October, 2009
Vol. VI, 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.
Passages Gail Sheehy's landmark book titled, Passages, describes the unique personality changes we go through as we enter each new stage of life. Each passing decade brings with it new perspectives, values, and motivations. In many ways, these passages are predictable. We pilots, too, have our own set of predictable passages. As flight students, we tend to be apprehensive. After our first solo, we enter a period of cautious timidity. New instrument pilots develop an adventuresome spirit, anxious to try out their new skills in the clouds. As we gain experience, we become more confident, more skilled, and more adept as aviators. And so it goes with each passing flight hour, new pilot rating, or decade of flying experience, we enter and complete another passage in our life as safe and increasingly proficient pilots.
Like most
people, pilots travel through these passages quite well.
Others of us, however, falter along the way. Like mis-matched
marriage partners
Somewhere along our flying career, some of us embark upon a flawed passage that leads to an attitude of complacency, the taking of procedural shortcuts, that emboldens us beyond our skill level, and that eventually places us in the NTSB accident files. What leads us into this flawed passage? What are the warning signs that we're about to depart from the predictable passages that otherwise and more prudent pilots pursue? The signs are there . . . beware! As most pilots have experienced, circumstances occasionally arise that cause us to reflect upon where we are and where we are going in our flying career. A bad weather flying experience, a near-miss with another aircraft, an FAA enforcement action could be that circumstance. Those are the easy ones because they literally stop us in our tracks. They capture our attention. If we survive them, we take stock of who we are and where we are going as pilots. There are other far less noticeable circumstances, however, that impact every pilot. It's these subtle circumstances that we REALLY have to worry about. I know because, like many of you, I've occasionally experienced each of these predictors to embarking upon a flawed passage. Let's look at a few of these predictors . . .
Passages are real. We pilots go through them just like everybody else. Most of us come out fine. On occasion, however, we reach a point in our flying career where we find ourselves going down a flawed passage. If we are lucky and discover it soon enough, we make a course correction before our options are closed. I found myself at this point recently and thanks to a unique set of circumstances and the talents of respected colleagues I found my way back into the right passage. Hopefully, it's not too late for you!
Cessna hits a bulls-eye with its new web-based flight training program!!!!
Alas . . . . it's finally happening! Working together with King Schools, Cessna has managed to shift our 65 year-old flight skilled-based flight training paradigm into something far more relevant to the needs of today's flying environment. Unlike traditional approaches to flight training, this new web-based program incorporates scenario-based training, single-pilot resource management, and learner-centered grading. While skills training is still very much a part of this enlightened approach to flight instruction, it elevates aeronautical decision making (ADM) to the forefront of the training process. Currently available for sport/private pilot training only, the new program has two basic components as follows:
In summary, this is general aviation's first genuine attempt to adopt and make available on a wide-scale basis what the air carrier flight training industry has been doing for decades. When fully embraced within GA flight training, our chronic fatal accident rate will likely be reduced to the remarkable level experienced by the airlines. Is that worth pursuing? You bet! Click HERE for more information on this remarkable advancement in flight training. Join the hand-held revolution! I never in a million years believed that I would ever depart from the PC world and join the maverick ranks of APPLE users. That is, of course, until I experienced my first iPhone.
Like most Americans today, I'm never far from my cell phone. When my trusty Blackberry finally bit the dust, I decided to give a serious look at the iPhone. What I observed forever changed my view of cellular phone technology. This remarkable device is far, far more than a cell phone. It's an iPod, an alarm clock, a camera, a news source, a flight planner, and a full-fledged computer. With over 75,000 down-loadable programs, most for under $10, the iPhone is an entire flight planning department that fits in the palm of your hand. I have section devoted exclusively to aviation programs including AOPA's entire airport directory, several weather pages, a super-fast flight plan filing link, and an emergency back up attitude indicator and compass. There's no limit to what this remarkable tool can do for pilots. Weight and balance is a snap. Computing density altitudes is a breeze. E6B functions can be performed in seconds. Need to make a call, send a text message, read your email, snap a picture, check the weather, and pull up an approach plate, all while playing your favorite tunes can be done with just a couple of quick flicks of the thumb.
Price: I paid $195 for my iPhone
at my local AT&T store, plus a $60 fee to cancel my Verizon
account. This is one of the best deals in aviation
today! Performance Tables . . . Use them! Okay . . we're sometimes in a hurry. We know our airplane and how it performs. So why check its performance tables prior to each takeoff? Answer: Frankly, most of us don't. That's because it has always worked in the past. Our airplane got off the ground and we flew safely to our destination.
But not always . . . . as these poor souls discovered. August in Arizona can be quite warm, but on this August morning in Springerville the temperature was a comfortable 75 degrees F. The pilot of a 1968 Piper Cherokee PA-28-180 and his passenger were observed loading several cases of beer and groceries into their airplane. They then topped off the fuel tanks and taxied out for takeoff. The Springerville, AZ airport is a bit unique from most U.S. airports in that its field elevation is 7,055 feet above sea level. This fact, alone, should put most pilots on notice that they could encounter a performance problem with their airplane. Springerville's main runway, 3-21 is 8,422 feet long which, in most cases, is more than adequate for a light single like a Piper Cherokee. Not so, however, in this case. By combining temperature with pressure altitude, the computed density altitude that particular morning at the Springerville Airport was, according to the NTSB report, approximately 9,476 feet. Another curious fact The reported winds at the time of their departure were 340 degrees at 7 knots gusting to 14 knots; altimeter setting 30.25 inches Hg. According to witnesses, the pilot opted to depart on Runway 21. A quick wind calculation revealed that this would give the pilot about a 6 knot tailwind on takeoff. Witnesses reported that the pilot aborted this takeoff and returned to the parking area suspecting a flat tire. Examination of the tires revealed no problems, so this time he taxied to Runway 3 for departure. These same wind conditions would give the pilot a gusty crosswind component from the left of approximately 8 knots. So what happened? According to witnesses, the airplane "porpoised" during the takeoff roll and became airborne about midfield. A witness further stated that shortly after liftoff the airplane appeared to be flying "sideways" when it suddenly rolled to the right, pitched to a nose-low attitude, and impacted terrain. The wreckage was located in an open field approximately 150 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The surrounding terrain was relatively flat with areas of grass and scrub brush. The cockpit and passenger seating area was destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire. Both pilot and passenger were killed.
"The pilot's failure to attain and
maintain an adequate airspeed during takeoff
in high density altitude conditions that
resulted in an aerodynamic stall."
Unfortunately, as is the case of most published NTSB accident reports, we're not given enough details to draw any conclusions other than the terse probable cause determination statement. We're not given any weight and balance information - which would have certainly played a role in this fatal accident. Nor are we provided any insight into what the pilot may have been thinking just prior to his departure. Did he appear rushed. Was he a local pilot who had experience with high density altitude airports? We simply do not know. The NTSB accident report does tell us that there were no pre-takeoff mechanical problems noted with the airplane.
It is also curious to note that the
approved "Airplane Flight Manual" for a 1968
PA-28-180 does not contain information detailing and
outlining specific altitude performance parameters. The lessons for all of us in this tragic accident are strikingly clear. Airplanes perform predictably and the laws of physics are immutable. Whether detailed in the "Airplane Flight Manual" or not, we pilots have a responsibility of knowing precisely how the airplanes we fly will perform under any circumstance. Short of this, we become test pilots. Included in this required performance knowledge are:
To operate any aircraft without having taking these performance factors into consideration in EVERY flight is inviting disaster.
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The 14 CFR Part 91.213(d) gotcha! If you are anything but an obsessively compulsive, anal retentive aircraft owner (and I know a few of these), chances are you've been operating a non-airworthy airplane and didn't even know it. Think about that the next time you go flying!
Have you ever thought about the consequences of operating with an expired GPS database? Simple things like inoperative clocks, courtesy lights, and cigarette lighters can cause even the most proficient pilots (owners or renters) grief if discovered by a friendly FAA inspector admiring your airplane right there at your home field. That is, of course, unless you are in full compliance with 14 CFR Part 91.213(d)!
Translated version . . . If something, anything whatsoever, doesn't work in our airplane, we have several specific options:
If the non-functioning item is required by our aircraft's type certificate, Pilot's operating Handbook (POH) or Approved Flight Manual (AFM), or Airworthiness Directive (AD), the aircraft cannot be flown. Have the non-operative item removed from the aircraft: If the non-functioning item is NOT otherwise required by type certificate, POH, FAR, or AD, we can have the item removed and then operate the aircraft. Placard the non-operative item out of service: If the non-functioning item is NOT otherwise required by type certificate, POH, FAR, or AD, we can place an "Inoperative" sticker on the face of the item and then operate the aircraft. Obtain a ferry permit: If the non-functioning item is required by type certificate, POH, FAR, or AD, and it is determined that the airplane can be safely operated, the pilot can request a ferry permit from his local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) to fly the aircraft to a suitable repair station. Special guidance and/or flight limitations will be included as part of this ferry permit. The Awesome Surface Analysis Chart If we were to have access to only one weather chart or report, which one would best serve our total flight planning needs? Would we want current a current METAR/TAF report? How about a radar depiction chart? A winds aloft chart might be nice. Hands down, the most useful weather chart in our meteorological bag of tools would the surface analysis chart. Not surprisingly, the surface analysis chart was the first tool used by the fledgling weather forecasting industry back in the 18th century! Surface analysis chart . . . what is it? The surface analysis chart comes in several different forms as illustrated below. Basically, it shows areas of high and low pressure, frontal movement, temperatures, wind direction and intensity, and areas of precipitation.
What is primary advantage of surface analysis charts to the GA pilot? Unlike other weather products, the surface analysis gives us the "big picture" in a glance. High pressure areas signal good weather; low pressure areas portend bad weather. Fronts denote areas of likely unsettled and often turbulent weather. Occluded and stationary fronts suggest longer periods of disturbed weather. If we were to zero in on just one element contained in a surface analysis chart, what should that element be? Answer . . . where is the "L?" The "L," of course, means "low pressure." Sometimes called "the toilet bowl" of the nation's weather system, a low pressure is typically associated with lower visibility, drizzling rain, and generally poor weather. These are areas to avoid whenever possible. Defensive Icing Strategies The surface analysis is, by far, the best tool the winter IFR pilot has in his or her bag of icing avoidance tricks. To appreciate this fact, we must understand that all sub-freezing clouds do NOT contain icing conditions! The key to knowing where icing conditions are likely to exist can be found in the surface analysis chart. Icing conditions are significantly more likely to be encountered along fronts. Similarly, low pressure areas, particularly along the more northerly sides of fronts are guaranteed areas of icing when air temperatures are at or below freezing. On the other hand, finding icing in sub-freezing clouds in high pressure areas is less likely. Water droplet sizes tend to be too small and there is not enough disturbance in the atmosphere to create SLDs (super-cooled large droplets) that freeze on impact with the wings and propeller. Please note that these are generalized observations. Icing occurs, frankly, where you find it. Understanding and using the surface analysis chart will, however, go a long way in keeping us in smooth, ice-free air. Arguably, the best set of surface analysis charts on the web can be found HERE. Aero-News.Net Features OTA in Podcasts
"Cessna's New Online Flight Training Program" 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. 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. Aging rental fleet . . . beware!
There's no question that our lagging economy has taken its toll on general aviation . . . . particularly flight schools. Dollars, where once available to perform meticulous aircraft maintenance, are now, in many instances, being used for other priorities. Even worse, a fresh layer of paint is being slapped on those older birds to hide a multitude of sins! The best thing aircraft renters can do is become "aircraft maintenance savvy." Learn to detect subtle evidences of unsatisfactory aircraft condition. Look for fresh paint over bubbled corrosion. Look for fuel stains as shown in the photo above. Look for the symptoms of poor aircraft maintenance.
There is nothing wrong or unsafe with older aircraft . .
. . IF their owners aggressively attends to its well-being.
Signs of an owner's poor attitude
Look at the obvious areas for signs of aircraft maintenance neglect. Do a belly check! If you see an accumulation of sticky oil streaming along the aircraft underside, beware. Look for cracks in the wing tips. If they're not drill stopped, it's likely other areas of hidden maintenance issues are lurking about as well. Partial panels . . . hmmm In my early days of flying, I used to rent from a small "mom and pop" airport that had a couple of aging Cessna Skyhawks on the rental line. When performing a pre-flight inspection just prior to a planned IFR flight, I noted that the vacuum gauge needle wouldn't move off of its stop, nor would the attitude indicator show any signs of life. I shut down and went into the rental office and reported the problem to the aircraft owner standing behind the counter. His reply was classic. He said, "Duh . . . what do think partial panel skills are for!" Tragically, he was serious! A word about newer airplanes
Fortunately, management "canned" this guy before he did too much more damage to the attitudes of impressionable flight students. This being said, late model aircraft are just as susceptible to shoddy maintenance as old aircraft. A word to the wise . . . In summary, we have enough risks to address every time we launch. We do not need to be second-guessing the airworthiness the airplanes we fly. If there is any question about that airplane or the individual who rented it to you, walk away. It's simply not worth the bargain rental rate. Sign up today . . . to subscribe (free) to Over the Airwaves! You are a simple click away from signing up to receive your monthly issue of Over the Airwaves. Click HERE. OTA is now being visited by over 17,000 pilots and aviation enthusiasts every month!Those poor neglected rudder pedals! If we were to assess our piloting skills, which would likely be our greatest shortcoming? Crosswind landings? Steep turns? Keeping the needles centered while on the ILS? If we polled the nation's designated pilot examiners (DPEs), the answer would likely be something as simple as keeping the ball centered in the inclinometer! Either as a result of poor primary instruction or a lack of awareness of basic aerodynamics, many (if not most) of us GA pilots find ourselves sliding around in our seats because of something called the "Lazy Feet Syndrome." We simply fail to use the pedals effectively when maneuvering the aircraft. A brief review of the aerodynamics of a turn . . . We know that a by-product of lift is (induced) drag. We also know that an airplane must be banked for it to turn. As depicted in the first illustration below, an airplane in a left-hand turn tends to "yaw" to the right. Not surprisingly, an airplane in a right-hand turn will tend to "yaw" to the left. This "yawing" effect is produced by the drag induced by the rising or lifting wing.
It is this "yaw" to the right in a left-hand turn that causes the ball in the inclinometer to roll to the left side of the case . . . . unless we do something to eliminate the "yaw." Enter the lowly rudder . . . We know that the rudder influences the direction of the aircraft nose. Press on the left rudder pedal, the nose will swing to the left. Press on the right rudder, the nose will swing to the right. Easy enough! Thus, all we need to do to prevent any adverse "yaw" while in a turn (caused by the uplifting wing) is to apply slight rudder pressure in the direction of the turn (see illustration below).
Contrary to popular belief, "Practice does not make perfect." Instead, "Perfect practice makes perfect." If we want to really improve our piloting proficiency, let's keep those feet dancing on the pedals! It's Up to You to Fly Away - "Memphis, Tennessee"
Join with John and Connie Bouck as they share their adventuresome getaway weekends to romantic places around the globe. Whether in their Cessna 210 or Cessna 180 on floats, the Boucks make the best of general aviation. You can too! Click HERE for your trip to Memphis, TN. Read earlier "Fly Away" stories by John Bouck. Click on the links below:
Mackinac Island John and Connie just returned from a month in Europe with lots of seaplane flying on famous Lake Como in Italy. Stay tuned!
While many of us would like to hold on to those grand old days of aerial barnstorming, romantic taildraggers, and open cockpit Stearmans operating on sod fields, it's time we move on. It's time that we recognize that the future of general aviation lies not in the perpetuation of an image of silk-scarfed aviators. Instead, our future is conditioned upon ridding our industry of dumb-pilot tricks and of perfectly good airplanes being flown into the ground by pilots with more money than brains. It's time we fly by the numbers rather than by the seat of our pants! Like many of you, I review each month's new
crop of 20 to 30 NTSB fatal accident reports. Each
such report tells the tale of some intrepid GA
Curiously, if we were to place an open copy of the accident aircraft's Approved Flight Manual (AFM) or Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) alongside the NTSB Accident Report, then compare the checklist and aircraft performance tables contained therein with the pilot's actions leading up to the accident, we'll see precisely where things went wrong. Either a critical checklist item was ignored or a performance limitation was exceeded somewhere in the accident event. Air carrier and corporate jet crews, for the most part, have this numbers thing down to a fine art. Thanks to detailed operations and standardization manuals coupled with no-nonsense recurrent training procures along with a deep commitment to professionalism, these flight crews manage to place their aircraft on the final approach course at precisely the right speed and the right altitude every time. Contrast this airline and corporate piloting culture with what we witness at most GA airports when the aroma of grilled sausage and pancakes is wafting over the airport! The difference, which is apparent to any eight year-old wannabe pilot, explains why we continue to experience over 300 fatal accidents a year. We CAN elevate our piloting performance to air carrier and corporate jet levels, but it requires a change in our behavior. We simply need to follow FAA Administator Randy Babbitt's advice . . . . and fly by the numbers and look and act like a professional!
Bob Miller, CFII, ATP Goings on about town . . . This new addition to Over the Airwaves highlights places and people of interest to local Western New York aviation. While I wish I could cover the entire globe, time and space constrain me to cover my backyard only.Aero Club of Buffalo - Flying the "Whale" Ever wonder what it's like landing nearly 800,000 pounds of airplane carrying 400 passengers on a zero-zero Cat III approach? Captain Dan Maloney has been flying B-747s for the past 10 years and will be here to share his experiences.
Thursday, October 15th at 6pm
FAA Safety
Seminar - "Ice Is Not So Nice!"
Saturday, October 17th at 2pm Click HERE for more information
Past Issues of Click
HERE
to open any previous issue(s) of 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; and
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who cheat on their spouse, some of us
begin to drift off-course. We do not follow the
predictable passages that produce increasingly skilled
pilots like Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who
successfully landed his disabled Airbus 320 in the
Hudson River last winter.
toward
aircraft maintenance can be seen in shoddy, unclean, or
excessively worn cockpit interiors. If a torn seat
cover is left in disrepair, it's likely that the owner has
ignored other more airworthy issues as well.
I
worked at a flight school once where a colleague instructor
told his students that their new airplanes really didn't
need a thorough pre-flight inspection! 
pilot's
adverse encounter with the laws of physics. Sadly,
most (>80%) of all such fatal accidents were caused by one
or more of just a handful of typical pilot errors.
These errors include poor fuel management, poor weather
analysis, weak maneuvering skills, and bad aeronautical
decision making.