To facilitate this training, King Schools has developed an online course that takes care of the ground training requirement, leaving you cleared to complete the flight requirement with minimal additional aircraft- specific ground training. Using information chunking and testing techniques utilized in their other courses, aviation educators John and Martha King have addressed the topics germane to the high-altitude environment efficiently and effectively.
The course also serves as an interesting education for pilots who would like to know more about high-altitude operations. Topics include high-altitude aerodynamics (concepts such as Mach number and the "coffin corner"), meteorology, hypoxia and use of supplemental oxygen, pressurization, and federal aviation regulations pertaining to high-altitude operations. You can take the course at your leisure; a login allows you to stop the course at any time and return to it. You retain access to the course for 90 days after completion. Also, you can print a course completion certificate and cockpit card with informative high-altitude memory items to laminate and carry with you.
Price: $240. For more information: 800/854-1001 or 858/541-2200; www.kingschools.com
Coloreyes HDL-3C sunglasses
Having suffered through an interminably hazy summer, I was looking for Superman vision. When the automated weather observation system called visibility as five miles, I wanted to be able to see five miles. (I couldn't relate to this handicap when I flew in Colorado, but haze is a pernicious phenomenon in many parts of the country, not just on the East Coast.)
The opportunity came to test sunglasses produced by Coloreyes, which promised that the lenses would enhance sharpness and color saturation. I tried on the rimless HDL-3C glasses with Beta Titanium frames, which were very light (they weigh 12 grams), with easily bendable temple pieces and a slim temple-piece profile to fit under any headset.
The lenses were large on my small face, but I appreciated the coverage.
Coloreyes uses its HDL-3C technology to reduce distortion throughout the lens, and the lenses have an integrated filter to equalize colors, increasing the eyes' color and contrast sensitivity. The glasses worked as advertised--in some instances they added another half-mile to mile of visibility into the muck. That's enough to make a big difference in my comfort level in the cockpit.
Coloreyes offers several models in various styles. Lenses are available in three colors: copper-rose (best for reducing glare, aids in cloud definition), green, and smoke (the ones I tested, and purported to be best for pilots who fly in a lot of direct sunlight). They come in a micro-fiber sleeve inside a hard case and carry a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Price: from $179; $75 off with pilot's introductory discount (coupon code: pilot). For more information: 763/519-1628; www.hdl-3c.com
ZD Publishing Garmin GPSMap 396 and G1000 manuals
The creator of the "Pilot-Friendly Manual" series, ZD Publishing, has come out with its latest offerings, reflecting two of the hottest new avionics on the market: the handheld Garmin GPSMap 396 and the "glass cockpit" Garmin G1000.
Both manuals, written by John Dittmer, follow roughly the same format--and that of their predecessors--delivering the information needed to get started and perform critical tasks, in black and white with straightforward examples. An Introduction section covers GPS terminology that will be used throughout the book, as well as basic menus and how to setup and use an unfamiliar unit--very helpful for pilots who rent aircraft and might otherwise end up making do with another pilot's GPS settings.
The second section, Basic Operations, covers the steps for flying "direct-to" a waypoint (on both units), tuning frequencies (for the G1000), and creating new routes (for the GPSMap 396).
At this point, the two manuals diverge. The G1000 manual delves into flight plans in its third section and concentrates on the programming of the multifunction display. In fact, a disclaimer at the beginning of the manual states that its focus is on the MFD, and additional information on the primary flight display will need to be accessed in the relevant Garmin manuals. The author gives two methods by which to create a flight plan, which he terms the "point-and-shoot" method and the "most-recent-list" method, for example. Departure procedures, vertical navigation, and other highlights are also included.
The fourth section covers instrument approaches, for those using the G1000 for IFR operations. Appendices go into detail on various default map, waypoint, and auxiliary pages. A sample trip from Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport to Salina Municipal Airport in Kansas and instrument procedures from the Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport are used as examples.
In section three of the GPSMap manual, advanced operations are covered, including user waypoints, vertical navigation, and OBS mode. The appendices follow, detailing startup, map, and panel pages among others, as well as the information accessed on each "tab." Appendix K goes into automotive mode for use of the GPSMap 396 on the ground.
Price: $34.95 for the GPSMap 396 manual; $39.95 for the G1000 manual. For more information: 888/310-3134 or 316/371-3134; www.zdpublishing.com
Briefly Noted
When Clyde Edgerton was a young boy, his mother took him out to the airport to see the airplanes, starting within him a lifelong love of flight. Solo: My Adventures in the Air is Edgerton's testimony to those many years pursuing his dreams of flight, from his first solo in a Piper Cherokee 140, through U.S. Air Force pilot training in T-38 Talons, to flying the Piper Super Cruiser he christened Annabelle. Published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
Price: $23.95; available through major bookoutlets. For more information: www.algonquin.com
The 2006 edition of the Sporty's Pilot Shop AOPA calendar is now available. With images of general aviation aircraft including the 2005 AOPA sweepstakes Commander, as well as the Cessna Caravan, Robinson R22, and Cirrus SR22, the calendar makes a great addition to your office or hangar.
Price: $14.95. For more information: 800/776-7897 or 513/735-9000; www.sportys.com
Related Articles
