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Top Stories
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Article
Brian Rowser had been airborne in an Aviat Husky for two hours above the rough, high wilderness of northeastern Utah the morning of Sept. 13 when he spotted Christian Herrera, a 77-year-old man who had been missing for three days, standing under a tree in tangled terrain at the base of a 1,000-foot ridge, "waving something white that was attached to a stick." It was Rowser's second save in just weeks. Read more...
 
Article
Axel Alvarez saw plumes of orange flames piercing thick, black smoke from California's Butte fire below the left wingtip of his Mooney. "It was crazy, seeing the intensity of the fires," he said. "The red and orange glow behind the smoke is something I've never seen before." Alvarez was flying through the Sierra Nevada valley to pick up a new propeller for his modified Van's Aircraft RV-4; little did he know that the owner of the prop shop had been personally affected by the fires. Read more...
AOPA Live This Week
AOPA Editor in Chief Tom Haines flies the Nextant 400XTi, a Beechjet on steroids. Steer clear of the temporary flight restrictions that will be in effect during Pope Francis' visit Sept. 22 through 27; the FAA has made clear that those TFRs also apply to drones. Plus, see new technology that aims to keep drones flying legally and safely separated from manned aircraft; take a tour of the U.S. Air Force Academy; and pay tribute to retiring AOPA Board of Trustees member Paul Heintz. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, Sept. 17...
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AOPA Fly-Ins
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Article
"Most people would see that and say, 'Take anything you can get,'" said WestPac President Bill Klaers, pointing to a mangled section of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. At WestPac Restorations in Colorado Springs, however, it's the start of a project. Members can see some of WestPac's completed restoration projects at the National Museum of World War II Aviation during the AOPA Colorado Springs Fly-In Sept. 26. Read more...
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Technique and Safety
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Video
Preflight weather planning is the foundation for some of our most critical decisions as pilots. But are we getting what we need? The Air Safety Institute's new video, Weather Wise: Gathering Information—the first in a series focused on practical weather flying—shares strategies to gather important weather information at the right time, using the system that fits your needs. Watch the video...
Accident analysis
Flying light general aviation aircraft can pose additional hazards even to the most highly trained professional pilots. A first lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps who’d been assigned to fly the MV-22 Osprey after having qualified in a Beech T-6B Texan II single-engine turboprop and a TC-12, the military variant of the King Air, missed a fuel leak during a cross country flight in a Grumman AA-1B and crashed because of fuel exhaustion, killing him and his passenger. Learn more in this special report from the Air Safety Institute...
AOPA Premier Partner sponsored content
In this video, Master CFII and Designated Pilot Examiner Wally Moran breaks down the different types of GPS approaches and shares some tips to help you fly them more smoothly, safely, and precisely. Watch the video, provided by AOPA Premier Partner PilotWorkshops...
IFR Fix
Two pilots who suffered hypoxia during high-altitude flight but survived to read about themselves in Aviation Safety Reporting System narratives had one thing in common. Read more...
Competition Aerobatics 101
With the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships just days away, pilots converge from the corners of the country, practicing and polishing along the way. Read more...
Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft brake systems don't usually get too much attention until something fails. That's risky because a failure in the brake system can cause a lot of damage. It pays to stay ahead of the maintenance curve and look for trouble before it finds you. Read more...
Article
Whether it's been quite some time or only a short hiatus since your last flight, the Air Safety Institute's Rusty Pilots Safety Spotlight provides a convenient way to get you back into the left seat. Brush up on your mic technique, polish your aerodynamics knowledge, and delve deeper into today's airspace before your next flight. Learn more...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
Voters nationwide strongly oppose privatizing the air traffic control system, according to a survey released Sept. 17 by the Alliance for Aviation Across America, the League of Rural Voters, and Air Care Alliance. Read more...
Advocacy
The FAA has announced that it will delay its plans to require all flights to use the International Civil Aviation Organization flight plan form until Oct. 1, 2016. Read more...
Advocacy
AOPA and the Air Safety Institute will participate in an NTSB loss-of-control forum in October. "Every GA pilot gets training in loss-of-control events, such as aerodynamic stalls," said NTSB member Earl F. Weener, who will preside at the event. "Yet about 40 percent of GA fatal accidents involve loss of control. We want to know what can be done to better address this stubbornly recurrent safety challenge." Read more...
Advocacy
Five general aviation organizations, including AOPA, are asking the Senate to protect flight training benefits for veterans. Read more...
Advocacy
A 28,000-square-mile area of special-use airspace known as the Powder River Training Complex spanning Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota is now active. Read more...
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Health
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Pilot Protection Services
What can you do to prevent cardiovascular disease and stay in the left seat longer? Dr. Jonathan Sackier offers seven tips to lower your risk. Read more...
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Technology
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Article
Technology that will allow small drones to operate safely while beyond visual range is beginning to emerge. While still in the early stages, both on-board and remote detection solutions are being developed. These new systems provide insight into how safe integration can one day be accomplished. Read more...
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Opinion
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Blog
If you thought the FAA's knowledge test for pilot certification was outdated, take a look at the three exams for airframe and powerplant mechanic applicants. According to Opinion Leaders blogger Mike Busch, not only are the tests outdated, but many of the FAA's so-called correct answers on the tests are flat-out wrong. Read more...
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Gear
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Article
You first heard in July that certain Garmin avionics will talk to electronic flight bag ForeFlight. Now, 45 days later, ForeFlight has announced what the two will talk about. For one thing, flight plans can be transferred both ways. Read more...
Article
FlyQ, an electronic flight bag for the iPad by Seattle Avionics Software, has gone through major revisions to speed and simplify its operation and make it more reliable. It even figures out the best winds for your route. Read more...
Article
Aerocet, based in Priest River, Idaho, has received an FAA supplemental type certificate to mount its floats on Quest Kodiak 100 utility aircraft. Read more...
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Travel
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Canopies shade Texas arrivals
With college football back in action and the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix coming in October, Ron Henriksen is ready with shade and other jet-set comforts at the two airports he owns in Texas. Henriksen FBOs in Houston and Austin both feature large arrival canopies able to shade multiple large aircraft; the larger canopy at Houston Executive Airport claims the title of the world's largest at 32,800 square feet, enough to cover a pair of Boeing Business Jets side by side. Henriksen built the airports, and the FBOs, from the ground up.
Video
Flying your airplane to the Bahamas can be fun and rewarding if you are properly prepared for the island trip. An easy-to-follow AOPA Pilot Information Center video outlines the important steps for a successful Bahamas aviation adventure. Watch the video...
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Financial
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Member benefits
Lenders have preferences based on make, model, and year of aircraft when it comes to providing financing for turbine aircraft. Check out these four tips to consider before you buy. Read more...
Member benefits
After joining AOPA as a student, Amy Munizzi said Flight Training magazine and AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition's weekly "Training Tip" provided her with the information she needed to progress in her training. She then turned to AOPA Insurance Services to buy renters insurance to make sure she was covered in her flight school's aircraft. Read more...
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News and Notes
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Article
A record 19 aircraft are racing in the Jet Class at the fifty-second National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada. The Unlimiteds promise to be as fast as ever, and Tom Aberle set a new Biplane speed record of 284.454 mph in qualifications. Read more...
Article
The Boeing Stearman Cannibal Queen, made famous by author Stephen Coonts in a book by the same name, spent Labor Day taking World War II veterans for a ride. Read more...
Article
Amateur aircraft builders who think they have the best low-cost ideas to help pilots avoid imminent loss of control or to increase situational awareness could win some cash for their innovations. Read more...
Article
Maximilian Seis, a 22-year-old glider pilot from France, has won the sixth World Sailplane Grand Prix Championship. Read more...
Article
Gliderbooks Academy-Online Soaring School has launched a series of courses designed to give prospective glider pilots the aeronautical information they need to take the knowledge test. Read more...
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Article
The Wright Co. Factory in Dayton, Ohio, will be open for free monthly tours through the end of 2015 to draw attention to the National Aviation Heritage Alliance's efforts to restore the two buildings. Read more...
Article
The histories of powered flight and jazz—two uniquely American originals—will intertwine in an unusual live performance Oct. 3 at George Mason University's Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, Virginia. Read more...
Article
It took many years, but a gyrocopter pilot from Missouri has broken the coast-to-coast and back record by 16 days. He did it by flying into the night and around weather. Read more...
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Career Opportunities
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Aviation job board
Are you looking for an excellent time-building opportunity? Skywarrior Flight Training is an FAA-certified, Part 141 school located in Pensacola, Florida, just minutes from the beach and Naval Air Station Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels. The location provides VFR flying conditions nearly every day. Recently certificated flight instructors are welcome; however, all applicants will be reviewed. Instructors can expect to earn between 80 and 110 hours per month of flight time. Apply today...
AOPA career opportunities
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a legal services plan specialist; payroll technician; database developer; aviation event planner; manager of aviation safety programs; ambassador—Texas; director of aviation security; graphic design intern; director of media relations; and director of regulatory affairs.To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
You're hanging out at the local fixed-base operation when one of the pilots walks in and asks for a safety pilot. You volunteer because you get to go flying and don't have to pay for it! While walking out to the airplane you realize that you may have accepted this flight prematurely. This pilot flies a Cessna 182 Turbo RG, but you don't have a complex or a high-performance endorsement. Can you be the safety pilot for this flight? Can you log any of the flight time?
Answer
You can be the safety pilot for this flight, but you can't act as pilot in command, even when the other pilot is under the hood. The other pilot would need to be acting PIC for the entire flight; you would be second in command when he is under the hood and could log SIC time. While it is always a good idea to be familiar with and have some experience in an aircraft in which you're acting as safety pilot, there is no requirement for a safety pilot to hold the correct endorsements for the aircraft used—just a private pilot certificate with correct category and class. (See FAR 91.109(c).) For further clarification, read this FAA letter of interpretation.
Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA. |
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Education and Seminars
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Flight Instructor Refresher Courses
Sep 19-20 - Phoenix, Arizona
Sep 26-27 - Sacramento, California
Oct 10-11 - Nashville, Tennessee; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Oct 17-18 - Wichita, Kansas; and Santa Clara, California
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the Air Safety Institute's Online eFIRC.
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Air Safety Institute Safety Seminars
Sep 28 - Mesa, Arizona; Duluth, Minnesota; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Hampton, Virginia
Sep 29 - Tucson, Arizona; Blaine, Minnesota; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Fairfax, Virginia
Sep 30 - Rochester, Minnesota; Reading, Pennsylvania; El Paso, Texas; and Blacksburg, Virginia
Oct 1 - Albuquerque, New Mexico; King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; and Richmond, Virginia
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilot Seminars
Sep 19 - Atlanta, Georgia; and San Diego, California
Sep 23 - Duanesburg, New York
Sep 26 - Colorado Springs, Colorado; Smithfield, Rhode Island; Stevensville, Maryland; and Orlando, Florida
Oct 3 - Lakeland, Florida; and Prineville, Oregon
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Aviation Calendar
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Want something to do this weekend? Planning an aviation getaway? See AOPA's enhanced calendar of events. You can filter events by date range, airport ID, state, or region. Before you take off on an adventure, make sure you check our current aviation weather provided by Jeppesen.
To include an event or to search all events in the calendar, visit AOPA Online. For airport details, including FBO fuel prices, see AOPA Airports. AOPA does not endorse or assume responsibility for the events submitted and listed in the calendar.
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AOPA Featured Events
Sep 19 — Frederick, Maryland. Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK). AOPA Movie Night at the AOPA National Aviation Community Center.
Sep 26 — Colorado Springs, Colorado. Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (KCOS). AOPA Fly-In.
Oct 10 — Tullahoma, Tennessee. Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA). AOPA Fly-In.
Events by Region
Northeast | Eastern | Mid-Atlantic | Florida | Southeast | Great Lakes | Midwest | Southwest | Central | Western | California | Northwest | Alaska | Hawaii
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ePilot Editors:
Alyssa Miller
Jim Moore
David Tulis
Production Assistant:
Melissa Whitehouse
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Contributors:
Jill W. Tallman
Elizabeth Tennyson
Warren Morningstar
Alton K. Marsh
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Ian J. Twombly
Dan Namowitz
Sarah Deener
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