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Top Stories |
Advocacy
Budget deadlines are approaching fast and cuts associated with sequestration are inevitable, but AOPA and other general aviation associations are collaborating to protect pilots and ensure the integrity of the air transportation system. Read more... Share:  
AOPA Live This Week
A fiscal showdown in Washington, D.C., may spell more trouble for general aviation. AOPA is fighting another battle against federal efforts to block information on aircraft searches. Also this week, ride back in time in a very special antique aircraft. AOPA Live This Week, Sept. 26. Share: |
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Technique and Safety
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IFR Fix
Two retired airline pilots were shooting instrument approaches and taking turns acting as safety pilot. On the day's last approach, something didn't look right. Read more... Share:
IFR quiz, login required
Today, you will be flying your Cessna 182 from Burlington, Vt., to Nantucket, Mass., to enjoy the fall weather. But Nantucket being Nantucket, you'll have fog to contend with. Is your IFR knowledge up for the challenge? Take the quiz... Share:
Video
Pilots must be several steps ahead of the airplane in flight, but this concept also applies to the takeoff roll. Have a plan in place in case you need to abort your takeoff before you're even off the ground. Watch the video... Share:
Blog
After an accident, it's often pretty clear that the pilot was light on either skill or judgment. In the judgment accidents, the question is whether the pilot was ignorant of the risk or just decided to take off based on past successes. Read more... Share: |
AOPA Aviation Summit
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Article
Greatest Generation Aircraft will be offering AOPA Aviation Summit Airportfest attendees the chance to ride in or fly a Douglas C-47. Read more... Share:
Article
AOPA Aviation Summit will help kick off the first North Texas Aviation Week in Fort Worth. Read more... Share:
Article
Meet the flight service specialists on the other side of the phone and radio during a tour of Lockheed Martin's state-of-the-art Fort Worth Automated Flight Service Station hub during AOPA Aviation Summit. Read more... Share:
AOPA AV8RS
Teens ages 13 through 18 can participate in the free hands-on experience "Get Airborne: What you need to know," Oct. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at AOPA Aviation Summit in Fort Worth, Texas. It will feature learning stations and a close-up look at general aviation aircraft. Luke Hickerson and John Ponts from Flying Wild Alaska will talk about their flying experiences during lunch, provided by AOPA. Pre-registration is required for the event, held at Airportfest at Meacham International Airport. Register now...
Call for volunteers
AOPA is looking for volunteers to help with parking attendee aircraft, directing ground transportation, and managing the flow of people and vehicles Oct. 8 through 13 for AOPA Aviation Summit. Summit is coming to Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 10 through 12. Volunteers who work a minimum of five hours will receive a Summit "Exhibits and Seminars" one-day pass (a $55 value). Sign up to volunteer today. |
Advocacy
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Advocacy
Customs and Border Protection is asking for the right to keep records secret, but AOPA says the agency needs to slow down and give Congress time to investigate reports of stops and searches on purely domestic general aviation flights. In the meantime, the association is meeting with members of Congress and their staffs to seek support for ending these stops and searches. Read more... Share:
Advocacy
The NTSB has finalized a series of rules implementing the requirements of the Pilot's Bill of Rights. The new rules help ensure that pilots facing enforcement actions are treated fairly and have access to the information needed to appeal. The NTSB also has proposed a new rule that would help pilots facing emergency certificate actions. Read more... Share:
Advocacy
The FAA has provided additional information and extended the comment period on a proposed airworthiness directive affecting thousands of ECi cylinders. The move follows a request from AOPA and six other organizations. Read more... Share:
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Advocacy
General aviation has more friends in Congress than ever before, with participation in the House GA Caucus reaching a new high of 223 members. That marks the first time more than half the members of the House have been part of the group. Read more... Share:
Advocacy
AOPA met with key senators and staffers recently to talk about ways to make general aviation aircraft twice as safe at half the cost. The discussion was part of a briefing on Part 23 aircraft certification reform hosted by the Senate GA Caucus. Read more... Share:
Advocacy
AOPA members know that advocacy is a vital component of the association's mission of preserving the freedom to fly. How does the advocacy process work? Read more... Share: |
Health
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Members only
The FAA grants special issuance authorizations to airmen who have had certain organ transplants. The agency requires a six-month "period of observation" after the transplantation surgery takes place. Read more... Share:
CORRECTION: In the Sept. 20 issue of AOPA ePilot, we incorrectly identified the date of the death of Wiley Post. Post died Aug. 15, 1935. We regret the error. |
Technology
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Article
A swept-blade propeller developed by Hartzell and Raisbeck will be available for King Air C90 models beginning in January. The modification, already available for King Air 200, B200, and B200GT models, boosts performance and adds ramp appeal. Read more... Share:
Article
The long-elusive prospect of a viable unleaded avgas that would be useable by most of the piston fleet (without aircraft or engine modification) may be edging closer to reality. Swift Fuels has opened a new blending facility in Indiana that is capable of producing 10,000 gallons a month, and hopes to strike a deal with a major oil company soon. CEO Chris D'Acosta said if regulatory hurdles are cleared, mass production could begin within three years. Read more... Share: |
Opinion
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Blog
It's interesting that we in the general aviation business have such a low sensitivity to the noise that our machines produce. In what other job do people put on a coat and tie and go to work in an environment where they have to use headphones to hear the normal speaking voice of colleagues—some just a couple of feet away? Read more... Share:
Blog
Triple Tree Aerodrome isn't anything like what you've ever landed on. It's the flat, smooth, springy stuff that golf courses use for their putting greens. Seven thousand feet of it. Every good landing on that stuff, is, well, phenomenal. Read more... Share:
Blog
The PZL 104 Wilga 35, a former Polish Air Force aircraft, turns heads on any ramp. Dubbed the "WilgaBeast" by owner Cory Robin, the aircraft's odd design—which includes fixed leading-edge slats, trailing link gear, helicopter-like fuselage, and radial engine—is a great conversation starter. Read more... Share: |
Gear
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Article
Apple's new operating system is causing some mobile devices to "lock up" or spontaneously restart, according to one aviation application developer. While there are no widespread reports of system crashes, Hilton Software is advising users to hold off on the iOS 7 update, and Garmin is suggesting "caution." Read more... Share:
Article
Garmin is jumping into action cameras with the VIRB, a compact, well-engineered unit sure to begin showing up in cockpits immediately. Read more... Share:
Article
Jeppesen's Mobile FliteDeck VFR takes a refreshing and seemingly unique stance in the superheated app arms race. Instead of following rival techies who ceaselessly add more features and greater complexity to every version, Jeppesen boldly simplifies its software with an elegant app that presents only essential flight information in a clean, intelligent way. Read more... Share:
Article
Chances are that your aircraft's performance is somewhat less than the book numbers in your operations manual, but there is a lot that you can do to get reasonably close. Read more... Share:
Apps of the week
"General" aviation apps offer everything from medical to aircraft functions. Check out these apps that measure oxygen saturation, define acronyms, offer airport information, cover all things Sling aircraft, and review the FAR/AIM. Read more... Share: |
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Travel
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Article
Ancient rocks form a jagged promontory to the right of the final approach path; melting snow creates a muddy hazard to the left. Pilots thread the needle with 3.5 tons of Quest Kodiak slowing to 60 knots, delivering passengers for a few sunlit nights working on an island that is the closest analog to Mars that Earth can offer. Read more... Share: |
Financial
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Article
Redbird Skyport's experimental offer to sell avgas for a dollar a gallon in San Marcos, Texas, throughout October has generated such intense interest that the company has followed up with a statement explaining the deal's terms. Read more... Share:
Article
A focus on new pilots, a not-for-profit equity membership structure, and an emphasis on low-cost flying are the keys for success at the Daniel Boone Flying Club. Read more... Share:
Member benefit
There are sound financial reasons for aircraft ownership. Beyond the money saved on overnight trips, delays caused by airlines, and other miscellaneous expenses, owning an airplane has definite tax advantages. Read more... Share:
Member benefit
Insuring your aircraft is no easy task. It's a substantial investment, and understanding the ins and outs of the insurance industry can be confusing to put it mildly. Here's a simple checklist to help you navigate the process. Read more... Share: |
News and Notes
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Article
AOPA is reminding pilots who purchase paper navigation charts direct from the FAA that they will have to find a new authorized supplier by Oct. 1. Read more... Share:
Article
It took just more than six years for Quest Aircraft to sell 100 Kodiaks, and the Sandpoint, Idaho, company celebrated that milestone Sept. 19. A customer from Arizona purchased that particular airplane, which is gaining a foothold worldwide in the market for backcountry beasts that sport a sophisticated side. Read more... Share:
Article
AOPA has selected 12 top flight training professionals and 11 flight schools as finalists in its annual Flight Training Excellence Awards. A top winner in each category will be named next month at AOPA Aviation Summit 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. Read more... Share:
Blog
New requirements for the airline transport pilot exam will hit in 2014. The first effect of making ATP candidates take more training is to discourage those who get it just for fun. The second is to take smaller schools out of the ATP training market, writes AOPA Pilot Senior Editor Al Marsh. Read more... Share:
Blog
Interesting uses for drones, Google loses a government fuel deal, and a glider lands on a convenience store. Read more... Share: |
Sweepstakes
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Blog
The old, rotten plywood floorboards are gone! Long live the new, much stronger, lighter, and better looking aluminum-reinforced floorboards for the sweepstakes Debonair. Take a look at this and other improvements being made at Air Mod. Read more... Share: |
AOPA Career Opportunities
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Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for a Web applications developer III, financial analyst, staff assistant/PAC coordinator, and AOPA Live editor/graphic artist. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online. |
Question of the Week |
Question
Last year in the United States there were 642.2 million domestic airline passengers. But when airlines were in their infancy, general aviation was the way to fly. What was the ratio of GA passengers to scheduled airline passengers in 1929?
Answer
It was 17 to 1. There were 2,955,530 general aviation passengers and 173,405 scheduled airline passengers in the United States in 1929. (Sources: The Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics and Flight in America 1900-1983 by Roger Bilstein.)
Got a question for our aviation services staff? The AOPA Pilot Information Center is a service available to all members as part of the annual dues. Contact AOPA. |
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Forums
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Should a new pilot buy or lease an aircraft for a coast-to-coast trip? Read more... |
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Education and Seminars |
Flight Instructor Refresher Courses
Sept 28-29 - Richmond, Va.
Oct 5-6 - Indianapolis, Ind.; Wichita, Kan.; and Corpus Christi, Texas
Oct 12-13 - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Nashville, Tenn.
Oct 19-20 - Columbia, S.C.; San Jose, Calif.; and Windsor Locks, Conn.
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the Air Safety Institute's new Online eFIRC. |
Air Safety Institute Safety Seminars
Sept 30 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Oct 1 - Madison, Wis.; Huntsville, Ala.; and Des Moines, Iowa
Oct 2 - Milwaukee, Wis.; Decatur, Ga.; and Bellevue, Neb.
Oct 3 - Manitowoc, Wis.; Olathe, Kan.; and Greenville, S.C.
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. |
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Engage in Aviation |
Check out user-submitted events from your region. To include an event or to search all events in the calendar, visit AOPA Online. AOPA does not endorse the events listed below, nor have ePilot editors edited the submissions. AOPA assumes no responsibility for events listed. |
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ePilot Editor:
Benét Wilson
Production Team
Katie Richardson
Lezlie Ramsey
Melissa Whitehouse |
Contributors:
Sarah Deener
Alyssa Miller
Jim Moore
Jill W. Tallman
Warren Morningstar
Alton K. Marsh
Dave Hirschman
Tom Horne
Ian J. Twombly
Dan Namowitz |
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