These words were penned by Jimmy Buffett 40 years ago in a song entitled “A Pirate Looks at 40” telling how a young boy longed for a life on the sea. I grew up in land-locked Fleming County, Kentucky. There was no local harbor with ships taking cargo and passengers to stir a young boy’s imagination, but there was the sky above. Out in the hay and tobacco fields where I grew up I would stare at each passing airplane from the time I first heard it, until it would disappear in the distance. For each one I wondered where they came from, where they were going, and what adventure awaited them over the horizon. I dutifully watched Sky King use his Cessna 310 named the Songbird every Saturday on TV battling the bad guys from his Flying Crown Ranch in Arizona. Like Sky, I was raised on (and still live on) a farm, but I was born to fly.
Sunday was the 30th anniversary of my 30th birthday. I soloed Cherokee 5568F in 1975 so I have spent nearly 2/3 of my 60 years flying little airplanes. I have flown in (or over) 47 of the 50 states including a memorable flight in a rented Cessna 172 over the Kilauea Volcano in 2005.
My bride of 30 years and I have made several trips to the islands of the Bahamas. We embarked on our “Millennium Tour” in 2000 where we started by flying to Memphis spending time listening to the Blues on Beale Street before moving on to San Antonio to see the Alamo. We flew N44647 up over Oklahoma and stopped for fuel in Oakley, Kansas where the taxiway to the FBO takes you through a John Deere dealership. We continued on up to Rapid City, South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore where, even though it was June, we were greeted on the ramp by line personnel wearing insulated coveralls. We had brought only summer clothing so we shivered in the 45 degree weather visiting with George, Thomas, Teddy and Abe.
From there we went to Mitchell, South Dakota and saw the Corn Palace (yes it is a place) and its crop art murals. After visiting friends in Rochester, MN, our next leg took us to Meigs Field in Chicago to visit the museums just a short walk away. This was three years before Chicago Mayor Richard Dailey committed the largest act of vandalism in our nation’s history by ordering the city’s bulldozers, on a Sunday night, to destroy the airport’s runway. I have not spent one dollar in Chicago since that night even though I often have to fly to O’Hare airport (KORD) to transfer flights on the airlines. I am sure the city misses my business.
The log books are filled with visits to large airports with acres of concrete to numerous grass strips and their acres of well – acres. I have learned many lessons in the physics of flight. I’ve gotten lucky more than a few times and discovered good judgment comes from experience but that experience, more often than not, comes from bad judgment. I have learned the most valuable things in a pilot’s bag of tricks are airspeed and altitude, while take offs are optional, landings are mandatory and if you think you might need fuel – you probably do. Bob Hoover tells us all to fly the airplane as far into the accident as possible and you might be surprised how well things work out. Benny Mallory taught me that if I had 70% of my takeoff speed half way down a grass runway I would likely clear the fence posts at the end. If I did not? I should probably use that last half of the runway for stopping.
I now know the only place you have to be is where you are and that no matter where you are stranded you will likely find a friendly pilot, who has been stranded themselves and needed a friendly pilot; and that I should be that friendly pilot when I find a stranded pilot. I have learned to make funnels from old oil containers and to ALWAYS double check the master switch before walking away from an airplane. I now understand when flying into a busy, non-towered airport yielding the right of way may make more sense than taking it. And just because the FBO is supposed to be open at 4PM on a Sunday afternoon, it is best to call ahead and confirm.
Your goal may be to fly for the airlines. You want to get in the left seat of something with a hand full of throttles and fly that blazingly fast aluminum tube full of strangers to their destinations and if so, I doubt you will find much useful in my flying experiences. But if you are a kid – in the middle of a field – looking up – wondering where that little airplane is going – where have its passengers been and what adventure awaits them – just know that one day you can be that pilot. Your pilot’s license is worth the considerable time, effort and money it takes to earn. Mine is.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/05183724/100_0412.jpg15362304studentpltnewshttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/05155154/FTC-logo-horizontal-fianl.pngstudentpltnews2014-08-13 10:00:572021-06-08 19:23:47A pilot looks at 60
Working at Sporty’s Academy occasionally affords some opportunities that I probably wouldn’t otherwise see. Last week at AirVenture 2014 in Oshkosh, I was afforded one of those opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of Sporty’s founder, Hal Shevers, I had the chance to spend some time with another generous aviator, world-renowned aerobatic pilot, Sean D. Tucker.
…… –Sean D. Tucker & Young Eagle (EAA/Team Oracle photo)
You may know Sean as one of the best air show pilots in the business, but did you also know that he is the current Young Eagles Chairman? Sean has held this title since AirVenture 2013 when he took over from Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles. Only a few people have held this title over the years and Sean is as hard working as they come.
In an August 1st, 2013, article on EAA’s AirVenture news website, Mr. Tucker was quoted as having this to say about his role as chairman: “I will be the voice, but it’s the men and women who volunteer their time that really make this program so successful,” he says. “I want to honor them; they are the unsung heroes.”
According to the Young Eagles website, more than 1.8 million kids have enjoyed a free flight with one of these volunteer pilots since the program was introduced in 1992. Over the last 5 years Young Eagles have also received the added benefit of free online access to Sporty’s Learn to Fly course. This is the same Learn to Fly course that adult students will pay $199.99 to prepare them for the knowledge, oral, and practical exams. Nearly 27,000 Young Eagles have taken advantage of this benefit meaning that Sporty’s Pilot Shop has given away over $5 million in free courses to youth in the program.
If you are a pilot and you would like to volunteer to fly Young Eagles, contact your local EAA chapter or find out more at YoungEagles.org. Young Eagles is a great way to give back to the aviation community and perhaps ignite the passion for aviation in a young person in your community.
Speaking of community and igniting passion, Sean uses the Young Eagles program as a stepping stone to further experiences in his own community. Sean’s passion for the Young Eagles program and the youth of his community are obvious when you talk to him. In fact, Sean even has a Cessna 152 to allow the underserved and at-risk youth in his community to gain experience up to their first solo flight. He tells me that the kids must first take a Young Eagles flight and gain access to the Sporty’s Learn to Fly course. Sean then tells the kids, “do your homework” because they aren’t allow to fly in his program until they get that done. Sean likes the fact that the Sporty’s course gives the kids and this program a structure to follow. “It’s not like reinventing the wheel, because you guys have already invented it.”
Sean was telling me about his program as we climbed out to the north of Oshkosh in the Oracle Extra 300L for an aerobatic lesson. Remember that generosity that I spoke of in the beginning of this article? It started with Sean donating an aerobatic flight to the Young Eagles auction. Sporty’s founder, Hal Shevers, placed the winning bid at the auction. Hal loves to fly and is very passionate about giving to the future of aviation but he prefers to keep the sky over his head when flying. Hal asked if I would like to go for a flight with Sean and I jumped at the chance. The generosity of these two aviation legends and the volunteer Young Eagle pilots that they help support should be an inspiration to us all! Thank you one and all!
Now, I need to go and fly some Young Eagles for my own little part in giving back to aviation.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/05182736/AirVenture-2014-07-007-scaled.jpg14432560studentpltnewshttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/05155154/FTC-logo-horizontal-fianl.pngstudentpltnews2014-08-04 12:34:222021-06-08 19:23:47Giving Back to Aviation
Voice your opinion now to stop the elimination of Area Forecasts
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS), has submitted a notice to the Federal Register announcing its intent to transition seven Area Forecasts (FAs), used as flight planning and pilot weather briefing aids to digital and graphical “alternatives”. Existing potential alternatives identified in the recommendation include surface weather analysis and prognostic charts, public forecast discussions, Significant Weather charts, National Digital Forecast Database, Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), and Airmen’s Meteorological Information. It’s worth noting that the proper use of the suggested alternatives is not yet available.
The FA is an abbreviated, plain-language forecast of specified weather phenomena, covering a geographical area designated by the FAA and produced by NWS. The FA is used to determine en-route weather and to estimate conditions at airports that do not have a Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) which are, in fact, most airports. The limited availability of TAFs makes the FA vital to those airports utilized heavily by general aviation aircraft.
While it’s safe to assume that pilots already use many of these suggested alternatives during normal flight planning, there is critically important information contained in FAs not readily available in suggested alternative reports. FAs continue to serve an important role in gathering complete weather information for a specific route of flight especially for general aviation pilots.
The value of area forecasts is when used in conjunction with a number of the suggested alternative weather reports and vice versa. The critical importance of FAs is in the necessity to interpolate conditions at airports which do not have a TAF. In addition to TAFs being issued at relatively few airport locations as mentioned above, TAFs only include weather conditions expected to exist within five statute miles of the center of the airport’s runway complex.
The limited area serviced by TAFs represents only about 1.5% of the contiguous United States based on the current number of TAF sites. Further, TAFs tend to be issued at major airports with air carrier service and therefore, the general aviation community must rely heavily on FAs for interpolating conditions at airports not served with a TAF and for complying with regulations related to flight under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
FAR 91.169 – alternate airport requirements for IFR flights – specifically requires an alternate airport be filed when certain weather conditions are forecast to exist at the airport of intended landing. Further, FAR 91.169(c) requires certain weather conditions be forecast to exist at the chosen alternate airport to conduct an IFR flight. Without the existence of an FA, compliance with FAR 91.169, as well as the fuel requirements for IFR flight contained in FAR 91.167, would conceivably be impossible if operating to any airport not served by a TAF.
Area Forecast content remains critical in building a complete weather picture. The FA Synopsis section may make references to low ceilings and/or visibilities, strong winds, or any other phenomena that the forecaster considers useful. The VFR Clouds/Weather section may contain elements on sky condition to include coverage, cloud bases and cloud tops. Cloud top information would not be available in any other resource with the exception of Pilot Reports which remain scarce among the general aviation community. Categorical outlooks continue to provide clear guidance on expected conditions and any phenomena that would result in MVFR or IFR conditions for en route weather and all airports not served by TAFs.
While suggested alternative weather products may provide similar information as contained in an Area Forecast, an equivalent level of information is not available in all cases. This information remains critical to flight safety and in particular, to pilots operating at airports not served by TAFs. Until an equivalent and readily accessible level of information is available, Area Forecasts should continue to be issued for the existing seven forecast locations.
Please provide comments by August 4, 2014 to:
Kevin Stone
National Weather Service
1325 East West Highway, Room 13342
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
301-713-1726 X130 [email protected]
or
Michael Pat Murphy
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
Aviation Weather Center
7220 NW 101st Terrace, Room 101
Kansas City MO 64153
816-584-72048 [email protected]
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Learning to fly is hard, challenging, nerve-racking (at times), but also a lot of fun. When I was first taking flight lessons, my head was full of questions. Most of which I was either afraid to ask or had forgotten by the time I drove to the airport. Let’s face it, many instructors are underpaid and overworked, and may be the single most influential person in your flight training history. I had some amazing instructors, but there are a few details that they might have missed that you may find helpful as you’re advancing through your flight training.
It will cost more than what is quoted.
Flight Schools do have to compete with other flight schools. As a result, they often will try to quote a best-case scenario price. Sure, if you can get your private license in the minimum amount of flight time that estimate may be accurate, but the average license usually requires much more time. For me, the largest portion that I didn’t consider was the materials investment. You will need a headset, charts, plotter, fuel tester, books, training course, flashlights and a load of t-shirts to brag about being a pilot. Obviously, these are not included in most quotes. Plan on having approximately $500-$1200 invested in gear by the time you have your checkride.
Some of the things learned during training will never be used again.
Much like having to learn calculus or advanced economics, there are things that must be taught to fulfill FAA requirements that you’ll probably never use in real life. I remember filling out my first cross-country plan form with waypoints and headings and leg times. I really questioned my future job choice if I had to do this for every single flight. Looking back, I’m glad I learned it, but it would have been less intimidating if I knew this was more for show than for future use.
If you are planning to get a job flying commercial airlines know that the starting pay is terrible.
Choosing aviation as a career path has its advantages, but starting pay is not one of them. After investing tens of thousands of dollars (if not more) into your flight training, your starting pay will probably be less than if you were working full time at a fast food restaurant. Not to discredit the burger makers, but think about that next time you hop in a regional airliner. The guy in the right seat probably also has a part time gig to help make ends meet.
You can save a lot of money by using a training course.
Flying requires a lot of knowledge, some of which is not taught in a cockpit. Attending a concentrated ground school or buying a video-based training course will save you a lot of money in the long run. Instructional rates vary from $30 to $65+ per hour. A good training course will save you tons on ground instruction and help your instructor focus more on flying and less on teaching regulations.
No matter the hurdles you face during your flight training, don’t let them deter you from joining the rank of pilot. Flying is an amazing experience that few are lucky enough to enjoy. Welcome to the club.
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I recently gave a flight review to an experienced pilot who flies a modern Cessna single-engine airplane for recreation and transportation purposes. A topic we covered thoroughly was emergency procedures, since most pilots don’t encounter emergencies often over the course of normal flight operations. After retaining positive control of the airplane and accomplishing a few critical memory items (if necessary for the situation), your next course of action when something out of the ordinary happens with the airplane is to grab a checklist and follow the steps listed there.
Memory items are shown in bold in the factory Cessna checklist.
Now before going further, let me clarify memory items — these are tasks you should have committed to memory at all times for that particular airplane model. For example, in a Cessna 172 when experiencing an engine fire in flight, you should, without delay, pull the mixture to idle cut off, turn off the fuel shutoff valve, verify the auxiliary fuel pump is turned off and then turn the electrical master switch off.
The intent here is to cut off all sources of fuel to the engine as soon as possible — pulling out a checklist after seeing flames would waste valuable time and allow the fire to further increase in intensity. Once those items are complete, then grab the checklist and follow the remaining steps for that scenario. You’ll find the memory items listed in bold in the POH, and many quick-reference checklists highlight memory items in yellow to help you quickly identify them.
The newer aircraft models, like the Cessna 172R, have a thorough listing of emergency checklist procedures. There are 18 separate emergency procedures for the 172R model. Most are cut and dry like engine failures, fires, icing and electrical system malfunctions. But like everything in life, emergency scenarios in the airplane aren’t always cut and dry. They may result from a combination of factors that will require you to run through several different emergency checklists.
For example, after finishing the Engine Fire in Flight checklist, you need to keep your brain working to think about what needs to happen next. You lost your engine and are now a glider, so you then need to look at the Emergency Landing without Engine Power checklist to prepare for and execute an off airport landing.
There are other situations that could occur that aren’t explicitly covered by the emergency checklist. One example that comes to mind is the partial loss of engine power. A quick glance at the checklist in the cockpit will list procedures for total engine failure, but nothing for partial-power loss. This is where your knowledge of the airplane systems will come into play to help you play detective and figure out what is happening.
The urgency of the situation depends on altitude, the amount of power loss, oil temp/pressure readings, and what type of terrain you are flying over. If you’re able to maintain altitude, common sense would tell you to find the nearest airport and start heading that way. If it looks like you’re still descending at best glide speed and are out of range of an airport, run the engine failure checklist which will get you thinking about and troubleshooting items related to fuel, induction air and ignition/magnetos.
You should be familiar with the content in the amplified emergency checklist at all times.
If none of those checklist items work and you have time to further diagnose the situation before an off-field landing becomes necessary, grab the POH and refer to the Amplified Emergency Procedures section. This is just after the Emergency Procedures and contains helpful information on how to deal with additional abnormal scenarios. While this section was not designed for in-flight use, a quick glance may help you come up with a solution if time permits. For example, there is a section on Rough Engine Operation/Loss of Power that will prove very useful in this scenario. It will lead you to troubleshoot the magnetos, check for spark plug fouling, fuel-pump failure, excessive fuel vapor, fuel selector issues and low oil pressure.
The main takeaway here is don’t wait every two years for a flight review or an actual emergency to get your brain thinking about “what-if” scenarios. It’s normal throughout your training for your instructor to continually simulate emergencies with you in the airplane, but once you get your certificate you’ll find these events really don’t happen that often. Make it a point to review the POH every few months and also read the Amplified Emergency Procedures section for helpful narratives on troubleshooting techniques.
The opening paragraph to that section in the Cessna POH summarizes it best: this information should be reviewed prior to flying the airplane, as well as reviewed on a regular basis to keep pilot’s knowledge of procedures fresh.
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During flight training, it’s natural to focus on the big hurdles: the medical, first solo, knowledge test and checkride. Those are certainly important, and they deserve your attention. But many student pilots get so focused on the training process that they never think about flying after the checkride is over. It’s sort of like building a house and being so focused on the plumbing and drywall that you never think about what your house will look like or how you’ll live in it.
That may sound crazy–after all, there are so many things to do with a pilot’s license–but I know of more than a few pilots who struggled to stay engaged in aviation after earning their license. After giving rides to a few friends and chasing a few $100 hamburgers, what comes next? Call it the hangover effect: once the strict syllabus and schedule of flight training are gone, it can be tough to fly regularly and keep improving your skills.
So how can you avoid this hangover? Every pilot is different, and the right answer for you depends on what you want out of aviation–fun, transportation, career or something else. But recent research by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) suggests three practical ways to keep flying after you cross the finish line. Each of these share something in common with flight training, which may explain why they’re effective.
Flying with a purpose
Spending an afternoon boring holes in the sky, or watching a sunset from 500 ft., are wonderful things, and every pilot should fly at least occasionally with no mission other than fun. But for many pilots, giving back or supporting a cause they believe in can make flying a much more rewarding and interesting experience. It’s a powerful motivator to stay current and active.
There are numerous organizations that pilots can support with their time. One of the best-known (and most rewarding) is EAA’s Young Eagles program, where local pilots give young people their first airplane ride. I’ve done many Young Eagles flight myself, and there really is nothing more fun than watching a kid’s eyes light up as they take to the air for the first time. You’re also helping to keep general aviation strong, by introducing the next generation to the wonders of personal flying.
Another popular option is flying patients from their homes to faraway cities to receive treatment, for free. In many cases, these flights truly are life-saving, as patients would otherwise not receive the required care. Patient Airlift Services (PALS) is a particularly well-run organization, although there are many others. Find one close to you and see if it’s a fit for your skills and your airplane. Note that most organizations have minimum pilot times you must comply with, but some are fairly low.
Challenge yourself
One of the main reasons people learn to fly is for the challenge of it–learning a new skill is a fun and rewarding experience. Most pilots I know are goal-oriented achievers, so the thought of checking a new box is very exciting. That doesn’t have to stop after you earn a Private Pilot certificate, though.
What are some new challenges you can take on? The obvious one is to add a new rating. Many pilots consider the Instrument Rating to be an even more rewarding challenge than the Private Pilot certificate, and its privileges allow you to make a lot more trips. Besides the Instrument Rating, other options include a tailwheel checkout (great for stick and rudder skills), a multi-engine rating (great for career-oriented pilots) or a glider rating (just plain fun).
Even if you don’t pursue a formal rating, checking out in a new airplane can offer good training and some fun new options. If you learned in a 172, log some time in a 182 or try a low wing airplane. It will make you a better pilot and is good motivation to keep flying.
Another great way to challenge yourself is to take a long trip, whether it’s a family vacation or a flight to Oshkosh for the big fly-in. Planning such trips is half the fun, as you learn to consider subjects like long distance weather, new terrain, and unfamiliar airports. The flying is good fun too, as you see new places and meet new people along the way. There’s almost no better feeling as a pilot than completing a big trip safely and successfully. After all, traveling to new places is probably one of the reasons you learned to fly!
Friends/clubs
AOPA research has identified what many pilots already know: flying is about much more than the time in the right seat. The social and community aspects of aviation are a critical part of a pilot’s life.
Whether it’s as a member of a formal flying club, a group of airport buddies or a family member who’s also a pilot, find a “support group” of other aviators. Flying with someone else is almost always more fun, but there’s also a lot to learn from these experiences. Some of my most educational flights weren’t dual logged with a CFI, but flights with a more experienced pilot.
Having someone else who’s interested in your flying is also a good motivator to stay active. Much like weight loss programs encourage you to find a training partner, a flying partner means someone else is depending on you to be there. Clubs offer the additional benefit of monthly meetings, educational seminars and structured social events. Even if the weather is bad, a club or informal flying group can make the airport a fun place to be.
Whatever you choose to do with your license, make it part of a deliberate plan. If you wait to fly until you’re free and the weather is perfect, it’s unlikely you’ll log many hours. With a little bit of structure or some new goals, you may find flying becomes an even more important part of your day-to-day life. That’s a good thing!
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A pilot looks at 60
/in Having fun, Personal stories/by studentpltnewsMother, Mother Ocean
I have heard your call.
Wanted to sail upon your waters
Since I was three feet tall.
My bride of 30 years and I have made several trips to the islands of the Bahamas. We embarked on our “Millennium Tour” in 2000 where we started by flying to Memphis spending time listening to the Blues on Beale Street before moving on to San Antonio to see the Alamo. We flew N44647 up over Oklahoma and stopped for fuel in Oakley, Kansas where the taxiway to the FBO takes you through a John Deere dealership. We continued on up to Rapid City, South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore where, even though it was June, we were greeted on the ramp by line personnel wearing insulated coveralls. We had brought only summer clothing so we shivered in the 45 degree weather visiting with George, Thomas, Teddy and Abe.
I now know the only place you have to be is where you are and that no matter where you are stranded you will likely find a friendly pilot, who has been stranded themselves and needed a friendly pilot; and that I should be that friendly pilot when I find a stranded pilot. I have learned to make funnels from old oil containers and to ALWAYS double check the master switch before walking away from an airplane. I now understand when flying into a busy, non-towered airport yielding the right of way may make more sense than taking it. And just because the FBO is supposed to be open at 4PM on a Sunday afternoon, it is best to call ahead and confirm.
Giving Back to Aviation
/in Having fun, Personal stories/by studentpltnewsWorking at Sporty’s Academy occasionally affords some opportunities that I probably wouldn’t otherwise see. Last week at AirVenture 2014 in Oshkosh, I was afforded one of those opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of Sporty’s founder, Hal Shevers, I had the chance to spend some time with another generous aviator, world-renowned aerobatic pilot, Sean D. Tucker.
…… –Sean D. Tucker & Young Eagle (EAA/Team Oracle photo)
You may know Sean as one of the best air show pilots in the business, but did you also know that he is the current Young Eagles Chairman? Sean has held this title since AirVenture 2013 when he took over from Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles. Only a few people have held this title over the years and Sean is as hard working as they come.
In an August 1st, 2013, article on EAA’s AirVenture news website, Mr. Tucker was quoted as having this to say about his role as chairman: “I will be the voice, but it’s the men and women who volunteer their time that really make this program so successful,” he says. “I want to honor them; they are the unsung heroes.”
According to the Young Eagles website, more than 1.8 million kids have enjoyed a free flight with one of these volunteer pilots since the program was introduced in 1992. Over the last 5 years Young Eagles have also received the added benefit of free online access to Sporty’s Learn to Fly course. This is the same Learn to Fly course that adult students will pay $199.99 to prepare them for the knowledge, oral, and practical exams. Nearly 27,000 Young Eagles have taken advantage of this benefit meaning that Sporty’s Pilot Shop has given away over $5 million in free courses to youth in the program.
If you are a pilot and you would like to volunteer to fly Young Eagles, contact your local EAA chapter or find out more at YoungEagles.org. Young Eagles is a great way to give back to the aviation community and perhaps ignite the passion for aviation in a young person in your community.
Speaking of community and igniting passion, Sean uses the Young Eagles program as a stepping stone to further experiences in his own community. Sean’s passion for the Young Eagles program and the youth of his community are obvious when you talk to him. In fact, Sean even has a Cessna 152 to allow the underserved and at-risk youth in his community to gain experience up to their first solo flight. He tells me that the kids must first take a Young Eagles flight and gain access to the Sporty’s Learn to Fly course. Sean then tells the kids, “do your homework” because they aren’t allow to fly in his program until they get that done. Sean likes the fact that the Sporty’s course gives the kids and this program a structure to follow. “It’s not like reinventing the wheel, because you guys have already invented it.”
Now, I need to go and fly some Young Eagles for my own little part in giving back to aviation.
FMI
YoungEagles.org
Video: Meet Sean D. Tucker: Young Eagles Chairman
FAA proposal could eliminate critical forecast information
/in Personal stories, Regulations/by studentpltnewsVoice your opinion now to stop the elimination of Area Forecasts
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS), has submitted a notice to the Federal Register announcing its intent to transition seven Area Forecasts (FAs), used as flight planning and pilot weather briefing aids to digital and graphical “alternatives”. Existing potential alternatives identified in the recommendat
ion include surface weather analysis and prognostic charts, public forecast discussions, Significant Weather charts, National Digital Forecast Database, Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), and Airmen’s Meteorological Information. It’s worth noting that the proper use of the suggested alternatives is not yet available.
The FA is an abbreviated, plain-language forecast of specified weather phenomena, covering a geographical area designated by the FAA and produced by NWS. The FA is used to determine en-route weather and to estimate conditions at airports that do not have a Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) which are, in fact, most airports. The limited availability of TAFs makes the FA vital to those airports utilized heavily by general aviation aircraft.
While it’s safe to assume that pilots already use many of these suggested alternatives during normal flight planning, there is critically important information contained in FAs not readily available in suggested alternative reports. FAs continue to serve an important role in gathering complete weather information for a specific route of flight especially for general aviation pilots.
The value of area forecasts is when used in conjunction with a number of the suggested alternative weather reports and vice versa. The critical importance of FAs is in the necessity to interpolate conditions at airports which do not have a TAF. In addition to TAFs being issued at relatively few airport locations as mentioned above, TAFs only include weather conditions expected to exist within five statute miles of the center of the airport’s runway complex.
The limited area serviced by TAFs represents only about 1.5% of the contiguous United States based on the current number of TAF sites. Further, TAFs tend to be issued at major airports with air carrier service and therefore, the general aviation community must rely heavily on FAs for interpolating conditions at airports not served with a TAF and for complying with regulations related to flight under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
FAR 91.169 – alternate airport requirements for IFR flights – specifically requires an alternate airport be filed when certain weather conditions are forecast to exist at the airport of intended landing. Further, FAR 91.169(c) requires certain weather conditions be forecast to exist at the chosen alternate airport to conduct an IFR flight. Without the existence of an FA, compliance with FAR 91.169, as well as the fuel requirements for IFR flight contained in FAR 91.167, would conceivably be impossible if operating to any airport not served by a TAF.
Area Forecast content remains critical in building a complete weather picture. The FA Synopsis section may make references to low ceilings and/or visibilities, strong winds, or any other phenomena that the forecaster considers useful. The VFR Clouds/Weather section may contain elements on sky condition to include coverage, cloud bases and cloud tops. Cloud top information would not be available in any other resource with the exception of Pilot Reports which remain scarce among the general aviation community. Categorical outlooks continue to provide clear guidance on expected conditions and any phenomena that would result in MVFR or IFR conditions for en route weather and all airports not served by TAFs.
While suggested alternative weather products may provide similar information as contained in an Area Forecast, an equivalent level of information is not available in all cases. This information remains critical to flight safety and in particular, to pilots operating at airports not served by TAFs. Until an equivalent and readily accessible level of information is available, Area Forecasts should continue to be issued for the existing seven forecast locations.
Please provide comments by August 4, 2014 to:
Kevin Stone
National Weather Service
1325 East West Highway, Room 13342
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
301-713-1726 X130
[email protected]
or
Michael Pat Murphy
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
Aviation Weather Center
7220 NW 101st Terrace, Room 101
Kansas City MO 64153
816-584-72048
[email protected]
Four things most instructors won’t tell you during your training
/in Get Started, Personal stories/by studentpltnewsLearning to fly is hard, challenging, nerve-racking (at times), but also a lot of fun. When I was first taking flight lessons, my head was full of questions. Most of which I was either afraid to ask or had forgotten by the time I drove to the airport. Let’s face it, many instructors are underpaid and overworked, and may be the single most influential person in your flight training history. I had some amazing instructors, but there are a few details that they might have missed that you may find helpful as you’re advancing through your flight training.
Flight Schools do have to compete with other flight schools. As a result, they often will try to quote a best-case scenario price. Sure, if you can get your private license in the minimum amount of flight time that estimate may be accurate, but the average license usually requires much more time. For me, the largest portion that I didn’t consider was the materials investment. You will need a headset, charts, plotter, fuel tester, books, training course, flashlights and a load of t-shirts to brag about being a pilot. Obviously, these are not included in most quotes. Plan on having approximately $500-$1200 invested in gear by the time you have your checkride.
Much like having to learn calculus or advanced economics, there are things that must be taught to fulfill FAA requirements that you’ll probably never use in real life. I remember filling out my first cross-country plan form with waypoints and headings and leg times. I really questioned my future job choice if I had to do this for every single flight. Looking back, I’m glad I learned it, but it would have been less intimidating if I knew this was more for show than for future use.
Choosing aviation as a career path has its advantages, but starting pay is not one of them. After investing tens of thousands of dollars (if not more) into your flight training, your starting pay will probably be less than if you were working full time at a fast food restaurant. Not to discredit the burger makers, but think about that next time you hop in a regional airliner. The guy in the right seat probably also has a part time gig to help make ends meet.
You can save a lot of money by using a training course.
Flying requires a lot of knowledge, some of which is not taught in a cockpit. Attending a concentrated ground school or buying a video-based training course will save you a lot of money in the long run. Instructional rates vary from $30 to $65+ per hour. A good training course will save you tons on ground instruction and help your instructor focus more on flying and less on teaching regulations.
No matter the hurdles you face during your flight training, don’t let them deter you from joining the rank of pilot. Flying is an amazing experience that few are lucky enough to enjoy. Welcome to the club.
Get the most out of the emergency checklist
/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnewsI recently gave a flight review to an experienced pilot who flies a modern Cessna single-engine airplane for recreation and transportation purposes. A topic we covered thoroughly was emergency procedures, since most pilots don’t encounter emergencies often over the course of normal flight operations. After retaining positive control of the airplane and accomplishing a few critical memory items (if necessary for the situation), your next course of action when something out of the ordinary happens with the airplane is to grab a checklist and follow the steps listed there.
Memory items are shown in bold in the factory Cessna checklist.
Now before going further, let me clarify memory items — these are tasks you should have committed to memory at all times for that particular airplane model. For example, in a Cessna 172 when experiencing an engine fire in flight, you should, without delay, pull the mixture to idle cut off, turn off the fuel shutoff valve, verify the auxiliary fuel pump is turned off and then turn the electrical master switch off.
The intent here is to cut off all sources of fuel to the engine as soon as possible — pulling out a checklist after seeing flames would waste valuable time and allow the fire to further increase in intensity. Once those items are complete, then grab the checklist and follow the remaining steps for that scenario. You’ll find the memory items listed in bold in the POH, and many quick-reference checklists highlight memory items in yellow to help you quickly identify them.
The newer aircraft models, like the Cessna 172R, have a thorough listing of emergency checklist procedures. There are 18 separate emergency procedures for the 172R model. Most are cut and dry like engine failures, fires, icing and electrical system malfunctions. But like everything in life, emergency scenarios in the airplane aren’t always cut and dry. They may result from a combination of factors that will require you to run through several different emergency checklists.
For example, after finishing the Engine Fire in Flight checklist, you need to keep your brain working to think about what needs to happen next. You lost your engine and are now a glider, so you then need to look at the Emergency Landing without Engine Power checklist to prepare for and execute an off airport landing.
There are other situations that could occur that aren’t explicitly covered by the emergency checklist. One example that comes to mind is the partial loss of engine power. A quick glance at the checklist in the cockpit will list procedures for total engine failure, but nothing for partial-power loss. This is where your knowledge of the airplane systems will come into play to help you play detective and figure out what is happening.
The urgency of the situation depends on altitude, the amount of power loss, oil temp/pressure readings, and what type of terrain you are flying over. If you’re able to maintain altitude, common sense would tell you to find the nearest airport and start heading that way. If it looks like you’re still descending at best glide speed and are out of range of an airport, run the engine failure checklist which will get you thinking about and troubleshooting items related to fuel, induction air and ignition/magnetos.
You should be familiar with the content in the amplified emergency checklist at all times.
If none of those checklist items work and you have time to further diagnose the situation before an off-field landing becomes necessary, grab the POH and refer to the Amplified Emergency Procedures section. This is just after the Emergency Procedures and contains helpful information on how to deal with additional abnormal scenarios. While this section was not designed for in-flight use, a quick glance may help you come up with a solution if time permits. For example, there is a section on Rough Engine Operation/Loss of Power that will prove very useful in this scenario. It will lead you to troubleshoot the magnetos, check for spark plug fouling, fuel-pump failure, excessive fuel vapor, fuel selector issues and low oil pressure.
The main takeaway here is don’t wait every two years for a flight review or an actual emergency to get your brain thinking about “what-if” scenarios. It’s normal throughout your training for your instructor to continually simulate emergencies with you in the airplane, but once you get your certificate you’ll find these events really don’t happen that often. Make it a point to review the POH every few months and also read the Amplified Emergency Procedures section for helpful narratives on troubleshooting techniques.
The opening paragraph to that section in the Cessna POH summarizes it best: this information should be reviewed prior to flying the airplane, as well as reviewed on a regular basis to keep pilot’s knowledge of procedures fresh.
After the checkride – making a plan to stay engaged
/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnewsDuring flight training, it’s natural to focus on the big hurdles: the medical, first solo, knowledge test and checkride. Those are certainly important, and they deserve your attention. But many student pilots get so focused on the training process that they never think about flying after the checkride is over. It’s sort of like building a house and being so focused on the plumbing and drywall that you never think about what your house will look like or how you’ll live in it.
That may sound crazy–after all, there are so many things to do with a pilot’s license–but I know of more than a few pilots who struggled to stay engaged in aviation after earning their license. After giving rides to a few friends and chasing a few $100 hamburgers, what comes next? Call it the hangover effect: once the strict syllabus and schedule of flight training are gone, it can be tough to fly regularly and keep improving your skills.
So how can you avoid this hangover? Every pilot is different, and the right answer for you depends on what you want out of aviation–fun, transportation, career or something else. But recent research by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) suggests three practical ways to keep flying after you cross the finish line. Each of these share something in common with flight training, which may explain why they’re effective.
Flying with a purpose
There are numerous organizations that pilots can support with their time. One of the best-known (and most rewarding) is EAA’s Young Eagles program, where local pilots give young people their first airplane ride. I’ve done many Young Eagles flight myself, and there really is nothing more fun than watching a kid’s eyes light up as they take to the air for the first time. You’re also helping to keep general aviation strong, by introducing the next generation to the wonders of personal flying.
Another popular option is flying patients from their homes to faraway cities to receive treatment, for free. In many cases, these flights truly are life-saving, as patients would otherwise not receive the required care. Patient Airlift Services (PALS) is a particularly well-run organization, although there are many others. Find one close to you and see if it’s a fit for your skills and your airplane. Note that most organizations have minimum pilot times you must comply with, but some are fairly low.
Challenge yourself
What are some new challenges you can take on? The obvious one is to add a new rating. Many pilots consider the Instrument Rating to be an even more rewarding challenge than the Private Pilot certificate, and its privileges allow you to make a lot more trips. Besides the Instrument Rating, other options include a tailwheel checkout (great for stick and rudder skills), a multi-engine rating (great for career-oriented pilots) or a glider rating (just plain fun).
Even if you don’t pursue a formal rating, checking out in a new airplane can offer good training and some fun new options. If you learned in a 172, log some time in a 182 or try a low wing airplane. It will make you a better pilot and is good motivation to keep flying.
Another great way to challenge yourself is to take a long trip, whether it’s a family vacation or a flight to Oshkosh for the big fly-in. Planning such trips is half the fun, as you learn to consider subjects like long distance weather, new terrain, and unfamiliar airports. The flying is good fun too, as you see new places and meet new people along the way. There’s almost no better feeling as a pilot than completing a big trip safely and successfully. After all, traveling to new places is probably one of the reasons you learned to fly!
Friends/clubs
Whether it’s as a member of a formal flying club, a group of airport buddies or a family member who’s also a pilot, find a “support group” of other aviators. Flying with someone else is almost always more fun, but there’s also a lot to learn from these experiences. Some of my most educational flights weren’t dual logged with a CFI, but flights with a more experienced pilot.
Having someone else who’s interested in your flying is also a good motivator to stay active. Much like weight loss programs encourage you to find a training partner, a flying partner means someone else is depending on you to be there. Clubs offer the additional benefit of monthly meetings, educational seminars and structured social events. Even if the weather is bad, a club or informal flying group can make the airport a fun place to be.
Whatever you choose to do with your license, make it part of a deliberate plan. If you wait to fly until you’re free and the weather is perfect, it’s unlikely you’ll log many hours. With a little bit of structure or some new goals, you may find flying becomes an even more important part of your day-to-day life. That’s a good thing!