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Sunday, November 20, 2005 Vol. II No. 23
Prepared by Bob Miller, ATP,
MCFI |
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Sunday, November 20, 2005 Vol. II No. 23
Prepared by Bob Miller, ATP,
MCFI |
Welcome to the
Over the Airwaves
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being sent to pilots and aviation enthusiasts around the world.
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Dear Pilots and Aviation Enthusiasts:
While there is likely to be disagreement by general aviation organizations, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced that the pilot profession tied with fishery workers and structural iron and steel workers as the most dangerous profession in 2004! So what makes the pilot profession so dangerous? Is it the environment we work in? Is it the fact that we go fast? Is it because we ride in complex machines? Yes, probably, but these are the obvious risks. These obvious risks account for less than one-quarter of all aviation accidents. What about the hidden risks? These risks include (pardon me) stupidity, arrogance, impulsiveness, poor decision-making ability, and ignorance. These are the risks that contribute to the fact that slightly over 75 percent of all aviation accidents are attributed to pilot factors (read: errors). We've done pretty well controlling the obvious risks. Meteorologists have elevated weather forecasting to a virtual art form. While far from perfect, we now have weather reporting tools both on the ground and in the cockpit that have all but eliminated surprise weather scenarios. Speed? Yes, we go fast. Complex machines? Certainly, but they are well engineered, carefully monitored, machines with built-in redundancy. The GA industry, from the aircraft and avionics manufacturers, to the FAA, and to the FBO, has done a remarkably good job at reducing the obvious risks of flight. That's great news. Now, if we eliminate pilot error as a risk factor, the pilot profession could begin to rival librarians and musicians on the danger scale! Remember . . . 75% of all GA accidents are due hidden risks . . . pilot error! What about those hidden risks? Each of us reading this believe that we do not exhibit stupidity, arrogance, impulsiveness, poor decision-making ability, or ignorance. If that were true, we would have to deny that we are human beings. We have all exhibited each of these unflattering qualities at one time or another in our lives. Our challenge must be to prevent these unflattering human qualities from occurring while piloting an airplane. To accomplish this requires a deep commitment to unyielding self-discipline, unwavering recurrent training, and steadfast personal pride and professionalism. Piloting self-discipline includes obsessive attention to detail. It also includes unwavering recurrent training. This requires taking a biennial flight review (BFR) and an instrument proficiency check (IPC) every year plus active participation in the FAA WINGS program. Personal pride and professionalism also includes refusing to take shortcuts and not tolerating others who do!
Until and unless the Bureau of Labor Statistics' recent findings are proven to be grossly incorrect, we, along with those GA organizations who speak for us, must come clean regarding the dangers we pilots endure. Call a spade a spade, as they say. The sooner we GA pilots believe and act upon these dangers, the sooner we can approach the occupational security of a librarian or musician! The airlines have proven that human beings can safely and reliable fly very fast complex airplanes. They have also demonstrated that airline flight is the safest form of travel ever devised by man. So what about the rest of us pilots? Are we any less capable than our airline brethren? Unfortunately, the accident data suggests that we are far less capable. Could it be that we are being lulled into a false sense of security. Could we be training to a much lower standard of safety? Sadly, yes on both counts! Maybe that explains why 75 percent of all GA accidents are due to pilot error! For the proficient pilot, general aviation is inherently safe. It is just about as safe as being a librarian or a musician. For the rest of us, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, flying is about as risky as being a fishery or structural iron and steel worker.
The following six winter flying risk factors are arranged in reverse order of potential threat to wintertime aviators (least first). Note: This is a non-scientific ordering of risks based upon my experiences only. Your experience may vary! #6 - Frozen Pitot Tube: Small, pointy things and sharp edges of the airplane are generally the first things to freeze up when flying in cold clouds. Easy to prevent with the timely application of pitot heat, those who forget to flip the switch could be wondering what happened to their instruments. Remember, a totally frozen-over pitot tube may cause your airspeed indicator to act like an altimeter. The higher you climb, the faster your airspeed indicator reads! Two things I always do before entering any clouds. The first is check outside temperature (OAT), and second, check vacuum pressure. If the OAT is below 40F, I flip on the Pitot heat switch.
It doesn't happen all that often, but when you slip and fall on an icy ramp, you could be feeling the pain for days or even weeks and months. Extreme care needs to be used when walking to and from your airplane. The worst slipping risk comes from black ice. This results from a thin layer of clear ice covering a black asphalt ramp. #4 - Airframe Icing: This is minimal risk to the VFR-only pilot because he doesn't fly in the clouds where icing can occur. But the IFR pilot can, so this becomes one of our 6 named wintertime flying risks. If you're going to fly in wintertime clouds, you better know what you are doing! Serious airframe icing represents minimal risk to the ice-savvy IFR pilot who knows how to avoid it. #3 - Snow Banks and Wing Tip Damage: While not a particular high risk when operating on large, tower controlled airport ramps, snow banks pose a serious wing tip and propeller damage risk around smaller, non-towered fields having narrow runways and minimal snow removal equipment. Low wing airplane pilots be particularly aware! #2 - Skidding Off Runways and Taxiways: Do you have a sea plane rating? Good, because that will come in handy when taking off and landing on snow and/or ice covered runways and taxiways. The absence of effective braking action requires meticulous use of power to maintain directional and stopping control. Remember, salt is NEVER used on runways or taxiways. So, unless an icy surface has recently been sanded, prepare to slide!!!!!!
This winter risk factor may surprise you, but it kills more pilots than either icing conditions or thunderstorms. Warm air moving over frozen and snow covered terrain is a sure-fire producer of low clouds, fog, and poor visibility. A sudden snow shower can obliterate forward visibility in second! The problem comes when an ice-phobic pilot decides to fly low (scud run) midst rising terrain and obstacles rather than filing an IFR flight plan and properly dealing with the icing risk. Each of these six conditions can ruin a perfectly good wintertime flying day. Remain on your guard for each of these and numerous other wintertime flying risks!
A CFI with a total time of less than 400 hours was attempting to provide crosswind training instruction in a C-152. Reported winds at the time were 200 degrees at 9 knots with gusts to 14 knots Here is a portion of the written statement provided by the instructor to the NTSB:
The NTSB report said that "the airplane bounced a
second time, the left main landing gear wheel entered the grass
along the left side of the runway, which dragged the rest of the
Do you see anything wrong with the CFI's corrective response? Here is a classic "save the landing" reaction scenario that likely leads to more runway accidents than any other factor. It results from an overwhelming desire to put the airplane on the ground when the correct procedure is simply to add power and go around! From the CFI's statement you can see that, instead of applying full power after the student "bounced" the landing, he attempted to "bring us back to the center of runway to know avail." One might argue, of course, that there may not have been sufficient remaining runway to go round. Hmmm . . . had that been the case, why didn't the pilot (student and instructor) execute a go around far sooner when they recognized that they could not touch down on the first one-third of the runway???? If not stabilized for landing on the first one-third of the runway, GO AROUND! Stabilized for landing means having the aircraft fully under control somewhere very close to the runway centerline, with the nose pointing directly down the runway, and airspeed within several knots of Vso (stall speed in the landing configuration as published in the POH). All of this must occur within the first one-third of the runway length. If it is not there, GO AROUND and come back for another try. Is this what the CFI did? Nope! Observation on crosswind training . . .
Even worse, many of these young CFIs were trained at flight schools whose instructional staffs were also aspiring corporate or airline pilots. Ergo, very few emerging CFIs themselves have received serious crosswind training nor are they qualified to give crosswind training to others. Wonder why we have so many landing accidents today??? So where does this leave students or other pilots who need or want crosswind training? Think about it!
Ever wonder what the two most important things in IFR flight are?? Answer: The next two things, whatever they happen to be! On the climb, the next two things might be: (1) level off, and (2) adjusting power for cruise flight. On an instrument approach, the next two things might be: (1) intercepting the glideslope and (2) arriving at the decision height.
According to the NTSB report, the Piper Archer was cleared for the approach and was instructed to maintain 1,800 feet until established on the final approach course. The flight instructor pilot acknowledged his approach clearance, but read back 1,200 feet until established instead of 1,800 as instructed. Had he studied the approach plate, he would have seen that the glideslope intercept altitude was 1,800. This was the first indication that the pilot failed to register the "next two things" in his mind. Had he done so, his first altitude error would have likely been prevented. The radar data showed the airplane crossing the outer marker at a mode C altitude of about 1,200 feet . As indicated above, this was below the 1,800 foot glideslope intercept altitude at the outer marker shown on the approach plate. The airplane remained at 1,200 feet for the next 49 seconds and then began to descend. The last radar return was recorded 1 minute 27 seconds later and showed the airplane at 300 feet, approximately 1/4 mile west of the accident site. The accident occurred approximately 1/2 nautical mile west of the threshold of runway 09. The airplane was approximately 300 feet left of the extended runway centerline when it initially struck trees and then power lines about 50 feet above the ground (agl). The second and final indication that the pilot did not register "the next two things" was when he descended below the published Decision Altitude (DA) and struck trees and power lines just 50' above the ground. The next two things on an instrument approach are CRITICAL!
Yes, additional information is needed to conduct an instrument approach including, for example, correct radio frequencies, setting the omni-bearing selector (OBS), listening to the ATIS, reviewing the missed approach course and holding fix, etc. Each of these tasks become part of "the next two things." The important thing to remember is that these things should be performed in some rational order. If so, there will always be "the next two things." In summary . . .
Here's another sure-fire hangar flying debate sparker. Ask the question, "Should flight students be using an E6B circular slide rule or a hand-held electronic flight calculator to plan their cross-country trips?" Do you want to irritate the old-timers even further, ask "Should flight students be preparing their flight plans by hand or should they be using any of a number of on-line flight planning programs?" Before you take a hard stance on other side of these questions, take the time to at least look at the new technology. I suggest you begin with AOPA's online flight planning program.
There have been a number of new computerized flight planning software programs to appear on the scene since the late 1990's. Each touted various options promising to make the pilot's workload easier. Unfortunately, there was a price tag associated with each along with the need to install cumbersome software disks followed by the installation of periodic updates. My choice for the best all around online flight planning programs today is AOPA's Flight planner. It is a snap to use, is rich with features, it is always current, and it is free! Click HERE to explore its many features! The Electronic Flight Bag
New cockpit technology is coming out faster that we
can keep up with it. The most capable EFBs are able to display
checklists, flight operations manuals, CFRs, minimum equipment
lists, en route navigation and approach charts, airport diagrams,
flight plans, logbooks, and What about handheld GPS units - can I use them on the checkride?? "Will my designated pilot examiner (DPE) permit me to use my handheld GPS on my (private or instrument) checkride?" Answer: In most cases, yes . . . but there is still a hold out of DPEs who continue to live in the last century. Frankly, I stopped sending my students to DPEs who fail to embrace this wonderful technology!
Besides, if we do not encourage GPS technology at the student and primary pilot level, how can we reasonably expect these newer pilots to ever understand and become proficient in TAA (technically advanced aircraft) airplanes down the road??? Mothers (or fathers) and Wives (or husbands) note The holiday season is coming up. If you are looking for a perfect gift for that special pilot in your life, think GPS! Handheld GPS units range in price from $350 to $3,000. Last year, I found a Garmin 296 under my Christmas tree. I've never flown without it since!!!!
Pictured are club members Dr. George Kalonaros (left) and Gary Schlegel (right) putting the finishing touches on this seven hour roasting process. EAA 46 is one of the most active EAA chapters in New York and perhaps in the United States. This is due, in part, to the steadfast leadership of professional photographer, Jim Cavanaugh who, along with his companion officers, gets re-elected year after year. EAA 46 hosts adventurous activities nearly every month. These activities include treks to the Air Force Museum in Dayton and to the Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC., fascinating educational meetings, and of course . . . lots of eating activities! As for EAA 46 growth . . . 80 new members signed on over the past two years! What's the secret, you ask? It's the youth! EAA 46 is attracting more and more young people by keeping programs relevant to today's new and future aviators. Its members include homebuilders, the tube and fabric folks, A&Ps, flight students and instructors, and airline pilots as well as an equal number of spouses and other aviation enthusiasts. The highlight of every year, of course, is the EAA 46 tent compound at Oshkosh where members fly or drive in with motor homes, pop-up trailers, and tents around a large circus tent. Gourmet breakfasts and suppers are always the highlight of this annual event.
Take a minute and visit EAA 46's recently enhanced website by clicking HERE. Web designer, Bill King, did an excellent job with this website!
This subject is best examined from a scenario-based perspective as follows: Scenario One - CAVU (ceiling and visibility unlimited) Conditions: There are several acceptable ways to enter the traffic pattern on clear days. They include making: (1) a 45 degree entry to either the downwind or upwind leg at the traffic pattern altitude; (2) a base leg entry; and (3) a straight in entry assuming you are at least three miles out. The critical element in this scenario is to enter the traffic pattern AT the traffic pattern altitude. Never descend into the traffic pattern! Scenario Two - Poor Visibility Conditions:
The best way to avoid this risk is to perform your airport searching at least 500' to 1,000' above the traffic pattern altitude. This way, if you happen upon the airport, you'll be safely above the pattern to cause any problems. The illustration below depicts this technique. Fly directly over the airport from any direction, then follow the runway in the take-off direction. Upon reaching the runway end, turn 45 degrees to the left (or to the right if it is a right hand pattern). Fly out approximately 2 miles, then make a descending turn left to establish a 45 degree entry to the downwind. Be sure to enter the downwind leg at (not above or below) the published traffic pattern altitude.
Most mid-air collisions occur in or near the airport traffic pattern! Think about the risks one creates by flying down low in search for an airport. In marginal VFR conditions it is possible to fly right through the airport traffic pattern without knowing it! This is why the above described procedure should be followed whenever the visibility is below three to five miles!
Ratings: The first hurdle is the quest for pilot ratings. As a minimum, they must become commercially rated multi-engine, instrument pilots. PIC Time: They must acquire a minimum of 1,000 hours of pilot in command (PIC) time with as much turbine time as they can possibly squeeze in. While this number varies based upon the supply and demand for qualified pilots, the 1,000 hour mark is a good place to start. College Degree: Third, they need a four year college degree . . . in any major! Yes, some are getting in with a two year degree, but those days are vanishing quickly. So how does one go about crossing these hurdles with the least expenditure of time and money? There are multiple ways of crossing these hurdles. Some begin like Greg Barnhard, 15 year old flight student from Orchard Park, NY. Greg began his flight training at age 14. He completed the dual flight training requirements for the pilot pilot certificate at 15, and is waiting to age 16 to solo, then age 17 to take his flight test. While waiting, he's already begun his dual instrument work, then plans to begin his commercial training. It is quite possible that he will take three FAA checkrides on his 17th birthday: (1) Private Pilot; (2) Instrument Pilot; and (3) Commercial Pilot!!!!! Greg will enter the college of his choice with the necessary pilot ratings already completed.
Next, there is Aaron Conley of Akron, NY. Aaron participated in my Akron High School Aviation class, then enrolled in Jamestown (NY) Community College's Professional Piloting Program. He will acquire his Private, Instrument, Commercial, and possibly his Flight Instructor ratings along with academic course work in just two years. He will then transfer as a junior into a four year college where he will complete his academic training.
Which flight and academic training route is best? Starting young is best, in my opinion. Fifteen year old Greg Barnhard has the best options available to him when he enters college. With most of his flight training already completed, he can devote 100 percent of his energies to academics. He can also build valuable flying hours as a flight instructor during summers and holidays. A close second is the military academy route. Jason Geddes will receive a first rate FREE education plus his ratings. He will also log valuable turbine time flying military aircraft during his post graduate time in the military. It is tough to choose between the two-year community college route selected by Aaron Conley and the four-year college route chosen by Katlynn and Andrew. Each has its advantages. The two-year college route is best for student who would like to remain close to home, who would like to receive in-state college aid, and who would like to keep all costs at a minimum. In this regard, Jamestown Community College cannot be beat. It offers a solid academic and flight training program on multiple campuses and highly flexible scheduling. The four-year route also offers advantages. Both Katlynn and Andrew can nestle in at Daniel Webster College, enjoy the traditional campus life, and emerge four years later with both pilot ratings and a Bachelor's Degree. Their overall costs, however, will be substantially higher than Aaron's community college choice. Investigate carefully! None of these students will go wrong. If things go as planned, they will all reach the age of 21 or 22 with the necessary pilot ratings and four-year college degree in hand. A word of caution, however. It takes more than ratings, experience, and academics to make a safe, proficient pilot. It is the quality of training that counts in the end. You can be trained to a minimum standard of proficiency OR you can become a student of flight. It all depends upon the choices you make!
Here's how the NTSB described this scenario . . .
See the problem here? The pilot found himself drifting to the left while preparing to touch down on the runway. Unable to correct the drift, he did the correct thing by adding full power for a go-around. Then he did something terribly wrong! Rather than setting a pitch angle to give him his best rate of climb (Vy) or even best angle of climb (Vx), he apparently pitched the airplane right up into a stall! In other words, the pilot sacrificed airspeed in a vain effort to make the airplane climb on pitch alone. As he reported to the NTSB, this action did not work! Remember, lift increases in proportion to he square of airspeed. For example, when airspeed doubles, lift increases by a factor of four! Stated the other way, lift decreases by a factor of four for each 50% reduction in airspeed. This fact is illustrated by the following formula for lift:
To go up . . . you must first go fast! Rather than pitching aggressively upward, the pilot should have adjusted the pitch angle to give him his aircraft's published Vy speed (or Vx speed if obstacles were present). Remember, pitch (not power) controls airspeed (in most cases)! Once Vy is achieved, the airplane will produce its greatest climb in the shortest time. Had the pilot done this (instead of pitching up into a stall), his aircraft would have climbed predictably well. He could have then come back around for another landing attempt.
Click HERE for a really neat aerobatic video!
If one were to predict the most serious stick and rudder skill deficiency among the majority of all general aviation pilots, it would have to be crosswind takeoffs and landings. It is certainly the most serious deficiency I observe whenever conducting biennial flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and aircraft insurance checkouts.
The answer is simple. We either never learned how to perform them properly or we simply do not get out and practice them as often as we should. The most probable reason is that we never learned crosswind landings in the first place. Therefore we cannot really practice what we never learned! The accident data confirms our reluctance to learn or remain crosswind current! According to the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's 2004 Nall Report, more accidents occur in the landing phase of flight than in any other. Obviously, many of these landing accidents can be attributable to simply poor landing skills - unrelated to crosswinds. But since nearly every landing involves at least some crosswind, we can safely say that crosswinds do play a role in how we maneuver the airplane over the runway.
Clearly, the first step is to engage a crosswind proficient flight instructor and learn the proper control techniques. DO NOT skip this step if you are not crosswind proficient yourself. Next, practice, practice, practice crosswind landings and takeoffs. When conducting flight instruction at tower-controlled fields, I frequently request the least desirable runway from a crosswind perspective. This provides my students with the maximum opportunity to become and maintain crosswind proficiency. Sometimes the least desirable runway exceeds the demonstrated crosswind capability of our airplane. When this occurs, we come down low and track over the runway centerline. If stabilized, we touch down on the upwind main gear. If still stabilized, we allow the other main gear to touch the runway. So far, so good. We then allow the nose (or tail) gear to touch the runway. Still stabilized? Yep . . . we roll safely to the runway exit. If not, power is applied and we go around for another try or to a less wind-challenged runway.
It bears repeating that more accidents occur during landing than any other phase of flight. With 360 points on the compass, the odds are that 99% of all landings will involve some measure of crosswind. Ergo, crosswinds become the complicating factor in nearly every landing. A ray of good news: Landing accidents are seldom fatal. Most generally, damages range from bruised egos to bent wings and propeller strikes. The best way to avoid these nonfatal, but often expensive mishaps is to secure aggressive crosswind training from a qualified instructor. Once you become crosswind proficient, maintain that proficiency by practicing them every opportunity you get. Our dirty little secret . . .
The problem arising from this conservative crosswind training policy is that these same flight schools are producing future flight instructors who, themselves, have little or no crosswind training or experience. Lacking crosswind proficiency, these new instructors are certainly not providing crosswind training to their students. One can easily see why more accidents occur during landing than in any other phase of flight! It is a vicious and very costly cycle of incomplete training. It may also surprise you to know that crosswind proficiency is frequently omitted from the private pilot practical test! If the winds are calm or aligned with the runway, there is no way for the designated pilot examiner (DPE) to assess crosswind takeoff and landing skills. What about you?
If you are a licensed pilot with weak crosswind landing skills, hire a competent flight instructor and become crosswind proficient. Then remain proficient through constant practice and recurrent training.
There are few things more frustrating in the business of aviation than to debate aeronautical principles, rules, and regulations with people who have a black and white view of the world! Try as they will, these fine folks cannot accept the fact that shades of gray apply to most things we do in aviation.
Worse, these "by the book" advocates often set pilots up for errors and accidents that could have been prevented had a more enlightened stance been argued. Why? Because much of what is in "the book" is incomplete, old, and no longer relevant! Does this sound like heresy coming from an FAA certificated flight instructor? To the black and white folks, perhaps yes! Much of the book is incomplete, old, and no longer relevant!
"The book" is also old. There is very little said about TAA (technically advanced aircraft) in the 2005 FAR/AIM. Let's face it, general aviation airplanes and the avionics that guide them are evolving faster than the FAA can ever hope to keep up! As far as relevance is concerned, FAR 91.185 (Lost communications procedures) became largely irrelevant with the advent of wide spread radar coverage. Weather factors kill more pilots than any other single factor, yet you can incorrectly answer every weather related question on the Private Pilot and/or Instrument Pilot Knowledge test and still receive a passing grade!
There was no reason to declare an emergency - which would have exempted from all regulations to solve the problem. We were sort of "between the cracks" and "the book" wasn't offering us much help. Okay, we should not have been up there in the first place . . . so let's blame it on a bum weather forecast! The point here is . . . use your head, work the problem, crank in the risk factors, then come up with a proper course of action based upon sound aeronautical decision-making principles. Don't abandon "the book." Instead, take what you can from your recall of the FAR/AIM, the AC's, and your library of aviation study materials, create your own plan - then execute it. And remember - when caught in a hangar debate about pitch vs. power, the RIGHT answer is . . . power controls altitude and pitch controls airspeed, unless, of course, you are in an air race!
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Lastly,
intellectual honesty is in order!
The
winter winds will soon be blowing here in the northern
climates. And with that comes a whole new set of
risk-assessment factors.
#5
- Slipping and Falling on an Icy Ramp:
#1
- Low Ceilings and Poor Visibility: 
airplane
onto the grass. As the airplane slowed down, the nose wheel
collapsed and the airplane flipped-over on its back."
Many
young CFIs who have career goals of becoming corporate or airline
pilots view the giving of serious crosswind training as a risk they
would rather not incur. As the CFI in this accident scenario
will soon discover, accidents or mishaps of this kind can be a
"career killer." The sheer competition for good flying jobs
leaves those applicants with incidents or accidents in their file at
a serious disadvantage.
Tragically,
the flight instructor of a Florida flight school apparently did not
keep "the next two things" in mind as he, a student,
and a passenger slid down the Fort Pierce Runway 09 ILS approach
course to a fatal crash. Reported weather conditions at the airport
near the time of the accident were overcast ceiling at 100 feet,
surface visibility 5 statute miles in mist, and surface wind from
the west at 7 knots
Two
critical pieces of information that are on any ILS approach are the:
(1) glideslope intercept altitude, and (2) decision altitude.
The flight instructor pilot in this tragic accident apparently did
not have these two critical altitudes ("the next two things")
in mind as he conducted this approach. 
Regardless of what phase of flight
they are, pilots must know "the next two things"
that need to be performed. Continually verbalize
whatever these "next two things" are. My
students are always spring loaded to respond with the correct answer
whenever I say, "Next two things?" 
AOPA's
Online Flight Planning Program - user friendly, comprehensive,
and free!
Given
the way EAA Chapter 46 has been growing these past few years, you'd
think it was on fire! On this particularly day (Saturday, Nov.
12), however, the
fire was coming from beneath the pig on a spit. It was no
particular occasion other than a bunch of members wanting to
celebrate the last waning days of fall around airplanes, hangars,
and the delightful aroma of 100LL.
More mid-air collisions occur in the airport traffic pattern than
in any other phase of flight. Curiously, the FAR/AIM has very
little to say about how best to approach the traffic pattern from
various different directions.
Searching
for a non-towered airport in low visibility conditions can be
wrought with risks, the greatest of which involves inadvertently
busting right through the middle of the pattern. By the time
you discover your misdeed, airplanes already in the pattern scatter
like angry hens.
Anyway
you look at it, high school pilots who would
like to one day work for the airlines or become a corporate jet
jockey have three hurdles to overcome. These are:
Then there is
Jason Geddes from Akron, NY.
Jason completed his private pilot certificate with me while still in
high school. He then entered the U.S. Naval Academy
at Annapolis where he plans to have the military provide him
with the remainder of his ratings. Jason will cross
the ratings and college hurdles simultaneously.
Lastly, there
Katlynn Akin of Akron, NY and
Andrew Smith of Lancaster, NY who began flight training with me
while in high school. Both of these students enrolled in
the Aviation Science program at Daniel Webster College, a four
year institution in New Hampshire. There, they will
complete the pilot ratings and four year college degree all at
the same time.
The importance of knowing one's Vy speed and
when to use it was demonstrated this past May in Arcola, TX by a
Beech Bonanza pilot. Unfortunately, he learned it too
late. The good news he survived to fly another day!
What
is it about crosswind operations that cause us grief?
So
what is the solution?
Tips on Crosswind
Operations:
It
may surprise you to learn that many of our flight schools do
not provide aggressive crosswind instruction. In fact,
many of these schools cancel flight training when the winds,
regardless of their direction relative to available runways,
exceed 15 to 20 knots.
Frequently pointing to the precise wording of
the FAR/AIM, various flight instructional manuals, POH's,
maintenance manuals, and dozens of
official FAA Advisory Circulars (ACs), these black
and white folks, many of whom are flight instructors, quite literally rob we
pilots of our ability to develop and exercise aeronautical
judgment, risk assessment skills, and plain old common sense!
Think about it. "The book" is incomplete.
Al Haynes (photo right), captain of crippled United Flight 232 that crashed in
Sioux City, IA July 19, 1989, proved this point when neither he, his
crew, nor UAL's maintenance base could find any documented
solution to their catastrophic in flight loss of three
independent hydraulic systems. "The book" said their
in-flight problem could not happen! That's the "black
and white" view. The real world says, stuff happens!
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