July 3, 2015 - VOL 15, ISSUE 27

Flight Training News

Quiz

Test your warbird knowledge

In honor of the nation's birthday and the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II, AOPA challenges you to test your knowledge of military aviation. Can you correctly match these famous warbirds to their most notable battle, campaign, or mission? Take the quiz...  

Facebook chat

Learn about aircraft ownership at July 'Flight Training' chat

Thinking about buying an airplane? AOPA's Eric Rush, owner of a 1979 Piper Archer II, will be the guest chatter at the next Flight Training Facebook chat. Rush will share his experience and insights on ownership. Join him and Flight Training editors Ian J. Twombly and Jill W. Tallman (also an aircraft owner) at 3 p.m. Eastern time on July 7. One chatter will receive a $50 Aircraft Spruce & Specialty gift card. Set an email reminder here. Flight Training Facebook chats are underwritten by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.

Slideshow

Maryland Cub Scouts take flight

Maryland Cub Scouts, their den masters, and an army of volunteers swarmed around AOPA's headquarters for a week of traditional scouting day camp activities mixed with large doses of fun aviation events to inspire the Scouts' flying fantasies. Read more...  

Article

SIUC team wins 2015 Air Race Classic

Two pilots representing Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIUC) took first place in the 2015 Air Race Classic, which concluded June 25. Read more...  

Scholarships

Article

Air Force grant aids CAP campers

A new grant from the U.S. Air Force opens the financial door for Civil Air Patrol cadets struggling to attend this summer's weeklong camps highlighting leadership, physical fitness, character development, and aviation-themed educational experiences. Read more...  

Training Resources

Real Pilot Story

Know your options when smoke fills the cockpit

Although in-flight electrical fires are rare, when they happen they'll get your attention quickly—just ask CFI Jade Schiewe. One moment he was conducting a routine flight lesson in a Cessna 172RG with a CFI candidate; moments later he had to declare a Mayday. Learn what Schiewe did and consider how you would react to this in-flight emergency. Watch Real Pilot Story: Fire in the Cockpit...  

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

United plans flights on biofuel

United Airlines plans to power flights from Los Angeles International Airport to San Francisco in the summer using fuel derived from farm waste and oils made from animal fats, according to The New York Times. Airlines are under pressure to reduce carbon emissions and lower jet fuel costs, according to the report. United told the newspaper that the flights from Los Angeles to San Francisco will carry a fuel mixture containing 30 percent biofuel before the company blends the fuel into its overall supply.

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

Plane Spotter

Vintage Van's

It's a two-seat tandem taildragger built from a kit, recognizable by its bubble canopy, low wings, and compact profile. The RV-4, from Van's Aircraft, is one of the early models in a series that ranges from the single-seat RV-3 to the four-seat RV-10. (The newest model is the RV-14.) If you ever spot two RV-4s parked together on the ramp, it is unlikely that they'll boast the same features or specifications. The engine powering an RV-4 may produce from 125 horsepower up to 180 hp, and drive either a fixed-pitch or constant-speed propeller.

Training Products

Article

Lightspeed announces summer headset deals

Pilots, listen up: Lightspeed Aviation is offering discounts of up to $100 on a trio of noise-reducing, Bluetooth-capable headsets in its summer headset sale. Read more...  

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

3 tips to follow when buying a turbine airplane

Buying a turbine airplane is not exactly like buying a piston-engine airplane. In short, the more complex the airplane, the more complex the buying experience. Here are three ways to ensure a positive purchasing experience. Read more...  

Blogs

Top 10 reasons to volunteer at an AOPA Fly-In

For aviation fans, the thought of getting up close and personal with a variety of aircraft and the people who fly them is surely exciting—and as a volunteer at an AOPA Fly-In, the perks of the experience can only be enhanced. Find out why you should join the action. Read more...  

Scheduling cancellations

It happens every year with snowstorms in the winter and thunderstorms in the summer: Airline flights get cancelled by the hundreds. How do the decisions get made? Blogger Chip Wright explains how two relatively new rules have changed the airlines' decision making when the weather gets bad. Read more...  

Notes from Paris: F-WILE beguiles and intrigues

A lot of interesting aircraft are displayed during the Paris Air Show, but only one light sport aircraft caught Opinion Leaders blogger Amy Laboda's eye in 2015: the Airbus E-Fan technology demonstrator, designated experimental F-WILE. The whisper-quiet electric propulsion isn't the only innovation of this aircraft, designed for the training market. Read more...  

Instrument Tip

IFR Fix

The quick pick

It's comforting to know that you can always pick up an IFR clearance if conditions deteriorate. It's another thing to pull the trigger and manage any complications. Read more...  

Login required

IFR quiz: North Myrtle Beach

The day has finally arrived for your trip to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina—a trip you've been dreaming about since last Labor Day. Unfortunately, the sunscreen will need to wait, now that light IFR weather has moved in over Grand Strand Airport, just outside of North Myrtle Beach. Test your IFR savvy with this quiz from the Air Safety Institute. Take the quiz...

Final Exam

Question

An Aviation Safety Reporting System report, commonly known as a "NASA report," is known to many pilots as a "get out of jail" free card when one has inadvertently violated a regulation. Who can file a report under the Aviation Safety Reporting Program?
A. Maintenance personnel
B. Dispatchers
C. Pilots
D. All of the above

Answer

D. A NASA report can be filed by "pilots, controllers, flight attendants, maintenance personnel, dispatchers, and other users of the National Airspace System (NAS), or any other person." (Source: Advisory Circular 00-46E.)

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

Career Opportunities

AOPA career opportunities

Join the AOPA team

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a director of regulatory affairs; Northwest Mountain regional manager; AOPA National Aviation Community Center aviation event planner; marketing project coordinator; account executive, AOPA corporate partnerships; videographer, Air Safety Institute; aviation technical specialist; and vice president, information and technology. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.