CRISP. SHARP. CLEAR. – CLAROXAN ADVANCED

A big part of being able to pass your medical is taking care of yourself and making sure you’re only putting the best quality nutrition into your body. That’s why we recommend Claroxan Advanced for healthy eyesight.* It’s more than just a regular eye supplement. In addition to lutein and zeaxanthin for macular pigment and blue light filtration – it also contains bilberry extract for night vision support, grape seed extract for antioxidant and circulation support, and riboflavin and other vitamins that help contribute to the maintenance of normal, healthy vision.*

Claroxan Advanced is a once daily tablet that is easy to swallow and easy on the gut and provides your eyes with the nutrition they need to help you continue doing what you love to do for as long as possible.* Claroxan Advanced is distributed by Pacific Health, Inc. All of their products are rooted in innovation and provide superior value and consistent, high-quality.

Innovating and Improving for 21+ years

The Claroxan brand was launched in 2003 and has been trusted and preferred in the aviation community since 2005 and if you’re not 100% satisfied, they have a 100% money-back guarantee on all unopened bottles. Seriously, it’s one of the best eye supplements out there. It provides a formula created to support visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, glare reduction and eye fatigue reduction.* Think of it as a way to give your peepers the proper nutrition they need so that they may continue to operate at a high level.*

A Concerning Statistic

By the time you reach 40 years of age, you have a 1 in 14 chance of experiencing some degree of aging in your eyes to the point that it adversely affects your vision. And your eyesight and the rest of your body will only continue to naturally decline from there. Unless you do something about it.

5 Star Reviews

You’ll find hundreds of five star reviews on the Claroxan website. Below are just a few:

“I used to have to wear glasses for long distance. Now I can see long distances much better. Man does it work.*”

– Jim McLawhorn from Tampa, FL

“Without a doubt it has improved my vision, which is why I keep ordering.* It is helping me out a lot. It does what it says it will do, day and night.*”

– Paul Anderson from Chicago, IL

“It is the only supplement that I’ve taken where I noticed a difference right away.* I think my eyes would be a lot worse if I wasn’t taking it.*”

– Clarence Mitzel from Aberdeen, SD

Claroxan products are proudly formulated and manufactured in the United States. Their distributor Pacific Health, Inc. has been in business since 2003 and is BBB accredited with an A+ rating. 

They are offering special introductory rates to FlyingMag.com readers along with a complimentary bottle of Pure-Aid eye drops – a moisturizing drop design to lubricate and soothe dry, irritated eyes instantly. To take advantage of their special offer for FlyingMag.com readers please visit www.claroxan.com

Claroxan Advanced is the leader in vision support for the aviation industry. This once-daily tablet helps to support and maintain normal, healthy vision and provides your eyes with nutrients that are associated with contrast sensitivity, glare recovery, depth clarity and visual acuity.* Take Claroxan Advanced and improve the health of your eyes.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The post Pass the Vision Portion of Your Medical appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Navigraph has been the flight simulation community’s trusted charts and navigation data provider for more than two decades. With a user base surpassing 1 million, Navigraph is highly regarded for its all-in-one subscription offering, providing a comprehensive suite of charts, navigation data, and flight planning utilities. In the user-friendly Charts app, subscribers can access worldwide IFR charts and VFR maps sourced from Jeppesen. 

In this article, we’ll embark on a flight from Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) to Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS) in Las Vegas, utilizing Navigraph’s simulation apps for flight planning, charts, and navigation data, observing how they seamlessly integrate to enhance the simulation experience.

Navigating the Struggle: Flight Planning

Virtual pilots, like their real-world counterparts, must meticulously plan flights, understand fuel consumption, monitor real-world weather injected into the simulator, and if flying a commercial airliner, take on roles such as dispatcher, baggage handler, operations agent, and sometimes even cabin crew duties, among others.For our KLAX-KLAS flight, we’ll utilize SimBrief, a free flight planning application by Navigraph. SimBrief will generate a real-world-based dispatch release, or operational flight plan (OFP), which can be up to 40 pages long. These OFPs can be input directly into the flight management computer (FMC) of many popular simulator aircraft for enhanced convenience.

Staying Current: Jeppesen Data

Navigraph ensures that subscribers have access to the latest Jeppesen data across all their services. They also offer navigation data update apps for popular simulators, as well as add-on aircraft and tools. Every 28 days, Navigraph updates the Jeppesen data, including waypoints, VORs, NDBs, intersections, and airports, aligning with the real AIRAC cycle. We use the Navigraph Hub desktop app to install current Jeppesen data into our Microsoft Flight Simulator. The navigation data installation is done with the click of a button.

With the current AIRAC cycle installed, we can enter the simulator. This flight is conducted in Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) on a PC, however, integrated features are available for several MSFS aircraft on Xbox. Navigraph offers extended integrations, such as charts with moving maps, navigation data, and flight plan import capabilities for MSFS, X-Plane, and many add-on aircraft for Prepar3D and Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

Seamless Integration: Navigraph Charts App

Utilizing the SimBrief import feature, we load our flight plan into Navigraph Charts. We’ll now be provided with a visual representation of our route. The charts include high and low IFR en route symbology familiar to Jeppesen users. Navigraph’s global charting capability allows access to airport charts, SIDs, STARs, and approaches in Jeppesen format without regional limitations.

Upon reaching the gate at LAX, we activate Navigraph’s weather overlays to assess current and upcoming weather conditions. Forecasts on turbulence help anticipate our experience at cruising altitude, essential for ensuring passenger comfort. A handy feature in Navigraph Charts for increased situational awareness is the overlay feature, allowing us to superimpose our SID out of LAX.

Navigraph provides several methods for pilots to incorporate their technology into simulation.

First, there’s the mobile app, accessible via the Apple Store or Google Play, effectively transforming your tablet or smartphone into an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Second, they offer their desktop application, Navigraph Charts, ensuring full functionality across various platforms.

Navigraph also offers a web-based cloud interface and its Charts In-Game Panel for MSFS that seamlessly integrates into the simulator as a compact window. In addition to the native apps, Charts can be displayed inside the virtual cockpit environment of many aircraft, enhancing the overall immersion and facilitating a better virtual-reality experience.

Flight Essentials: Key Features in Charts

The Navigraph Charts app boasts an array of valuable features essential for every flight. These include real-world ATIS for designated airports, METARs, NOTAMs, moving maps (ideal for real-time position tracking), and telemetry monitoring, providing crucial flight data.

We utilized Navigraph’s VFR charts during our flight, seamlessly incorporating FAA sectionals directly into the app. For example, when we wanted to pinpoint Soda Lake for our virtual passengers, it was conveniently located on the VFR sectional chart, just northeast of the Hector (HEC) VOR—really good for those PAs.

KLAS is a busy airport. We use Navigraph’s annotation feature to draw our taxi route to the gate. For increased resolution as we approach it, we use the map view and zoom-in to access the detailed airport diagrams in Charts powered by Jeppesen’s Airport Mapping Database (AMDB).

Navigraph: Your Key to Elevated Flight Simulation

Navigraph’s comprehensive suite of features revolutionizes the flight simulation experience. With comprehensive flight planning, worldwide Jeppesen charts, and matching data, Navigraph covers the needs of any IFR flight simulation adventures.

The integration of worldwide VFR maps and U.S. sectionals adds another layer of detail, allowing flight simmers to navigate with precision and share geographical landmarks effortlessly.

Whether accessed through the mobile app, desktop application, web interface, or in-game panel, Navigraph’s versatility and functionality make it an indispensable tool for enhancing the realism and accuracy of flight simulations. It’s a must-have if you want to take flight simulation to the next level.

The post Next-Level Flight Simulation with Navigraph appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Established in 2006 as a small flight school, US Aviation Academy has grown into one of the largest in the world with a fleet of about 130 aircraft and six flight locations. The academy’s growth is a product of professionalism,  safety commitment, and  training excellence. These core values have made US Aviation Academy the choice of flight training partners for colleges nationwide. They launched their first Part 147 airframe and powerplant aircraft mechanic program in 2021, and it is rapidly expanding with three locations: Denton, San Marcos, Texas, and Atlanta. In 2024, US Aviation Academy launched a dispatcher program and expects to add a Minneapolis aircraft technician location in the third quarter of 2024.

Flight School

Colleges across the country have chosen US Aviation Academy to provide their professional pilot training program due to their self-examining authority, financial stability, and professionalism. Self-examining allows US Aviation to issue FAA certificates and ratings without external designated pilot examiners (DPEs). This reduces delays in pilot training and keeps costs down. Those looking to earn their degree in aviation have options across the country, including Tarrant County College, Lone Star College, Southeast Missouri State University, Dutchess Community College, and a new partner that will be announced soon.

US Aviation, through its partnerships with six campuses across the U.S., found that college is the best choice for some, but not all. Students often felt they had to choose between an unstructured, low-touch vocational training or collegiate programs with in-depth, rounded academics but a much longer timeline. For those students who already have a degree or don’t wish to pursue one at this time, US Aviation continues to develop high-touch vocational flight training. This includes in-person ground schools, student affairs coordinators, and a growing alumni network. All these resources are in place to help dreams take flight.

“My dream of aviation started when I was a child. I grew up on a grass airstrip in a Third World country. I’ve always wanted to pursue flight and get into the airlines and never had the opportunity until now.”

Michael Ward (Southwest Destination 225°)

US Aviation’s students, whether in a degree program or training vocationally, go on to work for major airlines through its partnerships with United Aviate Academy, Southwest Airlines Destination 225°, Envoy Air Pipeline, SkyWest Airlines, and more. Pathways provide mentorship and clear goals for students to meet in order to succeed at becoming captains at their airline of choice.

“My ultimate goal is to end up at United [Airlines] and be flying with my Dad and be a father-daughter crew. That would just be amazing.” 

Avery Cates (United Aviate)

Aircraft Maintenance Technician School

Although the pilot shortage has received more media coverage, the shortage of qualified aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) is just as bad if not worse. US Aviation has felt that shortage acutely, raising wages for mechanics at the flight school by over 30 percent in the past 18 months. At the beginning of that shortage, US Aviation launched its FAA Part 147 airframe and powerplant (A&P) program. It grew faster than ever expected. The academy found that A&P schools had a similar gap to flight training. There are many great colleges providing two- and four-year aviation degree programs and unstructured apprenticeships but few accelerated, accessible programs. US Aviation  launched a 12-month, FAA-approved A&P mechanic program in 2021.

The 12-month FAA Part 147 aircraft technician program offered by US Aviation is a full-time commitment. Students are on campus eight hours per day, working on both academic and lab projects. Training is hands-on as much as possible. Labs include sheet metal, composite construction, piston engine teardown, jet engine install, aircraft taxi, electrical, and much more. Every campus boasts a Learjet, high-bypass jet engine, and multiple running aircraft. Becoming an A&P aircraft mechanic is a great career for students that may have considered similar occupations in automotive repair, diesel mechanics, etc. Financing is available through a variety of student loan products as well as the GI Bill. Written and practical testing costs are included in tuition so that students don’t have to come up with those funds after graduation.

“My hands-on experience working on cars has honed my mechanical aptitude, enabling me to quickly grasp and apply concepts in the A&P program…I am particularly drawn to opportunities that allow for travel, as I believe combining my skills with the excitement of working on diverse projects in different locations will provide a dynamic and fulfilling career path.”

Aidan Conklin

What was originally planned as a single location for aircraft mechanic training to support the flight school is expected to become four locations with almost 500 students by the end of 2024. Continuing to innovate, US Aviation Academy is rolling out night courses, a new campus in Minneapolis, and an even more accelerated full-time A&P program that will allow students to graduate in as little as eight months. These training options and innovative formats allow students from all backgrounds to become successful aircraft airframe and powerplant mechanics.

“I am a mom and one of the challenges I face is not being able to spend as much time with my daughter. We definitely make up for lost time on the weekends though. It’s a small sacrifice for a great outcome.”

Brittney Miller

Dispatcher School

In January, US Aviation launched their aircraft dispatcher program. Dispatchers join the airline industry in as little as five weeks. Dispatchers are the backbone of airline operations, matching aircraft, pilots, and routes to keep airplanes flying. This accessible course can be taken largely online for students worldwide. Airlines hire thousands of dispatchers at competitive pay along with flight benefits.

New Career in a Year or Less

US Aviation Academy believes in education’s ability to change lives. Anyone can become an airline captain, fix jets, or connect the nation by making flights happen. US Aviation programs provide access to a new career in a year or less as a pilot, aircraft technician, or dispatcher in an accelerated format with financing available. Boeing forecasts a need for 649,000 new pilots and 690,000 new maintenance technicians.

“This is a fantastic time to join the industry. No experience required.”

Scott Sykes, Chief Development Officer

To enroll, go to USAviationAcademy.com or call 940-297-6419.

The post US Aviation Academy Is Innovating Industry Education appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

As sobering as that might be, advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment techniques are constantly improving. Survival rates for cancers in general have been improving steadily since the 1970s², while those for certain types of leukemia have more than doubled over the same period³.

Is Flying After a Cancer Diagnosis Safe?

For many, surviving cancer massively changes their priorities. In the wake of treatment, people often find the willpower to quit smoking, and reapplying sunscreen suddenly seems much less inconvenient. So, what should pilots know about cancer risk and flying? 

Most experts seem to think that cosmic radiation at the higher reaches of the atmosphere is responsible for a large portion of the increased cancer risk in aviation. Hormonal changes associated with disrupted sleep patterns and fatigue may also contribute to breast and prostate cancer risk. Some have even suggested the possibility that certain brain tumors could occur more frequently⁴. Those factors probably do not apply to 100-hour-per-year general aviation pilots in the same way they do to airline pilots. 

There is still a lot to be answered. What we know for sure is that the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers is about two to three times higher in all pilots, and female aviators, based mostly on data collected from flight attendants, are about 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer⁵. Prostate cancer in men⁶ along with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and some brain cancers may also occur more frequently, but the association is less clear.   

Flying After Cancer Treatment

For pilots who want a medical certificate, beating cancer is just the beginning. Whether you are a professional who needs a medical certificate to sustain your livelihood or a recreational pilot who recognizes flying an airplane as an expression of truly living, maintaining your FAA medical certificate after any cancer diagnosis introduces a level of complexity to the medical certification process that you likely have not experienced before.

Describing all the nuances of that process in a single article would be impossible. To begin with, the term cancer itself applies to a wide variety of abnormal cell growth that can affect just about every kind of tissue and organ system in the body. 

Each one carries with it a different risk of recurrence and has different implications for how it might affect the safety of flight. Basal cell carcinoma is a superficial skin cancer that is most often cured with a single surgery. More aggressive malignancies often require complex surgeries along with radiation and chemotherapy. Lumping them together would defy even the most determined efforts.

Common FAA Procedures for Common Cancers

For some of the most common types of cancer that have well-established treatment guidelines, the FAA has streamlined the process. In fact, there are seven different forms of cancer that have been included in the list of Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI). For pilots with a history of cancer involving the bladder, breast, colon, prostate, kidney, testicles, or skin, the Aerospace Medicine Certification Division (AMCD) of the FAA has issued a detailed set of criteria that allow AMEs to issue certificates without waiting for an agency determination. 

Each condition has its own set of specific criteria, but some common considerations apply:

• You must be complete with active treatment.
• You must have no history of recurrent or metastatic disease.
• If you had surgery, you must be off all related pain medications and cleared to resume normal activity by your surgeon.
• Your doctors feel that your condition is stable and no additional treatments are planned.

You still need to make sure you meet all the criteria for your specific diagnosis and properly prepare for your appointment, but if those conditions apply to you, there is a good chance your AME can issue your certificate on the day of your exam.

General Guidelines for Less Common Conditions

For cancer that involves other organ systems, or when it has spread to more than one part of the body, the process is more involved. While the FAA has not published set guidelines, a general rule is that to be considered for a medical certificate, you must:

• Be cancer free for five years or more.
• Any radiation or chemotherapy used for treatment must have ended. 
• The doctors responsible for your cancer treatment and your primary care physician must also submit current status reports that attest to your overall health and cancer remission.

Depending on your circumstances, you will need to supply additional information unique to your own history. The five-year waiting period can also be reduced in some cases. The major point is that if you’ve had a rare malignancy, recurrence or metastatic disease, you will most likely have to wait a significant period of time before you can qualify for a medical certificate. 

What About BasicMed?

If you’re not a professional pilot, skipping your AME appointment and flying under BasicMed is another option. If you’re flying within the U.S. at less than FL 180 with fewer than six passengers aboard, BasicMed provides an alternative to traditional medical certification that may suit your mission well. You will also need to stay below 250 knots, but for recreational pilots, that’s a restriction most only fantasize about exceeding. 

Strange as it may seem, cancer does not exclude pilots from using BasicMed. FAR 61.53 still prohibits you from flying with a known “medical deficiency,” but if you feel you are safe to fly after an honest self-assessment and your doctor agrees with your position, BasicMed may provide an expedient way to continue flying. 

Getting Back in the Air When Life Is Back to Normal

The important thing to remember is that being a cancer survivor does not automatically mean the end of your flying career. For the CACI cancer conditions, it might not even delay your FAA medical certification. 

If you do not meet the criteria for a CACI, but you feel you can still fly safely after a discussion with your doctors, there is still a good chance that the FAA will grant your certificate. The agency’s medical certification policies are much more permissive than many pilots realize. The hard part is dealing with its bureaucracy. 

Once you think it is appropriate to start flying again, make sure to do your homework before scheduling an appointment with an AME. Not all AMEs will be familiar with complex certifications, and submitting the right documentation upfront can speed up the process by months or more.

References

The post Surviving Cancer as a Pilot appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The unofficial rule of threes when it comes to survival go like this:

You can survive:

• three minutes without oxygen.
• three hours without shelter in a harsh environment.
• three days without water.
• three weeks without food.

What does this have to do with heart attacks? One of the primary purposes of blood is to carry oxygen to the rest of the body. The heart is the pump that pushes the blood around. If you have a pump failure, you don’t have long to live. Very little on earth can incite the kind of fear you will feel if your body begins starving for oxygen.

If you look at the list of FAA disqualifying medical conditions, you’ll notice that six  are specific to the heart with most of those involving a high possibility of a heart attack. This is not surprising given that the FAA is concerned with the potential loss of control of an aircraft. Having a heart attack in flight would be devastating to your ability to continue to fly, especially if it led to full cardiac arrest—which is when your heart completely stops beating. 

What Is a Heart Attack?

In a heart attack, one or more of the blood vessels supplying oxygen to the heart muscle itself gets blocked. In essence, a heart attack is what you feel when heart muscle cells begin to die from lack of oxygen. Depending on how many cells are involved, where they are, and how long the issue persists, you can end up with any number of complications, such as pain, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, or even cardiac arrest.

The underlying cause of a heart attack is almost always coronary heart disease (CHD) resulting in a buildup of arterial plaque that mostly, or completely, prevents blood from flowing through a coronary artery. CHD goes by many names, such as coronary artery disease, heart disease, etc. As you might imagine, when it comes to medical certification, the FAA is concerned about all of them—and with good reason. Forefront in the minds of many an aerophobe is the vision of their pilot clutching his chest before slumping over the controls in the aftermath of a massive heart attack.

Hysteria aside, incapacitation or death due to heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is a real concern. By some estimates, sudden cardiac death is responsible for 15 percent of all fatalities in the industrialized world [1] or about 450,000 annually in the United States [2]. Heart disease is a common problem among aging pilots, and few medical conditions pose a more direct or devastating threat to aviation safety.

If you have chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or any other symptoms associated with your heart, stop reading, seek medical attention, and get your health problems under control. If you have already done that, or want to know what to do if it does ever happen to you, read on.

Disqualifying Condition

As previously stated, 14 CFR Part 67 specifically lists “coronary heart disease that has been treated or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant” as a disqualifying condition. As if afraid that one phrase was not broad enough, Part 67 also lists two common consequences of untreated CHD: angina pectoris, which we have written about before, and myocardial infarction. Still, wondering if this might apply to you? In its guide for medical examiners, the FAA goes on to include any history of atherectomy, brachytherapy, coronary bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), rotablation, stent insertion, and minimally invasive procedures by incision or robot operations as de facto proof of CHD [3].

Even that list is not all-inclusive, but enough with the medical jargon. The point is, if you have a cardiac condition, chances are that the FAA wants to know about it. Even though a history of a heart attack is a disqualifying condition by law, the FAA has discretionary authority to grant special issuances to pilots with well-controlled medical conditions. The good news is that it is absolutely doable. 

The bad news is that demonstrating you are medically safe to fly will take a lot of time, effort, and coordination with your doctors. According to the American Heart Association, the average person needs two to three months before they are ready to return to work, and people with more strenuous or demanding jobs may need even longer. This is born out in the way the FAA treats returning to fly after a heart attack as well. If you have recovered from a heart attack, and your underlying CHD has been well managed by your physicians, there is a good chance that you have already accomplished most of the documentation the FAA will require.

What Are the Requirements?

In order to earn an FAA medical certificate after a heart attack, you will need to do EVERYTHING on the following list:

• Have no current symptoms of CHD such as chest pain or shortness of breath during exercise
• Pass a Graded eXercise Test (GXT), according to FAA standards
• Submit all relevant medical records related to your CHD diagnosis and treatment
• Submit a current cardiovascular evaluation and current status report from your treating physician
• For first class or unrestricted second class certificates, an acceptable cardiac catheterization and GXT must be repeated three to six months after initial treatment

This is a simplified list. The timing and quality for each of these requirements are critical and may vary somewhat based on which complications you have experienced and what procedures your doctors used to treat them.

Most importantly, you need to make sure to follow your doctor’s advice regarding medication, diet, and exercise to avoid additional complications. If you are doing all that, getting your medical certificate will depend as much on a properly submitted application as it does on your recovery. We highly recommend choosing an AME familiar with complex certification procedures and willing to put in the time to do it properly. Depending on how it happens, a process that could take a few weeks can stretch into months or years. Given the gravity of the condition, the medical documentation has to be done right or it will cause significant delays. Helping pilots with difficult certification issues is our specialty. You can always contact us to find out more about the process and help with preparing your request to the FAA.

Many people live long, full and productive lives after a heart attack or developing CHD and receiving treatment for some of its more severe complications. Whether you fly as a hobby or for a living, there is no reason to end your time in the skies.

References:

[1] Z. J. Zheng, J. B. Croft, W. H. Giles, and G. A. Mensah, “Sudden cardiac death in the United States, 1989 to 1998,” Circulation, vol. 104, no. 18, pp. 2158–2163, Oct. 2001, doi: 10.1161/hc4301.098254.

[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “State-specific mortality from sudden cardiac death–the United States, 1999,” MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 123–126, Feb. 2002.

[3]“Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners.” https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/coronary/ (accessed Mar. 13, 2022).

The post Returning to Flight After a Heart Attack appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

As any experienced pilot can attest, there are times when landing safely requires every ounce of mental and physical capacity we can muster.

Aeromedical Risk

The purpose of the FAA medical certification process is to enhance aviation safety by limiting the possibility that a pilot at risk for sudden or insidious incapacitation might find themselves behind the controls of an airplane with lives at stake. Most people grasp that concept intuitively when it comes to seizure disorders and heart attacks. Few people—including pilots themselves—would argue with the notion that pilots who could become unconscious at a moment’s notice should not be allowed to fly. 

The discussion becomes more nuanced when considering conditions that cause subtle or insidious impairment. Aeromedical risk is difficult to quantify. From depression and ADHD to heart disease and diabetes, the FAA’s medical certification policies have been trending in a more permissive direction for years.

More than ever, pilots with significant medical diagnoses who can demonstrate their conditions are well managed can still qualify for a FAA medical certificate. DUI arrests and convictions are a special case.

DUIs by the Numbers

There are two key regulations that apply to rated pilots: 14 CFR Part 61.15 and 14 CFR Part 67. The first of these requires that anyone who holds a Part 61 certificate—including student, sport, and recreational pilots—must report any alcohol- or drug-related motor vehicle action to the FAA within 60 days. The second concerns the FAA’s medical certification standards and often involves much more time and effort in which to comply.

Details on reporting procedures and reportable events are somewhat beyond the scope of this article. Generally speaking, if you’ve been convicted of DUI, DWI, or OWUI, or had your driver’s license canceled, suspended, or revoked for an alcohol- or drug-related reason, 14 CFR Part 61.15 probably applies to you. It is a good idea to consult with an experienced attorney if you find yourself in that predicament.

While 14 CFR Part 67 does not specify a reporting deadline, it applies even more broadly than Part 61.15 and involves a much more complicated process. Under Part 67, any pilot who applies for a medical certificate must report “any arrest(s) and/or conviction(s) involving driving while intoxicated by, while impaired by, or while under the influence of alcohol or a drug.” 

That applies to aspiring pilots the same as it does for already certificated ones, and it applies to any event “ever in your life.”

Until you satisfy both of those regulatory requirements, you should not return to flying.

Can You Still Fly after a DUI?

The FAA rightfully takes drug and alcohol offenses seriously, especially when they involve operating a vehicle. Rated or aspiring pilots with one of these events in their background will need to satisfy a significant burden of proof to show that their substance use does not pose a risk to aviation safety. However, it is possible to be a pilot after a DUI.

The FAA is less concerned about the offense itself than what it suggests about substance use. The rest of this article will focus on medical certification standards after a DUI or alcohol arrest, but they apply the same principles when considering pilots who have run into issues with other drugs.

We all know the best course of action is never to get behind the wheel of a car if there is even the slightest chance you could be impaired by alcohol. That said, people make mistakes. Some make even bigger mistakes. The FAA considers three main questions when deciding whether or not to issue a medical certificate to a pilot with a DUI on record.

How Much Did You Drink?

When it comes to DUIs, blood alcohol content (BAC) provides a convenient way to measure how big a mistake you made. At higher values, it can also suggest there was no “mistake” at all.

The legal BAC limit for driving in most U.S. jurisdictions is 0.08. To fly an airplane, pilots must wait at least eight hours after consuming any alcohol and have a BAC less than 0.04.

Driving with any alcohol in your system probably is not a good idea, but it is still legal to a point. Drivers arrested with a BAC of 0.09 can probably explain it away as a mistake that is less concerning for alcoholism. However, at larger BAC values, such as 0.15 or higher, the list of those willing to help explain things away as a mistake decreases precipitously.

The FAA’s medical certification policies regarding BAC are surprisingly humane. If you were arrested for a DUI and your blood alcohol level was less than 0.15, you will get a chance to tell your story. The agency will consider a personal statement and may grant a certificate sooner than you would expect.   

How Many Times Has It Happened?

As the saying goes, “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Under many circumstances, the FAA is willing to give pilots the benefit of the doubt. A single DUI arrest with a BAC less than 0.15 will earn a chance to plead your case. In some circumstances, your aviation medical examiner (AME) may even be able to receive permission to issue a certificate without waiting for the FAA to review your case in more detail.

If you have had more than two DUIs or alcohol-related arrests, it is a much different story. Especially for rated pilots, your first DUI arrest should be a huge wake-up call. Getting a second one can send a message that drinking is more important to you than flying. The FAA is not trying to punish drinking and driving. It is trying to prevent alcoholics and drug addicts from flying airplanes. Few things point toward those issues more accurately than repeated substance-related legal issues.

If you have had more than one DUI, you can still qualify for a medical certificate, but it will probably mean abstaining from alcohol for the duration of your aviation career and participating in a monitored recovery program. 

How Long Ago Was It?

Everyone gets to be young and stupid. Was your DUI arrest when you were 17 driving home your high school prom? Or did it jeopardize your family’s livelihood in your mid-30s or later? Those are two quite different events. Even if you have never had a DUI, most have a story from their high school or young adult years about some kind of poor judgment they would never repeat. As it relates to your medical certificate, it is who you are now that matters.   

The FAA considers arrests older than five years much more leniently than newer ones. Events 10 or more years in the past can be dealt with using an even softer touch. A lot of personal growth and maturity can develop in five or 10 years. The FAA takes that into account when considering medical certifications. Again, its goal is to make sure that alcohol and drug abusers do not threaten the federal airspace, not to rub pilots’ noses in their past mistakes.  

Every Case Is Different

Are you an aspiring pilot with a single DUI and BAC of 0.10 that happened seven years ago? If so, your AME can issue your certificate. You will still need to prepare a personal statement that summarizes the event and describes your past, present, and anticipated future relationship with alcohol. You will also need to provide some official record that corroborates your story—especially the part about your BAC at the time of arrest. However, if your story is similar to this example, it should not delay your medical certification. Even if your DUI was more recent, your AME may be able to negotiate issuing your certificate without prior FAA review.  

What if you are an airline pilot who had a DUI two months ago and your BAC was 0.15 or higher? Your path to obtaining a medical certificate will be a bit longer. The higher BAC will raise its own red flags, and the fact that you were arrested as a professional pilot, likely during your mature adult years with your career at stake, suggests you may well be an alcoholic. 

If you have more than one DUI arrest in your past, or other substance-related legal issues, it will require a long period of time and effort to qualify for a medical certificate. There are some situations where this may not be true, but the FAA generally considers multiple DUIs to be proof of substance dependence.   

Approaching Your AME Exam 

You should approach your medical certificate application after a DUI the same way as for any new medical condition. First, get treated and get better. If you have a problem with alcohol or drugs, use the opportunity to look in the mirror and address the problem head-on. Even if you do not have an issue with dependence, make sure you have resolved the legal, financial, and administrative aftermath of your arrest to the point that you can focus on flying again. 

Next, make an honest self assessment. If you’re safe to fly, the FAA will most likely agree with you. The time and effort it takes to prove that will depend on your unique situation and all the factors discussed earlier. Still, if you legitimately do not have an alcohol problem or are well established in recovery, you can still begin or resume life as a pilot. 

Be honest with the FAA too. Besides the fact that the FAA’s review of the National Driver Register may render lying a fruitless endeavor, few things will complicate, or end, your career as a pilot more reliably than deliberately concealing a DUI from the agency. 

Learn as much about the medical certificate application process as you can before your AME appointment. A well-prepared application can shave months off the time it takes the FAA to consider your application. Always treat your AME exam like a check ride. 

DUIs do not end flying careers, but untreated substance dependence and repeated abuse do. Any DUI arrest will trigger a serious and open conversation about your alcohol use, but the FAA takes a reasonable—if slow and bureaucratic—approach to evaluating who can return to the flight deck. If you are willing to engage in that conversation, chances are you still have a promising flying future.   

The post Flying as a Pilot after a DUI appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Smaller and more personalized, but still offering the same industry-leading standard of flight training quality with its own pilot training programs, is UND Aerospace-Phoenix, the ab initio school owned by the UND Aerospace Foundation, the affiliate, nonprofit organization of the university that operates the UND Aerospace Foundation Flight Training Center.

“When students look around for a school to obtain their aviation credentials, there is no better value,” says Chuck Pineo, CEO of the UND Aerospace Foundation.  “With us, you get a top-notch entity with a great reputation at a reasonable price. For me, that is what I’d be looking for as a student or as a parent—a place that will create a successful professional.”

Located at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA) and operating for nearly three decades, UND-Phoenix is dedicated to both academic based and accelerated flight training options at an affordable price. 

The flight school is located on the Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) campus. With the UND partnership, students enrolling at CGCC are afforded opportunities to join the workforce much quicker while still reaping the benefits of UND’s curriculum and Part 141 FAA training standards. 

UND Service with a Personal Phoenix Touch 

Rex Ginder, associate director of Phoenix Flight Operations, has worked to grow and enhance the Arizona operations since 2007. A UND graduate, he manages the fight school, facilities, and relationship with the community college. 

“The Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences has been around since 1968,” Ginder says. “It is a household name when it comes to training. It is known for the collegiate presentation of aviation, not just being a flight school and not just making pilots. We really like to make aviation professionals. We want our students to be well rounded, possess a little more in-depth knowledge and skills than other folks. That is where we feel we have a competitive edge.”

The UND-Phoenix program currently has approximately 150 students enrolled in the accelerated path program, where they obtain all FAA credentials without traditional degree requirements and complete training in a much shorter time frame, and 100 students in the collegiate program, where they enroll in CGCC’s academic program and the UND Aerospace Foundation provides the flight training. 

The accelerated program allows UND-Phoenix students to obtain FAA credentials and become a CFI in less than 12 months. And for those students looking for a more traditional college experience that takes advantage of UND’s in-depth aerospace classroom training, a two-year associate degree is offered.  Once CGCC students complete the two-year program, they can continue on to receive a four-year aviation degree at UND as well. 

Traditional College Program vs. Accelerated Path

Through CGCC, UND offers a credit-bearing associate degree in applied science (airway science technology). This is a term-based, six-semester program where after two years students earn their degree and flight instructor certificate.

“This has a nice smattering of courses in addition to the general education requirements,” Ginder says. “It included aviation safety, aviation meteorology, crew resource management, advanced aircraft systems, introductory unmanned aircraft systems, along with ground school and flight labs for a six-semester associate degree program.”

The accelerated program is an option for students who already have a college degree and are looking for a career change. 

“Rather than going back and taking all those general requirements and academic courses that are nonaviation, students could jump right in and take the FAA 141 curriculum,” Pineo says. “So a student could jump in, obtain their private pilot [certificate], and not worry about all the other courses significantly reducing the amount of time required.”

The accelerated program will have three start times in 2024—February, June, and October. The college program runs on traditional academic start times for the 16-week terms, usually the third week of August, second week of January, and mid-May for the summer semester. 

With the accelerated program, students typically meet four to five times a week instead of the schedule of a traditional college environment (two to three times a week), allowing them to complete all FAA credentials and become a CFI in less than 12 months. 

“That gets you into the workforce,” Pineo says. “You’ll still need to build your time to be eligible to go work for the airlines or even a corporate-type employer. But a lot of time we will hire you. If we have demand for flight instructors, we will certainly hire you. If we don’t, someone else will hire you and you can build your time. So you can build your time in a year or less from the time you start the program.”

Modern, Standardized Fleet

Possessing the largest training fleet in the world, UND Aerospace certainly checks all the boxes when it comes to offering students extensive aircraft to learn in. UND-Grand Forks, for example, flies in the neighborhood of 120,000 training hours a year while the Phoenix campus adds another 40,000 hours to the mix. “You need a lot of airplanes to support that level of flying, and you need good people to maintain and operate those airplanes,” says Ginder.

Students at Chandler-Gilbert Community College also fly a world-class fleet of training aircraft, including standardized glass cockpit instrumentation, operated and maintained by UND Aerospace. 

“We have all the modern tech. It’s gorgeous,” says Ginder. “It really helps us keep pace with what UND is doing. So when they make a change, we just do it down here as well.”

Ginder points out that the average fleet age of the 24 Piper Archers located at KIWA is between four and five years old. The Piper Archer, one of the most reliable airplanes in collegiate flight training, is used for the majority of the students’ flight training from private pilot through flight instructor certification. With a 180 hp Lycoming engine and an advanced Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite that includes ADS-B traffic awareness, the airplane is modern and very capable for training. 

The school also flies three multiengine Piper Seminoles, used to teach advanced operations and procedures. Together, the Piper Seminole and Archer complement each other, allowing students to seamlessly transition between the two airplanes. In addition to the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite, the Piper Seminole boasts a Garmin two-axis autopilot that prepares students for the advanced operations in today’s aviation industry.

In addition, one Cessna 172 is also available for spin training as part of the CFI course. Two Archer and two Seminole simulators are also present on campus. 

Community College Partnership 

Located on the site of the former Williams Air Force Base, CGCC provides UND-Arizona students access to a full-service, modern campus that offers a full slate of general education requirements. The campus right on the airport contains a library, computer lab, cafe, and student union area.

UND on-site facilities include preflight planning rooms, briefing rooms, and a dispatch area connected to a hangar where the airframe and powerplant lab resides. All told, the flight operations maintain 10,000 square feet of office and classroom space, 14,000 square feet of hangar space, and a 3,000-square-foot facility that houses the school’s four simulators and additional classroom and briefing room space. 

“The community college is a strong partner because they already have an interest in aviation,” Ginder says. “They have an unmanned aircraft systems program. They have an airframe and powerplant Part 147 certification program. Those both fit in the associate degree model. We were not a new entity in bringing in a flight training program to the college. They are used to dealing with the different rigors of aviation, FAA [requirements], and the student behaviors that come along with that. So they are naturally a good fit, and I think that is why our partnership has been strong for so long.”

“Chandler-Gilbert [CC], because they started with an aviation emphasis and very soon added us as the flight training provider, understands what it means to flight train in this specific way,” Ginder says. “Our partnership offers us the flexibility within a term-based semester program. They have been responsive with curriculum changes if we need to update material to more modern coursework. And we are one of only a few programs in the state [of Arizona] that supports the post-9/11 GI Bill for veterans beyond the private pilot certificate. 

An added benefit is classroom instruction by UND staff. On the day FLYING interviewed Ginder, he had just taught an aircraft systems course before the interview.

“[Some of the supporting coursework the community college will teach]…mainly it is staffed by my team,” he says. “You are getting folks that are regularly flying. You are not getting a professor who doesn’t actively fly. You are getting folks who are engaged in the training, in the aircraft, teaching in the classroom.” 

Synergy with UND Provides Students a Higher Level of Depth

Both UND-Grand Forks and UND-Arizona share the same Part 141 Certificate and Part 145 repair certificate. This translates into an extra level of structure and, ultimately, success for students. 

“Part 141 provides a higher degree of structure, and it’s implied that it provides a higher degree of discipline, preparedness, and depth of the program,” Ginder says. “Students can expect to have a full training course outline and possibly multiple syllabi…that state lesson by lesson: What we are doing today? When we fly tomorrow, what are the items I’ll be asked to perform in the air? What is the depth and level of knowledge expected in the air? Part 141 provides that structure.”

Ginder adds that the Part 141 examining authority also significantly aids the program. 

“It keeps the students moving. They are not sitting around waiting for stage checks,” he says. “With it, FAA holds us to a higher standard—for example, on our students’ first attempt percentages. In other words, do they pass their check rides and airman’s knowledge tests the first time around? So, by being held to those standards, there are some other things that are afforded to us, such as exercising examining authority under Part 141. What that means is we do not work with designated pilot examiners from the FAA. So we don’t have to seek out individuals to get check rides. The FAA grants us, by the way we conduct our school and our business, the ability to issue our pilot certificates without dealing with the designated pilot examiner (DPE ) or the FAA check ride portion.”

Best Value on the Market

UND-Phoenix has obtained a solid reputation for consistently delivering quality and value to its students and producing in-demand graduates who have their choice of any and all job opportunities. 

“Our students are picking where they want to go,” Pineo says. “We have students going to Allegiant, Pinnacle, SkyWest, Mesa, Republic—all the major regionals [airlines] and all the corporate-type aviation companies.”

Says Ginder: “We have not had anyone not get their first choice accepted on where they want to go work. Whether that is from the collegiate side or the accelerated program being placed directly into wherever they want to go. It is not, ‘I hope I get this job.’ It’s, ‘I applied for this job. I got it,’ whether that is a corporate operator or someplace such as Frontier, SkyWest, or another regional.”

While every flight school represents a substantial investment, UND-Phoenix offers a significant value.

“If you compare our pricing with other accelerated programs, you’ll find that we are probably in the midrange of expense to the student,” says Pineo. “But if you look around the industry at our reputation and our graduates, we are probably in the high range. Sometimes your track record speaks for itself. And I certainly like to think that when you look at our graduates—how successful they are and how desirable they are to hire based on the reputation of the program—that says a lot.”

Options Abound with UND Aerospace Foundation Flight Training Center

UND-Phoenix has created a flight training center that perfectly blends academic opportunity with the ability to quickly join the workforce seniority pool. 

Add in the fact that all coursework at CGCC transfers to UND and the flight school gives students interested in furthering their academic aviation study a multitude of options. For example, students can start working on an aviation studies degree, which is available online with UND’s main campus, while working as a flight instructor.

With a perfect blend of academic rigor, significant value, and access to the largest training fleet in the world, UND-Phoenix provides one of the best returns on investment of any fight school.

UND Phoenix by the Numbers

UND Aerospace Foundation

Phoenix-Mesa Undergraduate & Accelerated Programs
5865 South Sossaman Road
Mesa, Arizona 85212

info@undaerospace.com   | 480-809-4499

Associates Degrees Offered: 

• Airway Science Technology, Flight Emphasis
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Certificates Offered:

• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane Rating
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Accelerated Degree Costs:

• Accelerated program total cost from an ab-initio start (no private pilot certification): $102,186.90
• Accelerated cost if you come in with private pilot certificate (-$17,622.70) = $84,564.20

This program is private through MEI and includes ground school costs.

CGCC Degree Costs:

• Chandler Gilbert Community College ab initio: $84,740.90 + Tuition of 75 credits, ($6,375) = $91,115 total (approximate for the associate’s degree and flying)
• Chandler Gilbert Community College if you come in with private pilot certificate: (-$17,622.70) = $67,118.20

This program covers private through CFI single-engine.

Average Degree Hour Requirements

• Private pilot course averages 50-55 hours.
• Instrument course averages 35 hours, in the beginning. 
• Multiengine add-on is 14-20 hours.
• CFI certificate is a 25-hour course.
• Instrument instructor averages 25 hours. 

The post About UND Aerospace Foundation Flight Training Center appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Dominican Republic’s Aviation Highlights

• Eight international and seven domestic airports in the Dominican Republic
• Hassle-free general aviation protocols
• Located in the heart of the Caribbean: 750 nm from Florida, 110 nm from Puerto Rico, 330 nm from St. Maarten, and 440 nm from Jamaica

The region’s natural diversity and stunning beauty make this the perfect home for families seeking a simple, adventurous lifestyle, creating many memorable experiences from which to learn, grow, heal, and enjoy life.

Our majestic hills, vast acacia forest, 4.3 miles of the Maimon River, ponds, bird sanctuary, and mangroves, myriad tropical fruit trees (avocado, orange, lemon, lime, pineapple, guava, plum, mango, loquat, and even cashew nut), and swimmable beachfront land create the right time and space for returning to a more natural way of life without sacrificing modern conveniences.

• 27 miles of trails for biking and hiking
• Reserve that meanders throughout the property’s 5,680 acres
• Private beach club
• Sports and training campus with fields and courts for a wide range of activities
• Well-being, rejuvenation, and fitness studios
• Adventure outposts throughout the property—river, lake, and forest
• Activities for all members of the family—arts and crafts, hosting a radio show, learning to play a musical instrument, trying your hand at woodworking, learning to be a beekeeper, perfecting your yoga, tai chi, or horseback riding, and more
• Artist-, chef- and expert-in-residence programming for personal growth and advancing thought leadership
• Organic gardens and fruit trees for owners and on-site restaurants
• Access an Owner to ATVs, zip lines, and more
• Caribbean’s first and only airpark with adventure tours departing from on-site
• Easy air access to over 14 destinations within the Dominican Republic
• Favorable tax climate for residential ownership
• Privacy is paramount—low-density development
• Property rental and management services

Kaynoa’s current real estate opportunities are limited to a handful of awesome Hangar Homes in the airpark.

For more information about Kaynoa’s Air Park offering, to view renderings and floor plans of our hangar homes, secure a reservation, and make arrangements for a site visit, please contact Adriana Calcagno at 1-829-830-5005  or acalcagno@kaynoa.com.

The post The Caribbean’s First and Only Airpark Is Now Open appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Thanks to August, the revolutionary homeownership firm, this extraordinary dream is within your grasp. Travel effortlessly from the majestic Alps to the picturesque Tuscan countryside, leaving all the stress of property management and maintenance behind. Discover how August can redefine your jet-setting lifestyle.

August’s tailored offering delivers an experience that surpasses even the loftiest expectations. Bid farewell to being tied down to a single destination, and say hello to a portfolio of prestigious European properties, each handpicked to complement your lifestyle. From London to Paris, Rome to Barcelona, and Cannes to the French Riviera, their curated collections offer exclusive access to luxurious two-bedroom apartments starting at $375,000. For those seeking the epitome of opulence, indulge in palatial mansions nestled in the serene landscapes of Tuscany, the majestic peaks of the Alps, or the sun-soaked shores of Mallorca, from $740,000.

We understand your time is precious. That is why August takes care of every aspect of homeownership. The expert teams at August handle the renovation and interior design of each home, ensuring a perfect blend of home comforts and modern technology. From housekeeping and gardening to pool maintenance, everything is covered. Simply lock the door and head off on your next adventure, knowing everything will be ready and waiting for you upon your return.

In addition to unrivaled convenience and luxury, being part of the August community offers a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for aviation, travel, and exploration. Exchange experiences, insider tips, and recommendations within their thriving community, further enhancing your lifestyle.

The dream of owning multiple private homes across Europe without the burdens of management and maintenance is now a reality. August provides you with an exclusive opportunity to unlock the ultimate luxury in European homeownership.

So what do you get when you buy holiday homes with August?

Perfect Blend of Style and Location

August places utmost importance on the renovation and interior design of your homes, ensuring they exude style and blend seamlessly with their respective surroundings. Each property is thoughtfully curated and meticulously designed to enhance your experience and create a harmonious connection with the region’s distinctive character.

Unparalleled Freedom and Flexibility

With August, you become a part owner of the properties, meaning flexibility and travel for years to come and allowing you to embrace a world of versatility and adventure. Your Collection of five homes span the awe-inspiring landscapes of the French Alps, the cultural richness of Tuscany, the idyllic charm of Mallorca, the tranquility of the Cotswolds, and the sun-drenched beauty of the Côte d’Azur. This diverse range of destinations ensures each visit is a unique and cherished experience for you and your family.

Lock-and-Leave Convenience

It is understandable that, once the holiday is over and normal life must resume, you don’t want any stress about what may happen in your absence. No need to worry about leaks, maintenance, or security. With August you benefit from a “lock-and-leave” experience. Simply show up, typically enjoying between eight to 12 weeks of holidays per year at your preferred destinations, and immerse yourself in the experience of a lifetime. Once your stay concludes, you can confidently leave your home knowing everything is taken care of. August’s dedicated team handles all aspects of maintenance and property management, allowing you to enjoy your time to the fullest.

Creating Lasting Memories

As an August homeowner, you have the privilege of providing your loved ones with freedom and familiarity. With each visit, embrace the joys of your favorite destinations, building lasting memories and developing a deep appreciation for different cultures and landscapes. Your friends will undoubtedly be clamoring for invitations to experience the allure of your gorgeous homes, as August creates an atmosphere perfect for hosting and creating cherished moments with loved ones.

The post Unleash Your Jetsetter Lifestyle in Europe appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Based in Austin, Texas, the company celebrates its 10-year anniversary in August 2023. Founded by a pilot with over 25 years of experience, the glasses are engineered to provide maximum comfort, functionality, and durability. Dean Siracusa, the founder of Flying Eyes Optics, invested heavily in research and development to create eyewear that would enhance the user’s experience, not hinder it.

“I was tired of the pain and noise leaks that you get from regular glasses and decided to do something about it,” said Siracusa at the Flying Eyes booth at April’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

Eyewear and headgear work in tandem to deliver sensory information to the pilot’s eyes and ears, yet the two pieces of equipment did not play well together until recent eyewear innovations. Under a headset’s clamping force, glasses can dig into the wearer’s temples, leading to headaches after an extended time in the air. Similarly, the rigid and thick frames found in traditional eyewear fight against the headset’s cups, reducing the effectiveness of top headsets’ active noise-reduction capabilities.

The Design: Flexibility and Thinness for Comfort and Convenience

The road to more comfortable eyewear started with a pair of sunglasses attached to a thin strap at the typical location for a hinge. However, this design was still not convenient enough for regular use under headsets since removing the glasses required the removal of the headset. Siracusa went back to the drawing board, where his efforts eventually led to a unique polymer found in aerospace manufacturing.

The material, dubbed Resilamide, gave Flying Eyes frames the flexibility and thinness that allows for seamless compatibility with any headgear. The newly designed temples not only sat under headgear for hours at a time without pain but slipped on and off without requiring any headset or helmet movement.

In addition to comfort and convenience with this modern eyewear, headsets gain increased functionality when paired alongside Flying Eyes. The millimeter-thin frames ensure the pilot consistently achieves the best value from their headset or helmet by maintaining a tighter seal around their ears. With the seal preserved, enjoy the full effectiveness of active noise-reducing headsets, making this eyewear fantastic for your ears as well.

Equally important, the lenses received as much thought and attention to function as the frames. Keeping the cockpit experience in mind, most Flying Eyes lenses are non-polarized. While polarization is great for reducing glare off of reflective surfaces, such as the water when fishing, polarized lenses can blur out screens when viewing them from certain angles and increase the difficulty in viewing air traffic.

Creating Eyewear for All

The Flying Eyes product line originally offered sunglasses exclusively but quickly expanded to include lens options such as bifocals and prescription glasses. Glasses wearers can even enjoy prescriptions with magnetic, clip-on sunglasses that conveniently turn your clear glasses into shades depending on what you need!

Flying Eyes standard sunglasses have polycarbonate lenses, making them scratch-resistant and shatterproof. Find a Flying Eyes booth at an air show, and the staff will be happy to bend the temples and invite you to do the same shortly before trying them on to experience the unique flexibility of Flying Eyes for yourself. Pilots and non-pilots often marvel at Flying Eyes glasses’ ability to survive tumbles, let alone run over by a plane.

For any situation that does in a pair, Flying Eyes offers a lifetime frame warranty to cover any damages to the frame itself. Customers also receive a base 90-day lens warranty, extended up to a full year when registering their pair online with instructions provided after purchase. To further serve the aviation community, Flying Eyes is also happy to swap out any lenses in person at events like EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Sun ‘n Fun, or the Reno Air Races. If you can’t attend these events, the Flying Eyes customer support team is ready to assist with any eyewear issue.

The Flying Eyes Pilot Community

Since the inception of Flying Eyes, support from the aviation community continues to be a source of inspiration. The aforementioned events allow the team to meet and serve hundreds of pilots seeking comfortable eyewear. At a Flying Eyes booth, we invite you to peruse the expansive selection of frames and lenses. Once you determine your favorite, the assembly of your custom pair starts and is ready in minutes.

In addition, Flying Eyes hosts meet and greets at these air shows with creators in aviation, connecting fans with many of the individuals who inspired their journey into the skies. These schedules are on Flying Eyes’ social media pages, @FlyingEyesWorld on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, before the event. Followers of the pages enjoy frequent posts of fellow aviation enthusiasts’ adventures alongside demonstrations of Flying Eyes’ convenience and durability.

Flying Eyes offers specialized glasses that enhance the aviation experience and seamlessly integrate with headsets, catering not just to private and commercial pilots, but aspirational aviators as well. These unique, virtually indestructible frames offer a lifetime warranty and are largely nonpolarized and shatterproof. The comfort under the headsets remains unmatched. Flying Eyes, founded by pilots and designed for pilots, is constantly improving due to interactions and feedback from pilots online and in person throughout the year.

For more on Flying Eyes Optics’ innovative pilot eyewear and sunglasses, visit Flying Eyes Optics and check out FLYING’s reviews of their products, including their Cooper Aviator.

The post Innovative Eyewear and Sunglasses for Pilots appeared first on FLYING Magazine.