Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition, Vol. 7, Issue 28

In this issue:
Cessna to bring light sport aircraft to market
Embry-Riddle to host CFI job fair
Project Pilot Spotlight: Flying spouses

FLIGHT IN THE VEIL
Studying your cross-country destination on an aeronautical sectional chart, you see that it lies within the ring of airspace extending 30 miles from an airport at the center of Class B airspace. Your destination airport is outside the Class B airspace but inside the ring on the chart—the so-called Mode C veil. What does this mean for your flight?

You'll find the answer in two paragraphs from Chapter 3 of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM): "The airspace within 30 nautical miles of an airport listed in Appendix D, Section 1 of 14 CFR Part 91 (generally primary airports within Class B airspace areas), from the surface upward to 10,000 feet MSL. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, aircraft operating within this airspace must be equipped with automatic pressure altitude reporting equipment having Mode C capability.

"However, an aircraft that was not originally certificated with an engine-driven electrical system or which has not subsequently been certified with a system installed may conduct operations within a Mode C veil provided the aircraft remains outside Class A, B, or C airspace; and below the altitude of the ceiling of a Class B or Class C airspace area designated for an airport or 10,000 feet MSL, whichever is lower." 

Now suppose you come to the airport for your flight and learn that your regular trainer, which has Mode C capability, is not available, but another, which lacks Mode C, is. Or that the Mode C function of your trainer is not functioning. Must you scrap your planned flight? Not necessarily. The words "unless otherwise authorized by ATC" in the language given above offer a solution. In such a case, you must contact the ATC facility with jurisdiction over the destination airport. How to find that contact information was the subject of the Quiz Me question and answer of the June 10, 2005, edition of AOPA ePilot . Note also that the ATC-authorized deviations referred to above must be made in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulation 91.215, which sets out different time periods for making the request for transponder-equipped aircraft and those unequipped.

Plan ahead, know the rules, and work with ATC to get where you need to go!

If you are now a private pilot or nearly there, you may be thinking about going straight into training for the instrument rating. The primary advantage is flexibility. With an instrument rating, clouds, precipitation, and below-VFR ceilings need not cancel your trip. This alone is reason enough to pursue the rating. Learn more about eligibility for the instrument rating 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.

CESSNA TO BRING LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT TO MARKET
Cessna Aircraft officials will proceed with the company's light sport aircraft (LSA) program and will display a mock-up of the prototype at Oshkosh later this month. Although a flying proof-of-concept airplane exists, it was never intended to be the final design. Still unresolved are the engine decision, the quantity of the fuel tank, and final performance figures. Cessna's goal as stated in the past has been to carry full fuel and two people. The price is expected to be "competitive," Cessna officials have said in past interviews. Most LSAs, Cessna officials believe, cost about $100,000, plus or minus $10,000. "After conducting extensive market research, it is clear to us there is a great need for this aircraft as we strive to drive down the cost of flying and learning to fly," said Cessna chief Jack J. Pelton. "We believe this aircraft will make a major contribution to stimulating new pilot starts and will encourage already-licensed pilots to continue to fly because it will be more affordable."

EMBRY-RIDDLE TO HOST CFI JOB FAIR
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is looking for instructor pilots to fill the ranks of its flight department at the Daytona Beach, Florida, campus. ERAU will have a job fair for CFI/CFII pilots on Friday, July 20. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Starting hourly pay ranges from $15.77 to $22.05. Benefits include free undergraduate and graduate tuition, health benefits, paid holidays, retirement plans, personal leave accrual, and a 100 percent uniform allowance. Applicants should bring a résumé that includes current licensures, certificates, and medical; hours logged, total dual instruction given; types of aircraft simulators flown; employment history; business contacts; and references. Be prepared for an on-site interview, a flight training competency questionnaire, and a classroom demonstration in which you will teach a lazy eight, a chandelle, or eights on pylons. For more information, contact Chuck Kelley in Embry-Riddle's human resources office at 386/226-4956 or e-mail.

GAMA AWARDS 'AVIATION EXCELLENCE' SCHOLARSHIP
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has chosen Matthew Gonitzke, of Winnebago, Illinois, to receive the 2007 Edward W. Stimpson "Aviation Excellence" scholarship. Gonitzke took his first flight lesson at age 12 and received his private pilot certificate at age 17. An engineering and design enthusiast, Gonitzke was a founding member of his school's robotics team, which advanced to a national competition this year. He'll attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, as an aerospace engineering student. For more information about the GAMA scholarship program, see the Web site.

SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD OVER SPECIAL-USE AIRSPACE?
Nobody wants to come within spitting distance of an F-16 while they're out on a pleasure flight. That's why you need to understand the nuances of special-use airspace like alert, restricted, or prohibited areas. The newest AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Quiz covers special-use and "other" airspace. Test your knowledge to determine whether you can legally fly in a warning area, what differentiates a VFR corridor from a VFR flyway or transition route, and where you might (literally) run into military aircraft operating "lights out" at night. Each Safety Quiz offers a quick, easy, and interactive way to expand your knowledge. Plus, you can earn a chance to win a Sporty's Air-Scan V aviation radio/scanner! Take the quiz.

WATHEN AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES SEVEN
Wathen Aviation High School in Riverside, California, graduated seven seniors last month in a ceremony at the school, which is located on Flabob Airport. The high school is a tuition-free state-funded public high school that is operated by the Thomas W. Wathen Foundation in partnership with a charter school. WAHS students get to experience a large selection of aviation-specific enhancements to their curriculum; aviation is woven into subjects like science and math, and literary courses focus on writers such as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Ernest K. Gann, and Charles A. Lindbergh. The school was launched in 2005.

PROJECT PILOT SPOTLIGHT: FLYING SPOUSES
If you had the opportunity to let fellow aviators observe as you flight train, would you? How would you like to experience firsthand what it’s like to mentor a student pilot? Read more about Bruce and Donna Hartman as they participate in Project Pilot Spotlight, a new AOPA online feature that tracks their progress. Watch videos, read stories, and look at photos as the Hartmans take us along on their flight training journey. To help someone achieve his or her flight training goals, sign up for AOPA Project Pilot.

CARDINAL'S AVIONICS GO FOR A TEST FLIGHT
When major work is completed on an airplane's avionics, the airplane requires a dedicated test flight to ensure everything is functioning properly—and everything is talking to everything else like it should. After another round of effort from Precision Avionics, the shop owner took the 1977 Cessna Cardinal that we're refurbishing up for a test flight of the autopilot. Read all about it in this week's update.

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.

KING SCHOOLS COURSE DELVES INTO WAAS CAPABILITY
Pilots who fly airplanes equipped with Garmin 430/530 with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) capability can learn how to use WAAS effectively with a newly updated interactive course from King Schools. Flying the Garmin 430/530 now includes full video lessons that demonstrate how to best use the WAAS 430/530. The lessons are followed with interactive questions that let you practice what you have learned. Topics include best practices, WAAS, moving maps, flight plans, "Direct-To" usage, page groups, nearest airport, navigation aids, departures and arrivals, and more. The course contains seven CD-ROMs and runs approximately four hours before interactive questions. It sells for $249 and may be ordered online or by calling 800/854-1001.

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: I am interested in flying professionally once I earn my wings. Can AOPA provide career information that will help me decide how best to pursue my interest?

Answer: AOPA Flight Training magazine has a Career Pilot section that offers articles on aviation career specialties and personal success stories, as well as a look at who's hiring. The "Career Advisor" pairs questions posed by aspiring pilots with answers from pilots already working in the industry, and "Career Tips" offers advice on how to stand out from the crowd. The Career Pilot Web section allows you to participate in a mock interview session and chat with pilots already working in your dream job. Also see AOPA's Guide to Flying Careers .

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.

Tarkio, MO. The EAA Annual Flying Circus and Congressional Fly-In takes place July 14 at Gould Peterson Memorial (K57). Contact Brooks, 660/244-6927.

Grand Junction, CO. The Commemorative Air Force Open House takes place July 12 at Walker Field (GJT). Contact Collin Fay, 970/254-0444.

Oshkosh, WI. Attend EAA AirVenture from July 23 through 29 at Wittman Regional (OSH). While you're there, check out the AOPA Big Yellow Tent on AeroShell Square. Visit the Web site.

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

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Newark, NJ, and Memphis, TN, July 21 and 22. For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the CFI Refresher Online.