AOPA To Provide Eight CAP Scholarships
The top student at each Civil Air Patrol National Flight Academy will receive a scholarship for flight training from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The association will provide eight scholarships this year. CAP's new national program will conduct weeklong introductory flight training courses at eight locations around the nation. CAP cadets accepted for the program will train toward their first solo at reduced cost. At each location, CAP flight instructors will select one cadet as the best student pilot. The cadet will receive $500 in additional training at a flight school in his or her hometown. The new CAP National Flight Academies will be held this year in Virginia, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Tennessee (powered flight); and Pennsylvania, Utah, Oregon, and Georgia (glider flight).
Diamond Begins North American Flights In DA40
Diamond Aircraft Industries recently began flying its four-seat Diamond Star DA40 aircraft in London, Ontario. The flights are the first of the new aircraft in North America, which already has been test-flown in Europe. For more information, see "Diamond Star: Katana Plus Two" ( www.aopa.org/members/ files/pilot/2000/katana0001.html ).
Vector Certifies Canada's First Level 3 FTD
Vector Training Systems has be-come the first company to certify a Level 3 flight training device (FTD) in Canada. The system was designed for Flying Colors Pilot Training in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and simulates the school's fleet of Diamond Katana DA20-A1 trainers. Michael Gillespie, president of Flying Colors, says that the school will use the FTD for everything from primary training to instrument currency. Vector is based in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Cessna 172 Owners Receive Safety Publication From ASF
More than 27,000 Cessna 172 owners in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico have received a booklet titled Cessna 172 Skyhawk Safety Highlights free from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. The booklet provides an analysis of accident causes and offers operating and safety tips. Other booklets with type-specific information on the Piper PA-28 series, the Cessna 182, and another aircraft yet to be determined will be mailed to owners later this year. The series of four is sponsored by a grant from the United States Aircraft Insurance Group. Cessna 172 Safety Highlights points out that the Skyhawk has a lower serious accident rate than a comparison group of single-engine aircraft. However, the proportion of serious accidents during low-level maneuvering flight is higher for pilots of Cessna 172s. About 80 percent of landing accidents in all the aircraft studied were related to wind conditions, but the Cessna 172 report debunks the myth that low-wing aircraft handle better in wind. The report shows that the Cessna 172 and low-wing aircraft have comparable accident rates for crosswind landings. Each edition of Safety Highlights will be available free on AOPA Online( www.aopa.org/asf/publications www.aopa.org/asf/ publications) and the USAIG Web site ( www.usau.com).
Internet Portal Focuses On Aviation
A new Internet portal dedicated to aviation ( www.aerotrading.com ) is joining the ranks of online offerings. The goal of this new search engine is to provide a meeting place for aviation enthusiasts by offering links to aviation-related Web sites and companies, aviation news, notification service to help users find products, and an aviation-related discussion group forum.
Aviation Workers To Train Online
The International Air Transport Association has selected Saba Learning Enterprise to connect 30,000 aviation industry employees worldwide to online training. The Aviation Training and Development Institute (ATDI), based in Montreal, will provide the training and employees will link to the training programs through Saba. ATDI already trains employees of more than 600 airlines, as well as civil aviation and airport organizations in more than 185 countries. Saba's customers use its infrastructure and the educational programs of its partners, such as ATDI, to connect employees to learning.
School News
UND Gets Grants For FTDs
The University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation has been awarded a series of grants to convert an outdated flight training device to a twin-engine Piper Seminole trainer and to purchase two new Piper Warrior flight-training devices. The grants come from the Ray Foundation and James C. Ray, who has previously endowed scholarships for the university. Vector Training will make the conversion and supply the new FTDs. All three devices are scheduled to be delivered by the end of May.
Heliflight Offers Career Pilot Program
Heliflight, a helicopter flight school based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has created a new training program designed to help bridge the gap between graduating pilots and minimum job requirements. The Career Pilot Program is designed to produce instrument-rated commercial pilots who hold CFI and CFII ratings. By the time students graduate, they will have had 200 hours of experience in Robinson R22 helicopters. This experience, 50 hours more than is typical of helicopter pilot training programs, is de-signed to allow program graduates to find jobs as flight instructors anywhere in the country.
Alaska Airlines To Train With PremAir
Alaska Airlines has signed a training agreement with Seattle-based PremAir, Inc. Under the deal, PremAir will provide ground and flight simulator instructors to Alaska Airlines. The first courses to be offered will cover transitioning from Alaska's Boeing 737-400 aircraft to the new Boeing 737-700s now being delivered to the airline. All of Alaska's Boeing 737 pilots will take the course within the next two years.
