News

News

Eager for visitors

Bahamas needs you to visit to help in recovery

By Julie Summers Walker

The majority of the Bahamas, including 14 of the most-visited islands, is unaffected by Hurricane Dorian. Officials fear that the message that the Bahamas are devastated will keep visitors away. Hurricane Dorian swept through the 700-island chain in September, devastating the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco. Recovery is ongoing and general aviation has been part of the relief programs. But the island country is more than just those two islands.

“If a hurricane would hit Jacksonville in Florida, it wouldn’t mean that you wouldn’t go on vacation to Miami or Fort Lauderdale,” said Dionisio J. D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation. “That’s the analogy we are making. Unfortunately, people are geographically challenged.”

Maintaining a robust tourism industry is vital to helping the country recover. “We are grateful for the outpouring of support and love for our islands, and we would like everyone to know that the best thing they can do for us right now is visit. Our beautiful island nation is ready to welcome you,” said D’Aguilar.

Among the islands that were not impacted by Hurricane Dorian: Nassau, Paradise Island, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Andros, Bimini, the Berry Islands, the Exumas, Cat Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Acklins/Crooked Island, Mayaguana, and Inagua.

Use your AOPA Bahamas Pilot Guide for more information on landing sites in the islands.

aopa.org/pilotguides

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ASI News

Winter weather woes

Consider these cold-weather flying tips

By Alicia Herron

Winter flying presents challenges that may be new to you. Here are some (but not all) factors to consider, and tips to help keep you safe this season:

Check the freezing level. Even in typically warm and sunny places, the freezing level will get lower in winter. Don’t let it surprise you and remember that any amount of ice on a GA aircraft is bad news.

Dress for the worst weather along your route of flight rather than for your destination weather or the capabilities of your cabin heat. If you fly out of a truly wintry spot, even a short local flight can turn into a survival scenario. You should be mentally and physically prepared (jacket, boots, survival equipment) to spend at least a few hours in the elements every time you fly—just in case.

Using a GPS tracker will be either a necessity or a very good idea depending on how remote of an area you fly in. With a GPS tracker that will allow you to call for help in a place where you might not have cell service, you can likely reduce the time in between a forced landing and rescue.

Don’t forget to take care of your airplane. Be patient and let the oil heat up before you run your engine at high rpm.

Pay close attention to runway conditions. Is there ice on the runway? How will that change your takeoff and landing performance? And will it affect your wind limit? You don’t want to find out after touchdown whether you have enough space to stop. Give a pilot report (pirep) on braking action when you fly to let other pilots know what they’ll encounter.

Is the weather terrible? Are you going to be pushing all your limits if you go fly today? Despite all the best-laid plans, weather can keep us grounded when we desperately want to be aloft. Remember that getting weathered out isn’t a failure. Use the time you would’ve flown for ground school, self-study, or a simulator flight if your school has one.

Winter flying can be a special kind of magic—to see the world blanketed in snow is worth the preparation. And if you can’t stand the cold, remember that spring is only a couple months away.

Learn more about precipitation and icing in this Safety Advisor (airsafetyinstitute.org/safetyadvisors/precipandicing), brought to you by Sirius XM Aviation.

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