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Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way
Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright © 2002 AOPA. | Training Tips
| LOGBOOKS: YOUR PERMANENT PILOT RECORD
When you show up to take your private pilot flight test, one of the first things your examiner must do is verify your  eligibility to take the exam. He or she will rely heavily on two documents when making that determination: your completed FAA Form 8710-1 ( click here to download) and your student pilot logbook.
Take good care of your logbook. It is the official record of your training in accordance with section 61.51 of the federal aviation regulations. It is where your instructor will set forth the details of your solo privileges, reapprove your solo flying every 90 days, authorize your cross-country flights, and "sign you off" for the checkride. Your logbook's importance and its care are examined in detail in the December 1998 AOPA Flight Training feature "Logbooks: Keeping Careful Records." Be sure that the entries documenting your flying are legible and correct, not only in wording, but also in fact. Hours logged should add up to at least the solo, solo cross-country, and total flight time requirements for a private pilot applicant. More than one test applicant has been turned away when an examiner reviewed a logbook and discovered that a flight purported to count, for example, toward solo cross-country time did not satisfy the 50-nautical-mile distance requirement, leaving the applicant short of the required total time and ineligible for the test.
You have probably heard it said that your logbook should be treated as a legal document; indeed they sometimes play that role, especially in enforcement cases. See "Instructor Tips" in the February 1999 AOPA Flight Training for an examination of what constitutes correct logbook endorsements and the legal implications of those endorsements. Then study Kathy Yodice's "Legal Briefing" in the October 1999 issue for two case histories where endorsements-or lack of them-resulted in sanctions after accidents.
Fortunately not all the stories circulating about how to keep acceptable training records are true. In his October 2002 AOPA Flight Training column "Since You Asked," Rod Machado assures a reader that the color ink that a pilot uses to make logbook entries is entirely up to you, "as long as you don't use disappearing ink."
| Your Partner in Training
| Some of the most valuable flight time of your pilot training will be spent learning to counter crosswinds. Crosswind landings get better only with practice. Your instructor will offer a variety of techniques to help you overcome wind and land safely and routinely. You'll also learn to crab the aircraft into the wind and to slip into the wind to maintain your position over the runway. Search the AOPA Flight Training archives for articles on crosswind landings, or if you have specific questions, call our aviation specialists at 800/USA-AOPA weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern time. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation's new seminar, The Ups and Downs of Takeoffs and Landings, is another great resource. Go to the ASF's schedule page on AOPA Online to find this free seminar in your area.
As an AOPA Flight Training Member, you have access to all of the features within AOPA Online. For login information click here.
| Flight Training News
| AOPA SIDETRACKS NEW JERSEY PILOT BACKGROUND CHECKS
A New Jersey bill that would require a criminal background check and a photo ID for student and renter pilots in the state has been sidetracked. The bill's sponsor agreed to withhold the legislation after meeting with AOPA on Monday. AOPA Senior Vice President of Government and Technical Affairs Andy Cebula met with state Sen. Peter A. Inverso to explain why the legislation was unneeded. "We talked at length about the measures the federal government and the aviation industry have taken since 9/11 to address aviation security nationwide," said Cebula. "That includes the new regulation adopted by the FAA following AOPA's petition that requires a pilot in command to carry a government-issued photo identification along with their pilot and medical certificates." The senator was also enthusiastic about supporting AOPA's Airport Watch effort. For more, see AOPA Online.
MAN DIES IN FALL FROM CESSNA 152
A 47-year-old Houston-area man died in a fall from a Cessna 152 on Sunday, Texas law enforcement officials said. Russell Edward Filler, who held a private pilot certificate, rented the aircraft and hired an instructor from National Aviation Services at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Spring, Texas, to renew his flying skills, said Lt. John Kremmer of the Waller County sheriff's office. FAA officials told ePilot that Filler's second-class medical certificate expired in 1979. Filler, who worked for a NASA subcontractor, told instructor Benito Frank Munoz that he wanted to go to 9,000 feet to see if a past problem with his ears had been corrected by recent treatments. Munoz told officials Filler took the aircraft to 9,000 feet, turned the controls over to Munoz, and asked him to demonstrate a steep turn, the Houston Chronicle reported. As Munoz entered the turn he heard a bump and glanced over to see Filler's feet going out the door, according to the Chronicle story. His body was found on Tuesday. Kremmer said examinations of the aircraft seatbelt and door have shown no defects. Other area law enforcement officials told reporters they had previously interviewed Filler about a laptop computer that was missing from NASA, which Filler said he had bought in a parking lot after answering an ad placed on a grocery store bulletin board.
COMAIR ACADEMY ACQUIRES RJ SIMULATOR
Comair Aviation Academy in Sanford, Florida, has ordered a Frasca Bridge Trainer modeled after Bombardier's CRJ200 regional jet. The flight simulator is designed to provide EFIS, EICAS, autopilot, and FMS training. Actual Collins FMS software will allow it to deliver FMS simulation fidelity identical to what would occur in the cockpit during flight. Comair Academy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comair and Delta Air Lines. For more information on Frasca simulators, visit the Web site.
| Inside AOPA
| WORK PROGRESSING ON FIRST FLIGHT PILOT CENTER
Construction crews working on the new AOPA pilot facility at First Flight Airport (FFA) in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, expect to have the structure completed in time for the ninety-ninth anniversary of the Wright brothers' first powered flight on December 17, 2002. It includes indoor restrooms to replace the portable toilets now available to pilots. The facility, donated by AOPA on behalf of its members, will be the only permanent structure to remain after the centennial celebrations end in December 2003. When fully operational, it will include a pilot work area with computerized weather stations and telephones for contacting flight service.
AOPA EXPO 2002 SEMINAR TAPES AVAILABLE
For information on ordering audiocassettes of AOPA Expo 2002 seminars, visit the distributor's Web site.
Changing your mailing or e-mail addresses? Click here to update.
| Training Products
| ELITE 8.0 OFFERS BENDIX/KING KLN 94 GPS
Elite Simulation Solutions has released version 8.0 of its flight simulation software. The newest version features the Bendix/King KLN 94 GPS, which Elite said has been one of its customers' most-requested "wish list" items. New aircraft module additions include the Socata TB10 and TB20, a high-resolution Piper Arrow IV, and a Cessna 182S. New navigation features include selectable Bendix/King Silver Crown and Silver Crown Plus avionics systems, updated U.S. navigation data, and updated GPS data for the Trimble, Apollo, and Bendix/King GPSs. For more information, visit the Web site or call 800/557-7590.
| Final Exam
| Question: I've been reading an advisory circular on operating an aircraft in cold weather. It's dated 1979. How do I know if this is the most recent version of the AC?
Answer: The FAA provides an Advisory Circular Checklist that lists all the current ACs, including their AC number and date of issuance ( click here to download). This checklist also provides the names and numbers of cancelled ACs. You can access the most current ACs on AOPA Online. Learn more about advisory circulars in a November 1994 AOPA Flight Training article.
Got a technical question for AOPA specialists? E-mail to [email protected] or call 800/872-2672.
| Picture Perfect
| | Just in time for holiday gift giving, we've made it easier than ever to order photographic prints from the AOPA Online Gallery. The fabulous photography that has helped make AOPA Pilot the world's most popular aviation magazine can now be yours to enjoy anywhere, in a variety of sizes. Select your favorite photo from among the hundreds in our collection, make a few keystrokes into a secure e-mail form, and a high-quality print of your selection will be shipped to your doorstep. And of course you can still download your favorite images to use on your computer. For more details, see AOPA Online.
| What's New At AOPA Online
| Getting ready to take the FAA knowledge test in preparation for your private pilot checkride? The FAA's list of testing centers was updated Tuesday. Click here to download the latest version from AOPA Online.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
McArthur, Ohio. A fly-in takes place December 1 at Vinton County Airport (22I). Call Nick Rupert, 740/384-2649.
Key West, Florida. An EAA Chapter 1241 Young Eagles Rally takes place November 30 at Key West International Airport (EYW). Contact E. Waldorf, 305/743-0835, or visit the Web site.
Houston, Texas. The Houston Aviation Alliance monthly meeting takes place December 2 at the Houston Hobby Hilton from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Contact John King, 713/567-5054, or visit the Web site.
Wickenburg, Arizona. A Fly-in and Explore Wickenburg Vulture Peak Hike takes place December 1 at Wickenburg Municipal Airport (E25). Contact Maria Langer, 928/684-5690, 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 Austin, Texas, and Denver, December 7 and 8. Clinics are also scheduled in Orlando, Florida, and Chicago, December 14 and 15. 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 Schools will take place in Denver, December 8; and 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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