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X	The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen career field. -- Vince Lombardi

Dear Pilots and Aviation Enthusiasts:

Seldom does a week go by when a non-flying friend, family member, or business acquaintance does not question the wisdom of my frequent flying in small airplanes. "Aren't they dangerous," they quip, in a half joking, half serious fashion.

My response is always the same. "Sure, there is a risk associated with flying, but it is manageable. I know my aircraft, I understand the system I am flying in, and I know the extent of my training and ability." I say this, but I know my words do not ease their doubts.

Then I think to myself. "Why do people have such a fascination with the perceived dangers of little airplanes?"

The answer is really quite simple. They watch TV, listen to the radio, and read the papers. We never have to wait too many days before another little airplane drops out of the sky, capturing with it extensive media attention. Sadly, I am not surprised. In the hands of a typically trained general aviation pilot operating in an area beyond his skill level, flying is a dangerous activity.

While much has been written about promoting flight safety, little progress is being made in reducing the general aviation accident rates.

Maybe it is time for an entirely different approach to flight training. In his book titled, Good to Great, Jim Collins explains why some companies excel in their work. These companies blow by their competition by employing basic strategies that others do not even recognize. What would happen if we employed an entirely new strategy in the way we train pilots? Could we reduce the general aviation accident rate? Over time, could we change the attitudes of our non-flying friends about the relative safety of general aviation?

The answer is an enthusiastic yes! But it is going to require a basic strategy change leading to a new training model. We can begin by recognizing the difference between the recreational/sport pilot and the pilot who, upon completion of his or her training, will eventually step up to a high performance single, light twin, or even a very light jet. Pilot's in the latter category require more sophisticated training in aerodynamics, meteorology, and extreme maneuvers recovery. They require scenario-based training conducted in the same flight conditions they will encounter later when on their own. The FITS (FAA Industry Training System) model is a good beginning. But more needs to be done.

No training strategy change will be required for the recreational/sport student pilot. Most of these pilots will wisely limit themselves to calm winds and sunny weather flying. These pilots will be fine as long as they do not go poking their noses into adverse weather conditions or mixing it up with big airplanes near big airports. For the rest of us, however, a major shift in flight training philosophy is urgently needed.

Most importantly, we must make it clear to the student pilot precisely which training model he or she is receiving. The last thing we want to happen is for a pilot to receive recreational/sport-like training and believe he or she is ready for real world, in-the-system flight. In this regard, the primary reason why 72.6 percent of all general aviation accidents are attributed to pilot error (source: AOPA Air Safety Foundation) is, in my opinion, because the majority of private pilots never received the training they needed to operate in real world conditions.

We are humans. We all make mistakes. Accidents, unfortunately, will continue to happen. But we, as general aviation pilots, can follow the lead of our airline brethren. The airlines have reduced human error leading to accidents a rarity. This is because they train differently and because they require more aggressive recurrent training.

General aviation organizations, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the FAA, have been working diligently to improve general aviation flight safety. But nothing significant is going to happen safety-wise until we pilots recognize the limits of our own training and ability. We pilots, including flight instructors, must become pro-active in developing and enhancing our own primary flight skills. We must seek out and secure the best flight instruction possible. And we must commit ourselves to a systematic, on-going recurrent flight training program.

Remember the government's efforts to get Americans to quit smoking? They didn't work! It was not until we, ourselves, figured out that cigarettes caused heart disease, cancer, and strokes. The same is true about flight safety. FAA and AOPA accident prevention efforts can only go so far. Like the smoking experience, the general aviation accident rate will decline dramatically ONLY after we pilots understand that it is our actions (or inactions), alone, that are hurting us.

Sincerely,

Bob Miller, ATP, CFII

The prudent, proficient pilot is wise to set personal limits regarding surface wind speeds. Your wind speed limit could be as low as, say, 8 knots coming from within 20 degrees of the runway direction. Beyond that, you remain on the ground. Others will fly if the winds do not exceed the demonstrated cross-wind capability of their airplane, e.g., 15 to 17 knots for most light singles. And others say that if they can stand up on the ramp, despite the wind, they will launch!

The answer this question is determined by the extent and quality of your high wind training. If you have had little or none, you should adopt a conservative approach, e.g., 8 knots coming from within 20 degrees of the runway heading. This is prudent and safe, but it is not very practical for the serious, over-the-road pilot. For pilots who use their airplanes for business and long-distance travel, this conservative wind condition would be far too limiting.

Find an experienced CFI who is competent in high wind operations . . . then wait for a day when surface winds are between 18 and 25 knots with gusts of 35 knots or more. Be certain, however, that the computed cross-wind at your home airport is no greater than the demonstrated cross-wind capability of your airplane. T

Have your CFI review ground operations in high winds. Pay particular attention to proper control surface placement, e.g., down when impacted by winds. Perform several 360 degree turns on the ground while keeping a firm hand on the control yoke.

Then take off (only with an experienced CFI on board) and fly to a nearby airport having a runway oriented 45 to 90 degrees to the prevailing wind direction. I must stop here and emphasize the importance of having an EXPERIENCED CFI on board . . . . not all CFIs are equal in this regard.

Position yourself on a long final approach leg to the landing runway. Again, select a runway that runs perpendicular to the prevailing wind. Establish a crab angle that keeps your ground track aligned with the final approach leg centerline. Don't try to keep the nose pointed directly at the runway. Continue inbound on the approach, but do not land. Instead, cross the runway threshold at about 50 feet, then maintain that altitude and track the entire runway center line with the ball centered, then apply appropriate takeoff power and circle around and repeat the procedure several more times. Remember, it is not necessary to keep the nose pointed down the runway during this phase of the exercise. This procedure will develop your ability to make the necessary control corrections to remain aligned with the runway in high crosswinds.

Of course there is . . . but the real question is, where do you set your limits? For me, when flying my Cessna 210, I set the surface wind limit at 35 knots with gusts no higher than 39 knots. Truth be told, I've landed at airports with higher surface winds, and I've encountered reported winds of 59 knots on short final. Even in extremely high wind days, however, I've managed to find runways that kept my takeoffs and landings within the 23 knot demonstrated crosswind capability of the Cessna 210. Keep in mind, however, that I have the benefit of many hours and many years of experience with high wind operations here in Buffalo, NY.

Other than when taxiing on ice, I've never had high winds spin the airplane around or otherwise push it where I did not want to go.

Curiously, proficient pilots set their limit not by what they feel comfortable taking off and landing in, but rather what they are able to taxi in. Once an airplane breaks free from the ground, winds become a non-issue. One simply operates in a sea of moving air much like a boat moving on a river. Again, winds are a factor only when transitioning from flight to ground operations, e.g., landing and taking off.

No discussion of high wind operations would be complete without a cautionary note about windshear. In the most basic sense, windshear (or intersecting flows of air) can cause a sudden loss or gain of wind speed on takeoff or landing. It is most hazardous when it occurs on the final approach segment to landing, particularly on short final. A sudden loss of 15 or more knots of airspeed, brought about by windshear on final, that catches an unwary pilot by surprise, can lead to serious control problems. The best defense against windshear is to add 10 to 15 knots to your final approach airspeed. This will accomplish two things for you: (1) the higher airspeed will give your control surfaces more authority as you move through the air; and (2) you will be sufficiently above your stall speed to counteract any sudden loss of lift caused by windshear. Care must be exercised to reduce this higher than normal airspeed as you flare for landing, otherwise you will use up a good deal of available runway prior to touching down.

Crosswind landings in high winds are easy . . . if you have the proper training!

Unfortunately, most organized flight schools and many CFIs refuse to fly when surface winds exceed 18 or 20 knots, regardless of their alignment with the runway. This leaves the hapless student pilot to figure out how to deal with these high wind conditions on his own AFTER he receives his pilot certificate. The flight school's defense is that one should not fly in a high crosswind situation. So why bother teaching such procedures? This defense is acceptable if destination weather forecasts were 100 percent reliable!

Of course, without proper training, one should avoid flying in high crosswinds (unless accompanied by an experienced CFI). But what happens if the winds at your destination airport greatly exceed those that were forecast? Are we to assume that weather forecasts are always correct? Does weather sometimes behave unpredictably?

Flight schools and CFIs set their students up for disaster if they fail to provide them adequate high wind crosswind training. Remember, 72.6 percent of all accidents are due to pilot error. Interestingly, the landing phase of all phases of aircraft operations records the highest accident rates. This is precisely where cross-winds do the most harm. So is more cross-wind training indicated? Absolutely!

In the final analysis, the successful outcome of any high wind or cross wind operation is NOT dependent solely upon your stick and rudder skills. Rather, success is determined by what goes on between your ears at the time of landing! Have you considered the various factors that influence your crosswind landing decisions? These factors include:

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A Cessna 340, like the one pictured to the left, began its takeoff roll but never lifted off. Instead, the airplane traveled off the end of the runway, vaulted an embankment, and came to rest on an airport service road. It was then consumed by fire. Crash investigators quickly discovered the cause of this tragic accident. Apparently, the pilot had failed to remove the control lock from the pilot's control column! This is an actual event that happened on March 13, 2001.

Does this sound like something that a student pilot or low time private pilot might do? Perhaps, however in this case, the pilot was a 6,200 hour pilot with an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating! Sadly, this is an all too common an event! Simple, gross errors like this, and like taking off with the tow bar still attached to the nose gear, continue to take pilots lives.

Single pilot operations do not have the built in checks and balances of two pilot operations. Similarly, there is no required recurrent pilot training that corporate and airline pilots are required to complete every six months. There are no company operations manuals, no standard operating procedures (SOPs) and no operations specifications that private pilots must adhere to. Instead, private pilots are free to get in, fire-up, taxi, and takeoff.

Every flight student is taught the importance of following a preflight check list prior to beginning each flight. They dutifully run through the prescribed list of items to be checked. This is good, but it is not enough. Paper checklists require abstract thinking. Look at the paper, check the item, move back to the paper, check the next item, and so forth . . . hoping that we didn't miss something along the way. Where's the fail-safe procedure? Who catches us if we miss something - our first officer or captain? Remember, we're all by ourselves.

This is where the flow checklist is important. Unfortunately, it is seldom taught to most primary students.

Here is how the flow checklist works. After completing the paper checklist, the pilot shifts his or her focus to the aircraft instrument panel. His eyes begin at the left side wall of the cockpit, then systematically move across the panel, stopping briefly at each instrument, each switch, and each control lever. His eye is trained to look for anything unusual or out of the ordinary. This exercise is designed to catch omissions in his previously conducted paper checklist. For example, he checks the ignition key to insure that it has been returned to BOTH mags. He, again, pulls the control yoke through its entire travel, left and right, back and forth. He takes another look at the fuel gauges, the outside temperature, the pitot heat switch, etc. until he has DOUBLE CHECKED everything before taking the active runway.

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"Witnesses reported seeing the airplane emerge from the clouds in a high-speed dive or spin. The airplane impacted near vertically and the private pilot/sole occupant was fatally injured."

AOPA Air Safety Foundation reports that stall/spin accidents tend to be more deadly than other types of GA accidents, accounting for about 10 percent of all accidents, but 13.7 percent of fatal accidents. Overall, around 20 percent of all GA accidents result in fatalities, but stall/spin accidents have a fatality rate of about 28 percent.

According to the NTSB, the profile of the pilot who is most at risk of an accidental stall/spin reads like this: it’s the pilot who has logged fewer than 1,000 hours; who is on a daytime pleasure flight in good weather; who is in the traffic pattern; and who is either turning or climbing. Leading up to the inadvertent stall/spin, the pilot will be distracted into making a critical error in judgment. Fixation on the unfolding accident will effectively render 1 in 3 pilots deaf to the blaring stall warning horn. It’s clear that the stall/spin problem is neither insignificant nor indiscriminant. No segment of the pilot population is immune to it. Not CFI’s, not even ATP’s.

FCI Emergency Maneuver Training: Aerobatics Instruction, Upset Recovery and Spin Recovery Training

Although FAR 61.97(b)(10), 61.105(b)(10), and 61.183(i)(1) require ground instruction in stall/spin awareness for pilots who seek airplane or glider category ratings, most pilots—including many instructors—have little practical knowledge about spins and even less experience with the maneuver in the air.

Rich Stowell, one of the foremost experts on spins and spin training, points out the goal isn't to turn out pilots who can perform precise, competition-style spins. Stowell says, "The primary reason proponents advocate, and pilots seek out, additional stall and spin training is—surprise!—spin prevention. The advertised objective of spin training is to expand a pilot’s knowledge, experience, and skill set to prevent an inadvertent spin departure in the first place"

Up until the early 1990's, the FAA took the position that the best way to avoid an inadvertent spin was to teach stall avoidance. After all, an airplane must first be stalled before it can spin. Well, this is not necessarily true! Contrary to the popular mantra, "no stall, no spin," spins are not always caused by stalls, says Stowell. Spins are actually yaw coupling with roll at high angles of attack that drives the spin process. Therefore, yaw awareness--attention to proper coordination--should be an integral part of every stall/spin awareness training program. A key point is not only to teach students to stay coordinated during high angle of attack flight, but also to give them the confidence and encouragement to remain proficient in this area through repeated practice.

In April 1991, the FAA phased out the old stall avoidance training standard and replaced it with an improved standard known as stall/spin awareness training. The FAA revised FAR Part 61 to reflect this shift in training philosophy. The FAA also published an Advisory Circular, AC 61-67B entitled, "Stall and Spin Awareness Training." But just how successful has the FAA been in promoting and administering the transition to this new training standard? Most flight instructors, today, are still not aware of this shift in the FAA's thinking.

The diagram illustrates the position of the wing in various flight attitudes. Attitude is only indirectly related to angle of attack. The wing can be stalled when it is a near level position, above the horizon or below.

Many pilots incorrectly believe that an airplane won't stall until it reaches the stall speed (Vs) published in the POH. Stalls and spins both result from a disruption of airflow over the wing. It is important for all pilots to know that a stall or spin can occur at ANY airspeed and at any attitude. If the wing reaches its critical angle of attack, it will stall. A spin will result when one wing has a lower coefficient of lift than the other.

Spin recovery must take into consideration the potential aggravating effects of the various controls. If we consolidate, simplify, and prioritize rudimentary spin recovery actions, we’re left with the same spin recovery actions NASA has recommended consistently for decades. For recovery from upright spins:

For maximum effect, the spin recovery actions outlined above should be applied sequentially. As soon as one item in the checklist is completed, the next item is then initiated until all four primary actions (1-4) have been implemented. The first letter in each of the four primary recovery inputs spells out the acronym, PARE® (pronounced "pair"). This acronym can be used as a mental checklist to help the pilot focus on the appropriate sequencing of recovery actions. Calling each item out loud also tends to reinforce the physical inputs.

It was just a little after one month following our return from San Francisco in Kelly Brannen's recently purchased 1999 Piper Archer that he had enough of me riding along in the right seat.

It was easy to tell that Kelly was ready to go it alone. He had already flown through narrow mountain passes, up through icy clouds, experienced high altitude flight, experienced an emergency landing, and conducted cross-country planning on a continental scale. And that was just in his first month of flight training!

Kelly is not known for doing things on a small scale. He is president and CEO of a Niacet, a specialty chemical company headquartered in Niagara Falls, He's an avid skier, outdoor sportsman, golfer, and fitness nut. He and his wife, Jo Ann, live in Williamsville with their three young children. Kelly is also very active in various civic affairs and is a fixture around the Country Club of Buffalo.

His flying goal is simple and direct. "I want the freedom to fly myself to my various business meetings around the nation rather than continue slogging through airline terminals and being squeezed between strangers in narrow, uncomfortable seats." Not content in standing in line waiting for rental training planes, he went out an purchased his own training airplane.

Kelly is also an astute businessman. Realizing that airplanes must fly to justify their existence, he invited two other local pilots to share in the use of his airplane when he wasn't training. Mark Weissman, M.D. and Keith Harlock eagerly accepted his invitation. Kelly figures that Mark's and Keith's contribution to the effort will cover most of the operating and maintenance expenses on the airplane during the two years he plans on owning it.

"I purchased this airplane for the sole purpose of securing my private and instrument tickets," says Kelly. "After that, I'll be looking for a serious cross-country machine - perhaps and Adam 700 or other very light jet."

It is clear that Kelly doesn't want to spend much time in the practice area mastering turns around a point or S-turns over a road. He is anxious to get into the system and learn what real flying is all about. Working with him has been a pleasure for me. He asks challenging questions, he reads incessantly, and he concentrates on his flying techniques. I have no doubt that Kelly will be leading the pack of CEOs who are taking charge of their own transportation needs!

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You are motoring along at night, buried inside a solid layer of clouds whose bases go all the way down to 500' AGL. Suddenly, your engine sputters and coughs. You go through all the standard re-start procedures. Nothing works. Suddenly, the things go eerily quiet. All you hear is the wind rushing by the air frame. With a failed engine, your alternator quits charging, and your tired old battery has just minutes of precious juice left to keep the radios going. The cockpit lights begin to flicker . . . then everything goes dark. No motor, no electrical . . . and you've become a reluctant night glider pilot in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) 8,500 feet above the ground.

There's no use trying to recall what you were trained to do in a situation like this because it is not covered in the Instrument Pilot Practical Test Standards (PTS). And if it's not covered there, chances are your CFII never took the time to teach you what to do. The only thing left to do is panic! You become frozen in fear.

Press the "nearest airport" button on the battery powered GPS mounted on your yoke. Hopefully, you selected an altitude that assured you a reasonable gliding distance to an airport from anywhere along your route of flight. Find the nearest airport on the GPS and instantly point your airplane in that direction as you trim for best glide speed. Grab your flashlight and stick it between your teeth.

Remember, you are still buried in the clouds which extend down to just 500' above the ground. [Note: Here is another powerful consideration when purchasing an airplane. Turbo charging guarantees that you will be able to fly high enough to reach a suitable airport from nearly any point on the continent.]

With your airplane now positioned high above an airport directly below (as depicted on the GPS moving map), begin a steep descending turn at or below your Va (maneuvering) speed. As you do this, fire up your handheld radio and dial in the CTAF frequency for the airport below . . . then click on its runway lights. Keep a close eye on your altimeter as you spiral down through the clouds. Round and round you go as you descend downward through the clouds with the airport still centered on your GPS moving map screen. You've done this countless times before with your CFI, right?

You've only got one shot to bring this emergency GPS descent to a successful outcome. Plan your descent so that you arrive on what would be the downwind turn to base leg at approximately 500 feet above the ground. In our example above, you will break out of the clouds at this same time. As you do, you'll be in a position from which you can make a normal visual approach and landing.

Sound complicated? It is . . . so get out there with your CFII and practice it several dozen times. It could just save your life someday!

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AOPA just released its 2005 College Directory of colleges and universities offering degrees in various aviation fields. You can find it in the December, 2004 issue of Flight Training Magazine. You can also go online HERE and search the college database for institutions that meet your particular needs. The University Aviation Association also publishes comprehensive directories of aviation colleges as well as directories containing scholarship opportunities for these institutions. You can order these directories by clicking HERE.

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For me, wintertime flying is a love/hate relationship. I love to fly in winter skies. The air above tends to be clearer, cleaner, and smoother. The bump-creating convective air currents of summer are all gone. Threats of thunderstorms are nearly non-existent. And you can see forever! That's the LOVE side of my relationship with winter flying.

The HATE side has to do with every move I make from getting out of the car at the airport to applying full throttle at the departure end of the runway. Here are just a few of the annoyances we pilots face during winter operations:

Slipping and Falling on the Ramp: No kidding here. I've taken more than one bone-jarring spill on a slippery airport ramp. Remember, no salt is used here or anywhere on an airport operating area to melt the ice. The worst risk is when an inch or two of fresh fallen snow covers an iced-over ramp.

Cursory Exterior Walk Around Pre-Flight Inspections: Nothing expedites an exterior aircraft walk-around inspection like sub-zero winds blowing in your face. How many pilots risk frost-bitten fingers when checking for hinge pins in the ailerons or flap guide rollers? If ever a pilot takes off with the tow bar still attached to the nose wheel, it will occur on a sub-zero night flight!

Hard Starting Engines: Cold engines require a precise mixture of air and fuel before they will fire. Too little fuel, they won't fire. Too much fuel and you may have a REAL fire. Couple this mixture thing with a battery rendered nearly useless by sub-zero weather, and you just might have to get out the jumper cables.

Premature Engine and Instrument Wear: Imagine skidding your tender knees along a cement sidewalk. That's pretty much what your pistons feel like as they are forced up and down against cold, poorly lubricated cylinder walls. Despite scientific advancements in the lubricating qualities of aviation engine oil, the first 30 seconds of cold a start takes a measurable toll on your engine. Similarly, those delicate instrument gyroscopes that spin on tiny fulcrums deeply resent icy cold starts.

The solution here is to never start cold soaked engine. Instead, be sure the crankcase oil and cylinder heads are properly warmed before cranking. This can be achieved best by keeping your airplane in a heated hangar. The next best thing is to use some sort of engine pre-heating device such as a Tannis heater or 30 minutes or more of forced hot air into the engine cowl.

Taxiing on Ice: This can be a real attention-grabbing experience. I have sat helpless in my Cessna 210 as it performed an wind-induced 180 degree turn on an ice-over taxiway. This stuff really happens.

And for the Real Challenges . . . Taking Off and Landing on Iced-over Runways

Unlike dry pavement operations, flight actually begins the instant you apply full power for takeoff. Your brakes are non-effective and steering is a joke. The only thing you have is the wind over the tail surfaces created by your prop wash. How you position yourself on the departure end of the runway, e.g., left, right, or center - depending upon the winds, will make a very big difference as you commence your takeoff roll.

Landing on snow covered or icy runways requires special consideration beyond the obvious. For example, imagine the effect of a frozen brake as you touch down. This can occur when runway slush freezes the brake lining to the rotor as the airplane climbs up through freezing air. This is one time where you do NOT want to make a smooth or "greaser" landing. Instead, when landing, deliberately bounce the landing gear on the runway so as to free up any frozen brake linings while you still have flying speed. If you do not to this and one wheel is locked frozen, the airplane could make a sudden, uncommanded turn to the left or right as it touches down.

So these are just a couple of considerations we all face in this wintertime love/hate relationship. If you have any doubts about all of this, be sure and discuss it with your CFI.

Note: If you have comments or questions regarding this article, please send them to me by clicking HERE.

Being a commercial pilot is nothing new to Tom Corey because he has been a commercial light-than-air (balloon) pilot for the last several years. Adding the commercial airplane rating makes him an even more versatile pilot! Tom's balloon is pictured to the right - click to enlarge

Actually, the commercial certificate makes Tom a much smoother pilot. Instead of mechanically controlling the airplane the way he was taught as private pilot, Tom has learned to become an integral part of the airplane control system. Instead of pushing and pulling on the yoke, mashing the throttle, and stomping on the rudder pedals as most private pilots do, Tom gracefully nudges the airplane into compliance with his every wish. He now controls with finger tips, not hands. With toe pressures, not feet. Power changes are made gradually, not forcefully.

Tom came to me earlier this year after completing his private and instrument ratings at a nearby flight school. It was evident that he was skilled in the required private and instrument maneuvers, but his logbook revealed no real training in weather flying, e.g., crosswind landings, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), etc. Thus, he proved to be quite timid when we trained on windy days or in the clouds.

I said, "Tom, commercial pilots must feel as comfortable in gusty winds and in the clouds as they do on fair weather days." He agreed and became a willing student.

Mastery of five basic maneuvers make up the commercial rating. These are the: (1) Chandelle; (2) Lazy-8; (3) Turns-on-Pylons; (4) Steep Descending Turns; and (5) 180 Degree Power-off Landings. Each maneuver must be performed as smoothly as an eagle turning circles in the sky. Any mechanical abruptness, typically associated with private pilot maneuvers, is a disqualifying factor at the commercial pilot level. It takes many hours of practice to perfect these five complex maneuvers. And that is just what Tom invested.

Tom says he pursued his commercial rating to be better equipped to enhance his restaurant business. He owns and operates Lord Chumley's Restaurant on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, NY. Priding himself in offering the finest supper cuisine available, Tom will go to any length to acquire the finest ingredients. "If this means flying in a fresh catch from Boston, I want to be prepared to do it."

Tom is also preparing and distributing a top quality line of salad sauces (see photo left - click to enlarge). This means meeting with out-of-town vendors like Wegmans in Rochester. He is also a bit of a culture fanatic . . . making frequent visits to Toronto for his annual concert series. He quickly points out that 25 minutes by air certainly beats fighting traffic on the 401 for two or more hours on a Friday night!

Note: A bunch of us will be celebrating the holiday season at Lord Chumley's Restaurant in Buffalo on Saturday evening, December 18. Dinner and live music . . . and aviators - what better way is there to have fun! Let me know if you and your spouse/significant other would like to be included. Click HERE, then enter your name and number that will be attending!

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Power Controls Altitude/Pitch Controls Airspeed . . . or is it the other way around?

There is nothing more basic to the understanding of aerodynamics than the relationship between pitch and power in their effect on airspeed and altitude. With this relationship in mind, one can turn their inconsistent and often unpredictable landings into masterful works of art every time! With this understanding, you'll be able to dial in the power setting that will give you the ideal pitch and descent rate to make those perfect landings. The principle is always the same . . . but your power settings will vary by airplane.

Most little airplane drivers make their approach to landings by feel, by good old seat-of-the-pants airmanship. Who needs to know power settings, anyway? Just yank back on the power, point the nose down, toss in a couple notches of flaps, and hope the best! Come on now. Be honest . . . you've done that, right?

You might get away with this "touchy/feely" approach to landing technique in a light general aviation airplane, but it won't work in the bigger stuff says Pete Treichler, B-737 and B-29 pilot. "In the jets, we use several different power setting numbers when making our approaches to landings. These include: (1) exhaust pressure ratios (EPR); (2) percent of fan speed (%N1) and (3) fuel flow," says Pete.

So, if you ever contemplate flying larger, faster airplanes, learn to make your approach to landings with the proper power settings. Incidentally, using power settings will revolutionize your instrument approaches! For example, upon reaching glideslope intercept from a level, trimmed flight attitude, simply pull back to a known power setting and you will slide down the approach as if you were on a rail!

The normal RPM operating range for cruise flight for an airplane with a fixed pitch propeller is between 2,200 RPM and 2,500 RPM. These are sometimes referred to as low cruise power and high cruise power. In airplane with constant speed props, low cruise power is 22" of manifold pressure and high cruise is 28" manifold pressure (at pattern altitude or in turbo charged engines). We'll limit discussions here to airplanes with fix pitched propellers. Airplanes can maintain level cruise flight when operating anywhere within these power settings.

The first step in determining which power setting numbers work best for your airplane is to establish yourself (flaps up/gear up) in unaccelerated, level flight at your low cruise power setting, e.g., 2,200 RPM or 22" manifold pressure. The carefully trim your airplane for hands off flight. Note the resultant airspeed. Most four seat trainers, e.g., Cessna 172s and Piper Warriors/Archers, will stabilize at around 90 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). Your airspeed numbers will vary slight by aircraft weight, outside air temperature, etc. This will be the best power setting and airspeed for the downwind leg in the traffic pattern.

Without changing above power setting, the next step is to determine what power setting will give you a 400 foot per minute descent rate. Again, in most four seat trainers, a 300 RPM power reduction to 1,900 RPM will give you just that. This is the low descent rate. Next, determine your high descent rate power setting. In most four seat trainers, a 600 RPM power reduction to 1,600 RPM will give you a 600 to 700 foot per minute descent rate. You will need to experiment a little to determine what power settings in your airplane are necessary to give you these particular descent rates.

Remember that we began this power setting exercise by establishing ourselves in unaccelerated, trimmed level flight at our low cruise setting. Whatever airspeed resulted, e.g., 90 KIAS, this will be the airspeed our airplane will continue to fly at regardless of changes we make in power settings. In other words, if 2,200 RPM in unaccelerated, trimmed cruise flight gave us 90 KIAS, a 300 RPM power reduction will cause the airplane to descend, but its 90 KIAS will remain unchanged at 90. In fact, we could shut the engine off altogether and its 90 KIAS will still remain at 90 - though its descent rate will increase substantially. In short, whatever speed an airplane is trimmed for, that is the airspeed it will maintain regardless of power setting. Understanding this one point is essential to understanding this entire exercise!

If I'm Controlling My Descent Rate with Power . . . How Do I Reduce My Airspeed for Landing?

In a word . . . by adding DRAG. In our example able, I showed how we can make a constant airspeed descent by systematically reducing power. We can also reduce airspeed by creating additional drag on the airplane. Recall the two types of drag:

When landing, we obviously need to descend (by reducing power), we also need to reduce our airspeed by adding drag, either parasitic, induced or both. Once you know your particular airplane, this will be easy. In my Cessna 210, for example, at 22" MP, I can reduce my airspeed by 15 knots by simultaneously lowering 10 degrees of flaps and lowering the landing gear (adding parasitic drag). We can also slow the airplane for landing by pitching up (adding induced drag).

Thus, you can see that stabilized approaches to landing is best achieved by dialing in the proper power setting for each flight configuration, e.g., flaps, pitch angle, etc.

Find your favorite safety pilot and go out and fly your airplane on a non-turbulent day. But rather than punching holes in the sky, bring along the table illustrated below, then configure your airplane as illustrated in the table. Remember that your aircraft weight influences these performance numbers, so complete different tables for your typical aircraft weights, e.g., max gross weight; medium weight; light weight. [Note: Density altitude e.g, pressure altitude/temperature, will affect these numbers as well.] Enter the power setting necessary to achieve the flap setting and airspeed numbers shown in the table.

While this exercise may, at first, seem a bit complicated, it really is not. Once you have determined the power setting numbers for your airplane, every approach to landing will be consistently easy to perform. Attach the completed table(s) to your sun visor . . . and refer to them each time you make your approach to landing. In brief time, these numbers will become second nature to you. You'll dial them in on every approach . . . and take the mystery of achieving consistently good landings (and instrument approaches.

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Curiously, aircraft accident statistics reveal that more mishaps occur in and around the airport traffic pattern than in any other phase of flight . . . yet the FAR/AIM has very little to say about proper traffic pattern procedures. Consequently, what we see occurring in most airport traffic patterns can be down right scary! To prove this, go to any popular fly-in breakfast event and you'll observe some of the most unique pattern entries imaginable!

Of all the possible traffic pattern offenses that you might see, the one that causes the most problems (and greatest risk) is what I call the airliner traffic pattern. This is where the guy on the downwind leg makes his base turn somewhere from one to three miles from the approach end of the runway! Why he or she does this is anybody's guess . . . . but here are risks associated with such an abuse of airspace:

Answer: 1/4 to 1/2 mile will work every time. Anything longer than that is a waste of time, fuel, and safety hedge. Tight patterns are safe and efficient. Technically speaking, the proficient pilot is able to chop the power on downwind, abeam the approach end of the landing runway, and make a safe, power off, descending 180 degree turn, and land on the first 300 feet of the runway! If you haven't done this . . . find a qualified CFI and practice it.

You want to fly close-in patterns, with crisp 90 degree turns. Know your power settings and flap/gear configurations . . . make those automatic. This will enable you to devote your attention where it needs to be . . . out the window, aggressively scanning for other traffic.

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"Doctors, lawyers, etc will not be hopping in their airplanes every day or so to experience the "real world." Therefore, no matter what they have been exposed to during training will quickly be forgotten." - - Local Flight School Instructor

The mindset revealed in the above quotation speaks volumes why general aviation pilots sometimes get into trouble. Rather than preparing "doctors, lawyers, etc." for real world flying (because they will forget what they learned), many flight schools simply restrict their flight students to the practice area, nailing down the PTS mandated maneuvers, and getting them through their checkride! As a result, these pilots will be able to fly safely to the next fly-in breakfast. Sadly, however, they will be ill-prepared to meet the challenges of real world, in-the-system flying.

It is clear that this kind of flight training philosophy is fine for training the recreational-only pilot. But what about the pilot who wants to use his or her airplane for business travel or long cross-country vacation travel? Has he or she received the training necessary for serious, in-the-system, flight? If this pilot is aware of his or her training limitation, that's okay. He knows enough to remain close to the home airport. However, if he naively believes that his freshly acquired private pilot's certificate or new instrument rating has equipped him for real world, in-the-system flying, he is sadly mistaken. Worse, he could meet a premature fate in his airplane.

Flying Magazine (December, 2004 - "Making the Big Pull") gives the following account of a near tragedy:

"Just after he had entered the soup at right around 400 feet things started to go wrong. The altimeter began to fluctuate wildly, and the pilot called ATC to report the problem and to request a return to the airport. He got a vector, but things soon got worse, and he came to believe that the attitude indicator and turn coordinator were indicating differently. As he desperately tried to sort things out, he realized that he had no idea how high or where exactly he was.

Tragedy was about to happen . . . . but he survived. The pilot reached up and pulled a big red handle, and within a couple of seconds his airplane began to descend under a 55-foot orange and white canopy and he and his airplane descended slowly to the ground. The airplane was destroyed but no injuries resulted. It turns out that he had a some water in his static lines. All the pilot had to do to prevent this crash was open his alternate static source!

First of all, his insurance company paid out over $200,000 (that really comes out of your pockets and mine). The larger issue is, why didn't the pilot simply open his alternate static source? What would have happened if he were flying any other model aircraft than a chute-equipped Cirrus SR-22? Is the solution to equip all general aviation airplanes with ballistic chutes. "When in doubt, pull the knob!" Pretty soon we'll have airplanes floating out of the sky all over the place! Imagine the TSA's response when a chute-equipped airplane floats down over downtown New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles! [Let's hope our friend Mayor Daley of Chicago isn't reading this!]

Thankfully, the FAA is taking steps to remove this myopic thinking from within traditional flight schools by mandating more realistic scenario-based exercises in the Private Pilot Practical Test Standards (PTS). The FAA is also beginning to embrace FITS (FAA-Industry Training System ) training as a way to improve the overall effectiveness of flight instruction. But much more needs to be done.

Realistically, the FAA can only do so much. Instead, it will be the private sector that is going to have to change. The first to make this happen is likely to be the aviation insurance industry. It is the insurance industry that will soon dictate the type and extent of training a pilot must have in order to be insured. They will, thankfully, be taking a critical look at the primary and recurrent training a pilot has had before quoting a competitive insurance rate. And the pilot who has blundered and survived . . . well, he might not ever be insurable again.

The next group to step up to the plate will be the flight instructors themselves. The right-minded among them will avail themselves to advanced training, often at their own expense. They will depart the practice areas and actually get into the system and operate in the real world of flight. They will take every opportunity to launch into marginal weather including low clouds and poor visibility, high winds and precipitation to see, first hand, what many of their students will face after receiving their ratings.

These instructors will then apply what they learned to their training curricula. Yes, PTS maneuvers will still be taught, but the real training will occur as qualified CFI's take their students into the system, into the weather, and into the very busy airspace. Eventually, the weaker instructors, the flight schools that employ them, and airline pilot "wannabees" will find some other way to build logbook hours [and income] as word of their myopic view of flight instruction spreads among other prospective pilots and those seeking higher ratings.

But the most effective change will come from pilots themselves. Pilots must make a thorough self-assessment of their own flight training. Did their flight school or CFI prepare them to pass the checkride . . . or were they equipped to engage in serious in-the-system flying? Did they train in the wind and in the clag, or did they receive a fair weather flying certificate? Translated, this means we must fly the way we were trained!

If you were a fair weather only student, then limit your flying to fly-in breakfasts and making lazy circles in a sun-drenched sky. This, alone, can be a tremendously rewarding experience. But don't venture far from home! The important thing is . . . know your limits based upon the training you received. If you do, you'll enjoy a long and rewarding flying career.

Pilots are human . . . they do make mistakes. When an airline pilot makes a mistake and people get hurt, life will go on for the airlines because they are an important part of our public transportation system. But what will happen to the future of general aviation if a Cessna 172 pilot suddenly drops below an assigned altitude and collides with a B-767 over Brooklyn, NY? How much time and money will AOPA have to spend to rectify that public relations problem?

Answer: Whatever they spend will make little difference. As a start, we can say goodbye to ever flying in Class B and C airspace again! Hmmmm . . . . I wonder how many flight schools are located in Class C airspace?

It is a brave, new world out there. Things have to change whether we like it or not.

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