Member Guide

April 1, 2012 By Kathleen Dondzila King

About 8 percent of men and one-half percent of women in the United States have problems with color perception. Whether caused by genetics, injury, or disease, color blindness is challenging to live with and presents special hurdles for pilots. The medical standards in FAR Part 67 specify that applicants for all classes of medical certification must have "the ability to perceive those colors necessary for the safe performance of airman duties." Every visit to an AME for renewal of an airman medical certificate involves taking a color vision test. Technically known as a pseudoisochromatic color plate test, it's the one with the pages of different-colored dots.

AOPA Membership Services and Products

AOPA
421 AVIATION WAY
FREDERICK, MARYLAND 21701

TOLL-FREE PILOT INFORMATION CENTER
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org

NEW ADDRESS?
Send your new address and AOPA membership number to:
AOPA, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701-4798
Fax 301/695-2375
Click www.aopa.org/coa-form.html

AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION
Call 800/638-3101
Click www.aopa.org/asf/

AOPA CREDIT CARD PROGRAM
Call 800/523-7666
Click www.aopa.org/info/cc/

AOPA AIRCRAFT INSURANCE
Call 800/622-AOPA (622-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/aircraftinsurance.html

AOPA LEGAL SERVICES PLAN
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/legalservices.html

AOPA MEDICAL SERVICES PLAN
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/medicalservices.html

AOPA AIRCRAFT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/aircraftpartnership/

AOPA ONLINE TRAVEL
Click www.aopa.org/travel/

OTHER AOPA MEMBER PRODUCTS
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/memberproducts/

Savings every day with the AOPA car rental discount program

Pocket some savings with the AOPA car rental discount program. If you’re renting a car from Alamo, Avis, Enterprise, or Hertz, be sure to use your AOPA discount code and save up to 25 percent. Plus, with money-saving coupons such as free rental days and upgrades, you can’t go wrong. Take advantage of this member benefit and you could see your AOPA membership pay for itself.

To ensure you’re receiving the AOPA car rental discount, make your reservation directly through the AOPA website. Can’t remember the discount code? No problem—when you reserve your car through the links provided, the code is already entered for you. Take the stress out of renting and let the computer do the work for you. Not only will you save yourself some cash, but a portion of all the revenue generated will be returned to AOPA and reinvested to fund association efforts to maintain the freedom, safety, and affordability of general aviation. Visit the website for more details.

Air Safety Institute

Planning for your future is easier than you may think

Planning for the future may seem like a daunting task. However, new technology makes planning easier than ever before. Our planned-giving website includes a valuable tool: an online Wills Planner that can help you organize your plans before you meet with your attorney. To get started, visit the website and click on “Plan Your Will.”

Once your information is complete, you have the option of sharing your plans online with us or with a qualified attorney who can draft your will or trust. The benefit of using an online planning account is that you can come back again and again to update your information for future planning. If you have questions about using the online Wills Planner, or would like assistance with your planning decisions, please contact Gary Martin, national director of strategic philanthropy, at 301-695-2320 or email [email protected].

Answers for Pilots

Pass the Sudafed, please

We all enjoy the beauty of blossoming fruit trees each spring and the gradual transition of the landscape from brown to green. While our eyes delight in the flourishing scenery, our sinuses may complain. Headaches and congestion mark the onset of allergy season for many pilots. Some medications—even those purchased over the counter—have side effects that make them unsafe to take when flying. Double check your allergy meds to be sure they are FAA-approved. Search AOPA’s online medication database by the drug’s trade name, generic name, type of medication, or the medical condition being treated to find out whether, and under what conditions, the FAA has approved it for pilots.

For more information on AOPA’s medication database, read this month’s Answers for Pilots. And of course, give us a call with any questions Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, at 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672).