News

New tools for travel

Pilots love to visit new and exciting destinations—AOPA aims to feed that need by giving pilots more travel tools and ideas. With the theme of “explore the world from the airport out,” AOPA’s new Destinations site is a one-stop shop for everything from restaurants and lodging to activities such as golfing, skiing, fishing, amusement parks, and museums. And users can save money on hotels, car rentals, and more.

“If we want pilots to fly more, we need to give them all the tools to help them do that, and we hope by developing this platform, pilots will learn about exciting destinations and be better informed before they even take off,” said AOPA President Mark Baker.

Using the new directory, pilots can:

• Search for airports based on amenities and nearby activities.
• View comprehensive airport details from the FAA as well as airport managers.
• Plan trips by activity.
• Check nearby lodging availability and book rental cars.
• Save favorite airports.
• Download or print airport details and terminal procedures.
• View maps, runway diagrams, sectional charts, and satellite views of the airport or destination.

Tools and features will continue to be added as AOPA invests in inspiring current and future pilots to fly, and fly more, by showing them new places their aircraft can take them.

Web: www.aopa.org/destinations

Travel

Fly Hawaii in a Cirrus

A top adventure, says lifestyle pub

By Dan Namowitz

Flight training in a Cirrus above the sea cliffs and mountains of Hawaii has made the list of “Top 50 Adventures” assembled by a lifestyle publication that “scoured the globe” to put together its tally. There’s something on the list for every kind of explorer, says Elite Traveler, a publication distributed on private jets. That includes a package available through Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ Four Seasons Lanai giving aspiring pilots a chance to “learn to fly a Cirrus SR22 and perform basic maneuvers such as takeoff, cruising, and landing at the Maui Flight Academy.”

The lessons include flying “directly over an active volcano vent,” next to Molokai sea cliffs, or above the mountains of West Maui. Then land in Hana to explore the rain forest. A “Fab 5” package can extend your flight time with a full day’s flying to Molokai, Honolulu, Lanai, the Big Island, and Maui.

Other aerial opportunities on the list include skydiving in Belize; experiencing near-space flight (as a passenger, sorry); flying in a hot air balloon in Turkey; paragliding in California; heliskiing in New Zealand; or “helitouring” jagged peaks and alpine forests of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.

Email dan.namowitz.org

Headlines thataffect you
Recent news from the aviation world

121 women pilots to compete in 2,656-mile Air Race Classic
Some 121 women pilots from 35 states, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Kenya, and New Zealand will compete in this year’s Air Race Classic, an annual event that will take off June 19 in Sweetwater, Texas. The 2,656-mile race will take aviators through 15 states and is slated to end June 22 in Fryeburg, Maine. —General Aviation News

IAOPA World Assembly meets in New Zealand
Leaders of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), representing more than 400,000 general aviation aircraft owners and pilots, convened in New Zealand in March for the twenty-ninth biennial World Assembly to discuss challenges facing the GA community around the globe. ­—AOPA.org

Sun Flyer 2 prototype marks first test flight
The Sun Flyer 2, a prototype electric airplane being developed by Bye Aerospace in Colorado, took to the air on April 10 with a “fantastic first flight,” the company said in a news release. —AOPA.org

Canada ADS-B mandate moves closer
With the fifth successful launch and deployment of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites on March 30—bringing the total number in orbit to 50—Aireon gains even more capability for its space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system. Each of the Iridium NEXT satellites carries an Aireon ADS-B payload. The successful launch and delivery of the satellites means Canada is moving closer to an ADS-B mandate. —AOPA.org

NEWS FROM SUN ’N FUN

AmSafe aftermarket universal seat belt in the works
Airbag seat belt restraint manufacturer AmSafe is closing in on FAA approval of a universal-fit airbag kit aftermarket replacement for two- and three-point seatbelt systems for Part 23 standard category general aviation aircraft (non-Part 23.562 aircraft), the company announced at the 2018 Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In and Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

King Schools awards scholarship
Pete Muntean of Washington, D.C., was presented the King Schools and National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) 2017 CFI scholarship at Sun ’n Fun. The scholarship consists of $5,000 toward flight training and free, lifetime access to all King Schools courses, including lifetime FIRCs. Its estimated value is more than $18,000.

Piper inks 100-aircraft deal with ATP
Piper Aircraft took advantage of Sun ’n Fun’s opening day to announce milestones that contributed to the company’s most successful year since 2003. Building on a prior relationship with ATP flight schools, the two firms announced an order for 100 Piper Archer TX models.

King Schools goes online
King Schools, after evolving its content delivery for more than 40 years—from in-person delivery using chalkboards and overhead transparencies, to distance learning with VHS tapes that later transitioned to CDs and DVDs—has said goodbye to discs. Courses are now online only. In addition, King’s new Online Aviation Library puts more than 85 aviation books, manuals, reference materials, and other resources into one online package. The library, which retails for $79, will be continually updated. In addition, new private pilot and instrument rating equipment kits have been updated; they retail for $49 each.

PS Engineering doubles down for Bluetooth utility
PS Engineering introduced the PMA450B general aviation audio panel that features two independent Bluetooth audio devices. The second Bluetooth module can serve as either an additional music input or stream audio out to a device such as a Bluetooth-enabled video camera.

Garmin receives approval for GFC 500 autopilot
Garmin announced it has received FAA approval for the GFC 500 autopilot in the Beechcraft Bonanza S35, V35, V35A, and V35B as well as approval for the Piper PA–28-150/151/160/161/180/181 models. Garmin expects to further expand its list of aircraft models approved for the GFC 500 autopilot soon.

Web: www.aopa.org/pilot/snf