AOPA Publishes Return To Flight Guides

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the AOPA Air Safety Institute are offering two guides designed to assist pilots and operators return safely to flying after shutdowns due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For operators such as flight schools, flying clubs and FBOs, the organization’s COVID-19 Flight Operations Guide (PDF) covers developing criteria to resume operations, implementing procedures to reopen, opening operations sequentially and instituting ongoing risk factor assessments. The guide also provides links to additional resources including state-by-state COVID-19 guidelines, state aviation offices and CDC information on the virus.

“AOPA recognizes operators have some difficult choices to make under unprecedented circumstances,” said AOPA Air Safety Institute Executive Director Richard McSpadden. “The COVID-19 guide offers them a framework for how to assess their situation and then some suggestions on steps they can take to resume and sustain operations.”

AOPA has also released the Return-to-Flight Proficiency Plan (PDF) for individual pilots. The six-step plan focuses on regaining both VFR and IFR flight skills following a period of inactivity. It was created in partnership with Hartzell Propeller.