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TRAINING TIPsWinter solos
Your dual flights in winter are building your experience in managing the chores that accompany winter solos. Preparedness always starts with a good weather briefing. Make note of braking action reports, height and location of snow banks, and any snow or ice on runways, taxiways, and ramps—all as described in the Nov. 28, 2003, “ Training Tip.” If you are authorized to make repeated solos to nearby airports for landing and takeoff practice, be sure to get accurate reports on field conditions there before departing.
Dress for winter conditions. Take gloves and a hat even on local flights. You know that frost removal is a critical safety item for a winter preflight. Also, you may now need to allow time for engine preheats for your winter flights. Always file and activate a VFR flight plan. Learn how to taxi slowly, with a minimum of brake use and avoiding snow or slush, to help avoid brake lock-up caused by melted snow refreezing on brake linings.
After engine start, some training airplanes’ instruments may not tell you whether warm-up has been sufficient for you to initiate flight. Know your pilot’s operating handbook (POH) and its recommended procedure. For example, the POH for a 1980 Cessna 152 advises, “After a suitable warm-up period (2 to 5 minutes at 1,000 rpm) accelerate the engine several times to higher rpm. If the engine accelerates smoothly and oil pressure remains normal and steady, the airplane is ready for takeoff.” What does your trainer’s POH recommend?
With so much to know, you may be thinking it would be nice if there were an all-around guide to winter flying available in portable format. There is: the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s “ Safety Hot Spot: Winter Weather Safety Checkup.” From planning to preflight, airport operations to in-flight weather, it has the answers you need for optimizing winter flying. YOUR PARTNER IN TRAININGWhat's one of the first things you should do after enrolling in AOPA's free six-month membership? Besides reading AOPA Flight Training from cover to cover, register at AOPA Online. You won't find a better collection of aviation resources right at your fingertips—anywhere! Here are some great links to get you started on this comprehensive Web site. The Flight Training section of AOPA's online Pilot Information Center offers an extensive assortment of reference materials, including the FAA practical test standards and the Federal Aviation Regulations, among many others. AOPA Flight Training has an online compilation of resources particularly useful for student pilots.
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 NEWSSpecial seminar targets friendly flying in North Las VegasTragic back-to-back accidents at the North Las Vegas airport in the summer of 2008—one of which took the lives of two people on the ground—led to an outpouring of local concern about the potential dangers of flight operations at community airports. In an effort to allay those concerns and educate pilots about techniques for safe flying in urban areas, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation will present a special live safety seminar at the Texas Station Gambling Hall and Hotel in North Las Vegas on Jan. 14. Titled “Safe Skies, Good Neighbors,” the seminar will cover a number of relevant topics, from traffic pattern issues to maneuvering flight, emergency procedures, and neighborhood-friendly flying. If you’re in the area and would like to attend, see the Web site for more details.
Aviation program in the works for Shawnee CollegeShawnee Community College (SCC) in Ullin, Ill., is developing a joint venture with Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) that will result in an aviation technologies facility at Cairo Airport. Both schools hope that the project will allow them to establish a greater presence in the southern part of the state and promote better economic development in the area, according to a report in the The Southern.com. FAA approval is pending for the project, which would encompass a 100-by-100-foot hangar and adjacent building to include offices and classrooms. The project may offer dual-credit courses where students could earn credit at SCC and SIUC and work toward an associate of science degree in aviation science, then progress at SIUC toward an airframe and powerplant certificate.
New quiz helps you steer clear of TFRsAccording to year-end data from federal authorities, pilots strayed into restricted airspace more than 330 times in 2008, resulting in more than 120 military intercepts. And while the number of intercepts is down about 50 percent over the past two years, that's small consolation when a fighter jet appears off your wing tip. Staying out of trouble means checking notams and avoiding temporary flight restrictions (TFRs)—the leading cause of violations. Test your TFR knowledge with the latest AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Quiz. Then learn more about restricted airspace and intercept procedures in the foundation’s Know Before You Go: Navigating Today's Airspace online course. Inside AOPAGet to Know Craig Fuller, AOPA's New President Learn more about the association's new president on the AOPA President’s Page. It features Fuller’s aviation and professional biographies, regularly updated blog entries, his monthly AOPA Pilot column, and news about ongoing outreach efforts on behalf of AOPA members. An avid aviator, an accomplished political strategist, and a proven leader, Fuller brings a wealth of experience and a unique point of view to the President's Office.
Protect your airport in 2009Your community airport. It’s your home away from home, the place you go weekly—sometimes daily—to make your aviation dreams come true. When it comes to protecting and promoting community airports, nobody is more important than the people who use them. That’s why the AOPA Airport Support Network (ASN) has become so successful, with nearly 2,000 dedicated volunteers serving airports nationwide. Will you join ASN’s effort to keep airports safe in 2009? Read more >>
AD&D Insurance coverage now available up to $250,000Pilots have unique needs when it comes to purchasing insurance. Will it cover me when I’m flying? Do I need to be pilot in command? Is a medical exam required? These are all common questions, and AOPA Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance has the answers. AOPA AD&D Insurance offers coverage while you are flying as a pilot or passenger in a GA or commercial flight. There are no health questions asked, and as an AOPA member you are guaranteed acceptance. Now we offer coverage up to $250,000. So even if you already are taking advantage of this crucial coverage, now is the time to upgrade. Visit us online to enroll or upgrade today.
More than 200,000 enjoy hassle free AOPA membership renewalThe fastest, easiest way to renew your AOPA membership is through our Automatic Annual Renewal program. And now, more than 200,000 members—nearly half of AOPA’s membership—participate in the program. Enroll and you’ll get a $4 discount on your initial AOPA membership dues and receive two extra entries into this year’s sweepstakes. Plus, you’ll stop receiving repeated notices in the mail to renew your membership. Your credit card will be charged automatically in your renewal month, and you’ll receive an annual statement and new membership card. Your transaction is secure, and you can cancel at any time. Enroll online today, or call 800/USA-AOPA. TRAINING PRODUCTS‘The Pilot’s Manual: Access to Flight’ Does the thought of earning a private pilot certificate while training for an instrument rating intrigue you? Many flight schools are adopting this integrated approach, particularly with regard to students training in technologically advanced aircraft. Access to Flight, the latest entry in the Aviation Supplies and Academics The Pilot’s Manual series, presents such an integrated curriculum with the goal of helping aspiring pilots maximize the utility of their aircraft. The hardcover book is 816 pages, including more than 800 illustrations and review questions at the end of each chapter. It sells for $74.95 and will ship Jan. 20. Go online to view a chapter or order the book, or call 800/ASA-2FLY for more information.
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. AOPA CAREER OPPORTUNITIESEver dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a Vice President of Media and Public Relations, Aviation Technical Specialist, and AOPA Air Safety Foundation Summer 2009 Intern. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online. FINAL EXAMQuestion: I passed my private pilot checkride more than a month ago and still have not received my permanent private pilot certificate. How long can I use my temporary certificate, and when can I expect to receive my permanent certificate?
Answer: Your temporary airman certificate is valid for 120 days. Getting your permanent certificate from the FAA can take anywhere from one month to more than three, depending on the agency’s workload. You can track the FAA’s progress by visiting the Web site and seeing the current date of applications that they are processing.
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. 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 600 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 Detroit, Mich., Jackson, Miss., and Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 17 and 18; and San Jose, Calif., and Baltimore, Md., Jan. 24 and 25. 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 Mesa, Ariz., and Reno, Nev., Jan. 12; Tucson, Ariz., and Sacramento, Calif., Jan. 13; Milpitas, Calif., North Las Vegas, Nev., and El Paso, Texas, Jan. 14; Rohnert Park, Calif., and Albuquerque, N.M., Jan. 15; Raymond, Miss., Jan. 20; Baton Rouge, La., Jan. 21; San Diego, Calif., and Fort Worth, Texas, Jan. 26. 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]. |
Do student pilots solo during the winter? Frequently! All that’s needed is a methodical approach to meeting the demands of the season. Adopt that method and there’s no reason why winter should slow down your training schedule. How do the major training academies handle wintertime flight training? See the December 2008 
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