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A LOOK BACK
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| The news that affected flight schools |
| In 2017 thousands of pilots ramped up to go flying again when BasicMed took effect on May 1. By year’s end, nearly 25,000 pilots had returned to the skies under the new rule. AOPA has many online resources, including the medical self-assessment course, frequently asked questions, and more. Meanwhile, the pilot shortage drove hiring at a brisk page, leaving flight schools scrambling for CFIs. On the regulatory front, the FAA released commercial pilot airman certification standards, as well as updates to the private pilot-airplane ACS that tweaked the evaluation of slow flight and stall recovery. Pilots were quick to weigh in on the idea of a continuous turning approach or “circular pattern” as an alternative to the traditional box pattern, with some well-known aviation educators objecting to the idea as being unsafe. American Flyers departed California’s Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) in April after 50 years at that location. A controversial agreement to close the airport in 2028 was part of the deciding factor. Finally, the Aug. 21 total eclipse gave thousands of pilots a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the event as only pilots can—flying to one of more than 240 airports in the path of totality. |
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