February 2, 2018, issue of 'AOPA ePilot: Flight Training Edition'


VOL 18, ISSUE 5	February 2, 2018

Training Tips

Sponsored by Aircraft Spruce

Word traps

A regional airline crew walked off, leaving one of the twinjet's engines running. Not surprisingly, their Aviation Safety Reporting System filing rings with words like "haste," "forgot," and "presumed." Find out how to apply the lessons this crew learned to your flight training. Read more >

Flight Training News

You Can Fly

AOPA opens primary, advanced training scholarships

AOPA has opened three scholarship programs—two to help student pilots earn their initial pilot certificate and a new one to help certificated pilots achieve an advanced certificate or rating. Read more >

You Can Fly

You Can Fly program receives American Airlines grant

AOPA's You Can Fly program has received a grant from American Airlines that will have a "substantial impact" on the association's efforts to help students discover a passion for flight and prepare for an aviation-related career. Read more >

Article

Flight school operators' conference kicks off Feb. 12

The Flight School Association of North America's annual conference will run Feb. 12 through 15 in San Diego. Read more >

Article

Frasca launches new helicopter training device

Frasca International announced a new helicopter training device available as a Bell B206 or B407, a Robinson R44, or an Airbus AS350 simulator with either digital or analog instrumentation. Read more >

Test your ice knowledge

Flying in winter means knowing about ice, and how it can affect your airplane and environment. Do you know the risks of slushy runways and rime ice? Conquer winter with the AOPA Air Safety Institute's "Ice Flight" quiz. Take the quiz >

Be safe on the ground

Pilot alertness should begin before your wheels leave the earth. There are dangers on the runway as well as in the air. The AOPA Air Safety Institute's Runway Safety online course will get you up to speed. Take the course >

Scholarships

Upwind Summer Scholarship deadline nears

Since its inception in 2012, the Upwind Foundation in San Carlos, California, has awarded 17 flight training scholarships to high school students seeking private pilot certificates. Students are mentored by pilots during an aggressive nine-week flight and ground training program over their summer break. The application deadline is Feb. 23.

AOPA Live

AOPA Live This Week

'That's All, Brother' takes flight, Standing O

That's All, Brother, the Douglas C–47 Skytrain that led the D-Day invasion during World War II, takes flight after being restored. AOPA's fixed-base operator pricing initiative gains momentum as one of the top-offending airports, Waukegan National Airport in Illinois, reduces prices and increases access. Plus, fly the "lightning fast" Mooney Ovation Ultra. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, Feb. 1 >

Training Products and Resources

Redbird offers free private pilot workbook

Redbird Flight Simulations Inc. offers a free downloadable and printable training event workbook for students that is broken into five stages: aviation fundamentals, presolo preparation, solo flight, cross country flights, and checkride preparation. The workbook provides "a holistic training method that integrates ground training, simulator training, and flying in the airplane," according to Redbird.

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

Pilot Protection Services

Rest, sleep crucial to brain function

Poor sleep habits can impact brain performance in areas critical to safe flight, according to Dr. Kenneth Stahl. Read more >

Member benefit

Time to move up?

When you're no longer a newbie pilot and you've owned your first aircraft for some time, how do you decide if you should move up to a larger, faster aircraft? Read more >

Blogs

Cessna SkyCourier might give pilots a leg up

Pilots who fly the twin turboprop Cessna SkyCourier when it hits the market will have an edge over their competitors when it comes to landing certain jobs, according to airline pilot and Flight Training blogger Chip Wright. Read more >

Instrument Tip

IFR Fix

You've got mail (from ATC)

If you are an instrument pilot or trainee who flies practice approaches under visual flight rules at an airport with radar service, there may be a letter waiting for you from your local air traffic control facility. Read more >

Plane Spotter

Carbon copies

There are aircraft, variants of aircraft, new aircraft based on old aircraft, and variants of those new aircraft. For plane spotters, telling the difference is the challenge that makes the game fun. An airplane that resembles a classic Piper Super Cub but was amateur-constructed with 21st-century materials likely can be identified as a Carbon Cub EX or FX, two of three Carbon Cub variants produced by CubCrafters, specialists in producing aircraft based on updating the Super Cub's design and performance. The third variant is the production light sport Carbon Cub SS. (Photo courtesy of CubCrafters.)

Final Exam

Question

The rental agreement I was asked to sign at a flight school says that my Social Security number is required. Must I provide it to rent an airplane?

Answer

Whether you provide the number is up to you. The FAA does not require a Social Security number for anything. Also, providing your Social Security number may put you at risk, particularly if the database where it is kept is not secure.

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

Aviation job board

Job of the week: Flight operations manager, Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City State University, a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, is seeking a full-time flight operations manager for its aviation science program. This position will provide direct supervision of flight and ground training instructional delivery. Candidates must meet Part 141.35 chief instructor qualifications and hold a current flight instructor certificate with single- and multiengine and instrument ratings. 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 facilities technician, insurance account executive, High School Aviation Initiative manager, legislative affairs vice president, aviation program operations coordinator, and Salesforce developer. To learn more about these and other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online >

Education & Seminars

Flight Instructor Refresher Courses

Feb 10-11	Louisville, Kentucky; Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Fairfax, Virginia
Feb 17-18	Sacramento, California; and Nashua, New Hampshire
Feb 24-25	Fort Worth, Texas; and Kenner, Louisiana
Mar 3-4	Tempe, Arizona

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

Feb 7	Northglenn, Colorado
Feb 8	Colorado Springs, Colorado
Feb 20	Germantown, Tennessee; and Wichita, Kansas
Feb 21	Nashville, Tennessee; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.

Rusty Pilots Seminars

Feb 3	El Monte, California; Dallas, Texas; and Fort Myers, Florida
Feb 10	Knoxville, Tennessee; and Morrisville, North Carolina
Feb 17	Carlsbad, California
Feb 24	Puyallup, Washington; and Homestead, Florida

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.

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ePilot Flight Training Editors:
Alyssa J. Cobb
Jim Moore
Dan Namowitz
David Tulis

Production Team:
Elizabeth Linares
Melissa Whitehouse

Contributors:
Mike Collins
Sarah Deener
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Warren Morningstar
Jill W. Tallman
Ian J. Twombly
Julie Summers Walker

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