Training Tips
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Come home to AOPA's home
Are you planning to attend the AOPA Homecoming Fly-In on Oct. 4 at Maryland's Frederick Municipal Airport?
AOPA hopes so. The event will highlight a great year in which pilots have participated in regional fly-in events that brought AOPA and members closer together in the effort to keep general aviation strong.
Flying to any new destination requires reviewing general procedures and destination-specific requirements. When you research flight in the vicinity of Washington, D.C.'s airspace, it becomes clear that special rules and preflight preparation apply. And because a high volume of traffic can be expected for the fly-in, special arrival and departure procedures have been prepared—including procedures to follow depending on which Frederick runway is in use.
To help you prepare, here are some tips for flying to Frederick, along with resources to help you arrive and depart smoothly and safely.
Before flying under VFR within 60 nautical miles of the Washington VOR/DME (DCA), pilots must successfully complete special awareness training by taking the Washington, D.C., Special Flight Rules Area online course. This requirement includes flights to Frederick, which is located about seven miles northwest of the Washington, D.C., SFRA.
Next, familiarize yourself with the prohibited area, P-40, and the overlying restricted area R-4009 associated with Camp David, north of Frederick. They are depicted on the Baltimore-Washington Terminal Area Chart and Washington, D.C., Sectional Chart. Note that the prohibited airspace is sometimes expanded on short notice. Check notams frequently on its status.
AOPA has produced a 34-page AOPA Homecoming Fly-In Pilot Information Packet that sets forth arrival and departure procedures and other operations specific to the fly-in, including the location and direction of VFR holding patterns, visual checkpoints that define them, and after-landing procedures. (Please exit the runway as quickly and safely as possible.)
Flying the precise ground tracks designated in the packet is vital for safety and efficiency. See Page 5 of the packet for other cautions about flight in the area.
Inbound VFR flights requesting traffic advisories should contact Potomac Approach Control well before arriving at the Westminster (EMI) or Martinsburg (MRB) VORs, the navaids to which aircraft will be funneled for arrival. Remain alert for converging traffic over navaids and when entering the traffic pattern. Know your ATC-assigned sequence.
As always, good preparation is key to a good flight. On arrival, the rewards in fun, food, and friendship will be many for those who come home to Frederick.
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Flight Training News
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Article
Simulator training is increasingly going retail. Elite Simulation Solutions, a mainstay in the PC-based training environment, is opening a simulator training center in Oviedo, Florida. The center is an opportunity for the company to show off its product line, which includes everything from single-screen desktop devices to cockpit-sized turbine-engine advanced training devices. Some of the company's new rotorcraft models will also be available. Read more...
 
Article
Just over a year after launch, OpenAirplane has 71 aircraft rental locations and counting, with a new location joining each week. Now, the company is adding yet another incentive: a referral bonus for participating pilots. Co-founder Rod Rakic said OpenAirplane's freshman year surprises have been pleasant, and satisfaction with the concept—a single checkout to allow rentals in many locations—is running high. Read more...
Login required
Have you ever been tempted to or, worse, succumbed to temptation to fly under low ceilings and in poor visibility? If so, you're lucky to be alive and need to watch Weather Wise: VFR into IMC to see why. This Air Safety Institute course covers the basic weather knowledge you need to avoid such conditions, as well as real-life issues that can influence your decision making in the future. Take the course and be safe...
PDF
The federal aviation regulations (FARs) outline how we become pilots, how our aircraft are certified and built, how we should fly, and much more. This Air Safety Institute Safety Advisor describes the structure of the FARs, discusses how they are created and modified, and points out other regulation-related documents all pilots should know about. Download it now...
Vermont Tech receives seaplane donation
Students attending Vermont Tech can now learn how to fly a twin seaplane, thanks to a recent donation. The Professional Pilot Technology program, in partnership with the Vermont Flight Academy, received a Twin Bee from a Southern California couple, making Vermont Tech the first college in the United States to offer training in multiengine as well as single-engine seaplanes.
Cathay Pacific offers Chicago-area aviation academy
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has launched an academy for 15 Chicago-area high school students that will show them the possibilities for aviation careers. During the academy, which runs through Dec. 2, students attend classes once a week. Pilots, flight attendants, airport staff, and others who work in the airline and travel industry will speak about their jobs and offer tips on how to pursue a similar career path.
Community college adds dispatcher course
North Carolina-based Guilford Technical Community College has launched a new aircraft dispatcher certification course in its continuing education division. The six-week course will begin in October and will offer short-term training for those looking for an avenue into the aviation industry.
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Scholarships
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Article
Check out scholarships for flight training, airport management, aviation engineering, and more. Read more...
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Training Resources
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Video
Every pilot learns the technique for a proper crosswind landing, but this skill requires more than knowing the proper control inputs. Watch this Air Safety Institute video filled with explanations and tips that will help you in this task—or provide you with a convenient review. Watch the video...
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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.
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AOPA Live
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AOPA Live This Week
AOPA has set in stone a lasting tribute to Dr. David B. Nichols, a pilot who cared for residents of a remote Chesapeake Bay island. Also this week, ride in the Phenom 100 and see how Embraer bizjets are finished in Florida, and take a look at the art of keeping hundreds of hungry pilots happy with help from food trucks. AOPA Live This Week®, Oct. 2...
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Career Pilot
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Textron subsidiary, China Express Airlines ink sim deal
Textron subsidiary TRU Simulation + Training has signed a contract to provide China Express Airlines with a Bombardier CRJ 900 FFS X full-flight simulator. China Express Airlines will adopt TRU Simulation + Training's Train@Home model, which it says provides substantial savings on the cost of pilot training operations and increases the availability of pilots to fly. China Express Airlines is currently sending its pilots to a training facility in Montreal.
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For more aviation career news, see the Flight Training website.
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Plane Spotter
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Three tails dragging
Some aircraft are visually striking for the entirety of their lines. Others find their way into a plane spotter's notebook for a single unique characteristic—think the straight leading edge of a Mooney airplane's vertical tail, or the adorably offset airfoils of a Beech Staggerwing. If a low-wing, single-engine, three-tailed taildragger appears on your airport ramp, you are probably in the presence of a Bellanca Cruisair. These retractable- and fixed-gear aircraft dating to the 1930s featured an oval vertical "endplate" on each horizontal stabilizer, until a 1963 design change.
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Training Products
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ASA offers seaplane training book
Seaplane Pilot, published by Aviation Supplies and Academics, is designed as a study guide for pilots seeking to earn a seaplane rating and a review guide for seaplane pilots. Using full-color photography and illustrations, author Dale DeRemer offers tips, techniques, and advice for obtaining the rating. The cost is $27.95.
Sporty's offers flight review course
The Sporty's flight review course covers six subject areas and includes 42 video segments to help pilots prepare for their flight review. Based on Sporty's Private Pilot Flight Training Course, the course contains more than 96 minutes of 3-D animations and in-flight video. The cost is $34.95.
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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.
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Member Benefits
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Members only
Pilots with high blood pressure no longer need a special issuance. It is now one of the conditions aviation medical examiners can issue (CACI). When pilots (of any medical class) are placed on a blood-pressure-lowering medication, they should ground themselves for about one week to see if they develop any adverse side effects. Read more...
Member benefits
With changing seasons, insects and rodents like to make their way into your home. Here are some basic tips from AOPA Insurance Services partner Liberty Mutual on how to start protecting your home. Read more...
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Blogs
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Since purchasing an airplane in 2010, Flight Training Technical Editor Jill W. Tallman had never helped out with the maintenance portion of the annual inspection. That changed this year. Read more...
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Instrument Tip
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IFR Fix
Even brief flight under actual instrument conditions can expose holes in your basic instrument flying skills. Read more...
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Final Exam
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Question
What are isobars?
Answer
Isobars are lines of constant atmospheric pressure used to analyze pressure patterns. They can be seen on the surface analysis chart. (Source: Aviation Weather Services, Chapter 5.)
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Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.
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Career Opportunities
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Aviation job board
NASA Moffett Airfield in Mountain View, California, is seeking a full-time wildlife biologist to assist in reducing wildlife hazards to aircraft. The successful candidate will monitor wildlife behavior and abundance, evaluate hazards posed by various species, plan and implement management activities, and update the airport's Wildlife Hazard Management Plan as necessary.Read full job description.
AOPA career opportunities
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for an executive assistant for accounting/finance and legal, legal services plan program manager, financial analyst, major gift officer, and account manager II. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Education and Seminars
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Flight Instructor Refresher Courses
Oct 11-12 - Santa Clara, California; Corpus Christi, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Nashville, Tennessee
Oct 18-19 - Columbia, South Carolina
Oct 25-26 - Windsor Locks, Connecticut; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Wichita, Kansas
Nov 1-2 - Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Ashburn, Virginia
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the Air Safety Institute's new Online eFIRC.
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Air Safety Institute Safety Seminars
Oct 6 - Madison, Wisconsin; Concord, California; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Oct 7 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Fresno, California; and Des Moines, Iowa
Oct 8 - Irvine, California; Bellevue, Nebraska; and Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Oct 9 - Olathe, Kansas
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilot Seminars
Oct 3 - Frederick, Maryland
Oct 4 - Willoughby, Ohio; and Sanford, Maine
Oct 18 - Chickasha, Oklahoma; and Claredon, Vermont
Oct 24 - Verdi, Nevada
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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ePilot Flight Training Editor:
Benét Wilson
Production Assistant:
Melissa Whitehouse |
Contributors:
Sarah Deener
Alyssa Miller
Jim Moore
Jill W. Tallman
Warren Morningstar
Alton K. Marsh
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Ian J. Twombly
Dan Namowitz |
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