X	"The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? -- it is the same the angels breathe."                                                   — Mark Twain, ‘Roughing It,’ Chapter XXII, 1886

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Dear Pilots and Aviation Enthusiasts:        

"Acceptable losses" is an ugly term used by military strategists when assessing the cost of securing a battlefield objective.  It speaks directly to the number of fatalities they are willing to accept in return for a defined military gain.

The "acceptable loss" term is also used in aviation and in our nation's space program.  NASA, for example, currently has an acceptable loss rate of zero.  The shuttle program has been kept on hold for the last several years until NASA convinces the Congress that it can continue their missions with zero fatalities. 

Our nation's airlines, too, have a zero acceptable loss rate.  Brought about by enormous public pressure and reinforced by the extensive costs for any fatal accident, the airlines have elevated recurrent flight training to a virtual art form.  To back up their efforts and to insure absolute compliance, the FAA is in their face on every move they make!

How about general aviation?  What is our "acceptable loss rate?"  I figure we're willing to accept somewhere between 500 and 600 GA fatalities a year.  Why?  Because that's what we are currently experiencing.  Sure, we are hearing that this loss rate has been improving somewhat over the last decade - but we're still losing over 500 people every year in general aviation airplanes! 

Where's the Outrage?

In truth, there is none.  The fact that there has been no significant change to FAR 61.109(a) (Aeronautical Experience for the Private Pilot Certificate) since the dawn of regulated flight is evidence of this.  Similarly, FAR 51.56(a) requiring a biennial flight review (BFR) consisting of a minimum of 1 hour of flight and 1 hour of ground training remains similarly unchanged!

Each of these regulations are, indeed, significant because, according to AOPA's Air Safety Foundation, 72.6 percent of ALL fatal GA accidents are attributed to PILOT ERROR!

What is Your Personal "Acceptable Loss Rate?"

We would all like to believe that it "can't" happen to us.  We believe that we are immune from an accident in the sky.  The FAA has even coined a psychological term for this self-serving belief.  They call it "invincibility." 

If your personal "acceptable loss rate" is the same as the GA industry as a whole, you're playing Russian Roulette every time you get into a little airplane.  That's why our insurance rates are soaring.  If you were the product of a flight school or flight instructor that trained you in accordance with FAR 61.109 and brought you up to the minimum Practical Test Standards for your rating, then you can count yourself in the 500 - 600 annual fatality "acceptable loss rate," too.

Adopt a Personal ZERO Acceptable Loss Rate!

The ONLY way you can achieve a zero "acceptable loss rate" is to train exactly the way airline pilots do.  This means engaging in professional level recurrent training provided by a skilled aviation educator EVERY six to twelve months.  Such training requires a minimum of four to eight hours of actual flight training time (unless you have access to a multi-million dollar airline-type full motion flight simulator).

Secure this training only from an individual or flight training facility capable of elevating your pilot skill level to that required of an airline pilot.  Regrettably, the youthful CFI with a couple of hundred of hours in his or her logbook is not the answer here.  Remember, we're looking for a ZERO "acceptable loss rate," not the GA industry rate described above. 

How about the FAA's WINGS program?  This is a good start, but far from the kind of recurrent training required of any pilot seeking a zero "acceptable loss rate."

In Summary . . .

Like military strategists and GA advocacy groups, we GA pilots are willing to accept human losses for the goals and pleasures we achieve and for the freedom we have to climb in our little airplanes, spin circles in the sky, and remain relatively free from burdensome governmental regulation.  Right now, those losses are running between 500 and 600 fatalities in GA airplanes every year! 

And while we may remain comfortable in the faulty belief that this can't happen to us, one thing continues to happen to all of us is . . . skyrocketing insurance costs and the inability to secure insurance at all for many airplanes we'd like to fly.  And the insurance future is looking dimmer.

Your choice . . . GA industry "acceptable loss rate" or zero "acceptable loss rate."

It was just one year ago this week that I published the first issue of "Over the Airwaves."  This first mailing was e-mailed to my flight students and several flying buddies only.  My original intent was simply to reinforce teaching points and to promote local flying activities.

From there, the circulation of "Over the Airwaves" quite literally took off . . .with readers forwarding copies right around the globe!  The magic of cyberspace and principles of exponential expansion increased free subscribership a thousand-fold!  And it continues to grow at a phenomenal rate.

As with any endeavor, an occasional re-examination of one's goals and objectives is always in order.  For me, the focus of "Over the Airwaves" remains unchanged, however.  That is, to promote flight safety, encourage students and new pilots, and to build enthusiasm for aviation in general.

In the process of doing this, I have, admittedly, been a bit outspoken . . . even critical of the general aviation initial and recurrent flight training system (if there is a system)employed today.   I have stepped on the toes of several adherents of the status quo.  These are the folks who, through their own somewhat myopic view of flight training, reinforced by the myopic views of those who likely trained them, resist change and, instead, cling to the old, tried and true ways.  A couple of these fine folks cancelled their subscription to "Over the Airwaves" thereby preserving and reinforcing their myopic views.

Admittedly, many of the old tried and true ways still work.  Also, admittedly, my suggested alternative approaches and suggestions may not always be the best or even the "correct" ways.  We cannot escape the fact, however, that there is (on average) one fatal small plane crash EVERY DAY in the United States.  Tragically, over 70 percent of these crashes are due to pilot error!  The system is broken!

So that's my continued goal with "Over the Airwaves" - to improve flight safety.  In the process, if some are offended, that's okay because discourse and debate is good.  After all, it's only when we stick our proverbial heads in the sand that advancement stops.

Thus I hope to continue publishing "Over the Airwaves" for a long time to come.  And I hope that you, my valued readers, continue to open and circulate each bi-weekly issue to your flying friends.

FAR 91.215 requires that all U.S. registered civil aircraft operating in Class A, B, and C, within 30 miles of Class B, and above 10,000' MSL must be equipped with a transponder with Mode C capability.  Don't worry . . . ATC will let you know if you are not in compliance!

But what about Class G and E Airspace?

Class G and E airspace, below 10,000' MSL is where most GA aircraft operate and . . . unfortunately, many of these aircraft either do not have OR they have not turned on their transponder, or they have not activated their Mode C.

Why bother turning on my transponder when I'm not talking with ATC?

Here are several reasons WHY pilots do not turn on their transponder:

1. "Big Brother" Avoidance:	Pilots exercising this reason have a distrust of authority in general and specifically toward ATC.  Why should I tell these guys anything.  I'm free to fly and do what I want."
2. Preflight Oversight:	These "checklist challenged" pilots simply forgot to turn on the transponder switch, or they didn't twist it all the way over to "alt."
3. Hiding Something:	These are "maverick" pilots who like to swoop either a bit too low or two close to the cloud deck . . . so they keep their altitudes a secret!
4. Insensitivity to Other Pilots:	These arrogant, selfish pilots do not feel compelled to signal their position or altitude to other pilots.
5. "Big Sky Theorists":	These naive pilots believe that the sky is so large that the likelihood of an actual mid-air collision is nil.
6.  No Electrical System:	This is plausible excuse.  Transponders do require electrical power!
7. Cost:	Homebuilders, particularly, like to keep costs down.  If they never plan to operate in Class A, B (in or within 30 miles), C, or above 10,000', they may be inclined to leave a transponder out of the panel.

Having your transponder/Mode C switched on not only saves you and ATC time, it can also save your life!

As you can see from the radar scope image (left), your transponder enhances and attaches critical flight data to your radar return.  In addition to your aircraft type, it reports your altitude and your groundspeed. Compare this to the Primary Target only return in the upper left corner of the image.

ATC requires this information to safely separate traffic.  Without it, the controller has no clue of what the primary target only on his scope may be . . . a jet, a J-3 Cub, or a flock of birds, nor does he have a clue as to altitude.    Thus, the controller has no choice but to report the primary only target to all passing IFR and VFR aircraft receiving flight following services regardless of their altitude.  This not only keeps the controller busy, it also keeps everybody's head turning.

Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS):  TCAS systems on board airliners, corporate jets, and smaller less expensive versions on growing numbers of GA aircraft are able to "see" only those aircraft with operating transponders.  If your is not operating, they can't see you!

Do us ALL a favor . . .

If your aircraft is equipped with an operable transponder, turn it ON with Mode C anywhere you fly!You will not only be safer . . . you will enhance flight safety all around.

This little article should be titled, "Putting the Fun Back into Flight Training!"  Any student pilot who has spent more than several hours in the practice area and/or in doing takeoffs and landings on big concrete runways knows how BORING flight training can be.

It is this BORING part that could be a major factor in why nearly 50 percent of all first time student pilots quit flight training before reaching the checkride stage. 

Learning from Others' Mistakes . . .

When asked where I find flight students to teach, I always give the same answer.  "Most of my students come to me following a disappointing experience they had with another flight instructor or nearby flight school!" 

When asked about their disappointing experience, their response is nearly always the same.  They didn't enjoy the process!  It wasn't fun!  They typically say, "My lessons were always short, generally just one hour or so, always in the same practice area, then my instructor ran on to his or her next student."

I've inherited numerous students who had 30 or 40 hours of flight training but who had never flown beyond the local practice area and his or her home base airport!  I've taken on instrument students who NEVER landed on grass before!  As for crosswind training, forget it.  Most say they never, ever approached the demonstrated crosswind capability of their training airplane!    None . . . and I mean none have ever flown to a nearby destination and had a working breakfast, lunch, or dinner with their instructor!

What's a matter with these instructors?  Don't they eat?  Don't they "like" their students?

It's time to put the FUN back in flight training!

My typical first flight with a new student involves a short (40 mile) flight to Dansville, NY.  Enroute we discuss and perform the four fundamentals of flight.  I introduce the artful technique of trimming.  We land, then walk about 100 yards to a McDonald's Restaurant, have a leisurely meal and discuss WHY he or she wants to learn to fly.  Boring stuff like lift, drag, weight, and thrust are sneaked into the conversation as softly as dew dripping from the windscreen on an early June morning.

The next lesson typically involves an even longer cross country flight where the fundamentals of flight are nailed down.  Constant speed and rate climbs, descents, and turns to assigned headings are performed with power and rudder only.  The student learns to "trim" the airplane at pre-defined power settings.  Fine altitude adjustments are made with power adjustments.  By the end of this second session, they are able to maintain heading, altitude, and airspeed to commercial pilot standards.

If clouds or obscured visibility gets in the way, we ignore it (with an instrument clearance, of course).  In fact, I go looking for IFR weather to conduct these early training sessions.  The goal is for the student to become one with the airplane . . . without worrying what's going on outside the airplane!

Grass Landing Made Fun!

We operate off the grass every chance we get . . . right from Day One.  Why wait until the end of the course to teach short/soft field operations?  Once the student masters these specialty takeoffs and landings on the bumpy grass,  runway operations become a cinch to learn.  Besides, they're fun to do . . . and they are much easier on the tires!

Bottom Line . . . make learning to fly fun! 

Few things cause greater consternation to the low time private or instrument pilot than his or her efforts to configure the airplane for hands-free flight.  He knows that if he trims the airplane up, it will fly up.  Conversely, he knows if he trims down, the airplane will fly down.

So why does it take him 10 or 15 minutes in level flight to trim for hands-off flight?

Answer:  Accelerating or decelerating airplanes CANNOT be trimmed!

Here's the typical scenario.  When leveling off following a climb, the pilot reduces power and presses forward on the yoke.  He then trims the nose downward as the airplane begins to accelerate into level flight.  Pressure on the yoke is temporarily relieved.  Meanwhile, the airspeed stabilizes.  As it does so, the nose begins to drop and the pilot begins trimming up.  This causes the airplane to pitch up.  As it does, the airplane slows, and the pilot adds more up trim.  The pilot then adds power and trims down to stop the climb.

And so it goes as the airplane drifts up and down while the pilot uses the trim wheel in a futile attempt to achieve level flight. 

The Solution . . .

Rule #1:  Don't use the trim wheel to change altitude!

Rule #2:  Think of the trim wheel as a yoke pressure reliever only!

Without going into a deep discussion of aerodynamics, the trim tab, located on the rear end of the elevator, effectively changes the shape of the airplane.  It is this shape that determines how fast the airplane will fly through the air . . . regardless of power setting! 

The best way to set trim is to use desired power setting and yoke pressure to establish the desired airspeed in steady state, straight and level flight.  This is CRITICAL!   DO NOT touch the trim wheel until the speed has stabilized. 

Once the speed HAS stabilized, move the trim wheel in the direction that relieves ALL yoke pressure.  When done properly, steady state, straight and level flight with NO HANDS on the yoke will be possible!

Learning to communicate effectively with ATC is one of the most important things we as pilots must do.  After all, it is ATC that keeps us separated from other aircraft in the busy airspace we operate in.  Remember, ATC is a second or third member of our cockpit crew. 

Thus, in order for ATC to perform their jobs well, we must perform ours equally well.  This means keeping them informed about the progress of our flight.  The table below lists the various ATC reports we must issue.  Notice that several of these reports vary depending upon whether or not we are in a radar environment.

"Stand by" are two simple words that air traffic controllers use any time their immediate workload prevents them from responding to a pilot's request.  They are perfectly acceptable words that reflect the fact that people cannot be expected to do two things at once.

Unfortunately, many pilots do not use these two words themselves.  If ATC calls, I've seen pilots turn their attention from flying the airplane to pressing the mike button and responding in almost subservient fashion. 

Such may have been the case when a low time instrument pilot of a Commander 114TC was making a low IFR approach to the Hutchinson Municipal Airport in Kansas.

The Guy was busy!

Any instrument pilot knows that shooting an ILS to minimums is the most demanding of all routine pilot operations.  Instrument pilots who are also board certified thoracic surgeons have reported that they are processing more information faster when on an instrument approach to minimums they do when they are conducting an open chest procedure!

So what happened to the Commander pilot:  The radar track showed that he was having difficulty with the approach.  The worst part showed that he was well below below the DH (decision height).  The pilot called the tower and reported that he was "going missed."  The controller responded immediately, saying "I take it you didn't get the runway lights or anything else at all."  The pilot responded, "Right over the runway now.  I just got them too late."

The conversation continued . . .

The pilot was instructed to switch to approach control.  The controller asked what the pilot intended to do.  "What's the weather look like in Wichita right now," replied the pilot?

Tragically, the pilot crashed off the left side of the runway.

Priorities . . . the LAST thing we should be doing when executing a missed approach is talking with the controller!

"Aviate, navigate, communicate" is a mantra drummed into the head of every pilot from first instructional flight to the ATP checkride.  Fly the airplane, first . . . get it under control and headed in the desired direction, then talk with ATC.  Once cleared for the approach, no further communication with ATC is necessary until either canceling the approach clearance or until properly stabilized on the missed approach course.

The Commander pilot apparently didn't do this.  He kept right on talking with ATC all the way down to the crash site.

"Stalling in a skid with even a little power applied is an invitation for an airplane to spin."                                               -- Rod Machado, AOPA PILOT, June, 2005.

The four fatal enemies of a pilot are: (1) thunderstorms, (2) airframe icing, (3)mid-air collisions, and (4) stall/spins close to the ground.  The first three are largely avoidable by looking out the window.  The fourth, stall/spins, are not as easily prevented.   

Sadly, it's the fourth enemy that student pilots typically receive the poorest (if any) training.  Instead, pilots are taught, "If you don't stall, you won't spin."   Then these students are taken out to the practice area where they are taught to recognize a variety of stalls, e.g., power on, power off, cross-control, etc.  The CFI dutifully allows the aircraft pitch to reach the critical angle of attack.  The buffeting is felt, and the stall recovery technique is quickly administered.  The student repeats the same maneuver repeatedly until the CFI is satisfied that he is able to recognize and properly recover from a stall (per the Private Pilot PTS).

Nowhere in that training scenario is the student taught how to prevent a spin.   Worse, should a spin actually occur, he is not taught how to properly recover from it! 

As Rod Machado points out (see quote above), most CFIs believe that the application of excessive rudder to correct a base turn to final overshoot causes stall/spin accidents.  Instead, he says, the stall/spin really results from an excessive bank angle with appropriate left rudder pressure applied.  The excessive bank angle causes a loss of altitude which the pilot corrects with more power, additional back pressure on the yoke, and a reduction in bank angle.  Meanwhile, the appropriate left rudder pressure remains unchanged.

See the nasty picture developing?  The simultaneous application of power and the pitching up causes all four left turn tendencies to suddenly increase.  With the airplane now seriously yawed to the left, the hapless student continues to pitch up and apply right aileron to correct the overbanking!  Moving low and slow, the excessively yawed airplane stalls and spins.  The newspapers report the result in the morning.

So how do we correct this mis-directed training?

We do this by replicating the base-to-final overshoot scenario at or above 4,000' AGL.  The CFI simulates the overshoot and deliberately applies the control inputs that result in a stall/spin.  First, he slows the airplane to approach speed.  Next, he simulates the base-to-final overshoot, then he applies modest (proper) left rudder pressure and somewhat excessive left bank.  Noting the altitude loss from excessive left bank, he holds the same left rudder pressure in, adds power, pitches up, and applies right aileron to reduce the bank.

When simulated properly, the student's eyes will bug wide open as his left wing falls out from under him and his windscreen becomes filled with twirling brown fields, trees, and green grass.  The vision he sees will be lasting! 

But the training job is not yet done!

The next step is to demonstrate the proper spin recovery technique before the airplane completes one full turn.  [Remember, certified GA aircraft must be able to recover from the first turn of an incipient spin.  Check your POH before attempting this maneuver.] 

The proper spin recovery technique is to (1) Power - off; (2) Ailerons -  neutral; (3) Rudder - opposite the direction of turn, and (4) Elevator - through neutral (push forward in this case).   Think "PARE."  This "PARE" technique was developed by aerobatic pilot and instructor, Rich Stowell.

In Summary . . .

We've got to stop using the word "DON'T" in the flight instruction process.  Instead, all pilots must learn and understand the aerodynamic results of various control inputs.  When taught at a safe altitude by a proficient instructor, pilots learn the true importance of such things as "coordinated" flight, critical angle of attack, and proper recovery technique from virtually any flight attitude.

I'm reminded of the time I visited my doctor with a complaint that my arm hurt every time I tried to scratch the back of my head.  His cure was simple . . . . he said, "Then don't try to scratch the back of your head!"

Sound ridiculous?  The doctor's response was no more ridiculous than when a CFI says, "If you want to prevent a spin, don't stall!" 

 

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