AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - February 2015 - 37

PILOT BRIEFING
CHART CHALLENGE

FAA SITE MAKES
FINDING NOTAMS
EASIER

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WHAT, NO PILOT IN THE COCKPIT?
AREAS WITH A PREPONDERANCE of
unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
activity are typically noted on sectional charts with a small airplane
symbol, similar to that used for
glider operating areas but with the
letters "UA" instead of "G." Expect
UAS activity in nearby restricted or
other special-use airspace and military installations.
Be alert if you spot the symbol
near your planned route, and pay
close attention to notams: If a UAS
TFR is issued, mark the location and
boundaries on your chart. If there's
no TFR and operations are conducted outside of controlled airspace,

note times and altitudes. In addition,
the airport remarks for joint civil/
military airports may address UAS
flight activity. For example, Sierra
Vista Municipal-Libby AAF (KFHU)
notes, "Manned and unmanned aircraft not authorized in the same
traffic pattern. Arriving manned aircraft may follow unmanned aircraft
on final."

THE APP STORE

ON THE

WEB

Learn more with the
Air Safety Institute's
free online course,
"Unmanned Aircraft
and the National Airspace System" (www.
airsafetyinstitute.org/
unmannedaircraft).

FINDING THE NOTAMS relevant to
your planned flights just got easier. The FAA's new online search
tool streamlines the burdensome
and confusing process of wading
through scores of safety notices
filled with obscure acronyms.
The new system offers pilots the
ability to filter notams to their
own preferences, and it presents
the information more clearly by
offering plain language.
Pilots might consider
bookmarking the website for
convenience (http://notams.
aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/disclaimer.html).
AOPA Air Safety Institute
Senior Safety Advisor Bruce
Landsberg said the new FAA
system makes progress, but he
urged the agency to do more.
"If everything is important,
nothing is important," he said.
"Prioritization is the key. If I'm
flying day VFR, I don't need to
be inundated with changes to
IFR procedures or unlit towers."
When it's fully complete
in late 2015, the FAA says the
search tool will make notams
easier and quicker to submit, and
pilots will be able to retrieve the
information on a wide variety of
devices.
-Dave Hirschman

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APPS WE LOVE: 'AIRPORT COURTESY CARS'
This may be the first app in the history of Apple's App Store that does
exactly what the name suggests. Airport Courtesy Cars is a new iPhone
tool that enables users to search for information about courtesy cars.
The app is organized by state, and includes a map search feature.
Most listings are basic in nature, but some include detailed information
submitted by users. Being brand-new, there are only about a thousand
listings as of this writing, but the database is growing. Get it for free
and help it grow.
-IJT
PLATFORM: iPhone
SEARCH: Airport courtesy cars

www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 37

http://notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/disclaimer.html http://notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/disclaimer.html http://notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/disclaimer.html http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/unmannedaircraft http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/unmannedaircraft http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/unmannedaircraft http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/unmannedaircraft http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - February 2015

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