A highlight of becoming a pilot is the opportunity to be a part of a community of like-minded aviation enthusiasts. People like you who have caught the flying bug and want to share stories. There’s a perfect place for this in the AOPA Hangar, an online group that offers the chance to meet others and share experiences—from places to fly to training tips and aircraft reviews to maintenance questions.
Jump right in to recent discussions on the Dashboard page, or click on Discussions to locate topics from introductions to places to fly and hot topics. Search for friends in your area or by name in the Community Members address book. Browse Groups to find more like-minded community members such as other Cirrus owners or regional groups of pilots. The Events page lists upcoming aviation events such as fly-ins and pancake breakfasts, and you can add your own airport event here, too. Marketplace is the classified ads section—you can look for aircraft for sale, report lost and found items, and find an ownership partner in your area. At the Fly-In Hub you’ll discover the latest news and information on AOPA Fly-Ins.
Participate in discussions, ask questions, post events, and meet new friends. The AOPA Hangar is a great way to add to your enjoyment of the aviation community. www.aopahangar.com
TIPS from PPS
Cursor chaos
Unintentional changes
By Jared Allen
One type of pilot deviation case occasionally handled by the AOPA Legal Services Plan involves an incorrect altitude, heading, or radio frequency because of the pilot’s inadvertent selection of knobs on avionics or other equipment. The FAA warns of potential issues involving concentrically centered knobs commonly found on modern avionics in a December 2016 “information for operators” notice, with a fitting example: a pilot who rotated the navigation course selection knob, but unintentionally changed the barometric altitude setting. To avoid these issues, the FAA recommends training, diligence in operating controls, and checking for unintentional changes to unrelated systems. Aside from the serious safety issues presented by these situations, ATC’s observation of the pilot’s unintentional deviation will likely lead to an FAA investigation. These investigations could result in enforcement action against the pilot’s certificate, but are often resolved with additional training if the matter falls within the FAA’s compliance philosophy.
AOPA Legal Services Plan is offered as part of AOPA’s Pilot Protection Services. www.aopa.org/pps
Jared Allen is an AOPA Legal Services attorney and a private pilot.
Ask AOPA
Check, check, one, two…
Verifying VORs
By Ferdi Mack
Q: My instructor is teaching me how to use the VOR receiver for navigation. She has me perform a VOR check before every flight. Do I have to check VOR accuracy before every flight?
A: A VOR (very high frequency omni-directional range) receiver must only be checked for accuracy if it is going to be used for primary flight guidance under instrument flight rules (IFR). However, if you plan to use the VOR receiver for any reason, including as a backup reference during a visual flight rules (VFR) flight, it is a good idea to check it before using it.
FAR 91.171 provides the regulatory requirements for IFR operations. VOR receivers must have been checked for accuracy, and must have passed the check within certain tolerances, within the 30 days before the flight. The acceptable tolerances vary depending on the type of test being performed, depending on if you use a VOR test facility (VOT), a dual receiver check, or a designated checkpoint; and whether the check occurs on the ground or in the air.
If you do not have a VOT nearby, the easiest method is likely the dual VOR check detailed in FAR 91.171(c), if you have two separate VOR receivers installed in your aircraft. The results of the check must be logged if flying IFR, including the date and place of the check, the bearing error, and a signature.
Questions? Contact AOPA’s Pilot Information Center at 800-872-2672, or email [email protected].
Ferdi Mack is senior manager of the AOPA Pilot Information Center.
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