AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition -- Vol. 6, Issue 13

CROSS-COUNTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Soloing an aircraft for the first time is generally considered the most memorable moment for a pilot, but the "long cross-country" is the crowning achievement of a student pilot's solo flying. As explained in the March 24, 2006, Training Tips discussion about solo cross-country flights, this required mission is a flight of at least 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at a minimum of three points, with one segment of the flight "consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations." Often, completion of this flight moves you along to your final flight-test preparation, magnifying its importance as a training milestone.

This flight is crucial for fulfilling training requirements, so be ready with a flexible schedule and an available aircraft for an opportunity to go. Plan several acceptable routes, studying potential destination airports in advance. A missed opportunity, followed by a patch of bad weather or lack of aircraft availability, are famous causes of training setbacks. Be aware that this kind of pressure could become the first test of your ability to resist temptation to make a bad go/no-go decision. Your flight instructor, who must approve your flight, will prevent that. But what if the weather starts to deteriorate en route? Your pilot judgment will be tested. "I once had a student in this predicament. He was on his final solo cross-country, and it started to snow in Virginia several hours ahead of the forecasted time. He was less than 50 miles from clear skies. He wanted to get the trip finished that day so that he could take his checkride the following week, before a long-planned vacation to his European homeland. He could have pressed on, but he was at the limits of his comfort, and he chose to land. We sent another airplane and two pilots to retrieve him," wrote Charles Wright in the January 2006 AOPA Flight Training feature "The Most Important Lesson."

Not all delays are avoidable. If you get caught in a cycle of schedule-and-cancel, don't lose heart. Draw encouragement from the advice and morale-boosting anecdotes in "Don't Let Delay Become Defeat" by Lee S. Kessler in the April 2006 AOPA Flight Training.

A promise: Patience will bring success.

AOPA DAY AT SUN 'N FUN ONLY A WEEK AWAY
The unofficial start of airshow season kicks off Tuesday in Lakeland, Florida, when the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In opens April 4. But if you're planning to visit the big show, make sure you circle Friday, April 7, on your calendar. That's AOPA Day at Sun 'n Fun, and AOPA members will get a $5 discount off a single-day admission when they show their AOPA member card (may not be combined with any other offer). The excitement really starts Thursday evening when AOPA President Phil Boyer hosts a free Pilot Town Meeting on the Sun 'n Fun grounds. On Friday, be sure to stop by AOPA's Big Yellow Tent. There will be hourly seminars on everything from medical issues to safety to insurance. While you're at the tent, don't forget to pick up your AOPA sticker. AOPA's SurPRIZE Squad will be canvassing the grounds, rewarding members and attendees for showing their AOPA pride-one lucky winner will receive the grand prize, a Garmin 396 handheld GPS! Of course, a highlight at the tent will be the public debut of AOPA's Win a Six in '06 Sweepstakes airplane, a 1967 Cherokee Six. The airplane will be parked right next to the tent all week. For more about AOPA Day at Sun 'n Fun, download the flyer. Or see the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's fly-in safety page.

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SPORTY'S DVD EXPLORES IFR COMMUNICATIONS
Want to go on three different instrument flights, in differently equipped aircraft, all at the same time? It's possible in the "IFR Communications" DVD from Sporty's. A new installment in Sporty's What You Should Know series, the program is intended to give instrument pilots a fresh look at IFR operations through all phases of flight in a variety of airspace and weather conditions. The flights take place in a Cessna Skyhawk equipped with basic VOR navigation, a Garmin G1000-equipped Cessna Skylane, and a twin-engine Piper Aztec with multifunction display, GPS, traffic avoidance, and datalink weather. The flights present a variety of communications scenarios at several airports, and viewers will see how each pilot manages the available resources to complete each mission. Bonus features include a review of lost communications procedures. "IFR Communications" is $29.95 and may be ordered online from Sporty's.

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