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Top Stories
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Article
A hobbyist combined his passion for woodworking with his love of all things mechanical to create a nine-cylinder radial engine from lumber and plastic. Read more...
 
Article
AOPA has redesigned its website to help provide you with the tools, information, and inspiration to keep doing what you love—flying. Read more...
AOPA Live This Week
Almost 300 hours of work for every flight hour: That's what it takes to keep Fifi, the Commemorative Air Force's B-29 Superfortress, flying. AOPA traveled to Fifi's home base to see the care the warbird receives. Special-use airspace is intimidating to some pilots, but you don't have to let restricted areas and military operations areas keep you from flying to where you want to go. Also this week, updates on a couple of around-the-world flights. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, May 5...
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AOPA Fly-Ins
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Video
Are you coming to the AOPA Fly-In at Michael J. Smith Field in Beaufort, North Carolina, May 20 and 21? If you intend to fly to the event, watch this fly-in procedures video to plan your arrival. The video provides an eagle's-eye view of what to expect, whether arriving from the north, west, or south. You also should download the pilot information packet for in-depth details. Watch the video and plan your flight...
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Technique and Safety
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Pilot Protection Services
Did your aircraft's wingtip hit the fence while you were parking? Did you have a gear-up landing or prop strike? Did you knock over a taxiway light while taxiing, or brush your aircraft against another on the ground? Did a passenger fall and break an arm while exiting the airplane? Find out which of these events must be reported. Read more...
Safety Spotlight
Fuel facts
Tapping the fuel gauges in an attempt to summon the last drops of fuel to keep the engine alive is not the best way to conclude a flight. Don't let it come to that—check out the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Fuel Management Safety Spotlight for fuel planning and fuel management suggestions.
PDF
Charitable flights are a terrific way to contribute to the community while doing something you love. But conducting a charitable flight also means taking on additional responsibilities as pilot in command. To help step up your game and ensure the safety of your passengers, the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Charity Fund Raising Flying Safety Brief provides guidelines and details of the rules and regulations. Download the PDF...
IFR Fix
It is the pilot in command's responsibility to know what kind of airspace the route will take them through. Direct routings enabled by GPS technology are becoming more the rule than the exception. But does that capability come with a catch? Read more...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
AOPA and eight other industry groups sent a letter urging the FAA to "work swiftly to implement" Part 23 reform and issue a final rule by the end of 2016. The letter comes on the eve of a two-day FAA public hearing on Part 23 changes in College Park, Georgia. Read more...
Advocacy
Following a successful campaign to end unwarranted searches of general aviation aircraft, AOPA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are looking at other ways to improve the experience of pilots flying cross-border operations. Read more...
Advocacy
Fueled by coffee, doughnuts, and goodwill, 20 aviation professionals participated in a discussion at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., April 29 to brainstorm how the agency could use its vast quantities of aeronautical data to make flying safer and more affordable, and spur future innovation. Read more...
Survey
Pilot weather reports (PIREPs) represent a unique source of information about in-flight weather conditions. AOPA would like to learn more about how pilots use this information and how they participate in providing reports. Information from this anonymous survey will aid the association's advocacy efforts to improve the PIREP system, and will help AOPA develop future educational programs and outreach activities. Take the survey...
Survey
AOPA is asking pilots to complete a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) GPS questionnaire that the association can use to better understand WAAS users and advocate for improvements. The anonymous survey should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and final results will be shared with members. The deadline to participate in the survey is May 20. Take the survey...
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Technology
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Article
Solar Impulse co-founder and pilot André Borschberg logged a much shorter trip May 2 than some he has made. A predawn launch from California was followed, just under 16 hours later, by a warm welcome in Phoenix. Read more...
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Gear
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Article
L-3 Aviation Products is offering promotional pricing on its Lynx line of transponder-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out and In products. Read more...
Article
Appareo began shipping the experimental version of its new Stratus ESG—an all-in-one, panel-mounted Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out transponder—late last week, the company announced May 5. Read more...
Article
A Palo Alto, California, company has released the first in a series of lightweight Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast solutions for drones. The pingRX, at $175, is the first of these, enabling ADS-B In for drone pilots. Read more...
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Financial
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Article
Two of the most successful general aviation sales and brokerage firms—jetAVIVA and Kansas Aircraft Corp.—have signed an agreement to join forces. Read more...
Article
Santa Monica's largest flight school will close its doors for good May 11 following an agreement with the city government, which had served an eviction notice. Read more...
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News and Notes
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Article
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced May 4 a new permanent advisory committee on drones, and the easing of rules for students and schools. Huerta, speaking at Xponential 2016 in New Orleans, said drones can soon be flown for education without a Section 333 approval. Read more...
Article
Being a mom is the toughest, most selfless job in the world. Moms go above and beyond to care for their families, often asking for nothing in return. AOPA applauds the achievements of moms who, on top of everything else, are also pilots. Many exceptional pilot moms work at AOPA—here are a few of their stories. Read more...
Article
A Washington, D.C., student has created his own computerized refueling system to handle paperwork more efficiently, more safely, and less expensively, and FBOs are listening. Read more...
Photo contest
Pilots and aviation enthusiasts have submitted more than 400 photos showcasing general aviation in the AOPA Photo Contest sponsored by Faro Aviation. Entries will remain open until May 15 so you can submit your best image. AOPA will choose the top three submissions in each category (aircraft, places, and people), and you can vote between May 27 and June 6 to pick the winners. Learn more about the prizes and submit your photo...
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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 AOPA Air Safety Institute and AOPA Foundation executive assistant, marketing specialist, communications director, pilot community development coordinator, Great Lakes "You Can Fly" ambassador, donor relations director, AOPA Foundation communications director, marketing copywriter, and member services representative. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
Your flight bag, with your logbook inside, was stolen from your car overnight. You have no copies or electronic backups for your logbook. Where do you go from here?
Answer
You will need to re-create your logbook the best you can. AOPA has published a subject report about logbooks that covers what to do if they’re lost. The FAA also has a section in the Inspector Handbook that covers this too. You will need to prove the time that you have or that you had in your logbook. If you aren’t planning on going for another certificate or rating, then you just need to prove you're current: flight review, instrument currency, landings, etc. You'll also have to remember and prove all the endorsements you have, like high altitude, tailwheel, high performance, etc.
If you plan to pursue higher certificates and ratings, you will want to prove and re-create as much of your logbook as possible. Requesting your airman file from the FAA can help substantiate your time. If you don’t have a backup for your logbook, please take the time now to make copies of your logbook or back it up electronically. You’ll be glad you did.
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
May 14-15 - Sacramento, California; Pensacola, Florida; and Kansas City, Missouri
May 21-22 - Hollywood, Florida; Albany, New York; and Conroe, Texas
Jun 4-5 - Tempe, Arizona; and Orlando, Florida
Jun 11-12 - Bloomington, Minnesota; Ashburn, Virginia; and Charlotte, North Carolina
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
May 17 - Madison, Wisconsin
May 18 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 19 - Manitowoc, Wisconsin
May 21 - Beaufort, North Carolina
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilots Seminars
May 7 - Davenport, Iowa; Victoria, Texas; Willoughby, Ohio; and Greeley, Colorado
May 14 - Georgetown, Texas
May 18 - Carlsbad, California
May 21 - Cozad, Nebraska; Broomfield, Colorado; and Stevensville, Maryland
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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