Sunday,
June 17, 2007 Vol. IV No.
12 |
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Welcome
to the
Over the
Airwaves
aviation journal. This complimentary bi-weekly e-mailing
is being sent to pilots and aviation enthusiasts around the
world. Its aim
is to promote
flight safety, encourage students and new pilots, and to build
enthusiasm for aviation in general.
Fuelish Issues ! ! What is it about human nature that tempts us to play guessing games with the amount of fuel we carry? What is it about the complexity of aircraft fuel systems that prevent us from periodically switching fuel tanks? Fuel exhaustion (running out of fuel) and fuel starvation (forgetting to switch tanks) are likely responsible for killing more GA pilots and their passengers than any other factor but weather. We know it, we understand it, yet we continue to overlook the role of fuel in keeping our engine(s) running. We takeoff without eyeballing the fuel tanks. We put our faith in the fuel gauges. We motor on endlessly without switching fuel tanks. We fail to consider the effects of headwinds when considering the range of our airplanes. When no more fuel reaches the engine, it stops running!
The new owner, an architect with 440 hours total time, hired a 15,000 hour CFII who held an ATP certificate with a multiengine rating and type ratings in the Cessna CE-500, Hawker Siddeley HS-125, LR-Jet (Learjet), and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI-Jet). Well qualified? You bet! This CFII had to be good! Let's go flying . . . On this particular day, the line serviceman pulled the airplane out of its hangar. Knowing that the pilots were en route to the airport, he visually checked the fuel tanks as a courtesy. He found them to be "half full." He offered to refuel the airplane but the pilots refused, saying they had sufficient fuel. They launched, flew 1.25 hours to another airport and made two full-stop landings. Shortly thereafter, witnesses heard the engine "sputtering and coughing." The Bonanza descended into a residential neighborhood and struck a parked truck. The aircraft then cartwheeled, exploded, and spun clockwise, coming to rest on its belly facing a truck. Both the airplane and the truck were consumed in flames. According to the NTSB report, both deaths were attributed to "multi-system trauma with 100 percent total body burn." What happened?
It goes without saying that these two guys did not have to die. They were flying a perfectly good airplane. Crash investigators found no defects in the fuel selector valve system. They simply ignored their fuel situation. There is no training we can give to pilots that would have prevented this accident. The logic of managing fuel is too simple. Like lowering the gear prior to landing, ensuring our engine has fuel just makes sense. It's not rocket science. It does not require a Ph.D. in mathematics. Duh . . . . no gas, no engine!
First, two souls were lost. Families will grieve for the rest of their lives. Next, the public's perception of GA flight safety takes another major hit. Insurance rates for ALL of us will go up. Law suits will wipe out personal estates. Sadly, the consequences are all bad. Not surprisingly, our large GA membership organizations will not be publicizing this tragic accident or any of the other 30 fatal GA accidents that occurred during the same month. Sure . . . it's bad for business. It's not the kind of thing that builds membership. Let's not forget that membership translates to dollars and dollars translate to salaries. Membership translates to political muscle. Membership is good. Fatal crashes are bad. Are we surprised? So where do go from here? If you were moved by the recounting of this tragic accident, imagine if every certificated GA pilot read it. Would we all think twice about our own fuel issues before our next flight? No, AOPA nor EAA are not going to get word of this tragic event out to their GA memberships. Again, its bad for business. This leaves you and me. We must work together to ensure that every GA pilot hears about tragic crashes like this. Then, perhaps we will all think twice about fuel and related flight safety issues. When this happens, these regrettable human failures will begin to diminish!
Online Thunderstorm Course
Aviation, too, has its sub-specialties. Some of us are particularly good at aerobatics. Others specialize in flying helicopters or sailplanes. Some, like me, like to teach others how to become more proficient pilots. There is one aviation specialty with which that ALL pilots should become particularly skilled. This specialty is meteorology. We ALL need to become weather-savvy pilots. Given the fact that more GA fatalities are caused by weather than any other risk factor, it makes sense that each of us specialize in the study of weather and its impact upon our flight operations. Thunderstorms - Summer's Weapon! There is no question that thunderstorms and airplanes do not mix. In most cases, thunderstorms are easy to spot and even easier to avoid. Onboard weather depiction equipment including live radar, uplinked NEXRAD displays, and spherics (strikefinders/stormscopes) make it even easier to "see" thunderstorms from safe distances while aloft. Nonetheless, we pilots manage to get ourselves caught up in these meteorological beasts. Recall famed aviator, Scott Crossfield (first man to fly twice the speed of sound) who suffered a suspected thunderstorm encounter and crashed while piloting his Cessna 210 over Georgia on April 19, 2006. Thus an in-depth review of thunderstorm development is a good place for any pilot to begin their specialized study of meteorology!
And a good place to begin this study is to click HERE. Stress vs. Performance We have all heard the term, "frozen in fear." Some of us have actually experienced this sensation. While the causes are different, the results are nearly always the same. Our brain effectively locks up just like our computers sometimes do. As the chart below illustrates, experiencing some stress in the cockpit is a GOOD thing. Stress keeps us focused on the tasks at hand. Taking off or landing in a stiff crosswind or encountering moderate turbulence causes a measured amount of adrenalin to flow in our human system. We rise to the challenge. This is good.
This works up to a certain point, however. Beyond this point, increasing stress levels caused by greater complexity of the task and/or heightened perceived threat works against our performance capability. This, of course, is bad. Reducing task complexity and perceived risk rather than stress . . .
We pilots know, of course, that tranquilizers and alcohol have no place in or near the cockpit. So how do we respond to stress when aloft? The answer is, we cannot! Stress is a physiological event just like our beating hearts. Thus, controlling stress is NOT an option. But controlling task complexity and perceived risk IS an option! Take landing in a stiff crosswind, for example. We dial up the ATIS. It says that the winds are blowing directly across the runway at 18 knots with gusts to 25 knots. Our passengers are anxious to get on the ground. For some pilots, this is a non-event. They simply bank their airplane into the wind, control heading with rudder, touch down on the upwind main gear first, then roll out on the center of the runway.
Here's another example. We tune in the ATIS. Contrary to the forecast, the visibility is down to 1/4 mile and the ceiling is 200 feet. Again, for proficient instrument pilots, no big deal. For others, this ATIS information causes their stomach to churn. Their hands begin to jitter. Their life begins to pass before their eyes. They desperately wish they were on the ground (or regret that they launched in the first place). What's the difference between the pilots in each of these examples? Is one better than the other at dealing with stress? Is one on Valium or a nip of Jack Daniels and the other isn't? The difference is SKILL, not stress management! Pilots skilled in crosswind and IFR landings to minimums view these events as simple or routine tasks. Referring back to the chart above, we see that stress has very little adverse impact on their ability to perform them. On the other hand, pilots who are not accustomed to landing in stiff crosswinds or to IFR minimums view these events as complex tasks or even emergencies. Another look at the chart above illustrates that the performance of these pilots could drop right to zero when accompanied with even minimal stress . . . with serious or even fatal consequences.
This pilot was also faced with making an emergency landing in IFR conditions. Again, no big deal to some. Other instrument rated pilots, however, are still fearful of low IFR. How did this guy respond to his emergency? Were the required actions too complex? Tragically, he and two passengers died when the airplane stalled and spun-in on the missed approach. Curiously, the day before this fatal accident, another twin lost an engine over this same airport in IFR conditions. He landed safely. What was the difference in these two accident scenarios? What WAS the difference? The difference between these two events can be reduced to one basic factor. For one pilot, it was another day at the office. For the other, an engine-out landing in IFR was viewed as complex task. When combined with increasing levels of stress, the first guy's performance level was not affected. He landed safety. Tragically, the second guy's performance level dropped to zero . . . and you know the rest. Learning point . . .
When we are proficient, crosswind landings, engine-out events, and approaches to IFR minimums are simply non-events! We learn them, we practice them, and then we practice them again. We repeat these and every other possible scenario so often that they are no longer complex tasks. They become second nature to us. Sure, stress occurs when they happen for real, but as the chart above shows, our performance level is largely unchanged. Difficulty Tracking the Glideslope? Think Winds! Contrary to logic, wind direction and speed changes with altitude. Nowhere is this as evident as it is on the ILS. We spend valuable minutes getting established on the localizer with glideslope needle centered when passing over the outer marker. Then something goes awry inside the marker. The glideslope needle suddenly rises or falls, oftentimes reaching full scale with no change in our pitch or power. What happened? Wind happened! The wind direction sheared from a tailwind to a headwind or from a headwind to tailwind. Our airplane responded accordingly as seen in the illustrations below:
Be wind aware! As with any phase of flight, being aware of wind speed and direction can make a big difference in our ability to keep the needles centered. Unfortunately, the last ATIS recording may not provide us with an accurate picture of winds. Similarly, the tower's reporting of winds tells us only what's happening on the airport surface. The worse kind of wind direction change is windshear. Often occurring in the presence of nearby thunderstorm, a windshear produces a sudden change in wind direction. The most hazardous form of windshear comes in the form of a microburst, which can produce downdrafts of 6,000 feet per minute and gain and loss of airspeed of up to 45 knots while on final. Our aim, of course, is to know what the winds are doing from the final approach fix inbound to the runway. Know that and we'll nail the approach! Don't forget rising and sinking air . . . As every sailplane pilot knows, surface variations can exert strong influences on lift (and sink). If the final approach course takes us over land AND water, tracking the glideslope can be an even greater challenge as illustrated below.
Simulator aficionados - Beware! While GA flight simulators offer many benefits to pilots and students learning IFR procedures, the effects of changing winds (with altitude) and rising and sinking air, as shown above, cannot be simulated in all but the most sophisticated simulators. F-15 Mid-Air Collision - Pilot Lands Safely Sans Wing ! !
Cirrus pilots . . . pay close note to what you can do before pulling the chute! Click HERE.Thanks to OTA reader Ron Grimm of Buffalo, NY for passing this video along. Know Your Stall Speeds!!!!
It was to be an enjoyable flight this past December at the Taylorsville Airport in North Carolina. The weather was pleasant with sunny skies and calm winds. The owner of a Rans S-6S wanted to show his friend just how quiet his airplane was, so they climbed aboard for a quick trip around the pattern. Then he lost it . . . After several passes over the runway, witnesses observed the airplane climbing slowly over the trees at the departure end of the runway. It then made a "sharp left turn." The nose of the airplane was observed to pitch down about 45-degrees and an increase in engine power was heard. The airplane disappeared from view below the tree line, and an impact sound was heard.Examination of the airframe,
engine assembly, and flight controls revealed no
evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or
malfunction.
What happened? Clearly, neither the pilot nor the passenger can tell us precisely what went wrong on that December afternoon. They both died in the crash. It is apparent, however, that the airplane stalled then began the first turn of a spin before it impacted the ground. Perhaps the pilot applied less than full takeoff power to demonstrate how REALLY quiet the Rans S-6S is. His failing to note his dangerously slow airspeed and high pitch angle, coupled with improper rudder application, may have been the ingredients of a fatal stall/spin. As in so many similar tragedies, the airplane simply stopped flying BEFORE it struck the ground! And it stopped flying because the pilot failed to maintain minimum controllable airspeed (MCA). As every pilot SHOULD know, the pitch angle must be increased as airspeed is decreased to maintain level flight. In the case of the Rans S-6S, the angle of attack reaches the critical angle just as the airspeed drops below 36MPH (with full flaps) in straight and level flight.
What some pilots do not realize that this stalling airspeed INCREASES as the bank angle increases. This relationship between airspeed and bank angle is easily observed in the chart (left). Note, for example, that a normal gear and flaps up stalling speed of 54 knots in level flight increases to 81 knots in a 60 degree bank with gear and flaps down. This relationship between bank angle and stalling speed carries through with all aircraft. It was this relationship that likely caught the Rans pilot off-guard! Airspeed is KING!!! Airplanes are unique in that they must be moving through the air at a minimum specified speed for them to function properly. Drop below this speed in level flight, they simply stop flying . . . and people often die. We need to always keep in mind that airspeed is king. We need to know our stall speed in any landing gear/flap configuration and at any specified bank angle. Do you know yours???? Try constructing the above table for your favorite airplane. Climb to a safe altitude, then identify and record your stall speed in each of the configurations shown in the above table. The results just might surprise you!
Distracted? Fly the airplane!!!!
It continues to happen week after week after week. A door pops open in flight. The startled pilot grabs the door, tugs, and struggles with the latching mechanism all while his or her airplane flight attitude is ignored! Such was the case for this 1,400 hour, instrument rated, Beech Sierra pilot who experienced a door popping open just after liftoff last July from the Norfolk, VA International Airport. Along with him was another passenger and two dogs. The pilot called the tower and said, "I need to come around and land again...I got a door open." The tower controller then instructed the pilot to turn left and enter the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for Runway 32. He then asked the pilot if he was able to make a short approach. The pilot said he could. The controller then cleared the pilot to land on Runway 32. A few moments later, the tower controller advised the pilot to extend the downwind leg due to traffic on final approach, and that the tower would inform him when he could turn onto the base leg. The controller then instructed the pilot to turn onto the base leg. The pilot acknowledged. This was the last radio communication received from the pilot. The radar track and witness statement . . .
It also revealed that its ground speed decreased to 70 knots. When the airplane was about one-mile beyond the end of the runway, another left turn was initiated toward the northeast before the radar data ended. A witness reported looking up and seeing the airplane flying "very slow" about 20-feet-high above the tree line. The witness said that it was shaking and it sounded like it was losing power. He was provided with a model airplane and was asked to demonstrate the flight attitude of the airplane. The witness demonstrated that the airplane
had a slightly nose-high attitude and was in a shallow left
hand turn. The airplane was shaking violently. The witness
then maneuvered the model airplane so it simultaneously
rolled rapidly to the left (inverted) and the nose of the
airplane dropped toward the ground. The witness
further stated that he lost sight of the airplane as it
descended into the trees. The airplane came to rest in the inverted position in the backyard of a private residence. The initial impact point was a stand of approximately 70-foot-high trees. The area around the wreckage was permeated with the odor of aviation gasoline. Examination of the flap actuator revealed the flaps were fully retracted. The landing gear was also found in the retracted position. Examination of both the left and right cabin windows at the accident site revealed that the Cabin Door Latching Warning placard was not installed on either window as directed in the Service Bulletin. The pilot, passenger, and both dogs died in the crash.
What would you have done? While clearly a surprise to the pilot (and passengers), a suddenly opened cabin door is typically NOT an emergency. Depending upon the aircraft make/model, most open doors simply hang in a slightly open position. However, in this tragic accident, the presence in the cabin of another passenger and two dogs could complicate the problem. The sudden sound of rushing wind and the sense of pending doom could result in the passenger and possibly even the dogs exhibiting a panic attack. Should that occur, all bets are off. A routine distraction could instantly turn into a full-blown emergency. If this is what really occurred, then a different course of action would be required by the pilot. He or she would instantly declare an emergency and report his intent to initiate an immediate return to the airport. Rather than being directed around the pattern as the tower controller did in this accident, the tower controller would have replied with a simple clearance as follows: "November 1-2-3-4, you are cleared to land any runway, the airport is yours. Say souls on board. The equipment will be waiting." Remember, under FAR 91.3 the pilot is the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft.
In summary, as with all fatal
accidents, we'll never know precisely what was going
through the pilot's mind during the final minutes of
the flight.
Something was not performed properly. Had the pilot elected to ignore the door problem and simply flown the airplane back to the ground, the outcome would have likely been different. If, in fact, a true emergency existed, then the pilot should have returned immediately to the airport and the tower controller should have facilitated that safe return by clearing the airspace accordingly. The fatal results of this incident should never have occurred. Become Your Own Flight Service Specialist! We aviators are a resourceful lot. If necessary, we'll fly over, under, around, or through to get to our destination. With Flight Service Stations (FSS) still in disarray, we have little choice but to become our own FSS specialists.
Lots of Options . . . Fortunately, we have lots of options. One option, of course, is to scroll to the top of this page and click on the Pre-flight Briefing in the banner section. This link, which appears in every OTA issue, will bring you to lots of pre-flight planning websites.You can also log onto either of two excellent sites to obtain FAA approved pre-flight briefings. One such site is DTC DUAT. The other is CSC DUATS. Each of these sites enable you to obtain an FAA approved online briefing and file a flight plan. Explore each to see which you prefer. Keep in mind that the federal contract for each of these sites expires this September. Rumor has it that Lockheed Martin will be bidding on taking over this online service. Hmmmm . . . .
You can get to this site by clicking HERE. You'll need to download a file to make this site work but it is well worth the effort. Try it . . . you'll like it!
Aero-News.Net Features Over the Airwaves in Podcast
I was pleased to participate in a podcast hosted by Paul Plack of Aero-News Net this past week. The topics discussed included how and why Over the Airwaves got started, its readership, its philosophy, and my thoughts on the Light Sport pilot program.You can hear this 15 minute interview by clicking HERE. By the way, Aero-News Net is a FREE daily online publication that is packed with aviation related news. It is the first thing I read every morning. You can log on to Aero-News Net and subscribe for your free subscription by clicking HERE. SIGMETS vs. Convective SIGMETS
Well . . . . from a practical standpoint, they are. Don't go there! They speak of very bad weather news. In truth, however, they are different in what they portend. Take a look at the following definitions of each: SIGMETS: SIGMETs (WSs) are in-flight advisories concerning non-convective weather that is potentially hazardous to all aircraft. They report weather forecasts that include severe icing not associated with thunderstorms, severe or extreme turbulence or clear air turbulence (CAT) not associated with thunderstorms, dust storms or sandstorms that lower surface or in-flight visibilities to below 3 miles, and volcanic ash. SIGMETs are unscheduled forecasts that are valid for 4 hours, but if the SIGMET relates to hurricanes, it is valid for 6 hours. Convective SIGMETS: Convective SIGMETs are issued for severe thunderstorms with surface winds greater than 50 knots, hail at the surface greater than or equal to 3/4 inch in diameter, or tornadoes. They are also issued to advise pilots of embedded thunderstorms, lines of thunderstorms, or thunderstorms with heavy or greater precipitation that affect 40 percent or more of a 3,000 square foot or greater region. Convective SIGMETs are issued at 55
minutes past the hour, but special reports can be issued
during the interim for any reason. Each forecast is valid
for 2 hours. If no hazardous weather exists, the
Convective Reading a Convective SIGMET . . .
Translated:
Donations needed to spread the OTA flight safety message around the globe!! If you found Over the Airwaves helpful to you personally and/or beneficial to general aviation and would like to support its continued publication, please consider making a donation to the effort. Simply click on the button below to access a secure link through which donations can be made. Or you can send a check to Bob Miller at 124 Delaware Street, Tonawanda, NY 14150. Your donations are used exclusively in the preparation, advancement, and promotion of Over the Airwaves to and for pilots all over the globe.
Beware of Spinning Propellers ! !
Why??? Other than unlikely deliberate suicide by spinning propeller, it's difficult to imagine what state of mind this pilot/passenger had to be in to allow himself to die in such a grotesque fashion. He was obviously anxious to exit the aircraft. Was he looking to get out to grab a smoke? Did he need to get to a lav? Was he late for dinner? We'll never know. Let this be a lesson . . .
The lesson is simple. Do not permit passengers to enter or exit your airplane while the engine is running. As improbable as it might sound, people walk into spinning propellers more often than we might think! We need to be especially vigilant when dogs are permitted to roam freely on the ramp. The curious reflections of a spinning propeller often attract dogs (and children). Tragedy results. Taking the Guesswork Out of Performance Planning! Some of us like to kick the tires, light the fires and launch with little or no advance planning. After all, we know where the best airport restaurants are located and we know how to get there. But what about those of us who are planning a five hour trek across four states? Do we know precisely what we can expect out of our aircraft? Do we know the very best altitudes and power settings to use for best economy? Can we get there without a fuel stop? Primary students planning cross-country flights? Primary pilots . . . what TAS (True Airspeed) do you use when completing your flight planning forms? Reference to the sample table below reveals that TAS's can vary as much as 34 knots depending upon power settings and altitudes flown at. Similarly, fuel burn rates can vary by as much as 3.7 gallons/hour, again depending upon power settings and altitudes flown.
Proficient pilots know precisely what true airspeeds they should be getting by power settings used and altitudes flown. No guess work here. Try it yourself. Compare the results you are getting with your POH suggests you should be experiencing.
Compare the following two scenarios:
Scenario I, of course, is another walk in the park. We've been down this final approach course a dozen times. We're well rested and confident. This instrument flying stuff is easy. We're ready for the check ride, right?
What do we do? Hmmmm . . . . we never experienced this situation before. Our mind is beginning to race. We fumble through our approach plate book for approaches at our destination. What is the weather there? What runways do they have? We may have just one shot at this one. That is, of course, if we can get through to ATC and obtain our required clearance. It's dark in the cockpit. Our lighting is poor. Where's the flashlight? And so goes the REAL world of IFR flight. No simulations here. No begging the CFII sitting beside us for help. We perform or we . . . . well, let's just say our outcome could find itself in the NTSB record! Flight training versus reality!
Regrettably, that's how most of our flight training community view their training goals. They proudly post the names of each student who passed their check ride. A better, safer way . . . . What would our training curriculum look like IF our goal was, instead, to reduce our abhorrent fatal accident rate? Would we continue to take off and land at the same couple airports over and over again. Would we practice the same few instrument approaches until their intricacies are burned into our students' memory cells? Would we banish our students to the simulator every time the weather goes IMC or when the surface winds kick up to 15 to 20 knots? Clearly, we would not! Instead, we would venture out into the real national airspace system to distant airports. We would accept more challenging weather. Our navigation would be far more challenging. No whimps allowed here . . . Sure, each training session takes longer, but the lessons learned along the way would be priceless. Every session would include surprise diversions, failed instrument systems, and unique navigational challenges.
In summary, there are two ways to learn to fly. The first is to become sufficiently skilled to pass the check ride and secure your certificate. The second way is to learn to fly safely, enjoy the process, engage in neat dining, and NOT become one of general aviation's daily fatal accident statistics.
Simple choice . . .
and that choice is yours! Fly safe,
Bob
Miller, ATP, CFII Upcoming ! ! Saturday, June 23 - 7pm to 10pm . . . Western NY and Southern Ontario OTA readers . . . set aside this coming Saturday night, June 23rd, 7pm to 10pm, for a SUMMER BASH at the Buckin' Buffalo Saloon in downtown Buffalo, NY.Our host, helicopter and Cirrus SR22 pilot Mark Croce, will be serving up the best FREE buffet and drinks in town exclusively for OTA readers, employees of Prior Aviation Services, and the Buffalo Air Traffic Control facilities. Join in the fun . . . meet your fellow pilots . . . and the controllers that help to keep things sorted out aloft! Fly or drive . . . this promises to be a memorable event!
Supporting OTA Sponsors
APS Emergency Maneuver Training specializes in upset recovery training, stall/spin awareness, aerobatics and spin recovery training.
Over the Airwaves welcomes the FAA Production Studios in Lakeland, FL as its latest supporting sponsor. Click on its logo above to bring you to its website.
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Take
the case of a proud new owner of a turbocharged Beech
Bonanza A36. As required by his insurance company,
he had to log 15 hours of dual instruction before he could solo
his airplane.
Are
we being too hard on these pilots? Perhaps, but
the consequences of not managing our fuel properly
reverberate throughout the GA community.
Nearly
every endeavor has multiple sub-specialties. Medicine is a
classic example. Sports are another.
Everybody from
Dr. Phil to our family physicians suggest that we can cope
better if we reduce the stress in our lives.
Tranquilizers and alcohol have become mainstays for many
who require help to "manage" stress. 
For other pilots, however,
stress rises to a performance-sapping level. These poor souls received
their primary training at some Part 141 flight school that
suspends training anytime the winds blow over 15 knots. Beads of perspiration slither down
their forehead. Their stomach gets tied up in knots.
Their brain begins to shut down, they lose control of the
airplane just as it bounces on the runway.
A
classic example of this occurred several weeks ago here in
my hometown. A Baron 55 (light twin) lost an engine
over Dunkirk. To some pilots, the loss of one of two
engines is a non-event. To others, it causes the heart
to race. 
There
is golden nugget of wisdom contained in all of this.
That is, the very best way to deal with stress in the
cockpit is . . . pilot proficiency!
Proving
the old adage that with enough power, you can making
anything fly, this F-15 pilot accomplished the
impossible. Even more impressive is the
"coolness" this pilot exhibited in bringing his
crippled aircraft safely to the ground. 
Free
sign up for
Over the Airwaves
A review of the radar data
indicated the airplane departed runway 32 and
leveled-off at an altitude of 200' MSL at a ground
speed of 100 knots. The radar data revealed
that the airplane executed a left turn to a
southeasterly heading and flew parallel to the
runway. 
In
this case, however, a simple door popping open in
flight resulted in the death of two people and two
dogs. 
Sure,
this is a second-best alternative to what we once had, but
the prospect of ever getting back what we once had in the
next several months (or more) is unlikely.
My
own favorite online planning site and one that is likely to
be around for a long time is AOPA's Online flight planner.
We've
all heard the term SIGMET and Convective SIGMET, often
interchangeably, but are they really the same? 
This
AIRMET was issued by Dallas Fort Worth on the 24th day of
the month, at 1650 Zulu time. On this third update, the
AIRMET Tango is issued for turbulence, strong surface winds,
and low-level wind shear until
2000 Zulu on the same day. The turbulence section of the
AIRMET is an update for Oklahoma and Texas. It defines
an area from Oklahoma City to Dallas, Texas, to San Antonio,
to Midland, Texas, to Childress, Texas, to Oklahoma City
that will experience occasional moderate turbulence below
6,000 feet due to strong and gusty low-level winds. It also
notes that these conditions are forecast to continue beyond
2000 Zulu.
As
unimaginable as this might sound, a pilot-rated passenger
exited the right-side door a Cessna 210 while the engine was
still running. That's risky enough, but he then walked
directly into the spinning propeller and was killed!
Spinning
propellers hold no mercy. Approach them and, as a
minimum, a hand or arm will be lost. Walk into them,
we die.
Scenario II is another story altogether. A busy Center
controller is firing off vectors to a dozen arriving and
departing aircraft at the speed of a Texas auctioneer.
We cannot break into the frequency. More than 10
minutes in the published hold will cut dangerously into our
fuel reserves. 
If
the flight training community's goal is to get their
students through their check rides, they are doing a pretty
good job at it. About 80 percent of all flight
students pass and obtain their certificates on their first
try.
The
nice part of this kind of scenario-based training is that
each leg of the trip ends at a nice airport restaurant.
Students are shown just how easy it is to borrow a crew car
and how to find the best ribs! And the training
continues as each barbecue rib is devoured!
