July 13, 2020 : Sporty's Academy

Biweekly Bulletin – July 13, 2020

SPORTY’S LAUNCHES VIRTUAL AIRSHOW EXPERIENCE

Oshkosh may be cancelled but the celebration isn’t

Sporty’s recently kicked off its first ever virtual airshow, a five-week-long series of events and experiences hosted on Sportys.com and various social media platforms. In addition to new product introductions and show specials, Sporty’s is offering weekly webinars, live stream events, contests, and fun flying videos.

Webinar topics include how to use flight simulators to stay current, proficiency strategies from Sporty’s team of flight instructors, and an interactive IFR quiz hour. Limited time Virtual Airshow specials are available on a variety of products, from headsets to flight bags and avionics.

Other events include a virtual exhibit hangar video series, live stream sessions with Sporty’s product experts, and weekly contests. Sportys.com/AirShow.

Virtual Poker Run Contest

Sporty’s has partnered with ForeFlight to offer a virtual poker run contest. One winner will be awarded a Sentry ADS-B receiver.

While a traditional poker run usually involves flying to five different airports and collecting a card at each stop, the new event will utilize ForeFlight’s Track Logs tab, a powerful tool for recording, reviewing, and sharing flights, to fly a flight with five waypoints.

Whether it be landing at five airports or drawing a picture in the sky with a five-point track, points will be awarded for creativity and precise flying. Prizes include a Sentry ADS-B receiver and a one year annual Performance Plus subscription to ForeFlight.

For complete contest details, visit iPadPilotNews.com.

Sporty’s 2020 Virtual Airshow runs through August 2. For a complete schedule of events, visit Sportys.com/Airshow.

WOMEN IN AVIATION SCHOLARSHIPS ANNOUNCED

New opportunities added weekly

The 2021 Women in Aviation (WAI) scholarship program is open and members can review dozens of scholarships. Scholarships are being offered for flight training, engineering, maintenance, dispatcher, and professional development for individuals in all stages of life. Additional scholarships and internships will be added in the coming weeks and months, with over 100 scholarships expected to be posted by the Fall. Applicants are encouraged to check for new scholarships often and may apply for up to three scholarships per year.

Last year WAI awarded nearly 150 scholarships valued at more than $800k.

The 2021 scholarships will be awarded during the 32nd Annual International Women in Aviation Conference in Reno, Nevada, March 11-13. In order to qualify for a scholarship, the applicant must be a WAI member as of November 1, 2020. The deadline for 2021 scholarships is November 10, 2020. Details of each scholarship, application requirements and FAQs, plus tips for submitting a winning application can be found at wai.org/scholarships.

FAA UPDATES COVID RELIEF FOR PILOTS

Extends previous issued relief by 3 months in most cases

The FAA announced amended SFAR 118-1 relief on Thursday, June 25 scheduled to publish in the federal register June 29. The update essentially extends much of the previously issued relief through September.

Regarding FAA medical certificate duration (61.23), the amended relief extends medical validity by three calendar months from original expiration which applies to medicals expiring between March and September of 2020.

Regarding knowledge test results (61.39), a three calendar month extension now applies to test results set to expire between March and September.

The amended SFAR is available here.

MY EXPERIENCE AS A RUSTY PILOT

From Sporty’s Student Pilot News

by Chris McGonegle

Welcome to part one of a four-part series on Chris McGonegle’s experience as a rusty pilot – a relatable category for many. Chris is an Instrument-rated Commercial pilot and product manager with Sporty’s Pilot Shop – Ed.

My Airborne Beginning

The house I grew up in lies just over two miles as the crow flies from Lunken Field, so airplanes overhead were a common sight. I had an aunt who worked as a flight attendant and was able to introduce me to a professional aviator, who in between flight legs one sunny day, gave me a tour of his office. I learned from an early age that balsa wood models and rockets required attention to detail and gentle craftsmanship. For icing on the cake, my father ran thermodynamic stress tests on jet engines for General Electric and would take me to Lunken on the weekends to fly RC planes. To say that aviation is in my blood would be an understatement; it’s practically a building block of my DNA.

Even with all these subliminal signals for me to earn my wings, I never took the steps toward jumping into an airplane and seeing the world with an AGL altitude over 0. People who could fly airplanes had an elite reputation in my mind; one that seemed too far-fetched for me to consider. So my teenage years were filled with school, sports, and summer jobs outside occasionally interrupted by the distinct hum of an engine passing overhead.

FAA MEDICALS AND BASIC MED AT SPORTY’S

Scheduling now for summer 2020

Regulatory update: the FAA is allowing pilots to continue to fly if their medical certificate expires between March 31 and June 30 to reduce the burden on the country’s healthcare system and limit the potential spread of the virus.

FAA Aviation Medical Examiner, Dr. John Held, offers aviation medical exams and basic med evaluations at Sporty’s Clermont County Airport on select Saturdays. The cost of the exam is $120. An EKG (if required) is subject to an additional $35 fee.

DATE	TIME
Saturday, August 1	9am – 1pm
Saturday, August 29	9am – 1pm

To schedule, please call Sporty’s at 513.735.9100 ext. 0.

For pilots pursuing Basic Med, the required online training is available through two approved sources – AOPA and Mayo Clinic.

VIDEO TIP: WHY AIRPLANES TURN TO THE LEFT IN A CLIMB

Airplanes seem to always want to turn left, especially in a climb. But why does this happen? In this three minute video tip, we dive into the physics in a way that makes sense for pilots. 3D animations and in-flight video show the effects of P-factor, gyroscopic precession and spiraling slipstream.

The video clip below is from Sporty’s 2020 Learn to Fly Course.