AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2018 - 104

NEWS & NOTES
TIPS FROM PIC

MEMBER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

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Flying UAS
Obtaining a Part 107
remote pilot certificate
B Y PAT R I C K T I M M E R M A N
I'VE BEEN FLYING LITTLE QUADCOPTERS

around my house for years, but it wasn't until
I had the opportunity to fly a larger one that
I really appreciated the need to fly it responsibly and professionally-and I got serious
about obtaining a remote pilot certificate.
There are two ways to do this. First-time
pilots must pass the Remote Pilot-Small
Unmanned Aircraft Systems knowledge
exam at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center. Existing pilots who do not have
a current flight review also need to pass this
test. Then, complete an 8710 certificate and/
AOPA FINANCE

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Adam answers
Aircraft age and rates
B Y A DA M M E R E D I T H , P R E S I D E N T O F
AO PA AV I AT I O N F I N A N C E
Q: Does the age of an airplane greatly
affect the financing rates for an aircraft?
If so, does anything help offset the
high rate?
A: Rates are primarily based on the
amount being borrowed and creditworthiness. Since older aircraft tend
to sell for less, the rates tend to be
higher. Age of the aircraft does not
affect rates; however, it can affect
down payment. Typically older aircraft
require more down. All lenders determine their age cutoffs differently, but a
good rule of thumb is any aircraft manufactured prior to 1960 will require at
least 20 percent down as opposed to 15
percent down for newer piston singles.

If you would like to get a rate and term
quote for a specific aircraft, call AOPA
Finance at 800-627-5263.

104 | AOPA PILOT February 2018

or rating application either through the FAA's
IACRA website or by using a paper application. I suggest going the IACRA route
because you can do everything on your own
and you can print a temporary remote pilot
certificate. If you choose to complete a paper
application, you'll need to meet with a designated pilot examiner (DPE), an airman
certification representative (ACR), or an
FAA-certificated flight instructor (CFI) for
his or her approval and signature. That person will not be able to issue you a temporary
remote pilot certificate.
If you are an existing pilot with a current
flight review, all you need to do is complete
the online training course "Part 107 small
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) ALC451," which is available at the FAASTeam
website (www.faasafety.gov). Print the
completion certificate, then complete an
8710 certificate and/or rating application
AOPA INSURANCE

either through the FAA's IACRA website or
by using a paper application. You must have
a CFI, ACR, DPE, or a FSDO representative
validate and sign your application. An ACR,
DPE, or FSDO representative will be able to
issue you a temporary certificate; a CFI will
not be able to do that. If you complete the
application through IACRA, though, you can
print a temporary certificate.
For more information, check out AOPA's
Guide to Remote Pilot Certification (www.
aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/
drones/guide-to-remote-pilot-certification).
PATRICK TIMMERMAN is the senior aviation

technical specialist for the AOPA Pilot
Information Center.
Questions? Call the AOPA Pilot Information Center Monday through Friday, 8:30
a.m to 6 pm. 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672).

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Little words,
big difference

BY JIM PINEGAR

AOPA Insurance Services

WHEN PILOTING AIRCRAFT in controlled
airspace, certain key words have a significant impact on the operation. Examples
include "Cleared into Class B airspace,"
"Cross Runway 18," and, the most exciting,
"Cleared for takeoff." While the whole sentence has importance, the key words are
what pilots are expecting to hear.
When it comes to asset protection, one
of the most important key words in aviation insurance relates to the sublimit in
most liability policies-and it is person or
passenger. It's simple, yet when we explain
the difference, most are shocked how one
word can dramatically change coverage.
AOPA insurance carriers' sublimits
read like this: $1 million per occurrence,
with a $100,000 per passenger sublimit. If
you have a sublimit, this language is the
broadest available and only limits liability payments to those onboard the aircraft.
On the other hand, there are policies
that read very similarly: $1 million per
occurrence, with a $100,000 per person sublimit. With this type of sublimit, everyone

now has their protection limited-everyone, both inside and outside the aircraft.
If I take a friend flying and he is injured
while inside the airplane, the coverages
are identical. However, if I hurt that same
friend while he is outside the aircraft,
the per person only gives him a potential
recovery of $100,000, while AOPA carriers' policies with a per passenger give him
the full $1 million as a potential recovery.
So in this example, one small word difference changed coverage by $900,000.
So, pilot to pilot, please ensure you
know what you are buying. You may
ask, doesn't this additional coverage from
AOPA's carriers cost more? Quite frankly,
and in probably 95 percent of the cases, no.
If you have a sublimit on your policy,
read it carefully, or better yet, call AOPA
Insurance. We welcome the opportunity to help-and if you want a sublimit,
we'll ensure you only get one that is "per
passenger."
http://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/drones/guide-to-remote-pilot-certification http://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/drones/guide-to-remote-pilot-certification http://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/drones/guide-to-remote-pilot-certification http://www.faasafety.gov
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2018
