AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2015 - 104

NEWS & NOTES

AOPA FOUNDATION

Together we can make a difference. Join fellow philanthropists who have funded
AOPA Foundation initiatives this year (www.aopafoundation.org/donate).
AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

ASI rekindles spirit of fun,
learning, and flying
Safety seminars planned at aviation-themed destinations
THE AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE is well known for
its innovative brand of online and in-person aviation
safety education-from award-winning safety courses
and videos to quizzes, publications, and seminars.
Chances are, at one time or another you've engaged
with one or more ASI programs and connected with
other pilots to learn new techniques and pick up
insights on being a better and safer pilot.
How would you like to renew that bond and feed
your flying passion? ASI has you covered. During 2015,
it will bring the aviation community together with
captivating aviation safety seminars at exciting new
locations, whenever the opportunity arises.
To kick off this initiative, the institute recently
presented its current seminar, After the Crash:
Surviving an Aircraft Accident, at Sporty's Pilot Shop
at the Clermont County Airport in Batavia, Ohio. In

MAKING SAFE DECISIONS
AS SAFETY-MINDED PILOTS we need to

make conservative decisions for the best
chance of a positive outcome. In Accident
Case Study: Emergency Management, the
Air Safety Institute shares lessons drawn
from a pilot's unfortunate decisions following a vacuum pump failure in instrument
meteorological conditions while on
approach to Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Using ATC audio and radar data, ASI
reconstructed the flight's events and discusses the regrettable chain of mistakes,
miscommunications, and missed opportunities that eventually led to the pilot's
spatial disorientation. Watch the video and
take this opportunity to boost your awareness of critical and proper decision making
in an emergency (www.airsafetyinstitute.
org/acs-emergencymanagement).
104 | AOPA PILOT April 2015

addition to airport and FBO
sites, the institute is planning venues in towns near
aviation-themed settings. The Air Safety Institute also
is teaming up with aviation colleges; with schools,
such as the Central Florida Aerospace Academy at
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Florida; and with
aviation organizations-from Experimental Aircraft
Association chapters to Civil Air Patrol squadrons-to
secure seminar opportunities at their locations.
These are excellent opportunities to compare notes
with seminar leaders and flight instructors, network
with other pilots, and make new friends along the way.
No registration required: Just fly in to a great experience and connect with fellow aviation enthusiasts.
Check the seminar calendar frequently for updates,
as new locations and dates are added throughout the
year (www.airsafetyinstitute.org/seminars).

After the Crash:
Surviving an
Aircraft Accident
has been drawing crowds of
pilots eager to
learn more about
preparedness after
a forced landing.
The free seminar
runs through May.
Watch the short
video and visit the
website (www.
airsafetyinstitute.
org/seminars) for
dates and locations near you.

FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS: eFIRC
If you're a flight instructor or
aspiring to become one, you'll
love AOPA's popular electronic
Flight Instructor Refresher Course
(eFIRC). Why? You can now fulfill
your currency requirement by
choosing from among 13 electives, including new seaplane and
helicopter elements.
Several electives are built on
existing ASI courses, such as
Teaching VFR into IMC Avoidance,
Aging Aircraft, Mountain Flying,
IFR Insights: Cockpit Weather,
and Public Benefit Flying: Balancing Safety and Compassion. If
you have completed any of these
courses within your two-year
renewal window, you'll receive
instant credit in the eFIRC, so
you already may have completed
portions of the refresher course
before even enrolling.

"eFIRC is the only course that
allows certificated flight instructors to begin their refresher
program a full two years before
their renewal date, when it fits
their schedule," explains Kristine
Hartzell, ASI's chief flight instructor. "They can take eFIRC on a
laptop or mobile device-a great,
innovative way to stay current as
an instructor. We're really excited
about offering the seaplane and
helicopter electives for the first
time. These and other electives
allow CFIs to expand into the kind
of flying that most interests them,
and that best serves the needs of
their students."
The renewal is fully online, so
there's no need to visit a notary
or mail in paperwork at the end of
the course. eFIRC is available to all
instructors (www.eFIRC.com).

http://www.aopafoundation.org/donate http://www.aopafoundation.org/donate http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/seminars http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/seminars http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/seminars http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/seminars http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/acs-emergencymanagement http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/acs-emergencymanagement http://www.eFIRC.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2015