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Top Stories
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AOPA Pilot magazine
Business owner Eric Minnis's hands carry the marks of hard work, chapped and blistered from stitching aircraft fabric as it has been done for generations, so you might think his shop specializes in vintage airplanes. Minnis knows that even the most modern, high-performance aerobatic machines sometimes need old-school attention, and his expertise with methods old and new draws the biggest names in the airshow business to Bully Aero in Burlington, North Carolina. In this shop, the care and maintenance of airplanes that are routinely pushed to the limits is the house specialty. Read more, and watch a video and slideshow...
 
AOPA Live This Week
A tasty treat awaits those headed to Bremerton, Washington, for the AOPA Fly-In Aug. 19 and 20, in the form of famous fish. This dish comes with chips—served hot and fresh as can be—at the airport café, which has a good line on fish arriving daily at local docks in this Puget Sound town. Also this week, top airshow performers from around the world turn to Bully Aero to give the tortured tools of their trade some TLC between bashings, and a teen with a flying dream started a jewelry business to help realize that dream. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, Aug. 18...
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AOPA Fly-Ins
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A forecast full of sunshine and the breathtaking scenery around Puget Sound make the VFR route from Seattle to Bremerton, Washington, for the AOPA Fly-In Aug. 19 and 20 a bit of a treat—even before you get to the great food, the seminars, the crowd of fellow pilots, and all the rest that AOPA has lined up. A few visual landmarks make it easy to steer clear of restricted airspace. Read more...
CORRECTION: The AOPA Fly-In at Bremerton, Washington, is on for Aug. 19 and 20. An erroneous date for the event was published in the September issue of AOPA Pilot. AOPA regrets the error. The forecast looks great and there's plenty of food and fun to be had, meeting fellow pilots and attending seminars, the Barnstormers Party, aviation exhibits, a Pilot Town Hall, and more. See you there...
Article
Northwestern aviation enthusiasts have a convenient venue to celebrate National Aviation Day on Aug. 19. Socialize and share good times and good flying at the AOPA Fly-In at the Bremerton National Airport. In fact, pilots everywhere have plenty of options to help celebrate this special day. Read more...
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Technique and Safety
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Accident analysis
The importance of flying a stabilized approach is drilled into students, but good habits sometimes slip after the checkride, along with recollection of the reasons those habits were established in the first place. Some aircraft tolerate imprecision better than others. The pilot of a Mooney M20E failed to control approach speed with precision, starting a sequence of events that illustrates the hazards of trying to salvage a landing from an unstable approach. Read more in this special report from the AOPA Air Safety Institute...
Video
Distractions while taxiing can have devastating consequences. This AOPA Air Safety Institute Pilot Safety Announcement aims to raise awareness of the problem. Watch Rundown Feeling and avoid a call to the tower, or worse...
Login required
Summer's heat brings the potential for dangerous convective activity. Did you know there are an estimated 100,000 thunderstorms in the United States each year? Quick-developing storms can pose major trouble, especially when you're caught off guard and fly too close to one. Test your real-world knowledge of thunderstorm hazards with this quiz from the AOPA Air Safety Institute. Take the quiz...
AOPA Premier Partner created content
A visual approach can be a valuable tool for both the pilot and the ATC system. It can expedite traffic and save fuel while retaining an IFR clearance. However, visual approaches are not without risk. In this scenario prepared by AOPA Premier Partner PilotWorkshops.com, the weather is good VFR; it is a familiar airplane and familiar airspace. How, then, did this pilot almost fly a perfectly functioning airplane into the ground under good weather conditions? Ride along and see how you would handle this critical situation. Click here to watch, and you can also enter to win a Bose A20 headset...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
The FAA issued a final decision Aug. 15 denying an appeal from the city of Santa Monica, California, whose leaders have fought for many years to escape federal grant obligations and close Santa Monica Municipal Airport. Tenants, pilots, and advocates including AOPA and the National Business Aviation Association have consistently fought back, most recently securing a ruling from the FAA that reaffirms the city is obligated to keep its 2003 promise to operate the airport into 2023, at a minimum. Read more...
Advocacy
AOPA has assembled resources and guidance to make it easy for anyone to obtain a remote pilot certificate with a small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) rating. The certificate is necessary to conduct operations with a small UAS under the new FAR Part 107, effective Aug. 29. Recreational and hobbyist operators will not be required to obtain a remote pilot certificate as long as they comply with the special rule for model aircraft. Read more...
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Article
Charles Spence spent most of his 94 years reporting on and advocating for general aviation at a number of outlets and organizations, including 15 years at AOPA, where he served as senior vice president of public relations. Spence, who passed away in June, now has an award named in his honor, the first recipient of which shares more than his passion for aviation. Read more...
Advocacy
The FAA published a final rule in the Federal Register Aug. 11 that requires the removal of certain Engine Components International Division (ECi) cylinders produced by Danbury AeroSpace on Continental engine models -520 and -550 reciprocating engines and on engine models approved for the use of those cylinder assemblies by supplemental type certificate, like the model -470. The airworthiness directive, which also includes overhauled cylinder assemblies, affects about 6,200 engines and will cost about $11,520 per engine to comply. It will go into effect Sept. 15. Read more...
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Health
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Pilot Protection Services
When the new third class medical reform regulations take effect in 2017, pilots who will be allowed to fly without the need for a current medical certificate will need to be well-versed on their responsibilities under the regulations, particularly 14 CFR 61.53 and 91.17, that address the use of medications while flying. Read more...
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Technology
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Article
Continental Motors Group Ltd., which bought Danbury AeroSpace and with it the Titan line of engines for experimental aircraft (with certification efforts also underway) in 2015, announced Aug. 17 that the plant in San Antonio formerly operated by Danbury AeroSpace will be closed as the company consolidates production in Alabama and Germany. Read more...
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Opinion
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Blog
Aviation mechanics joke that an aircraft owner with a screwdriver is the most dangerous thing in aviation. This can be all too true, yet participation in maintenance also has many benefits, particularly for those pilots who take to the mechanical arts. Opinion Leaders blogger Mike Busch has been there, once a pilot and aircraft owner ignorant of what goes on inside the machine, now an A&P with inspection authorization. With a few caveats, aircraft owners do have much to gain when they do their own work, though the gains may not be exactly what you're thinking. Read more...
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Financial
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Article
Vivek Saxena, an aerospace executive who spent most of his career at Pratt & Whitney, has been named president and CEO of Mooney International, the Texas company announced. Read more...
Article
Pilots looking to buy a used aircraft often wonder if a prepurchase examination is worth the cost. It is. The objective is to examine the aircraft for damage and wear that might not be evident, and to form an educated guess as to future maintenance needs. Read more...
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News and Notes
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Article
Joel Cihak, 16, launched his first solo with less than six hours scribbled in his logbook. The runway in New London, Virginia, disappeared beneath his wings as Cihak pointed the blue-and-white Cessna 150 skyward, his mom and dad cheering as they watched from the ramp below. Liberty University hosted Cihak and five other high school students for an intensive flight training camp that helped all six to solo. Read more...
Article
We last met Jack "Lefty" Leftwich in 2010, when he announced he would end his flying career with one more flight in a two-seat Quicksilver. The World War II Boeing flying boat pilot and former Douglas DC-6 captain changed his mind, making another last flight at age 99. Read more...
Article
Michael Goulian made his first final four of the 2016 Red Bull Air Race World Championship, but exceeding the G limit in the final run kept him off the podium in Ascot, Great Britain, where Australian pilot Matt Hall was the winner Aug. 14. Fellow American Kirby Chambliss held on to fourth place in the season standings, despite a tough week and an early exit. Read more...
Article
Where is a prospective member of your startup flying club likely to go first to learn whether the organization is a good fit? Read more...
Member benefit
AOPA Insurance Services surveyed insurance carriers to learn whether third class medical reform would affect aircraft insurance. Nearly across the board, medical reform should have no negative impacts on insurance coverage. Most of AOPA Insurance's carriers said that if a pilot is in compliance with the FAA regulations (including medical reform when finalized), then that pilot is in compliance with the company's insurance requirements as well. Read more...
Article
National Aviation Day, observed each year on Aug. 19, was established in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to celebrate the history and advancement of aviation. In honor of this auspicious day, AOPA created an infographic showing five ways you can join in the celebration of aviation achievement. We also asked a few members to put into words what aviation means to them. Read more...
The 2016 AOPA Flight Training Poll closes Aug. 22. Feedback gathered from students helps flight schools improve programs, so a few minutes on the computer can help make training work better for everyone. Not only will you help the aviation community grow, but taking the poll also puts you in the running for prizes sponsored by Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, Jeppesen, PilotWorkshops, and Sporty's Pilot Shop. Take the poll...
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Career Opportunities
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AOPA career opportunities
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? AOPA is looking for an account executive, advertising-marketing coordinator, member services representative, Central Southwest regional manager, administrative coordinator, New York You Can Fly ambassador, aviation technical specialist, fundraising specialist, government affairs federal and state vice president, communications director, donor relations director, and AOPA Foundation communications director. To learn more about these and other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
You're helping a friend with his instrument rating requirements by serving as his safety pilot while he completes some simulated instrument cross country flights. You're also in the process of trying to build time toward your air transport pilot certificate and would like to count some of this time toward your minimums as well. You've got the total time, but you could use all the cross country time you can get. Can you log cross country time for the time you are acting as safety pilot?
Answer
Unfortunately, you cannot log cross country time for this flight because you are serving as safety pilot for only a portion of the flight. Because your friend is flying the entire flight, including takeoff and landing, only he can log the cross country time for this flight. See this letter of interpretation from the FAA's Office of Chief Counsel.
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
Aug 20-21 - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and Reno, Nevada
Sep 10-11 - Elkridge, Maryland
Sep 17-18 - Phoenix, Arizona; and Sandston, Virginia
Sep 24-25 - Colorado Springs, Colorado
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
Aug 20 - Bremerton, Washington; and Clayton, Georgia
Aug 24 - Frederick, Maryland
Sep 6 - Wichita, Kansas; Madison, Wisconsin; and Seattle, Washington
Sep 7 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Portland, Oregon
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilots Seminars
Aug 20 - Bremerton, Washington; Hayden, Idaho; and Fullerton, California
Aug 27 - Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Naples, Florida
Aug 31 - Racine, Wisconsin
Sep 8 - Newnan, Georgia
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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ePilot Editors:
Alyssa Miller
Jim Moore
David Tulis
Production Assistant:
Melissa Whitehouse
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Contributors:
Mike Collins
Sarah Deener
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Alton K. Marsh
Warren Morningstar
Dan Namowitz
Jill W. Tallman
Elizabeth Tennyson
Ian J. Twombly
Julie Summers Walker
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