2012 Safety Seminar Schedule Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:10 am
All,
Below are the dates and locations or this year's Safety Seminars. Please pick the date/location that works best for you and put it in your calender. These events are focused on making a more safety aware pilot and offer in-flight training options..... more....
TBMs in Flight
TBMs in Flight by Model:
TBM700:
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Real time flight information provided by Flightaware.
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The Senate, following up on House action last week, has passed a four-year, $63.4 billion FAA reauthorization bill with no user fees or fuel-tax increases. The bill, now headed to the desk of President Barack Obama for signing, would give the FAA its first long-term operating authority since 2007.
AOPA has requested that the Air Force, which plans to establish a temporary military operations area during military exercises scheduled for June from Volk Field Air National Guard base in Wisconsin, assure unimpeded airway access for general aviation flights. Members are encouraged to submit comments on the plan by Feb. 3.
Pilots could face stiff fines - up to six figures - for violating new overflight regulations that place the National Airspace System on a slippery slope. The FAA has ceded to another federal agency - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - authority to enforce what amount to new airspace restrictions.
After achieving his dream of learning to fly, AOPA member Carl Houghton wanted an airplane of his own. When it came time to investigate financing, he made some inquiries into AOPA's Aircraft Financing Program.
No user fees. No increase in avgas or jet fuel taxes. General aviation pilots can celebrate what wasn't included in the long-term FAA reauthorization bill. The House and Senate ironed out details on a four-year FAA reauthorization bill Jan. 31, paving the way for a full vote in both houses before the latest short-term funding extension expires Feb. 17. Highlights of the bill indicate that GA fared well.
The Senate on Monday voted to pass a four-year FAA funding bill that just last week was agreed on by a joint committee and then passed in the House on Friday. The bill now goes to President Obama. General aviation advocacy groups were united in applauding the bill. AOPA President Craig Fuller said the $63 billion in funding provides a "vital step" toward modernizing our air traffic system and improving our airports. Pete Bunce, president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, said, "The policies contained in this bill are critical to the health of general aviation manufacturing." For about five years, the FAA has operated on short-term funding appropriations from Congress while waiting for a full re-authorization bill to be hashed out in Congress.
Hollywood's aviation films often prove disappointing to aviators -- though it might be argued that a bad flying film is still better than none -- and another one now in the works, starring Denzel Washington, provides a fresh chance to see if Hollywood can portray the life of a pilot in a way that rings true. Flight, which started production last October, tells the story of an airline pilot, played by Washington, who becomes a hero after coping with an in-flight emergency but then is revealed to have problems with drugs and alcohol. The director is Robert Zemeckis, who also directed Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, and Cast Away.
>>> AVWEB FUEL FINDERCURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $5.74 (no change from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $5.46 (down 5ยข from last week)Fuel prices provided weekly by AirNav, based on prices from the past 2 weeks. Changes are relative to last week's prices. /TEXT_ONLY-->AVweb's newest "FBO of the Week" is Golden Eagle Aviation at Moton Field Municipal Airport (06A) in Tuskegee, Alabama. Reader Billy Tyndall tells us how an unplanned stopover made Golden Eagle a standard by which other FBOs are measured:On a cross-country flight in my Sport Cub from North Carolina to Arizona, I encountered adverse weather and landed at Moton Field Municipal Airport in Tuskegee, Alabama to wait it out. The rain which arrived took three days to pass, and during that time the staff at Golden Eagle Aviation made those days the most enjoyable of the trip. Sylvester and Minnie run the FBO with such personality and warmth that transient pilots immediately feel at home. They helped us with the standard FBO offerings, such as avgas, computer access, and coffee, and went further to see that we found the cultural and culinary assests of Tuskegee, which were many. When it was time to leave, Sylvester improvised an apparatus to preheat the cold engine in the Cub, even though the climate in Tuskegee doesn't normally require preheating engines. He went the extra mile to get us back in the air, and we'll remember his FBO for their caring actions!Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!
Years ago, I had an interesting ATC encounter in Washington airspace that I think would be humorous to your readers of "Short Final." While flying my RV-4 in the narrow VFR slot between the old Washington ADIZ and the expanded Camp David TFR, I lost my GPS. Without a VOR, I contacted Wash. Center. The call went as follows:N1234 (me):"Washington Center, N1234."Center:"N1234, go ahead."N1234:"I've lost all nav aids over Frederick, and I'm concerned that I will violate airspace and cause a little excitement. Please give me vectors to keep me out of trouble."Center:"No worries. Everyone is targeting you."Bruce MacInnesvia e-mail
Flight attendants from more than 20 airlines will "occupy" a section of LAX on Monday to protest labor provisions in a proposed FAA reauthorization bill. The OccuFLY protest, organized by the Association of Flight Attendants, is a reaction to change in voting standards for union organization that unions consider an attack on organized labor. "This controversial labor provision is nothing less than an attack by the 1% against the 99%," said AFA PresidentVeda Shook in a news release.
Bill Sent To President Obama For His Signature Numerous ANN Real-Time Updates Throughout Afternoon of 02.06.12: House and Senate conferees have given final approval to a long-term funding bill for the FAA, and sent it on to President Obama for his signature. The "FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012" authorizes $63.3 billion for FAA programs through 2015.
Pilots Could Face Six-Figure Fines For Overflights Of Marine Sanctuaries Overflight of certain marine sanctuaries below 1,000 feet msl, or in some cases below 2,000 feet msl, could result in fines of up to $100,000 imposed by NOAA, according to the AOPA. The accusation can be made based on observations by persons with no aviation background, and the burden of proof is on the pilot to show he or she did not disturb any wildlife during the flights.
Annual List Details The Most Memorable Aviation And Space Records Of The Previous Year The National Aeronautic Association (NAA), as the official record keeper for United States aviation and space, each year tracks dozens of world and national record attempts. New U.S. records are certified and those qualifying as world records are then ratified with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the world air sports federation.
A Glass Panel System Really Shows Its Mettle When You Head For The Approach So... a few months ago, we had the chance to sit back in awe at the expertise already displayed by one of the Avidyne R9 glass panel's most passionate advocates... and users. There are few more knowledgeable people on the planet, as far as R9 is concerned, than Trip Taylor and for the better part of a few hours, we had the chance to sit back and enjoy his synoptic descriptions of just a few of the many intriguing features built into one of the most usable glass panel cockpits we've yet flow... now made even more so with the advent of the DFC100 digital autopilot.
Layoffs, Changes In Leadership May Signal Change In Direction As Well Last month, the aviation public got its first view of changes that have been quietly sweeping through EAA. Unnoticed by rank and file members until that day, they have been occurring since Rod Hightower came to the party. Let there be no doubt, these and many more have and will continue to happen. But are they that bad? It depends on what you believe about EAA.