May 13, 2016 - VOL 16, ISSUE 20

Flight Training News

Article

Race honors aviation colleges

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...  

Advocacy

Student apps back on track

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...  

Article

GA simulators reach for airline quality

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

Wooden radial engine inspires

Learn the ins and outs of how a nine-cylinder radial engine works from a hobbyist who combined his passion for woodworking with his love of all things mechanical. Read more...  

Video

No dozing allowed

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...  

Scholarships

Tennessee horn player wins FMA solo scholarship

Tullahoma, Tennessee, band member and French horn player Sarah Coffelt topped five finalists to receive the 2016 Flying Musicians Association solo scholarship for flight training. The association started the scholarship program in 2015.

Plane Spotter

Bulging with comforts

A carbon-fiber business jet that typically carries two crewmembers and four passengers at 450 knots, and has a reputation for cabin comforts, is sure to impress any passenger. Pilots also prize the privilege of flying the Beechcraft Premier 1A for its ability to climb at 4,200 feet per minute powered by two rear-fuselage-mounted Williams International FJ44-2A engines with 2,300 pounds of thrust each. On the ramp, spot the "A" model Premier, a 2006 release, by a short, swept wing and an elongated, almost bulging fairing beneath the fuselage.

Training Products and Resources

Article

Sporty's Takeoff app offers pilot content

A new app from Sporty's aims to provide a regular dose of aviation content on a variety of topics. The Takeoff app offers a curated selection of video tips, blog posts, podcasts, photos, and aviation news. Read more...  

Login required

Vertigo's deception

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...

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

Photo contest

Last call for GA 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...  

Member benefit

Pilot relies on AOPA financing, insurance

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...  

Blogs

Favorable market for career pilots

The job market for career pilots is looking up these days, according to Flight Training blogger Chip Wright, and some airlines are looking for commitments from prospective pilots before they finish their training. Read more...  

Final Exam

Question

I have heard about the Aviation Safety Reporting System; however, I am not sure when and why I should file a report. Where can I find more information about the program?

Answer

The FAA established the voluntary program to encourage pilots, controllers, flight attendants, maintenance personnel, and others to report "deficiencies and discrepancies" within the National Airspace System. The intent is to identify and correct unsafe conditions before they result in incidents or accidents. NASA, rather than the FAA, acts as the collecting agency for the reports, ensuring confidentiality and encouraging the free flow of information from those reporting. The program covers, but is not limited to, operations such as landing and departure, en route operations, air traffic procedures, communications, ground movements, and near-midair collisions. The FAA also provides for the waiver of some disciplinary actions as long as the reports are filed within a certain period of time. Check out the Aviation Safety Reporting System online.

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 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.