Training Notes and News

Cessna Aircraft Company has taken 720 orders for its new light sport aircraft, the 162 SkyCatcher, in the first two weeks after it unveiled the new airplane at EAA AirVenture in late July. Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to begin in the second half of 2008. Garmin International has designed a glass cockpit called the G300 exclusively for the new 118-knot trainer. It will feature a single, split screen showing flight instruments, engine instruments, and a moving map. Avionics include a Garmin SL40 com radio, the GTX327 transponder with Mode C altitude encoding, and a VFR GPS. It's powered by a Continental O-200D, a new lightweight engine for the light sport market. The base price of the first 1,000 SkyCatchers will be $109,500.

Meanwhile, Cirrus Design entered the LSA market with the announcement that it will import and "Cirrus-ize" a German microlight built in Poland. The airplane that will become the Cirrus SRS is known in Europe as the Fk 14 Polaris, a two-place canopied airplane powered by a Rotax 912 engine. Cirrus officials said that the aircraft will undergo several changes for the U.S. flight training market, including conversion from finger-actuated brakes to toe brakes. First deliveries should occur in about a year, and the price will be about $100,000. A glass cockpit will be standard, although it is not yet known which manufacturer will make the avionics.

H.R.2881: A fair funding bill is on the table

September 30 is an important date on the FAA's calendar. The agency's funding mechanisms expire at the end of the month. If no new legislation is passed, the FAA--strictly speaking--will run out of money and have to survive on a continuing resolution based on last year's funding levels.

As Congress comes back from its month-long summer recess, deliberation begins in earnest on the FAA funding measures before the House and Senate. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee came up with H.R.2881, a bill that would propose a modest fuel tax increase, no user fees, and maintain commercial air transportation and fuel taxes at their current levels. AOPA supports this measure; AOPA President Phil Boyer spoke in favor of the bill before the House Ways and Means Committee in August.

Also on the table is S.1300, a Senate proposal that has provisions for user fees of $25 per flight for turbine-powered aircraft and recommends a 152-percent increase in Jet-A fuel taxes, plus elimination of the airlines' current 4.3 cents per gallon fuel tax. On its face, it seems beneficial to pilots of piston-powered aircraft because avgas fuel taxes would stay the same and piston pilots wouldn't have to pay user fees. But if enacted, the bill's exemptions for piston-powered aircraft almost certainly would change. As Canadian and Australian pilots have learned, initial promises of exclusion from user fees and higher taxes can be short-lived.

When Congress returns, the House and Senate will each pass a bill. After that, a conference committee composed of both House and Senate members will hash out any differences and present a final bill to the president for his signature. But that's in the future. In the meantime, you can help by staying informed about this issue. Check the Web site for the latest news on the FAA funding debate.

School News

Embry-Riddle plans career expos

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will host a career expo at each of its residential campuses this fall. Each is expected to draw more than 150 employers in aviation/aerospace, business, engineering, and high-tech fields. The first expo is October 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Prescott, Arizona, campus. The second expo will be November 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Daytona Beach, Florida, campus. Job seekers can interview with AirSur, Lockheed Martin, National Air and Space Intelligence, and NAVAIR. Representatives from Continental, Southwest, and World Airways also will be on hand. For more information or to register, see the Web site.

Rocky Mountain College, community college sign agreement

The aviation program at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, has signed an agreement with Green River Community College (GRCC) in Auburn, Washington, in which GRCC students can transfer to Rocky Mountain for the remaining two years of their bachelor's degree program. The agreement applies to bachelor's degrees in aeronautical science (professional pilot) and aviation management. The first two students from GRCC are entering Rocky Mountain's aviation program this fall.

What It Looks Like

Emergency procedures

By Mark Twombly

An airplane emergency is something we hope will never happen, but we try to prepare for it just the same. The lessons begin early in primary flight training. The instructor simulates a loss of power (usually by distracting the student, then retarding the throttle), and the student is supposed to react by quickly trimming the airplane for best glide speed and beginning to search for the best available landing area.

Loss of power is just one possible emergency that could occur. Other problems that might pop up may involve the electrical system, hydraulic system (if the airplane is so equipped), an in-flight fire of some sort, a control surface malfunction, avionics problems, airframe or induction icing, landing with a flat tire, static source blockage--the list grows with increasing sophistication and complexity of the airplane.

Pilot's operating handbooks for contemporary airplanes have a section specifically devoted to emergency procedures. The section is tabbed in red and titled, appropriately enough, Emergency Procedures. The contents vary depending on the airplane, but typically include such emergency information as airspeeds for safe operation, how to handle an engine fire (both at engine start and in flight), loss of power during takeoff and in flight, power-off landing, loss of oil or fuel pressure, high oil temperature, electrical failures and electrical overload, spin recovery, a door that opens in flight, and carburetor icing.

Owner's handbooks for older airplanes may not have a separate Emergency Procedures section. Instead, the information may be buried in the Operating Instructions section. The point is, you will have to hunt for the information, which is not a happy prospect if you are faced with an actual emergency.

One solution is to buy an aftermarket checklist that includes a compact and handy detailed emergency procedures checklist. A good emergency procedures checklist will box or highlight those procedures considered time-critical--in other words, you need to respond quickly to the emergency.

Examples include engine failure, engine or electrical fire in flight, and electric trim runaway. These time-critical procedures should be memorized so that you don't have to fumble with a checklist to find out what to do. The pros call these "memory items."

Final Exam

Final Exam is composed of questions similar to those a student may expect on the private pilot knowledge test. Answers are researched by members of the AOPA Pilot Information Center staff and may be found below.

1. VFR approaches to land at night should be accomplished
1. at a higher airspeed.
2. with a steeper descent.
3. the same as during daytime.
2. During a night flight, you observe a steady red light and a flashing red light ahead and at the same altitude. What is the general direction of movement of the other aircraft?
1. The other aircraft is crossing to the left.
2. The other aircraft is crossing to the right.
3. The other aircraft is approaching head-on.
3. During operations outside controlled airspace at altitudes of more than 1,200 feet agl, but less than 10,000 feet msl, the minimum flight visibility for VFR flight at night is
1. one mile.
2. three miles.
3. five miles.
4. What service should a pilot normally expect from an En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) station?
1. Actual weather information and thunderstorm activity along the route.
2. Preferential routing and radar vectoring to circumnavigate severe weather.
3. Severe weather information, changes to flight plans, and receipt of routine position reports.
5. What is the specific fuel requirement for flight under visual flight rules at night in an airplane?
1. Enough to complete the flight at normal cruising speed with adverse wind conditions.
2. Enough to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly after that for 30 minutes at normal cruising speed.
3. Enough to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly after that for 45 minutes at normal cruising speed.
6. Airport taxiway edge lights are identified at night by
1. white directional lights.
2. blue omnidirectional lights.
3. alternating red and green lights.
7. Why is frost considered hazardous to flight?
1. Frost changes the basic aerodynamic shape of the airfoils, thereby decreasing lift.
2. Frost slows the airflow over the airfoils, thereby increasing control effectiveness.
3. Frost spoils the smooth flow of air over the wings, thereby decreasing lifting capability.
8. If the temperature/dew point spread is small and decreasing, and the temperature is 62 degrees Fahrenheit, what type weather is most likely to develop?
1. Freezing precipitation.
2. Thunderstorms.
3. Fog or low clouds.

Final Exam Answers

1. The correct answer is C. Approaches to land at night should be conducted with the same airspeed and glidepath used during the day. Visual cues are different at night, and pilots tend to rely more on visual aids such as VASI and PAPI; however, the approach to a runway should be at the same speed and descent profile as is used during the day.
2. The correct answer is A. The steady red light is the red navigation, or position, light on the left wing tip of the other aircraft; the flashing red light is the beacon. Since the red light is on the left wing tip, the other aircraft is crossing from right to left. In this situation, the other aircraft would have the right of way.
3. The correct answer is B. The only uncontrolled airspace is Class G airspace. When operating in class G airspace below 10,000 feet msl at night, there must be at least three miles' visibility, which differs from the one mile required during the day. The cloud separation minima, however, are the same for both.
4. The correct answer is A. EFAS, or Flight Watch, is designed to give pilots, upon request, in-flight weather information and advisories pertinent to their type of flight, route, and altitude. Other services such as preferential routing, receipt of position reports, and radar vectoring are provided by ATC. Flight Service Stations can accept changes to flight plans.
5. The correct answer is C. FAR 91.151 requires enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing (given the forecast weather and wind conditions) and then to fly after that for an additional 45 minutes at a normal cruising speed. For a VFR flight during the day, enough fuel to fly for an additional 30 minutes is required. Adverse wind conditions must be taken into account during preflight planning.
6. The correct answer is B. Airport taxiways are marked with omnidirectional blue lights along the edges. In addition, some taxiways will have flush-mounted green lights in the pavement to mark the centerline. White directional lights and alternating green and red lights are not used to mark taxiways.
7. The correct answer is C. Since frost's texture is rough, it will disturb the smooth flow of air, decreasing lifting capability. All frost should be removed from the aircraft prior to flight by using the manufacturer's recommendations.
8. The correct answer is C. A small and decreasing temperature/dew point spread is conducive to the formation of condensation. In the scenario given, low clouds or fog would be the most likely weather phenomenon to develop, as it is too warm for ice to form. Temperature and dew point alone are not sufficient to predict the formation of thunderstorms.

AOPA members can discuss these or any aviation questions with Pilot Information Center staff by calling 800/USA-AOPA or sending an e-mail.

New York flight school background check law overturned

A federal judge ruled on August 2 that states cannot preempt the federal government by forcing flight school students to undergo criminal background checks. U.S. District Judge Gary L. Sharpe ruled in favor of AOPA's motion for summary judgment. Last year AOPA and seven New York flight schools filed a lawsuit against the state law. "This law didn't do anything to enhance security for New Yorkers," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "It was unnecessary and discriminatory, and it violated the U.S. Constitution."

The Transportation Security Administration and the FAA have aggressive and comprehensive security programs in place, he noted.

CAPT program gets GI Bill approval

The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program (CAPT) accelerated pilot program operated by Flight Training Services International. Veterans who signed up for the Montgomery GI Bill may be able to receive reimbursement of tuition if they enroll in the program. CAPT offers a full-immersion, one-year program designed to prepare individuals with little or no flight experience for a commercial airline career. For more information on veterans' eligibility, contact the CAPT Veterans Affairs officer at 877/577-2278 or 386/586-6560, or visit the Web site.

What's in AOPA Pilot?

Here's what you're missing if you don't read AOPA Pilot, the association's flagship magazine published each month for certificated pilots.

• Light sport aircraft: The Champ is back. An old favorite enters the light-sport market.
• Flying Seasons: The risky business of scud running.
• The Great Circle Air Safari: What better way to see Australia than from a Stearman?

Are you ready to read about more advanced subjects such as these? Just as pilots upgrade to more advanced certificates, it might be time for you to upgrade your magazine. You can convert your paid membership to AOPA Pilot at any time by calling AOPA toll-free (800/USA-AOPA).

Columbia Aircraft offers incentives to flight instructors

Columbia Aircraft wants certificated flight instructors to add Columbia-specific training to their repertoire and has launched a new scholarship program to help subsidize the cost. The program is designed to provide Columbia owners with a larger pool of qualified flight instructors to help maintain proficiency or support training toward advanced ratings. CFIs who have given at least 250 hours of flight instruction may qualify for a full scholarship worth $2,500 to attend the Columbia Flight Institute if a student they recommend purchases a new Columbia aircraft. For more information, see the Web site.