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Tektober 2015
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Article
The Apple Watch needs a lot of help from its iPhone cousin to help you navigate in the air. Not many apps are available, although ForeFlight is the first to try to put flying on your wrist. Read more...
 
Article
Electric aircraft will need new batteries to realize their potential, and current research is revisiting the use of elements other than lithium. There is hope for new battery designs within a few years that will transcend current limits on endurance and solve safety problems posed by the use of volatile ingredients. Read more...
AOPA Premier Partner sponsored content
There's a function in many glass-cockpit airplanes that can help a pilot hand fly with the precision of an autopilot, yet few general aviation pilots bother to use it. This short video by AOPA Premier Partner PilotWorkshops explains how you can benefit from using the flight director. Watch the video...
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AOPA Live
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AOPA Live This Week
Air traffic control may become a telecommuting task in the not-too-distant future; remote towers equipped with cameras and communication gear are already online in some parts of the world. Watch a demonstration of how it might work at your local airport. Also this week, what happens behind the scenes when a Red Bull Air Race pilot clips one of those giant inflated pylons? A team swings into action with spare parts and a plan to make sure pilots (and the crowd) won't have long to wait. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, Oct. 29...
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Technique and Safety
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Real Pilot Story
Ask Gordon Webster about a landing he won't forget, and he'll tell you about his unexpected encounter with tombstones in the "Garden of The Apostles." The AOPA Air Safety Institute's Real Pilot Story: Cemetery Crash shares what's at stake during a catastrophic engine failure. Watch and learn more...
Flash-based; login required
Fuel awareness is more than merely checking to see if the tanks are full. We also must properly manage that fuel. How do we calculate fuel burn, and when should we lean the mixture? Test your knowledge with this Fuel Awareness quiz from the AOPA Air Safety Institute. Take the quiz...
PDF download
Whether you're curious about becoming a volunteer pilot or want to brush up on safety guidelines and passenger comfort recommendations, check out the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Volunteer Pilots: Balancing Safety and Compassion Safety Advisor. Download the Safety Advisor...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
AOPA will help determine the specifics of a new registration policy for drones as part of the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Registration Task Force Aviation Rulemaking Committee. Read more...
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Health
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Member benefits
Traditional disability insurance typically will deny or cease further payment of benefits once a person's treating doctor or the insurance company's doctor says, "He's good to go." What is a professional pilot to do if his doctor releases him to return to work months before the FAA will even consider allowing him to fly? This is why loss of medical disability insurance is important. Read more...
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Technology
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Article
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has established a new associate member category for electrically powered and hybrid-propulsion aircraft. Read more...
Article
An aviation engineer and pilot in Idaho designed the next generation of small drones with an eye on manning them in the future. His startup company just landed $1.5 million on the ABC television show Shark Tank, in part because it also is preparing to make cell phones fly. Read more...
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Gear
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Article
Sandia Aerospace's solid-state SAI 340 Quattro four-in-one attitude, altitude, airspeed, and slip instrument has been certified as a primary attitude indicator; with its built-in battery, the instrument also can be used as a backup for glass panels. Read more...
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Travel
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Article
Two New York pilots plan to circumnavigate South America in a Cirrus SR22 for multiple sclerosis awareness. The Fly for MS charity flight, scheduled to lift off Nov. 14, will offer flights at stops along the route to those who have multiple sclerosis. Read more...
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Financial
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Article
Observers knew Bombardier's cash situation was worsening, but not by as much as the $4.9 billion loss the company reported for the third quarter, canceling the Learjet 85 in the process. Read more...
Article
Doc, the Wichita-based Boeing B-29 Superfortress in restoration, has received funding needed for flight testing through a Kickstarter campaign. The only thing needed now is warm weather. The airplane is outside, and the oil temperature must be at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit for engine start. Read more...
Article
Analyst Brian Foley predicts smaller jets will claim a larger percentage of sales, resulting in lower profits for manufacturers. It's the dollar amount of those sold, not the number of jets, that determines success. Read more...
Article
Redbird Flight Simulations' experiment with flight training takes a twist as new owner Tempus comes online. Read more...
Member benefits
Purchasing a business aircraft can be daunting and costly, especially if you overlook the basics and make one of these eight common mistakes. Read more...
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News and Notes
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Article
Cessna will discuss details of the new Longitude and show its now-delivered Latitude jet, and the company may even announce a new jet program during the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas in November. Read more...
Pilot Protection Services
Punctuation can matter in understanding how a regulation may apply to our flight activities. It also could make a difference in evaluating the merit of an FAA enforcement case. AOPA Counsel Attorney Kathy Yodice explains two cases in which something as small as a comma and a semicolon had a big impact. Read more...
Slideshow
Forty of the world's best wingsuit pilots soared side by side over Northern California Oct. 22 through 24 for a series of three-dimensional Red Bull Aces competitions. Defending champion Andy Farrington of the United States won the race. Read more...
If you live in an area that observes daylight saving time, don't forget to return your clocks to standard time Nov. 1. Remember that the conversion to Zulu time will change, too. See the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s time conversion chart.
Online resource
AOPA's Aircraft Ownership page offers a wealth of resources for buying or upgrading an aircraft, including videos and podcasts about pre-purchase inspections, the purchasing process, financing, and upgrades. In addition, the page offers links to an Operating Costs Calculator, tax information, aircraft registration guidance, and more. Learn more...
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Career Opportunities
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AOPA career opportunities
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for an administrative assistant; account executive; aviation event planner; and director of aviation security.To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
After landing at an unfamiliar airport and receiving your taxi clearance, you are unsure of how to get where you need to go. Is there anything you can do to remedy this situation and avoid a runway incursion?
Answer
When in doubt or at an unfamiliar airport, ask for progressive taxi instructions. Progressive taxi is defined in the Pilot/Controller Glossary as "Precise taxi instructions given to a pilot unfamiliar with the airport or issued in stages as the aircraft proceeds along the taxi route." It is also mentioned in an FAA "Runway Safety" brochure: "If you become uncertain about your location on the airport movement area, make sure you are clear of any runway and STOP THE AIRCRAFT. Advise ATC and, if necessary, request progressive taxi instructions." Requesting progressive taxi instructions is not an admission that you're lost or unprepared: You're just asking ATC for help getting safely from point A to point B without incident, similar to flight following or radar services. And it is not only for students or new private pilots, so don't let your pride get in the way of avoiding a violation or runway incursion.
Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA. |
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Education and Seminars
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Flight Instructor Refresher Courses
Nov 7-8 - Atlanta Georgia; and San Diego, California
Nov 14-15 - Ashburn, Virginia; Austin, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Anchorage, Alaska
Dec 5-6 - Denver, Colorado; Orlando, Florida; and Northbrook, Illinois
Jan 9-10 - Spokane, Washington; Charlotte, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; Santa Clara, California; and Ridgeland, Mississippi
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the Air Safety Institute's Online eFIRC.
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Air Safety Institute Safety Seminars
Nov 2 - Jacksonville, Florida; Garden City, New York; and Van Nuys, California
Nov 3 - Ocala, Florida; Poughkeepsie, New York; Marietta, Georgia; and Ontario, California
Nov 4 - Orlando, Florida; Albany, New York; Birmingham, Alabama; and Long Beach, California
Nov 5 - Indialantic, Florida; Brockport, New York; Pensacola, Florida; and San Diego, California
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilot Seminars
Nov 7 - Auburn, California
Nov 14 - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Ashland, Virginia; New Orleans, Louisiana; and San Jose, California
Dec 5 - Scottsdale, Arizona; Winter Haven, Florida; and Stow, Massachusetts
Jan 9 - Stevensville, Maryland; and Lawrenceville, Georgia
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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ePilot Editors:
Alyssa Miller
Jim Moore
David Tulis
Production Assistant:
Melissa Whitehouse
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Contributors:
Mike Collins
Sarah Deener
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Alton K. Marsh
Warren Morningstar
Dan Namowitz
Jill W. Tallman
Elizabeth Tennyson
Ian J. Twombly
Julie Summers Walker
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