Learning in the classroom and in the college's own airplanes has been fantastic. I've had a few setbacks in my training--for example, a delay in receiving my medical certificate--but Gary has stood by me. As I wrote on my solo shirt, he always shares his knowledge and time in an enthusiastic way. He named this scholarship after his own mentor and friend, Hugh J. Gallagher III.
I hope to continue this tradition and influence others as well. As I am the only pilot in my family, my parents, grandmother, and younger brother continue to be interested in the progress of my flight training. I have volunteered for years myself, and I know the great feeling one gets from helping others. There's an enormous amount of information that can be shared when one learns to fly, and I commend those mentors like my CFI who are truly a blessing to student pilots.
Kimberly Burbank
Burbank, California
They can't fly without...
Chip Wright's article "Just Bag It" in the August AOPA Flight Training mentions carrying a flashlight and extra batteries. With night-flying experience accumulated over three decades, I would never fly without multiple flashlights. They need not be large or bulky; several manufacturers make small lights using one or two AA batteries, some even with a choice of white, red, or green bezels. Under green light the magenta shading on sectional charts doesn't wash out as it does under the traditional red light.
My ground school students would never try replacing batteries in a flashlight while in flight. They are taught to reach for another flashlight.
I recall once testing three different flashlights before leaving for ground school and when time came to demonstrate them, one of them didn't work. The point was not lost on the students. My rule of thumb is: three flashlights for daytime flights, five for nighttime.
Steve Sevits
East Greenbush, New York
Two things that are very helpful:
1. A toothbrush holder with an extra pen and pencil in it.
2. An old 35mm plastic film canister for change and a folded $5 bill.
Heinz Proft
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
I always carry a Leatherman tool when I fly. You never know when you may end up at an airport with no maintenance available, and need to decowl your aircraft to check something, or perform some bit of work.
Laura Herrmann
Minneapolis, Minnesota
How low is too low?
In "Since You Asked: Switch or Stick?" (August AOPA Flight Training), Rod Machado advised a student who was concerned about his CFI continuing the simulated engine-out emergency (off airport) to as low as 200 feet above ground level by saying that he (Rod) took students as low as 5 feet agl "as long as there are no obstacles nearby."
I agree with Rod that as instructors, allowing the emergency descent to continue down close as possible to the surface makes for better instructional and experience value. However, he is remiss in not reminding readers about the 500-foot rule regarding operating over other than congested areas; the aircraft may not be closer than 500 feet--horizontally or vertically--to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
Even though I usually select the most remote suitable location for the simulated engine-out emergency, it never ceases to amaze me that a hunter or fisherman can be spotted. You could be low enough for a read on your N number and end up with a temporary suspension of your ticket.
Vince D'Angelo
Naples, Florida
Errata
The URL for the FAA Industry Training StandardsWeb site ("Insights: Future Training," July AOPA Flight Training) has been changed. The new address is www.faa.gov/education/research_ training/fits/.In "Going, Going, Go Around," September AOPA Flight Training, the caption for item 2 (p. 25) should have said that that the airspeed indicator shows a speed at the top edge of the green arc, not the white arc.
