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Top Stories
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Advocacy
Cuban pilots and aviation authorities have grand visions for general aviation, but at the same time have safety and capacity concerns as relations between the island nation and the United States continue to normalize. To help provide a safe, enjoyable, and predictable experience for U.S. pilots headed to Cuba, senior staff members from AOPA met with Cuban aviation officials and members of the Aero Club of Cuba May 6 and 7 in Havana. Read more...
 
Article
Six America's Cup yachts sporting aviation technology quickly danced down the Hudson River in front of a dramatic Manhattan skyline as the racing series returned to New York May 7 and 8 for the first time in nearly 100 years. Read more...
AOPA Live This Week
Fly along with AOPA senior staff as they travel to Havana, Cuba, to meet with government officials about safely opening doors for general aviation flights to the country. If flying to Cuba isn't on your list, but you would enjoy some Cuban and Mexican food, AOPA profiles Enrique's Restaurant in Ponca, Oklahoma. Also, get a sneak peek at what's in store for AOPA's first fly-in of the year in Beaufort, North Carolina. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, May 12...
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AOPA Fly-Ins
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Article
Diamond's DA62, the sleek turbodiesel twin that received FAA certification in February, will be featured along with Osprey and Black Hawk helicopters at the AOPA Fly-In in Beaufort, North Carolina, May 20 and 21. Read more...
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Technique and Safety
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Fly like a fighter
Completing tasks inside the cockpit while maintaining situational awareness involves specific timing and sequence. As retired U.S. Air Force pilot Larry Brown explains, the key is to be deliberate about where your eyes are looking and for how long. Read more...
Video
Don't sleep through ground school, because what you don't know about maneuvering flight can hurt you. Come along on School Daze—a short Pilot Safety Announcement video from the AOPA Air Safety Institute—for an interesting flight lesson. Watch the video...
Aircraft Maintenance
If performed improperly, well-intended maintenance tasks can have disastrous consequences. Pilot and A&P mechanic Jeff Simon shares how replacing a cracked cylinder led to extensive damage and, eventually, to replacing the engine. Read more...
Pilot Protection Services
What do you do when you realize that the new heading and altitude ATC gave you for traffic separation will soon put you in Class B airspace? Read more...
Login required
Spatial disorientation can occur in any situation that deprives us of our natural, visual references, interfering with our sense of balance during flight. Check your knowledge of the subject and arm yourself against vertigo with the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Spatial Disorientation safety quiz. Take the quiz...
Blog
A recent fatal V-35 Bonanza crash in New York highlights some desperately needed changes to general aviation's aging aircraft, writes AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Safety Advisor Bruce Landsberg. Read more...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
AOPA is continuing to lead the fight for medical reform, urging lawmakers in the House to support legislation passed by the Senate. Read more...
Advocacy
The FAA has published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would improve pilot certification and training. The changes, which primarily affect Part 61 of the federal aviation regulations, address requests made by AOPA. Part 61 governs the certification of pilots, flight instructors, and ground instructors. Read more...
Advocacy
The FAA has fixed a glitch in its Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system, allowing it to process student pilot certificates for applicants with foreign addresses. AOPA has confirmed that, with the fix, the FAA is processing student pilot applications within two weeks, and most within 10 days. Read more...
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Technology
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Article
You know those $20 million to $30 million full-motion flight simulators the airlines use for training and proficiency? Precision Flight Controls is introducing them to the general aviation community with quarter-million-dollar simulators offering six degrees of motion. Read more...
Article
Solar Impulse co-founder and pilot Bertrand Piccard launched in the predawn darkness from Phoenix May 12, headed for Tulsa, Oklahoma. Read more...
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Opinion
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Blog
Flying in Germany has made Opinion Leaders blogger Garrett Fisher feel like a student pilot again. Find out about the red tape he encountered on a flight from Germany to the Netherlands to photograph the famous tulip fields. Read more and see Fisher's breathtaking photos...
Blog
Experience a day in the life of an officer/pilot in the California Highway Patrol Airbus H125 AStar helicopter. Opinion Leaders blogger Jolie Lucas recently went behind the scenes on a flight to interview the pilots. Read more...
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Gear
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Article
Several enhancements to the AOPA Flight Planner, powered by Jeppesen, and the mobile AOPA GO app make them safer, more valuable to pilots, and easier for members to use. Read more...
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Travel
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Pilot Getaways feature
One of the greatest pleasures of being a private pilot is the ability to access remote areas like Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. Fly in for a visit on your way to or from the AOPA Fly-In in Beaufort May 20 and 21. Read more...
Article
The field is set for the 2016 all-female Air Race Classic, and the fortieth-anniversary route honors collegiate aviation programs across the nation, from the Desert Southwest to the East Coast. Read more...
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Financial
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Article
The general aviation industry shipped 614 aircraft in the first three months of 2016, in a business climate the General Aviation Manufacturers Association described as "soft across the board with only a handful of bright spots." Read more...
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News and Notes
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Article
A group in Kentucky hopes to acquire a DH-4 Liberty Plane in its original configuration and restore it to flying condition in time for the approaching World War I centennial. For two years, Friends of Jenny has been touring its rebuilt Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. Read more...
Article
When Southwest Airlines Flight 3060 landed at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport May 5, the arrival was anything but routine. A celebratory water salute greeted retiring Senior Captain Deborah Rihn-Harvey as she taxied in for the last time in her 27-year Southwest career. Read more...
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Photo contest
Don't miss your opportunity to enter the AOPA Photo Contest sponsored by Faro Aviation. The deadline to submit your entry in one of three categories—general aviation aircraft, places, and people—is 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 15. AOPA staff will select the top three from each category, and you can vote between May 27 and June 6 to pick the winners. Learn more about the prizes and submit your photo...
Online resource
Tips for selling an aircraft
Knowing how to properly sell an aircraft is very important. AOPA's subject report on selling an aircraft can help make the process simple and hassle free. The subject report outlines the federal regulations that apply to selling an aircraft and includes additional helpful information such as what to do when selling to a foreign national.
Member benefit
Lifetime member Steve Southworth is a 2,000-hour pilot who has owned a variety of aircraft. As his family grew, he wanted to upgrade his aircraft and found AOPA helpful for his financing and insurance needs. Read more...
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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 a financial analyst, Great Lakes regional manager, medical certification specialist, 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, and marketing copywriter. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
While working on some ground reference maneuvers in the local practice area, you notice that your airspeed is increasing as you climb out. This increase does not correlate with the change in pitch and power setting. What could be the problem?
Answer
This issue could be caused by a blockage of the pitot tube. Normally a blockage of just the ram air portion of the pitot tube would result in a zero airspeed indication, but that's not what you have. Whatever is blocking your pitot tube (such as ice or bugs) has blocked both the ram air hole and drain, effectively sealing off your pitot tube and turning your airspeed indicator into a sort of altimeter. At this point you should follow your checklist procedure, and if that doesn't remedy the problem, land and get the pitot tube checked. For more information, read this article from AOPA Pilot.
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 14 - Georgetown, Texas
May 18 - Carlsbad, California
May 21 - Cozad, Nebraska; Broomfield, Colorado; and Stevensville, Maryland
May 28 - Ocala, Florida; and Conroe, Texas
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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