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Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright © 2003 AOPA. | Training Tips
| FOR THE RECORD
No student pilot gets far into training without realizing that there's a lot of "bookkeeping" to do. That's thanks to a federal aviation regulation (FAR) requiring that you "record the following time in a manner acceptable to the Administrator:
"(1) Training and aeronautical experience used to meet the requirements for a certificate, rating, or flight review of this part.
"(2) The aeronautical experience required for meeting the recent flight experience requirements of this part."
 As discussed in the November 22, 2002, "Training Tips" ( click here to view) your pilot logbook is the official record of your training and eligibility for flight tests. But that's not the only place where key stages of your progress must be documented. When you have taken your presolo written test (download the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Instructo r's Guide to the Presolo Written Test Safety Advisor ) and are ready for your first solo, be sure that both your student pilot/medical certificate and your logbook are in order. Use care; under certain circumstances-such as if you have changed instructors or flown multiple makes and models of aircraft-details can slip. (For answers to some frequently asked questions about training, download the FAA's Student Pilot Guide .
Review limitations on student pilots operating an aircraft in solo flight in
FAR 61.87(l). Note that "a student pilot may not operate an aircraft in solo flight unless that student pilot has received:
"(1) An endorsement from an authorized instructor on his or her student pilot certificate for the specific make and model aircraft to be flown; and
"(2) An endorsement in the student's logbook for the specific make and model aircraft to be flown by an authorized instructor, who gave the training within the 90 days preceding the date of the flight."
Don't just rely on your CFI for this; it's your certificate and logbook.
A lot of paperwork? It only takes a running check to keep the process error-free. "The FARs pertaining to solo flight are not mere formalities but building blocks, each designed to enhance different aspects of aviation skill or knowledge," wrote David Montoya in his December 2002 AOPA Flight Training feature, "What Dreams Are Made Of," which addressed presolo preparation.
Enjoy your new freedom! Catch a glimpse of your future-it's logged in "Memorable Moments" in the May 2002 AOPA Flight Training .
| Your Partner in Training
| A great way for new pilots to learn airport signage and test their runway safety knowledge is by logging on to AOPA Online and taking the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Runway Safety Program. This interactive program educates pilots about ground operations and runway incursion avoidance. 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
| BE A PILOT, JEPPESEN SPONSOR LOGBOOK GIVEAWAY
Prospective new pilots who take an introductory flight lesson through the Be A Pilot program will receive a free Jeppesen logbook by mail. To receive the logbook, participants must use an official Introductory Flight Certificate (which can be printed from Be A Pilot's Web site) and take a $49 intro lesson by July 31 at a participating flight school. The flight school must complete verification information on the certificate's postage-paid mail-in coupon; the participant adds his or her name and address, and drops the coupon in the mail. The promotional event is intended to kick off the 2003 flying season. For more information, see the Web site or call 888/BEAPILOT.
CRJ-700 SIMULATORS SENT TO THREE FLIGHTSAFETY CENTERS
Bombardier Regional Jet CRJ-700 simulators have been installed at two FlightSafety International training centers, and a third location's simulator is to go online in June, FlightSafety announced last month. The new simulators reflect demand for training pilots of the regional airliners, currently the fastest-growing segment of the airline industry. The full-flight simulators are operational at FlightSafety's Atlanta and Cincinnati facilities, and the third is at the Dallas/Fort Worth training facility. All three simulators will be FAA-certified to Level D. FlightSafety says it now has 16 CRJ 100/200 simulators in customer service at four U.S. locations and in Melbourne, Australia.
| Inside AOPA
| TSA MAKES SMALL CONCESSION ON SECURITY RULE
The Transportation Security Administration is considering a final appeal review at the Department of Homeland Security for pilots whose certificates are revoked for security reasons. In a letter to AOPA, TSA Chief Counsel Francine Kerner wrote, "We are aware of the need for an avenue of administrative appeal outside of TSA. Accordingly, TSA is exploring the possibility of providing for a final appeal review level at the Department of Homeland Security." Under the current rule, a pilot's only avenue of appeal is back to the TSA, which ordered the revocation in the first place. AOPA has been seeking a change in the regulations to permit due process and allow pilots to use the same procedures used for other certificate actions. "This is a good first step, but it's only a first step," AOPA President Phil Boyer said. "We still believe that a pilot whose certificate is revoked for security reasons should be able to seek an independent review by someone outside the homeland security organization."
FAA CANCELS ONE OF 16 'PERMANENT' TFRs
The temporary flight restriction around Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri--one of 16 "permanent" TFRs that AOPA is seeking to have removed-was rescinded May 2. This should make life easier for pilots flying into and out of Skyhaven Airport and Sedalia Memorial Airport. As reported in the May 2, 2003, edition of AOPA ePilot Flight Training , flight restrictions remain in 13 states across the country even as major fighting in Iraq has concluded and the terrorist threat level in the United States was lowered.
Changing your mailing or e-mail addresses? Click here to update.
| Training Products
| AM/FM RADIO OFFERS AVIATION FREQUENCIES
Uncomfortable using the radio in your training aircraft? Many instructors suggest that their students listen to radio communications over a scanner or handheld transceiver. Now, you can listen to your favorite AM or FM broadcast station between aircraft transmissions. The new Air-Scan 125 from Sporty's Pilot Shop offers an aviation interrupt feature that will scan up to five aviation frequencies, preselected by the user, and interrupt the AM or FM program so that you can hear the aviation transmission. The radio sells for $159.50 and is available online or by calling 800/SPORTYS.
| Final Exam
| Question: It's getting to be thunderstorm season, and I want to know how far away from a thunderstorm can a pilot encounter hail?
Answer: Hail offers a definite hazard to aircraft. Updrafts lift supercooled drops of water above the freezing level; they fall out of the updraft, are lifted again, and begin collecting layers of ice as they move inside the thunderstorm cell. The stronger the updrafts, the larger the hailstones can grow. They can range from the size of peas to more than 5 inches in diameter. Hailstones can either be ejected from the thunderstorm-as far as 20 miles from the cloud-or grow too large to be lifted and fall to the ground. Hail most often falls ahead of the advancing thunderstorm cell. It is recommended that pilots avoid thunderstorms by at least 20 miles from the edge of a storm cloud. See the AOPA subject report Thunderstorm Avoidance . Two FAA advisory circulars provide excellent information: download AC 00-6A Aviation Weather and AC 61-23C Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.
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
| | Looking for a unique gift for Father's Day? 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! Orders must be placed by May 30 for guaranteed delivery. 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.
| What's New At AOPA Online
| NEVER AGAIN ONLINE
An encounter with a deer on the runway turns a quiet evening flight into a test of skill. See the latest "Never Again Online," titled Deer Incursion, exclusively on AOPA Online. The "Never Again" name is shared with a monthly column in "AOPA Pilot" that, like "Learning Experiences" in AOPA Flight Training, is based on the author’s experiences during a flight.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Kewanee, Illinois. The Midwest Aeronca Fest Fly-in takes place May 16 through 18 at Kewanee Municipal Airport (EZI). On-field camping, motels available, food all weekend with a hog roast Saturday night, tailwheel flying, and other events. Contact Jody Wittmeyer, 309/852-2594, or visit the Web site.
Lumberton, North Carolina. A Celebration of Flight, part of World Flight 2003, takes place May 17 and 18 at Lumberton Municipal Airport (LBT). Airshow, fly-in, and static displays. Contact Lee Hester, 910/739-6480, or visit the Web site.
Slaton, Texas. The South Plains Airshow takes place May 17 at Slaton Municipal Airport (F49). Sponsored by Texas Air Museum, Caprock Chapter. Contact Randy, 806/632-0063, 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 Pensacola, Florida, and Baltimore, May 17 and 18. Clinics are also scheduled in Phoenix, Minneapolis, and Austin, Texas, June 7 and 8. 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 School will take place in Columbus, Ohio, June 15. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, May 16; Hartford, Connecticut, and Spruce Pine, North Carolina, May 17; Warwick, Rhode Island, and New York, New York, May 19; Upton, New York, and Billerica, Massachusetts, May 20; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Poughkeepsie, New York, May 21; and Parsippany, New Jersey, May 22. Topics vary; for complete details, see AOPA Online.
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