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October 27, 2017, issue of 'AOPA ePilot' weekly newsletter

AOPA
VOL 19, ISSUE 43 October 27, 2017
Click here for this week's custom content.
Top Stories
AOPA
You Can Fly
'A great feeling'
Private pilot Bryan Duarte had watched more than 11 flightless years slip by when he signed up for an AOPA Rusty Pilots seminar. Multiple AOPA-supported initiatives—Rusty Pilots, BasicMed, and a flying club—helped Duarte return to the skies and share the joys of aviation with his family. (Photo courtesy of Bryan Duarte.) Read more >
AOPA Live This Week
On location in Tampa; High Sierra fun
AOPA Live® was on location in Tampa, Florida, during preparations for the final AOPA Fly-In of 2017, presented by Peter O. Knight Airport, and was in Nevada to capture views of a major backcountry flying event held annually on a dry lakebed. Hundreds of airplanes converged for off-airport fun, including a must-see STOL Drag race. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, Oct. 26 >
AOPA Fly-Ins
Article
Tampa Fly-In 101
Set your course to AOPA's Fly-In at Tampa, Florida, presented by Peter O. Knight Airport, Oct. 27 and 28. Check out the complete schedule of events along with the top 10 things you should do while in town. Read more >
Technique and Safety
Video
Where are we?
The AOPA Air Safety Institute's Runway Safety: Untimely Distraction video examines how a night training flight almost ended in disaster at takeoff. Although darkness can complicate night operations, a healthy dose of situational awareness would have helped the pilot and instructor avoid the incident. Watch the video >
Video
You snooze, you lose
Does a lecture on aerodynamic principles make you sleepy? Wake up to the consequences of dozing off. The AOPA Air Safety Institute's School Daze Pilot Safety Announcement provides a short, amusing demonstration. Watch the video >
Online resource
Tips for safe cold-weather operations
The challenges of winter flying can be summed up in four words: cold, ice, snow, and wind. Find out how to operate safely in these conditions. Learn more >
Accident analysis
Unusual attitudes
A pilot who had admitted that "having fun clouds my judgement" and his passenger died after the pilot took off nearly 10 percent over maximum gross weight in a Piper Cub Special. Learn more in this special report from the AOPA Air Safety Institute >
Advocacy
Advocacy
Heber City votes to give pilots more avgas options
Revised minimum standards for Utah's Heber City Municipal Airport have been approved to allow an additional fixed-base operator to establish a self-serve avgas fueling station to facilitate competition in response to numerous complaints that cited unreasonably high prices at OK3 Air. Read more >
Advocacy
Brainstorming safe flight's future
A company that provides a broad spectrum of information technology and other support services to the FAA is testing ways to include the pilot's perspective in the solutions it develops. Read more >
Advocacy
White House moves to spur drone development
Two weeks after a group of drone manufacturers, users, and other organizations appealed to the White House for a collaborative approach to hastening the development of drone technology, President Donald Trump on Oct. 25 signed a memo aiming to accelerate low-altitude testing of package delivery and other advanced applications. Read more >
Advocacy
Shuster continues fight to give ATC to special interests
Opposition and skepticism on Capitol Hill are growing over efforts to remove the nation's air traffic control system from the FAA and turn it over to the airlines and other commercial interests, but House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) is not ready to surrender. Read more >
Health
Pilot Protection Services
Nailed it
Take a good look at your hands—Dr. Jonathan Sackier lists 20 visible characteristics of nails that could be signs of health problems. Read more >
Technology
Article
NavWorx calls it quits
Beleaguered avionics manufacturer NavWorx Inc. has closed its doors, according to a message posted on the company's website Oct. 19. The company's primary product, the ADS600-B universal access transceiver—which provides both Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out and In capability—was the subject of an FAA airworthiness directive June 6. Read more >
Genesys Aerosystems created content
A little help for a friend...
What do you do when you are on a solo around-the-world flight and the autopilot in your Bonanza quits working in Hawaii? You do what globetrotting pilot Adrian Eichhorn did—call S-TEC's Product Support Group in Mineral Wells, Texas. Read more >
Opinion
Blog
Last chance to dance
With fall leaves changing and winter weather approaching, many pilots are planning visits to the last fly-ins of the year. Opinion Leaders blogger Jolie Lucas notes some highlights to consider for October through December. Read more >
Blog
Malfunctioning magneto leads to liability analysis
A magneto malfunction led Opinion Leaders blogger Mike Busch to analyze why some aviation mechanics are reluctant to help pilots out of a jam. He laments the litigious society in the United States and proposes a solution. Read more >
Gear
Article
Don't forget sunglasses
Pilots who fly aircraft with a high service ceiling risk greater exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays—and the airplane's windscreen may not provide enough protection. Read more >
Article
Courtesy car finder shifts to web
A mobile app created by AOPA member Glenn Brasch to help fellow pilots find wheels when they land is shifting to the web. Starting in December, Airport Courtesy Cars will be exclusively a web-based (and free) directory. Read more >
Travel
Slideshow
The little town with the big team
America's winningest professional football team is the Green Bay Packers, earning the city of Green Bay the nickname "Titletown." Nevertheless, the city offers more to the traveler than just football. Read more >
Slideshow
The next great wine region
Though Walla Walla, Washington, citizens say they live in the town "so nice they had to name it twice," the Native American name means "place of many waters." Walla Walla's many waters sparkle as they flow past golden hillsides and green vineyards to the Columbia River. The area also is the next big wine country. Read more >
Slideshow
Seaside hideaway
Each autumn along California's Central Coast, hundreds of thousands of monarch butterflies flock to Morro Bay's small eucalyptus groves. Witnessing the annual migration is one of many activities this picture-perfect vacation destination offers. Read more >
Financial
Article
One Aviation phasing out EA550, reducing work force
One Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico, announced a workforce reduction as it phases out production of its EA550 series of very light jets and focuses on developing the EA700, previously introduced as "Project Canada." Read more >
Member benefit
Financing rates explained
Find out what factors influence aircraft financing rates. Read more >
News and Notes
Article
Paraglider flocks with starlings
Starlings darken Denmark's autumn sky in numbers so great they create a phenomenon called "Black Sun," up to one million individual birds moving in massive murmurations that constantly shift their shape. Now add to this scene a paraglider with an electric motor and a man seeking an aerial connection with birds. Read more >
You Can Fly
AOPA high school aviation program expands
Educators will have more time than ever before to share strategies that inspire students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics when the AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium, presented by American Airlines, convenes Nov. 6 and 7 in Fort Worth, Texas. Read more >
Podcast
Hangar Talk: NOAA Hurricane Hunter pilot
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunter Lt. Kevin Doremus describes how flying into the eye of the storm can save lives, and catch up on the latest aviation news with this week's Hangar Talk podcast. Listen to the podcast >
Article
Diamond 'doodle' wins aerial art competition
Brian Danza is an instrument-rated private pilot who likes to dabble in graphic design. So when he received an email inviting him to compete in the Wild Blue Doodle contest, a joint promotion of headset manufacturer Lightspeed Aviation and flight-debriefing technology producer CloudAhoy, the temptation was hard to resist. Read more >
Career Opportunities
Aviation job board
Job of the week: Captain Cessna pilot
The Hilliard Companies LLC is seeking a Captain Cessna pilot for its Midland, Texas, operations. Requirements include a current FAA first class medical certificate, ATP certificate, and a minimum of 2,000 hours (with at least 1,000 hours in turboprops and 250 hours in multiengine turboprops). Read the full description and apply today >
AOPA career opportunities
Join the AOPA team
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? AOPA is looking for a customer service representative, operations clerk, administrative clerk, survey analyst/survey researcher, legislative affairs vice president, airports and state advocacy vice president, and part-time administrative assistant. Learn about AOPA career opportunities >
Question of the Week
Question

A friend who is working on a commercial pilot certificate has identified several flights in his logbook that appear to fulfill the dual cross-country requirements. They were flown while he was a student pilot. Can those flights be used to fulfill the requirements for the commercial certificate?
Answer
No. The cross-country flights required for the commercial certificate must be accomplished while training for the commercial certificate, not during training for another certificate. For more information, see these two letters of FAA interpretation from 2011 and 2010.

Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.
Education & Seminars
Flight Instructor Refresher Courses
Nov 4-5 Austin, Texas
Nov 11-12 Albuquerque, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; and Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 18-19 Ashburn, Virginia; and San Diego, California
Dec 2-3 Denver, Colorado; and Northbrook, Illinois
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Online eFIRC.
Safety Seminars
Oct 30 Greenville, South Carolina; and Monroe, North Carolina
Oct 31 Atlanta, Georgia; and Fletcher, North Carolina
Nov 1 Huntsville, Alabama; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Concord, California
Nov 2 Morrisville, North Carolina
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
Rusty Pilots Seminars
Oct 27 Tampa, Florida
Oct 28 Tampa, Florida; Pacoima, California; and La Crosse, Wisconsin
Nov 4 Frederick, Maryland; Albert Lea, Minnesota; Richmond, Virginia; Punta Gorda, Florida; Midlothian, Texas; Fullerton, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Lakeland, Florida
Nov 11 Costa Mesa, California; Berwyn, Illinois; Lawton, Oklahoma; and Batavia, Ohio
AOPA Rusty Pilots Seminars are sponsored by Sporty's. For a complete schedule, visit the AOPA Hangar. (Log in to the AOPA Hangar using your AOPA website username and password to view these events.)
Aviation Calendar
Want something to do this weekend? Planning an aviation getaway? See AOPA's enhanced calendar of events. You can filter events, add an event, or search all events in the calendar. (Log in to the AOPA Hangar using your AOPA website username and password to search the events or to add an event.) Before you take off on an adventure, make sure you check our current aviation weather provided by Jeppesen.
For airport details, including FBO fuel prices, see AOPA Airports. AOPA does not endorse or assume responsibility for the events submitted and listed in the calendar.
AOPA
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Jim Moore
Dan Namowitz
David Tulis

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Ian J. Twombly
Julie Summers Walker
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