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TRAINING TIPsTime trials
The answer is 8 p.m. on Friday. The difference is four hours with daylight-saving time in effect in summer. It’s five hours during Eastern Standard Time.
Farther west in the United States, the difference between local time and Zulu, or Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), increases. The FAA’s Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) listing for the Santa Fe, N.M, airport (SAF) provides this guidance in the Mountain time zone: “UTC-7(-6DT).” Translation: Local time is UTC minus seven hours, except during daylight-saving time, when the conversion factor is six hours.
So if a flight leaves Santa Fe at noon local time in July and arrives in Tucson, Ariz.—also in the Mountain time zone—two hours later, what time did it land at Tucson? It’s tempting to answer 2 p.m. local. But it arrives at 1 p.m. local in Tucson! Arizona does not switch to daylight-saving time—quite a trap for the unwary flight planner or test-taker. There is a subtle clue to this difference in the A/FD’s Tucson listing: “TUCSON INTL (TUS) 6 S UTC-7.” It gives the airport identifier (TUS), location (6 miles south) and a time conversion—but not one for daylight time. Read airport notes carefully!
Try your hand at practice Private Pilot Knowledge Test questions. Use the search phrase “time zone” to find questions.
Student pilots often ask why Greenwich is the baseline for time calculations. Barry Schiff offered an explanation in his October 2008 AOPA Pilot “Proficient Pilot” column: “An international conference convened in Washington, D.C., in 1884 to standardize time. It was agreed that the meridian passing through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England, would become the world’s prime meridian. Greenwich was the logical choice because, at that time, 72 percent of the world’s mariners used charts displaying this line of longitude.”
Read his piece and see how global time management evolved—over time. YOUR PARTNER IN TRAININGWhen your instructor shows you power-on stall recovery, it’s in a controlled setting and you know what’s coming. But departure stall scenarios sometimes don’t resemble those training exercises. Read a real-life sequence of events from the August 2008 AOPA Pilot and learn how a sneaky setup requires a different set of responses.
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 NEWSCessna announces sport-private training programCessna Aircraft Co. unveiled a flight training system at EAA AirVenture this week that integrates the sport and private pilot curricula. The Web-based program, available through Cessna Pilot Centers, is part of the company’s effort to make flying more accessible and to re-energize pilot training, the company said. For the complete story, see AOPA Online. Spotlighting the challenges of summer weatherSummer is a great time for venturing skyward in search of the perfect $100 hamburger, although dodging thunderstorms and contending with high density altitudes is apt to add a few bucks to the bill—or worse. Get the facts you need to safely beat the heat in the new Summer Weather Safety Spotlight from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. The Web page provides a concise, graphics-rich collection of the foundation's award-winning resources for dealing with warm-weather flying challenges, including dangerous boomers, performance-robbing density altitudes, and visibility-reducing haze. Embry-Riddle to launch doctoral degree programsEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University last week announced doctoral degree programs in aviation and engineering physics. They are the university’s first Ph.D. programs. Students in the aviation program will conduct research on challenges faced by aviation and aerospace employers, ranging from airline fuel hedging, ticket pricing, and route scheduling to pilot training and safety curricula, customer services, and lean manufacturing processes. Courses are to be offered online. The aviation program starts in January 2010; the engineering physics program begins in September 2010. Kershner library donated to Tenn. Aviation Hall of FameThe personal library of renowned flight instructor and author William K. Kershner will be donated to the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. Kershner, who died in January 2007, wrote and illustrated a series of five highly regarded flight manuals. The Student Pilot’s Flight Manual, first published in 1959, sold more than 1 million copies. He was a frequent contributor to AOPA Flight Training and AOPA Pilot magazines. He was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002 and has been nominated for induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Calif. college’s helicopter program takes offCollege of the Sequoias, a community college based in Visalia, Calif., has launched a helicopter training program in conjunction with a local flight school. The program has four enrollees, with more anticipated this year. Blue Sky Aviation in Tulare provides the flight training for the 18-month certificate degree program. Inside AOPAAOPA, EAA formalize collaborative effortsThe presidents of AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) cemented a cooperative agreement that was first unveiled earlier this year by signing a memorandum of understanding in the middle of AeroShell Square at AirVenture July 29. Under the agreement, both organizations pledged to support each other’s efforts to promote, protect, and expand the general aviation community. Read more >> Organizations join forces to promote women in aviationAOPA and Women in Aviation, International (WAI) announced a new collaborative agreement intended to strengthen general aviation and increase the number of women in the aviation industry. “America’s women are a tremendous audience for general aviation and are extremely important for our industry’s growth,” said AOPA President Craig Fuller on July 30 at AirVenture. “They currently make up only six percent of the total pilot population, so the more we can do to encourage women to bring their enthusiasm and talents to aviation, the stronger we will all be.” Read more >> New Real Pilot Story features King Air 'pinch hitter'Doug White had never flown anything larger than a single-engine Cessna 172 when, as a passenger aboard a twin-turboprop Beechcraft King Air 200, the pilot sitting beside him suffered a fatal heart attack. Staring at an instrument panel that "looked like the space shuttle," White suddenly realized two things: The fate of his wife and daughters was in his hands; and the powerful, unfamiliar aircraft was climbing out of control. Hear White tell his harrowing tale—interspersed with actual ATC audio from the April 2009 incident—in Pinch Hitting a King Air, the latest Real Pilot Story presentation from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. Hurricane protection is an airplane-saverFor J. Barry Mitchell, who lives on Florida’s west coast, having hurricane protection coverage on both his aircraft—a Cessna 150 and Allegro 2000—is important. Through the AOPA Insurance Agency, Mitchell automatically receives this benefit as part of his Broad Coverage Endorsement. “It’s a terrific benefit, which pays expenses to move the aircraft from harm’s way to a safer location,” said Mitchell. Hurricane protection coverage kicks in when the National Weather Service issues a hurricane watch or warning for the area where the aircraft is principally based. The insurance company will reimburse the policy holder for a portion of the reasonable costs associated with protecting the aircraft by relocating it outside of the hurricane's predicted path. To learn more about this benefit or to get a free quote, visit the Web site or call 800/622-AOPA (2672). Hertz offers special summer savings to AOPA membersNow through Sept. 30, you can save $35 off a weekly rental of an economy or higher class vehicle. Just include PC# 128844 in your reservation as well as your AOPA CDP# 10232 for additional savings. A portion of all revenue generated will be returned to AOPA and reinvested to support our daily efforts to maintain the freedom, safety, and affordability of general aviation. Book online or call 800/654-2210 to reserve your car. TRAINING PRODUCTS‘Max Trescott’s Instrument and WAAS GPS Flying Handbook’A panel-mount GPS is an extremely valuable tool for the instrument-rated pilot, particularly if he or she has to fly single-pilot IFR. But if you don’t know how to operate all the buttons, you may miss out on getting true utility from the box. Max Trescott’s Instrument and WAAS GPS Flying Handbook aims to show you what is needed to safely operate modern GPS systems. Trescott, who was named 2008 CFI of the Year, says it includes detailed, step-by-step instructions for the Bendix/King KLN 94, Garmin GNS 430, 430W, 480, 530, 530W, and G900X, and Garmin G1000 and Garmin Perspective glass cockpits. The book sells for $39.95 and can be ordered online or by calling 800/247-6553.
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: While planning a cross-country flight, I noticed a mistake on the sectional chart. Should I report this to someone, and if so, how do I do it?
Answer: Before you report a suspected mistake or omission on a sectional chart, you should verify that it really is a mistake or omission. Once you have determined it is in fact an error, you can contact the National Aeronautical Charting Office by mail, phone, or e-mail. Mail your comment to FAA, National Aeronautical Charting Office, ATO-W, SSMC4 Station 2335,1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3281; phone 800/626-3677; e-mail.
Got a question for our technical services staff? E-mail [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. what's new onlineIf you couldn’t make it to EAA AirVenture, happening this week in Oshkosh, Wis., see our extensive reports, video coverage, and Twitter feed on AOPA Online. Our editors are covering the event from top to bottom to bring you all the action from the world’s largest airshow. Picture Perfect
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 Costa Mesa, Calif., Atlanta, Ga., and Champaign, Ill., Aug. 15 and 16; Reno, Nev., and Allentown, Pa., Aug. 22 and 23; Fort Worth, Texas, Aug. 29 and 30; Phoenix, Ariz., and Sacramento, Calif., Sept. 12 and 13. 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 Torrance, Calif., Aug. 17; Germantown, Tenn., Aug. 31; Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 1; Maryville, Tenn., Sept. 3. 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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