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AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition --Vol. 2, Issue 39

Volume 2, Issue 39 • September 27, 2002
In this issue:
Bill seeks more screening of foreign flight students
AOPA asks for action on pilot ID proposal
ASF�recognized for runway incursion efforts

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Copyright � 2002 AOPA.

Training Tips
PREPARING FOR THE UNFAMILIAR
Making your first arrival at a new airport can be a demanding task for any pilot, absent familiar landmarks and runways and even local meteorological conditions, as discussed in the January 11, 2002, edition of this e-mail newsletter. Add to that the jitters of taking a flight test, and it is easy to see why it is a good idea to visit as many airports as possible during your test prep. Make it a special goal to visit as many of the public-use airports within, say, 30 miles of your home airport as you can. Why? It is quite possible that your flight test could involve flying a cross-country leg, or a diversion, to one of these fields. Before launching on your practice flights to these airports, look them up in such reference guides as AOPA's Airport Directory and the FAA's Airport/Facilities Directory, noting runway lengths and bearings, traffic patterns, frequencies, noise abatement requirements, and available services. "Finding the field" can be a challenge on the first try, as recounted in the July 1997 AOPA Pilot.

Designated pilot examiners (DPEs) have been known to scrutinize a student pilot's logbook entries and take him or her to any local airport not visited during training. This is fair play. Review standard and nonstandard traffic-pattern procedures for airports with and without operating control towers in Chapter 4 of the Aeronautical Information Manual. DPEs also form a large part of their impression of an applicant by scrutinizing your cross-country planning. See one examiner's comments on this part of the testing process in the July 2002 AOPA Flight Training.

Keep in mind that nowadays, emphasis will be on your ability to gather and interpret all relevant notices to airmen (notams) and comply with any flight restrictions. Show the examiner that you will "do your part to fly right," as urged by AOPA President Phil Boyer in his "President's Perspective" in the January 2002 AOPA Flight Training. And remember that if the first approach to that unfamiliar field isn't going as smoothly as it should, a timely go-around as explained in the January 1998 AOPA Pilot demonstrates to the DPE your good judgment and safe flying methods. Keep practicing–and good luck on your flight test!
Your Partner in Training
The checklist can be thought of as one of the least expensive yet most effective safety devices available in the cockpit today. Not following a checklist can have dire consequences. Check out these informative articles from past issues of AOPA Flight Training: "Instructor Report: Sweating the Details," "Insights: Segmented Checklists," and "Continuing Ed: Please, Thank You, and Gear Down." And continue to search the magazine's online archives for a wealth of information to help you achieve your goal of obtaining your pilot certificate.

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Flight Training News
BILL SEEKS MORE SCREENING OF FOREIGN STUDENTS
Late last week the Senate Commerce Committee passed an amendment to the Aviation Security Improvement Act that would require background checks for all foreign flight students in the United States, regardless of the weight class of aircraft they wish to learn to fly. AOPA has been actively working to make sure that U.S. citizens are not affected by the bill, sponsored by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). Current law requires that the Department of Justice approve any foreign student seeking flight training in aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds. Nelson's amendment would extend that check to all foreign students. It also would change the existing law to allow foreign flight school students to begin ground training while the background check is under way. It would allow exemptions for foreign pilots who have earned an FAA type rating or are legally able to fly in and around the United States in planes weighing more than 12,500 pounds.

AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM ANNEX SET TO OPEN ON SCHEDULE
National Air and Space Museum officials say they are within $93 million of the amount needed to complete funding for a new companion facility at Dulles International Airport, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The museum will open on schedule in December 2003, just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first powered flight. Display aircraft will be moved into the building starting next March. The total cost of the project, including initial staffing, moving exhibits, construction, and fund-raising, is $311 million. For more information and updates on the construction, see the Web site.
Inside AOPA
AOPA ASKS FOR ACTION ON PHOTO ID PETITION
AOPA is continuing to push the government to act on the association's simple, inexpensive proposal to improve general aviation security. This week AOPA staff met with officials at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)–where the measure now resides–to urge action on the association's petition for an FAA rule requiring pilots to carry government-approved photo identification (such as a driver's license) when flying. This would save the government the cost of initiating a new program. OMB is responsible for determining the cost and benefit of proposed regulations and is the final step in the rulemaking process. See AOPA�Online.

ASF RECEIVES AWARD FOR RUNWAY INCURSION PREVENTION
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation has again been honored for its creative efforts to reduce the number of runway incursions, this time by the FAA's Safe Flight 21 program. Safe Flight 21 is charged with developing methods for improving flight safety. ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg chaired a committee that devised a low-tech, low-cost "runway occupied" warning system that flashes glideslope indicator lights at incoming aircraft if another aircraft is already on the runway. The system is currently being tested in Long Beach, California. See AOPA�Online.

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Training Products
DVD EXPLAINS FLYING TO NONFLIERS
Are you getting ready to take your checkride, and want to help prepare family members or friends for their first flight in a light airplane? Non-Flier's Guide to the Cockpit, from Sporty's Pilot Shop, has been enhanced and released on DVD. It takes passengers on a flight from start to finish, so they'll know exactly what the pilot is doing and why. The DVD runs for 75 minutes and is available for $19.95 from Sporty's online or by calling 800/SPORTYS.
Final Exam
Question: I hear some of the pilots and instructors talking about CRM. What exactly is CRM?

Answer: CRM stands for "crew resource management," although some people may also refer to CRM as "cockpit resource management." The FAA defines CRM in its "Aviation Instructor's Handbook" as the application of team management concepts in the flight deck environment. CRM programs have evolved to include cabin crews, maintenance personnel, and others--including single pilots, as in most general aviation aircraft. Pilots must make effective use of all available resources, including human resources, hardware, and information. For some in-depth articles on applying the concepts of CRM, see "Managing Yourself: Single-pilot Crew Resource Management," "Continuing Ed: CRM as SOP," and "Turbine Training: Cockpit Resource Management" from AOPA Flight Training magazine.

Got a technical question for AOPA specialists? E-mail to [email protected] or call 800/872-2672.
Picture Perfect

Jump to the AOPA Online Gallery to see the featured airplane of the day. Click on the link for details on how to capture wallpaper for your work area. See AOPA Online.

What's New At AOPA Online
You'd be surprised at how many student pilots buy an airplane and learn to fly in it. Buying an aircraft can be one of the most exciting experiences of your life. To help you make an informed decision, AOPA has provided Aircraft Ownership–An AOPA Guide to Buying an Aircraft online and in an interactive format.
Weekend Weather
See the current weather on AOPA�Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
ePilot Calendar
WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Midland, Texas. The Fina-CAF Airshow 2002 takes place October 5 and 6 at Midland International Airport (MID). Contact Tina Corbett, 915/563-1000, or visit the Web site.

Salinas, California. The California International Airshow takes place October 4 through 6 at Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS). Featuring the Navy Blue Angels, F-117A stealth fighter, Sean Tucker, Les Shockley and Shockwave, and others. For more information, visit the Web site.

For more airport details, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online . For more events, see Aviation Calendar of Events.

ASF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
(All clinics start at 7:30 a.m.)
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic is scheduled in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, on October 5 and 6. Clinics are also scheduled in San Jose, California; Indianapolis; and Wichita, Kansas, on October 12 and 13. 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 San Jose, California, October 13. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.

ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Jacksonville, Florida, September 30; Gainesville, Florida, October 1; Orlando, Florida, October 2; and Vero Beach, Florida, October 3. The topic is Single-Pilot IFR. For the complete schedule, see AOPA�Online.

To make submissions to the calendar, visit AOPA Online. For comments on calendar items, e-mail [email protected].

Got news or questions? Send your comments to [email protected].

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