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Top Stories
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You Can Fly
Of the 57 new flying clubs eligible for AOPA's Flying Club 150 Giveaway, the application from the Nate Abel Flying Club stood out. AOPA President Mark Baker broke the good news Oct. 13 in a Skype conversation with the club's officers arranged to tell them their Reimagined Cessna 150 is on the way. That does not mean the other applicants will be left with nothing for their effort. Read more...
 
AOPA Live This Week
Pilots are flying missions to provide relief to storm-ravaged communities near and far in the wake of Hurricane Matthew; we'll look at where the damage was done, and how general aviation is helping communities recover. Also this week, jump in a gondola and see what it's like to ride among hundreds of balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, a photographer's paradise. Speaking of super shots, Garmin has made significant improvements to its Virb point-of-view camera, and we put the new model through its paces. Watch AOPA Live This Week®, Oct. 13...
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Technique and Safety
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Aircraft Maintenance
Maintenance, like surgery, always carries some risk of complications. Pilot and A&P Jeff Simon explains the risks associated with a "top overhaul," the replacement or overhaul of all cylinders at once. Read more...
Online resource
AOPA Air Safety Institute Chief Flight Instructor John Collins recently joined the ranks of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) remote pilots, and he shares memorable moments in the latest CFI to CFI newsletter. This issue also includes tips for lasting proficiency training, plus Rod Machado's technique to help student pilots anticipate the next steps during a flight. Read more...
Login required
Brush up on your IFR chart savvy with this quiz from the AOPA Air Safety Institute. For example, airports shown with a brown symbol don't have a published approach, but are all airports without published approaches depicted on en route charts? Why are some localizers shown while others are not? Take the quiz and find out...
Blog
Lithium-based batteries can store a lot of energy, and are also well-known for being volatile. A fire in any aircraft is a recipe for catastrophe. AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Safety Advisor Bruce Landsberg writes that even a low-probability event with such high consequences demands attention, and devices not essential to the flight should probably be powered down. Read more...
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Advocacy
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Advocacy
AOPA is asking the FAA to take quick, decisive action to stop the strangulation and dismantling of Santa Monica Municipal Airport in California. Read more...
Advocacy
AOPA invited an Arizona lawmaker who also is a decorated U.S. Navy veteran and firefighting tanker pilot to speak Oct. 1 during the association's Prescott, Arizona, Fly-In. That was in large part because Rep. Noel Campbell (R-District 1) is a pilot who knows the value of general aviation. AOPA is working with state legislators, starting with Campbell, to add Arizona to the growing list of states where lawmakers have created a GA caucus to support aviation-friendly legislation. Read more...
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Health
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Pilot Protection Services
While treating a fellow passenger on a commercial flight, Dr. Jonathan Sackier made several observations that apply to travelers in general, and pilots in particular: It is critical to address health issues promptly, disclose all pertinent information to your doctor, comply with directives, and make the right call in an emergency. Read more...
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Technology
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Article
A glider designed by a project to "send an engineless aircraft to the edge of space" is back at its home base in Minden, Nevada, after a month of testing in Argentina, where it topped 26,000 feet and remained airborne for more than five hours on a single flight. Read more...
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Opinion
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Blog
Developing a passion for flight at a young age, and then acting on it, are keys to keeping the next generation of aviators in the sky, writes Opinion Leaders blogger Jolie Lucas. One example with a lasting impression for Lucas is the Brian Terwilliger film, Living in the Age of Airplanes, because it highlights how aviation brings the world closer together. Read more...
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Travel
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Slideshow
Hot air balloon pilot Colin Graham lifted off in his colorful Wandering Endeavor at sunrise, and climbed gracefully into the blue New Mexico sky as hundreds of voices from a gathering crowd below cheered him aloft. Moments later he returned like a boomerang to almost exactly the same spot at Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park, during a mass ascension. Read more and view a slideshow...
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Financial
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Member benefit
Pilots don't think twice about insuring their aircraft, but what about other items in the hangar—a small refrigerator, a golf cart to tow the aircraft, or a couch or recliner for lounging at the airport? Chances are those items are not covered. AOPA Insurance Services can help. Read more...
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News and Notes
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You Can Fly
Educators should make plans to join AOPA in Seattle Nov. 6 and 7 at the Museum of Flight and the adjacent Raisbeck Aviation High School to share best practices, resources, and strategies to inspire the next generation of aviators. The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) symposium brings together pioneers in aviation and education. Attendees will also learn about AOPA's partnership with Purdue University to create STEM curricula for grades 9-12. Check out the symposium's learning sessions and register to attend. Learn more...
Article
Pilots for humanitarian organizations were headed for multiple scenes of devastation inflicted by Hurricane Matthew, with aircraft deploying to assess damage and drop food and supplies in areas still isolated a week after the storm that reached Category 5, with winds up to 160 mph.
Read more...
Article
American aviation has a bright future, according to award-winning author and commentator James Fallows. "There will always be an irresistible desire to fly," he said. Read more...
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Article
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has opened the fifth annual GAMA/Build A Plane Aviation Design Challenge for all U.S. high schools. The competition is intended to promote science, technology, engineering, and math skills through aviation. Read more...
Article
The importance of leaving any Samsung Galaxy Note 7 device on the ground cannot be overstated, the AOPA Air Safety Institute said after Samsung announced the suspension of global sales of the fire-prone smart phones. Read more...
Article
The FBI took the lead in the investigation of a fatal Oct. 11 crash of a Piper Seneca, about a half-mile from Hartford-Brainard Airport in Hartford, Connecticut. Initial fears of terrorism were soon displaced by another theory: that the crash was a result of a distraught pilot's suicide, and officials urged the public not to jump to conclusions. Read 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? AOPA is looking for a government affairs federal and state vice president, Central Southwest regional manager, Great Lakes regional manager, account executive, annual giving manager, donor relations director, high school aviation initiative manager, flying clubs initiative senior manager, New York You Can Fly ambassador, aviation technical specialist, product marketing specialist, advertising-marketing coordinator, and UI/front-end developer. To learn more about these and other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.
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Question of the Week
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Question
A friend who has been flying remote-controlled aircraft for years and now holds a remote pilot certificate under Part 107 would like to earn his private pilot certificate. He hopes to combine the time he has spent flying unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) with time spent training in manned aircraft. Can time accrued flying UAS under Part 107 be applied toward a Part 61 certificate or rating?
Answer
No. According to 14 CFR 61.8, "Any action conducted pursuant to part 107 of this chapter or Subpart E of part 101 of this chapter cannot be used to meet the requirements of this part." In other words, UAS operations can't be used to satisfy part 61 certification requirements. AOPA has collected information that can help anyone seeking a private pilot certificate, including a section of the association website devoted to student pilots.
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
Oct 15-16 - Columbia, South Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Wichita, Kansas
Nov 12-13 - San Diego, California
Nov 19-20 - Anchorage, Alaska; Atlanta, Georgia; and Austin, Texas
Dec 3-4 - Denver, Colorado; and Orlando, Florida
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
Oct 17 - Germantown, Tennessee; Mesa, Arizona; and Van Nuys, California
Oct 18 - Rochester, Minnesota; Nashville, Tennessee; Tucson, Arizona; and Ontario, California
Oct 19 - Blaine, Minnesota; Bellevue, Nebraska; Maryville, Tennessee; and Santa Ana, California
Oct 20 - Olathe, Kansas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and San Diego, California
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
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Rusty Pilots Seminars
Oct 15 - Carson City, Nevada; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Burnet, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Richmond, Virginia
Oct 20 - Fort Myers, Florida
Oct 22 - Kissimmee, Florida; Palm Springs, California; and Shelby, North Carolina
Oct 29 - Burlington, Washington; San Diego, California; and Columbus, Ohio
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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