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Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
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Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright © 2002 AOPA. | GA News
| AOPA WACO FLIES
The AOPA Sweepstakes Waco UPF-7 made its long-awaited first flight on  December 3 at Owatonna, Minnesota. The open-cockpit biplane, used in the Civilian Pilot Training Program to train World War II pilots on Long Island, New York, was restored by Rare Aircraft. It was considered an advanced trainer when used in the government's training program, and was used to teach aerobatics. Test pilot Ben Redman said the aircraft maintained hands-off level flight, but it did a lot more than that during its first return to the air since 1998: It also looped and did aileron rolls. A winter cover was installed in the cowling to keep the engine warm during the flight. The engine break-in will require about 15 hours of additional flying. The aircraft will be awarded in January 2004 to the winner of the AOPA Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes. To read more about the airplane, see AOPA Online.
ADAM PUSHES THE ENVELOPE
Adam Aircraft is continuing to expand the flight envelope for its twin-engine, centerline-thrust A500. So far the Serial No. 0001 aircraft has accumulated 100 hours over 50 test flights and has reached an altitude of 25,000 feet and an airspeed of 220 knots, company officials said. The airplane is the first one built on production tooling at the Denver manufacturing facility. "Single-engine climb figures for the front and rear engine are almost identical and better than we anticipated," said Glenn Maben, flight test pilot and lead powerplant engineer. For more about the company, see the Web site.
BUSH PILOT DIES IN ACCIDENT
Tim Johnson, 66, a former pilot and mechanic for missionaries in South America who was featured in the November issue of AOPA Pilot, died November 30 while conducting a test flight of a Seawind aircraft, according to newspaper reports. Also killed in the crash was Fred Caron, 63, owner of the Seawind, according to a report in The Seattle Times. The aircraft crashed 7 miles north of the Arlington Municipal Airport in Arlington, Washington. Witnesses reported hearing the engine sputter before the aircraft crashed, the newspaper reported. In the 1960s Johnson flew for the Jungle and Aviation Radio Service, now known as JAARS, and was a demo pilot for GlaStar and Glasair aircraft.
For daily news updates, see AOPA Online.
| Inside AOPA
| CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY BACKS OFF AIRSPACE RESTRICTION
Following clarification from the FAA and pressure from AOPA and other aviation organizations, Huntington Beach, California, has backed away from threats to fine aerial advertisers operating in airspace above any part of the city limits. Language in the FAA's General Aviation Operations Inspector's Handbook created confusion by suggesting that local laws might supersede federal authority. The FAA has now removed the confusing language, prompting Huntington Beach to rescind its ordinance. "This action makes clear that the FAA intends to retain its control of our nation's airspace," said Andy Cebula, an AOPA senior vice president. See AOPA Online.
AIRPORT WATCH HOTLINE IS ACTIVE
As promised, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Monday activated the toll-free hotline for AOPA's Airport Watch program, 866/GA-SECURE (866/427-3287). The number is one of 20 lines answered by the National Response Center (NRC). AOPA worked closely with the TSA to educate the NRC about general aviation and GA airports and helped develop the types of questions the NRC operators will ask people who call in. On Monday afternoon AOPA's Aviation Services staff members placed several calls to 866/GA-SECURE as part of a previously arranged simulation to give the NRC operators a chance to use the newly developed protocols. AOPA will be mailing Airport Watch brochures to its entire membership in late December. Additional program items such as the video, posters, and signs will be available in January 2003. See AOPA Online.
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| Airport Support Network
| VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH-PENNY HAMILTON, ROLF SCHULZE
Persistence, teamwork, and factual data on the part of AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Penny Hamilton and the Friends of Granby Airport Inc. were key in getting a fuel price reduction at Granby-Grand County Airport (GNB) in Colorado. By comparing prices at 50 other GA airports, they showed the county that in order to remain competitive with transient pilots and to be fair to the local pilots, the fuel prices needed to be lower. As a result, the county dropped the prices of avgas and Jet A by 20 cents a gallon. And Rolf Schulze, ASN volunteer for Gillespie Field (SEE) in California, gets a tip of the hat for garnering support for saving airport land. At a recent public meeting, Schulze-along with the Gillespie Pilots Association and local pilots-got right to the point: Preserve aviation land for aviation use! With the support they received, the next step includes revising the airport layout plan.
To learn more about the Airport Support Network, visit AOPA Online.
| AOPA Air Safety Foundation News
| STUDY SHOWS PILOTS ABLE TO HANDLE INSTRUMENT FAILURES
A recent study by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation and the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) shows that pilots are better able to cope with vacuum pump failures in actual aircraft than previous simulator-based studies would indicate. About three accidents a year are attributed to spatial disorientation. Despite that relatively low number of accidents, some previous studies using visual simulators suggested that the majority of pilots in aircraft with retractable landing gear weren't prepared to deal with the emergencies and fly partial panel. But the ASF/CAMI study, which used real aircraft, shows that the loss of the attitude indicator or other gyroscopic instruments need not be a killer if a pilot receives adequate training and keeps current on the ability to recognize a vacuum system failure and fly using a partial panel. See AOPA Online.
| Quiz Me!
| Here's a question asked by an AOPA member last week of our AOPA technical specialists. Test your knowledge.
Question: I am planning vacation travel in the Bahamas. It is my understanding that I will need a valid radiotelephone operator permit to rent and fly an aircraft there. When I first took flying lessons in 1968, I obtained a permit at that time. I have unearthed this document and would like to know if it is still valid or if it needs to be updated.
Answer: You don't have to worry about it. The radiotelephone operator permit is good for life, so yours is still valid. For more information on flying in the Bahamas, take a look at the international operations section of AOPA Online.
Got a technical question for AOPA specialists? Call 800/872-2672 or e-mail to [email protected]. Send comments on our Quiz Me! questions to [email protected].
| Picture Perfect
| Looking for a unique gift this holiday season? Order high-quality prints from the AOPA Online Gallery. Search the hundreds of fabulous images, select your favorite, and with just a few keystrokes, a beautiful print will be shipped directly to your doorstep! Of course, you can still download your favorite images to use for wallpaper or send a personalized e-card. For more details, see AOPA Online.
| Attention Pilots
| EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WORKING FOR AOPA?
AOPA is currently searching for a Director, Multimedia Communications at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland. Please call Human Resources at 301/695-2000, or visit AOPA Online to learn more about this exciting employment opportunity.
| What's New At AOPA Online
| Does your local airport want to release property for nonaviation use? See AOPA Online to read about these public disclosures and what you can do about them.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Dayton, Ohio. A Wright Flyer Exhibit will be on display December 17 at James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY). Don't miss this replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer. E-mail Nick Engler.
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The annual celebration of the first flight takes place December 17 at First Flight Airport (FFA). For more information, contact Rex Peters, 252/441-1903, or visit the Web site.
Aviation activities traditionally slow down at this time of year, and you may not receive a regional calendar each week. To submit an event to the calendar, or search all events, visit AOPA Online. For airport details, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online .
For comments on calendar items, contact [email protected].
ASF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
(All clinics start at 7:30 a.m.)
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Orlando, Florida; Chicago; and Lincoln, Nebraska December 14 and 15. Clinics are also scheduled in Fresno, California, and Reston, Virginia, December 21 and 22. Attend a FIRC during the month of December and receive a free ASF umbrella! For the Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic schedule, see AOPA Online.
ASF PINCH-HITTER GROUND-SCHOOL COURSES
(Pinch-Hitter courses start at 9:30 a.m.)
The next Pinch-Hitter® Ground School will take place in Orlando, Florida, December 15. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminar schedule will resume in January, featuring The Ups and Downs of Takeoffs and Landings. See video clips and read the Safety Advisor publication that accompanies this new program on the ASF Web site.
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