AOPA PILOT CONTENTS December 2012 SECTIONS 28 PROFICIENCY & EFFICIENCY 76 Ownership Tube and fabric 101. 81 Proficiency Safeguarding the skies. 86 Technique In-flight planning. 88 Avionics Improve your FlyQ. 94 Never Again PILOT BRIEFING 28 An aerial perspective The art of Michael Collier. Music in the night. MEMBERSHIP NEWS & NOTES 98 Membership Aviation superstore partners with AOPA. 76 The gift of giving. 30 AOPA Sweepstakes D’Shannon do-over. 32 Youth Central Florida Aerospace Academy. 100 Member Products Your ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card. 34 Milestones 102 State and Local Action What does the future hold? COMMENTARY 4 President’s Position 16 Waypoints MEMS and more to the rescue. DEPARTMENTS 10 Visual Approach Radial thunder. Air Force birthplace gets attention. 36 AOPA Action Report from the field. 104 AOPA Foundation Hat in the Ring honorees. 12 Letters Secret Mission. 38 Events Catalina fly-in. 106 AOPA Insurance Services Understanding the dangers of an understated hull. 18 Proficient Pilot True confessions. 108 Fly by Wire Index of advertisers. 39 Test Pilot Tuskegee Airmen. 20 Foundation Focus Are you in the fight? 112 Pilots Ramona Cox. 40 News JAARs rebuilding low-time 182. 22 License to Learn Everybody wins. 24 Pilot Counsel Flight and ground visibility. ACTUAL SIZE. We couldn’t resist stating 26 Fly Well The man in the mirror. The new electronic flight bag from AOPA. 2 | AOPA PILOT December 2012 IMPROVE YOUR FLYQ 88 the obvious about this cover shot by Senior Photographer Mike Fizer. The BD–5J really is this small. Jim Moore takes a long look at the little jet that has had such a big impact in his story “micro.” which begins on page 42. Is a personal jet in your future? FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Contact us at 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672)