AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024 - 104

FLY WITH AOPA
12,000+
The number of " rusty "
pilots who have returned to the air since AOPA began
its program in 2014.
AOPA FOUNDAT ION /
Rusty no more
It's never too late to start again
BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER
SO WHAT? SO, it's been 10 or 15 years
since you sat in the left seat, yelled
" clear prop! " and took to the skies.
So what? You haven't unlearned
everything you learned as a student
pilot lo those years ago. You're just
rusty. So, what do you do?
The AOPA Rusty Pilots initiative
is designed to help inactive
pilots return to flying as quickly
and safely as possible. Our motto
is, " Once a pilot, always a pilot. "
The Rusty Pilots program offers
fun, interactive courses that give
you all the information you need to
get current again. In our in-person
seminars, dynamic presenters bring
you up to speed on hot-button issues
such as medical reform, weather
briefings, preflight planning, regulations,
and airspace.
AOPA offers three Rusty Pilots
educational tracks. You can attend
a Rusty Pilots in-person seminar;
webinar; take the self-paced, online
course; or you can do all three. By
104
AOPA PILOT / January 2024
completing a Rusty Pilots seminar or
webinar, you earn a logbook endorsement
attesting that you've completed
two hours of ground training toward
your flight review, as well as FAA
Basic Knowledge Wings credits. By
completing the Rusty Pilots online
course, you earn a course completion
certificate that you can share with
your flight instructor, as well as FAA
Basic Knowledge Wings credits. In
either case, AOPA helps you map out
the next step in returning to flying.
The Rusty Pilots courses are a
free AOPA member benefit and can
be taken/attended as often as you
like at no charge. Nonmembers may
join AOPA and enjoy all the other
benefits of being a member in addition
to being able to participate in
any of the Rusty Pilots formats. The
online course is only available for
AOPA members.
julie.walker@aopa.org
aopa.org/training-and-safety/
lapsed-pilots
MEET DONNIE
MACKAY
Donnie Mackay is the senior manager for
the You Can Fly Rusty Pilots initiative and
You Can Fly operations. A rusty pilot himself,
Mackay was looking for a fun career
when he joined AOPA in 2016. In 2017 he
completed his first flight review in almost 30
years. Since then, he has flown through the
Washington, D.C., Special Flight Rules Area,
flown the New York City corridor, and made
several bucket-list, cross-country flights.
" It was one of the most meaningful days of
my life, " Mackay said of getting signed off
to fly again.
2024 AOPA Foundation
scholarships
More than $1 million in aviation scholarships
is available as a major benefit of AOPA
membership, helping members reach their
aviation goals. Scholarships range from
$250 to $14,000 for primary flight training,
advanced ratings and certificates, aviation
maintenance, FAA private pilot knowledge
exam, or FAA Part 107 remote pilot knowledge
exam.
Open to AOPA members who are U.S.
citizens or U.S. permanent legal residents.
Open September 5, 2023, through February
9, 2024, 11:59 p.m. EST. The number and
amount of all scholarships will be determined
by donor funding, which may not be
finalized until immediately before awards
are announced. Scholarship applicants will
be considered for all scholarships for which
they qualify.
aopa.org/scholarships
DID YOU KNOW?
http://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/lapsed-pilots http://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/lapsed-pilots http://www.aopa.org/scholarships
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024
