Membership News & Notes

Times like these are when we celebrate our freedom to enjoy the aviation life with laughter and tales of flying. At Gulf Shores on October 26 and 27, we all had something to celebrate, all 5,710 attendees and 315 pilots who flew their aircraft in—a first flight lesson; a flight in a Huey, Waco, or gyrocopter; a new home with a grass strip and an AirCam for exploring Mobile Bay; a major accomplishment while building an airplane; or a conversation reminiscing about learning to fly in the iconic J–3 Cub.

Those are the kinds of rewarding stories pilots around the country enjoy every day—a life of experiences many are missing out on as the pilot population declines. Waco Aircraft Corp. President Peter Bowers, who displayed an amphibious Waco at the fly-in, said, “Flying is a connection with reality and life that you’re not going to get from your phone or computer. Aviation is about living your life for real.”

Many pilots brought their children and grandchildren to the last AOPA Fly-In of the year, hoping to give them a spark that could someday ignite the passion for aviation.

U.S. Marine Corps pilot Benjamin DeBardeleben brought two of his daughters to the show, including Piper, who was named in honor of her grandfather Nelson who died before she was born. Nelson had taken DeBardeleben for his first flight in a Piper Cub and memorialized the event with a Cub postcard that detailed the flight. As soon as DeBardeleben saw the AOPA Sweepstakes Super Cub, he brought his family over for a photo, explaining that he hopes one of his four children will develop a love of flying.

He’s already off to a good start—sharing the aviation life and making early memories with a Piper Cub.

Announcements for the locations of the 2019 fly-ins will be sometime in late January or early February.

Email [email protected]

Web: www.aopa.org/fly-ins

Tips from PIC

‘Mayday, mayday, mayday’

Declaring an emergency

By Mike Filucci

Have you ever declared an emergency? Over the years I’ve witnessed several situations where pilots could have or should have declared an emergency but, for some reason, were reluctant to do so. Which of these are legitimate reasons for declaring?

1. Your passenger gets sick. Answer: Generally, no (especially if just airsick), but would be legitimate if the illness is life-threatening.

2. You are on an IFR flight plan, closing in on a thunderstorm, and ATC is not responding to your calls. Answer: Yes, you do not want to enter a thunderstorm—declare and deviate. You may be creating another problem, a traffic conflict, but solve the problem at hand with a mayday call. ATC will sort out any conflicts.

3. You are getting very, very low on fuel. Answer: Depends on your fuel state—two possible calls here: “minimum fuel” or “emergency fuel.” Only with the emergency declaration are you guaranteed priority handling.

4. You have a flight control malfunction. Answer: Yes, any major system failure merits a declaration.

How do you declare an emergency? If you really want to get everyone’s attention, make the “Mayday, mayday, mayday” call. If you are already engaged in a conversation with ATC, you can simply state “Cessna Three-Two-Zero-Six-Echo is declaring an emergency.” In either case you will have ATC’s full attention; you will get priority handling, and all resources will be brought to bear to get you safely on the ground.

What’s the downside? Really, none—there is no hassle or repercussion. There is not even any paperwork required unless requested by the FAA. In all the half-dozen or more emergencies I’ve declared, never once have I been asked by the FAA to submit a written report.

Mike Filucci is vice president of the AOPA Pilot Information Center and AOPA Flight Operations.

ASK JIM

No-fault payments

Make sure minor injuries don’t become a major hassle

By Jim Pinegar

Q: What happens if I or one of my passengers suffer a minor injury?

A: Your liability coverage is in place to cover major expenses, but when it comes to minor injuries, “no-fault” medical payments coverage will pay the medical expenses for those injuries, including ambulance, surgical, dental, professional nursing, and the like. It will also cover injuries that occur to anyone entering or leaving your airplane.

Regardless of who’s at fault in the accident, your policy will pay the set amount (usually between $5,000 and $10,000 per passenger) for those related medical expenses. Because its purpose is to pay for immediate medical treatment, most insurance policies have a time limit on the payment of medical services provided. Of course, if these injuries exceed the $5,000 or $10,000 limit, then your liability coverage is next in line for protection.

Whether you own or rent, AOPA has the right insurance coverage to fit your budget and needs. AOPA Insurance Agency offers knowledgeable agents who can talk your language and understand your unique flying and insurance requirements.

Have questions? Email [email protected]

ANSWERS FOR PILOTS

Final lap for ADS-B Out equipage

By Kathleen Dondzila King

The deadline for aircraft to equip with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out is one year away. After January 1, 2020, aircraft flying in airspace where a transponder is now required must have ADS-B Out. If you are grappling with the cost of compliance, these two factors may cheer you:

Several avionics manufacturers are offering lower-cost products that meet compliance regulations. The Appareo Stratus ESG and Garmin GTX 335 transponders are both under $3,000, plus installation. If you want to stay under $2,000 plus installation, consider the Garmin GDL 82 universal access transceiver, which works with an existing transponder, or uAvionix’s skyBeacon UAT. These products include integral GPS position sources that meet ADS-B rule requirements, so you can comply without upgrading your navigator to WAAS.

The FAA is once again offering the $500 rebate program to support ADS-B Out equipage. The rebate program that ended in September 2017 has been reactivated until October 11, 2019, unless the money runs out earlier. To collect the rebate, first purchase the equipment and make an appointment to have it installed. Second, reserve a rebate reservation code online. Third, have the equipment installed. Fourth, conduct the required equipment performance validation flight and get an incentive code. Fifth, claim the $500 rebate online. Learn more on the FAA’s website (www.faa.gov/go/rebate). 

Questions? Call AOPA Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1-800-USA-AOPA (872-2672), or email [email protected].

Kathleen Dondzila King is AOPA’s technical communications manager and an instrument-rated private pilot.

AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

Flying the backcountry

Increased risk but, oh, the rewards!

By Bob Knill

Take every important aspect of flying: thorough flight planning and research, weather dynamics, precise stick-and-rudder skills. Multiply them by a factor of at least three, and you’ll get an idea of the heightened focus that backcountry flying requires.

But with increased risk comes increased reward. Master the art of flying into unimproved mountain strips, and you’ll be rewarded with pristine prairies, stunning scenery, and a camaraderie with fellow pilots that may become some of your greatest aviation memories.

In aviation terms, “backcountry” generally refers to unimproved strips in remote, isolated, and often mountainous areas. That definition implies specific techniques and skills you must sharpen before heading out into the hills. Most of these airstrips have their own peculiarities that you should know in advance. For example, on some airstrips pilots take off and land in the same direction regardless of the wind conditions because of rising terrain in all directions. Some require you to determine your abort point well before you turn final. And some have you not even seeing the runway until you are on final approach.

There is no additional FAA rating or sign-off needed for backcountry or mountain flying; however, several hours with an experienced backcountry pilot should be considered mandatory. And there’s no better way to hone your overall stick-and-rudder skills than taking a mountain flying course with a qualified instructor. The skills you learn and practice during the course will serve you at every airport, not just strips in the high country.

You can start your journey before you plan your flight. The AOPA Air Safety Institute’s new seminar, “Peaks to Pavement: Applying Lessons from the Backcountry,” discusses many of the nuances involved in backcountry flying, and is a great primer for kindling the sense of adventure that backcountry flying is all about.

Check out the seminar in a city near you and make plans to fly into a backcountry airstrip. But understand exactly what you’re flying yourself into. Once you do, you won’t be disappointed—and you’ll come out a safer, more confident pilot.

Bob Knill is a writer on assignment with the AOPA Air Safety Institute. Web: www.airsafetyinstitute.org/seminars

Protection Services: Legally speaking

BasicMed and your checkride

Yes, you can take the test

By Chad Mayer

A common question posed to AOPA’s Legal Services Plan is, “Can I take a checkride with BasicMed?” The answer in most cases is yes: An applicant can take any FAA practical test using BasicMed in lieu of an FAA medical certificate when acting as pilot in command. A person taking any FAA practical test is exercising no more than private pilot privileges, so as long as the aircraft and operation are within BasicMed limitations, the pilot can fly under BasicMed. This is true even for checkrides for certificates requiring a certain class of FAA medical certificate to utilize them. For example, at least a second class medical certificate is required to exercise commercial pilot privileges, but one can take the commercial checkride with BasicMed.

FAR 61.23(a)(3) states that a person “Must hold at least a third-class medical certificate—(iii) When taking a practical test in an aircraft for a recreational pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, or airline transport pilot certificate, or for a flight instructor certificate, except when operating under the conditions and limitations set forth in §61.113(i);” (emphasis mine). FAR 61.113(i) details the requirements pertaining to BasicMed qualification.

Even if you hold a medical certificate and never plan to use BasicMed yourself, your CFI and examiner will expect you to be familiar with it in case, for example, you later fly with a safety pilot who is flying under BasicMed. Furthermore, “Part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations” is a required knowledge task item under Pilot Qualifications in the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) for the private pilot checkride. There are similar items in the instrument and commercial ACS. When this article went to press, the draft ACS for the airline transport pilot certificate was out for public comment and did not include such a knowledge task.

Although applicants can take practical tests with BasicMed, the same is not true for the examiners who administer those tests. At least a third class medical certificate is required “when performing the duties as an examiner in an aircraft when administering a practical test or proficiency check for an airman certificate, rating, or authorization,” per FAR 61.23(a)(3)(iv).

Chad Mayer is an in-house attorney for the legal services division of AOPA Pilot Protection Services.
Web: www.aopa.org/pps