Flight Training - June 2019 - 23

ASK AOPA

BY FERDI MACK

487,537

The number of operations at the busiest
general aviation airport in the United
States, Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in
California. -FAA OpsNet Data

is super easy to fly and has an artificial feel unit that makes it a fingertip
airplane. It is extremely stable. Very reliable. It's like a Bonanza-very stable and
very predictable." She has cut back her
flying to travel more with her husband,
Carl King, CEO of NeuHealth Holdings
in Leawood, Kansas, but still tours with
the CAF.
Travis likes to joke that he has failed
retirement multiple times. One of the
activities he enjoys in retirement is flying
and instructing in the CAF's Consolidated B-24 Liberator and Boeing B-29
Superfortress. King started her career on
the B-29 after CAF managers wanted to
celebrate the role women played in the
Superfortress: Pilots assigned to then-Lt.
Col. Paul Tibbets during World War
II were afraid of the B-29's reputation
for engine fires, so Tibbets trained two
women from the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) to fly it. They toured
Army bases and their job was to surprise
local military pilots when they emerged
from the aircraft.
Travis works part-time as a flight
instructor at Dallas-area simulation
company CAE, from which his daughter
retired. He flew with his daughter for a
special occasion at the end of 2018: He
was a little more than an hour away from
10,000 hours of instruction given, and
King needed a flight review. That put
him over his goal. Father and daughter
also both renewed their flight instructor
certificates in December 2018.
"It's just a lot of fun and satisfaction
to have a kid that shares a passion with
you. We're on the same page as far as
aviation," Travis said. "It's something we
bond together with, and have an interest
in. I really enjoy it."

BEFORE YOU SOLO
OBTAINING YOUR FIRST
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE

Q: My instructor says that I should get a
medical certificate even though I'm not
yet ready to solo. How do I do that, and
what is involved?
A: Your instructor's suggestion is a good
once, since an FAA medical certificate is
required for you to fly solo in pursuit of
your private or recreational pilot certificate.
It may take some time to get your application together and schedule your exam, so
getting the ball rolling sooner is better.
Your first stop should be aopa.org/
medical, where you can find information
on medical conditions and medications
that may affect your medical certification. Your next stop should be the FAA's
website (tinyurl.com/faa-medical),
where you can locate an aviation medical
examiner (AME). An AME is a doctor
who is authorized by the FAA to perform
aviation medical exams and issue medical
certificates. You also can start the medical
application process through the FAA's
MedXPress system.
You will need to indicate your desired
class of medical certificate, which for noncommercial pilots is typically a third class
certificate. You will also have to list your
medical history information, including
conditions and medications that you are
taking as well as visits to health care providers within the past three years.
AOPA has a webinar designed to
explain the process for first-time medical
applicants (tinyurl.com/aopa-first-med).
You also can obtain guidance from AOPA's
medical certification staff before your exam
by calling 800-872-2672 Monday through
Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern
time, or email medicalassist@aopa.org.

ALTON MARSH is a freelance writer and

former senior editor of AOPA Pilot
specializing in aviation.

TAKE YOUR
AVIATION CAREER
TO NEW HEIGHTS
You're cleared
for takeoff on the
AOPA Job Board

POST

a resume so employers
can find you.

SET UP

job alerts so you never
miss a new opportunity.

SEARCH

thousands of active
listings from hundreds of
the top employers in all
sectors of the industry.
Go to jobs.aopa.org for
your next career move.
Posting a Job?
AOPA members get

20% off!

FERDI MACK is senior manager of the AOPA

Pilot Information Center.

WWW.AOPA.ORG/FT  23

Powered by
http://jobs.aopa.org http://www.aopa.org/medical http://www.aopa.org/medical http://www.tinyurl.com/faa-medical http://www.tinyurl.com/aopa-first-med http://WWW.AOPA.ORG/FT
Flight Training - June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - June 2019
