AOPA Action

The FAA has extended the duration of third class medicals from 36 calendar months to 60 calendar months (five years) and first class medicals from six calendar months to 12 calendar months for pilots under age 40.

Current and expired medical certificates are grandfathered under this rule. For example, a pilot under age 40 who has a third class medical that would have expired at the end of July 2008 under the three-year limit is now good for another two years. In other words, the medical won't expire until the last day of July 2010.

But what if you had let your medical expire? If you are under age 40, and the certificate was issued less than five years ago, it is now valid until the last day of the month, five years from its original issuance date.

Here's how it works. Let's say you got your third class medical on September 20, 2004 (and you were under the age of 40 at that time) but have not renewed it. Under the current rules, you haven't had a medical since September 30, 2007, and could not act as pilot in command. Now your medical is valid again and will remain valid until September 30, 2009.

Pilots under 40 who have first class medicals won't need to renew theirs for one year after the original date of issuance. After one year, it will revert to a third class medical.

So, what if you turn 40 during this new one- or five-year window? That won't affect the duration of your medical. If you get your first or third class medical the day before you turn 40, it will still be valid for one year or five years, respectively.

For the latest on AOPA's advocacy efforts for pilots, visit AOPA Online.

ASF unveils plain-language guide to aerodynamics

Ever wondered what it means to get "behind the power curve"? Or why the airplane stalls at a particular angle of attack, rather than a particular airspeed?

If so, be sure to check out the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's new interactive course, Essential Aerodynamics: Stalls, Spins, and Safety. It's a plain-language tutorial on how airplanes fly, and avoiding maneuvering mistakes that can lead to an accident. You'll investigate what makes wings fly, how weight and G forces affect the wing, why stalls and spins happen, and much more. The free course takes 45 to 60 minutes to complete. Plus, your progress is automatically saved, so there's no need to finish in one sitting. Find it online.

AOPA Expo comes to Northern California

Visit San Jose from November 6 to 8 and view more than 550 exhibits at the McEnery Convention Center and 60 aircraft on display at the Norman Y. Mineta International Airport.

The show kicks off November 6 with the first of three free daily general sessions. These sessions will address the aviation issues that matter most to anyone interested in general aviation and will provide insight into how GA is changing for the future.

Know someone who wants to learn to fly? Stop by the registration area to pick up a badge for access to the "Let's Go Flying" session to be held on November 7 and 8.

To register and learn more about the Expo, see AOPA Online.

Double your rewards for aviation spending

Whether you are buying groceries, paying utility bills, or renting an airplane, you'll be rewarded for every dollar you spend with the AOPA credit card.

You earn reward points--redeemable for travel, cash, merchandise, event tickets, and more--for every purchase you make. Plus, you automatically receive double points for every dollar you spend at more than 4,700 qualified FBOs and select aviation retailers.

To learn more about the AOPA credit card, or to apply, visit AOPA Online.