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News & Media Pilots put aviation in reach; Inadvertent helo IMC

Pilots put aviation in reach; Inadvertent helo IMC

AOPA ePilot
VOL 24, ISSUE 15 April 15, 2022
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Top Stories
A labor of love for aviation's future
Article
A labor of love for aviation's future
Two men who are friends, pilots, and aviation industry professionals based in Florida and Texas, respectively, are restoring a Cessna 150 to help young people in Florida and Puerto Rico achieve their aviation dreams. Read more >
AOPA Live This Week
The show is in the shop
Our weekly show is going away for a few weeks to implement a reimagined version following the retirement of the irreplaceable Tom Haines. Meanwhile, we will continue posting fresh content all the time on our YouTube channel.
Technique and Safety
Podcast
'There I Was...': Inadvertent IMC in a helicopter
Helicopter pilot Andrew Edgerton shares how he escaped inadvertent instrument conditions, part of the AOPA Air Safety Institute's 2022 campaign to eliminate VFR into IMC accidents. Listen to the podcast >
Login required
Sun, showers, and windy weather
Safely navigate spring's wide meteorological mood swings with the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Spring Weather safety quiz.
Sponsored by Aircraft Spruce
Aircraft Maintenance: Risk management for mechanics
Which job comes with greater risk, flying the airplane, or fixing it? The answer might surprise you. (Photos courtesy of the FAA.) Read more >
Online Resource
Know what makes your aircraft tick
Whether owning or renting, there's a lot you will want to know in the AOPA's Air Safety Institute Aircraft Ownership and Maintenance safety center's videos, publications, webinars, and online courses.
AOPA premier partner created content
Ditching in water vs. trees
Your engine fails and the only landing options are tall pine trees or a lake below you. What would you do? Get poll results, discussion, and tips. Read more >
Advocacy
Advocacy
FAA withdraws proposed Grumman AD
Following advocacy by AOPA and others, the FAA announced that it will withdraw a proposed airworthiness directive that would have applied to Grumman American AA–5A and AA–5B models, introduced in December, 2021. Read more >
Cessna 120/140 seat belt bracket AD finalized
An airworthiness directive requires replacement of aluminum seat belt center brackets installed in various Cessna 120 and 140 airplanes with steel brackets. The AD was proposed in January in response to accidents in which aluminum brackets failed, causing serious injury or death. No comments were submitted.
Health
Pilot magazine
The magic age
How old is too old to fly? Senior AME Dr. Brent Blue tackles this question by acknowledging that a pilot’s needs and abilities change with age. Read more >
Technology
Video
Two ignitions, zero mags, one first
The ink barely dry on the supplemental type certificate, Electroair delivered the components to make the AOPA Sweepstakes Tiger the first certified piston airplane to fly without any magnetos. Watch the video >
Travel
Image gallery
All the color you could want
No ordinary hamburger hop, this Southern California airport is near an amazing sprawl of flowers cultivated into a tourist attraction. While color is the primary draw here, you will also find tasty food in The Flower Fields. Read more and view photos >
Want more general aviation travel stories? Sign up for our AOPA Travel Pilot biweekly newsletter.
Financial
Member Benefit
Most popular first airplanes 2021
An enduring legend remained the most popular choice for first time airplane owners in 2021 among those who turned to AOPA for financing. Find out why each of the top six models is so popular. Read more >
News and Notes
Article
Tecnam announces new trainer
Tecnam's European-certified "P-Mentor" is designed to take pilots from private through instrument and commercial ratings in a single, economical aircraft. (Photo courtesy of Tecnam.) Read more >
Article
Van’s Aircraft celebrates 50 years
A special celebration is planned at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in July honoring Richard VanGrunsven and the many Van's Aircraft his company created—including the much-anticipated latest. Read more >
Fly with us
Behind the scenes on our TBM 960 photo mission
Ride along on one of our AOPA air-to-air photography sessions with Daher's new TBM 960. Follow @flywithaopa on Instagram to experience the further adventures of our members and staff.
Podcast
'Hangar Talk': Tom Haines
Tom Haines reveals some of his favorite assignments, and one that he would rather forget, during a wide-ranging interview about his just-concluded career as AOPA's editorial leader. Listen to the podcast >
Podcast
'Ask the A&Ps': 'Your airplane may look like the molting hide of an animal'
Our expert hosts tackle your questions about inexpensively improving paint, cylinders running cool, and a magic floatplane that burns less fuel with its floats fitted. Plus, an airplane that can't turn left. Submit your questions.
Airworthiness advisories
Career Opportunities
Aviation job board
Job of the week: Attorney, AOPA Legal Services Plan
AOPA is seeking to add an attorney with experience in FAA compliance and enforcement, aircraft transactions, and aviation tax matters to the association's in-house legal team. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in aviation and experience with aircraft transactions and leases; hangar and ground leases; sales and use tax; and FAA, DOT, and IRS compliance and litigation. 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 You Can Fly coordinator, an editorial assistant, a Legal Services Plan attorney, a graphic designer, a data entry/travel products representative, an HR specialist, a staff accountant, a financial analyst, a development operations manager, an aviation technical writer, and a mobile app developer. Learn about AOPA career opportunities >
Question of the Week
Question

I have heard that airport diagrams are changing soon. What changes are being made, and when?
Answer
The FAA will standardize hot spot symbols on airports starting May 19. The updated hot spot symbols include circles and ellipses used to identify areas of ground collision concern, and cylinders will denote areas with a history of wrong-surface takeoffs or landings. 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. (Log in to the online Pilot Information Center using your AOPA website username and password to see this discussion.) Have a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.
Education & Seminars
Stay sharp with AOPA's webinars, podcasts, and videos.
Upcoming AOPA webinars
Apr 14, 7 p.m. EDT AOPA Air Safety Institute Weather Flying: Safety for all seasons
Apr 21, 12 p.m. EDT 'Don't Get Rusty' series: Now you see, now you don't
May 3, 7 p.m. EDT AOPA Rusty Pilots - Webinar edition
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).
Latest AOPA Pilot Lounge videos
First paraplegic Cirrus Vision Jet pilot Clayton Smeltz
Aviation writer Martha Lunken
Kim Kissh: What it's like to be a corporate pilot
For a full list of Pilot Lounge videos, see the AOPA Live® YouTube channel.
AOPA podcasts
'Ask the A&Ps': 'Your airplane may look like the molting hide of an animal'
'Hangar Talk': Latina corporate pilot Jessika Hernandez
'Pilot Briefing': Week of April 4, 2022
'There I was...': Drew Ryan and Potomac Tracon
'Never Again': Jump, son, jump
To see all AOPA podcasts, visit AOPA Online.
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