Are you fit for flight?

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Are you performing a self assessment before each flight?

FAA’s latest FlySafe GA Safety Enhancement topic, “Are You Fit for Flight?” discusses the importance of checking in with yourself before each flight to make sure you are nourished, hydrated, rested, and emotionally fit to fly. Similar to a preflight checklist used to inspect your aircraft, the IMSAFE checklist helps you assess your own personal fitness for flight.

The checklist is designed to address six key areas:

I – Illness: Am I feeling ill today? If the answer is yes, it’s probably not a good day to fly or perhaps even drive a car.

M – Medication: Am I taking any prescription or over-the-counter medication that could compromise my ability to fly? Many medicines caution against operating machinery and aircraft certainly qualify as complex machines.

S – Stress: Am I under unusual stress today? We all cope with stress each day and a little stress has been shown to improve human performance. But, if we’re under moderate to heavy stress, our performance will not be our best and it may even be dangerous. If, for instance, we are flying to a very important meeting that cannot be re-scheduled or delayed, the importance of the mission could compromise our pre and in-flight decision-making.

A – Alcohol: Have I ingested any alcohol in the previous twenty-four hours? The rule says eight hours but lingering effects can persist.

F – Fatigue: Am I adequately rested before this flight? And just as important, will I become fatigued during the flight? We may be fine for the short drive home after a long day at work, but embarking on a flight, perhaps at night, may be a greater challenge than we should accept. Getting a good night’s sleep and starting in the morning may well be the safer choice.

E – Eating/Emotion: Am I adequately nourished and hydrated? And am I emotionally ready for this flight? We like to say we leave our problems on the ground when we fly but, for most of us, that’s not really true. If we’re worried or even very happy about something, we may dwell on the topic at the expense of our flight duties or our decision-making may be compromised.

Pilots can help shape the future of weather products by completing this survey

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Pilots can play an active role in shaping the future of weather products provided by the FAA by participating in this weather survey.

The FAA Aviation Weather Division (AWD) is leading an effort to assess convective weather products through user feedback on how convenctive weather products are used.  AWD intends to apply that feedback to reduce conflicting information, and exploit higher resolution information.  No personal identifying information will be collected or reported.

Chart smart: Why does Lorain County Regional have a box around its name?

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Why does Lorain County Regional have a box around its name?
A box around the airport name indicates an airport for which a special air traffic rule has been established. In the case of the Lorain County Regional Airport (KLPR), pilots are required to avoid and remain well clear of Oberlin College due to the existence of a music conservatory which is located south of the airport. All traffic is required to operate to the north of the airport, hence the right-hand traffic pattern establsihed for runway 25.
The details are found in the remarks section of the Chart Supplement entry for Lorain County.

How to fly a perfect soft field approach and landing

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Soft field techniques can be deployed for landing areas that have soft or rough surfaces such as grass, snow, or even gravel. The objective when landing on these types of surfaces is to touch down as smoothly as possible and at the slowest possible landing speed – minimum controllable airspeed as opposed to a full stall landing. A pilot needs to control the airplane in a manner that the wings support the weight of the airplane as long as practical to minimize stresses imposed on the landing gear by a rough surface or to prevent sinking into a soft surface.

tecnam airplane

A pilot needs to control the airplane in a manner that the wings support the weight of the airplane as long as practical.

 

The approach for the soft-field landing is similar to the normal approach. The major difference between the two is that a degree of power is used throughout the level-off and touchdown for the soft-field landing so as to control the descent rate all the way to touch down. This allows the airspeed to slowly dissipate while the airplane is flown just above the surface in ground effect. When the wheels first touch the ground, the proper technique allows the wings to continue supporting much of the weight of the airplane.

soft field

Allow the airspeed to slowly dissipate while the airplane is flown just above the surface in ground effect.

The final approach speed for a soft field approach and landing should be the same as is used for a short field technique to minimuze float once you enter ground effect. Touchdown on a soft or rough field is made at the lowest possible airspeed (minimum controllable airspeed) with the airplane in a nose-high pitch attitude. In nose-wheel type airplanes, after the main wheels touch the surface, the pilot should holdback-elevator pressure to keep the nose-wheel off the surface. Using back-elevator pressure and engine power, the pilot can control the rate at which the weight of the airplane is transferred from the wings to the wheels.

Field conditions may warrant that the pilot maintain a flight condition in which the main wheels are just touching the surface but the weight of the airplane is still being supported by the wings until a suitable taxi surface is reached. At any time during this transition phase, before the weight of the airplane is being supported by the wheels, and before the nose-wheel is on the surface, the ability is retained to apply full power and perform a safe takeoff should the pilot elect to go around.

Citrabria takeoff

The weight of the airplane is still being supported by the wings until a suitable taxi surface is reached.

Once committed to the landing, the pilot should gently lower the nose-wheel to the surface. A slight addition of power can assist in easing the nosewheel down. The use of brakes on a soft field should be avoided or minimized as the soft or rough surface itself provides sufficient reduction in the airplane’s forward speed. Often upon landing on a very soft field, an increase in power may be needed to keep the airplane moving and from becoming stuck in the soft surface. It’s always good practice to investigate field conditions prior to operating on a rough or soft surface.

Execute your soft field approach and landing with these steps:

1. Ensure that the Before Landing Checklist is completed.Fly the appropriate traffic pattern. In the absence of a manufacturer’s recommended airspeed, a speed similiar to a short field technique, but not more than 1.3 VS0 should be used. If gusty conditions are present, increase final approach airspeed by one half the gust factor.

2. Add full flaps and establish recommended soft-field approach speed on final, approximately 1/2 mile from the runway.

3. Adjust pitch and power for the desired airspeed and approach angle.The approach should be stabilized on the extended runway centerline no lower than 300’ AGL.

4. Control the descent rate with pitch and power and touch down at minimum speed with the aircraft in a nose-high pitch attitude.

5. Maintain back pressure on the yoke to keep the nosewheel off the ground until it can no longer aerodynamically be held off of the field surface. At this time, it should be gently lowered.Maintain directional control and crosswind correction with appropriate rudder aileron input.

6. Avoid the use of brakes, and use power, if necessary, when taxiing on very soft fields.Maintain full back elevator.

Keep a hand on the throttle throughout the approach and landing in the event immediate application of power is necessary for a go-around.

LIFT Academy adds Sporty’s online training courses

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LIFT Academy has partnered with Sporty’s to provide online training courses to its students. This collaboration between Sporty’s and LIFT Academy provides students and instructors access to a range of valuable learning resources including Sporty’s Learn To Fly Course, Instrument Rating Course, Commercial Pilot Course, and Garmin G1000 Checkout Course.

students

LIFT Academy students will be provided a range of valuable resources including including Sporty’s Learn To Fly Course, Instrument Rating Course, Commercial Pilot Course, and Garmin G1000 Checkout Course.

Sporty’s learning tools provide a consistent and proven path to success in pilot training while laying the foundation for the success of LIFT students as professional pilots. Students also gain access to learning content on Sporty’s dedicated mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV which allow content to be downloaded for offline viewing.

LIFT Academy students will also benefit from Sporty’s powerful test prep tools. Students may create unlimited study sessions and practice exams with access to Sporty’s proprietary database of thousands of test questions. Detailed analytics will further assist students in customizing their learning experience before earning their written exam endorsement. Sporty’s CFI Portal and Chief CFI features will be used by LIFT instructors to monitor and track student progress within Sporty’s courses. These tools will assist instructors in ensuring that students stay on course toward achieving their training objectives.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic Airways, LIFT Academy trains its students specifically for a career in the skies. Students with zero experience can complete all ratings tests in as little as 18 months through its Republic Airways Career Pathway Program. LIFT students can eventually earn while they learn through a selection of paid positions to the hours necessary to become a pilot for Republic.

LIFT Academy, with locations in Indianapolis, IN, Myrtle Beach, SC and Galveston, TX, joins other major flight training providers in equipping its students with Sporty’s online training content including:

 

7 tips for your cold weather flying

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The winter flying season is officially here, which means we have a new set of challenges to deal with while flying in sub-freezing temperatures. Flight training doesn’t need to stop in the winter though; in fact the colder months provide some great opportunities to expand your knowledge on weather and aircraft operations in less than ideal conditions. There are other benefits too, including improved aircraft performance and nearly unlimited visibility on clear days.

Here are some winter weather tips to consider as the temperature gets colder:

  1. Always carry winter weather gear – This first tip may seem like common sense, but I can’t stress enough the importance of carrying cold weather gear when the temperature gets below freezing. Most modern training airplanes provide a comfortable, warm cabin up in the air, even as the temperature approaches 0° F outside. This can cause a false sense of security and lead you into thinking that you may not need the extra clothing layers, gloves, hats, etc. But you have to always be prepared for an emergency landing, which could leave you in cold conditions for hours or even days. And the most important piece of cold weather gear? A cell phone of course.
  2. Don’t rule out frost after you land – Most flight schools and aircraft owners are very conscious about frost forming on the airplane when left out on clear nights when the temperature is close to or below freezing. If your flight needs to get out early in the morning, the airplane should be hangared overnight and pulled out just before departure. There’s another time when frost can sneak up on you though, causing a delay if you’re not prepared. Let’s say you takeoff just before sunrise and head to another airport not too far away to visit the airport diner. When you come back to your airplane 30 – 60 minutes later, there’s a good chance you’ll find a fresh layer of frost on the wings and tail.
  3. Practice takeoffs and landings on contaminated runways – Just because the runway at your airport has residual snow or slick spots doesn’t mean you have to cancel your flight lesson. In fact, ask any Alaskan bush pilot and they’ll probably tell you that landing on snow-covered runways is the norm rather than the exception in the winter. After a winter storm passes you’ll want to wait for the airport maintenance crew to clear the majority of snow from the runway. Then determine the braking action from the published NOTAM or from airport officials, which uses numerical Condition Codes to identify the conditions. A value of 6 means a dry runway, going to a 1 or 0 for slush and ice-covered runways (read more about Condition Codes here). If you and your instructor determine runway and braking conditions are suitable, continue on with your lesson. You’ll quickly learn the importance of speed control on final approach and how to make real-world use of the soft-field takeoff and landing techniques. Just be sure to taxi at slower than normal speeds and keep an eye on the wings when maneuvering near tall snow banks.
  4. Review cold weather procedures for your aircraft – There’s probably a good chance you haven’t reviewed your aircraft’s cold weather normal and emergency procedures since last year (unless you had an FAA pilot checkride over the summer). I like to make it a habit each fall to pull out the POH for each aircraft I fly and review cold weather starting limitations, normal procedures and emergency checklists pertinent to cold weather ops. You should commit to memory temperature and battery limitations, starter duty cycle limits and the first few items in the checklist for an engine fire during start.
  5. Recognize aircraft and engine limitations in cold weather – When the temperature is below freezing you’ll want to be more cautious about how you operate the aircraft engine. A good procedure is to avoid making sudden power changes as temperatures drop below 20°F and below. This means staying away from maneuvers like touch-n-gos, simulated engine failures and stall recoveries when the temperature is that cold.
  6. Call ahead for cold-weather airport services – This tip is one to remember during your entire flying career. If you’re making a cross-country to another airport in the winter months and need some type of service from the FBO, call ahead first to verify it will be available. Don’t assume that because a particular FBO is at a large airport that they will have hangar space, engine pre-heat or other cold-weather service instantly available to you.
  7. Make reports about the conditions you experience – In my flying experience, the best weather reports don’t come from the National Weather Service, but rather from the pilots currently in the air and reporting the weather conditions they’re experiencing. These pilot reports (PIREPs) will provide you with actual temperatures aloft, cloud coverage and tops, and turbulence and icing reports, all packed into just a few lines of data. As an instrument pilot in the winter, I pay close attention to the icing reports (or lack thereof) to help determine cruise altitudes and where there might be moisture-free air between cloud layers. Make it a point to contribute to the system and relay your flight conditions to ATC when time permits. And don’t get in the habit of only making PIREPs when you experience unfavorable conditions — some of the most useful PIREPs are the ones describing flight above the cloud layers in smooth air.