AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition -- Vol. 6, Issue 48

ATC UP CLOSE
Visualizing air traffic control (ATC) at work is mysterious for new pilots. What does the airport look like from a tower controller's perspective? When you contact an approach controller or air route traffic control center to request radar flight following, where is that controller located? What do they see on radar after you activate your transponder on the assigned code?

Take a trip to visit an FAA facility and meet the folks who work traffic in your airspace. You might find yourself face to face with someone whose voice sounds familiar from your flying. Educating pilots about ATC is a mission of the FAA. "Pilots are encouraged to visit air traffic facilities and familiarize themselves with the ATC system. On rare occasions, facilities may not be able to approve a visit because of ATC workload or other reasons. It is, therefore, requested that pilots contact the facility prior to the visit and advise of the number of persons in the group, the time and date of the proposed visit and the primary interest of the group. With this information available, the facility can prepare an itinerary and have someone available to guide the group through the facility," advises Chapter 4 of the Aeronautical Information Manual.

Seeing ATC up close will add clarity to your understanding of its different facilities' various functions. For example, "The basic function of an airport air traffic control tower is, in the FAA's own words, to provide for a 'safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of traffic on and in the vicinity of an airport.' That means tower controllers are responsible primarily for sequencing traffic, both departing and arriving, to avoid conflicts on the runways. That's different than the lateral and vertical separation of aircraft in the air that approach and air route traffic control center controllers achieve with the use of radar," Mark Twombly explained in "Continuing Ed" in the July 2002 AOPA Flight Training.

Even now in the era of heightened security, a new pilot can get the benefit of this kind of exposure to ATC, as reported in the November 26, 2004, news item "Pilot Access Is Renewed at FAA Facilities."  

Scholarships and grants aren't just for college students who need tuition assistance; they can provide financial assistance for flight training. AOPA Flight Training Online has a section devoted to scholarships that offers handy tips on completing the all-important applications. Be sure to read the aviation subject report on loans and scholarships on AOPA Online for more information.

Do you have a question? Call the experienced pilots in AOPA's Pilot Information Center at 800/USA-AOPA. They're available to take your calls weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. As an AOPA Flight Training member, you have access to all of the features within AOPA Online and AOPA Flight Training Online. Login information is available online.

U.S. AIR RACE PICKS KANSAS, WISCONSIN FOR 2007 EVENTS
U.S. Air Race Inc. has announced the 2007 dates and locations for the next National Air Races. The 1,800-nautical-mile Marion Jayne Air Race will take place the week of July 15 to 20, launching from Wichita, Kansas, and culminating in Wisconsin. Two 300-nm "bookend" events are scheduled: the Wichita 300, which takes place July 15, and the Wisconsin 300, set for July 20. All events are flown day VFR. Race kits and additional information will be available on the Web site after January 1.

OREGON FBO GETS FRASCA SIMULATOR
Gorge Winds Aviation, Inc., a fixed-base operator at the Portland-Troutsdale Airport, recently obtained a Frasca TruFlite simulator for flight training. The Frasca simulator provides a 170-degree wrap-around viewing screen, realistic cockpit displays, and controls, sounds, and visual cues. It features a Garmin 430 GPS and can be configured as a Cessna 172, Beechcraft Baron, or Beechcraft Bonanza. For more information about Frasca International products, see the Web site.

WEATHERED OUT? PUT YOUR TIME ON THE GROUND TO GOOD USE
If winter's inclement weather has grounded you, put that time to good use with one of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's many online courses. WeatherWise: Ceiling and Visibility will give you the tools to cope with two of the most challenging weather phenomena known to pilots. Many pilots don't realize that low ceilings and restricted visibilities are aviation's most deadly killers. With a little knowledge, you can minimize the risks that these condition pose. The self-paced course is designed to take 45 to 60 minutes, and it qualifies for the ground training requirement of the FAA Wings program.

AOPA OFFERS DEAL TO FLIGHT SCHOOLS
When flight schools were asking for new ways to attract and retain students, AOPA responded with a unique marketing opportunity. What better way to encourage a prospective or new student pilot to become a pilot than to give them the resources they need for training. On your behalf, AOPA will provide your prospective and current student pilots with six free issues of AOPA Flight Training and a six-month free membership. The first issue will boldly highlight your school's name and contact information to remind your prospective clients and students that you are supporting their desire to learn to fly. For details, see AOPA Flight Training Online or e-mail Lauren Otto.

NOW IT'S EASIER TO SUPPORT THE AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION
Ever wondered how the nonprofit AOPA Air Safety Foundation is able to offer such high-quality safety education to pilots free of charge? The foundation's online courses, live safety seminars, accident database, and print publications are funded by generous pilots who, like you, know that safety is key to a vibrant future for general aviation. Now, new Web pages make it easier to support the foundation's safety education efforts. Visit the Web site to make quick and easy online donations via the "Quick Donate" option or sign up for the popular AOPA Life Member Program. Learn more about a number of giving programs that recognize outstanding support, including the exclusive AOPA Hat in the Ring Society. It's not too late to make your 2006 tax-deductible charitable gift to support general aviation safety. For a limited time, donors who contribute $100 or more will receive a Maneuvering Flight: Hazardous to Your Health? DVD.

HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR AOPA MEMBER PROFILE?
To make the most of your membership and allow us to serve you better, please visit AOPA Online and update your personal member profile.

LITTLE PILOT LOGBOOK HELPS TO CAPTURE FLYING MEMORIES
If you have a young aviator in the family or know of a youngster who's interested in aviation, how do you help to nurture that enthusiasm? AOPA member Asavn Gupte, who flies frequently with her private pilot husband and their son (who took his first flight at the age of 3 months), has designed a flying keepsake journal specifically for children. The Little Pilot Logbook is an 8.75-by-5.75-inch spiral bound book with flight log pages, but it also features places to record memorable stories and display photos, including on the front cover. The Little Pilot Logbook sells for $24.95. For product and purchasing information, see the Web site.

Note: Products listed have not been evaluated by ePilot editors unless otherwise noted. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors.

Question: Can I count flight training I received in a foreign country by a foreign flight instructor toward my U.S. pilot certificate?

Answer: Yes. FAR 61.41 states that a flight instructor authorized by the authority of a foreign contracting state under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is allowed to provide flight training that would count toward fulfilling FAA requirements as long as it is done outside the United States. The instructor can endorse your logbook only for the training provided (endorsements for exams are not allowed).

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.

Richmond, VA. A Charity Toy Airlift takes place December 9 at Chesterfield County (FCI). Collect and fly in new unwrapped toys to benefit the Battery Park area of Richmond that was flooded twice this fall. A Salvation Army truck will be on-site to receive toys, and members of the Virginia Chapter Ninety-Nines will greet you. Contact Betty Vinson, 804/720-1132.

To submit an event to the calendar or to search all events visit AOPA Online. For airport details, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online.

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Orlando, FL; Lincoln, NE; and Austin, TX; December 9 and 10. A clinic is also scheduled in Denver, December 16 and 17. For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the CFI Refresher Online.