The Journal for the Proficient Pilot

November, 2008                                                               Vol. V, No. 10 
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Welcome to the Over the Airwaves aviation journal.  This complimentary e-publication is prepared monthly for 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. 
 
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"Flyers have a sense of adventures yet to come, instead of dimly recalling adventures of long ago as the only moments in which they truly lived.
                                     -- Richard Bach 


Dear Pilots and Aviation Enthusiasts:      

The Danger Zone!

While stationed at U.S. Army headquarters in Long Binh, Vietnam, I well remember a large billboard warning military personnel leaving the relative safety of the compound.  It said, "Warning, you are about to enter the most dangerous combat area in Vietnam." 

No, this sign wasn't referring to the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Regulars surrounding our military compound.  Instead, it referred to the vehicular risks of driving along the Highway 1A, a twisting, two-lane expressway leading into Saigon! 

Such a paradox.  We stood a better chance of surviving an enemy ambush than a head-on collision with another vehicle on this two-lane highway!

We have a dangerous paradox in general aviation as well.  It's called the airport traffic pattern.   We have a better chance of surviving hours of enroute turbulence, icing, and aircraft malfunction than we do in spending just a couple of minutes in the typical non-towered airport traffic pattern!

No joking here . . .

I spend close to six hours a day, six days a week shepherding flight students into and out of non-towered airports throughout Western New York, Northwestern Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario, Canada.  What I observe daily is enough to cause male pattern baldness in days rather than years. 

Let's take a look at some of the types of pilots who operate in today's traffic patterns. 

Talking But Nobody is Listening - Beware of the pilot who is either transmitting on the wrong frequency or who does not have the listening volume turned up on his radio.  He assumes, of course, that people are hearing his traffic pattern calls as he boldly executes his movements around the pattern.

Chatty Kathy - My Canadian friends are particularly fond of detailing their entire flight planned activity on the radio.  "Aaah, this is Charlie, November, Foxtrot Bravo, white and brown Cessna 172SP, fixed gear aircraft, just three miles south of the 401 at 4,500 feet.  We'll be passing over the dead side of Runway 21, then turning on the crosswind to join the downwind, with a base turn planned about one mile east of the airport, for a touch and go or possibly a full stop landing, following which we'll be picking up a loaf of bread on the drive home.  All other traffic in the area, please advise."

Mr. Magoo - We all remember actor Jim Bacus' classic voice-over of the cartoon character known as Mr. Magoo.  Blind as a bumbling bat, Mr. Magoo would cross the street without looking in either direction.  We have Mr. Magoo pilots as well who take the active runway without ever looking to see if anybody is on short final.

The Local Tour Guide - "Aahh, Bixby traffic, I'm over the blue water tower inbound for the airport."  Of course, it's anybody's guess as to which of the six nearby water towers he's referring to.  And as for his intended landing runway, well . . . that's anybody's guess, too!

Amateur Air Traffic Controller - We occasionally observe this nightmarish activity during fly-in breakfasts when the pattern is full.  Some well-meaning veteran aviator standing on the ground will grab a hand-held radio and begin transmitting landing clearances!!!  Somewhere in the process, somebody hands him a plate of pancakes or he has to take a pee-break and his entire sequence of arriving traffic is suddenly left standing in place.  Let's leave the air traffic controlling to trained air traffic controllers, okay?

Captain Dean Martin and his B-707 - This is the guy who was trained exclusively at the nearby Class C or B airport.  He typically flies a five mile wide pattern, eventually turning final somewhere in the middle of the next county.  He requires one hour of remaining fuel just to complete his downwind to base turn!

Okay, you get the idea.  The non-towered airport traffic pattern can be a risky place to hang around simply because of the volume of traffic.  It is made far worse, of course, when any one or more of the characters described above are present.

So what can we do about it?

First, look out the window.  Second, get on and stay on the radio.  Third, spend as little time in the pattern as possible.  If you are training and there are other folks in the pattern, find someplace else to train that day.

Lastly, master slow flight maneuvering.  There will be times when we need to put on our aerial brakes.  Let's be sure we can do this without falling out of the sky!

While it may appear that I'm poking fun at my fellow pilots, I am.  But this is deadly serious business.  More accidents happen in and around the airport traffic pattern than anywhere else.  There are reasons why this is the case. 

Let's you and I NOT be one of these reasons!
 

Fly safe, fly smart.


Bob Miller, ATP, CFII
rjma@rjma.com
716-864-8100

 

 

Bad Things Happen to Good Pilots, Too!

"There are those that have and those that will . . ."  This classic quote, of course, refers to the inadvertent gear-up landing.

Sadly, the C-210 pictured (left) belongs to a very capable pilot friend of mine here in Buffalo, NY.  This event happened just several days ago.

"What happened," I asked when talking with my buddy shortly after this unfortunate incident.

"Simple . . . I screwed up, plain and simple.  No excuses," he replied.

I thought to myself, if it could happen to him, it could happen to any of us who own and/or operate retracts. 

My friend did note that his pre-landing check-list was interrupted by radio chatter from the tower.  "I'm not making excuses here," he said.  "It was my fault, pure and simple, but for some reason I allowed the radio distractions to get in the way of my flying the airplane," he added.

Therein lies a valuable lesson . . .

Above all . . . fly the airplane.  This little piece of advice has saved literally thousands of pilots over the years.  My instrument instructor also taught me to make one last audible call-out just before every landing.  That call-out is "GEAR/PROP."

Thus, whether flying my T-210 (retract) or any other of the many fixed-gear trainers I fly, I always call out "GEAR/PROP" just before touching down. 

This mantra is engrained in my aerial brain.  Thus, no distraction, large or small at this critical stage of flight will likely ever result in an inadvertent gear-up landing!

In summary, add the "GEAR/PROP" mantra as the last item on your pre-landing checklist.   If you do, you'll not likely ever experience a gear-up landing either.

 

 The Infamous Class E Bust

While seldom noticed and even less frequently enforced, we pilots likely violate the rules of Class E airspace more than in any other place in the national airspace system.  Even more startling is the fact that many of us pilots have little clue where Class E airspace begins and ends!

So what's the result?

We have three non-towered airports here in the Buffalo, NY area that are located under or near the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (KBUF) Class C airspace.  The traffic pattern for each of these three airports is situated within a whisker of the final approach courses for KBUF's ILS 23 and ILS 32 instrument procedures.

So what happens when some hapless VFR pilot takes off from any of these three airports when the ceiling is barely above pattern altitude (1,000' AGL)? 

Failing to realize that flying at pattern altitude in each of these airports puts them in Class E airspace where they must remain 500' below the clouds, their aircraft likely sets off TCAS alerts by aircraft on final approach to KBUF. 

Such TCAS alerts and resultant evasive maneuvers are hard on complacent airline captains and even harder on passengers whose drinks are suddenly in their laps!  The resultant loss of separation can also cause additional stress to approach and tower controllers already hyped up on too much caffeine.

Where is Class E airspace, anyway?

Class E airspace exists anywhere there is no other designated airspace.  It generally begins at either 700' or 1,200' AGL and runs all the way up to Class A airspace at 18,000'. 

The rules for operating in Class E airspace are simple.  Below 10,000', we must have 3 miles visibility and remain 500' below the clouds; 1,000' above the clouds; and 2,000' abeam the clouds. 

Above 10,000', we must have 5 miles visibility and remain 1,000' below; 1,000' above; and 1 mile abeam the clouds.

Most Class G airspace surrounding non-towered airport airspace tops out at 700' AGL.  Thus, their TPA (traffic pattern altitude) is inside Class E airspace, where we must remain 500' below the clouds!

 

When you turn the key . . . what happens?

It's a ritual that every piston engine pilot runs through sometime between start-up and takeoff.  We run up the RPM, then switch the ignition key from "BOTH," then to "RIGHT," then back to "BOTH," then to "LEFT," then back to "BOTH." 

All we are really doing, of course, is confirming that each of our two independent ignition systems are performing properly.  As illustrated below, the heart of each of these two independent electrical systems is a remarkably simple electrical generator called a magneto. 

Unlike conventional generators that produce continuous electrical current, the magneto is designed to create a periodic high-voltage pulse that is carried to the spark plugs at precisely the right moment via high tension leads.

The entire process begins by turning the ignition key to "START."  This causes the starter motor to rotate the engine which, in turn, causes each of the magnetos to turn which, in turn, produces and sends a high current pulse to the spark plugs.  The resultant "spark" ignites the fuel/air mixture and, voila', the engine begins to run.

Having two independently operating ignition systems provides two important benefits.  First, of course, is redundancy.  If one system fails, the other system enables the engine to continue running.

The second benefit comes from improved fuel/air burn efficiency in each cylinder.  Having two simultaneous "sparks" is roughly equivalent to using two matches, each at either end of the wood pile, to light your fireplace. 

What are we looking for when checking the mags?

Checking the mags before each flight tells us that each independent ignition system is functioning properly.  But what if . . . ????

1.  What if we do not see an RPM drop when we switch mags? 

This tells us that we likely have a "hot" mag.  In other words, one or the other of the two mags is NOT turning off when we switch from "BOTH" to either "RIGHT" or "LEFT."  A broken "P lead" or grounding wire is the likely culprit.  Get it fixed!

2.  What happens if the engine quits when we switch mags?

This tells us that one or the other mag has failed.  This is a definite "no go" condition.

3.  What happens if we see an excessive RPM drop when we switch mags combined with engine roughness?

This tells us that one or more spark plugs is likely fouled and is either not firing or firing intermittently.  Again, this is a definite "no go" condition.

The ignition system is what enables our engines to keep turning.  Checking the mags after every engine start-up and before takeoff is the key to safe flight.  ALWAYS do this!

 
 

Instrument Rating in 9 Days . . . Good or Bad?

Given a choice, which IFR training scenario is better from a long-term safety perspective:

1. Sunny, smooth, simulated: Training time - several months.

2. Instrument conditions, turbulence, ice: Training time - 9 days.

Floyd Packard of the flat lands region of middle-eastern Washington State pondered this question as he was finishing the construction of his RV-7.  He wanted to become a capable instrument rated pilot and was equipping his aircraft for the rigors of IFR flight. 

Floyd's training options were clear.  His hometown CFII was willing to train him at a leisurely pace in sunny skies but was adverse to hard IFR flying. 

On the other hand, he could take a couple weeks off from his busy dental practice, fly the airlines to Buffalo, NY and take a 10-day accelerated IFR training course with Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc. (BMFT) where he was sure to encounter real IFR weather, lots of turbulence, and cold conditions conducive to icing.

Floyd chose the latter . . . and that was what he got!

Did Floyd make the best choice?

There has been endless debate regarding the merits of accelerated instrument training.  Do 10 day-trained instrument pilots fare better in the world of instrument flight than those pilots trained at a more leisurely pace?

As with most such questions, the answer is . . . it depends.  But now let's add in some variables.  Do 10 day instrument pilots trained in real turbulent, icy, IMC conditions fare better than more leisurely trained instrument pilots who never get to see the inside of a cloud?

Floyd began his instrument training with BMFT this past October 1 in a G-1000 glass panel-equipped Cessna 172.  He took and passed his instrument checkride nine days later on October 9th.  Nearly all of his flight training was conducted inside cold, turbulent clouds.

"I spent nine days flying over Western New York and never saw the ground," says Floyd Packard!

Unlike his sunny weather-IFR trained colleagues, Floyd had to come to terms with turbulent clouds and the ever-present threat of icing conditions as he honed his instrument scanning skills.  Admittedly, life was made a bit easier for him by the simplicity of the G-1000 glass cockpit. 

Unlike the 2.5 inch wide round-gauge attitude indicator found in traditional panel setups, the G-1000 Primary Flight Display (PFD) afforded Floyd with a giant image of the sky above and the ground below.  With critical flight instruments superimposed directly atop of the moving map, Floyd had no difficulty mastering his instrument scan. 

Floyd's training began each day at 8am.  Working both me and my assistant chief flight instructor, Mike Jeswald, Floyd's daily five hours aloft were interrupted by several ground training sessions.  His evening time was spent working independently through our Cessna Pilot Center (CPC) "Cleared for the Approach" computer-based instruction course DVDs and text materials.

As to which training scenario (#1 or #2 above) is the best, the ultimate answer will be revealed when Floyd has his first solo IFR flight in real, turbulent, cold clouds.  My guess is that he will do just fine!

Given either form of IFR training, how do you think you would do?

 

Want to abuse your engine?  Start it cold!

With winter rapidly approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, now is the time to begin thinking seriously about the damaging effect of sub-freezing temperatures when starting our aircraft engines.

Is this really a serious concern?

Nationally recognized engine guru, Mike Busch, A&P/AI, "AMT of the Year," and OTA reader, recently had this to say about cold engine starts:
 
"In less than a minute, a single cold start without proper preheating can produce more wear on your piston aircraft engine than 500 hours of normal cruise operation. If it's cold enough, a single cold start can cause the catastrophic destruction of an engine shortly after takeoff."

In a wonderful article published on AVWEB about the critical importance of proper engine pre-heating (found HERE), Mike Busch explains why starting a cold engine causes damage.

Busch points to a popular misconception held by many pilots that pre-heating is necessary to allow cold-soaked, thick viscous oil to get moving throughout the engine.  While this may play a role in premature engine wear, the real heart of the problem lies in the fact that our engines are constructed with dissimilar metals with radically different expansion coefficients.

The aluminum alloys that are used to make up the crankcase, pistons, and cylinder heads of our engine shrink twice as much in size when cold than do the steel that makes up the crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods and cylinder barrels.

The net effect of this cold temperature-induced unequal shrinking of these dissimilar metals is the loss of the tiny clearance between each that permits oil to flow through.  Hence, we experience the damaging results of metal-to-metal when we start a cold-soaked engine.

How cold is cold?

Lots of studies have been performed on the effects of cold temperatures on aircraft engines, but most authorities agree that temperatures below 32d F. require pre-heating before engine start. 

What's the best way to pre-heat a cold engine?

Clearly, the best way to prevent cold temperature engine starts is to keep our airplanes in heated hangars.  But few of us have this option, but those that do still face the problem of pre-heating when away from home.

Thus, no single solution works all of the time.  I keep the TSIO-520 engine in my C-210 toasty warm in my unheated hangar here in Buffalo by placing a 250 watt heating lamp tucked up inside the nose wheel well along with an insulating blanket draped over the cowl. 

At roughly 10 cents per kilowatt hour (national commercial rate average), this works out to about $90 for our entire six month long heating season.

On really cold nights, I'll keep a small, thermostatically controlled electric heater running inside my airplane on the floor in front of the pilot's seat.  This offers the added benefit of keeping my instrument gyros warm as well, plus it is always nice climbing into a warm cockpit.

My engine is also equipped with a Tanis Aircraft Services electric multi-point pre-heating system that when on the road I can plug into any FBO 110v AC power source via a 100' long extension cord that I always carry along in the winter.  The Reiff Corporation manufactures an equally good engine pre-heating system.

There are other types of engine pre-heating systems as well, including forced hot air produced either electrically or with propane or kerosene. 

Whatever system we use, the important thing is that we use it - EVERY time the engine block is below 32d F.  We will more than pay for it in the long run . . . . and it could save our lives.

 
 

Donations Help!

It is your continuing donor support of Over the Airwaves that helps keep this online flight safety publication circulating around the world free of charge!

Please help me in this important lifesaving endeavor by donating to the cause.  You can do so by check or credit card.  Follow the instructions below.  

Personal Checks:  

If you prefer to send a personal check, you can do so by making it payable to "Over the Airwaves" and mail it to:

Bob Miller
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 Frontal Movements!

November is one of those seasonal change months in the mid-latitudes where we pilots need to keep a close eye on the movement of weather fronts.

Why?  In a word . . . ICE!!!  In another two words . . . FREEZING RAIN!

The above illustration shows warm moist air from the left sliding up over a layer of colder air on the right.  Rain forms at the frontal boundary and falls to the surface. 

This produces no particular risk to the pilot if the cooler air remains above freezing.  As we climb, however, the temperature drops at a normal lapse rate of about 2 degrees C. for each 1,000' of altitude.  Let's say the sea level surface temperature on a typical autumn day is 55 degrees F. (15 degrees C.).   Now let's say that we board our airplane and climb to about 8,000 feet MSL along the above depicted frontal boundary.  Here, the outside temperature should be around -1 degree C.

What happens to rain falling out of the warmer temperatures above as it passes through the sub-freezing temperature at 8,000 feet?   Left undisturbed, the rain droplets could remain in liquid form despite their sub-freezing temperature.  This is called FREEZING RAIN! 

All it takes is a simple little disturbance like a passing aircraft wing or propeller to cause these sub-freezing liquid rain drops to form solid ice on impact.  When this happens, the passing aircraft can turn into a virtual popsicle in seconds!

What's the solution?

A freezing rain encounter is an emergency, pure and simple.  We must escape immediately.  The odds favor an immediate climb to warmer air above.  While FAR 91.175 requires an ATC clearance to deviate from a previously assigned altitude, our emergency authority exempts us from this rule.  Climb, then notify ATC (or do both at the same time).

Remember, too, that freezing rain can occur in VFR conditions.   VFR-only pilots have a particular challenge when encountering freezing rain as climbing into IMC is not an option for them.

The best solution is, of course, prevention.  Here's where a thorough pre-flight briefing earns its well-deserved credit.  Traversing a front, particularly a warm front in winter is wrought with risks.  Avoid them whenever possible.

 

Aero-News.Net Features OTA in Podcasts

"Low Altitude Maneuvers" is the latest in a series of podcasts Bob Miller has been doing with Aero-News.Net's Paul Plack. 

You can hear, or download for later listening, these 15 minute interviews and any of the previously conducted podcasts by clicking on the titles below:

Podcast Titles
[Click on desired titles - several minutes
 may be required to download.]

Titles in
RED are new since the last OTA.

* Low Altitude Maneuvers
* Instrument Scan - You Good?
* Know Your Glass Cockpit

*
FAA & Known Ice!!!
* Cold is Coming

*
Flightseeing

*
Cross-country Flying

* The End-Game
* Making the Most of your BFR

* Medicals - Avoiding Surprises
* Air Safety Foundation - Biased?
* Live from AirVenture '08
* Simulated IFR - The Great Hoax!
* The REAL Cost of Fuel

* Top 10 Keys to Safe Flight
*
Airspeed & Landing

* VFR Flight Following
* Summer Turbulence & T-Storms
* Pilot Confidence vs. Bravado!
* REAL IFR Training
*
Artful Use of Flaps
*
New Part 141 Curriculum

* Slow Flight Shortcomings
* Keys to Good Landings
* Staying Insurable

* Fly the Airplane First!
* Holding Patterns
*
Partial Panel
* "
Watch This"
*
Pilot Qualifications
*
Personal Minimums
* CFIs Make Mistakes, Too!
*
Spin Awareness Training
 

* Pilot vs. Aircraft Standards
*
Mountain Flying
*
Backdoors - Key to Survival
* Icing and VFR into IFR
*
Bob Miller's New Flight School

* Top Ten Ways to Be a Better Pilot
* Altimeters & Missed Approaches
* Wind Awareness
* Go / No-go Decisions

* Emergency GPS Descents
* Listener E-mails on Ice Training
* Training for Icing
* Icing Season is here!

Engine Priming:
* Autopilot Reliance
* Propeller Fatigue

* FSS Privatization
*
"16 Hour Rule"
* In-Flight Emergencies
* No Hands Flying
* Bonanzas to LaGuardia
* IFR to VFR and GPS Direct

* Passion for Flight
* Stabilized Approaches
* Teachable Moments
*
ATC Services

*
Live from Oshkosh '07

*
Windshear
* Diversions

* Density Altitude

* Thunderstorms

* Stress and Pilot Performance
* Light Sport Pilot Program

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.

 

National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) . . . is there trouble in River City??

OTA readers who have been with me since the beginning of this publication likely recall that NAFI has not been one of my favorite GA membership organizations. 

My disdain for NAFI arose following their rather bizarre reaction to reader comments about an article on icing I published in OTA several years ago. Given the choice of allowing NAFI to censor my OTA editorial content prior to publication or surrendering my Master CFI credentials and resigning from their club, I simply chose the latter.

Fast forward to today.  Most NAFI members and other astute GA observers are aware that there is a big shake-up now underway within NAFI's governance.  Hopefully, the resultant changes will be for the better.

NAFI could lead the way to improved flight safety . . .

The accident data reveals that over 80 percent of all fatal GA accidents are caused by pilot error.  One way to turn this sad statistic around is to bring about improvements in the way pilots are trained.  NAFI is in ideal position to help facilitate such changes, but this requires strong leadership.

NAFI needs to step up to the plate and advocate for meaningful improvements throughout the flight training industry.  For example, NAFI should be calling for tighter CFI qualification standards and for more rigorous oversight of those so-called flight training mills that spew out young CFIs with little or no real-world experience. 

In this regard, NAFI doesn't need to look very far for an example of what should be done.  How much experience does it take to become an A&P?   The differences between training requirements for a CFI and an A&P are appalling!  "Joe the Plumber" spends far more time earning his journeyman status than we flight instructors!

If they choose to, NAFI could help to re-write the 65 year-old training curriculum most flight schools still follow in training pilots for 21st century aviation. 

NAFI could also help to bring about regulatory reform governing the training of CFIs.  Did you know, for example, that under current regulations a CFI-I certificate can be obtained without ever once flying in the clouds?  

Here is a real heart-stopper . . . you can qualify as a CFI with just the 20 hours total solo time!  And NAFI stands right there signing these neophytes up as members!

NAFI is at a change point.  Now is the time for NAFI to reorganize itself in ways that will enable it to become a driving force for improved flight safety rather than continuing as a flag-waving stepchild of EAA with an ill-defined mission.  It must do far more than conferring "master" credentials on CFIs based upon documented community service rather than upon demonstrated teaching skills, years of experience, and true aeronautical abilities. 

Whichever way NAFI's internal troubles are resolved, its mission must be re-defined in ways that address current shortcomings in the flight training industry that, in turn, contribute directly or indirectly to our chronic GA accident rates.  By so doing, not only will our accident rates be reduced, the image of CFIs and the entire flight training industry will be enhanced significantly.

 

Non-instrumented rated pilots play 'Cat 'n Mouse' with IMC conditions!

The weather on the surface at McNary Field in Oregon was reported as winds from 180 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 19 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, light rain, clouds were scattered at 2,900 feet, broken at 3,500 feet, and overcast at 6,000 feet, temperature was 42 degrees F., dew point was 39 degrees F., and the altimeter was 30.29 inches of Mercury. 

It was VFR.  Sure, perhaps a bit windy, but good enough for any worthy VFR-only pilots to launch.  So that's what these two Lancair pilots and a passenger did last February 8th.

Pre-Flight Planning

The night before this flight, the PIC received an FSS weather briefing and was told that the forecasted weather along his route of flight would be marginal VFR conditions with conditions improving later in the morning.  He was also advised of AIRMETS for icing, turbulence, and mountain obscuration.   The pilot also requested cloud tops information but was told they were not available.

Curiously, the pilot filed an IFR flight plan.  Keep in mind that neither of the two pilots aboard this aircraft were instrument rated!

According to the NTSB report, the pilot contacted the Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center and was cleared to climb to 13,000 feet msl.  The controller advised the pilot that there were earlier reports of moderate icing between 10,000 and 12,000 feet msl.  No response was received from the airplane.

Moments later, the pilot replied,  "…nine bravo whiskey we're an emergency situation."  The rest of the transmission was unintelligible.  There were no further transmissions from the accident airplane.

A nearby witness said that he heard an engine revving up and down repeatedly and then reported that he saw the airplane come out of a cloud layer about 2,000 feet above ground level with the right wing pitched down and turning in in a clockwise corkscrew pattern at a descent angle of approximately 45 degrees. He  then heard the airplane impact the ground.

The NTSB was able to download data from the aircraft's Chelton navigation system.  This system revealed that the aircraft had been aloft a total of 28 minutes. During the last portion of the flight, the descent rates increased to 10,000 feet per minute.  The last 45 seconds of data showed great fluctuations in the recorded data and performance numbers for ground speed, heading, track, rate of climb, pitch, bank, and vertical acceleration.

The Linn County Medical Examiner completed autopsies on the pilots. The cause of death for both occupants was attributed to massive blunt force traumatic injuries.

So what really happened?

This is pure speculation but the facts of this tragic flight suggest that these pilots had some compelling reason to fly on this particular day.  The NTSB report said that each pilot had made repeated checks of the weather the night before the flight.  Conditions near the surface were, indeed, VFR. 

Perhaps the only thing that stood between them and their destination was higher terrain and a layer of clouds between 10,000 and 12,000 feet MSL.  Was it their plan to "punch through" this cloud layer to VFR conditions on top?  Were they really aware of the significance of AIRMETS for icing conditions? 

As for their final undoing, did they become disoriented in the clouds or did an encounter with icing conditions cause their loss of control? 

We will likely never know what really happened, but here's the NTSB's conclusion:

"The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain aircraft control while in cruise flight. Contributing to the accident were inadequate planning/decision, icing conditions, and continued flight into known icing conditions."  NTSB Report

What is it about human nature that would cause a non-instrument rated pilot to file an IFR flight plan and then deliberately climb through clouds reported to contain ice?   Was it ignorance, bravado, or a secret death wish?  Was it that common malady known as "Get-home-itis?"

Whatever the cause, these two pilots and their unsuspecting passenger will never fly again and several families will never be the same. 
 

 

John and Connie Bouck Travel Stories

Imagine having the piloting skills, time, money, enthusiastic spouse, and capable airplane to spend long weekends flying to romantic places throughout the Western Hemisphere.  OTA knows such a couple.  They are John and Connie Bouck of Auburn, NY.  

Not only do John and Connie spend nearly every weekend in either their Cessna 210 or their Cessna 180 on floats, they are eager to share their experiences with us via this new OTA feature.  

Click HERE to read their first edition of "John and Connie Bouck Travel Stories."  This is particularly good reading for pilot spouses who haven't yet captured the excitement of flying!!!!!

 

News from BMFT, Inc.

Many of our OTA readers have been kind enough to ask about the latest happenings at Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc.  I am pleased to say that all of the news is good . . . despite our turbulent economy and roller-coaster fuel prices.

Here's the latest . . .

New Flight Courses:

Long time OTA readers know that I have been blathering away for years about the importance of acquiring the training and maintaining the proficiency to remain safe aloft, particularly when flying outside our normal operating envelopes. 

To this end, BMFT, Inc. is now offering four new courses which should be of interest to anybody who flies in the winter . . . to anybody who flies above 10,000 feet . . . to anybody who operates in the traffic pattern (which is just about every pilot) . . . and to anybody contemplating a crosswind landing.   Each of these three new courses are summarized below:

Defensive Icing Strategies

At popular demand, I'm rolling my known ice certified Cessna T-210 into the flight school during the winter months.  This will enable me to bring serious flight students and veteran pilots face-to-face with the real challenges of flying in sub-freezing clouds over what many consider to be the most ice-intense region of the United States.

This is a must-take course for any instrument pilot who operates in and around ice-laden clouds.   Participants will see and experience, first hand, the conditions that produce air-frame icing.  More importantly, they will experience how quickly airframe icing can affect the aerodynamics flight.

The essence of this course is defensive icing strategies that include the use of onboard de-icing and anti-icing equipment, escape route options, and that builds awareness of the precise weather conditions that contribute to the formation of airframe icing.

High Altitude Flying

With the growing popularity of turbocharged singles such as the Cessna 400 and Cirrus SR22, BMFT, Inc. is now offering high altitude pilot training.  We'll take my T-210 up to Flight Level 210 (21,000 feet) and experience the unique characteristics of operating in Class A airspace.

We'll demonstrate oxygen usage along with the subtle but potentially deadly effects of hypoxia.  Again, this is a must-take course for pilots venturing into the world of turbocharged flight!

Spin Training

I have been arguing the merits of spin training as one of the very best ways to prevent an inadvertent spin in any normal or utility category airplane.  Using a spin-certified Diamond Katana, participants will be given the opportunity to see just what happens when a stall is combined with a yaw!

While learning to produce a spin is useful, the essence of this training is to learn how to RECOVER from a spin.  More importantly, participants will acquire an innate awareness of the body sensations and the aeronautical indicators produced when a spin is about to be entered.  Having this awareness is one of the very best ways to avoid an inadvertent spin! 

Aggressive Crosswind Landings:

It's no secret that more accidents occur during landing than in any other phase of flight.  Not surprisingly, crosswinds play a key roll in most landing mishaps.

While few GA pilots would opt for a deliberate landing in a 22 knot with gusts up to 34 knots direct crosswind, nature sometimes throws us a curve ball.  Would you be ready?

BMFT's crosswind training exposes participants to direct crosswinds exceeding 34 knots.  This is not to suggest that landings are made with such excessive crosswinds, but low passes over the runway while tracking the center line can teach us a great deal about proper control inputs! 

Important: 

You do not have to reside near Buffalo, NY to take advantage of these and other BMFT, Inc. course offerings.  Instead, spend a couple of days or more with us.  We have a special arrangement with the nicest Bed and Breakfast inn in the region.  Located just minutes from our airport, the Asa Ransom House will pamper you after a long day of training!!!!

For further information about any of these three new courses, please email Bob Miller at rjma@rjma.com.  To learn more about BMFT, Inc., go to http://BobMillerFlightTraining.com

 

Helpful Sponsors

Please support OTA's helpful sponsors by clicking on the images below where you will find ordering information. 

Note: If you have an aviation-related product or service you would like to promote and help underwrite the continued publication of Over the Airwaves, please send an email to rjma@rjma.com.

 

Quotable

 
"One of the tragedies of aviation is that the boundless joys of flight are occasionally tempered by tragedies of incalculable measure."
                        -- Jim Campbell, Editor-in-Chief, Aero-News Network

Commenting upon the loss of a close friend in the crash of a Lancair two weeks ago in Utah, my friend and colleague, Jim Campbell of Aero-News Network, effectively put his thumb on all that is wrong in general aviation.  That is, our unrelenting and tragic fatal accident rate that receives little other than lip service from those who claim to represent us.

That's right . . . I, again, speak of our big membership organizations like AOPA, ASF, EAA, and the host of other GA affinity and type groups.  Each in its own way manages to maneuver around discussions of GA's chronic fatal accident rate like our latest Heisman Trophy winner dipping and dodging his way toward the goal line. 

The sad truth of the matter is that each fatal GA accident is a "tragedy of incalculable measure."  It leaves behind grieving families and a questioning community.   It causes all who look upon little airplanes to view them as aerial motorcycles operated by thrill seekers who have little regard for life and limb.  It is little wonder why our GA numbers are not growing!

Sure, we can blame gas prices, the roller-coaster behavior Wall Street, and whatever other excuses we can conjure up about why there are fewer GA airplanes on the ramps of today's airports than ever before, but the real culprit is, in this writer's opinion, the fact that each little airplane crash is a "tragedy of incalculable measure."  And the sooner our big membership organizations comprehend this fact, the sooner they (and we) can take specific steps to correct it.

Take the crash of Jim Campbell's friend, for example.  What really happened there?  Representatives from AOPA, ASF, EAA and every other organization with a vested interest in general aviation should convene on this and every other such accident to determine a "probable cause" rather than to leave it to a couple of government slugs to write it up in a terse NTSB report. 

Did the pilot attempt an ill-advised power-off return to the airport?  Was there an oversight in the pre-flight process?  Was a shortcut taken in this aircraft's construction process?  Whatever the cause(s), let's talk about it.  Let's turn this tragedy into an object lesson for every pilot in each GA membership organization to learn from.

Okay, so there are far too many such fatal GA accidents to convene such in-depth crash investigation studies.  Hmmm . . . the previous sentence, alone, speaks volumes about the seriousness of this problem!

Yes, GA suffers tragedies of incalculable measure each day in the United States.  It doesn't have to be this way.  The sooner our big membership organizations stop dipping and dodging around this fact, the sooner our precious industry will begin to thrive.


Bob Miller, CFII, ATP
Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc.
716-864-8100
BobMillerFlightTraining.com

 

Read Back

 
The following reader comments were received over the past month:

This is the first issue of Over the Airwaves I have read. My flight instructor suggested reading it. 
-- Mike Torpey, Bellingham, WA
 
You've got a very good instructor.  The weak instructors are turned off by OTA because it is highly critical of the ritualistic form of flight instruction that is largely responsible, in my opinion, for our unabated fatal accident rate.  Change in thinking by myopic CFIs and traditional flight schools is always difficult.
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I have been flying Quad City Challengers for nine years and progressed to the Sport Pilot (LSA) level. Over the Airwaves looks like a site that can help in further educating me to be a safe pilot.
-- Henry Wortman, Quitman, GA

Continuing education is the key the become a safer pilot.  Sadly, many pilots stopped learning immediately following their last checkride.  The accident data proves it.
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I came across OTA by following a response in the AOPA forums; I like reading Bob Miller's responses -- they always seem very logical and well thought out. So I came to OTA and have thoroughly enjoyed reading the current issue, and have embarked on reading all of the back issues, article by article. There is a wealth of information here!

I am a commercial pilot with an instrument rating. I find Bob's advice and commentary very relevant and I believe I have, and will continue, to learn a lot from this Journal.

Please sign me up for e-mail notification of new issues. If Buffalo was closer to Greensboro, I might even try to come for recurrent training.

Thanks for contributing to a safer sky!

-- Victor Steel, Oak Ridge, NC

Thanks, Victor.  I use to hang out at the AOPA forum but quit participating because of the numerous self-proclaimed experts over there who found delight in ridiculing people instead of engaging in intelligent discussion.  
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I am a South African dentist with IF ticket and 600 hours on my P210. Your newsletter contains a wealth of information, presented in a pleasant, digestible format.
-- JT (Koos) Marais, DDS, Pretoria, South Africa

Spoken like a true dentist!
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

Just starting with everything around flying, I expect from Over the Airwaves encouragement and advice to question I may have.
-- Tomas Hart, Kladno, Czech Republic

I'm not sure I quite understand the syntax of your comments.  Hopefully, OTA can help you become a better, safer pilot.
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I am a student cadet pilot training in Florida. I have a passion for flying from childhood and now I have taken the first step to fulfilling my childhood dream. I would like to become one of the best commercial pilots.  Over the Airwaves contains lots valuable information on aviation training that be highly useful for young pilots like me.
-- Aswin Theagarajan, Ft. Pierce, Florida

Thanks, Aswin.  Keep on reading.
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

My father sent over your website and newsletter after several conversations we've had regarding me finally getting into flight school for my PPL (he has flown for a few decades and I practically grew up in his 76 Cardinal Cessna). Great information and fun to read, looking forward to more!
- Ashley A. Olson, Austin, TX


I am a retired teacher, Cub and Cessna 150 owner, and a  CFII.  I stumbled upon Over the Airwaves while perusing the Net.  Why wasn't I informed sooner of this wonderful resource?
-- Jim Quinlan, Johnson, NY

Word about OTA is spreading.  The important thing is that it did reach you!
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

Bill Holder, my "significant other" is the owner of Brokenstraw Airport in Pennsylvania. He's been flying many years. I thought he was already on the OTA mailing list, but apparently not, because he never knows what I'm talking about when I am referring to articles in your newsletter! 

Keep up the good work Bob - hope to see you down here at Brokenstraw some time. Both Bill and I want to schedule time in one of your glass cockpit airplanes some time in the future. Thanks again.
-- Susan Wonderling, Brokenstraw Airport, PA

Come on up, Susan!  On the hand, promise me a hamburger and I'll find my way to you with one of our glass cockpit airplanes.
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I am a Brit living in South Africa - just started PPL Training on Jabiru J430. OTA is a fantastic resource. I heard about it from the South African avcom.co.za forum.
-- Nick Good, Johannesburg, South Africa

Glad to have you aboard, Nick.  OTA has many South African readers!
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I am a flight instructor.  I heard about OTA from one of my students.
-
- Karl-Ebbe Jönsso, Loeddekoepinge, Sweden

That's not unusual, Karl.  I generally get back from my students more than I give them, too!
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

Great article on the "KNOWN ICING" issue that even the FAA is currently STILL trying to PROPERLY define.
-- Don Donovan, Dansville, NY

Don - finding a workable definition of "known ice" is like finding the meaning of life.  It's there someplace, but no two persons will ever agree upon it. 
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I'm re-registering a new e-mail address. I'm President of the unofficial Bob Miller Fan Club, and a former resident of East Aurora, NY.
-- Name withheld up request

Cut it out, PP!  Only "official" fan club members need comment here.
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

OTA was linked to the Washington State Pilots Association page.  I am a student and find your information invaluable.  I LOVE your point of view and style.  More instructors need to get the message and GIVE IT the way you do.
-- Geoff Scott, Spokane, WA

Spoken like a true aviation visionary, Geoff.  Unfortunately, my point of view and style occasionally ruffles the feathers of mainstream GA organizations like AOPA and of course, the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). 
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I heard of OTA through Aero-News.Net.  While I sometimes disagree with some specifics in what you say, I'm generally in agreement with your overall "gist".
-- Timothy Metzinger, Fairfax, VA (FAASTeam Rep Eastern Region.)

What!  You don't agree with everything I say and write????  Shame, shame. 
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

A fellow pilot at work first showed me OTA and while I only read it periodically, I do enjoy it and find it very useful. I think if I sign up for it, I'll read it more regularly to the improvement of my flying.
-- John S. Lehman, Atascadero, CA


I found Over the Airwaves on a Google search.  It contains lot of good lessons. Now I will explore your website more fully, and anticipate upcoming issues! Thanks.
-- Doug Schaefer, Yunnan Province, China


I love Over the Airwaves and wish I was closer to N.Y.
-- Rick, Umatilla, FL
 

Rick:  Come on up to Buffalo and spend a week with us.  You'll be glad you did!  We have corporate rate the best "bed and breakfast" in town (Asa Ransom House, Clarence, NY).
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I have been reading your back OTA articles and learning something new with every page.  I have been spreading the word about some the OTA's more unique and innovative practices.  I encourage people check out OTA.  Keep up the good work.
-- Nicholas Begley, Wichita, KA


I am a retired airline pilot, own a C-150 used for training and personal pleasure, am building an RV-10. I have ATP, CFI-I-ME. After many years as a check airman with the airline I did not see a reason for keeping the CFI current. Big mistake. After 25 years and retirement I went for reinstatement. What a learning experience after many years of flying in the controlled environment of airline flying!!  Thanks for the great info in "Over the Airwaves."
-- Robert Vinroot, Waxhaw, NC

Bob . . . thanks for sharing the fact that flying the line is a high controlled experience that, in many ways, is far less complex than the world of general aviation.  One has to wonder, then, why we GA pilots are not held to the same stringent recurrent training experiences that the FAA imposes upon airline pilots.  Then again, who ever said that the FAA holds all the aviation wisdom cards?
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

I am a CFII and teach for a small flight school at KFWS. I heard about Over the Airways from the owner of the flight school. I look forward to reading each issue. Keep up the good work!
-- Lisa Ward, Fort Worth, TX

Lisa, my guess is that your flight school is one that we all can be proud of.  Bravo! 
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

Bob, I read one of your articles in IFR and now am an avid reader of Over the Airwaves. Some day I hope to be able to do your NYC TRACON tour, it sounds very challenging. Keep up the great work. Thanks!
-- Lee Bergmann, Tacoma, WA


I'm a pilot for a regional airline in South Africa. I am also involved in aircraft accident investigation. I found this site by accident (excuse the pun), and am highly impressed with the high standard and broad nature of subjects covered. Will definitely recommend it to my fellow SA aviators. Well done!

-- Johan Guyt, South Africa
 
Thanks, Johan.  Be careful, however, OTA may help to eliminate the aircraft accident investigation business!
-- Bob Miller, Over the Airwaves

 
 

 Past Issues of 

 

Click HERE to open any previous issue(s) of Over the Airwaves and to search for any past articles.
 
 

Technical Assistance

I would like to thank the following technical assistance contributors for their valuable help in producing OTA every month: Cameron Dunlop, Corning, NY Dan Maloney, Clarence, NY; Barry McCollom, Kerrville, TX; Thom Riddle, Buffalo, NY; and Jay Rolls, Atlanta, GA.  Globe and aircraft logo in top banner designed by Ulla Taylor Pavement Artist.

 
 

 

[Disclaimer:  Material contained in this e-newsletter is for informational purposes only.  It should not be construed as directive, doctrinal, or instructive.  Readers should consult with their flight schools, certificated flight instructors, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and/or appropriate FAA publications including the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), and applicable FAA Advisory Circulars (ACs) for specific guidance relative to any information or before employing any recommendations contained in this e-publication.  Further, nothing in this e-publication is intended to be inconsistent with or contrary to any official FAA rule or regulation, nor should such material be interpreted or construed as such.  Over the Airwaves is intended exclusively for the purpose of promoting and enhancing heightened reader awareness of flight safety issues. This website is not a substitute for competent flight instruction.  All information in this site is provided "as is," with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, adequacy, timeliness of the information contained in, or linked to, or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will the authors, publishers their related partnerships or corporations, or the partners, agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this page or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Certain links in this page connect to other Web sites maintained by third parties over whom the authors have no control. The authors make no representations as to the accuracy or any other aspect of information contained in other Web sites.

©2004-2008 Over the Airwaves [TM], Buffalo, New York, USA.  Over the Airwaves is written, prepared, and published by Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc., Buffalo, NY, who is solely responsible for its contents.  ISSN 1937-3848.  Over the Airwaves is a registered trademark.  Any use of this name , image, or reproduction, duplication, or replication of this electronic publication and/or prior issues in whole or in part without the express written permission is strictly prohibited.  Forwarding, dissemination, distribution, and/or circulation of the Over the Airwaves Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is permitted under the terms of this trademark and copyright.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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