Nov. 30, 2012, issue of 'AOPA ePilot: Flight Training Edition' weekly newsletter
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| Communicating with care |
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Training TipsCommunicating with care
It’s a busy day on the frequency. With a 20-knot tailwind speeding you toward the destination, it would be prudent to establish communications for entry into the Class C airspace at the next opportunity in keeping with the Aeronautical Information Manual’s guidance: “Pilots of arriving aircraft should contact the Class C airspace ATC facility on the publicized frequency and give their position, altitude, radar beacon code, destination, and request Class C service. Radio contact should be initiated far enough from the Class C airspace boundary to preclude entering Class C airspace before two-way radio communications are established.”
What will you say when you report? You just passed the intersection of Interstate 16 and Route 67, about 27 nautical miles from the airport. What if there is no recognizable visual checkpoint available when you succeed in establishing contact?
You can state your distance and direction from the airport based on a GPS readout, or estimate it based on pilotage. Another way, if your aircraft is equipped with distance measuring equipment (DME), is to report your position as a radial and DME from the Savannah VOR.
Remember when reporting that you are inbound to the VOR; that is, you are flying the reciprocal course of the radial you are tracking. For example, if you are tracking a 110-degree course inbound with the VOR needle centered and a TO indication, you are inbound on the 290-degree radial. You would describe your position as, say, 25 miles from Savannah on the 290-degree radial, inbound.
Once approach control confirms radar contact, you will be given a transponder code to squawk and arrival instructions, such as the traffic pattern entry to expect for the runway in use. When you get closer, expect a handoff to the control tower.
Tomorrow, when you fly in your local practice area to work on maneuvers, don’t slack off the careful communications. If remaining within 10 miles of the nontowered airport, at altitudes used for arrivals and departures, monitor the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency, and make sure the other local traffic knows where you are. Flight Training NewsChat about pilot gadgets on Dec. 4What’s on your holiday shopping list? Join Flight Training Editor Ian J. Twombly and Technical Editor Jill W. Tallman for the monthly Flight Training Facebook chat. Twombly and Tallman will talk about the latest pilot gadgets, and as usual, all other training questions are welcome. The chat begins at 3 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 4. Go to the Flight Training Facebook page to join in, view transcripts of previous chats, or set an email reminder. App rouletteThis week, AOPA e-Newsletter Editor Benét J. Wilson takes a spin on the app roulette wheel. She came up with five random apps to review for the week: ARPort, FBO Fuel prices, Spin-a-Wind, Survival Pocket Ref, and EAA Radio. Read more >> Get a universal checkout in CessnasGet checked out in one make and model Cessna at a Cessna Pilot Center, and that checkout can count for participating Cessna Pilot Centers in other locations through OpenAirplane, a company that offers a universal checkout. The partnership with OpenAirplane grants pilots access to a diverse fleet with a nationwide footprint without the expense and hassles normally associated with renting away from their home field. OpenAirplane expects to launch later this year. Read more >> Wichita Aero Club offers new scholarshipThe Wichita Aero Club has created the Edward W. Stimpson scholarship to honor the memory of the late president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and International Civil Aviation Organization ambassador. The $2,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to those seeking to make a significant contribution to the aviation industry upon completion of their education. The club will accept applications until March 15, 2013. Jack Frost nipping at your … uh ohArguably one of the greatest threats to winter flying is airframe icing. It’s subtle, unpredictable, and deadly. But many pilots fail to recognize its presence until it’s too late to correct. How does it affect your aircraft, and how can you tell if you’re taking on ice? Take the Air Safety Institute’s In-flight Icing safety quiz, underwritten by AOPA Insurance Services, today and see how well you recognize the signs of taking on this unwanted weight and drag. Take the quiz >> Always have an escape planIt is said that, “aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of carelessness, incapacity, or neglect.” That is where a solid foundation in aeronautical decision making is required. See if you have the skills by taking the Air Safety Institute’s Do the Right Thing online course. Take the course >> Training ResourcesSo what kind of gear do you really need to learn to fly? Check out “Getting the gear you need” for the best tips on stocking your student-pilot flight bag. You’ll learn how to find what you need at the right price. And don’t forget, our Pilot Information Center specialists are available at 800/USA-AOPA to give you advice, every weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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 8 p.m. Eastern time) or from 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. AOPA Live This Week: Low and slow over the EvergladesJoin up in low-and-slow formation over the Everglades at an AirCam fly-in and get an unmatched view of the “river of grass” from above. Also find out how a new partnership with the aircraft title and escrow services business Aero-Space Reports will support AOPA’s mission and members. Watch here >> Career PilotAmerican Air union chief urges pilots to approve new dealKeith Wilson, head of the Allied Pilots Union, is asking union members to approve a new labor contract with American Airlines, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram . The deal gives pilots a pay hike and an equity stake in the airline after it leaves bankruptcy protection. In exchange, the carrier gets more codesharing deals and increases the number of 76-seat regional jets in its fleet. Voting will continue until Dec. 7. Aviation adventures included on Extreme Bucket ListSteve Conklin, creator of the Extreme Bucket List, is a former bobsledder who has leveraged his relationships in sports, including aviation, to create a list that allows people to experience the extreme. Some of his extreme aviation adventures include flying with the now-disbanded Red Baron Squadron and the Blue Angels—within 24 hours of each other. Read more >> Southwest Airlines adjusts Wichita scheduleSouthwest Airlines will begin flights from Wichita Mid-Continent Airport to Dallas Love Field, Chicago Midway, and Las Vegas beginning June 2, reports the Dallas Morning News’ Airline Biz blog. The carrier’s AirTran subsidiary will discontinue flights to Atlanta. Women of Aviation Worldwide Week 2013 to focus on aerospaceMarch 4 through 10, 2013, are the dates of the upcoming Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, and organizers say the 2013 event will focus on opportunities for women in the aerospace industry. The theme ties in with the fiftieth anniversary of the first space flight by a woman, conducted by Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova on June 16, 1963. Free flights for women and girls, static displays at airports, and special guests are planned at numerous locations in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Plane SpotterPeer review: Beech Duke Training ProductsAircraftSpruce.com is selling the book Rod Machado’s Private Pilot Workbook, created as a study guide for the FAA’s Private Pilot Knowledge Exam. The book prepares students for the exam and helps them understand and absorb the knowledge necessary to fly safely. It comes in paper and e-book form.
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. Member BenefitsChoosing medications and medical devicesThis week, learn how the FAA makes a decision about approving a medication. The agency does not review every medication that comes out on the market. It will wait until airmen or pilot advocacy organizations begin to ask about a particular medication or consultants recommend it consider a newer medication. Read more >> Aero-Space Reports signs on as AOPA’s third strategic partnerAOPA has signed a new strategic partner agreement with Aero-Space Reports Inc., one of the leading aircraft title and escrow services providers in the nation. The Oklahoma City–based company becomes AOPA’s third strategic partner. Read more >> National Car Rental offers free enrollment in Emerald ClubAOPA members can take advantage of complimentary enrollment in National’s award-winning Emerald Club. The Emerald Club expedites the rental process for members by offering counter bypass as well as access to National’s “Emerald Aisle,” an exclusive section of the lot where members can personally select any vehicle as long as they reserved a mid-sized car. Real estate deals for membersDouglas Elliman Real Estate is now offering AOPA members and their families an additional benefit on their next real estate transaction, nationwide. Buyers get a free one-year home warranty. Sellers get a 10-percent rebate check on listing side commission. New is a mortgage gift of $150, $300, or $500. Find more information online. Holiday shopping: AOPA offers pilot products, discountsFrom stunning aviation photographs to deals on aircraft parts and supplies, AOPA makes shopping for the pilot on your list easy this holiday season. The association offers products that broadcast pilots’ love of aviation and facilitate their flying—and members can get exclusive deals on pilot supplies and more from aviation and nonaviation companies. Read more >> BlogsThe pilot shortage is gaining attentionThe Wall Street Journal ran a front-page story about the impending lack of qualified pilots. The story cited three major causes: the mandatory retirement age of 65, which goes into full effect this year; the change in rest requirements that will require pilots to get more rest on overnights, and will thus lead to a need for more pilots to staff the airline; and the new certification requirements that will require pilots to have 1,500 hours before getting an airline job. Read more >> Eleanor flies: First flight with DadThere’s no shortage of reasons to learn to fly. One of the best is sharing flight with others, writes Let’s Go Flying blogger Steve Tupper. He has taken each of his kids to the airport since before they could walk. “My son, Nicholas (callsign: ‘FOD’), has known how to operate a flap lever in a Cessna 172 since he was three. My daughter, Ella (callsign: ‘Deadly’) reached for the throttle with her right hand the first time I loaded her into the left seat of a C-172.” Read more >> AOPA Career OpportunitiesEver dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We’re looking for an events coordinator; AOPA eastern regional manager; marketing coordinator; .NET applications developer; production assistant–Web; member services representative; manager, AOPA Flying Club Network; Web developer (eMedia); and Web graphic designer. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online. Community
AVIATION EVENTS & WEATHER
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Inbound to Georgia’s Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport from the northwest, you have received the automated terminal information service broadcast, noted the runway in use, and are mindful of 
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