Top 10 AOPA Air Safety Institute programs in 2017

We also like to ask for your help in reaching others, who for one reason or another don’t consume safety information, but would benefit from being made aware of its availability and tapping into it. We call this initiative the “find one, bring one” campaign and hope you will be on board to help us save lives and reduce airplane accidents.

To get started, here are the Air Safety Institute's Top 10 safety products in 2017. Share, enjoy, and fly safely!

Accident Case Study: Single Point Failure. A vacuum pump failure on a sunny day is no big deal, but in instrument meteorological conditions—and especially without backup instrumentation—it’s a serious emergency. This Accident Case Study reviews a flight situation for which the pilot was ill prepared. Learn how you can do better, and share the video with others so they too can learn from the mistakes that were made.

Safety Tip videos. These short clips provide easy-to-remember techniques for flying safely. Does your landing spot wander in the windshield on short final? Aiming Point can fix that. The 4 Ws of Communication help you broadcast clearly when keying the mic. Box the Controls shows a clever and efficient way to check that flight controls operate as they should. Also, Taxi Controls explores proper control placements to help you navigate taxiways when the winds kick up.

There I was… podcast series. Tune into unpredictable flying dilemmas when you hop into the cockpit with our podcast series, which honors the hangar-flying tradition of sharing experience and knowledge. From weather problems to airplane emergencies, skilled pilots share how they evaluated their predicaments and took action.

In-person seminars. Feed your flying passion with captivating aviation safety seminars offered throughout the United States. Find your favorite location in the online schedule. Symbols identify whether the seminar is held at an aviation-themed location or at an airport or both. Participation qualifies for the safety seminar portion of the FAA Wings program.

New Ask ATC series. How do you approach an air traffic controller who rattles off instructions so fast you don’t understand? Fast Talkers explains. Traffic Alerts comes to the rescue if you need help requesting traffic advisories, while Bothering ATC debunks the notion that talking to flights squawking 1200 is an inconvenience for ATC. Calling Up a Busy Controller offers VFR pilots advice on the most important thing to tell ATC, and Flight Following vs. Flight Plan explains the difference between the two VFR services.

Stall and Spin Accidents: Keep the Wings Flying. While aerobatic training can help with unusual attitude recovery, it is unlikely that it will help pilots recover from an inadvertent spin in the traffic pattern. This study explores accidents in GA aircraft that occurred in a 15-year period ending in 2014. Find out where fatal stalls are more likely to occur—it may surprise you.

Safety quizzes. Did you know that the Air Safety Institute has updated its popular 10-question quizzes and produced them in a mobile-friendly format? Take on the Air Safety Institute quizmaster and test your VFR and IFR skills on your phone or tablet, anytime and anywhere.

Medical Self-Assessment: A Pilot’s Guide to Flying Healthy online course. When it comes to your health and flying, it pays off to be in charge. How? First, get a medical checkup—regularly. Then, between doctor visits, take stock of your well being, using the tools in this course. Get a better grasp of aeromedical matters and physiology—including risk factors of significant medical conditions and how these affect your ability to fly, and fly safely. This course qualifies for the FAA's BasicMed alternative to medical certification.

Online Flight Instructor Refresher Course. Learn with the best when you sign up for the most comprehensive FAA-approved CFI renewal program (cost $124). If you’re a flight instructor, aspiring to become one, or interested in advancing your aviation skills, you’ll enjoy this popular course, which has been updated with fresh content and a new design.

CFI to CFI newsletter. No need to be a CFI or AOPA member, but you must subscribe to receive this free quarterly newsletter. Trade flight-training tips, and explore the challenges and opportunities flight instructors face.

The Air Safety Institute has you covered—from flight planning to proficiency training. Next to courses, videos, quizzes, and digital and online publications, the institute also produces the AOPA Fly-In procedure videos and the Joseph T. Nall report.

These safety programs were made possible by generous contributions to the AOPA Foundation from pilots like you. The AOPA Air Safety Institute thanks you.