Earlier this week, I was talking to a few students from my Fundamentals of Instructing class about a presentation that they have to do for my class. The presentation requires the students to teach an individually assigned maneuver to the rest of the class while evaluators judge their performance. As we discussed these presentations and sources of research material, the topic of finding out they had been doing a maneuver incorrectly came up.
Procedure Not Understood
The maneuver in question was the Power-Off Stall. The students were doing it correctly now but apparently did not understand the correct procedure until working on their Commercial pilot certificates. I don’t know if the students’ primary instructors did not teach the maneuver correctly or if the students simply didn’t understand it as well as they should have. Regardless, they shouldn’t have gotten as far as they did without understanding it fully.
I won’t go into the details of the missing elements of the maneuver here but I would like to take the opportunity to review instructor and student responsibilities when it comes to teaching and learning maneuvers.
Instructor Responsibility
The Aviation Instructor’s Handbook has a chapter dedicated to Instructor Responsibility. Other chapters discuss planning, techniques, and a variety of other topics. I only have a few paragraphs in this blog post but you can find much more information in this book and several others.
As an instructor, it is your responsibility to teach your student the proper way to do a maneuver from the beginning (recall that Primacy thing from the FOI exam?). This means that you need to know the proper way to do the maneuver yourself. If it has been more than a month since you last picked up a copy of the Practical Test Standard for the rating, the Airplane Flying Handbook, or a good maneuvers guide, you are likely short changing your student. It doesn’t matter what you think that you know or how long you have been instructing, you need to review and refresh yourself on a regular basis.
I don’t recommend trying to sit down and go through a review of everything every month. Instead, plan a schedule for reviewing individual Areas of Operation in much greater depth. Over the course of a year, you should cover everything, but go for narrower and deeper coverage on a monthly basis. When going for depth, include the Flight Instructor PTS as a source in your study. It includes topics and common errors that you may have forgotten.
It is your responsibility to set appropriate standards of performance and ensuring that your student obtains these standards. While the PTS provides minimum standards for the rating, you can set intermediate standards to be met while the student is in the learning process. The key is for the student to know what is expected and for you to be consistent in your application.
Student Responsibility
As a student, you should not expect spoon feeding of information from your instructor. It is your responsibility to come to each lesson prepared for the day. This allows your training to go faster and will save you money.
A good flight instructor will use a syllabus that lets you know what is coming up. If your instructor doesn’t, consider a change or at the very least, ask “what’s next?” before leaving from your prior lesson.
If you get an opportunity, “chair fly” the maneuver in the privacy of your own home or while sitting in the cockpit of the airplane if this is allowed at your flight school. This will help you to develop muscle memory and you can have the procedure handy in case you forget a step.
Conclusion
Whether instructor or student, highly experienced or brand new in your role, you need to take time to review the material that you are teaching or learning. Instructors owe this review and refresher to their students. Students owe this review to themselves. Take some time and start planning today.
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The pending closure of 149 contract control towers as a result of the FAA’s sequestration plan has brought the issue (or non-issue) of non-towered airport operations to the forefront.
For those of you training at a non-towered airport, or as I prefer to call it, a pilot-controlled airport, these operations are simply what you know. And as you also know, pilot-controlled operations can be conducted safely and efficiently as is done at the majority of airports across the country daily. But for those not accustomed to operating in the “pilot-controlled” environment, there is no need to fear the unknown. Safety and efficiency is dependent upon pattern standardization, predictability and a keen awareness of the see-and-avoid concept.
The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), along with Advisory Circular 90-66, describe operations at non-towered airports. While it would be impossible to address every imaginable scenario, the guidance available does provide a solid framework. Adhering to the guidance material is what will allow you to accurately predict what other pilots will be doing.
The traffic pattern – we all know that the traffic pattern consists of six legs to create a logical flow of traffic (downwind, base, final, upwind, crosswind, departure). Entry to the traffic pattern at a pilot-controlled airport should be 45 degrees to the downwind leg, midfield at pattern altitude (typically 1,000 AGL). A standard traffic pattern consists of left-hand turns unless noted on the Sectional chart as “RP” or in the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD). If an over flight of the airport is necessary to determine wind direction, or if approaching from the opposite side of the downwind, always fly well above (at least 500’) pattern altitude to avoid other aircraft.
Speed and configuration should be no different than what you would fly in a traffic pattern assigned by ATC, but not more than 200kts. It is up to you to make speed and configuration adjustments to maintain adequate spacing for other aircraft in the pattern, just as you would if accepting a visual approach at a towered airport. One important note, in the interest of being a good aviation citizen, also consider airplanes waiting for departure and not just other airplanes in the pattern when creating space.
Alternate pattern entry – while not specifically provided for in the AIM, and not the preferred method for pattern entry, it is generally accepted if approaching the airport from the opposite side of the downwind, to enter a midfield crosswind at pattern altitude. This generally will require less low-level maneuvering and provide a more clear view of oncoming traffic.
Departures – departures at a pilot-controlled airport should be straight out or a 45 degree (ground track) exit in the direction of the traffic pattern upon reaching pattern altitude. If your on-course heading is in the opposite direction, climb to at least 500’ above pattern altitude before overflying the airport to ensure you’re well clear of other traffic.
Communication – communication requirements are very simple. The AIM recommends broadcasting position before taxiing and before departure for outbound aircraft. For inbound aircraft, announce your position 10 miles from your destination and while entering downwind, base, final and leaving the runway. While that sounds fairly straightforward, there are some additional items for consideration.
When in doubt, use the rule of common sense. First, listen before you do anything. This will allow you to avoid “stepping on” any other broadcasting traffic and allow you to gain a wealth of important information on airport operations before you ever have to make the first broadcast or request an airport advisory. Listening will also allow you to gauge the volume of traffic in the area which, in turn, will dictate how frequently you may need to make position reports.
Instinctively, you may think a busy pattern requires you to make additional position reports so that other aircraft are aware of your presence, but keep in mind that with each transmission, you’re taking time away from another aircraft that may also wish to make an important position report. Ultimately, this will be a judgment call, but a universal rule of communication is to be brief and to the point.
Also, be sure to avoid a few of the cardinal sins of pilot-controlled airport communication. NEVER invite any and all traffic to advice of position. This only invites frequency congestion. Also avoid making position reports relative to local landmarks that transient pilots may not recognize. And never conduct a telephone conversation on the frequency. This would be classified as poor citizenship and can be dangerous.
See and avoid – plain and simple, you, and only you, are responsible to see and avoid other aircraft. Flying in the traffic pattern is no time to debate right-of-way rules or race someone to final approach. If in doubt, always give way – you’ll last longer! It’s also good practice to maintain a “lights-on” policy within 10 miles of the airport to make your aircraft more visible.
Be a good citizen – remember, we’re all in this together. We’ve mentioned several operational techniques that can be classified under the category of good citizenship. Additionally, it’s unlikely that any two pilots will fly the exact same pattern (speed and dimension) so be patient and be prepared to create space and help out when able. Remember to turn off any potentially blinding lights while taxiing so as not to distract any arriving or departing traffic. And finally, maintain the discipline of these widely-accepted and proven pilot-controlled airport procedures to avoid the pitfalls and danger of localized procedures that your fellow pilots are unable to predict.
All too often I see excited pilots after they’ve earned their license with big plans to put it to good use. Maybe they want to take business trips to make work more efficient, or perhaps they learned to fly to vacation at more remote destinations. Unfortunately, what’s also common are busy schedules that interfere while time begins to slip by.
After some cancelled flights for a variety of reasons, pilots feels less confident about their flying abilities and find themselves a year or more later, having only made a few flights, most of which were taken right after they earned their license. No longer current to carry passengers, or comfortable flying themselves, they may even stop flying all together, but the promises continue.
These same pilots promise themselves they’ll get back to flying when spring comes or work slows down, but never seem to take that next step. They may even be at a loss for where to turn. They may consider turning to a flight instructor, but perhaps embarrassment from letting the license sit idle so long leads them a different direction. However, seeking out a flight instructor is always a good decision.
So how do you get back to flying?
My favorite suggestion is to keep learning. A Recreational or Sport pilot could begin training toward a Private certificate and a Private pilot could begin work on the instrument rating. If you’re an instrument rated pilot with no aspirations of obtaining a commercial license, you could work on lowering your personal minimums for ceilings or visibility.
If you don’t have the time or money to dedicate to another license, try a fun, less expensive flying adventure. Seek out an instructor to learn about the challenges, pitfalls, and exhilaration of mountain flying. With your instructor’s help, plan a few trips into and over more challenging terrain. In addition to being a lot of fun, you’ve also added new skills and confidence in managing this type of flying on your own.
You might also consider adding a high performance and/or complex endorsement – a great way to make your business trips quicker. Flying a faster airplane will generally be more expensive by the hour, but may result in a break-even investment given the time savings. Add to this some high altitude flight training with the use of supplemental oxygen and you’ve allowed for even more flexibility in your flight planning as you may be able to take advantage of more favorable wind or the ability to climb over (versus around) weather.
Find a flight school with access and the knowledge to teach turf runway operations. Flying from a grass runway is another thrill that will enhance your “feel” of the airplane. Some of these same flight schools may offer tail wheel training or even glider flying. Even if you don’t plan to add a glider rating or tail wheel endorsement, the training alone makes you a better stick and rudder pilot. Soaring flight requires planning descents while considering vertical and horizontal air movement which is sure to provide confidence flying the airplane in a real engine-out emergency.
Aerobatic training is not only fun, but teach you the very crucial aerodynamic understanding and ability to recover from stalls and spins. Training is accomplished in aircraft rated for spins and aerobatic flight. For a few hundred dollars and a fun weekend, you walk away not only a current pilot, but with new skills to keep you safe.
Given all of these options, still the best way to get back into flying and keep current is to keep your instructor’s number handy. Add a recurring quarterly alert on your smart phone to remind you to schedule a lesson.
In terms of what to accomplish with your instructor is up to you. Ask your instructor to create a syllabus that offers flexibility to grow and evolve. Items to consider would be emergency and abnormal procedures, landings (especially crosswind), and anything else that you believe could use practice. Don’t be shy about tackling what you know to be weaker areas. I personally have several students, each at various experience levels, who fly with me every few months to be challenged. No matter the skill level it’s beneficial and it keeps you coming to the airport.
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Comedian Ron White has a famous stand-up routine where he explains that modern plastic surgery can “fix” almost any perceived flaw with the human body. From butt lifts to tummy tucks, nose jobs to hair replacement, whatever we want bigger, smaller, shifted or enhanced, surgeons (for a price) can fix it. Then he makes his point that when you are looking for a partner, if they have some physical flaw, it can be changed. But he admonishes the audience to beware if a potential mate lacks mental capacity because, “you can’t fix stupid.”
But I believe, as pilots, we must fix stupid because too many incidents/accidents happen as a result of poor decisions, inattention and stupidity. A perusal of AOPA’s Safe Skies, a ten year study of GA accidents reveals we, as GA pilots, kill ourselves and others for stupid reasons. The results for individual years vary but on average, 7% of the fatalities were caused because the engine did not have fuel! 7% may not sound like much but that should be 0%!
Almost every airplane these days has at least a portable GPS on board providing time to destination, so the unforecast headwinds can no longer be an excuse. A recent accident which fortunately did not result in a loss of life, resulted when an SR22 may have run out of gas after only 30 minutes of flight. A review of the basics reminds us that airplanes move forward on thrust. Propellers provide that thrust, engines turn propellers, and engines need fuel. Taking off with inadequate fuel is not only against regulations (30 minute reserve on landing), but simply defies common sense.
More than 20% of fatal accidents occur during a catch-all category called maneuvering flight. While this category may include trying to return to the runway after an engine failure and the dreaded stall/spin on the base to final turn, it also includes low passes (buzzing), poorly executed aerobatics and high load turns. In other words, showing off.
Too many pilots in an attempt to impress friends or others, try some maneuver that exceeds either their own or the airplane’s ability to recover from the resulting inertia or stall. As pilots, we learn that the wing stalls when relative wind exceeds a critical angle and that can theoretically happen at any airspeed and any attitude (even upside down). The reality is during normal flight (less than 30 degrees of bank and 10 degrees of pitch), the aircraft will likely stall only when airspeed decays below the stall speed. Resisting the urge to show off and leaving the aerobatics to air show pilots will add life to both the airframe and occupants.
All flights terminate with a landing. Although this phase of flight accounts for the highest percentage of accidents (about 33%), it usually results in very few fatalities (probably because the aircraft is traveling slowly, is close to the ground and by design, there are fewer hard things to hit near runways). The stupid thing pilots often try to do is “save” a bad landing. The smarter pilot will reject a bad landing (the sooner the better) with a go-around. The pilot who is still trying to save the landing after the third bounce or after half of the runway has passed under the wing will probably experience a bad outcome.
Although weather only accounts for less than 5% of the accidents, it accounts for 15% of the fatalities. When weather deteriorates, or is worse than forecast, it can be easy for pilots to convince themselves to press on with the thought that the weather will probably get better just ahead. As this video, 178 Seconds to Live chronicles, VFR into IMC is likely the stupidest pilot trick of all.
So as the days get longer, the weather warmer and blue skies beckon us to commit aviation, let’s resolve to fix stupid as we grasp the controls. Fully 75% of all accidents and over 30% of aviation fatalities can be prevented by a) making sure we have enough fuel in the tank b) resisting the urge to show off c) rejecting bad landings with a go around and d) not flying into weather for which we are not equipped.
If we don’t regulate ourselves, rest assured the NTSB will do it for us. We CAN fix stupid!
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I spend a great deal of time talking with prospective students each day who are searching the area for a flight school. Although each student is unique, those who have done their homework and know what they are looking for generally ask the same types of questions. Those who have done little to prepare for their search rarely ask key things that a prospective customer should know. These customers are either assuming certain things based on our reputation, or are not aware of the implications of the differences between flight schools. Here are some of the things that any prospective customer should consider when deciding where to train.
First impressions when visiting or calling a prospective flight school are important. Was your call answered or promptly returned? Is the representative you are speaking with interested in your unique situation (interests)? Or are they just rattling off numbers trying to get through their sales pitch? Did you feel like you were important to them, instead of just another person calling? These ‘little’ things or feelings that you get will most likely have a much larger implication when it comes time to being their routine customer. All too often in the flight training business, customer service is thrown out the window because you are considered a student, not a customer. Although you will be a student of their school, you are foremost their customer, and how they interact with you says volumes about their business practices.
On a more technical side, what type of airplanes do they train in? I am not going to discuss the advantage of one type of trainer over another (too many to discuss), you should be more focused on age, condition, appearance, and equipment. I am not directly suggesting that a new airplane is required to get quality flight instruction, nor do ‘bells and whistles’ solve your future difficulties with landings, but there is something to be said for getting what you pay for in aircraft experience, safe and high quality maintenance, and how their aircraft look (appearance). Paying too much for flight training is something we never want to do as customers, but be careful to compare ‘apples to apples’ when it comes to pricing flight training.
Although choosing an instructor can sometimes be a discussion unto itself, if you have found a quality flight school, they will have many different instructors to choose from, ranging in different experience levels, different backgrounds, and a willingness to change instructors during training if you (the customer!) aren’t getting the most out of your student – instructor relationship. Be sure to ask about background, experience, pass rates, and personality type of instructors when looking at flight schools.
I cannot express how important it is to have a flight school that schedules around your needs. One of the many things that discourage students from continuing training is scheduling difficulties. We are all busy people, and finding time in our schedules to fly can be a challenge (some more than others), but making sure that the school is willing to work around your schedule, and having availability to meet your scheduling needs is an important logistical consideration that cannot be overlooked. If you find yourself always wanting to fly, and your school being unable to meet your requests, it may be time to find another flight school.
Those customers who have really done their homework ask about part 61 or 141 flight schools. A part 141 flight school is an FAA approved school using an approved syllabus. There are many advantages of a 141 school, but that is not to exclude part 61 training and some of the benefits that it offers to students. Many part 141 schools offer part 61 training in addition, which one that is suggested to you should depend on your situation. I don’t necessarily offer a preference to part 61 or 141 training schools, but their training materials do matter. I do highly recommend seeking out flight schools which operate from a published syllabus. Whether part 61 or 141, a syllabus is a crucial piece for you to monitor your progress, determine strengths & weaknesses, and to avoid costly training oversights that come back to haunt you later in flying. If the flight school does not operate from a syllabus and references to ‘years of experience’ there are some questions that should be asked about average hours to complete the certificate, pass rates, and quality of instruction. Just because they have been teaching for years, doesn’t mean they have been teaching well for years.
I don’t consider these to be the only things to consider when choosing a flight school, but they are questions that are often missed when a prospective customer calls me. A good flight school will point these items out (whether asked or not) and many other items when you call or visit. You should spend a good deal of time investigating the prospective school, including a through tour of their facilities. Remember, your impression of their entire operation may speak to many other aspects of their business and instructional quality.
Happy flying
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When I turned 16 and first learned to drive a car, I was taught to always be aware of the fuel status. When it was time to go to the gas station and refuel, there was never any thought though about how much gas to put in – insert the nozzle, set the hold function on the lever, and wait for the auto-shutoff to kick in when the tank was full. Why would I consider anything other than a full tank?
The same held true in my experiences in recreational boating. After heading back to the marina to refuel, I left with nothing short of a full tank. I used the same logic as when fueling my car – I could run the engine a longer time with less visits to the gas station. There was nothing else to consider.
When I learned to fly an airplane though I quickly learned that I needed to throw that logic out the window. Airplanes are more sensitive to weight and loading, and more often than not can’t be operated with the tanks full of fuel on every flight. Every airplane has a limiting maximum takeoff weight specified by the manufacturer, and you’re legally obligated to follow it (common sense should tell you it’s a good idea too). Flying over a manufacturer’s maximum weight leads to degraded performance in flight, and that’s assuming you’re able to get the aircraft safely off the ground in the first place.
Payload in training aircraft varies a good deal between different models. A Cessna 172R Skyhawk, for example, can carry around 450 lbs of passengers and bags with a full load of 53 gallons in the tanks, yielding nearly 5 hours of flying time. That’s pretty generous, considering it would be a challenge for a pilot, training gear and flight instructor to exceed this limit (that might help explain why the Skyhawk is one of the most popular training aircraft ever built). What if you want to take more gear, or another passenger on the flight though? The simple answer is to depart with less than full tanks. If you need to take along an extra 120 pounds, have the tanks filled up to only 30 gallons — this still provides over 2 ½ hours of flying time with reserves.
As you move up to larger aircraft, you’ll find the same principles apply. While you might think that a high-performance jet can carry a full passenger load and still fly with full fuel, that’s not the case. In fact many jets filled to the brim with jet fuel can only carry 2 pilot crewmembers and maybe a passenger or two before reaching the weight limit. Even if there isn’t a full passenger or cargo load, it’s still not efficient for larger transport aircraft to carry more fuel than needed for each flight segment. The extra weight decreases performance and will increase the amount of fuel needed to complete flight. One exception here is when there is a considerable price difference between the airports of intended use (right now AvGas & Jet fuel range from $5 to $9 per gallon in the U.S. depending on location – do the math).
Take fuel planning seriously throughout your flight training. Even if you’re flying a C172 loaded full with 5 hours of fuel for every lesson, pay attention to how you manage the fuel. Lean properly on the ground and in the air according to the guidance in the POH, and mentally note the fuel burned for each flight during shutdown. That way when it’s time to maximize the performance of the airplane for longer trips or taking additional passengers, you’ll be very knowledgeable about the expected fuel burn, and can confidently plan to arrive with your required fuel minimums. You’ll also have the right mindset for flying other aircraft that don’t offer the luxury of providing a large payload with the tanks topped off.
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Time to Review
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsEarlier this week, I was talking to a few students from my Fundamentals of Instructing class about a presentation that they have to do for my class. The presentation requires the students to teach an individually assigned maneuver to the rest of the class while evaluators judge their performance. As we discussed these presentations and sources of research material, the topic of finding out they had been doing a maneuver incorrectly came up.
Procedure Not Understood
I won’t go into the details of the missing elements of the maneuver here but I would like to take the opportunity to review instructor and student responsibilities when it comes to teaching and learning maneuvers.
Instructor Responsibility
As an instructor, it is your responsibility to teach your student the proper way to do a maneuver from the beginning (recall that Primacy thing from the FOI exam?). This means that you need to know the proper way to do the maneuver yourself. If it has been more than a month since you last picked up a copy of the Practical Test Standard for the rating, the Airplane Flying Handbook, or a good maneuvers guide, you are likely short changing your student. It doesn’t matter what you think that you know or how long you have been instructing, you need to review and refresh yourself on a regular basis.
I don’t recommend trying to sit down and go through a review of everything every month. Instead, plan a schedule for reviewing individual Areas of Operation in much greater depth. Over the course of a year, you should cover everything, but go for narrower and deeper coverage on a monthly basis. When going for depth, include the Flight Instructor PTS as a source in your study. It includes topics and common errors that you may have forgotten.
It is your responsibility to set appropriate standards of performance and ensuring that your student obtains these standards. While the PTS provides minimum standards for the rating, you can set intermediate standards to be met while the student is in the learning process. The key is for the student to know what is expected and for you to be consistent in your application.
Student Responsibility
As a student, you should not expect spoon feeding of information from your instructor. It is your responsibility to come to each lesson prepared for the day. This allows your training to go faster and will save you money.
A good flight instructor will use a syllabus that lets you know what is coming up. If your instructor doesn’t, consider a change or at the very least, ask “what’s next?” before leaving from your prior lesson.
If you get an opportunity, “chair fly” the maneuver in the privacy of your own home or while sitting in the cockpit of the airplane if this is allowed at your flight school. This will help you to develop muscle memory and you can have the procedure handy in case you forget a step.
Conclusion
Whether instructor or student, highly experienced or brand new in your role, you need to take time to review the material that you are teaching or learning. Instructors owe this review and refresher to their students. Students owe this review to themselves. Take some time and start planning today.
Non-Towered Airport Ops Briefing
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsThe pending closure of 149 contract control towers as a result of the FAA’s sequestration plan has brought the issue (or non-issue) of non-towered airport operations to the forefront.
For those of you training at a non-towered airport, or as I prefer to call it, a pilot-controlled airport, these operations are simply what you know. And as you also know, pilot-controlled operations can be conducted safely and efficiently as is done at the majority of airports across the country daily. But for those not accustomed to operating in the “pilot-controlled” environment, there is no need to fear the unknown. Safety and efficiency is dependent upon pattern standardization, predictability and a keen awareness of the see-and-avoid concept.
The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), along with Advisory Circular 90-66, describe operations at non-towered airports. While it would be impossible to address every imaginable scenario, the guidance available does provide a solid framework. Adhering to the guidance material is what will allow you to accurately predict what other pilots will be doing.
Speed and configuration should be no different than what you would fly in a traffic pattern assigned by ATC, but not more than 200kts. It is up to you to make speed and configuration adjustments to maintain adequate spacing for other aircraft in the pattern, just as you would if accepting a visual approach at a towered airport. One important note, in the interest of being a good aviation citizen, also consider airplanes waiting for departure and not just other airplanes in the pattern when creating space.
Alternate pattern entry – while not specifically provided for in the AIM, and not the preferred method for pattern entry, it is generally accepted if approaching the airport from the opposite side of the downwind, to enter a midfield crosswind at pattern altitude. This generally will require less low-level maneuvering and provide a more clear view of oncoming traffic.
Departures – departures at a pilot-controlled airport should be straight out or a 45 degree (ground track) exit in the direction of the traffic pattern upon reaching pattern altitude. If your on-course heading is in the opposite direction, climb to at least 500’ above pattern altitude before overflying the airport to ensure you’re well clear of other traffic.
Communication – communication requirements are very simple. The AIM recommends broadcasting position before taxiing and before departure for outbound aircraft. For inbound aircraft, announce your position 10 miles from your destination and while entering downwind, base, final and leaving the runway. While that sounds fairly straightforward, there are some additional items for consideration.
When in doubt, use the rule of common sense. First, listen before you do anything. This will allow you to avoid “stepping on” any other broadcasting traffic and allow you to gain a wealth of important information on airport operations before you ever have to make the first broadcast or request an airport advisory. Listening will also allow you to gauge the volume of traffic in the area which, in turn, will dictate how frequently you may need to make position reports.
Instinctively, you may think a busy pattern requires you to make additional position reports so that other aircraft are aware of your presence, but keep in mind that with each transmission, you’re taking time away from another aircraft that may also wish to make an important position report. Ultimately, this will be a judgment call, but a universal rule of communication is to be brief and to the point.
Also, be sure to avoid a few of the cardinal sins of pilot-controlled airport communication. NEVER invite any and all traffic to advice of position. This only invites frequency congestion. Also avoid making position reports relative to local landmarks that transient pilots may not recognize. And never conduct a telephone conversation on the frequency. This would be classified as poor citizenship and can be dangerous.
See and avoid – plain and simple, you, and only you, are responsible to see and avoid other aircraft. Flying in the traffic pattern is no time to debate right-of-way rules or race someone to final approach. If in doubt, always give way – you’ll last longer! It’s also good practice to maintain a “lights-on” policy within 10 miles of the airport to make your aircraft more visible.
Be a good citizen – remember, we’re all in this together. We’ve mentioned several operational techniques that can be classified under the category of good citizenship. Additionally, it’s unlikely that any two pilots will fly the exact same pattern (speed and dimension) so be patient and be prepared to create space and help out when able. Remember to turn off any potentially blinding lights while taxiing so as not to distract any arriving or departing traffic. And finally, maintain the discipline of these widely-accepted and proven pilot-controlled airport procedures to avoid the pitfalls and danger of localized procedures that your fellow pilots are unable to predict.
Keep Learning, Keep Current
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsAll too often I see excited pilots after they’ve earned their license with big plans to put it to good use. Maybe they want to take business trips to make work more efficient, or perhaps they learned to fly to vacation at more remote destinations. Unfortunately, what’s also common are busy schedules that interfere while time begins to slip by.
After some cancelled flights for a variety of reasons, pilots feels less confident about their flying abilities and find themselves a year or more later, having only made a few flights, most of which were taken right after they earned their license. No longer current to carry passengers, or comfortable flying themselves, they may even stop flying all together, but the promises continue.
These same pilots promise themselves they’ll get back to flying when spring comes or work slows down, but never seem to take that next step. They may even be at a loss for where to turn. They may consider turning to a flight instructor, but perhaps embarrassment from letting the license sit idle so long leads them a different direction. However, seeking out a flight instructor is always a good decision.
So how do you get back to flying?
My favorite suggestion is to keep learning. A Recreational or Sport pilot could begin training toward a Private certificate and a Private pilot could begin work on the instrument rating. If you’re an instrument rated pilot with no aspirations of obtaining a commercial license, you could work on lowering your personal minimums for ceilings or visibility.
You might also consider adding a high performance and/or complex endorsement – a great way to make your business trips quicker. Flying a faster airplane will generally be more expensive by the hour, but may result in a break-even investment given the time savings. Add to this some high altitude flight training with the use of supplemental oxygen and you’ve allowed for even more flexibility in your flight planning as you may be able to take advantage of more favorable wind or the ability to climb over (versus around) weather.
Given all of these options, still the best way to get back into flying and keep current is to keep your instructor’s number handy. Add a recurring quarterly alert on your smart phone to remind you to schedule a lesson.
In terms of what to accomplish with your instructor is up to you. Ask your instructor to create a syllabus that offers flexibility to grow and evolve. Items to consider would be emergency and abnormal procedures, landings (especially crosswind), and anything else that you believe could use practice. Don’t be shy about tackling what you know to be weaker areas. I personally have several students, each at various experience levels, who fly with me every few months to be challenged. No matter the skill level it’s beneficial and it keeps you coming to the airport.
You Can Fix Stupid
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsComedian Ron White has a famous stand-up routine where he explains that modern plastic surgery can “fix” almost any perceived flaw with the human body. From butt lifts to tummy tucks, nose jobs to hair replacement, whatever we want bigger, smaller, shifted or enhanced, surgeons (for a price) can fix it. Then he makes his point that when you are looking for a partner, if they have some physical flaw, it can be changed. But he admonishes the audience to beware if a potential mate lacks mental capacity because, “you can’t fix stupid.”
But I believe, as pilots, we must fix stupid because too many incidents/accidents happen as a result of poor decisions, inattention and stupidity. A perusal of AOPA’s Safe Skies, a ten year study of GA accidents reveals we, as GA pilots, kill ourselves and others for stupid reasons. The results for individual years vary but on average, 7% of the fatalities were caused because the engine did not have fuel! 7% may not sound like much but that should be 0%!
More than 20% of fatal accidents occur during a catch-all category called maneuvering flight. While this category may include trying to return to the runway after an engine failure and the dreaded stall/spin on the base to final turn, it also includes low passes (buzzing), poorly executed aerobatics and high load turns. In other words, showing off.
Too many pilots in an attempt to impress friends or others, try some maneuver that exceeds either their own or the airplane’s ability to recover from the resulting inertia or stall. As pilots, we learn that the wing stalls when relative wind exceeds a critical angle and that can theoretically happen at any airspeed and any attitude (even upside down). The reality is during normal flight (less than 30 degrees of bank and 10 degrees of pitch), the aircraft will likely stall only when airspeed decays below the stall speed. Resisting the urge to show off and leaving the aerobatics to air show pilots will add life to both the airframe and occupants.
Although weather only accounts for less than 5% of the accidents, it accounts for 15% of the fatalities. When weather deteriorates, or is worse than forecast, it can be easy for pilots to convince themselves to press on with the thought that the weather will probably get better just ahead. As this video, 178 Seconds to Live chronicles, VFR into IMC is likely the stupidest pilot trick of all.
So as the days get longer, the weather warmer and blue skies beckon us to commit aviation, let’s resolve to fix stupid as we grasp the controls. Fully 75% of all accidents and over 30% of aviation fatalities can be prevented by a) making sure we have enough fuel in the tank b) resisting the urge to show off c) rejecting bad landings with a go around and d) not flying into weather for which we are not equipped.
If we don’t regulate ourselves, rest assured the NTSB will do it for us. We CAN fix stupid!
Choosing a Flight School
/in Get Started/by StudentpltnewsFirst impressions when visiting or calling a prospective flight school are important. Was your call answered or promptly returned? Is the representative you are speaking with interested in your unique situation (interests)? Or are they just rattling off numbers trying to get through their sales pitch? Did you feel like you were important to them, instead of just another person calling? These ‘little’ things or feelings that you get will most likely have a much larger implication when it comes time to being their routine customer. All too often in the flight training business, customer service is thrown out the window because you are considered a student, not a customer. Although you will be a student of their school, you are foremost their customer, and how they interact with you says volumes about their business practices.
Although choosing an instructor can sometimes be a discussion unto itself, if you have found a quality flight school, they will have many different instructors to choose from, ranging in different experience levels, different backgrounds, and a willingness to change instructors during training if you (the customer!) aren’t getting the most out of your student – instructor relationship. Be sure to ask about background, experience, pass rates, and personality type of instructors when looking at flight schools.
I cannot express how important it is to have a flight school that schedules around your needs. One of the many things that discourage students from continuing training is scheduling difficulties. We are all busy people, and finding time in our schedules to fly can be a challenge (some more than others), but making sure that the school is willing to work around your schedule, and having availability to meet your scheduling needs is an important logistical consideration that cannot be overlooked. If you find yourself always wanting to fly, and your school being unable to meet your requests, it may be time to find another flight school.
I don’t consider these to be the only things to consider when choosing a flight school, but they are questions that are often missed when a prospective customer calls me. A good flight school will point these items out (whether asked or not) and many other items when you call or visit. You should spend a good deal of time investigating the prospective school, including a through tour of their facilities. Remember, your impression of their entire operation may speak to many other aspects of their business and instructional quality.
Happy flying
Top off the airplane fuel tanks? Maybe…
/in Tips and technique/by StudentpltnewsThe same held true in my experiences in recreational boating. After heading back to the marina to refuel, I left with nothing short of a full tank. I used the same logic as when fueling my car – I could run the engine a longer time with less visits to the gas station. There was nothing else to consider.
When I learned to fly an airplane though I quickly learned that I needed to throw that logic out the window. Airplanes are more sensitive to weight and loading, and more often than not can’t be operated with the tanks full of fuel on every flight. Every airplane has a limiting maximum takeoff weight specified by the manufacturer, and you’re legally obligated to follow it (common sense should tell you it’s a good idea too). Flying over a manufacturer’s maximum weight leads to degraded performance in flight, and that’s assuming you’re able to get the aircraft safely off the ground in the first place.
Payload in training aircraft varies a good deal between different models. A Cessna 172R Skyhawk, for example, can carry around 450 lbs of passengers and bags with a full load of 53 gallons in the tanks, yielding nearly 5 hours of flying time. That’s pretty generous, considering it would be a challenge for a pilot, training gear and flight instructor to exceed this limit (that might help explain why the Skyhawk is one of the most popular training aircraft ever built). What if you want to take more gear, or another passenger on the flight though? The simple answer is to depart with less than full tanks. If you need to take along an extra 120 pounds, have the tanks filled up to only 30 gallons — this still provides over 2 ½ hours of flying time with reserves.
As you move up to larger aircraft, you’ll find the same principles apply. While you might think that a high-performance jet can carry a full passenger load and still fly with full fuel, that’s not the case. In fact many jets filled to the brim with jet fuel can only carry 2 pilot crewmembers and maybe a passenger or two before reaching the weight limit. Even if there isn’t a full passenger or cargo load, it’s still not efficient for larger transport aircraft to carry more fuel than needed for each flight segment. The extra weight decreases performance and will increase the amount of fuel needed to complete flight. One exception here is when there is a considerable price difference between the airports of intended use (right now AvGas & Jet fuel range from $5 to $9 per gallon in the U.S. depending on location – do the math).
Take fuel planning seriously throughout your flight training. Even if you’re flying a C172 loaded full with 5 hours of fuel for every lesson, pay attention to how you manage the fuel. Lean properly on the ground and in the air according to the guidance in the POH, and mentally note the fuel burned for each flight during shutdown. That way when it’s time to maximize the performance of the airplane for longer trips or taking additional passengers, you’ll be very knowledgeable about the expected fuel burn, and can confidently plan to arrive with your required fuel minimums. You’ll also have the right mindset for flying other aircraft that don’t offer the luxury of providing a large payload with the tanks topped off.