Biweekly Bulletin – May 11, 2020

SPORTY’S ACADEMY RESUMES TRAINING OPERATIONS

All services available with COVID-19 precautions in place

With many Ohio businesses open and others preparing for a restart, Sporty’s Academy has resumed training operations. We wish to take this opportunity to welcome you back to Sporty’s.

  

Our talented maintenance staff has carefully examined the entire fleet and cleared each aircraft for return to service. Now is an appropriate time for you to conduct your own “preflight” and begin your preparations to return to the flight deck.

You will notice some physical changes and new processes upon your return. Plexiglass “sneeze guards” are in place at the FBO desk and Sporty’s retail store. You should complete a self-wellness check prior to coming to the airport. Please respect and maintain the recommended 6’ of social distance whenever possible. The Sporty’s instructional staff has concluded training can be conducted safely while wearing a mask; therefore, face coverings are required during your time at the airport when it’s not possible to maintain 6′ of distance (including during in-airplane training).

XSPEC 142 offered FREE for proficiency

After taking more than a month off, don’t get discouraged if some of your flying skills have deteriorated. It is to be expected, and you may be surprised how quickly those skills will return. To help you regain proficiency, Sporty’s is offering the XSPEC 142 AATD (simulator) free of charge for existing customers. Contact us to take advantage of this opportunity.

We’re excited for your return

Again, welcome back. If you are interested in scheduling now, or have questions, please contact your flight instructor directly or Charlie Masters at 513-735-9100, ext. 264 or [email protected].

FMI: SportysAcademy.com

FAA ISSUES COVID RELIEF FOR PILOTS

SFAR addresses training, proficiency and testing

 

FAA recently released the highly-anticipated regulatory relief package for pilots in the form of a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). As expected, the SFAR takes immediate effect without the customary comment period. The SFAR provides regulatory relief to persons who have been unable to comply with certain requirements due to COVID-19. The SFAR includes the following regulations:

Medical Certificates: Requirement and Duration (§61.23)

For medical certificates that expire between March 31 and May 31, 2020, the FAA is extending the validity period of these medical certificates to June 30, 2020.

In issuing the relief, the FAA emphasizes that pilots may never operate with a known medical deficiency.

Knowledge test expiration (§61.39)

For pilots with knowledge test results expiring between March 2020 and June 2020, the FAA is extending the validity of the test results by three (3) calendar months.

Additional relief is available for flight instructor expirations as well as flight reviews and IPCs for commercial operations and pilots who meet specific experience requirements.

Read the complete SFAR review at Sporty’s StudentPilotNews.com.

FREE SPORTY’S WEBINAR: ASK A CONTROLLER 

Live broadcast Thursday, May 14 at 8pm eastern

It’s not uncommon for pilots to have some fear of interacting with Air Traffic Control (ATC) often concerned with making a mistake or being judged by others on frequency. Not only is that the wrong attitude, but it can also deprive you of valuable services and even compromise safety. Controllers are humans just like pilots, and they’re actually there to help. Join ATC Specialist Eddie Albert from Cincinnati Approach Control and learn what controllers expect from pilots, plus some tips for your next request to ATC.

The presentation will consist of Q&A from attendee question submissions. After registering, you’ll be invited to submit your questions in advance of the presentation. This format and opportunity to hear directly from a controller is one you won’t want to miss so register now to get the straight talk from ATC.

 

NEW TO SPORTY’S E6B? NEW INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS CAN HELP

New video series covers the most popular functions of Sporty’s electronic E6B

A flight computer is an essential tool for student pilots. You’ll use one to calculate all kinds of things, from fuel burn to groundspeed to density altitude. While you can do those calculations with an old school “whiz wheel,” an electronic flight computer is a much faster and easier way to get the right answer. They are also approved for use on FAA knowledge tests, unlike a smartphone app. This series of video tips shows Sporty’s best-selling Electronic E6B in action, with a series of quick tips on commonly used functions.

 

 

 

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. Dr. John Held is resuming medical exams this month with the next avaialble appointment dates noted below.

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 payable by cash or check (no credit cards accepted).  An EKG (if required) is subject to an additional $35 fee.

DATE

TIME

Saturday, June 6

9am – 1pm

Saturday, June 13

9am – 1pm

Saturday, July 11

9am – 1pm

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.

ATC HOURS REDUCED AT SOME AIRPORTS AND OTHER PREFLIGHT CONSIDERATIONS

from Sporty’s Student Pilot News

by Eric Radtke

It’s no secret that airline travel has suffered mightily during the COVID-19 pandemic. Air carriers have substantially cut schedules and we’ve even seen sad imagery depicting empty concourses and lonely airliners parked on what were once active runways. For perspective, according to recent TSA data for passenger screenings, airline travel is down about 95%.

The reality of airline travel, coupled with a decrease in pilot training and other general aviation activity, it comes as no surprise that the FAA recently announced it is reducing the hours of operations at nearly 100 control towers across the country. These changes are being made  to better align with the realities of air traffic. The reductions took effect Monday, May 4 and will continue indefinitely until air traffic demands otherwise. The complete list of affected tower facilities is available here.

While blue skies are ahead, the announcement is a reminder of additional preflight considerations required in the COVID world. Not only are ATC hours being reduced, but FBOs have also reduced hours, cut staff, and scaled back services that you may ordinarily expect.

Read more at Sporty’s StudentPilotNews.com.

VIDEO TIP: RUNWAY SAFETY FOR PILOTS

Aviation safety isn’t just about flying. Getting around on the ground is a critical skill for pilots of any level – in fact, the deadliest aviation accident in history involved a runway incursion. In this week’s tip, we share some helpful tips for understanding airport signs, asking ATC for help and using apps to prevent mistakes.

 

 

 

Safe Flying!

Phone: 513.735.9500

Website: www.SportysAcademy.com

Blog: www.StudentPilotNews.com

FB: www.facebook.com/SportysAcademy 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SportysAcademy

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