March 20, 2020, issue of 'AOPA ePilot' weekly newsletter
| Due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak and in accordance with government recommendations, most AOPA employees are working remotely. AOPA headquarters is closed to in-person tours. Some services could be limited, and we appreciate your patience while working with our Pilot Information Center and Membership Services staff (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time). |
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| VOL 22, ISSUE 12 |
March 20, 2020 |
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Coronavirus Impact
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| Advocacy |
| Baker urges FAA to lift 'impossible' compliance barriers |
| With life on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, AOPA President Mark Baker urged the FAA to grant a "maximum amount of flexibility" to pilots facing currency or eligibility deadlines. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| Aviation groups want to help fight coronavirus |
| When it comes to serving the public in troubled times, general aviation pilots don't need to be asked to pitch in. Read more > |
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| Article |
| ATC personnel contract coronavirus |
| Air traffic control personnel at two major airports have tested positive for the coronavirus, causing towers to shut down for disinfecting and disrupting air traffic. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Border restrictions could affect GA |
| A series of executive actions by the White House have complicated international commercial and general aviation air travel. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Textron furloughs workers |
| Textron Aviation will furlough most of its U.S. employees for four weeks starting March 23 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Prospective pilots advised to stay the course |
| Keep pursuing your aviation goals, pilot and career counselor Carl Valeri advises in AOPA's Hangar Talk podcast. Read more and listen to the podcast > |
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| Article |
| Flight schools work to coronavirus-proof training |
| Flight training providers face special challenges ensuring a safe learning environment for pilots during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more > |
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| AOPA Live This Week |
| Hunkering down; Seaplane fun; Big move |
| We're working remotely to keep you up to speed on the coronavirus. Then we take a break from all that to enjoy some seaplane fun in Canada and capture what it took to tow a C–130 to a new home. Watch AOPA Live This Week® > |
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| Online resource |
| Latest news: Coronavirus impacts on GA |
| The coronavirus pandemic is affecting the general aviation community, and we're providing daily updates on flight operations, changes to scheduled events, and more. Read more > |
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| Here's what you need to know about the status of aviation events: |
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News and Notes
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| Article |
| Quake shakes Salt Lake City |
| A magnitude 5.7 earthquake centered near Salt Lake City International Airport caused damage and closed the airport on March 18. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Lonestar state of mind |
| Steve Henry boasted a combined takeoff and landing distance of 52 feet in his Highlander—shorter than the length of a Douglas DC–3—at the inaugural Aviat Lonestar STOL Competition and Fly-In in Texas March 12 to 15. Read more > |
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| Article |
| End of the line |
| A retired U.S. Air Force C–130H recently departed Frederick Municipal Airport in Maryland for a final journey—a 7.5-mile road trip. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Tamarack bankruptcy plan approved |
| Tamarack Aerospace Group's plan to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection was approved by a federal judge March 2. Read more > |
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Technique and Safety
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| Podcast |
| 'There I was...': Parking lot landing |
| Pilot Jeff King shares how he landed in a Walmart parking lot after an engine failure in his Piper Cherokee Six. Listen to the podcast > |
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| Online resource |
| Staying sharp during social distancing |
| Looking for some safety-minded entertainment to keep your aviation skills sharp? Check out the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Safety Tip videos in this YouTube playlist. |
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| Video |
| Emergency management |
| In this AOPA Air Safety Institute Accident Case Study, we share lessons from a pilot's unfortunate decisions during a vacuum pump failure in instrument conditions. Watch the video to boost your critical decision making during emergencies. |
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| Article |
| New England pilots surprise McSpadden |
| AOPA Air Safety Institute Executive Director Richard McSpadden flew to Massachusetts March 11 expecting to give a safety presentation. He came home with an award. Read more > |
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| AOPA Premier Partner created content |
| Engine failure on takeoff |
| How would you handle an engine failure on takeoff? Do you have a plan? Get advice from a flight instructor who has done extensive training on this topic. Visit PilotWorkshops to learn more > |
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Health
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| Pilot Protection Services |
| An unwelcome crown: Coronavirus |
| Dr. Jonathan Sackier takes the long view on the coronavirus pandemic. Read more > |
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Technology
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| Article |
| Joining forces for organ transplant |
| Airline pilots, aerospace engineers, military personnel with drone management experience, and others have teamed up to use unmanned aircraft to transport human organs for transplant. Read more > |
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| NASA plans Urban Air Mobility demonstrations |
| NASA signed agreements with 17 aviation companies for a series of Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge technology demonstrations that could "revolutionize mobility" in and around densely populated areas. Testing simulated environments with real-world scenarios will lay the groundwork for the first challenge, scheduled for 2022. |
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Opinion
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| Blog |
| The Alps' curious lack of crosswinds |
| Opinion Leaders blogger Garrett Fisher, who has tackled the peaks and valleys of the Alps in a 1949 Piper PA–11, says steep terrain and vertical relief help mitigate crosswinds. Read more > |
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Travel
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| Pilot magazine |
| Land at the lowest elevation airport in the US |
| Death Valley's Furnace Creek Airport in California sits 210 feet below mean sea level. It's the country's lowest, hottest, and driest airport. Read more > |
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| Want more general aviation travel stories? Sign up for our free AOPA Travel Pilot biweekly newsletter. |
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Financial
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| Member benefit |
| Aircraft purchases during stock market swings |
| The current low interest rates make this an excellent time to buy an aircraft. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Are the Boeing 737 Max issues affecting insurance premiums? |
| Airline-related accidents have an impact even on general aviation insurance premiums. Read more > |
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Career Opportunities
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| Aviation job board |
| Job of the week: Flight instructor, AeroVenture |
| AeroVenture in Mansfield, Massachusetts, is seeking talented CFI candidates to lead its incoming classes of Zero-to-Hero Airline Track students. AeroVenture students are eager professionals-in-training who will grow and challenge your skills. Read the full description and apply today > |
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| AOPA career opportunities |
| Join the AOPA team |
| Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? AOPA is looking for a medical certification specialist, membership experience senior manager, major gifts officer, data analyst, associate developer of safety programs, communications senior director, government affairs (regulatory) vice president, High School Aviation Outreach director, and several interns. To learn more about these and other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online > |
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Question of the Week
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Question
I've scheduled an instrument proficiency check, and my instructor gave me a plan of action for the flight that includes picking up an IFR clearance from our nontowered airport. The airport has a ground communication outlet. I've never used one, but I understand it's controlled by radio "clicks." Where can I find more information? |
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Information about ground communication outlets can be found in the Pilot/Controller Glossary and the Instrument Procedures Handbook (page 1-44). Use four clicks to contact the nearest air traffic control facility, and six clicks to contact Flight Service.
This question and answer were provided by AOPA's Pilot Information Center. Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA. |
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Education & Seminars
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| AOPA's educational courses and seminars have been canceled or postponed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. |
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| AOPA Courses and Seminars |
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ePilot Editors:
Alyssa Cobb
Jim Moore
Dan Namowitz
David Tulis
Production Team:
Elizabeth Linares
Kristy O'Malley
Melissa Whitehouse |
Contributors:
Mike Collins
Sarah Deener
Tom Haines
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Warren Morningstar
Kollin Stagnito
Jill Tallman
Ian Twombly
Julie Summers Walker |
Advertise in ePilot:
Dan Justman, 301-695-2182
Eastern and Central United States and International:
Jeff Rockwood, 301-695-2089
Western United States:
Tom Linton, 301-695-2055
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