Astronaut in an AirCam; Groups seek pandemic relief
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| VOL 23, ISSUE 2 |
January 8, 2021 |
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Top Stories
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| Pilot Magazine |
| Astronaut, high schoolers build AirCam |
| Former astronaut Story Musgrave has looked down on Earth from orbit at more than 17,000 mph. Now he flies at a mere 60 mph in an amphibious AirCam he built with Florida high school students. (Photo by Steven Martine.) Read more and view a slideshow > |
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| AOPA Live This Week |
| TBM technique; Biplanes, burgers in Battle Creek |
| AOPA Editor at Large Tom Horne practices precision landings for prop-strike prevention; a once-rusty pilot takes his dad for a flight; and Waco Aircraft Corp. launches its first Michigan-made taco. Watch AOPA Live This Week® > |
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Technique and Safety
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| Webinar |
| Proficiency 101 |
| Join two of the AOPA Air Safety Institute's flight instructors on January 14 at 7 p.m. Eastern time for guidance on creating a proficiency plan for 2021. FAA Wings credit and an AOPA Pilot Passport badge are available. Register now > |
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| Video |
| Ground control |
| Consistently practicing the proper control placement in crosswinds on the ground builds an excellent habit that will kick in when the winds kick up and help avoid ground loops. Watch the AOPA Air Safety Institute video > |
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| Online resource |
| Your IFR limits |
| Whether you're barely current or flying by instruments daily, take a few minutes and update your IFR personal minimums for 2021 with the AOPA Air Safety Institute's IFR Pilot Personal Minimums Contract. |
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| AOPA Premier Partner created content |
| Win this flight simulator |
| Watch an unsettling night landing scenario; choose how you would handle it; then enter online to win a complete desktop flight simulator worth $2,495. Take the PilotWorkshops challenge > |
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Advocacy
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| Advocacy |
| Aviation groups press for third extension of pandemic SFAR |
| The special regulation the FAA issued in April 2020 and amended twice during the year to help pilots cope with the coronavirus pandemic should be extended a third time as COVID-19 continues to spread, aviation groups believe. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| Real-time SUA updates coming to the cockpit |
| An AOPA-championed effort to push real-time status of military operations areas and other types of special-use airspace into cockpits has been included in the National Defense Authorization Act. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| Congress hooks Ligado for costs from GPS jamming |
| Congress has handed out some hefty homework assignments to government officials and scientists in a bid to resolve a persistent question of whether the multibillion-dollar Ligado Networks proposed 5G wireless telecommunications project could jam or disable GPS signals. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| Rule supports supersonic aircraft development |
| The testing of supersonic aircraft for safe and environmentally friendly use in civil aviation has taken a major step forward with the release of a rule that sets out procedures for gaining flight test approval, the FAA said. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| Baker continues on FAA drone committee |
| AOPA President Mark Baker, among the original members of the FAA Drone Advisory Committee, has been appointed to another two-year term. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| FAA working to update private-use airport listings |
| Owners of private-use airports are encouraged to confirm with the FAA that the information the agency has on file about their airports is no more than three years old as the agency works to update its data on the airfields. Read more > |
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Technology
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| Article |
| Move over, 'Kermit' and 'Miss Piggy' |
| The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new Textron Beechcraft King Air 350CER joins Lockheed WP–3D Orion hurricane hunters Kermit and Miss Piggy, among other aircraft. Read more > |
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Opinion
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| Blog |
| Into the alligator's mouth |
| Instrument-rated commercial pilot and Opinion Leaders blogger Jolie Lucas dives into the psychology of setting and reevaluating personal minimums during the first installment of a multipart series that explores how aviators approach flying limits. Read more > |
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Gear
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| Article |
| Invention automates weight-and-balance calculation |
| Aviation writer and inventor Tim Kern has a patent pending for his automated weight-and-balance calculator integrated with sensors that measure actual weight on the landing gear. Read more > |
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Travel
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| Article |
| Have a taco, watch a Waco being made |
| The makeover of the Waco Aircraft Corp. headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, included a new restaurant with views of the runway and the factory floor. 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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| Article |
| AOPA life and AD&D insurance plans change to MetLife |
| MetLife is the new carrier for AOPA-sponsored life and AD&D insurance programs—a move that will offer better rates, more coverage, and added benefits to members. There are no general aviation exclusions for coverage. Read more > |
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News and Notes
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| Podcast |
| 'Did you float the dog?' |
| Ask the A&Ps podcast hosts Mike Busch, Paul New, and Colleen Sterling revisit sticky valves, diagnose shimmy dampers, give a bit of career advice, and talk about throttle response. Plus, silly pilot tricks with animals! Submit your questions for the next episode. Listen to the podcast > |
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| Podcast |
| 'Hangar Talk': Aviation stories with the most impact in 2020 |
| Join a special year-end discussion about the top aviation news stories of 2020 and predictions about what could affect pilots in 2021 and beyond.
Listen to the podcast > |
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| Pilot Protection Services |
| What to expect from a traffic stop |
| Two attorneys with backgrounds in law enforcement and criminal defense offer advice on how to handle yourself during a traffic stop. Read more > |
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Question of the Week
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Question
I own a Cessna 162 Skycatcher light sport aircraft that sputters, hiccups, and momentarily loses power on takeoff. My A&P has investigated the issue and fixed discrepancies, but the problem persists. Other A&Ps are also stumped. Any help or feedback is greatly appreciated! |
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Any internal combustion engine needs three components to operate properly and smoothly: a steady flow of fuel, a constant ignition source, and uninterrupted air flow. Because the issue seems to occur only at full power, here are a few suggestions: Check that the fuel supply line to the carb is not bent, kinked, dented, or partially obstructed. Check fuel filters for obstructions. Check that the spark plugs are clean, electrodes not too worn, are gapped properly, and are of the proper heat range for the engine. Check plug wires for defects and magnetos for timing. Check that the air filter and air intake tube(s) are clean and unobstructed. Read the full answer and join the discussion >
This discussion is from our online Pilot Information Center, where you can ask questions, contribute answers, earn badges, and join our growing pilot community online. Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA. |
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Education & Seminars
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| AOPA's in-person educational courses and seminars have been canceled or postponed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Stay sharp with our webinars, podcasts, and videos. |
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| See the full webinar schedule in our online Pilot Information Center. (Log in to our online Pilot Information Center using your AOPA website username and password to view these events.) View our recently recorded webinars (registration required). |
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| Latest AOPA Pilot Lounge videos |
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| For a full list of Pilot Lounge videos, see AOPA Online. |
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