August 7, 2015 - VOL 15, ISSUE 32

Flight Training News

Flight Training magazine

Energy management

Energy is like money—you earn it, spend it, and save it. Learn the principles behind controlling altitude and airspeed. Read more...  

Video

'One Week' students impress CFIs

After a week of intense simulator and flight training, One Week Ready to Solo students Nik Oekerman, Sherry Rosenkranz, and Chris Graves put together all they've learned to impress their flight instructors with their newfound abilities. Watch as the students take off and land with almost no help from their instructors—two CFIs even put tape over their mouths to curb tendencies to coach their students. Experience the highs of flight training in this final One Week Ready to Solo episode...  

Article

2,600 miles to Oshkosh

Lee Griffin of North Pole, Alaska, realized a longtime dream when he flew 2,600 nautical miles to EAA AirVenture in his North American T-28 Trojan. Read more...  

Digital publication

Explore the 'CFI to CFI' newsletter

Enjoy a compilation of flight instructors' favorite techniques for teaching a procedure; read about Lockheed Martin Flight Service's new Web portal to get the briefing you need; and discover safety videos, quizzes, and more when you access the Air Safety Institute's free digital newsletter anywhere, anytime. Subscribe here to add CFI to CFI to your flight bag. Explore the newsletter now...

Scholarships

Article

How to share aviation

Ceci Stratford, a pilot from Simi Valley, California, gives back to aviation by sponsoring Flight Training scholarships. Read more...  

Training Resources

Flash-based, login required

Weather can be fickle

Whether or not you have an instrument rating, unanticipated instrument conditions can adversely impact your flight. Gradually lowering ceilings and visibility can be deceptive and lure you to continue VFR flight into IMC. Weather Wise: Ceiling and Visibility helps you recognize what happens when clouds and Mother Earth begin to touch and temperature and dew point converge. Be safe, take the course…

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 Flight Training Online or AOPA Online. If you're not already a member, join today and get the pilot's edge.

Career Pilot

FedEx places record 767 order

FedEx Express agreed to purchase 50 Boeing 767s July 21, with an option to purchase 50 more. According to Bloomberg Business, this is the model's largest-ever order, with a list value of about $10 billion. The purchase breathes new life into the Boeing 767 as passenger carriers shift to newer aircraft, according to the report.

Trans State Airlines joins ATP tuition assistance program

Trans State Airlines is the latest regional airline to offer financial assistance as part of ATP Flight School's Tuition Reimbursement Program, the companies announced July 28. Through the program, eligible pilots at ATP agree to fly for Trans States once they have the required flight experience and in return receive assistance with flight school loan repayment or a refund of a portion of the training costs. The airline also offers a $10,000 first officer signing bonus and covers the cost of the airline transport pilot certification training program for qualified pilots, according to the announcement.

For more aviation career news, see the Flight Training website.

Plane Spotter

Porterfields

Some exams afford test-takers the chance to receive extra credit by answering an additional question. If there were an exam for plane spotters, extra credit might be offered for correct identification of a Porterfield, one of the lesser-known makes and models of the Golden Age of aviation. From radial-engined taildraggers that truly dragged the tail (on a skid, not a wheel) to two-seat trainers powered by more familiar Continental and Lycoming engines, examples are still active and spottable. One popular example was the CP-65 Collegiate, powered by a 65-horsepower Continental engine.

Training Products

Article

ADS-B collaborations mean more options for pilots

Collaborations between manufacturers and developers in the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) space were among the product news highlights during EAA AirVenture 2015. Do they portend a trend? Read more...  

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 Benefits

Pilot Protection Services

The FAA and intentional falsification

It may be tempting to embellish logbook entries, but this is extraordinarily dangerous territory. The FAA takes intentional falsification very seriously because it demonstrates a lack of care, judgment, and responsibility, as well as a disregard for compliance. Read more...  

Member benefits

Protecting your passion

AOPA Insurance Services offers a number of new products designed to protect everything from your hangar to your medical certificate and your flying club. Read more...  

Member benefits

Member says AOPA found a lender 'that understood me'

Despite a challenging credit history, AOPA member Jorge Gonzalez was able to obtain aircraft financing for his experimental light sport aircraft with the help of AOPA Aviation Finance Co. Take a look back at how he purchased a Rans airplane.

Blogs

Where are they?

Only about 5 percent of the pilots on the FAA registry are women. Blogger Chip Wright's two daughters have asked him why. Read more...  

Instrument Tip

IFR Fix

A show of hands

Pilots hold a variety of scenario-based attitudes about hand-flying versus autopilots on approach. In these two excerpts from the Aviation Safety Reporting System, see how each technique led to some unpredicted consequences. Read more...  

Final Exam

Question

You want to go on a cross-country flight with your friend for a vacation. While looking at the weather for the time frame of the trip, you determine the first half of the flight will most likely be IFR. However, your friend hasn't flown before, and you would like to fly low and show him the sights along the way. You don't want to be on an IFR flight plan the whole time so you can do this, but you still want to be on a flight plan for safety purposes because you haven't flown to this location before. What should you do?

A. Pick an airport to land where you think you will be clear of IMC to close the IFR flight plan and activate a VFR flight plan.
B. File an IFR flight plan and close it when you are clear of IMC.
C. File a composite flight plan with IFR on the first half and VFR on the second half.

Answer

C. Aeronautical Information Manual 5-1-7 (b) says, "When a flight plan indicates IFR for the first portion of flight and VFR for the latter portion, the pilot will normally be cleared to the point at which the change is proposed. After reporting over the clearance limit, and not desiring further IFR clearance, the pilot should advise ATC to cancel the IFR portion of the flight plan. Then, the pilot should contact the nearest FSS to activate the VFR portion of the flight plan."

Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.

Career Opportunities

Aviation job board

Job of the week: Aviation interior designer, Corgan Associates

Corgan seeks a registered interior designer to join the Dallas Aviation studio to work as part of a creative team on airport terminals, airport clubs/lounges, and corporate airline office projects. Ideal candidates will be well rounded with a flexible attitude and an ability to collaborate in a team environment, as well as generate creative solutions for design tasks while respecting the functional parameters of each project. Read the full job description now...

AOPA career opportunities

Join the AOPA team

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a graphic design intern; director of media relations; director of regulatory affairs; Northwest Mountain regional manager; AOPA National Aviation Community Center aviation event planner; marketing project coordinator; videographer, Air Safety Institute; and aviation technical specialist. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.