Mourning Mike Collins; New vaccine for pilots
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| VOL 23, ISSUE 10 |
March 5, 2021 |
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Top Stories
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| Multimedia |
| Saying goodbye: AOPA loses Technical Editor Mike Collins |
| We are heartbroken by the loss of AOPA Technical Editor and Director of Business Operations Mike Collins, who fought COVID-19 for two weeks in an intensive care unit. Mike died on February 25. He was 59. Read more, watch a video, and view a slideshow > |
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| Image gallery |
| Telling a story |
| Mike Collins began developing his storytelling skill as a self-taught youth making prints in a darkroom. Revisit a few of his favorite AOPA photo assignments. |
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| AOPA Live This Week |
| Mourning our fallen friend; Envelope expansion; Phenom transition |
| We salute Mike Collins, our friend and coworker for decades. Also, exercises to expand your envelope, and stepping into a Phenom. Watch AOPA Live This Week® > |
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Technique and Safety
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| IFR Fix |
| Spatial occasions |
| It's tempting—and risky—for a current instrument pilot to think of spatial disorientation as something that afflicts only VFR pilots who stumble uninvited into the clouds or other pilots who knowingly push marginal conditions. Read more > |
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| Video |
| Icing encounter |
| With a brand-new instrument rating in his wallet and family on board his Cessna 172, Heath Wells expected to comfortably complete the flight crossing central Pennsylvania. Watch this AOPA Air Safety Institute Real Pilot Story to find out what weather lesson he learned the hard way. |
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Advocacy
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| Advocacy |
| Third COVID-19 vaccine approved for pilots, controllers |
| Johnson & Johnson's formulation became the third COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FAA for use by pilots and air traffic controllers. Read more > |
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| Advocacy |
| Ebola outbreak in Africa prompts US travel restrictions |
| New restrictions and requirements apply to flights arriving in the United States carrying people who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the Republic of Guinea in response to an Ebola virus resurgence. Read more > |
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Health
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| Pilot Protection Services |
| Not-so-acrimonious aviation acronyms |
| AOPA Pilot Information Center Medical Certification Director Gary Crump anticipates that welcome changes to FAA policy will soon follow recent leadership changes. Read more > |
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Technology
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| Article |
| eVTOL startup's share price takes hit |
| Urban air mobility pioneer EHang's stock price took a wild ride coinciding with accusations and intrigue. Read more > |
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| Article |
| FAA tests airport drone defenses |
| Field trials of "at least 10 different technologies or systems" designed to detect and mitigate drones that endanger operations will be conducted at five airports, the FAA announced while discouraging other deployment of countermeasures. Read more > |
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Travel
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| Pilot magazine |
| No passport required |
| For great boating, diving, beaches, historical tours, and flying opportunities—get away to the Florida Keys. Read more and view photos > |
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| Want more general aviation travel stories? Sign up for our free AOPA Travel Pilot biweekly newsletter. |
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News and Notes
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| Article |
| AOPA leaders to discuss state of GA in live town hall |
| AOPA President Mark Baker and Senior Vice President of Marketing Jiri Marousek will talk general aviation in a live town hall March 9. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Collier Trophy finalists for 2020 announced |
| The National Aeronautic Association named seven aviation and space achievements that will compete for the 2020 Collier Trophy, including the first automated landing system for general aviation. Read more > |
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| Article |
| Aspects of Amelia Earhart that might surprise you |
| Let's kick off Women's History Month with 10 things you may not know about Amelia Earhart, starting with her roller coaster. Read more > |
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| Article |
| 'Red Tails' screening draws Black History Month to close |
| The Western Maryland chapter of the National Association for Black Veterans celebrated the close of Black History Month with a theater screening of Red Tails, a film depicting the lives of the U.S. Army Air Corps' Tuskegee Airmen. Read more > |
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| NASA names headquarters after 'Hidden Figure' Mary Jackson |
| NASA on February 26 formally renamed the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., after Mary W. Jackson, one of the subjects of the book and feature film Hidden Figures about Black women mathematicians who calculated trajectories by hand for the then-segregated agency starting in the 1950s. Their painstaking work was essential to successful spaceflight. |
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| Podcast |
| 'Hangar Talk': Musician, pilot, and TV personality Nick Hoffman |
| Nick Hoffman, a Minnesotan who grew up in and around aviation, explains how he became a Nashville country musician, a pilot, and the host of the adventure TV show Nick's Wild Ride.
Listen to the podcast > |
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Career Opportunities
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| Aviation job board |
| Job of the week: Avionics technician, Force Aviation |
| Force Aviation in Dallas is hiring avionics technicians who will be responsible for inspecting, troubleshooting, servicing, and maintaining electronic systems and components. 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 digital marketing coordinator and a web app developer. 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'm an instrument-rated private pilot and have 700 hours in Cessna 172s, Piper PA–28 180s, and Piper PA–32s. I would like to buy a faster airplane because I like cross-countries. I fly once or twice a month, mostly solo or with a passenger or two. I'm interested in a Mooney or a Beechcraft Bonanza. What are some pros and cons of those aircraft? What else should I consider? |
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When contemplating the purchase of an aircraft, the first step is to establish a mission statement, including range, payload, speed, and information about the airports you are most likely to use (runway surface and length, elevation, and other considerations). Other factors include your own qualifications and experience, and, of course, your budget for purchase and for continuing ownership/operation. Keep in mind that Mooneys and Bonanzas offer a wide range of performance and capabilities, from the very early models to the very latest. Also, if you only fly once or twice a month, it's hard to maintain proficiency in a high-performance or complex aircraft like a Bonanza or a Mooney. 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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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:
Initial advertising inquiries:
Donna Stoner, 301-695-2336
Eastern and Central United States, Canada, and International:
Jeff Rockwood, 301-695-2089
Western United States:
Dan Justman, 301-695-2182
AOPA Advertising website |
