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TRAINING TIPs Staying alert after landingThe traffic pattern was busy, the wind challenging. You stayed ahead of the aircraft, as discussed in the Jan. 30 "Training Tip," landed, and are taxiing clear. Job well done—but don’t relax or you could find yourself behind the aircraft. A complicated taxi clearance or keeping track of your position on a large airport demands your full attention.
Now, your knowledge of airport signs and markings will protect you from straying off your assigned taxi route into a potential runway incursion. For example, what sign has white letters on a red background and contains the numbers of one or more runways? The answer: a runway holding-position sign, one of several white-on-red mandatory instruction signs you are likely to encounter between the runway and the ramp. As explained in Chapter Two of the Aeronautical Information Manual , mandatory instruction signs denote:
Preparation counts; did you study an airport diagram before your flight? Taxiing is a time for situational awareness and knowing where you are going. As Sue Critz wrote in the December 2004 AOPA Flight Training feature “Tackling Taxiing.” “This will also allow you to watch for airport signs and pavement markings that tell you where you are, where you're heading, and—most important—where the taxiway ends and the runway begins. This can be especially important if you are taxiing at a bigger airport with more than one runway and associated taxiways. If there is a control tower on the airport and you feel unsure about which way to go, you can ask for help by telling ground control that you would like progressive taxi instructions. The controller will watch your progress and tell you which way to go as you approach taxiway intersections and other areas of the airport surface.”
A study tip: Review the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s Runway Incursion Analysis, then take its online Runway Safety course. They’ll boost your skill and confidence for that training flight to a large airport. YOUR PARTNER IN TRAININGNobody enjoys taking an FAA knowledge test, but we'll try to make it a little easier for you. The Pilot Information Center has links to test questions, test guides, and testing centers. Then, when you're ready to take the test, be sure to download a coupon for a $10 discount through CATS Testing Centers. You can use the discount at any of the more than 400 CATS authorized centers around the world. Print the coupon from AOPA Online.
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 NEWS ATP adds new locations, cuts prices Airline Transport Professionals will open five new training centers across the country and drastically reduce its pricing for certain courses, the nationwide flight training provider said Feb. 2. Prices for the accelerated multiengine courses will be reduced by as much as 20 percent. “We are taking full advantage of the current economic climate to reduce expenses across the board. Lower fuel prices, insurance rates, facility leases, and owning our own aircraft mean that we can lower our prices and compete very effectively in this market,” said Jim Koziarski, ATP’s vice president of flight operations. The company also will be opening new training centers in Charlotte, N.C.; Indianapolis; Tampa, Fla.; San Diego; and Oakland, Calif. San Diego will be the first location to open when the company begins business at Montgomery Field on Feb. 9. The other centers are expected to open in the next few months.
Embry-Riddle student wins FAA award Daniel J. Halperin was named the FAA’s Student Researcher of the Year in the FAA’s Center of Excellence (COE) for General Aviation. Halperin is a senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. He assisted an FAA-funded research project, collecting and analyzing data on cases in which GA pilots encountered hazardous weather. He also co-authored a paper on developing proactive methods for GA data collection, which was submitted to the eightieth annual Aerospace Medical Association conference.
San Diego flight school earns 141 certificationTwinflight, a flight school based at Montgomery Field in San Diego, has earned Part 141 certification for private pilot training and recently gained approval to conduct knowledge tests. Twinflight Chief Flight Instructor Eric Barnabe said the school has been operating approximately seven months and expects to gain Part 141 certification for its instrument program in February. The school offers training from private through airline transport pilot, and also a professional pilot program that includes 155 hours of multiengine and 30 hours of single-engine time. Twinflight’s fleet includes a Cessna 172 and 182 and a Piper Seminole.
California flight school closesA flight school at Modesto City-Co Harry Sham Field in California is closing after 26 years. Owner Richard Corbett cited the economy and a lost bid to supplement the school’s income by selling fuel as reasons, according to a report in The Mercury News. Modesto Flight Center was the only flight school at the airport. Corbett said that since 2007 he had been seeking permission to sell fuel in competition with the lone fixed-base operator on the field. Corbett said the city of Modesto initially promised quick action but eventually said Corbett would have to pay for an environmental study. Inside AOPA Chat with a friendAOPA President Craig Fuller and AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Gary Fox met for the first time during a breakfast meeting on Jan. 30. After an informal chat, Fox said he walked away feeling like he had just had breakfast with a friend. “He’s very easy to talk to, and I think that’s probably one of his major attributes,” Fox said of AOPA’s new president. “I plan to talk to AOPA members and GA industry leaders in informal, relaxed settings,” Fuller said. “I want to find out the real story about what’s going on in their personal GA communities—the positive and the negative. Once I know the full story, I’ll be in a better position to offer support from AOPA.” Read more >> TRAINING PRODUCTSKing Schools’ ‘VFR Cross-Country Flying’ online courseCross-country flights contain some of the purest joys of aviation: new sights, new airports, new adventures. Yet many pilots fall into a rut in which they don’t venture beyond the pattern or farther than the closest airport. If it’s been awhile since you planned a flight of more than 50 nautical miles—or perhaps you’re a student pilot who is wondering how you put the pieces together—King Schools’ online course, VFR Cross-Country Flying, can help. The course includes tips to make navigation easy, ways to obtain and evaluate weather on the fly, and more. It sells for $49, which includes lifetime free updates; a DVD version for personal computers is available for the same price. Purchase online or call 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. FINAL EXAMQuestion: What is an enhanced taxiway centerline marking?
Answer: An enhanced taxiway centerline marking is a parallel line of yellow dashes on either side of the taxiway centerline that extends 150 feet from a runway hold-short line. These markings are seen mostly at large commercial service airports. View an illustration from the Aeronautical Information Manual. The purpose of the enhanced markings is to alert pilots that they are approaching a runway hold-short line and should be prepared to stop. To learn more about airport markings, take the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s free, interactive Runway Safety online course.
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. AOPA CAREER OPPORTUNITIESEver dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a Director of Planned Giving and Director of Development for the AOPA Foundation, an Aviation Technical Specialist, and a part-time Data Analyst. AOPA also has 2009 summer intern positions available in various divisions of AOPA. For more information about the internships, e-mail AOPA Human Resources. For other career opportunities, visit AOPA Online. Picture PerfectPilots love to take photos, and they love to share them with other pilots. Now you can upload your flying photos to our brand-new online gallery, "Air Mail." Share your special aviation images, or view and rate more than 1,000 photos and counting. Highly rated photos will get put into rotation on the AOPA home page! AVIATION EVENTS & WEATHER To submit an event or to search all events in the calendar visit AOPA Online. For airport details, including FBO fuel prices, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online. Flight Instructor Refresher ClinicsThe next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Sacramento, Calif., Melbourne, Fla., and Nashua, N.H.., Feb. 14 and 15; Oklahoma City, Okla., Dallas, Texas, and Ashburn, Va., Feb. 21 and 22; Baltimore, Md., and King of Prussia, Pa., March 7 and 8. 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 SeminarsAOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Northglenn, Colo., and Tampa, Fla., Feb. 10; Colorado Springs, Colo., and Melbourne, Fla., Feb. 11; Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Feb. 12; Eugene, Ore., and Greenville, S.C., Feb. 16; Decauter, Ga., and Portland, Ore., Feb. 17; and Seattle, Wash., Feb. 18. Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. | 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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