AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition -- Vol. 6, Issue 45

THE COLD FACTS
Does flight training continue through fall and into the winter? You bet it does. Don't let shorter days and cold break your stride. This is a time for learning new things about aircraft operations and weather. As flight training moves into the cold-weather time of year, all-new terms and procedures enter your flying routine. Get ready by taking a look at the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Safety Hot Spot on winter weather. Then break out your pilot's operating handbook (POH) and see what to do during cold-weather operations. Follow up by asking your FBO or flight school whether modifications such as winterization kits are added to your training aircraft, and when. You may come out to fly and notice that your trainer's wheelpants have been removed. Why? Find the answer and read seasonal flying pointers in the January 2002 AOPA Pilot's "Answers for Pilots."

Policies may be in effect for preheating engines, or temperatures below which you should not fly. Your POH may give different startup checklists for starts with or without preheat. There are a number of ways to preheat an aircraft engine. Ideally, it is kept in a heated building, and the pilot's only concern is to complete the preflight inspection and get under way before the machine cools down. Most pilots are less fortunate and must call (and pay) for an external preheat, then wait while they cool down and the engine warms up. Save time, call ahead. Some aircraft have electric engine heaters. Remember to plug it back in after your flight, for the next pilot!

Shock cooling of engine cylinders is a risk of cold weather flying. It can happen when a warm engine is idled on a final approach in extremely cold air. For more details on shock cooling, winterization, and other engine-care topics, see the January 2, 2004, Training Tips article "Engine TLC" and the related links.

Keep warm, and keep flying as winter approaches!

Don't let a stall catch you by surprise or let the fear of putting your training aircraft into a spin slow your progress. An entry from a student pilot's journal offers great tips on how to "slay this particular dragon," and an interview with spin aficionado William K. Kershner gives insights into the mechanics of spin recovery. View a multimedia presentation on Kershner and his involvement with spins on AOPA Online.

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.

GARMIN EMPLOYEE WINS FREE ONLINE MBA
Stephanie Smith, of Albany, Oregon, has won a drawing for a free online MBA for aviation professionals from Daniel Webster College in Nashua, New Hampshire. Smith, a private pilot who co-owns a Piper Tomahawk, will start online classes in January. She filled out the winning entry at DWC's booth at the National Business Aviation Association's annual meeting, held last month in Orlando, Florida. She said she views the graduate degree as a chance to expand her opportunities with Garmin AT, a subsidiary of Garmin International, where she has worked for the past three years. For more information about DWC's online degree programs, see the Web site.

UAA HONORS EDUCATORS, INDUSTRY REPS
The University Aviation Association (UAA) wrapped up its fall educational conference by honoring educators and industry professionals who have made significant contributions to aviation and aerospace education. Honorees included Thomas Q. Carney, professor and department head of Purdue University's department of aviation technology, who received the 2006 President's Award, and Kenneth W. Barnard, professor in Kansas State University's aviation department, who received the William A. Wheatley award for outstanding contributions to aerospace education. David Schlafman, of Okeechobee, Florida, received the 2006 Laursen Award for contributions to students in aviation; and John Gauch, fleet sales manager at Cirrus Design Corporation, received the W.W. Estridge Jr. Award, which recognizes industry representatives who are strong supporters of collegiate education. The John K. Lauber Safety Award was presented to Juergen Tank of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona, campus. The Frank E. Sorenson Award was presented to Richard O. Fanjoy, associate department head for graduate education at Purdue University, in recognition of his scholarly contributions to the field of aviation. UAA's fall conference took place in September in Anchorage, Alaska.

PILOT TRAINING FACILITY PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH JEPPESEN CHARTS
Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) is providing its students with free Jeppesen navigational charts for their instrument training and subsequent multiengine cross-country flight experience. Each student receives a four-month subscription plus revisions every 14 days. "Pilots who have used [National Ocean Service] charts in training often struggle to make the transition to Jeppesen charts during airline ground school," said Terry Mefford, chief pilot of Pinnacle Airlines Inc., a Northwest Airlink carrier. "Considering that all [FAR] 121 airlines use Jeppesen charts, we're glad to see ATP using them from the beginning of instrument training." For more information, see the Web site.

A PARADE OF PLANES TO REMEMBER AT AOPA EXPO
Propeller blast never felt so good. With temperatures in the 90s, 104 airplanes taxied down the streets of Palm Springs, California, late Wednesday morning to kick off AOPA Expo 2006. Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the airplanes taxi by under their own power. Most were piston-engine singles, but there were several jets and turboprops. One Cessna was on amphibious floats and towered above the rest. People applauded when the biplanes, a Waco and a Pitts Special, zigzagged their way through town on their way to the convention center. See the complete story on Virtual Expo along with a slideshow and a video. The three-day event officially began on Thursday and continues through Saturday. AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition subscribers will receive special e-mail broadcasts each day of the show, featuring the latest news and other happenings.

AOPA TO 'USA TODAY': GOOD STORY, MISLEADING HEADLINE
AOPA doesn't hesitate to tell the news media when they've fallen short on a story that concerns general aviation, and we also let them know when they get it right. In the case of the lead article in Tuesday's USA Today, it's a little of both. The article is actually a good news story for and about GA--if you can get past the sensationalistic headline. "NYC plane crash was all too typical," it states. But the story gets to the facts--friendly facts: "The numbers of private plane crashes and resulting deaths have fallen dramatically since the 1980s." And it gets better: "After staying flat for several years, fatal crashes and deaths are poised to set record lows this year." "That disconnect between the headline and the story is something that is sadly all too typical," said Jeff Myers, AOPA's executive vice president of communications. "A reporter will work hard to do a fair and accurate story. Then, in a shameless effort to boost circulation or viewership numbers, the newspaper's headline writer or the television station's promotion department sensationalizes--and, as in this case, often mischaracterizes--one small portion of the story." Read the USA Today story.

SAFETY SEMINARS AT YOUR CONVENIENCE
Want to see an AOPA Air Safety Foundation safety seminar, but couldn't make it to AOPA Expo this year? The foundation offers a selection of free safety seminars each month at locations all around the country. Topics include "Do the Right Thing," "Emergency Procedures," and "Radio Communications." See the seminar listing. If the live seminars don't fit your schedule, check out one of the foundation's safety-related DVDs, priced at $19.95 each. Topics include weather, maneuvering flight, decision making, and fuel awareness. See the full listing on the foundation's Web page.

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.

HEADS UP FLIGHT DESK IS ALTERNATIVE TO KNEEBOARD
SafeAviator has introduced a yoke-mount clipboard that incorporates a flexible-neck miniflashlight. The rugged aluminum board has a rubber-coated clip at the top and a mount attached to the back. Velcro strips are provided to give additional stability to the board when it's installed on the yoke--so it doesn't slide back and forth when you move the yoke. The board features a printed list of "pilot briefing aids" targeted to single-engine general aviation airplanes. These include before-takeoff passenger and pilot briefings, abbreviated checklists for an engine failure after takeoff and in cruise flight, and a prelanding checklist. The flight desk sells for $39.95 and can be ordered online from the manufacturer.

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.

Answer: Yes, a student pilot may fly a high-performance airplane while training for the private pilot certificate. If you choose to use a high-performance airplane your flight instructor will need to provide you with the necessary training specific to high-performance operations and endorse your logbook. When you have the endorsement (download the advisory circular), you will be legal to fly solo as long as your student pilot certificate has the proper endorsement. Keep in mind that building hours in a high-performance airplane can make it easier to get owners or renters insurance. For more insight, review the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's aircraft-specific Safety Highlights.

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.

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 San Diego, Albuquerque, NM, and Ashburn, VA, November 18 and 19. A clinic is also scheduled in Chicago, December 2 and 3. For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the CFI Refresher Online.

AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Honolulu, HI, November 13; Orlando, FL, November 14; Jacksonville, FL, November 15; and Tampa, FL, November 16. Topics vary-for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.