Member Guide

Make plans for Summit 2012

June 1, 2012 By Kathleen Dondzila King

About 8 percent of men and one-half percent of women in the United States have problems with color perception. Whether caused by genetics, injury, or disease, color blindness is challenging to live with and presents special hurdles for pilots. The medical standards in FAR Part 67 specify that applicants for all classes of medical certification must have "the ability to perceive those colors necessary for the safe performance of airman duties." Every visit to an AME for renewal of an airman medical certificate involves taking a color vision test. Technically known as a pseudoisochromatic color plate test, it's the one with the pages of different-colored dots.

AOPA Membership Services and Products

AOPA
421 AVIATION WAY
FREDERICK, MARYLAND 21701

TOLL-FREE PILOT INFORMATION CENTER
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org

NEW ADDRESS?
Send your new address and AOPA membership number to:
AOPA, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701-4798
Fax 301/695-2375
Click www.aopa.org/coa-form.html

AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION
Call 800/638-3101
Click www.aopa.org/asf/

AOPA CREDIT CARD PROGRAM
Call 800/523-7666
Click www.aopa.org/info/cc/

AOPA AIRCRAFT INSURANCE
Call 800/622-AOPA (622-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/aircraftinsurance.html

AOPA LEGAL SERVICES PLAN
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/legalservices.html

AOPA MEDICAL SERVICES PLAN
Call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672)
Click www.aopa.org/medicalservices.html

AOPA AIRCRAFT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
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Click www.aopa.org/aircraftpartnership/

AOPA ONLINE TRAVEL
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OTHER AOPA MEMBER PRODUCTS
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Make your plans for Summit 2012

A Night for Flight auction is returning

Act now, donate, mark your calendar, and bid. It’s never too early to prepare for AOPA Summit, this year taking place in Palm Springs, California, October 11 through 13. And it’s time to help the AOPA Foundation preserve the future of general aviation by supporting A Night for Flight benefit and auction.

Visit the website now and register to donate an item. Then use the same link between August 27 and October 11 to find and bid on exciting items such as vacation packages, aviation merchandise, and more. Check back often—more items will come up for bid as they are donated.

Register for the benefit event, which includes an elegant evening of food, fun, and amazing entertainment. Tickets are $250 and half of the ticket price is a tax-deductible contribution to the AOPA Foundation to help safeguard GA’s future. The event includes a courtyard reception, a three-course meal, drinks, and entertainment that will transport you back to a time when Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack ruled the scene.

‘A Night for Flight’ Auction Items
Private three-hour San Andreas Fault Jeep tour
Autographed hardback Stephen Coonts books
Lunch and a flight with Harrison Ford
Watercolor print
Framed aviation print
Wine from Napa Valley
Name a character in an upcoming Stuart Woods novel
Autographed photo of John Glenn
Custom pencil drawing of your aircraft
Custom-made cowboy boots

Pilots speak out on medical petition

Thousands of pilots have logged support for an effort by AOPA and EAA to reduce the burden of the third class medical. Pilots are urged to share those thoughts with the FAA by filing comments on the petition.

The petition would allow pilots to fly many common GA aircraft recreationally without a medical certificate if they opt to participate in a recurrent online education program that would teach them how to self-assess their fitness to fly. Participants would be restricted to day VFR operations in a single-engine aircraft with 180 or fewer horsepower, no more than four seats, fixed gear, and a maximum of one passenger, among other criteria.

“I believe this would extend flying for a lot of safe pilots that fly recreationally and really like the proposal,” wrote one pilot.

Comments may be submitted online. For tips on submitting comments, including topics to address and how to describe yourself as a pilot, see the online guide.

Answers for Pilots

Preventative maintenance

Are you a do-it-yourself pilot? Like to tinker with your airplane? Want to save some money? Find out which preventive maintenance tasks are OK for you to do under FAR Part 43. Read about preventive maintenance in this month’s Answers for Pilots. Questions? Call AOPA’s Pilot Information Center Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time at 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672).