California pilot Nathan Parker said he likes AOPA’s educational online courses and quizzes because they “keep my mind in aviation mode.” Completing those educational activities had another benefit for Parker in July: a Stratus 2 Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receiver, courtesy of Sporty’s Pilot Shop.
Parker, who enjoys flying his Cessna 152 in Northern California and on short trips with his wife, is the second-quarter winner of the Air Safety Institute’s Learn & Earn Safety Challenge. Each qualifying online course, Accident Case Study, or Real Pilot Story a pilot completes automatically enters him or her to win a quarterly prize.
Parker said he had always had an interest in flying but never felt he was financially qualified. He found a free local ground school and got into flying around 2000, he said. Now the Corning, California, pilot said he flies his Cessna 152 around the north of the state and sometimes uses it to get away for a day or two with his wife. The two-seater can turn a four- or five-hour car ride to the coast into about a one-hour hour trip, he said.
“I love my little 152,” he said in an email. “It’s a lot of fun and is not that expensive to own or operate.”
With operating costs on his mind, Parker is now weighing whether to keep his new Stratus 2. He’s impressed with the unit’s capabilities, he said, but doesn’t have an iPad and must decide whether to keep it or sell it and use the money for avgas.
The Learn & Earn Safety Challenge runs through Dec. 31, so you still have a chance to win. For help finding a course that fits your needs, answer some questions about your experience and your flying in a brief quiz. The Air Safety Institute will match you with a suitable online course, Accident Case Study, or Real Pilot Story.
