June 17, 2016 - VOL 16, ISSUE 25

Flight Training News

Advocacy

Airman standards take effect

Airman certification standards took effect June 15 for those applying for a private pilot (airplane) certificate or an airplane instrument rating. The new standards replace the practical test standards familiar to most pilots. Read more...  

Flight Training feature

Build a better pilot

The FAA loves a test. The agency tests for everything from medical fitness to flying skills and aeronautical knowledge. Starting this week, the redesigned testing model ushers in a new era in evaluating pilot applicants. Learn more about the airman certification standards.  

Article

ASA makes room for new airman standards

Two columns of floor-to-ceiling warehouse shelves were cleared at Aviation Supplies & Academics to make room for pallets of handbooks containing the new airman certification standards, which went into effect June 15. Read more...  

Article

Rivals see 'awesome potential' in joint NextGen project

A 130-year rivalry in South Dakota between the Hardrockers and the Yellow Jackets on the fields of college sports didn't keep one school's president, a Grumman Cheetah pilot, from emailing the other school's leader, who flies a Cessna 152, to pitch a plan to pool their academic resources to tackle a task that all general aviation pilots must confront by 2020. Read more...  

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Stalls, spins, and safety 101

You want to fly the airplane, not design it. But perhaps you would like a better understanding of the aerodynamic principles involved in maneuvering flight. Take the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Essential Aerodynamics: Stalls, Spins and Safety online course. The updated course is optimized for desktop and mobile applications. Grasp vital need-to-know concepts and avoid unintentional stalls and spins.

Article

EAA to host career fair

The Experimental Aircraft Association will host a weeklong aviation job fair at AirVenture 2016 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The event kicks off July 25 at AirVenture's Aviation Gateway Park. Read more...  

College volunteers needed at AirVenture

Aviation-minded college students looking to get a little closer to the action at EAA AirVenture 2016 can sign up as volunteers in exchange for free admission to the "World's Greatest Aviation Celebration," according to a June 7 news release. Students may choose the hours and dates they work, and they will receive a meal and beverages during their shifts.

Scholarships

Article

9/11 training scholarship awarded

The LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation, created in memory of the copilot on board United Flight 93 who with Captain Jason Dahl fought hijackers before the aircraft plunged into a Pennsylvania field, has awarded a flight training scholarship to high school student Tyniyah Harris of Atlanta. Read more...  

Plane Spotter

A jump to jets

It was America's earliest jet trainer and first flew in 1948. Civilian pilots with a "need for speed" and curiosity about aviation's past can still find a place to fly in a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star—and even get a type rating in the airplane with its seven-foot-long canopy and distinctive wingtip fuel tanks. You will be flying an aircraft with a maximum gross weight of 15,000 pounds that climbs 6,000 feet per minute from sea level and cruises at 350 knots—which also happens to be its loop-entry speed!

Training Products and Resources

Sporty's courses comply with new standards

Sporty's announced June 15 that its Learn to Fly and Instrument Rating online courses comply with the new airman certification standards (ACS). The courses also have been updated to include an interactive version of the ACS. Sporty's also said that "updates are being made on a continual basis to written test preparation components as the ACS continues to drive knowledge testing." The Learn to Fly and Instrument Rating online courses are available for $199.99 each.

Download free VFR charts from the FAA

Some of the FAA's best-kept secrets are its free downloadable VFR sectional charts. From Albuquerque to Wichita, pilots can save paper and money by downloading any (or all) of the 54 charts as either high-quality PDF or TIFF files and printing only what's needed.

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Hot and humid spell 'DA'

Your airplane already may have decreased performance during summer's hot temperatures and increased humidity. Flying in high terrain and a heavily loaded airplane? You're now in for a high-density-altitude takeoff and landing challenge. Get an extra margin of safety with the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Density Altitude safety quiz. Take the quiz...

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

AOPA Photo Contest

Ready, set, shoot

In May, AOPA asked you to submit your best aviation images celebrating the joy of flying. More than 750 entries flooded in to the AOPA Photo Contest, sponsored by Faro Aviation, for three categories—people, places, and aircraft. Check out the winning images...  

Member benefit

Retired Navy captain buys Archer

New private pilot Dennis Hopkins is maximizing the fun of his certificate with his 1979 Piper Archer that hauls him and his wife (plus their stuff) yet sips fuel to allow him to fly without worrying about the fuel bill. AOPA Aviation Finance helped make the purchase possible. Read more...  

Pilot Protection Services

What can 007 teach you about heart attacks?

Fictional secret agent James Bond hardly lives a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Jonathan Sackier writes that because of 007's high alcohol consumption and high-fat, low-fiber diet, he's more likely to die of a heart attack than a bullet. Learn some of the symptoms of a heart attack...  

Blogs

New-hire learning curve

Being introduced to the line environment on an airline—flying revenue passengers on regular flights while being taught by a specially trained captain—can be overwhelming for students. Flight Training blogger Chip Wright offers one piece of advice for trainees. Read more...  

Final Exam

Question

My instructor and I hit a bird while flying in the practice area. We landed safely, but do we need to report the incident?

Answer

Pilots involved in a bird strike are urged to report it to the FAA by using Form 5200-7. If the strike happened near the surface of the airport, you also should advise the tower or other pilots as well as the airport manager so the remains can be removed from the runway or taxiway. Read more about bird strikes in AOPA's subject report on bird and wildlife strikes. You also must ensure that the aircraft is inspected by a licensed mechanic and that any damage is repaired as needed.

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

Career Opportunities

AOPA career opportunities

Join the AOPA team

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? AOPA is looking for an aviation technical specialist, fundraising specialist, administration executive assistant, government affairs federal and state vice president, Aviation Insurance Services director, member services representative, financial analyst, Great Lakes regional manager, medical certification specialist, communications director, donor relations director, AOPA Foundation communications director, and marketing copywriter. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.