As pilots we are taught from early on that managing an emergency during our flying career is not a question of “If” but a question of “when”. We are meticulous in our preflight planning, preparation and use good maintenance procedures to ensure that we mitigate as much risk as we possibly can, but the rules of statistics dictate that we will eventually be met with some situation that is unplanned.
Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
You have probably heard that expression before from a flight instructor or other aviation publication. It is a simple adage but it is one that helps keep our priorities when handling any situation, whether planned or unplanned.
Aviate – Regardless of the inflight issue, the most important task of the pilot is to maintain positive control of the aircraft. You cannot allow distractions or handling of the emergency to pull you away from flying the airplane. The most common example that I will use from standard flight training is the in-flight engine failure. You are taught to run a checklist or flow to get the engine restarted, after you designate a landing site and slow the aircraft to best glide speed. Students will then shift their entire attention to the checklist and neglect flying the aircraft to the site or maintaining speed control. When they are finished with the checklist, they look up to find the field not where they left it and/or their airspeed off the mark.
Navigate – Once we have positive control of the airplane, we can then take time to designate a path of where the airplane should be going. In my running example of the in-flight engine failure, once we maintain the desired airspeed and manage the situation, we then glide the aircraft to our determined off-field landing site. Use of a chart or navigational aid is a great tool, but not at the expense of flying the airplane.
Communicate – The lowest item of priority that we should consider is dedicated time to communicate. This does not mean that communication is not important; just simply that aviate and navigate are more important. Communication can cover many items such as radio communications, but also crew communications or checklists can go in this spot.
Keep in mind that A.N.C. is just a rough guideline and not a literal checklist to follow. It does not apply to all circumstances and situations.
Is this an Emergency?
When we notice that something is not as it should be during a flight, the first item that the PIC needs to do is to determine the nature of the situation, i.e. Is this an Emergency? Determining if a true emergency exists will greatly affect how we handle the situation and how we respond. Let’s use an example to guide this situation. Assume for a moment that as we are flying along during a VFR clear day at cruise altitude and we detect flames coming out of the side of the cowling in our C-172. This is a true emergency. Any delay in response could negatively affect the outcome of the situation. In this case we would run the memory items called for in the C-172 POH and prepare for an off-field landing.
By contrast, let’s see what we would do is this circumstance; Same VFR clear day and we notice that the alternator has stopped working. Is this a true emergency? Unless you are in a unique set of circumstances, this is not an immediate emergency; it is an abnormal situation. If we do not respond in a timely fashion, then it could become an emergency. In the case of an abnormal situation, the best thing we can do is fly the airplane (aviate) and then consult the checklist or POH for the appropriate response. It is important to note that not responding from memory for an abnormal situation is key to prevent any mistakes in response that could make the situation worse.
Declaring an Emergency
If we have determined that we have an immediate emergency or an abnormal situation has degraded into an emergency, we need to respond accordingly. The most important thing is to respond to the needs of the emergency and not make the situation any worse by how we react. Once we have completed our list of priorities and we have sufficient time and capacity, we can then declare an emergency to ATC or other resource. Keep in mind that FAR 91.3 already gives us the authority to respond to the situation as needed to meet the needs of the emergency; you do not have to call on the radio to exercise this privilege. Calling on the radio will only give us access to additional resources and ATC priority; it will not solve the emergency for you. Sometimes that additional resource that ATC can provide or having ATC move traffic or provide a vector can be crucial to the safe outcome of the situation, so do not hesitate to declare the emergency when the time is right.
Safe outcome
Preparing for the eventual situation that will come is part of every pilot’s responsibility. Your job is to make sure that you are proficient in your aircraft’s specific procedures, and to have a clear process in your mind to analyzing and handling any situation that comes your way. How do you achieve this level of precision and preparation? Study, prepare, and practice. Simulating these circumstances and having someone challenge you to new situations is key to building your aeronautical decision making skills to be up to the task when the situation calls.
Flying clubs come in many shapes and sizes. What they have in common is a group of members interested in flying and in saving money on their flying activities.
Flying clubs are traditionally a member run organization formed to spread the costs of aircraft ownership among the members. Most clubs only exist for the stated benefits to the members, not for earning a profit through aircraft rental. They are considered a more economical alternative to owning an aircraft and a more convenient alternative than renting.
As a club, there are often social aspects of belonging that you do not get through aircraft ownership or rental. I’ve heard about some clubs in our area that have dues paying members who no longer fly but remain active in the community which the club has developed. These older pilots provide mentorship and encouragement to the younger pilots and are a welcome base to the club.
Flying clubs can have a wide variety of aircraft. Many have the same basic training aircraft that you can find at your local FBO but some have higher performance aircraft available as well.
A popular type of club in the United States is the glider club. A quick look at the Soaring Society of America’s (SSA) “Where to Fly” application shows 5 places to fly a glider in the state of Ohio, 4 of those locations are clubs. Sporty’s Academy is the sole commercial glider operation listed for Ohio. For the United States as a whole, there are 50 commercial glider operators compared to 137 glider clubs. For US glider operations, the flying club is certainly the predominant model. The SSA supports glider clubs through their Clubs and Chapters division.
Flying clubs have an opportunity to earn rebates for their club when members shop at Sporty’s Pilot Shop. The Flying Club Rebate Program is one of the newer ways that Sporty’s gives back to the aviation community. It is free to the club and its members and is easy to get signed up and use.
Sporty’s Academy recently introduced their own brand of flying club with a little different twist from the usual flying club. This program allows members priority access and exclusive benefits on the Academy’s G1000 equipped rental aircraft at very attractive dry rental rates. The Sporty’s Flying Club includes the social aspect of other clubs but with fewer headaches and professional management.
So if you are looking for a more affordable option for your flying or flight training, check out the clubs in your area. You’ll be glad that you did.
You are well on your way to your first solo and you are excited about the chance to pilot your craft by yourself. Along with this new freedom will also come new responsibilities. One of these is the fact that you alone are responsible for this aircraft. Back at your introductory flight you might have even inquired about insurance. Perhaps the instructor had confidently replied “don’t worry, we have insurance.”
But did that mean YOU are insured against loss? Or did it mean the instructor carried insurance or the FBO had insurance if they sustained a loss? Too often, too late, a renter finds out they are not covered in the event of an accident.
What do you mean I need insurance?
Chances are that if you rent a car, your own auto insurance will protect you. Go to a resort and rent skis, chances are your homeowners insurance will protect against a loss. But neither policy will likely cover your escapades in an airplane. The FBO may have coverage against THEIR loss, but often their insurance will attempt to recover their money through a process called subrogation. In other words, the insurance company pays the FBO and then bills you for their costs. Yes, it is legal.
Thankfully, airplane crashes are rare. So rare that one occurring in California will get coverage in newspapers and on TV on the east coast. So your chances of needing insurance are slim, right? Maybe not.
While airplanes seldom wind up as total losses, each day the FAA lists about a dozen accidents and incidents reported to them. Swerving off the runway and hitting one or two runway lights will never make it on the NBC Nightly News, but can make a substantial impact on your wallet.
How much insurance do I need?
There is no one size fits all answer to this question. Let’s take a moment to understand the types of damages for which you may be responsible. From there you can determine your individual tolerance for each risk.
Actual Loss – This is the actual amount of damage that results from an accident or incident. Total losses are rare, but because aircraft are unique by requiring certified parts installed or repaired by a licensed mechanic, even partial losses can run up a substantial bill. Let’s take the aforementioned runway excursion. Damage to the wing, tail and landing gear can total hundreds if not thousands of dollars. If the propeller strikes the light, an engine “tear down” and inspection may cost $20,000 or more! If you hit a drainage ditch and damage the firewall and damage the propeller in the process, the total can easily exceed $50,000.
Loss of Use. The FBO has a rental airplane because, let’s face it, they have renters. At a busy airport the average monthly rental per plane may exceed 50 hours. That is money, on which the FBO could reasonably expect, they will not receive. It is not unusual for the repairs to take a month or longer so expect an additional 5 grand to cover the FBO’s losses.
Diminution of Value – You may know that all maintenance records are kept with the airplane for its entire life. Airframe repairs must be recorded and becomes part of that permanent record. It will vary depending on the age of the airframe, but often appraisers will diminish the value of the airframe 10% for accident repairs.
General Liability – Just as with an automobile, you can be responsible for whatever (or whomever) you hit. Should an accident cause injury to a person, you might be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, etc. Here is a case where existing homeowners may provide some coverage, but you should check with your provider. Even the runway lights mentioned earlier are more than $200 plus installation which may increase that cost another $50 to $75.
The good news: insurance is available and surprisingly affordable.
Not comfortable writing a check for $50,000 or more? Then you should consider purchasing non-owners or “renters” insurance. Reasonable coverage can be purchased from several sources so consider this before you take the airplane out on your own… it can happen to you.
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Interacting with the local FBO (Fixed Base Operator) isn’t something you’ll typically learn as part of a standard training curriculum at your local flight school. But yet we depend on FBOs to take advantage of everything we do in aviation – the gateway between the free skies and rest of the world. Learning the ins and outs of “FBO speak”, FBO culture and standard practices will make for a much more enjoyable flying experience and give you the confidence and insight to go new places and try new things.
Part of the challenge of taming the FBO world could very well be that no two FBOs are created equal. This may be a bit of an exaggeration today as mergers and acquisitions have given rise to big chains with predictable service, but there can be subtle nuances even among the same brand. And for sure local practices vary. If this sounds confusing or intimidating, please read on…there is universal language to get you by at any FBO.
Hours of Operation – believe half of what you read and none of what you hear. One of the more challenging aspects of FBO interaction is unlocking the mystery of operating hours. And for all of you bargain fuel price hunters, there’s a strong correlation of low fuel price to unpredictable availability. My advice would be to a) don’t believe what’s published on the website or sign and b) always call to verify that you’ll be able to receive service. The wrong time to figure out real FBO hours is Sunday evening, low on fuel, on the way back home.
Arrivals – call ahead to avoid surprises. You’ll find that most FBOs offer plenty of parking space and can handle about any aircraft that shows up on the ramp; however, most pilots are planners and don’t wish to leave anything to chance. Call ahead to check on any particular service you may need. This can be done via telephone, email or use the published radio frequency to call when you’re about 10 minutes away from the ramp. The busier FBOs will appreciate the advance notice. And if you need to perform a quick turnaround, the call-ahead will ensure the fuel truck is ready upon your arrival.
Parking – take it slow and keep your head on a swivel. The well-staffed FBOs will likely have line personnel (those working on the ramp) to direct you to parking. Once a lineman begins to offer hand signals (more on that shortly) for aircraft maneuvering, trust but verify. The ramp area is full of hidden obstacles and plenty of distractions so confirm what you’re being instructed to do will keep you out of trouble.
If you’re taxing on to an FBO ramp off hours with no personnel, take cues from how other aircraft are parked or positioned and if possible, park into the wind. And if it’s dark, lookout for low fences and other hidden obstacles. Don’t believe an FBO will always have tie-downs or ropes so either call ahead or better yet, invest in a tie-down kit for the back of the airplane.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PARKING BRAKE SET. FBOs appreciate the flexibility of being able to move airplanes to more convenient locations or to remote areas if staying for an extended period. And if you’re parking in an area prone to severe weather, you’ll appreciate the FBO taking the liberty of moving your aircraft to a safe location if need be.
LOCK UP because not everyone is honest and your headset, iPad, etc. are valuable. Further, security regulations require your aircraft be properly secured. There are pilots who have been flying for years who have never locked the aircraft, so may want to confirm your key will work and the locking mechanism is fully functional ahead of your trip.
Hand Signals – for effective communication to take place there must be a sender of information and able receiver. Hand signals do no good if only the sender (lineman) understands the message.
My friend, Jason, FBO Manager of Eastern Cincinnati Aviation at Clermont County Airport, confirms that hand signal communication is a shortcoming of the general aviation community. Such miscommunication can wreak havoc on a crowded ramp. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) dedicates a section to hand signals. This is critically important, often overlooked information. Take time to learn the basic hand signals before going solo to a new FBO.
Ground Transportation – proper planning for ground transportation can make or break a trip. Many FBOs offer “crew” or “courtesy” cars and some even advertise this fact on websites or other FBO listing websites. Courtesy cars are simply vehicles that are loaned free to customers for short amounts of time – like an hour or two, not a 3-day weekend. The custom is to keep the car clean and return it in as good or better condition than you found it with at least as much gas as when you left.
If you require a car for a longer period of time or courtesy cars aren’t available, you can check on the availability of cabs if you’re going to a relatively large city or arrange for a rental car. Many rental car companies have relationships with FBOs that either allow the FBO to rent directly or allow cars to be delivered and dropped off at the FBO. This is not always obvious if using rental car company websites. It may require a call to the FBO or call to the local car rental office. I’ve found that even if a formal relationship doesn’t exist with the FBO, some local offices are happy to drop a car off at your airport location.
And don’t forget about the possibility of a free hotel shuttle.
Fueling – you want to get this one right. To borrow a previously used term, trust but verify. Don’t assume FBO personnel are experts on your type aircraft and don’t trust that fuel orders are always relayed accurately. If you’re not in a position to supervise the refueling of your aircraft, it’s certainly acceptable to make a call to check on the fueling status and of course, perform a thorough preflight and check of the tanks prior to departing.
Self-serve fuel is becoming more readily available and it’s often cheaper and accessible 24 hours per day. For your first self-fueling, I’d recommend getting supervision at your home airport or even observe the local FBO refueling an airplane. You’ll want to know how to position the nozzle, where to stand, and most importantly, where to ground the airplane.
As an aircraft flies through the air, it can accumulate static electricity. If the electricity is not dissipated before fueling, an arc could occur and ignite vapors. To prevent a potential arc, aircraft are electrically bonded to the fueling station/truck and not disconnected until after fueling is complete.
Weather and flight planning – you may not always have internet access. As hard as it may be to believe, high speed internet service is NOT available everywhere. The point here is to have more than one trick in your bag for weather data and/or flight plan filing should your first option not be available. Flight service via telephone could be your only option.
Departing – be mindful and considerate of your surroundings. Not all FBOs or airports allow vehicles to be driven on to a ramp. Always check with personnel before driving your bags directly to the airplane.
Remember that aircraft are loud and kick up a lot of wind which can be damaging to other aircraft and to any open doors. Be sure there is plenty of maneuvering room from where you start and that your taxi path won’t blow items around through an open hangar door.
It’s also courteous to avoid long periods on a crowded ramp or near a building with the engine running and NEVER perform an aircraft run-up in a parking area. Also keep in mind there could be line personnel waiting to dispatch your aircraft from its parking space. After completing that after start check, use gentle applications of power to carefully maneuver the airplane to a location away from people and buildings. Even at towered airports, there is generally a non-movement area that you may maneuver your airplane in without obtaining a clearance to do so. This is usually anywhere on an FBO’s ramp.
PIREPs – help other pilots understand the ins and outs by providing feedback. Any numbers of FBO listing sites or apps allow pilots to leave feedback. We want FBOs to flourish to ensure this vital infrastructure is around and successful for years to come. Help fellow pilots by providing insightful information and be encouraging whenever possible of patronizing your favorite FBOs.
What helpful tips or lessons would you share related to FBOs?
One of the more exciting aspects of flight training is learning how to plan and fly to an airport outside your local training area. During this time, you’ll learn new skills to help accomplish one of the main reasons you’re probably learning to fly which is taking advantage of a fun means of transportation and seeing new places. There are a lot of steps your instructor will cover with you to help with the planning process, including preflight weather, route planning, dead reckoning and researching the details of the arrival airport.
One of the more challenging events, in my opinion, during this phase of training is the actual arrival and landing at the new airport. There will be new traffic patterns, runway layouts, terrain, taxiways, aircraft parking spots and more. After a few cross-countries to new airports with your instructor you will soon feel more comfortable with the process and things won’t seem like they’re happening as fast. One way to better prepare yourself for the arrival and familiarize yourself with the new airport environment is to use some of the free tools available both online and in mobile apps to help get a virtual tour of the lay of the land. Here are 6 tips to help you better prepare when planning a trip to a new airport.
1. Review the traditional FAA resources — You probably already own a VFR sectional and Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD), and these are the resources I like to start with when looking into the airport details. You can quickly identify the airspace and airport location by looking at the sectional, and then get specifics about the airport from the A/FD.
If you’re flying with an iPad you can get most of the airport and runway details from the airport overview section in an app like ForeFlight, but still make it a point to look at the digital A/FD page in the app. This is often the only place to find out info like the calm wind preferred runway, displaced thresholds, runway slope, night lighting activation procedures and VASI/PAPI approach lighting angles.
2. Satellite imagery and Google Earth — After becoming familiar with all the aviation-specific details, I next like to look at a satellite view of the airport using Google maps in a web browser or iPad app. After launching Google Maps just type in the airport ID (e.g. KLUK) in the search box and you’ll get a birds-eye view of the airport environment with photo-realistic satellite imagery. This is helpful for getting a real-world perspective on the proximity of the airport to nearby cities, lakes or other landmarks that will be useful in identifying the airport during your arrival. ForeFlight offers a similar view with it’s Aerial Map option.
At non-towered fields I’ve also found it useful to zoom in to where the FBO or terminal is located and see what tie-down or ramp parking options are available. If you’re flying into an area with mountainous terrain nearby, take a glance at the 3D features of Google Earth. Here you can pan and zoom around from a profile perspective to see what the nearby terrain looks like around the airport. It even has a flight simulator option that allows you to “fly” the route in a Cirrus SR22 between two airports and view the detailed 3D terrain.
3. Youtube Videos — For the ultimate preview of what it looks like to approach and land at an unfamiliar airport, go to YouTube and do a search for something along the lines of “landing at Santa Monica airport”. You’ll find that many pilots have recorded their trip to that exact airport with a GoPro video camera, and you can see views out the front and sides of the airplane to give you another perspective on what the approach looks like. I’ve also found this useful to preview the approach lighting and any obstacles on the final approach path.
4. Flight Simulator — This option provides you both some hands-on experience and a visual preview of what it’s like to fly into that airport from the comfort of your house. You can start simple here with an iPhone or iPad simulator app like X-Plane for less than $10, or move to a full PC flight simulator that offers better controls and more detailed graphics. And if you’re flying with an iPad with ForeFlight or WingX Pro and have X-Plane installed on your home PC, you can output the GPS data from your computer to your iPad over your local WiFi network to practice flying with the iPad as well. You can do the same thing with Microsoft Flight Simulator using the FSXFlight plug-in.
If your flight school has a Flight Training Device (FTD) or approved simulator with satellite-based visuals, consider spending some time in this with your CFI before making a trip to an unfamiliar airport. The FRASCA Mentor FTD at Sporty’s Academy, for example, offers photo-realistic visuals with large immersive screens that offers students an excellent opportunity to “rehearse” the trip, approach and landing before going out on the real thing. Many FTD systems, including the FRASCA Mentor, offer interactive ATC scenarios that allow you to take the practice flight a step further with real-world ATC communications, system failures and weather diversions.
5. Airport and FBO Comments — This is a resource many may overlook, but it can provide valuable insight on what you can expect once you pull up to the ramp and shut down the engine. The first place I like to go for this info is the AirNav website. After you load the page for a particular airport, scroll down and click on the name of the FBO to view comments about that facility. Here you can find reviews from pilots that have been there before you to shed some light on things like FBO services, ramp fees, fuel discounts, courtesy cars and airport dining.
I also like to look at the same type of content in the ForeFlight mobile app. You’ll find general airport comments using the button at the top right of the Airports section. I’ve found several helpful tips here in the past about the crosswind behavior on short final, nearby obstacles and most importantly, the best food to order at the airport diner. Then click on the FBO button right next to Comments, select one of the FBOs and you’ll find specific comments about that facility. These are especially helpful when deciding which FBO to use when landing at larger airports.
6. Instrument routing — The last tip I have applies only to those who are working on or have an instrument rating and are trying to determine the optimal route between two airports. While ATC will gladly clear you on an IFR flight plan direct between two rural airports with no busy terminal airspace along the route, there are times when you will need to follow ATC’s orders and use VORs, airways or RNAV routes. The most likely time for this in when your trip starts in, goes through or ends in busy Class B or C airspace.
While you could always guess a route between point A and point B, there’s a good chance that the ATC computers will still route you via a path that meets the requirements established for their airspace. So to prevent that experience of receiving an unexpected full route clearance right before departure, there are some preflight steps you can take to beat ATC at their own game. If you’re using ForeFlight, enter your departure and destination airports in the route editor on the Maps page, press the Routes button, and then look for the list of ATC Cleared routes. These were actual clearances issued from ATC to aircraft that flew that exact trip recently. They’re even sorted by altitude, so you can identify the routes most appropriate to the type of flying you’re doing. Just tap the route and it will be entered into your flight plan. And a quick tip here–if you’re flying to or from a rural airport that doesn’t have any routes listed, try looking up a recent route using a nearby busier airport and copy the route from there.
I also like to use the free fltplan.com website for this same task. While ForeFlight is great at basic performance planning and fuel burn estimates, fltplan.com has extremely accurate performance profiles for just about every airplane ever made. It is a very reliable source and normally estimates fuel burn to within a few gallons and trip time to within minutes based on current winds. Once you enter your departure and destination airports, the site will then display a list of the 5 most recent planned routes, along with a longer list of the all the routes recently issued by ATC for that trip. Simply select one of these, set the flight plan to be filed, and there’s a good chance you’ll here “cleared as filed” when picking up your IFR clearance.
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Aviators are a unique breed. Some might say we are obsessive/compulsive and they could probably make a pretty good case. After all, we are no longer bound to operate a vehicle in only two dimensions. It’s that up and down part that so many people never get to command.
Now that you’ve conquered the air and been infected with the disease, here are five things you should do to help celebrate your new-found freedom.
1. Take a friend flying. You probably have no shortage of people wanting to take a ride with you. Fill that seat next to you with a friend. You might be able to convince them to take a lesson or two, further spreading the disease.
2. Fly to a neighboring airport for breakfast or lunch. This experience will hopefully be one you regularly get to participate in. Find a neighboring airport with a diner or cafe and plan a trip to get the famous $100 hamburger. Note that the $100 doesn’t come from the price of the food, but rather from the mode of transportation used to get there and back. And yes, the experience is well worth the investment.
3. Go to a fly-in. It doesn’t have to be Oshkosh (bonus points if it is), but try to make it to an aviation event. There are plenty of regional fly-ins to choose from, and lots of pancake breakfasts. Grab a buddy and go tell some lies with fellow disease-infected pilots.
5. Buy some logo’d gear to show off elite status. Much like those who ride Harleys wear Harley apparel, those who fly like to show everyone else that they have been blessed with the unique ability to travel in ways the common folk can’t. Buy an embroidered polo shirt with your aircraft and N# on it, get a leather pilot jacket, or just try one of the funky t-shirts at Sporty’s. After all, you want to make sure others are aware of your disease.
Next time you visit your family doctor, make it a point to tell him you are horribly sick and it’s contagious. The disease was first diagnosed in 1903, and there is no known cure. Point to the wings on your jacket and smile.
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Managing Emergencies
/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnewsAs pilots we are taught from early on that managing an emergency during our flying career is not a question of “If” but a question of “when”. We are meticulous in our preflight planning, preparation and use good maintenance procedures to ensure that we mitigate as much risk as we possibly can, but the rules of statistics dictate that we will eventually be met with some situation that is unplanned.
Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
You have probably heard that expression before from a flight instructor or other aviation publication. It is a simple adage but it is one that helps keep our priorities when handling any situation, whether planned or unplanned.
Keep in mind that A.N.C. is just a rough guideline and not a literal checklist to follow. It does not apply to all circumstances and situations.
Is this an Emergency?
When we notice that something is not as it should be during a flight, the first item that the PIC needs to do is to determine the nature of the situation, i.e. Is this an Emergency? Determining if a true emergency exists will greatly affect how we handle the situation and how we respond. Let’s use an example to guide this situation. Assume for a moment that as we are flying along during a VFR clear day at cruise altitude and we detect flames coming out of the side of the cowling in our C-172. This is a true emergency. Any delay in response could negatively affect the outcome of the situation. In this case we would run the memory items called for in the C-172 POH and prepare for an off-field landing.
By contrast, let’s see what we would do is this circumstance; Same VFR clear day and we notice that the alternator has stopped working. Is this a true emergency? Unless you are in a unique set of circumstances, this is not an immediate emergency; it is an abnormal situation. If we do not respond in a timely fashion, then it could become an emergency. In the case of an abnormal situation, the best thing we can do is fly the airplane (aviate) and then consult the checklist or POH for the appropriate response. It is important to note that not responding from memory for an abnormal situation is key to prevent any mistakes in response that could make the situation worse.
Declaring an Emergency
If we have determined that we have an immediate emergency or an abnormal situation has degraded into an emergency, we need to respond accordingly. The most important thing is to respond to the needs of the emergency and not make the situation any worse by how we react. Once we have completed our list of priorities and we have sufficient time and capacity, we can then declare an emergency to ATC or other resource. Keep in mind that FAR 91.3 already gives us the authority to respond to the situation as needed to meet the needs of the emergency; you do not have to call on the radio to exercise this privilege. Calling on the radio will only give us access to additional resources and ATC priority; it will not solve the emergency for you. Sometimes that additional resource that ATC can provide or having ATC move traffic or provide a vector can be crucial to the safe outcome of the situation, so do not hesitate to declare the emergency when the time is right.
Safe outcome
Preparing for the eventual situation that will come is part of every pilot’s responsibility. Your job is to make sure that you are proficient in your aircraft’s specific procedures, and to have a clear process in your mind to analyzing and handling any situation that comes your way. How do you achieve this level of precision and preparation? Study, prepare, and practice. Simulating these circumstances and having someone challenge you to new situations is key to building your aeronautical decision making skills to be up to the task when the situation calls.
Safe flying,
Flying Clubs
/in Having fun/by studentpltnewsFlying clubs come in many shapes and sizes. What they have in common is a group of members interested in flying and in saving money on their flying activities.
As a club, there are often social aspects of belonging that you do not get through aircraft ownership or rental. I’ve heard about some clubs in our area that have dues paying members who no longer fly but remain active in the community which the club has developed. These older pilots provide mentorship and encouragement to the younger pilots and are a welcome base to the club.
Flying clubs can have a wide variety of aircraft. Many have the same basic training aircraft that you can find at your local FBO but some have higher performance aircraft available as well.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has a number of resources for flying clubs available on their website including their guide to starting a flying club and their Flying Club Finder if you are interested in finding an existing club. Their page also has a link to a Facebook group dedicated to the AOPA Flying Club Network.
Flying clubs have an opportunity to earn rebates for their club when members shop at Sporty’s Pilot Shop. The Flying Club Rebate Program is one of the newer ways that Sporty’s gives back to the aviation community. It is free to the club and its members and is easy to get signed up and use.
Sporty’s Academy recently introduced their own brand of flying club with a little different twist from the usual flying club. This program allows members priority access and exclusive benefits on the Academy’s G1000 equipped rental aircraft at very attractive dry rental rates. The Sporty’s Flying Club includes the social aspect of other clubs but with fewer headaches and professional management.
So if you are looking for a more affordable option for your flying or flight training, check out the clubs in your area. You’ll be glad that you did.
When “It Will Never Happen to Me” Happens to You
/in Personal stories/by studentpltnewsThe Case for Non-Owners Insurance
You are well on your way to your first solo and you are excited about the chance to pilot your craft by yourself. Along with this new freedom will also come new responsibilities. One of these is the fact that you alone are responsible for this aircraft. Back at your introductory flight you might have even inquired about insurance. Perhaps the instructor had confidently replied “don’t worry, we have insurance.”
But did that mean YOU are insured against loss? Or did it mean the instructor carried insurance or the FBO had insurance if they sustained a loss? Too often, too late, a renter finds out they are not covered in the event of an accident.
What do you mean I need insurance?
Thankfully, airplane crashes are rare. So rare that one occurring in California will get coverage in newspapers and on TV on the east coast. So your chances of needing insurance are slim, right? Maybe not.
While airplanes seldom wind up as total losses, each day the FAA lists about a dozen accidents and incidents reported to them. Swerving off the runway and hitting one or two runway lights will never make it on the NBC Nightly News, but can make a substantial impact on your wallet.
How much insurance do I need?
There is no one size fits all answer to this question. Let’s take a moment to understand the types of damages for which you may be responsible. From there you can determine your individual tolerance for each risk.
Loss of Use. The FBO has a rental airplane because, let’s face it, they have renters. At a busy airport the average monthly rental per plane may exceed 50 hours. That is money, on which the FBO could reasonably expect, they will not receive. It is not unusual for the repairs to take a month or longer so expect an additional 5 grand to cover the FBO’s losses.
Diminution of Value – You may know that all maintenance records are kept with the airplane for its entire life. Airframe repairs must be recorded and becomes part of that permanent record. It will vary depending on the age of the airframe, but often appraisers will diminish the value of the airframe 10% for accident repairs.
General Liability – Just as with an automobile, you can be responsible for whatever (or whomever) you hit. Should an accident cause injury to a person, you might be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, etc. Here is a case where existing homeowners may provide some coverage, but you should check with your provider. Even the runway lights mentioned earlier are more than $200 plus installation which may increase that cost another $50 to $75.
The good news: insurance is available and surprisingly affordable.
Not comfortable writing a check for $50,000 or more? Then you should consider purchasing non-owners or “renters” insurance. Reasonable coverage can be purchased from several sources so consider this before you take the airplane out on your own… it can happen to you.
FBO Speak
/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnewsPart of the challenge of taming the FBO world could very well be that no two FBOs are created equal. This may be a bit of an exaggeration today as mergers and acquisitions have given rise to big chains with predictable service, but there can be subtle nuances even among the same brand. And for sure local practices vary. If this sounds confusing or intimidating, please read on…there is universal language to get you by at any FBO.
Arrivals – call ahead to avoid surprises. You’ll find that most FBOs offer plenty of parking space and can handle about any aircraft that shows up on the ramp; however, most pilots are planners and don’t wish to leave anything to chance. Call ahead to check on any particular service you may need. This can be done via telephone, email or use the published radio frequency to call when you’re about 10 minutes away from the ramp. The busier FBOs will appreciate the advance notice. And if you need to perform a quick turnaround, the call-ahead will ensure the fuel truck is ready upon your arrival.
If you’re taxing on to an FBO ramp off hours with no personnel, take cues from how other aircraft are parked or positioned and if possible, park into the wind. And if it’s dark, lookout for low fences and other hidden obstacles. Don’t believe an FBO will always have tie-downs or ropes so either call ahead or better yet, invest in a tie-down kit for the back of the airplane.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PARKING BRAKE SET. FBOs appreciate the flexibility of being able to move airplanes to more convenient locations or to remote areas if staying for an extended period. And if you’re parking in an area prone to severe weather, you’ll appreciate the FBO taking the liberty of moving your aircraft to a safe location if need be.
LOCK UP because not everyone is honest and your headset, iPad, etc. are valuable. Further, security regulations require your aircraft be properly secured. There are pilots who have been flying for years who have never locked the aircraft, so may want to confirm your key will work and the locking mechanism is fully functional ahead of your trip.
My friend, Jason, FBO Manager of Eastern Cincinnati Aviation at Clermont County Airport, confirms that hand signal communication is a shortcoming of the general aviation community. Such miscommunication can wreak havoc on a crowded ramp. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) dedicates a section to hand signals. This is critically important, often overlooked information. Take time to learn the basic hand signals before going solo to a new FBO.
Ground Transportation – proper planning for ground transportation can make or break a trip. Many FBOs offer “crew” or “courtesy” cars and some even advertise this fact on websites or other FBO listing websites. Courtesy cars are simply vehicles that are loaned free to customers for short amounts of time – like an hour or two, not a 3-day weekend. The custom is to keep the car clean and return it in as good or better condition than you found it with at least as much gas as when you left.
And don’t forget about the possibility of a free hotel shuttle.
Self-serve fuel is becoming more readily available and it’s often cheaper and accessible 24 hours per day. For your first self-fueling, I’d recommend getting supervision at your home airport or even observe the local FBO refueling an airplane. You’ll want to know how to position the nozzle, where to stand, and most importantly, where to ground the airplane.
As an aircraft flies through the air, it can accumulate static electricity. If the electricity is not dissipated before fueling, an arc could occur and ignite vapors. To prevent a potential arc, aircraft are electrically bonded to the fueling station/truck and not disconnected until after fueling is complete.
Weather and flight planning – you may not always have internet access. As hard as it may be to believe, high speed internet service is NOT available everywhere. The point here is to have more than one trick in your bag for weather data and/or flight plan filing should your first option not be available. Flight service via telephone could be your only option.
Departing – be mindful and considerate of your surroundings. Not all FBOs or airports allow vehicles to be driven on to a ramp. Always check with personnel before driving your bags directly to the airplane.
Remember that aircraft are loud and kick up a lot of wind which can be damaging to other aircraft and to any open doors. Be sure there is plenty of maneuvering room from where you start and that your taxi path won’t blow items around through an open hangar door.
It’s also courteous to avoid long periods on a crowded ramp or near a building with the engine running and NEVER perform an aircraft run-up in a parking area. Also keep in mind there could be line personnel waiting to dispatch your aircraft from its parking space. After completing that after start check, use gentle applications of power to carefully maneuver the airplane to a location away from people and buildings. Even at towered airports, there is generally a non-movement area that you may maneuver your airplane in without obtaining a clearance to do so. This is usually anywhere on an FBO’s ramp.
PIREPs – help other pilots understand the ins and outs by providing feedback. Any numbers of FBO listing sites or apps allow pilots to leave feedback. We want FBOs to flourish to ensure this vital infrastructure is around and successful for years to come. Help fellow pilots by providing insightful information and be encouraging whenever possible of patronizing your favorite FBOs.
What helpful tips or lessons would you share related to FBOs?
6 tips for preparing to fly to a new airport
/in Tips and technique/by studentpltnewsOne of the more challenging events, in my opinion, during this phase of training is the actual arrival and landing at the new airport. There will be new traffic patterns, runway layouts, terrain, taxiways, aircraft parking spots and more. After a few cross-countries to new airports with your instructor you will soon feel more comfortable with the process and things won’t seem like they’re happening as fast. One way to better prepare yourself for the arrival and familiarize yourself with the new airport environment is to use some of the free tools available both online and in mobile apps to help get a virtual tour of the lay of the land. Here are 6 tips to help you better prepare when planning a trip to a new airport.
1. Review the traditional FAA resources — You probably already own a VFR sectional and Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD), and these are the resources I like to start with when looking into the airport details. You can quickly identify the airspace and airport location by looking at the sectional, and then get specifics about the airport from the A/FD.
If you’re flying with an iPad you can get most of the airport and runway details from the airport overview section in an app like ForeFlight, but still make it a point to look at the digital A/FD page in the app. This is often the only place to find out info like the calm wind preferred runway, displaced thresholds, runway slope, night lighting activation procedures and VASI/PAPI approach lighting angles.
At non-towered fields I’ve also found it useful to zoom in to where the FBO or terminal is located and see what tie-down or ramp parking options are available. If you’re flying into an area with mountainous terrain nearby, take a glance at the 3D features of Google Earth. Here you can pan and zoom around from a profile perspective to see what the nearby terrain looks like around the airport. It even has a flight simulator option that allows you to “fly” the route in a Cirrus SR22 between two airports and view the detailed 3D terrain.
4. Flight Simulator — This option provides you both some hands-on experience and a visual preview of what it’s like to fly into that airport from the comfort of your house. You can start simple here with an iPhone or iPad simulator app like X-Plane for less than $10, or move to a full PC flight simulator that offers better controls and more detailed graphics. And if you’re flying with an iPad with ForeFlight or WingX Pro and have X-Plane installed on your home PC, you can output the GPS data from your computer to your iPad over your local WiFi network to practice flying with the iPad as well. You can do the same thing with Microsoft Flight Simulator using the FSXFlight plug-in.
5. Airport and FBO Comments — This is a resource many may overlook, but it can provide valuable insight on what you can expect once you pull up to the ramp and shut down the engine. The first place I like to go for this info is the AirNav website. After you load the page for a particular airport, scroll down and click on the name of the FBO to view comments about that facility. Here you can find reviews from pilots that have been there before you to shed some light on things like FBO services, ramp fees, fuel discounts, courtesy cars and airport dining.
I also like to look at the same type of content in the ForeFlight mobile app. You’ll find general airport comments using the button at the top right of the Airports section. I’ve found several helpful tips here in the past about the crosswind behavior on short final, nearby obstacles and most importantly, the best food to order at the airport diner. Then click on the FBO button right next to Comments, select one of the FBOs and you’ll find specific comments about that facility. These are especially helpful when deciding which FBO to use when landing at larger airports.
6. Instrument routing — The last tip I have applies only to those who are working on or have an instrument rating and are trying to determine the optimal route between two airports. While ATC will gladly clear you on an IFR flight plan direct between two rural airports with no busy terminal airspace along the route, there are times when you will need to follow ATC’s orders and use VORs, airways or RNAV routes. The most likely time for this in when your trip starts in, goes through or ends in busy Class B or C airspace.
While you could always guess a route between point A and point B, there’s a good chance that the ATC computers will still route you via a path that meets the requirements established for their airspace. So to prevent that experience of receiving an unexpected full route clearance right before departure, there are some preflight steps you can take to beat ATC at their own game. If you’re using ForeFlight, enter your departure and destination airports in the route editor on the Maps page, press the Routes button, and then look for the list of ATC Cleared routes. These were actual clearances issued from ATC to aircraft that flew that exact trip recently. They’re even sorted by altitude, so you can identify the routes most appropriate to the type of flying you’re doing. Just tap the route and it will be entered into your flight plan. And a quick tip here–if you’re flying to or from a rural airport that doesn’t have any routes listed, try looking up a recent route using a nearby busier airport and copy the route from there.
I also like to use the free fltplan.com website for this same task. While ForeFlight is great at basic performance planning and fuel burn estimates, fltplan.com has extremely accurate performance profiles for just about every airplane ever made. It is a very reliable source and normally estimates fuel burn to within a few gallons and trip time to within minutes based on current winds. Once you enter your departure and destination airports, the site will then display a list of the 5 most recent planned routes, along with a longer list of the all the routes recently issued by ATC for that trip. Simply select one of these, set the flight plan to be filed, and there’s a good chance you’ll here “cleared as filed” when picking up your IFR clearance.
Welcome to the Club – Now What
/in Having fun/by studentpltnewsFive ways to celebrate getting your wings
Aviators are a unique breed. Some might say we are obsessive/compulsive and they could probably make a pretty good case. After all, we are no longer bound to operate a vehicle in only two dimensions. It’s that up and down part that so many people never get to command.
Now that you’ve conquered the air and been infected with the disease, here are five things you should do to help celebrate your new-found freedom.
2. Fly to a neighboring airport for breakfast or lunch. This experience will hopefully be one you regularly get to participate in. Find a neighboring airport with a diner or cafe and plan a trip to get the famous $100 hamburger. Note that the $100 doesn’t come from the price of the food, but rather from the mode of transportation used to get there and back. And yes, the experience is well worth the investment.
4. Subscribe to a magazine or blog. A good pilot is always a student. One of the best ways to keep learning is to receive something in the mail every month that keeps reminding you of your affliction. Flying, Plane & Pilot, AOPA Pilot, Sport Aviation…all are great publications. Looking for a free newsletter? Try AvWeb, Propwash, Air Facts Journal, iPad Pilot News, or ,of course, Learntoflyhere.com.
Next time you visit your family doctor, make it a point to tell him you are horribly sick and it’s contagious. The disease was first diagnosed in 1903, and there is no known cure. Point to the wings on your jacket and smile.