Story ID: 
AOPA Issues New Covid-Era Operation Guides
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: As GA operators look to take flight again amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, AOPA issues advice for rusty pilots and prudent operators.
Word Count: 241
As some U.S. states begin to relax and modify their social distancing restrictions amid the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, AOPA has issued a pair of advisory documents to help operators and pilots return to operations as normally and safely as possible.

The Covid-19 Flight Operations Guide is aimed at helping flight schools, flying clubs, FBOs, and other operators move from risk avoidance to risk management, offering advice on the factors to consider when deciding to reopen, as well as suggestions on what to monitor in terms of operational wellness. While some states have eased their safety regulations, the guide suggests following the latest CDC advice in terms of the local levels of infection and mortality, and on cleaning and sanitizing facilities and aircraft before, and after, opening, as well as continuous monitoring.

“AOPA recognizes operators have some difficult choices to make under unprecedented circumstances,” said Richard McSpadden, executive director of the organization’s Air Safety Institute. “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.”

For those pilots who have been inactive due to situations such as grounding from local quarantine orders, AOPA, in cooperation with Hartzell Propeller, has also issued the Return to Flight Proficiency Plan, a step-by-step approach to refreshing aeronautical knowledge and sharpening skills.