| Advertisers
               
Do not reply to this e-mail. Got news? Contact ePilot. Having difficulty using this service? Visit the ePilot Frequently Asked Questions now at AOPA Online or write to [email protected].
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way
Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright © 2004 AOPA. | Training Tips
| STALL PHOBIA
Nervous about stalls? Many pilots are. And not only student pilots-numerous experienced, certificated aviators bear this unnecessary burden. They compensate in various ways, such as carrying excessive speed on approach or using less-than-optimum rates of climb on departure, when correct technique requires confident flight at higher-than-usual angles of attack. This only results in different problems. Nor are instructors immune, which serves to hand down the problem to new generations.
 But pilots whose training comprehensively embraced the Private Pilot Practical Test Standards' Area of Operation VIII, Task A, Maneuvering During Slow Flight are much less likely to carry this anxiety into their future flying. Download the PTS from AOPA Online. Don't gloss over this area. By performing these maneuvers to a high level of proficiency, you will learn how the airplane feels and responds to control inputs right up to the critical angle of attack. Seeing for yourself what is needed to maintain coordinated flight prevents a stall from becoming a spin; see the October 11, 2002, "Training Tips."
Speed isn't really the issue here-so why is it part of the task's title? "A wing stalls because its angle of attack (AOA) is too great, not because the airspeed is too slow. Pilot operating handbooks give stall speeds because general aviation aircraft usually don't have AOA indicators," Ed Kolano writes in "Form and Function" in the February 1997 Flight Training.
"I predict that you'll be less fearful of your airplane if you maintain (or develop) your sensory flying skills," adds AOPA Pilot columnist Rod Machado in the March 2004 "License to Learn: Are You Afraid of Your Airplane?" Writing for flight instructors in the December 1999 AOPA Flight Training article "Teaching Stalls Without Anxiety," Ken Medley advocates presenting stalls as simply one aspect of well-explored slow flight, noting, "If you skip all of these incremental steps and go directly to big stalls, the student will have more trouble learning to control the stall action, will experience a lot more anxiety, and will never enjoy the fun of stalling with confidence and comfort."
Knowledge is the perennial antidote to anxiety. Learn what to expect from your aircraft in all situations and you will never shrink from flying it the way it was meant to be flown.
| Your Partner in Training
| Don't let a stall catch you by surprise, or let the fear of putting your training aircraft into a spin slow your progress. An entry from a student pilot's journal offers great tips on how to "slay this particular dragon," and an interview with spin aficionado William K. Kershner gives insights into the mechanics of spin recovery.
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 REVISES INSTRUMENT PRACTICAL TEST STANDARDS
Attention wannabe cloud-busters: The FAA has updated the instrument rating Practical Test Standards for airplane, helicopter, and powered lift aircraft, with changes taking effect October 1. Flight schools, CFIIs, and instrument students will have six months to complete training under the existing PTS or transition to the new one. The instrument PTS was last updated in 1998. A notable change includes PTS tasks for aircraft equipped with electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) displays and flight management systems (FMSs). That revision also clarifies the use of GPS for navigation and approaches and adds a requirement for a GPS approach for aircraft that are so equipped. Aviation Supplies & Academics says it will have the revised PTS in stock on May 7. For more information, see the Web site.
BE A PILOT LAUNCHES 2004 TV AD CAMPAIGN
Be A Pilot, an industry program that seeks to interest the nonflying public in learning to fly, is launching its 2004 TV advertising campaign. The campaign, which will cost almost $1 million, promotes a $49 introductory flight lesson at more than 2,000 flight schools in the United States and Canada. Commercials ranging from 10-second reminders to 30- and 60-second testimonials target young adults and baby boomers. They also suggest viewers give introductory flights as holiday and graduation gifts. The commercials, which debuted this week, will run through late summer on The Discovery Channel, Discovery Wings, TechTV, and others. Some will air on Turner South and Fox Sports Network. For more information, visit the Web site.
EMBRY-RIDDLE TO OFFER SUMMER CAMPS
Teens can build model space stations and learn how to fly at Summer Academy, which is operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. From June 7 to August 8, students ages 12 to 18 can attend camps including Aerospace Camp, Aviation Career Exploration, and SunFlight. Another option is the one-week Generations program, in which a child and a parent or grandparent can learn about aviation-related careers, the school said. Tuition ranges from $950 for Aviation Career Exploration to $15,000 for SunFlight Private Pilot Camp. Some courses may be taken for college credit. Applications are due one month before the start of the sessions. For more information or to download an application, see the Web site.
| Inside AOPA
| AOPA FLY-IN JUST AROUND THE CORNER
 June 5 is only a few Saturdays away and you know what that means, right? It's a good time to begin planning your trip to the fourteenth annual AOPA Fly-In and Open House at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) in Frederick, Maryland. Tour AOPA's headquarters and talk to staff members. Attend seminars on everything from safety to legal issues. Listen to a Q&A session with AOPA President Phil Boyer. Or browse around the vendor and static displays. The event is free and open to anyone interested in general aviation. Arrival procedures are now available for download.
AOPA INSURANCE AGENCY BREAKS RECORD FOR RENTERS' POLICIES
A record number of pilots turned to the AOPA Insurance Agency in March for the peace of mind they get from aircraft renter's insurance policies. For more information or to purchase a policy, see the Web site or call 800/622-AOPA (2672).
| Training Products
| SPORTY'S DVD FOCUSES ON INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY CHECKS
When you earn an instrument rating, the fun is just beginning. Now you have to stay proficient and current within the timeframes designated by the federal aviation regulations. If you can't, an instrument proficiency check, or IPC, is the next hurdle. Sporty's has a new DVD for pilots facing an IPC or those seeking another resource to help them operate safely within the system. Instrument Proficiency Check includes sections on basic attitude instrument flight, holding procedures, approaches, emergencies, and weather reports and forecasts. The two-hour DVD sells for $39.95. Order online from Sporty's or call 800/SPORTYS.
| | Final Exam | Question: What is an SDF approach?
Answer: The first chapter of the Aeronautical Information Manual discusses navigational aids and gives complete information on a simplified directional facility (SDF) approach. The SDF provides a final approach course similar to that of the ILS localizer, but it does not provide glideslope information. The approach techniques and procedures used in an SDF instrument approach are essentially the same as those used in executing a standard localizer approach except the SDF course may not be aligned with the runway and the course may be wider, resulting in less precision.
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
| A handheld GPS receiver can be a handy addition to the new pilot's flight bag, particularly if you are considering purchasing an older aircraft whose panel isn't equipped with this navigational tool. Which one fits best with your type of flying? AOPA's newly-updated Buyer's Guide to Handheld GPS discusses dedicated aviation units and GPS programs designed to run on handheld personal computers, personal digital assistants, and tablet or laptop PCs.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
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.
Rochester, New York. Rochester Wings 2004 takes place May 8 and 9 at Greater Rochester International (ROC). The largest general aviation event in New York, featuring seminars, exhibits, vendors, new aircraft, Young Eagles rally, banquet, fly-in breakfast, and much more. Contact Brian Blazey, 585/463-3815, or visit the Web site.
Shafter, California. A Warbirds in Action Airshow takes place May 8 at Shafter-Minter Field (MIT). Airshow theme is World War II naval aviation in the Pacific. Contact Jim Whitehead, 661/837-1551.
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 Kansas City, Missouri, and Albany, New York, May 15 and 16. Clinics are also scheduled in Sacramento, California, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 22 and 23. 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 Scotia, New York, May 10; North Syracuse, New York, May 11; Henrietta, New York, May 12; Cheektowaga, New York, May 13; and East Hartford, Connecticut, May 15. For complete details on topics and schedules, see AOPA Online.
| |
