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TRAINING TIPsFiling and receiving pireps
One good source—and the only true real-time alert—is a pilot report (pirep). Some weather conditions warrant an urgent pirep (see the Sept. 12, 2008, " Training Tip: Special Weather”).
The limitation of pireps is that there may be only stale information available, or none at all. Also, regard the accuracy of pireps critically. According to the AOPA Air Safety Foundation in this AOPA Flight Training article, “… new pilots may inaccurately report light turbulence as severe. If they really were in severe turbulence, they would be working so hard to keep the aircraft flying in one piece that giving a pirep would be impossible.”
Start participating in the process. “Filing a pirep is very easy. When you observe something aloft that you feel deviates from the forecast, or you'd just like to report the cloud tops or bases, give the report to either the air traffic control frequency you are with at the time or the local flight service station or flight watch,” urged Ian Twombly in the February 2006 AOPA Pilot “ Answers For Pilots.” “The controller (depending on workload) or specialist can talk you through the report. Expect to relate all pertinent information, including your location relative to a VOR, your altitude, your type aircraft, sky cover, visibility, precipitation, temperature, wind, turbulence, and icing.”
Jack Williams added a meteorologist’s perspective on pireps in “ The Weather Briefing,” available on AOPA Flight Training Online. “The FAA, the National Weather Service, and aviation organizations such as the AOPA Air Safety Foundation are encouraging pilots to file pireps because they help both other pilots and weather forecasters,” he said. When evaluating a pirep, “Be sure to check the date and time the report was made—pireps can be hours old.”
Who regularly files pireps? Pilots who got just the information they needed, when they needed it, are sure to return the favor. Join them on your next flight. YOUR PARTNER IN TRAININGSlips can be an unnerving maneuver for student pilots. The sight picture is not what you’re accustomed to, and you’re operating with crossed controls. Read this article for more insights on how to perform slips correctly and the top five reasons a slip might not pass muster on a checkride.
Did you know that student pilots who join AOPA are three times more likely to complete their flight training? Membership includes unlimited access to aviation information by phone (800/USA-AOPA, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time) or from AOPA Flight Training Online or AOPA Online. If you're not already a member, join today and get the pilot's edge. Login information is available online. FLIGHT TRAINING NEWSSporty’s Foundation awards scholarshipsThree University of Cincinnati students who are planning to become professional pilots got some help toward that goal in the form of scholarships from The Sporty’s Foundation. Abdelaziz Akkoub received $15,000; Sophie Gilgean received $10,000; and Patrick Spare received $5,000. All three are incoming sophomores in the university’s professional pilot program. The mission of the Sporty’s Foundation is to help secure the future of general aviation by providing assistance to aviation education and safety programs. Change to cross-country reg on the wayThe FAA is changing the definition of a cross-country in the federal aviation regulations from “at least 50 nautical miles” to “more than 50 nautical miles.” The modification was included in a package of changes to the FARs that take effect in October. While this change can seem minor, one mile can make a difference, according to Rob Hackman, AOPA senior director of regulatory affairs. “For many pilots, the cross-country flight to an airport is not a choice between an airport that is 50 nm or 51 nm away,” Hackman said. “The choice is between an airport that is 50, 75, or 100 miles from the departure airport. These extra miles directly translate into additional costs for the pilot and provide no additional training benefit, as the skills required to fly 50 miles are the same needed to fly 75 miles.” The FAA also changed the duration of student pilot certificates to match the duration of a third-class medical certificate. Read more >> Embry-Riddle wins top honors in college rankingEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Fla., campus took top honors in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” for the tenth year in a row. The campus won first place in the specialty category of best undergraduate aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering programs at schools where the highest degree is a bachelor’s or a master’s. The Prescott, Ariz., campus received a third-place ranking. Wathen Foundation to host Air AcademiesThe Wathen Foundation will host an Air Academy for middle- and high-school students Oct. 6 through 10 at Flabob Airport in Riverside, Calif. The foundation has hosted 52 students this year at Air Academies, where they learned about aviation weather and history, and reciprocating and rocket engines. Participants received their first flying lessons and logged time in logbooks, and they also constructed and launched actual rockets. The foundation is planning six Air Academies for 2010. For enrollment information, contact Kathy Rohm at 951/683-2309, extension 104, or by e-mail. Inside AOPANew live safety seminar asks, 'What went wrong?'Sometimes the cause of an aircraft accident is obvious. Other times, it takes everything from CSI-style forensics to old-fashioned sleuthing to figure out where things went awry. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation's new “What Went Wrong?” safety seminar looks at general aviation accidents through the eyes of the investigator—starting at the scene and working backward to reconnect the shattered links of the accident chain. The free live seminar debuts next week in Tennessee, then tours the country throughout the fall. See the schedule for a location near you >> Book your travel through AOPA and support GAPlan your next vacation through AOPA Online Travel, and a portion of the revenue generated will be returned directly to AOPA. Those funds will then be reinvested to fund AOPA’s daily efforts to maintain the freedom, safety, and affordability of general aviation. In addition to benefiting general aviation, AOPA Online Travel will save you money with great rates on airfare, hotels, and cruises. You can even save on your car rental from Alamo, Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise through special discounts and coupons for free rental days, dollars off, and free upgrades. Booking your travel through AOPA Online Travel is a win for GA and a win for your wallet. Start planning your vacation today! | Got news? Contact ePilot. Having difficulty using this service? Visit the ePilot Frequently Asked Questions now at AOPA Online or write to [email protected]. |
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