri, 11 May 2012 9:06:01 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120511tennessee_aviation_legend_dies.html Argus International reported a slight increase in business aircraft activity (IFR flights) in April, compared to the same month in 2011, but there's little sign that activity or sales will soon return to pre-recession levels. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120511uptick-in-aircraft-activity-but-little-sign-of-recover.html Fri, 11 May 2012 9:26:17 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120511uptick-in-aircraft-activity-but-little-sign-of-recover.html A clear, calm day and spectacular view are often reward enough for staying proficient and flying this summer. Prizes don't hurt either. States across the country--and AOPA--offer incentive programs to encourage general aviation pilots to explore different airports around them. http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2012/120510add-up-the-reasons-to-fly.html Thu, 10 May 2012 2:48:13 EDT http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2012/120510add-up-the-reasons-to-fly.html Prospective pilots will have an opportunity to take the first step toward a pilot certificate May 19 through dozens of International Learn to Fly Day events that will feature free orientation flights. http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2012/120510learn-to-fly-events-target-future-pilots.html Thu, 10 May 2012 8:51:02 EDT http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2012/120510learn-to-fly-events-target-future-pilots.html The FAA requires all aircraft registered prior to Oct. 1, 2010, to re-register, and online applications from owners of aircraft registered in September of any year are being accepted through July 31. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510re-registration-open-for-aircraft-with-sept-certs.html Thu, 10 May 2012 8:46:22 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510re-registration-open-for-aircraft-with-sept-certs.html General aviation shipments and billings fell 2.1 percent in the 2012 first quarter, as segments showed mixed performances and industry leaders monitored congressional action that could improve availability of financing. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510ga-manufacturers-log-mixed-performance.html Thu, 10 May 2012 5:09:04 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510ga-manufacturers-log-mixed-performance.html With so many different paths, navigating the path between student pilot or college student and work in the aviation industry can be difficult. A new nonprofit called Aviation Workforce Development recently launched as an information resource to help people down this road. http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120510aviation-career-website-launches.html Thu, 10 May 2012 10:07:57 EDT http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120510aviation-career-website-launches.html The U.S. Air Force on May 2 accepted delivery of the 195th and final F-22 Raptor, a fighter with no equal in the world. The Raptor, a stealth fighter that won the 2006 Robert J. Collier Trophy after handily beating all comers in a military exercise, has been dogged more recently by questions about the oxygen system and pilot safety. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510lockheed-delivers-final-f-22-raptor.html Thu, 10 May 2012 9:41:52 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510lockheed-delivers-final-f-22-raptor.html Matt Deskiewicz had been planning for months with an engagement ring in hand, but had to wait for better weather. With a lift from pilot Patrick Smith, Deskiewicz took a knee in a gondola gliding through the sky over Frederick, Md., on May 6 and popped the question. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510couple-launches-life-together-in-hot-air-balloon.html Thu, 10 May 2012 12:39:11 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510couple-launches-life-together-in-hot-air-balloon.html A judge on May 10 dismissed charges of driving while intoxicated that led to the resignation of former FAA administrator Randy Babbitt. According to 'The Washington Post', Fairfax City General District Court Judge Ian O'Flaherty ruled that the arresting officer stopped Babbitt's car without good reason in December. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510dwi-charge-against-former-faa-chief-dismissed.html Thu, 10 May 2012 4:38:21 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510dwi-charge-against-former-faa-chief-dismissed.html Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel has made its first entry into the training market with the light sport Alpha Trainer, which cruises at 108 knots at 5,200 rpm. http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510pipistrel-offers-first-trainer.html Thu, 10 May 2012 1:31:50 EDT http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2012/120510pipistrel-offers-first-trainer.html The adverse effects of 52 wind turbines on the Kessel VOR-DME in West Virginia do not justify decommissioning the navaid and weakening the area's aviation infrastructure, AOPA said. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510wind-turbines-cause-safety-access-concerns-for-airport.html Thu, 10 May 2012 2:35:21 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510wind-turbines-cause-safety-access-concerns-for-airport.html Pilots pursuing advanced training and ratings regularly use full-motion flight simulators; some gain type certificates in sims having never flown the actual aircraft. How would that training format translate to primary instruction? Redbird Flight Simulations is putting an experimental training program to the test at its headquarters in San Marcos, Texas. http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120510first-pilot-completes-redbirds-experimental-training.html Thu, 10 May 2012 12:07:56 EDT http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120510first-pilot-completes-redbirds-experimental-training.html Pilots around the country are affected by efforts to promote flight safety, protect airports, defend against costly proposals, and build aviation communities. On May 4 and 5, AOPA staff discussed national issues and their local implications with an audience close to home. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510national-issues-local-focus-at-maryland-event.html Thu, 10 May 2012 9:24:31 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510national-issues-local-focus-at-maryland-event.html The proposed modification of a military operations area (MOA) straddling portions of western Kansas and eastern Colorado should be further refined to reduce the impact on general aviation, AOPA said, urging members to submit comments on the plan by May 30. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510ga-impact-seen-from-colorado-kansas-moa-changes.html Thu, 10 May 2012 2:57:17 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120510ga-impact-seen-from-colorado-kansas-moa-changes.html General aviation pilots are required to brief every flight fully, including a check of notams. Yet the federal government still expends significant resources responding to violations of temporary flight restrictions. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120509tfr-violations-hamper-efforts-to-ease-restrictions.html Wed, 9 May 2012 1:35:33 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120509tfr-violations-hamper-efforts-to-ease-restrictions.html The FAA has received more than 1,250 comments on the request by AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association to provide pilots who fly recreationally the option of becoming educated on medical self-assessment and using a driver's license as the baseline for their health in lieu of obtaining a third class medical certificate. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120509medical-exemption-petition-comments-pass-1250.html Wed, 9 May 2012 10:13:06 EDT http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120509medical-exemption-petition-comments-pass-1250.html