You Can Fly: Aviation on your mind
Finding the time to get—and stay—current
We all would like to have more time to do what we love, but sometimes other commitments make it challenging to fit it all in. And flying is often an easy victim.
One thing you can do to increase your currency is to keep aviation on your mind. One AOPA flight instructor had a student who, because of family commitments, was only able to fly once every other month or so. But amazingly, he would get back in the cockpit and perform his procedures like he had just flown yesterday. His secret: He used a poster of the Cessna 172 cockpit, which he put up over his desk, to practice his procedures whenever he had a spare moment. It really is a powerful way to keep up your proficiency. It’s why professional pilots are required to fly the “paper tiger” before they set foot in a simulator during training.
Getting back to flying is easier than you think
If you’re like more than 500,000 other pilots (that’s right, half a million), you may have taken a breather from flying. Perhaps life threw you a curve. Children, a growing business, or a medical setback may have had something to do with it. Whatever the case, you would like to start flying again. Rusty Pilots, the AOPA You Can Fly initiative designed to help pilots who paused or stopped flying, is the answer.
AOPA’s program gives you all the information you need to get current again in seminars held throughout the country and online. Dynamic presenters bring you up to speed on hot-button issues such as medical reform, weather briefings, preflight planning, federal aviation regulations, and airspace. You’ll leave the seminar with a logbook endorsement attesting that you’ve completed three hours of ground training toward your flight review. And AOPA will connect you with flight instructors in your area so you can take the next step and quickly get back to active flying status. Rusty Pilots seminars are free for AOPA members.
Practice makes perfect
Modern technology makes it easier than ever to practice procedures no matter where you are. Lots of great videos and educational courses are available for free. Check out the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s series of courses and quizzes online (www.airsafetyinstitute.org).
There is a wealth of expertise at AOPA, and we want to help you get back in the air. If you want some more creative ideas and would like to talk to our experienced CFIs at AOPA before taking the flight review, call the AOPA Pilot Information Center at 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672).
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