Flying Hint #7: A Lesson in Every Flight

Piloting an aircraft is an extraordinarily rich learning opportunity..  Flying requires not only motor, mental, verbal and psychological skills in a 3-dimensional environment, but also knowledge of aerodynamics, aircraft systems, meteorology, navigation, the airspace system, communications and more.  Over the years I've found it the rare flight, indeed, that does not contains some lesson, big or small, some observation, some item for improvement.  I've recorded these in "aviation notebooks," the style of the first dating my flying career, which also include tips gleaned from the experiences of others, from reading, from Wings Seminars, BFR's, etc. A periodic review helps in retention, and they make good memories too. 

Flying Hint #5: Engine Failure Troubleshooting - Part 2

In the second part of engine failure troubleshooting (see previous post for Part 1) the right hand flies, and the left hand "fixes."  A little chant goes with the physical pattern in both parts, again to help automate the whole procedure.  In Part 1 say to yourself out loud:  "fuel, carb, throttle and mix."  Part 2 goes:  "mags, master, primer and boost."  First, verify that the ignition switch is set to BOTH, though in the case of a rough or misfiring engine, testing left (L) and right (R) magneto settings could solve the problem.  Second, turn the master off for a failure at takeoff or close to the ground, or, at altitude, confirm that it is on for emergency communications or to enable a restart in the case of a stopped prop.  Third, check that the primer is in and locked.  Fourth, turn the fuel boost pump on if so equipped.  This procedure works well for most Cessna light singles.  Customize it for the plane you fly using the three basic concepts:  use "one hand flies, one hand fixes," design a physical pattern from one control to another and reinforce that pattern with a phrase of one word per control.

Flying Hint #5: Engine Failure Troubleshooting - Part 1

This is the procedure I taught my flight and ground students, just the troubleshooting aspect of an engine failure, which must be done simultaneously with establishing glide speed and choosing an emergency landing site...thus, no peeking!  Do remember to fly the aircraft.  In Part 1 the left hand flies and the right hand fixes, and in Part 2 (next post) the right hand flies and the left hand fixes.  Create a pattern appropriate to the aircraft as the physical path helps cement memory.  In this Cessna check that the fuel selector is on both tanks, move up and apply full carburetor heat, move rightward and apply full throttle and last, adjust the mixture, though the flight manual recommendation for full rich may not be appropriate at high altitudes.  Pointy...square...smooth...bumpy.  Better than counting sheep, review the pattern with your eyes closed, practice cheaply in the cockpit while looking outside at the view of the ramp, and then do the real thing flying with an instructor.

Flying Hint #4: Infrequent Flyer

Notwithstanding a fair amount of gratuitous pitch, yaw and roll, I have never had a flight student who could not maneuver an aircraft from point A to point B.  Here's the rub:  enter herein, take a seat and takeoff  (a fairly easy operation); you're now faced with landing the aircraft.  Landing requires not only training and experience but also practice, recency and currency.  FAR 61.57 (Federal Aviation Regulation) requires three takeoffs and three landing within the preceding 90 days in order to carry passengers.  For someone like myself, who doesn't get to fly nearly as often as desired, I've reduced  that minimum to 30 days, which more clearly aligns with the upper flat part of the landing sharpness curve.

Flying Hint #3: Pocket Board

Probably an APP exists for putting the local ATIS on the screen of your cell, but my little pocket board is the next best thing.  Just a small pad secured with binder clips, the pocket board provides a compact, tear-off surface to write down the ATIS, and the other side has two looseleaf binder sleeves to insert local and destination frequencies.  Clipboards, knee boards, yoke boards always seemed distracting, cumbersome and now obviated by glass panels, but for short-hop flying the pocket board works great. And remember:  after listening to the Automatic Terminal Information Service, don't tell the controller that you "have numbers."

Flying Hint #2: Headset Static

So why in the world am I hearing static in my Telex Echelon headset with electronic noise reduction circuitry? Easy to blame the radios, but it finally dawned on me that my penchant for fresh air was overwhelming the headset's noise reduction capacity. By directing the draft from the overhead adjustable ventilator toward my face I had been funneling the blast right into the microphone. Just a small change in the ventilator angle solved the static noise problem.

Flying Hint #1: Displaced Threshold

Taking off on runway 21 at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport I couldn't help but admire the lovely paving job on the 1800' runway extension which includes its own taxiway access. Less impressed was I by the pilots skipping this fine pavement (no back taxiing necessary) for their takeoff roll. For myself I could see finding that extra 1800' quite sweet in the face of an aborted takeoff. I myself enjoy being in airplanes, a minute's more taxi time is not a problem.