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Copyright © 2003 AOPA. | Training Tips
| SUPPORTING CAST
You taxi onto the ramp at an airport you have never visited before. A member of the line crew has flagged your attention and is gesticulating in a manner that appears designed to steer you toward a particular location for parking. With his left hand he is pointing toward the ground, and with his right hand he is making a waving motion. This aeronautical sign language will not be a mystery if your cross-country flying has been preceded by studying Section 4-3-25 of the Aeronautical Information Manual on the hand signals used by line crews. (See also the April 19, 2002, edition of this newsletter for a question-and-answer exchange in "Final Exam" on linemen's hand signals.)
 Now the lineman is holding both hands high, palms facing away from you, and motioning with them (translation: come forward); then the waving ends and his arms have been crossed (stop). He signals "cut." You shut down the engine, and he chocks your wheels. He takes your fuel order and points the way to a telephone, rest stop, or the airport café, grateful that you are one of those pilots who comprehends rampspeak-and did not jeopardize his safety while he stood in front of your whirling propeller and guided you to the proper tiedown spot.
Line crews are the essential supporting cast in the aviation world. Unfortunately, pilots often take their presence for granted. The fact is that frequently, these hard-working souls are pilots-in-waiting enduring risk, cold or blazing sun, low pay, and long hours just for the privilege of being near the airplanes they love. It is a rite of passage that more pilots should experience, and it is a rare opportunity for learning, as described in the June 1993 AOPA Pilot feature "Rites of the Ramp."
On occasion, a line crewmember's efforts are rewarded beyond expectations. See "Lineman with passion to fly wins scholarship," in the Training News and Notes section of the May 2002 AOPA Flight Training. Then share the insights reflected on by AOPA Pilot Editor-in-Chief Thomas B. Haines in his July 1998 "Waypoints" column titled "Show a Little Courtesy."
Aviation is a community. Treat its other members with the respect and consideration that they deserve!
| Your Partner in Training
| As a student pilot, you should include a healthy number of go-arounds in your dual sessions in the traffic pattern, initiated from a variety of configurations and heights above touchdown. The ability to perform them smoothly will increase your confidence. See AOPA Online for some great tips on one of aviation's most harried maneuvers. If you need more information, call our experienced pilots-available weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern to answer your questions toll-free at 800/872-2672.
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
| AIRLINES HIRED 372 PILOTS IN MAY
Pilot hiring levels held their ground for the month of May as 372 new pilots were hired throughout the airline industry, according to data compiled by AIR, Inc. The most active segment of the industry was jet operators, which hired 108 pilots. Through the end of May some 2,108 pilots have been hired, and AIR, Inc. President Kit Darby projects that the industry will hire approximately 5,000 to 6,000 pilots in 2003. Meanwhile, the total number of pilots on furlough as of June 5 increased to 8,895 out of 94,571 active airline pilots, up from 8,655 as of April 30. The airlines are dealing with a soft travel market and the continued impact of the postwar period and the SARS virus, Darby said.
WESTERN MICHIGAN SETS FALL START DATE FOR TRAINING PROGRAM
A small number of seats are available in Western Michigan University's next accelerated pilot training course, set to start at W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek on August 28. Western Michigan's College of Aviation recently merged its international training program with its larger domestic enrollment and launched a certified accelerated training program (CAPT), which allows prospective pilots to train side by side with people headed for pilot careers with FAA- or JAA-regulated airlines. Full details are available online.
MONCTON FLIGHT COLLEGE BUYS SIX ECLIPSE TRAINERS
Moncton Flight College in New Brunswick has purchased six Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse aircraft for its flight training program. The aircraft will be delivered before the start of the fall semester, according to a news release from Diamond Aircraft. "The acquisition of new Diamond aircraft is a significant part of the major expansion we are starting here at Moncton," according to Mike Doiron, chief executive office/principal of the school, whose flight training program currently has 110 students. More than 200 of the two-seat aircraft are used as trainers across the United States and in Canada, Europe, and Australasia, Diamond said.
| Inside AOPA
| AOPA SEEKS VETO OF NEW JERSEY PILOT BACKGROUND CHECKS
New Jersey pilots were swept up in a last-minute push by the state's general assembly to recess for the summer. Legislators late Monday passed a bill requiring identity background checks for flight students. AOPA has asked Gov. James E. McGreevey to veto it. "If the governor doesn't veto this bill, we'll go to federal court, just as we have in Michigan," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. (A hearing on AOPA's motion for summary judgment in the Michigan case has been scheduled for July 24.) "There is no compelling security reason for this bill; the federal government has already stepped in. The bill not only duplicates federal efforts, it also usurps federal authority to regulate pilots--authority that both Congress and the courts have said belongs to the federal government alone." In a letter to the speaker of the state's general assembly, AOPA Senior Vice President of Government and Technical Affairs Andy Cebula noted that both the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration had offered legal opinions that only the federal government has jurisdiction to decide who may or may not receive a pilot certificate. For more information, see AOPA Online.
'ePILOT' ALERTS KEEP PILOTS INFORMED AS BUSH HITS THE ROAD
Wherever President Bush goes, he takes a very large temporary flight restriction (TFR) with him. Now that he's officially running for re-election and is popping in all over the country, TFRs will also be popping up all over-large TFRs, frequently 60 nm in diameter and extending to 18,000 feet. Pilots must know about TFRs and comply with the operating rules. Members who subscribe to AOPA ePilot or ePilot Flight Training Edition will receive special ePilot alerts by e-mail when airspace changes-including presidential TFRs-cause significant impact in their area. While the alerts are intended to give pilots the earliest possible warning about airspace changes, notams establishing the restrictions often are modified or TFRs are issued with such short notice that an alert cannot be sent. Pilots are reminded that they must check with an official notam source immediately before any flight.
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| Training Products
| PETZL ZIPKA HEADLAMP OFFERED BY AVSHOP
A twist on the LED flashlight is Petzl's Zipka headlamp. Pilots may recognize the style as one long used by mountain climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts for hands-free illumination. This product adapts well to cockpit use in the event of an electrical failure or any time when additional light is required, such as during night flights. The three LED lamps illuminate an instrument-panel-sized area, with the brightest core of light about the same width as an approach chart at two feet. The white bulbs can be modified with a red or green filter. The Zipka weighs just less than 3 ounces and is powered by three AAA batteries. The price is $26.95. For more information or to order, see the AvShop Web site or call 800/805-9415.
| | Final Exam | Question: What is relative wind?
Answer: Relative wind is created by an object's motion. Think about riding a bicycle. The breeze you feel on your face is the relative wind-it is a result of the motion of you and the bicycle. Even on a breezy day when you have the wind at your back, you still feel the relative wind blowing on your face. An airplane's forward motion in flight causes wind to flow over the wing. This is relative wind. It is equal to and opposite of the motion of the airplane. However, the airplane's nose does not always point in the same direction as the airplane's movement. You can fly a straight-and-level flight path with varying angles of attack. The relative wind is, in this case, straight and level (in the direction opposite of your motion), even though the nose may point higher and higher in the sky. And think about this: if you're caught in a strong downdraft, you are descending even though the nose is not pointed down, so the relative wind is coming from beneath you! Read more information on this subject in "A Word on Wind: It's All Relative" on AOPA Online.
Got a technical question for AOPA specialists? E-mail to [email protected] or call 800/872-2672. Don't forget the archive of questions and answers from AOPA's ePilot and ePilot Flight Training. FAQs are searchable by keyword or topic.
| Picture Perfect
| | The AOPA Online Gallery allows you to download your favorite images to use for wallpaper, send a personalized e-card, and order high-quality prints to be shipped directly to your doorstep. Search the hundreds of fabulous images in our archives and select your favorites today! For more details, see AOPA Online.
| What's New At AOPA Online
| Users of AOPA's Airport eDirectory can download database updates for the personal computer or personal digital assistant. You can choose to update the entire eDirectory database (5.1 MB) or select individual states (file sizes will vary based on your selection). For more information, including download instructions and PDA application upgrade, click here.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Fly Iowa 2003 takes place July 5 and 6 at Eastern Iowa Airport (CID). This annual statewide fly-in and aviation fair is designed to promote aviation and its associated benefits across the state of Iowa, and to use aviation as a motivating force to encourage science, math, and technology education among Iowa's youth. Contact Jack Else, 319/399-5847, or visit the Web site.
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 Jacksonville, Florida, and Pittsburgh, July 12 and 13. Clinics are also scheduled in New York City, and Memphis, Tennessee, July 19 and 20. For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the CFI Renewal Online.
ASF PINCH-HITTER GROUND-SCHOOL COURSES
(Pinch-Hitter courses start at 9:30 a.m.)
The next Pinch-Hitter® Ground Schools take place in Pittsburgh, July 13, and New York City, July 20. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 30 through August 2. Topics vary; for complete details, see AOPA Online.
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