Training Notes and News

Our recent mention of aviation's shirttail-trimming tradition after a student's first solo flight (see "Preflight: The Shirttail Tradition," April 2005 AOPA Flight Training) generated a lot of reader response.

John Mateka took his first flight in November 2004 with flight instructor Elaine Heston at Rostraver Airport in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. "When I walked into her office I thought it strange to have white cotton cloth with pictures hanging on the wall," he wrote. "I now understand the tradition that was right in front of me on that first day."

Nan Funkhouser's shirttail notes that she can now fly and chew gum at the same time.	Karen Singer's shirttail decorated by Carolyn Williams.	Michael Gilliam's shirttail, painted by Rebecca Black.

CFI David Robinson's office, showing a number of student shirttails.	Andrea Hattan (left) and Janice Griggs, shown with flight instructor Jerry Griggs and his 1937 Aeronca K.

More shirttail stories can be found in "Preflight: The Tradition Lives" (see p. 8). Additional photos are available on AOPA Flight Training Online. -- Mike Collins

School News Purdue University hosts 2005 Air Race Classic The 2005 Air Race Classic takes place June 21-24, over a 2,117-nm route that starts and ends in Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University hosts the all-women's event and is fielding two teams. The entry deadline was April 15, but numerous race-related activities will be open to the public, including a cookout and static display on June 19 and a "blast off breakfast" on June 21. Check the Web site for more information. Students win GAMA aviation excellence awards Scott R. Winters, a senior at Minnesota State University in Mankato, and Stefanie Gates, a junior at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, received Dr. Harold S. Wood Awards for Excellence from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. They recognize students who demonstrate academic excellence while promoting aviation on campus and in their community. Winter is a commercial pilot and CFI; he is a teaching assistant with the university's weather analysis laboratory. Gates is a CFI with commercial and single-engine land and sea credentials. She's a member of the Pursue University Flight Team and the Louisville, Kentucky, chapter of The Ninety-Nines. Embry-Riddle dean receives pilot training honor The National Air Transportation Association recently presented its 2005 Excellence in Pilot Training Award to Tim Brady, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. NATA honored Brady for safety, professionalism, leadership, and excellence in pilot training, and specifically cited his accomplishments as an aviator, teacher, administrator, and writer.

St. Louis instructor named CFI of the Year

John Anthony Teipen of St. Louis, Missouri, has been named 2005 CFI of the Year by the General Aviation Awards Program. Teipen is a Master CFI who has been flight instructing since 1996. He is an independent instructor in the St. Louis area specializing in tailwheel endorsements and spin training in his 1969 Bellanca 7ECA Champion. Teipen also teaches in the aviation program at St. Louis Community College, and he is an aviation safety counselor and designated pilot examiner in airplanes and gliders.

The General Aviation Awards Program is a cooperative effort between the FAA and several industry sponsors, including AOPA, EAA, the National Association of Flight Instructors, Women in Aviation, and the National Business Aviation Association. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey will present the awards in July at EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Got a need for speed?

The 2005 U.S. Air Races, a multi-day cross-country VFR event, will launch on September 23 from Mesquite, Texas. The "Mesquite to Monroe" Marion Jayne Air Race route extends 1,755 nm to its finish in Monroe, North Carolina. Two 300-nm races emphasizing pilotage and precision flying are planned. Teams can compete in cruise, speed, and collegiate divisions; custom divisions (all-turbo or all Grumman Tigers, for example) are possible for five or more teams. You can download an entry packet at the Web site. Read additional racing articles from the archives of AOPA Flight Training and AOPA Pilot.

Legends

Quadrangles

By Alyssa J. Miller

Intersecting lines of latitude and longitude form boxes on a sectional chart known as quadrangles. Graticules -- black lines with tick marks -- represent each 30-minute interval of latitude and longitude to form the quadrangle. Each quadrangle contains symbols that provide general information about the terrain in that box.

For example, each box has one large black dot that represents the spot elevation of the highest terrain in that area. Smaller dots also denote the specific elevation of peaks in terrain, but they are not the highest point in the quadrangle. In this example, the large black dot near the left of the box represents the highest spot elevation (2,083 feet msl). Maximum elevation figures (MEF) are depicted by two large, blue numbers that represent the highest elevation of terrain and obstacles in that area. The numbers represent hundreds of feet with the last two zeros dropped. The MEF is 2,600 feet msl.

The top and bottom of the quadrangle are formed by the lines of latitude 45 degrees north and 44 degrees 30 minutes north, respectively (the top is not shown here). The left and right sides are formed by the lines of longitude 100 degrees 30 minutes west and 100 degrees west, respectively.

Aviation Speak Air taxi By Jill W. Tallman To the ground-bound, a taxi is an automobile that carries passengers for a fare. A student pilot's first few flight lessons involve learning to taxi, or maneuver an aircraft on the ground via steerable rudder pedals or, in some cases, differential braking. And an air taxi pilot is authorized to provide on-demand transportation of people or goods to distant locations. Air taxi (or charter) pilots may be self-employed, or they may work for an air taxi operator that owns one or more aircraft for hire. They may fly a four-seat single-engine airplane on floats in Alaska, or pilot a multimillion-dollar business jet that ferries celebrities to a weekend getaway. Air taxi in a multiengine or turbine-powered aircraft is also a good way to build the necessary flight time to qualify for an airline job. A fixed-base operator that offers air taxi service as well as flight training may permit its flight instructors to build time flying its high-performance single-engine or light twin-engine aircraft. Air taxi operations fall under Part 135 of the federal aviation regulations. To fly charter under VFR conditions, you'll need an instrument rating and commercial pilot certificate (and a second-class medical) as a minimum, and at least 500 hours of flight time. To fly IFR under Part 135 requires an instrument rating, of course, as well as at least 1,200 hours of flight time, plus 75 hours of instrument time. Both carry additional stipulations for cross-country and nighttime experience. The air taxi operator for whom you fly will require special training and an additional checkride.

What It Looks Like Cantilever wing By Mark Twombly Aircraft wings come in many different sizes, shapes, configurations, and designs ranging from a helicopter's rotary wing to the elegantly complex swept and curved supersonic delta wing on the now-grounded Concorde. The wings on the light airplanes that most general aviation pilots fly are relatively simple compared to rotary or supersonic wings, but that does not mean we lack a variety of wing designs to observe on the local airport ramp. High, low, thick, sleek, long, short, tapered, constant-chord -- they're all out there. Designers choose a specific wing design for a variety of reasons ranging from performance goals to the manufacturing cost. One obvious difference in design strategies is the high wing -- mounted on top of the fuselage -- versus the low wing. Another is strut-braced versus cantilever. A cantilever wing is one that is does not have rigid metal struts, cables, or wires running from the wing to the fuselage or another wing. The wing is internally braced by the spar. Cessna Aircraft has used both designs -- strut-braced and cantilever -- on its high-wing singles. The 172 is strut-braced, while the 177 (Cardinal) and all but the earliest 210s have cantilever wings. The fundamental advantage of a cantilever wing over strut bracing is performance. With less structure exposed to the slipstream, there is less parasite drag. Less drag means more speed and lower fuel consumption. The disadvantage of a cantilever wing is that it requires a heavier internal structure than a strut-braced wing. The smaller the airplane and engine, the more that weight becomes a consideration. Every pound devoted to structure affects the useful load, and in a light aircraft useful load already is limited. Adding a few pounds to the structural weight of a heavier aircraft takes less of a direct toll, especially if it means an increase in performance. Clyde Cessna is credited with introducing the cantilever wing to general aviation in 1927, and today it is the predominant design.

By the numbers Average wind speeds by region, June 2004 How breezy is your airport? Strong winds -- or a change in wind direction -- can affect your flight planning decisions, as is discussed in "Wise to the Weather" (see p. 24). Here's a look at average wind speeds reported by seven weather stations in June 2004. Source: National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center.

Pan Am Academy to close Florida center, move west

Ravaged by two hurricanes last summer and fearing other potential training delays for its customers, Pan Am International Flight Academy is moving its Fort Pierce, Florida, operation to the sunny and dry Southwest. The company's Deer Valley, Arizona, facility will absorb the Florida operation over the next four months, according to Pan Am President Wally David. "Given the uncertainties of Florida hurricanes and summer thunderstorms, we just didn't feel we could deliver on our value proposition to our customers without making a change," said David. Training delays are particularly troubling for Pan Am's foreign airline clients, which count on pilots completing a curriculum at a certain time in order to move into airline positions. As the Florida customers finish a rating, they will be transitioned to the Arizona location. Pan Am will waive its usual early withdrawal financial penalty if a customer decides not to make the move.

Bessie Coleman's achievements recalled

Imagine that you wanted to learn to fly, but no flight school would teach you because of your skin color. What would you do? If your name was Bessie Coleman, you would sail to France and get your pilot certificate there. In 1921 Coleman became the first black female to earn an international pilot certificate. Members of the Bessie Coleman Foundation are traveling to France in June to commemorate her achievements. They'll pay tribute to the Caudron brothers, whose Ecole d'Aviation in Le Crotoy trained Coleman in a Nieuport Type 82. The group says its mission is to encourage more African-Americans to pursue aviation careers. For more information, see the Web site.

A new look for FAA.gov

The FAA debuted a revamped version of its mammoth Web site in March. The new look is designed to be user-friendly, and it includes several different search methods, including "topic tabs" and a "quick search" that lets you jump from the drop-down menu in the upper right corner to popular sections of the site. The site now uses a Google-powered search engine.

Final Exam

Final Exam is composed of questions similar to those a student may expect on the private pilot knowledge test. Answers are researched by members of the AOPA Pilot Information Center staff and may be found on p. 22.

1. A flashing white light signal from the control tower to a taxiing aircraft is an indication to

1. taxi at a faster speed.
2. taxi only on taxiways and not cross runways.
3. return to the starting point on the airport.

2. Which light signal from the control tower clears a pilot to taxi?

1. Flashing green.
2. Steady green.
3. Flashing white.

3. According to regulations pertaining to privileges and limitations, a recreational pilot may

1. be paid for the operating expenses of a flight.
2. not pay less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses of a flight with a passenger.
3. not be paid in any manner for the operating expenses of a flight.

4. To get a complete weather briefing for the planned flight, the pilot should request

1. a general briefing.
2. a standard briefing.
3. an abbreviated briefing.

5. Below Flight Level 180, en route weather advisories should be obtained from an FSS on

1. 123.6 MHz.
2. 122.0 MHz.
3. 122.1 MHz.

6. A weather briefing that is provided when the information is requested six or more hours in advance of the proposed departure time is

1. an outlook briefing.
2. a prognostic briefing.
3. a forecast briefing.

7. What information does the radar summary chart provide that is not shown on other weather charts?

1. Lines and cells of hazardous thunderstorms.
2. Ceilings and precipitation between reporting stations.
3. Types of clouds between reporting stations.

8. When the phrase light and variable is used in reference to a winds-aloft forecast, the coded group and wind-speed is

1. 9999 and less than 10 knots.
2. 0000 and less than 7 knots.
3. 9900 and less than 5 knots.

9. Sigmets are issued as a warning of weather conditions hazardous to which aircraft?

1. Large aircraft only.
2. Small aircraft only.
3. All aircraft.

Final Exam Answers

1. The correct answer is C. FAR 91.125 states that a flashing white light given to an aircraft taxiing means to return to the aircraft's starting point on the airport. There is no light signal that means a pilot should taxi at a faster speed. Also, there is no light signal that tells a pilot to only taxi on taxiways and not cross runways.

2. The correct answer is A. According to FAR 91.125, a flashing green light signal gives the aircraft clearance to taxi. A steady green light received while on the ground means cleared for takeoff. A flashing white light received while on the ground means to return to the starting point on the airport and is not used for an aircraft while in flight.

3. The correct answer is B. FAR 61.101(a)(2) states that a recreational pilot may not pay less than an equal or pro rata share of the operating expenses of the flight with a passenger, provided these expenses include only fuel, oil, airport expenses (such as landing fees or ramp fees), or rental fees if the airplane is rented.

4. The correct answer is B. A pilot should request a standard briefing prior to any flight where preliminary information has not been received. Be careful with an abbreviated briefing, as it will not contain all necessary information. It is only intended to supplement previous information. There is no such thing as a general briefing.

5. The correct answer is B. The Aeronautical Information Manual chapter 7-1-5 discusses the en route flight advisory service (EFAS), also known as Flight Watch. Pilots flying aircraft between 5,000 and 17,500 feet may obtain appropriate weather advisories from trained weather specialists.

6. The correct answer is A. There is no such thing as a prognostic briefing or forecast briefing. AIM Chapter 7-1-4 discusses the various preflight weather briefing options.

7. The correct answer is A. Since radar only shows returns from precipitation, it cannot determine types of clouds or cloud layers to include ceilings. Thunderstorms give a large radar return, so they are easily depicted on the radar summary chart.

8. The correct answer is C. The numbers can be broken down into two sections where the first two digits indicate the wind direction and the second two provide wind speed. If the first two numbers are "99," then the wind is calm or light and variable. The "00" for the second two digits tells us that the wind speed is less than 5 kt.

9. The correct answer is C. Light aircraft have limited performance capabilities and are thus more often susceptible to a wider range of weather hazards. An airmet issued by the National Weather Service will warn light aircraft of potential dangers. While airmets might affect larger aircraft, due to phenomena such as IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, freezing levels, icing and strong surface winds, they are typically more concerned with the weather phenomena issued in a sigmet.

AOPA members can discuss these answers, or any other aviation questions, with Aviation Services staff by calling 800/USA-AOPA or sending an e-mail.