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Copyright © 2004 AOPA. | Training Tips
| READY FOR THE ROLLOUT?
Your final approach was stable and the touchdown precise. You avoided the bounce and the porpoise discussed in the April 16, 2004, "Training Tips." But stay focused! Your landing is not complete. Although it is natural to want to let down your guard (and the nosewheel) after a nice touchdown, there is more work to do. As you may have heard someone say, you must keep flying the airplane until it is tied down-which, at this point, it is not.
 "After touching down, maintain continued aft stick pressure to spare the nosewheel and hasten the transfer of weight from wings to wheels. As airspeed drops off and the elevators lose effectiveness, the nose will drop on its own. Then you can apply brakes and bring the airplane to a stop, using rudder for ground steering," writes Thomas A. Horne in "Touchdown" in the September 2003 AOPA Pilot. Be patient about attending to after-landing chores. Ideally, wait until you have taxied clear before raising the flaps or switching to the ground-control frequency. "Distractions such as these can lead to a loss of directional control and, perhaps, an accident," cautions Christopher L. Parker in the December 1997 "Instructor Tips" column in Flight Training.
Know the condition of your runway. Notices to airmen (notams) or the automatic terminal information service broadcast alert you to any braking-action reports, the subject of the November 28, 2003, "Training Tips."
Everything under control? Great. But there is still opportunity for surprises requiring calm, quick attention. An unbalanced nosewheel tire combined with a slight side movement of the nosewheel at touchdown can provoke a sudden noisy, vibrating sensation called a nosewheel shimmy. It's not as bad as it sounds and feels in the cockpit-but it can be quite a surprise just as things are quieting down. Usually you can arrest it simply by raising the nosewheel slightly and letting it come down again as you decelerate. (The shimmy can also occur on takeoff and is cured by raising the nosewheel. In either case, squawk it to your mechanic.) Some airplanes are equipped with a "shimmy dampener." Is yours? To find out, consult Mark Twombly's "What It Looks Like" column in the January 2001 AOPA Flight Training.
Nicely done! A pilot can learn something from every flight. What did you learn today?
| Your Partner in Training
| Did you know that the AOPA Air Safety Foundation conducts more than 200 safety seminars a year throughout the United States? These free seminars, developed to help everyone keep flying safely, concentrate on topics most likely to confuse pilots. Check out the current seminar topics and find a location near you! If you can't attend a live seminar, ASF also offers online safety courses on topics ranging from runway safety to single-pilot IFR operations.
Do you have a question? Call our experienced pilots-available weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern toll-free at 800/872-2672. AOPA Flight Training Members have access to all of the features within AOPA Online. Login information is available online.
| Flight Training News
| FAA GRANTS MEETINGS ON CHARITY/SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT RULE
The FAA last Friday finally agreed to hold public meetings to hear directly from pilots who will be hurt by a proposed rule that would restrict charity/sightseeing flights. The agency granted AOPA's petition on the matter five months after it was filed. The meetings will take place in Washington, D.C., on May 11 and in Las Vegas on May 21. The FAA also extended the deadline for public comments to June 18. Visit the Web site to submit comments online; click on "Comments/Submissions" and enter docket number FAA-1998-4521. The FAA's proposal would force small sightseeing businesses to meet the standards for large air tour operators and increase minimum flight-time requirements for pilots who fly for charity fundraisers. AOPA maintains that the proposal is neither justified nor supported by safety data and should be withdrawn.
UTAH HELICOPTER SCHOOL BUYS SCHWEIZER 300Cs
High Desert Helicopters, a new helicopter flight training school in West Jordan, Utah, has ordered two Schweizer 300C helicopters. The 300C's performance makes it a good fit for a mountainous environment, said Russ Buttars, chief flight instructor. "The cabin size and useful load will enable us to train individuals who would otherwise not be able to train in other manufacturers' helicopters." The 300C is powered by a 190-horsepower Lycoming HIO-360-D1A engine and has a payload of 950 pounds. Schweizer Aircraft Corp. will deliver a VFR 300C to the flight school in May; an IFR-certified 300C is to be delivered in midsummer.
EMBRY-RIDDLE WELCOMES CHAMPION BALLOONIST
What will you do on your summer break? Nick Donner, a freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, will go back to his first love-ballooning. Donner, a two-time U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Champion, is captain of the U.S. team that will compete at the World Hot Air Balloon Championship in Australia in June. He soloed a hot air balloon when he was 14. Now 19, he holds instrument and airplane single-engine land ratings and a commercial hot air balloon certificate. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he hopes to become a Navy pilot or fly for the United Parcel Service. Incidentally, Donner's mother is a Boeing 727 captain for UPS. His father and brother are balloon pilots. Youngest sister Amelia is waiting to solo a balloon in October-when she turns 14.
| Inside AOPA
| SUN 'N FUN VISITORS FLOCK TO AOPA TENT
Thousands of AOPA members and visitors at the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida, stopped by to see the grand prize in this year's Win-A-Twin Sweepstakes. "The number of people who came to see 'their' new airplane-the better-than-new 1965 Piper Twin Comanche that's the grand prize in our sweepstakes-and who learned about the many benefits of an AOPA membership was astounding," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. Boyer hosted a standing-room-only Pilot Town Meeting at the Florida Air Museum on April 15. The following day-which had been designated AOPA Day at Sun 'n Fun-members got a $5 discount on admission and lined up for free copies of AOPA's Real-Time Flight Planner and AOPA's Airport Directory on CD-ROM.
| Training Products
| MARV GOLDEN PRESENTS NEW LINE OF HEADSETS
If you're tired of using flight school loaner headsets but unsure whether you can afford a pair of your own, Marv Golden Pilot Supplies' new MG Golden Eagle line offers three choices: the Golden Eagle ($79), the Golden Eagle XL ($119.95), and the Golden Eagle ANR ($239.95). Upgraded foam or silicone ear seals are $20 extra. All three models come with a free flight bag and two-year warranty on parts and labor. The XL has cell-phone capability, and the ANR (for active noise reduction) is said to provide 10 to 12 db of active noise attenuation. For more information or to order, see the Web site.
| | Final Exam | Question: What is the charting logic behind the way contour lines are drawn on sectional charts? The lines are closer together on some charts than on others.
Answer: On sectional aeronautical charts, basic contours are spaced at 500-foot intervals. Intermediate contours may also be shown at 250-foot intervals in moderately level or gently rolling areas. Occasionally, auxiliary contours at 50-, 100-, 125-, or 150-foot intervals may be used to portray smaller relief features in areas of relatively low relief. The pattern of these lines and their spacing gives the pilot a visual concept of the terrain. Widely spaced contours represent gentle slopes, while closely spaced contours represent steep slopes. The introduction to FAA's Aeronautical Chart Users Guide contains more information on charting symbols. It can be downloaded from AOPA Online.
Got a question for our technical services staff? E-mail to [email protected] or call the Pilot Information Center, 800/872-2672. Don't forget the online archive of "Final Exam" questions and answers, 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
| What makes a proficient pilot versus someone who is merely current according to the Federal Aviation Regulations? You may be flying twice a week or more in your quest to earn a certificate, but after the checkride your new skills could become lackluster. Take a look at the updated aviation subject report, Currency vs. Proficiency , for practical tips on how to polish flying skills and a discussion of the FAA Wings pilot proficiency program.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Nashua, New Hampshire. The New England Aviation Expo takes place April 24 at Boire Field (ASH). Featuring workshops, exhibits, classes, and seminars. Preregister online, or drive or fly in! Sponsored by the FAA's Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center, Daniel Webster College, and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. For more information, visit the Web site.
Beaufort, South Carolina. The 2004 Lowcountry Blues Festival Airshow takes place April 24 and 25 at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The event features the Blue Angels, Red Baron Squadron, and more. Free and open to the public. Contact the MCAS Beaufort Public Affairs Office, 843/228-7614, or visit the Web site.
Nacogdoches, Texas. The Thirty-Seventh Annual East Texas Airshow takes place April 24 and 25 at A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional (OCH). More than 60 performing aircraft, re-enactments, and more. Gates open at 8 a.m., show begins at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children under 5. Contact Bob Dunn, 936/564-7212.
Lawrenceville, Georgia. The Fifth Annual Georgia Wings Weekend takes place April 30 through May 2 at Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field (LZU). Free safety seminars and three hours of cockpit work. Online registration available. Contact Sue Adams, 770/613-9501, or visit the Web site.
Weatherford, Oklahoma. The Aviation, Aerospace & Technology/SATS Expo takes place April 30 and May 1 at Thomas P. Stafford (F91). This event brings together aviation and aerospace to discuss new and emerging technology. Contact John Creswell, 580/774-1971, 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 .
ASF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Pensacola, Florida, and Houston, May 1 and 2. Clinics are also scheduled in Kansas City, Missouri, and Albany, New York, May 15 and 16. 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
The next Pinch-Hitter® Ground School will take place in Houston, May 2. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Springfield, Missouri, April 26; St. Louis, April 27; and Springfield, Illinois, April 28. For complete details on topics and schedules, see AOPA Online.
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