Flight Training - June 2020 - 13

INDUSTRY NEWS

THREE TYPES OF GEAR

CLEAN COCKPITS

SAFE TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS AMID A PANDEMIC
FLIGHT TRAINING PROVIDERS FACED

Piper Super Cub
Bungee cords (under metal
fairings) protect Super Cubs
from bounces on rough
airstrips. But they only
stretch so far, they're not
easy to inspect, drips of oil
from the engine compartment ruin them, and a break
in a cord can result in a prop
strike.

Cessna 180
Spring steel main landing
gear on a Cessna 180 needs
no maintenance and is strong
and streamlined. But 180
gear are notoriously springy
and tend to amplify bounces
during wheel landings.

Aviat Husky
Aviat modified its original
bungee-braced landing gear
with internal, automotive
shock absorbers in more
recent models. If a bungee
fails, the shock absorbers
are meant to prevent a prop
strike.

special challenges with the onset of the
coronvirus pandemic-among them,
whether to stay open as state restrictions
increased and, if so, how to keep their
students safe.
With checklists and protocols already
standard operating procedure in aviation,
incorporating beefed-up aircraft-disinfecting measures has been woven into
the routine. In the early weeks of the
pandemic's spread in the United States,
several large flight training organizations
reported moves to reduce the risk of
coronavirus exposure for their students
and flight instructors, although by April
most had temporary halted flight training
operations.
Batavia, Ohio-based Sporty's Academy
implemented enhanced procedures for
the use of company aircraft and aviation
training devices. The school made its
customers aware that when an aircraft
or ATD is dispatched, they should expect
a disinfecting wipe and a screen wipe to
be issued along with the keys. "Disinfecting wipes may be used to clean major
surfaces, controls, and knobs that may be
touched during the flight," it said, adding
that only certain approved screen cleaners should be used on avionics.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with residential campuses in
Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott,
Arizona, ramped up its "already stringent
health precautions through intensive
communication, disinfection protocols,
and temperature checks for all students,
faculty, staff, and visitors" to prevent the
spread of coronavirus on its campuses
and communities.
As of mid-March, students in flight
training and aviation maintenance
programs "with federal requirements for
in-person instruction" had the option to
continue studying on the main campuses
after passing screening and consenting
"to follow all prevention protocols."
"Educational equipment, including
aircraft, must undergo frequent disinfection," Embry-Riddle said. "We have
increased the availability of hand sanitiz-

ers, and to promote good hand hygiene,
we have launched a communication
campaign on both campuses."
Flight training continued at California
Aeronautical University as of mid-March.
The school, based in Bakersfield, noted
that Flight Training Center students
were using distance education resources
for classroom instruction. The flight
department remained operational with
enhanced health precautions including
"regular disinfection of facilities, aircraft,
and equipment."
American Flyers, a flight school with
locations in the Northeast, South, and
Southwest, said it was monitoring coronavirus developments and was "following
guidelines from the government and
relevant health authorities." Its measures
included "practicing extra caution" with
sanitary procedures on its premises
such as frequent cleaning of "common
touchable surfaces such as countertops,
doorknobs, computer screens, keyboards,
and other surfaces."
In aircraft, commonly touched
surfaces are being sanitized by fueling
and maintenance personnel, and "we are
encouraging all students to bring their
own flight supplies, especially headsets,
during this time." Headsets provided by
the school are being sanitized before and
after use. "American Flyers is certain that
we will all persevere during this health
crisis, and the key to that is to support one
another," school officials said.
A flight school and FBO in southern
Maine concluded on March 17 that it was
time to shut down instruction and aircraft
rentals. Southern Maine Aviation emailed
its customers that "the most important
thing we can do at this time is spend the
next few weeks laying low. We need to
beat this virus and to do that we need to
slow down the rate at which it is spreading. We need to isolate ourselves as much
as possible, which the CDC recommends."
For the latest updates on COVID-19's
effects on the aviation industry, see AOPA's
resource page.
aopa.org/covid19
AOPA.ORG/FT

13
http://www.aopa.org/covid19 http://www.AOPA.ORG/FT
Flight Training - June 2020

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