FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014

ing points” to answer or even anticipate their ques- tions. We’ll look forward to getting your feedback, and we’ll publish any passenger-care tips you care to share in a future issue. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an airplane to acquire! Come Fly with Me! Knowing how important family support and enthusiasm are to the pilot, I am very pleased that this issue is devoted to, indeed specifically designed for, the family members and friends who share the skies with us. AV I AT ION NE WS ROUNDUP ATIS 2 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 2013 GA Survey Underway Please help us collect accurate information on aviation activity across the United States, which is used to calculate fatal accident rates for general aviation and Part 135 aircraft. We need to hear from everyone who received the 36th annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey) invitation in the mail. Even if you did not fly your aircraft in 2013, we still need a completed survey. The surveys have been sent to approximately 85,000 aircraft owners/operators from the categories of turbine aircraft (turboprops and turbojets), rotor- craft, special light-sport aircraft, aircraft operating on-demand Part 135, aircraft registered in Alaska, and aircraft manufactured since 2008. Because this study is a random sample, only those who receive an invita- tion can participate. If you have already completed this year’s survey, thank you! Be assured that your responses are confidential. The information is used only for statistical purposes and will not be released in any form that would reveal an individual participant. Tetra Tech, an independent research firm, is conducting the GA Survey on behalf of the FAA. If you have questions, please contact Tetra Tech toll-free at 1-800-826-1797 or email at infoavia- tionsurvey@tetratech.com. MROs Join Voluntary Data Programs The FAA is pushing to get more maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers to contribute data to industry-wide risk-based safety programs. Two MRO providers joined the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program recently, which also includes 45 airlines and 24 other corporate, regu- latory, and industry organizations. This is part of the agencies risk-based approach to aviation safety. For public access to some of the data collected through ASIAS, go to www.asias.faa.gov. “Got Weather?” Campaign Launches: Hashtag #GotWx The FAA and general aviation groups launched an eight month “Got Weather?” national safety campaign in May to help general aviation (GA) pilots prepare for potential weather challenges they may encounter during the 2014 flying season. The Got Weather campaign partners are: Air- craft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), FAA Safety Team, GA Joint Steering Committee, General Aviation Manufacturers Associa- tion (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), National Association of Flight Instruc- tors (NAFI), National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA), Soaring Society of America (SSA), Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), University Avia- tion Association (UAA), and U.S. Parachute Associa- tion (USPA). Check out the campaign page with its abundance of resources at http://bit.ly/wxFAA. New IFR Handbook Released A new Instrument Procedures Handbook is now available to IFR pilots online, which replaces the 2007 version. The handbook also has specific information July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 3 covering runway incursion, land and hold short opera- tions, controlled flight into terrain, and human factors issues. Go to http://1.usa.gov/1lXvpfG to download. New ATP Knowledge Test for Airplane Multiengine Class Rating Pursuant to the final rule published in July 2013, requirements are changing for all pilots seeking an ATP certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating, or an ATP certificate obtained concur- rently with an airplane type rating. Beginning on August 1, 2014, all pilots seeking an ATP certificate with a multiengine class rating will be required to complete the ATP Certification Training Program (CTP) prior to taking the ATP knowledge test. This training includes academic and flight simulation training device (FSTD) training. To take the knowl- edge test for the ATP certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating after July 31, 2014, the applicant must present a graduation certificate for the ATP CTP. The revised ATP knowledge test for the ATP certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating will be available on August 1, 2014. A sample version of the test is available at http://www. faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_questions/ media/atm_sample_exam.pdf. For detailed infor- mation on the new ATP requirements, please see the Job Aid diagrams at http://www.faa.gov/pilots/train- ing/atp/. ISSN: 1057-9648 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 Volume 53/Number 4 Anthony R. Foxx Secretary of Transportation Michael P. Huerta Administrator Margaret Gilligan Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety John Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service James Viola Manager, General Aviation and Commercial Division Susan Parson Editor Tom Hoffmann Managing Editor James Williams Associate Editor / Photo Editor Sabrina Woods Assistant Editor Paul Cianciolo Assistant Editor Guy Tom Art Director Published six times a year, FAA Safety Briefing, formerly FAA Aviation News, promotes aviation safety by discussing current technical, regulatory, and proce- dural aspects affecting the safe operation and maintenance of aircraft. Although based on current FAA policy and rule interpretations, all material is advisory or informational in nature and should not be construed to have regulatory effect. Certain details of accidents described herein may have been altered to protect the privacy of those involved. The FAA does not officially endorse any goods, services, materials, or products of manufacturers that may be referred to in an article. All brands, product names, company names, trademarks, and service marks are the properties of their respec- tive owners. All rights reserved. The Office of Management and Budget has approved the use of public funds for printing FAA Safety Briefing. CONTACT INFORMATION The magazine is available on the Internet at: http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing Comments or questions should be directed to the staff by: • Emailing: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov • Writing: Editor, FAA Safety Briefing, Federal Aviation Administration, AFS-805, 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20591 • Calling: (202) 385-9600 • Twitter: @FAASafetyBrief SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION The Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, sells FAA Safety Briefing on subscription and mails up to four renewal notices. For New Orders: Subscribe via the Internet at http://bookstore.gpo.gov, tele- phone (202) 512-1800 or toll-free 1-866-512-1800, or use the self-mailer form in the center of this magazine and send to Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9371. Subscription Problems/Change of Address: Send your mailing label with your comments/request to Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Contact Center, Washington, DC 20408-9375. You can also call (202) 512- 1800 or 1-866-512-1800 and ask for Customer Service, or fax your information to (202) 512-2104. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration 4 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 JA ME S F R A SE R , M .D F EDE R A L A IR SURGEON Aeromedical Advisory For many people, myself included, seasonal aller- gies are an unpleasant fact of life. Some people get them in the spring, others in the fall, and some unfor- tunate souls at both times of year. As we enter the brief respite between potential allergy seasons, I wanted to take a moment to discuss a concerning and persistent trend we are seeing in accident data. A few years ago my predecessor, Dr. Tilton, wrote about the dangers of flying while taking, or shortly after taking, certain medi- cations specific to combating allergies. During the Gen- eral Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) review of loss of control accident data, the working group evaluated a random sample of 90 accidents occurring between 2001 and 2010. About 12 percent of these accident investigations found medications prohibited by the FAA as causal or contributory to the mishap. This seems to be a persistent problem for us. The Nature of the Problem The main offender in this case is diphenhydr- amine, commonly known by the trade name Bena- dryl®, but also found in many other medications. Diphenhydramine tends to impair what we call the “executive functions” of the brain, such as the ability to pay attention, planning, multi-tasking, memory, and problem solving. These functions are so critical to flying that any level of impairment to them is a major safety concern. Diphenhydramine is also a key component of many, if not most, “PM” labeled medications and standalone sleep aids. Take a stroll down the over the counter (OTC) medication aisle of your local phar- macy or grocery store and read the ingredients label on the above mentioned medications to get an idea of the scale of the issue faced by pilots. Use of diphen- hydramine is widespread. This isn’t to say diphenhydr- amine is a bad drug — it’s not — it is just that you need to be aware of its side effects and some of its primary uses beyond allergy relief. Simply put, you wouldn’t take a sleeping pill right before you got in the cockpit, so why are you taking an allergy pill that is also used as a sedative? So what do you do if you are still stricken by those allergies? The best strategy is to find an alternative medication, which we will discuss in a moment. If you can’t find an alternative, you need to know how long to ground yourself before you’re safe to fly. Our cur- rent guidance is to wait until five times the maximum dosing interval has elapsed. In the case of a medica- tion that is directed to be taken every four to six hours, that would be 30 hours after the last dose (5x6=30). A Different Way Forward If you’re anything like me, the idea of facing sea- sonal allergies without some form of medication is a daunting one. This doesn’t mean you have to choose between a season-long grounding and allergy relief, however. There are non-drowsy alternatives to diphen- hydramine. One is loratadine (common trade names: Claritin®, Alavert®, Wal-itin®, and Agistam®), which work well for me. Other options include fexifenadine (Allegra®) and desloratadine (Clarinex®). These alterna- tives could offer better, non-impairing, options to treat your allergies. Still, we all have differing reactions to different drugs and dif- ferent drug allergies. So please consult your per- sonal physician or AME for recommendations in your specific case. Please help us spread the word on this topic. It remains a persistent problem for all of us (FAA, stakeholder groups, and the GA public), but it is a very solvable problem if we can get this mes- sage out. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your AME or Regional Flight Surgeon. James Fraser received a B.A., M.D., and M.P.H. from the University of Oklahoma. He completed a thirty year Navy career and retired as a Captain (O6) in January 2004. He is certified in the specialties of preventive medicine (aerospace medicine) and family practice. He is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Practice. For More information: Pilot Safety Brochure: Medications and Flying www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/ Meds_brochure.pdf IM SAFE Checklist Airman Information Manual (Chapter 8): www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/aim0801. html Drugs and Alcohol in Civil Aviation Accident Pilot Fatalities 2004-2008: www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/ oamtechreports/2010s/media/201113.pdf Seasons of Discontent July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 5 Simply put, you wouldn’t take a sleeping pill right before you got in the cockpit, so why are you taking an allergy pill that is also used as a sedative? Ask Medical Certification C OUR T NE Y S C O T T, D.O. M A N AGER, A EROSPACE MEDIC A L CER T IF IC AT ION DI V ISION 6 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 Q1. I have not flown in over five years and count- ing. When personal circumstances allow, I plan to get back into it. Of course my last medical has expired so when I apply for a medical, will it be considered a renewal, or will it be as if I’ve never had one before? A1. The short answer is that each new exam is just that — new. If you were on a special issuance, this would vary according to what might be needed to con- tinue the special issuance, but for the exam itself, it is not a “renewal.” Q2. Since my last medical, I have had LASIK eye surgery. I accumulated the proper forms at the time, expecting to continue to renew my medical on a regular basis. However, I have not and it has lapsed. Now, the paperwork is no longer readily available. Would I need to produce any kind of proof that my vision is fine (and if so, what would that be?) or would just getting the medical process restarted be considered suitable for that purpose? Is any kind of post-surgery documentation even necessary at this point as long as I can demon- strate adequate eyesight? A2. The policy for any kind of refractive surgery (including LASIK) is that after two years, the airman is only required to meet visual standards. If the surgery occurred less than two years ago, we need an FAA Form 8500-7, Report of Eye Evaluation, filled out by your treating eye physician. Editor’s note: if you want to learn even more about the LASIK process, check out “The Eyes Have It” in the Janu- ary/February 2013 edition of FAA Safety Briefing. Q3. My 2nd class was issued six months ago. Two weeks ago I was diagnosed as having had a minor stroke. I have no intent to fly other than as a CFI, non PIC. Do I need to report this to my DPE? Is there an automatic grounding period before I can request medical reinstatement? Would I be eligible to fly LSA aircraft? A3. In aeromedical certification we interpret a stroke, even a minor stroke, as a condition that would be governed by Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), section 61.53. You should not fly until cleared by the proper authorities in the office of the Federal Air Surgeon. We are unaware of any requirement to report the condition to a pilot examiner; however, if you do fly, we believe you are in violation of the regulations as stated above. The medical policy at present is that an airman who sustains a stroke has a minimum two-year waiting period for re-application. If you apply prior to that time, you will be denied. If you are in a denied status, you are not eligible to fly LSA. The medical reasons behind this relate strongly to the fact that the highest risk factor for another stroke is having had a prior stroke. There are some extenuating circum- stances. If a treatable cause for the stroke is identified, and if the treatment appears to be appropriate, the waiting period can be shorter. Q4. Are any special approvals required after cataract surgery? A4. Cataract surgery requires a minimum one month waiting time after surgery. Then the airman should undergo a thorough vision exam from the treating phy- sician, and the physician should fill out an FAA Form 8500-7, Report of Eye Evaluation. If the airman meets visual standards at that time, the airman is eligible to resume flight; i.e., special issuance is not required. If there are any questions, the airman is advised to con- sult with his or her aviation medical examiner. Q5. I have a Third Class Medical question. Can you get a special issuance if one eye goes beyond the 20/40 if the other eye is 20/40 or lower and all other aspects of the eyes are acceptable? Say 20/50 or 20/60? A5. There is no simple answer to this question, pri- marily because the real issue is about why the vision is deteriorating. If there is an underlying progressive dis- ease, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, then special issuance for the disease process is required. If the vision does not meet the minimum required standards, but the airman is well adapted to the sub- standard vision, it might be possible to try to obtain a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA). SODAs are specifically designed for conditions that are medi- cally stable. In order to obtain a SODA, the underlying condition must be stable and the airman must pass a Medical Flight Test with a Flight Standards inspector. Courtney Scott, D.O., M.P.H., is the Manager of Aerospace Medical Certification Division in Oklahoma City, Okla. He is board certified in aerospace medicine and has extensive practice experience in civilian and both military and non-military government settings. Send your questions to SafetyBriefing@faa.gov. We’ll forward them to the Aerospace Medical Certification Division without your name and publish the answer in an upcoming issue. July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 7 Top GA Aviation Professionals Named The General Aviation Awards Program — started in 1963 — is a cooperative effort between the FAA and 38 GA industry partners. Each year it recognizes aviation professionals for their contributions in the fields of aviation, education, and flight safety. Applicants are evaluated against at least four required metrics: professional involvement, pro bono service to the aviation community, continuing education, and the strength of three letters of recommendation. The national winners are officially recognized during EAA AirVenture each year in July, which includes an all-expenses-paid trip to the world’s greatest aviation celebration in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For more information on this year’s award winners, go to www.generalaviationawards.org. Howard William Wolvington Issaquah, Washington National Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) of the Year Howard works as an independent CFI with the Boeing Employees Flying Association (BEFA) at the Renton Municipal Airport, and with private clients at airports in the Seattle area. He holds an ATP certificate and has more than 13,000 hours of flight time. As a Gold Seal CFI with instrument and multiengine ratings, he has given more than 10,000 hours of flight instruction and 8,000 hours of ground instruction. David Brian Kocak Guilford, Connecticut National Avionics Tech- nician of the Year David serves as the avionics service manager, installation manager, and inspec- tor at V.I.P. Avionics at Hartford-Brainard Airport, where he has been employed for the past 16 years. He holds a repairman’s certificate with inspection authority and a Federal Communications Commission General Radio Telephone Operator license. Max Loyd Burnette Rockvale, Tennessee National Aviation Main- tenance Technician (AMT) of the Year Max is semi-retired after 59 years in air- craft maintenance and 29 years as an A&P mechanic. He began flying as a hobby in 1956 and remains an active pilot. In his semi-retirement, Max is currently doing a complete restoration of a 1941 Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser. He has been a member of EAA and AOPA since 1986, and he actively participates with EAA Chapter 1326 in Shelbyville, as a volunteer pilot in the EAA Young Eagles program. Richard Loren Stowell, Jr. McCall, Idaho National FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) Representative of the Year Richard is a full-time aviation educator specializing in spin, emergency maneuver, and aerobatic training since 1987. He owns and operates Rich Stowell Consulting and is an independent flight instructor, author, and speaker. Richard has given more than 8,700 hours of flight instruction and performed more than 33,400 spins in 215 spin-approved aircraft. He has conducted training clinics and seminars in 27 States and four foreign countries. 8 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 So, there is this general aviation (GA) pilot in your life. He or she practically bubbles over with enthu- siasm. Your pilot virtually disappears into flight training or just-for-fun flying for hours regularly. Large sums of money vanish from the checkbook. A seem- ingly endless collection of aviation-related gadgets and devices accumulates in the house. Your pilot speaks an odd jargon-y language punctuated by self-generated airplane noises and extravagant hand gestures. You initially think (or hope) it’s just a phase. You might even experience a sort of five-stage progression through denial, anger, bargaining, and resignation before reaching a level of acceptance. At that point, you begin to adjust to these quirky, even amusing, per- sonality changes. You accommodate the new habits. You find space for all the gadgets. You occasionally (if nervously) go flying on a few of the recreational jaunts. And, if your pilot uses the airplane for transportation, you can sorta, kinda see how, weather permitting, a couple of hours in a GA airplane can beat lots of hours fighting the ground-bound automobile traffic. But now your pilot wants you to go the extra mile. With fervor akin to that of an ardent preacher, your pilot wants to convert you from mere acceptance, to avid enthusiasm, and maybe even some level of par- ticipation. You aren’t so sure about flight training, but you eventually realize that your pilot’s aviation addic- tion is not a passing phase. You also realize that while you may never share the addiction or reach your pilot’s extreme level of “gotta-fly” enthusiasm, there are ben- efits to vanquishing the fear and finding the fun. If even some of this scenario sounds familiar, this article is for you. Read on! Safety First As an enthusiastic presenter of “cockpit com- panion” seminars over the years, I start by addressing several key points. First, GA flying is not a death-defying activity undertaken by risk-loving daredevils. Yes, there is risk. And yes, GA pilots can certainly do a better job of managing and mitigating that risk. More on that point, and how you can help, elsewhere in this issue. Certi- fication and maintenance requirements for both GA aircraft and GA pilots are a lot more demanding than most people realize. Certificated aircraft (as opposed Fighting the Fear, Finding the Fun! The Cockpit Companion’s Guide to GA Flying Enjoyment B Y S U S A N PA R S O N Photo by James Williams July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 9 to amateur-built) must meet stringent safety require- ments, and they are subject to thorough inspections on at least an annual basis (hence the term “annual”). GA airplanes are also subject to a specific, structured preflight inspection that the pilot performs before each flight. On the human side, most certificated pilots are intelligent, rational, and accomplished people — not daredevils. They get a lot more training than licensed auto drivers in order to earn even the most basic flying credentials, and then there are a number of recurrency requirements a pilot must meet in order to retain flying privileges. All of these factors contribute to safety. Second, there is no way I can teach you to land the airplane in an emergency situation (e.g., pilot inca- pacitation) in just a two-hour ground session or from a magazine article. To accomplish this, I strongly recom- mend investing in a couple of hours with an instructor (NOT your pilot companion, even if he or she has flight instructor credentials!) to get some hands-on experience with manipulating the controls in-flight and landing the airplane from the right seat. Just two hours of practice could go a long way toward fighting any fears and, better yet, increasing your confidence and enjoyment of the experience. Third, chances are very good that you will never even need those skills as a right-seat cockpit compan- ion. Pilot incapacitation stories make headlines pri- marily because they are unusual occurrences — not because they are commonplace events. Fourth, one practical thing you can do to reduce fear, increase confidence, and enhance enjoyment of the GA flying experience is to learn a little more about what the pilot does, how the plane works, and how you can participate — both in normal conditions, and in the unlikely event of an emergency situation. So here we go. What’s the Pilot Doing, and What IS All that Stuff in the Panel? You’ll find a great tour of the airplane’s structural anatomy in Sabrina Woods’ “WikiAnswers” article. The external surfaces — wings, fuse- lage, powerplant/propeller, and overall structure — contribute to developing what pilots know as the Four Forces of Flight: lift, weight, thrust, and drag. In a nutshell, the pilot’s job is to use the cockpit controls — yoke, throttle, and rudder pedals — as well as the array of cockpit panel instruments, to manage, monitor, and direct these four forces of flight. The collection of controls and instruments can look very intimidating, but we can break them down into three categories that correspond to the three priorities that every pilot knows: Aviate – Navigate – Communicate. Aviate: The top priority — always — is to aviate. That means fly the airplane by using the flight controls and flight instruments to direct the airplane’s attitude, airspeed, and altitude. The instruments directly in front of the pilot provide important information on how well the pilot is doing with respect to basic aircraft control. Starting from the top left and moving clock- wise, the pilot gets information on airspeed, attitude with relation to the horizon, altitude, vertical speed and rate, magnetic heading, and turns and coordina- tion (i.e., is the fuselage aligned with the direction of flight). Though presented a bit differently, the same information (and much more) is available to the pilot on the “primary flight display” of a so-called “glass cockpit” aircraft. The pilot uses controls such as the throttle and panel instruments to set engine power and monitor engine performance. Navigate: The next priority is to navigate, which means pointing the aircraft in the direction you want it to go. This task begins with knowing where you are right now. In order to navigate, the pilot can use a combina- tion of instruments that include the magnetic compass, the heading indicator, and navigation instruments such as the VHF omnidirectional radio range (VOR)— The collection of controls and instruments can look very intimidating, but we can break them down into three categories that correspond to the three priorities every pilot knows: Aviate — Navigate — Communicate. sometimes combined with the heading indicator to form an instrument called the horizontal situation indicator, or HSI. In many airplanes, today’s pilots also have the benefit of GPS-driven moving map naviga- tors. In newer glass cockpit airplanes, pilots can get an unprecedented range of navigation-related information — including weather, terrain, and obstacles — from a multi-function display (MFD). Communicate: The final priority is to use the radios to communicate as necessary and appropriate. In some cases, the pilot makes and receives transmis- sions from air traffic control (ATC) during all phases of flight. In other cases, the pilot might communicate with ATC only when approaching an airport with an operating con- trol tower. When operating around non-towered airports, the pilot makes radio calls on the published Common Traffic Advisory Fre- quency (CTAF) and uses radio calls from other pilots to remain clear of other traffic. What Can I Do to Help? There are lots of ways that a right seat passenger can help the pilot manage flight duties. Let’s look at a few. ■ Watch for traffic: The sky is a big place, but there can be a lot of airplanes enjoying it at the same time — and of course airplanes converge in the vicinity of an airport. One of the most helpful things a passenger can do is to watch for other airplanes and point them out to the pilot. If the pilot is monitoring an ATC frequency, you can also listen to traffic calls that the controller makes and try to make visual contact. Control- lers use a combination of clock positions, dis- tance, and altitude to convey the other aircraft’s position relative to yours. For instance: “traffic twelve o’clock, three miles, 5,000 feet” tells you that the other airplane is three miles straight ahead of you. If you know that your airplane’s altitude is 4,000 feet, the other aircraft will be above the horizon relative to your position. ■ Read checklists: Pilots at every level make exten- sive use of checklists to ensure that all necessary tasks are completed at the right time, and in the correct sequence. One way you can help is to read checklists for the pilot, and then watch to ensure that he or she completes the required task. In addition to being a big help to the pilot, performing this task will provide a big boost to your knowledge of the aircraft. Ask your pilot companion to let you run the checklists, start- ing with the preflight inspection. If the pilot forgets to call for a checklist (e.g., after takeoff checklist), you can provide a gentle reminder by asking whether he or she is ready for it. Another important checklist is the passenger briefing checklist. Turn to this issue’s Checklist depart- ment for details on items to cover. ■ Monitor progress: Even in the era of moving map navigators, there is no substitute for human situational and positional awareness. Learn to read paper charts, tablet navigation apps, or panel-mounted moving map navigators. You should be able to determine where you are, and where you are going. Follow the progress of the flight, and make verbal callouts when you see the aircraft crossing a named navigational point. For example: “Crossing Casanova; next waypoint is WITTO intersection.” Especially on a flight where ATC gives instructions, it is helpful to keep a written log of assigned head- ings, altitudes, and radio frequencies. Another way to monitor flight progress is to learn to read key instruments (e.g., airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, altimeter, heading indictor, RPM and/or manifold pressure gauges) and pay attention in order to develop a sense of the gauge positions and settings used for various phases of flight. Though you might find it useful to write down specific numbers and settings, a well-developed sense of what looks right from the right seat is more practical than attempting to read specific numbers on the left side of the panel. Finally, start paying attention to the sight picture for takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, and approach to landing. You will soon develop a sense of what looks normal and right, and you can call the pilot’s attention to anything that strikes you as abnormal or wrong. ■ Set/monitor radios: You can be a big help to the pilot if you learn how to set and change radio frequencies, which can change frequently throughout a flight. And, while aviation radio chatter may initially sound like a foreign language, careful attention will help you pick out words and phrases — starting with your airplane’s call sign, which is a combination of make/model and tail number (e.g., Skylane 1234Z). You can also learn to set the aircraft’s ATC-assigned transponder code, which allows ATC to specifically identify and track your indi- vidual aircraft on radar. Finally, learn to perform basic functions on the installed or hand-held moving map navigator(s). 10 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 There are lots of ways that a right seat passenger can do to help the pilot manage flight duties Subscribe Today! FAA Safety Briefing is available as an annual subscription from the Government Printing Office. There are three ways to sign up today! • By Internet at: http://go.usa.gov/4FSQ • By contacting GPO toll free at: 1-866-512-1800 • Sign up for email updates at: www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/ July/August 2014 What Do I Do in An Emergency? As in any tough situation, advance preparation counts for a lot. Just remember your priorities: ■ Aviate – use flight controls and instruments to control attitude, airspeed, and altitude. Even a little bit of hands-on right seat flying with a qualified instructor will be a great investment if you ever find yourself in a bind. ■ Navigate – use the navigation instruments to help you determine where to go and get the aircraft pointed in that direction. That’s why it’s a great idea to learn basic functions now and practice them on every flight with your pilot companion. If nothing else, be sure you know how to set the moving map navigator to take you “direct to” the nearest airport. ■ Communicate – set the communications radio to 121.5 – the “911 of the sky” – and make a mayday call. Set the transponder to code 7700, which makes your aircraft very visible on the ATC radar screen. Again, learning and practicing basic functions on routine flights will ease your work- load (and your stress level) in the unlikely event of a pilot incapacitation emergency. What Do I Do Now? Take the time to learn some of the skills described in this article. Make a point of using every right seat flying opportunity to pay attention, learn, and practice these skills. Ideally, you will spend a couple of hours getting hands-on experience handling the controls from the right seat. These practices will stand you in good stead in the unlikely event that you might have to land the airplane on your own. Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of FAA Safety Briefing. She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor. FAA Safety Briefing 11 12 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 I’ve always loved languages. In addition to English, I have studied French, Spanish, Bengali, and several dialects of “Guy.” But on the day of my first flight lesson, none of that linguistic experience helped me make sense of the static-filled gibberish flowing from the little Cessna’s radio. It took a bit of time, effort, and practice, but eventually I got it. If you are a regular GA aircraft passenger who would like to know more about what’s going on over the radio, here are a few tips that can help you decipher PilotSpeak. The Ws For safety reasons, the language of aviation is highly precise in both its “grammar” (structure) and its vocabulary. In fact, there is a dictionary of aviation terms and phrases called the Pilot/Controller Glossary to ensure that pilots and controllers assign the same meaning to the same words and phrases. When a pilot makes a transmission, he or she fol- lows a specific structure. The script calls for the pilot to say something like: “Phoenix Approach, Skyhawk 1357T, twenty miles west at five thousand five-hundred feet, landing Falcon Field.” Now let’s look at the indi- vidual elements: ■ Whom you are calling. “Phoenix Approach” or “Richmond Tower” ■ Who you are, using the aircraft’s make, model, and tail number: “Skyhawk 1359 Tango” ■ Where you are: “twenty miles west” at “5,500 feet” (read from the altimeter) ■ What you want to do: “landing Falcon Field.” The controller will use a similar sequence to respond: ■ Whom ATC is calling: “Skyhawk 1359 Tango” ■ Who is calling you: “Phoenix Approach” ■ Where ATC thinks you are (sometimes based on radar): “radar contact, twenty miles west “5,500 feet” ■ What ATC wants you to do: “maintain present heading; descend and maintain 3,500 feet.” PilotSpeak A Beginner’s Guide to the Aviation Lexicon B Y S U S A N PA R S O N July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 13 Depending on the situation, there are obviously a lot of variations in terms of words and phrases that pilots and controllers use. Still, the structural sequence is the same. The Alphabet To help avoid confusion with similar sounding consonants and numbers, in March 1956 the Interna- tional Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a standard phonetic alphabet for aviation use: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu. PilotSpeak numbers are pronounced mostly the same as they are in regular English, with just a few exceptions: ■ The number three (3) becomes “tree.” ■ The number five (5) becomes “fife.” ■ The number nine (9) becomes “niner.” Using the made-up tail number in the previ- ous example, both the pilot and the controller will pronounce the airplane’s call sign as: “one-tree- fife-niner Tango.” You may or may not hear the call sign start with “November,” but if you look at the tail number of any U.S.-registered aircraft, you will see that it begins with “N” — “November.” Other coun- tries use a different starting letter (or a combination of letters and numbers) to denote an aircraft on their registry. Useful Words & Phrases Now let’s decode some of the words and phrases you might hear: ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) is recorded information on current weather and airport information, such as runways in use. Each successive ATIS record- ing has an alpha-numeric designator to dis- tinguish it from previous ones. For example, “ATIS information Foxtrot is current.” Squawk: This word refers to the aircraft’s transponder code, which can be either a stan- dard code (1200 for visual flight rules — VFR) or a discrete code assigned by ATC. Squawk can be a noun (“say assigned squawk”), and adjective (“squawk code is 2345”), or a verb (“squawk 5423”). Mayday: Hopefully you will never have to use this one, but “Mayday” means emergency. In case you’re wondering, the word is a cor- ruption of the French term for “help me” (m’aidez). Who’s Roger?! Last but not least … ever wonder why aviators say “Roger?” A very plausible explanation arises from aviation’s early days, when the industry adopted cus- toms, procedures, and terms from established industries like the telegraph business. Given the uncertain quality and reliability of Morse code telegraph transmissions, the receiver would transmit a single letter “R” — upon successful receipt of a message to signify that “I have received and understood your transmission.” Early aviators needed a similar protocol. As it was not possible to transmit a Morse-coded “R,” they did the next best thing by transmitting the word “Roger,” which was at that time the spelling ("phonetic") alphabet version of the letter “R.” Then, as now, it was simply an acknowledgement that “I have received and understood your last transmission.” So be grateful that aviation adopted this practice before the phonetic alphabet changed from “Roger” to “Romeo!” Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of FAA Safety Briefing. She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor. For safety reasons, the language of aviation is highly precise in both its “grammar” (structure) and its vocabulary. 14 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 Here’s one of the most poorly-kept secrets in avia- tion: Pilots. Have. Egos. Big egos. That’s because learning to fly takes money, and it takes time. It also takes dedication, hard work (lots of it), and plain ol’ stubborn determination to succeed. Individuals who persevere long enough to earn that first pilot certificate are understandably proud of this achievement. Most of us are also proud (okay, maybe even a little smug) to be members of a surprisingly small and thus “exclusive” group. The problem is that pilot pride can sometimes inter- fere with good judgment and good decisions, especially if there is an audience of potential passengers involved. Pilots don’t want to appear dumb. We don’t want to be (or appear to be) cowards. We don’t want to disappoint partners and other passengers who have agreed — some grudgingly — to put their lives in our hands by occupy- ing a seat in the airplane. We don’t want to be (or appear to be) incapable, unable, or unworthy. Most of all, we don’t want to say “no.” Human nature being what it is, at least in the immediate time- frame, it is so much easier for a pilot with passengers to say “yes” regardless of weather and safety factors that make “no” the wiser choice. So here’s what I tell pilots who attend my safety seminars and pilot partners who come to right-seat courses: The day a pilot truly becomes pilot-in-command is the day that he or she says “no” to a flight that somebody in the group really, really, REALLY wants to make. So what can a GA pilot’s right seat companion do to help? Plenty! It starts with using a structured way to identify hazards, and reduce their ability to pose a risk to flight safety. In the next paragraph is the “PAVE” hazard and risk assessment framework that many pilots use to evaluate circumstances for a particular flight. By encouraging consistent use of such tools for both flight analysis and the so-called “go/no-go” and “continue/ divert” decision-making processes, you can help your pilot save face — and, most importantly, you can help save lives. PAVE the Way to Safety ■ Pilot/People: The first item in the PAVE hazard and risk assessment tool is P, which can refer not just to the pilot, but also to passengers and other people involved in the flight. This item should remind the pilot to review his or her readiness for the flight on several dimensions. These include total experience, recent experi- ence, proficiency, and legal requirements (e.g., currency requirements for night, instrument flight, passenger-carrying operations). Other dimensions include the pilot’s physical and emotional condition. A pilot’s spouse or signifi- cant other can be especially helpful in this area, because who is better situated to know when something just isn’t right? ■ Aircraft: The A element of PAVE reminds the pilot to evaluate hazards and risk factors associ- ated with the aircraft. These include determining fuel and fuel reserve requirements, the mechani- cal condition of the aircraft and its equipment, and expected aircraft performance (e.g., takeoff and landing distances) for conditions on the day of the flight. The A also reminds the pilot to con- sider his or her level of experience in the specific type of aircraft and its equipment. Once a pilot companion is more comfortable flying around, he or she can help out with this by helping moni- tor gauges, running checklists, and annotating radio transmissions, if needed. ■ enVironment: PAVE’s V component reminds the pilot to assess hazards and risk associated with all elements of the flight environment. These include airport and runway conditions, airport lighting, terrain, obstacles, and airspace restrictions. But one of the most critical V ele- ments is weather. Some pilots are qualified to fly only under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), when the weather is good. With more training and testing, a pilot can earn the privilege of operating The Voice of Reason Partnering for Safety and Risk Management B Y S U S A N PA R S O N Photo by Susan Parson July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 15 under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), when the weather is not good enough for visual flight. An important thing to remember, though, is that even IFR-qualified pilots cannot, and should not, attempt to fly in all weather conditions. Much depends on the individual pilot’s level of training, skill, proficiency, and comfort with given weather conditions. The type of aircraft is also a factor, simply because some airplanes have more capability than others. But no GA airplane can safely penetrate thunderstorms or fly in severe icing conditions. ■ External Pressures: Passengers eager for a trip and people waiting at the destination are good examples of External Pressures that can profoundly and adversely impact a pilot’s judg- ment, in part for the reasons I mentioned at the beginning of this discussion. Passengers who are cognizant of PAVE hazards (e.g., pilot illness or fatigue, unfamiliar aircraft, poor weather) can alleviate people-related external pressures in a couple of ways. One is to invite a conversation about hazards identified for this flight. Another is to suggest, and actively assist with plans in the event of a delay or diversion. Passengers who are prepared for these eventualities make it much easier for the pilot to make — and stick to — a “no” decision when conditions so require. Personal Minimums – Decision Making In Advance One of the most useful things a pilot can do in avi- ation safety risk management is to develop and write down personal minimums. In formal terms, personal minimums are an individual pilot’s set of procedures, rules, criteria, and guidelines for deciding whether, and under what conditions, to operate (or continue operating). While accurate, the formal definition does not really convey one of the core concepts: personal minimums as a “safety buffer” between the demands of the situation and the extent of both pilot skills and airplane performance. I like to think of personal minimums as the human factors equivalent of reserve fuel. When the pilot plans a flight, the regulations require calculating fuel use in a way that leaves a specified amount of fuel in the tanks upon landing. Reserve fuel is intended to provide a safety buffer between fuel required for normal flight and fuel available to avoid total quiet in the engine compartment. In the same way, a pilot should establish written personal minimums to provide a solid safety buffer between the skills and aircraft performance required for a specific flight, and the skills and aircraft perfor- mance available. Does your pilot have written personal minimums? If not, one of the most helpful things you can do is to encourage him or her to invest the time in develop- ing them. For one approach to this process, you can point your pilot to the “Getting the Maximum from Personal Minimums” article from the May/June 2006 of FAA Aviation News (http://www.faa.gov/news/ safety_briefing/2006/ media/mayjun2006.pdf). The article provides a step- by-step approach and worksheets the pilot can use for this process. If the pilot does have written personal minimums, you might ask whether the document is up-to-date. Personal minimums are very dynamic, because pro- ficiency levels change (for better and for worse) in accordance with practice. Once personal minimums have been established and updated, the right seat passenger can contribute to good risk management by asking the pilot to dem- onstrate that the proposed flight is consistent with those pre-established decisions. In addition to increas- ing the passenger’s level of comfort and confidence, this approach makes it easier for the pilot to make “dis- appointing” decisions when circumstances so require. Using the Veto A final suggestion for GA aircraft passengers seek- ing to help with decision making and risk manage- ment: Negotiate for “veto power,” and then use it when you need to. Veto power means that if any aspect of the flight makes the passenger uncomfortable, he or she can use the veto to request prompt diversion to a safe alternate destination. Once safely on the ground, there will be plenty of time to review conditions, discuss options, and decide — together — on next steps that will keep everyone safe and ready to fly again. Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of FAA Safety Briefing. She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor. Learn More: “Getting the Maximum from Personal Minimums” – MayJun 2006 FAA Aviation News “Whither and Whether of Flying in Weather” – JulAug 2010 FAA Safety Briefing “Building Blocks and Safety Circles” – JanFeb 2011 FAA Safety Briefing By encouraging consistent pilot use of hazard and risk assessment tools, the right seat passenger can help save lives. 16 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 Ask any seller of art or memorabilia and they will tell you that how you present your product often plays a factor in how desirable it becomes. A neatly framed item will command more attention (ergo more revenue) than one simply hung on the wall. Any good real estate agent will tell you that properly staging your home will make a huge difference in how quickly, and at what price you sell your home. This context — the frame in the case of art or the staging in the case of real estate — provides the back- drop that enhances the experience of the person who comes in to view either. There’s a lesson to be learned in this bit of marketing. An Out of Body Experience For most of us, the first flight is a transformative experience. We can tell you almost every detail about the experience. For aviators and aviation enthusiasts, the experience is so powerful that it needs no reinforce- ment or context. But sometimes we fail to remember that not everyone has the same passion for flight that most of us had long before we were lucky enough to step into an aircraft. For some people, any flying experience can be a painful or even traumatic one. So I implore my fellow pilots to be cognizant of that fact when we are trying to share our aviation passion with our friends and loved ones. We need to step back and remove ourselves from our own enthusiasm, and try to envision the experience from their point of view. Only then can we see the factors we can control to make sure our companions have the best possible experience. Why the Frame Matters: How the Context of a First Flight Makes a Difference B Y J A M E S W I L L I A M S Whither the Weather One of the biggest factors in the first flight experi- ence is the weather. Just as you wouldn’t want to take a “first cruise” in the middle of a hurricane, taking a first flight in suboptimal conditions tends to ensure there is no second flight. Unlike a solo flight to do some pat- tern work, three miles of visibility — while perfectly legal VFR weather — hardly shows off the scenic vistas that great visibility can offer a passenger who is riding along. Another area of particular concern is turbulence. As experienced aviators, we take a little bit of light bumping as just a “fact of life.” To a neophyte, though, those light bumps could feel like a real emergency. So if your favorite area is known for afternoon thermals, it may be a better idea to schedule an earlier flight. And this should go without saying, but any flirting with con- vective weather is a big no-no whether you are with passengers or alone! Information is a Comfort As a GA pilot riding as an airline passenger, I always seem to be seated next to the one “phobic” flyer. Without fail, my seatmate seems to be startled by the normal noises that comprise the pushback, taxi, and take-off of our flight. It’s easy for those of us with aviation knowledge to rationalize things that might sound downright odd to the inexperienced flyer. We might think, “well that’s a hydraulic pump or a flap motor; they must be doing the pre-takeoff checklist.” Our knowledge of the mechanical and procedural protocols gives us comfort our fellow passengers lack. The key here is, when flying someone yourself, share that info. Let your passenger know what sounds are normal. You should also consider providing a kind of running commentary of what you’re doing and why. “I’m going to run up the engine here to test it before we take-off.” The bottom line is your new passengers should know what’s coming well before it happens. This is where a really good passenger briefing comes in (see this edition's Checklist for more information). Before you even depart the airport building, let passengers know your qualifications. Explain how you got into aviation, and what qualifies you to be their aerial guide. Make sure your passenger and any other interested par- ties (i.e., parents) know that you’re a competent and qualified aviator. Steer clear of things like unusual attitudes, stall practice, or any aggressive maneuvering. While stall practice can be a very useful demonstration (i.e. “hey if the aircraft stalls, this is all we have to do to recover”) the first flight is absolutely the wrong place for this lesson. One final piece of advice comes from long time flight instructor and flight school manager Marcel Bernard. He says to “be enthusiastic; never treat an introductory flight like a chore.” Bernard explains “Your energy and enthusiasm can turn an interesting experience into a lifelong passion. It’s just that simple.” The “first flight” should focus on providing the smoothest, most enjoyable experience possible. We can do that by providing the best possible stage and the best possible frame. James Williams is FAA Safety Briefing’s assistant editor and photo editor. He is also a pilot and ground instructor. “Your energy and enthusiasm can turn an interesting experience into a lifelong passion, it’s just that simple.” July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 17 Fast-track Your Medical Certificate With FAA MedXPress, you can get your medical certificate faster than ever before. Here’s how: Before your appointment with your Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) simply go online to FAA MedXPress at https://medxpress. faa.gov/ and electronically complete FAA Form 8500-8. Information entered into MedXPress will be available to your AME to review prior to and at the time of your medical examination, if you provide a confirmation number. With this online option you can complete FAA Form 8500-8 in the privacy and comfort of your home and submit it before your appointment. The service is free and can be found at: https://medxpress.faa.gov/ ATTENTION: As of Oct. 1, 2012, pilots must use MedXpress to apply for a Medical Certificate. July/August 2014 18 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 19 Summer is here, and for a lot of people that means it is time to pack up the family-hauler and take off for sights unknown and grand adventures. Par- ents, kids, pets, and stuff —packed up, buckled in, and strapped down. Everyone exuberant and ready to go. That is — until the weather changes, and the pre- viously plotted course has to change as well. Then your spouse expresses displeasure that you won’t make the Big Event in time. Junior declares he’s hungry. Youngest child touches middle child’s things, causing the latter child to shriek. That suitcase you were pretty sure was strapped down comes loose and starts sliding around. And then Rover begins to show adamant signs that he has to relieve himself. “Don’t make me turn this thing around!,” my father would bellow after my sister and I pushed him particu- larly close to the breaking point on a few of those long cross-country trips of my childhood. I am sure some of you can relate — either as beleaguered parents, or as fellow past misbehavers. And while my dad was perfectly capable of making good on the threat (and did at least twice), the act isn’t so easy when you are cruising along at 8,000 feet in your Cessna Skywagon. Worse, distracting the pilot has proven to be a very risky endeavor, and is routinely found on the FAA’s top ten human factors errors list. So, fellow passengers, this article is for you. Con- sider this your guide on how to treat your pilot and help ensure your trip is a safe and happy one. Gettin’ Ready In preparation for your flight, the pilot is going to be very busy engaging in various preflight activities such as checking the weather, filing a flight plan, calcu- lating how much fuel you are going to need, and deter- mining the weight that you are bringing on board. This last part includes fuel, people and pets, and all your luggage. The emphasis on weight can seem a bit much, but in fact it is a very important part of ensuring the airworthiness of the aircraft. (check out Susan Parson’s “Don’t MAKE MeTurnThisThingAround!” or, A Guide on How To Treat Your Pilot B Y S A B R I N A WO O D S 20 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 article, “You Can’t Take All That!” in this edition of FAA Safety Briefing.) Once all of the preflight planning is done, the pilot should take a walk around the aircraft and accomplish one last check of the fluids. While the pilot is doing all of that, you can use this time to ensure what you intend to bring on board is truly necessary for your travels. Sometimes there is an urge to pack everything-but-the-kitchen-sink when traveling but, as noted, an aircraft can only handle so much weight. So a bit of prudence must be exercised. Clothing, favorite toys, a few snacks and water, desti- nation-specific items (i.e., a fishing reel), and Rover’s food bowl are all great examples of what to bring. A full set of snow gear for your trip to the Grand Canyon in July — you know, in case it gets cold — is probably not such a great idea. Smaller, soft-sided (squishable) bags work best for packing, and liquid medicines and toiletry items should go into sealable waterproof bags in case the contents spill during flight. Once you have determined what to bring, a good idea is to isolate the (few) items that you will want read- ily accessible during the flight. These include snacks, border crossing documents, and the handheld gaming system that will keep Junior occupied for hours. Every- thing else must be properly strapped down so as not to move and become a hazard in flight. This includes Rover. No matter how humorous it may seem to have a pet riding “shotgun,” the truth of the matter is that it can become an unpredictable distraction. Therefore, it is best to leave larger pets tethered towards the rear of the cabin, and smaller pets in strapped down travel crates for the duration of the flight. Adults and older children should have a general understanding of how to operate their own restraining devices. In fact, it is a requirement for the pilot to ensure that passengers get this information. That way you can buckle up and extract yourself quickly should the situa- tion warrant it, and help to take some more pressure off the pilot so he or she can focus on other things. Clothing should be appropriate for the climate in which you are flying, so think lightweight, breathable clothes for temperate weather, and warmer, thermal wear for mountain flying. It is always a good idea to wear closed-toe, rubber soled shoes when flying because you just never know when you might need to get away from the aircraft as fast as possible. The last thing you want is a flip-flop coming off at a bad time. My dad’s #1 rule when we traveled was that we weren’t going to stop unless we absolutely had to. Period. That included bathroom breaks. What does that have to do with flying? A great deal, because for the most part, private aircraft don’t have “facilities.” And while realistically my dad could have pulled over and stopped if the situation was dire enough, it is incredibly difficult or impossible to do when flying to your destination. So consider this as a very polite way of telling you to make sure you “go” before you go and limit liquid intake in the hours preceding the trip. That goes double for Rover. Your pilot (and bladder) will thank you for it. Exits are Here … and Here Take time to review the emergency procedures particular to your aircraft before you go. Although it is far easier to discern where aircraft exits are on a Cessna than on a Boeing 777, you need to make sure you know how to operate the doors and which way to egress depend- ing on the situation. It is an excellent idea to make a “get out of Dodge” plan involving all family members should the worst occur and you get into an accident. Some things to identify are: who grabs the emergency kit, who tries to fire-fight, who takes baby/Rover/non-ambulatory person, etc. Running through drills prior to your first flight can help cement procedures in your mind so that it is automatic should the need arise. It is also beneficial if all adults and age-appropri- ate children have a general working knowledge of how to work the radio, the GPS, and the emergency locator transmitter as a backup in case the pilot is occupied or unable to do so. Cone of Silence Once you are all strapped in and ready to go, the pilot will do a series of final checks in the cockpit before heading out to the runway. At this time, it is very impor- tant to invoke the “cone of silence,” to use a phrase from the popular 1960s television show, Get Smart. But instead of Agent 86 and the Chief, the important infor- mation that is being passed back and forth is between air traffic control and the pilot. While they discuss information critical to the flight the passengers need to be quiet to ensure that nothing is missed during the transmission. This means you will need to silence any electronic devises or noise-making toys, too. There may be several other times during the flight where silence is required, such as when the pilot receives updated data pertinent to the flight path, when there is other air traffic in the area, and when entering the landing sequence. This isn’t an excuse to totally check out, however! Passengers can be a great asset to the pilot in helping to look out for nearby obstacles or aircraft. As the old adage goes: two sets of eyes are better than one. If you aren’t already familiar You have the right to feel safe. If at any time you do not feel safe or are having any misgivings about the flight, let the pilot know! July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 21 with “o’clock” directional positioning you might want to ask your pilot to teach you. You never know when you will have to tell your pilot to “check six!” Excitement Management 101 Once airborne, the real adventure begins. Here is where you can probably do the most to endear yourself to the pilot and establish your position in the “greatest passenger ever” hall of fame. You may not realize it because “s/he goes flying all the time,” but your pilot is under a lot of pressure and I don’t just mean the actual act of manipulating the air- craft. The FAA, the National Transportation and Safety Board, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and many other aviation-related industries have all recog- nized, and advocated for sound aeronautical decision- making (ADM). ADM is the systematic approach to the mental process used by pilots to consistently determine the best course of action in response to a given set of circumstances. One of the biggest factors that can affect good ADM is something called “external pressure.” By nature, the pilot just wants to please and in par- ticular when the passengers are loved ones. He or she can feel the pressure to get to the destination early, to ensure the flight is as smooth and “fun” as possible, or to continue a course of action despite mounting informa- tion indicating that it might not be the best choice. If you aren’t careful, you can become a walking, talking physi- cal embodiment of external pressure — a passenger who unknowingly and unwittingly places undue stress on the pilot. To combat this, everyone on board needs to exercise a little “excitement management” and establish realistic expectations. Just like when driving, things might go wrong. The plane could malfunction, the weather might turn sour, or the destination airport might suddenly be inaccessible. So instead of expressing disappointment over changes to your plans, encourage the pilot to adhere to personal minimums and become an active voice of reason. It will go a long way in keeping everyone safe. “Rights” of Passage I’ve mentioned a lot of different things the passenger can do to treat the pilot right, however there are a lot of things that you should expect from your pilot as well. I call this the “rights” of passage and it includes the following: ■ You have a right to know what to expect on the flight. This means the pilot should talk to you about potential weather, turbulence, or winds. You should know approximately how long the flight will take, and what it will be like when you get to your destination. Key logistics such as name, phone number, and transport pertaining to the airport and lodgings, should be shared infor- mation. ■ You should expect to be kept as comfortable as possible, within reason. Environmental controls and seat adjustments should be made, and sound dampening measures used to maintain comfort. Hearing protection is a must, and in particular for the sensitive ears of smaller children. It also doesn’t hurt to learn and be able to manipulate these gadgets yourself. ■ You should be able to speak up when the phase of flight no longer requires silence. This means that if you aren’t feeling well, have a question about the flight or aircraft, or are unclear about anything, you should say something. In addition, there is a lot of potentially scary stuff that goes on during flights: flashing lights, aural alarms, weird engine and aircraft noises, and the like. This brings me to the final and most important “right” in the pas- senger bill of rights which is; ■ You have the right to feel safe. If at any time you do not feel safe or are having any misgivings about the flight, let the pilot know! You should ask which beeps are cause for concern and which are “operation normal.” You can be a powerful safety- conscious advocate for the pilot, and you have every right to do so. In return, the pilot should do everything in his or her power to put you at ease. Summertime travels can be the stuff that great mem- ories are made from. With a little respect and under- standing between the pilot and the passengers, every trip can be fun, exciting, and safe. Bon voyage! Sabrina Woods is an assistant editor for FAA Safety Briefing. She spent 12 years as an aircraft maintenance officer and an aviation mishap investigator in the Air Force. Photo courtesy of Mark Giron 22 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 One of the joys of traveling in a general aviation (GA) airplane is that you don’t have to limit your liquids and gels, or remove your shoes, or go through airport security scanners. Why, you can take anything you like! So you pack accordingly, only to discover that your personal pilot is far more ferocious than the stone-faced screeners at Big Airplane Airport. As soon as you appear with your bags and bundles, your pilot freezes — scowls — and states (or shouts): YOU CAN’T TAKE ALL THAT IN THIS AIR- PLANE!! Your offer to take care of fitting it all in, just like you do for family auto trips, doesn’t do much to soothe the pilot. On the contrary, he or she gets even more agitated because YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS! For reasons we’re about to discuss, most pilots will always prefer to perform (or closely supervise) the loading of baggage and passengers. Still, knowing something about the basics of aircraft weight and bal- ance could reduce some of the tension that can arise on such occasions. A-Weigh We Go The description of GA aircraft as “light airplanes” is apt, because “light” is the name of the game. The lighter the airplane is, the faster and higher it can fly with a given type of engine and propeller. Also, keeping the aircraft on the lighter side enables the pilot to carry more fuel, more passengers, and/or more cargo. Notice that I said “and/or” — not just “and.” GA flying involves tradeoffs. The fact that a light GA air- plane has four seats doesn’t mean that the pilot can always carry four passengers, especially if those pas- sengers have baggage. Nor can the pilot just top off the tanks and launch. Here’s why. You Can’t Take All That!! What Aircraft Weight & Balance Means to You B Y S U S A N PA R S O N Photo by James Williams July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 23 In order to stay aloft, the airplane’s wings must be able to generate enough lift to equal the weight of the airplane and everything it carries: e.g., people, packages, and petroleum. When an airplane is made, its manufacturer determines its maximum gross weight. You can think of this number as the manufacturer’s guarantee that the airplane is capable of generating sufficient lift to carry that amount of weight. It’s up to the pilot to decide how to use that set “weight allowance” on any given flight. In most cases, it is simply not possible to load a light GA aircraft with full fuel, full seats, and passenger bags without grossly exceeding the manufacturer’s established value for maximum gross weight. So the pilot has to make choices, which means that pas- sengers may be “volun-told” to pack very lightly. Or, if all passenger seats will be occupied, it could mean launching with less than a full fuel load — which might require one or more fuel stops en route to the destination. Hanging in the Balance You have dutifully (albeit reluctantly) agreed that you can’t take all THAT, and limited your luggage accordingly. So now you wonder why the pilot starts rearranging the items you’ve already stowed in the baggage compartment, and why he or she is making passenger seat assignments. That’s where the “balance” part of “weight and balance” comes in. To be stable in all phases of flight, an airplane’s weight must be balanced around a point within a fairly narrow range of values established when the airplane is manufactured and flight-tested. The idea is to avoid loading the airplane in a way that makes it either nose-heavy or tail-heavy. To achieve this goal, the pilot uses the manufac- turer’s paper charts and graphs or, more likely nowa- days, apps containing that data, to make a weight and balance calculation. The weight part of the equation is fairly obvious: the pilot starts with the airplane’s pub- lished empty weight, and totals the weights for passen- gers, bags, and fuel to calculate the total weight. As long as the total weight is below the airplane’s published maximum gross weight, the pilot can proceed to the next step of calculating the airplane’s “center of gravity,” or CG. This process involves mul- tiplying each component of the weight (e.g., pilot and front seat passenger) by the published “station” value for that specific load-carrying position. The product of this calculation is called the “moment.” Once the pilot has calculated all the moments, the next step is to add them together, and then divide total moments by total weight. The resulting number is the CG — the airplane’s balance point. The final step is for the pilot to check the charts and ensure that the CG is within the acceptable range. If so, good to go. If not, the pilot will need to rearrange the load by moving passengers or bags until the CG is acceptable. Once weight and balance is calculated and within acceptable limits, away you go! Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of FAA Safety Briefing. She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor. 24 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 Passenger SAFETY Briefing S A F E T Y Seat belts fastened for taxi, takeoff, landing. Shoulder harnesses fastened for takeoff, landing. Seat position adjusted and locked in place. Air vents (location and operation). All environmental controls (discussed). Action in case of any passenger discomfort. Fire extinguisher (location and operation). Exit doors (how to secure; how to open). Emergency evacuation plan. Emergency/survival kit (location and contents). Traffic (scanning, spotting, notifying pilot). Talking ("sterile cockpit" expectations). Your questions? (Speak up!). Checklist SUS A N PA R SON July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 25 You are undoubtedly familiar with the passenger safety briefing that flight attendants provide on commer- cial airliners. Did you know that the FAA also requires private pilots to ensure that their passengers get a pre- takeoff safety briefing? If you are a right-seat passenger looking for ways to get more involved in GA flight activi- ties, here’s a checklist you can run on the pilot’s behalf. Seatbelts The regulations give the pilot in command (PIC) two specific tasks with regard to seat belts and shoulder harnesses. First, the PIC must ensure that each person on board is briefed on how to fasten and unfasten that person’s seat belt and, if installed, shoulder harness. Second is a duty to notify passengers that seat belts must be fastened before the pilot can legally take off, land, or “cause (an aircraft) to be moved on the surface.” It is also a good idea to brief your passengers on how to adjust and lock each seat into position. Air The second major item is environmental controls. Show all passengers where the air vents are located, and tell them how to open and close overhead and/or floor- level vents in their seating area. Many GA airplanes have other environmental controls (e.g., cabin heat) located somewhere on the instrument panel. If passengers are airplane-savvy, show them how to adjust some or all of these controls. Unless passenger have some experience in GA aircraft, though, it may be best to tell them to let you know if they need you to make adjustments. The subject of air brings up a more delicate issue — airsickness. Opinions differ widely on whether, and how, to discuss this topic. Some advocate a direct approach, including a full briefing on location and use of airsickness bags. Others believe that a specific briefing triggers the power of suggestion in potentially queasy passengers, and prefer to avoid the subject entirely. You be the judge, but at a minimum you want passengers to tell you right away if they feel uncomfortable. Fire Extinguisher If you have a fire extinguisher on board — you do, right? — show all passengers where it is located, how to unlatch it from its mount, and how to use it in the unlikely event of a fire. Equipment Make sure all passengers know how to open the door(s) in the event of an emergency evacuation, but it is also important for them to know how to properly secure the door(s). Be sure to explain any equipment, such as supplemental oxygen, that passengers are expected to use during the flight. For emergency preparation purposes, develop and brief exit procedures. This step is especially important in airplanes with doors on both sides of the fuselage. For example, your plan might call for keeping the left (pilot) seat forward to allow rear seat passen- gers to exit via the left door, with front seat occupants exiting via the right. Designate a post-exit gathering point and, if you carry survival equipment, make sure everyone knows where it is stowed. Traffic and Talking It never hurts to have extra eyes scanning for traf- fic, so brief passengers to speak up whenever they spot other aircraft. A simple “airplane on the right” will suf- fice, but you might teach them to give you traffic infor- mation in terms of the “o’clock” positions used by ATC. Expectations for communications — talking — is another good topic to include. Passengers will cer- tainly understand that there are times when the pilot needs to focus fully on flying. Let passengers know that they should not attempt to talk to the pilot (except for traffic point-outs) during the busy takeoff/ climb and approach/landing phases of the flight. Passengers should also minimize their own conversations during these times. Your Questions? Give passengers an opportunity to ask questions about any part of the flight. Since some passengers may be intimidated by the novelty of GA flying or embarrassed to ask “dumb” questions, watch for any signs of confusion or concern. Make a special effort to invite those questions needed to clarify any part of the briefing they did not understand. The question time is a great opportunity to reassure a reluctant rider, or to encourage a potential future pilot’s interest in aviation. Checklist complete! Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of FAA Safety Briefing. She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor. Learn More For a more detailed version of this approach to the pas- senger safety briefing, see page 8 January/February 2007 issue of FAA Aviation News which can be found here: http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2007/media/ JanFeb2007.pdf S-A-F-E-T-Y Briefing My first experience flying in a general aviation (GA) aircraft was thrilling. I was fresh out of Air Force ROTC when an opportunity arose to fly with a fellow alumnus who had earned a private pilot certificate before enter- ing active duty and had already accumulated over 300 hours in his father’s Piper Archer LX. The pilot, another brand new second lieutenant, and I hit the skies in an exhilarating 48-minute adventure over Flagstaff, Ariz., just skirting the edges of the great Grand Canyon. It … was … awesome. To my fellow pas- senger? Not so much. On edge the entire time, he just didn’t appreciate the soaring heights and majestic views like the pilot and I did. Every beep and squeak that emanated from the aircraft left him white-knuckling the seat, and the constant thrum and vibration from the Lycoming engine made him ill. At the time, admittedly, I was less than sympathetic to his plight. I was too much into my own moment. But now, looking back on that day, it occurs to me that my friend’s nerves going into the trip probably played a huge role in his in-flight misery. And, as a result of that day, it is very likely his attitude towards GA soured forever. It occurs to me, now, that perhaps if he had just known a bit more about how an aircraft works and how much training our buddy went through to even be certified to fly us, he might have relaxed a bit and enjoyed more of what that experience had to offer. Mathematician Daniel Bernoulli published in his book, Hydrodynamica, that as the speed of a moving fluid (liquid or gas) increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases. Aircraft engineer Henri Coanda˘ discovered the wall-attachment phenomenon, which is the tendency of a moving fluid, either liquid or gas, to attach itself to a surface and flow along with it. And lastly, in Principia Mathematica Philosophiæ 26 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 WikiAnswers: How Airplanes Work July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 27 Naturalis, Sir Isaac Newton’s penned his third law of motion that states for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. These three principles, as well as aerodynamics — the study of gases in motion — are how airplanes work. For those of you that feel as though you have been launched into a bad episode of Big Bang Theory and require just a bit more information to understand the rather complex and beautiful nature of how aircraft fly: relax. I am going to break this all down quite a bit further so hang in there and read on. Vitruvian Plane Most powered GA airplanes can be divided structurally into five major categories: the powerplant (engine, propeller), the fuselage (cockpit and cabin), the empennage (tail), the landing gear, and the wings. Two major subcategories are the flight control surfaces (i.e., elevators, flaps, rudder) for the wings and empennage; and the avionics/navigation package (i.e., airspeed, altimeter, GPS units, etc.) for the fuselage. All these things work in concert and are controlled by a pilot who manipulates each in order to achieve his or her goal of flight. There are a whole host of other components and subcomponents in an aircraft that I could discuss (with zeal), but for this article we will just stick with these basics. If you should want to learn more, http://go.usa.gov/k6aW from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a great place to start. Heart of the Matter The function of the landing gear and fuselage is pretty self-explanatory so we will focus on the other components starting with the powerplant, or, the heart of the aircraft. There are two major types of engines: piston engines — driven by a mechanical component within the engine that is connected to other major components to provide rotational torque (twisting force); and gas turbine — which I affectionately like to call the “suck, squeeze, bang, and blow” engines. The majority of airplanes in the existing GA fleet have piston engines, also known as reciprocating engines. That’s because the engine gets its power via one or more reciprocating pistons that convert the pressure they generate when they draw, compress, fuel, and ignite air in a series of small chambers, into a rotational motion. That motion is transferred to a crankshaft, which in turn powers the propeller, which creates thrust (pull). There are many different types of piston engines to include rotary, in-line, v-type and radial, to name a few. These categories allude to how the pistons are organized within the engine to affect power production. A gas, or “jet” turbine, is a four-staged system that starts with a powerful fan at the front of the motor. As air is sucked into the fan it is directed into the compressor section. This section squeezes the air through a series of smaller spinning fans and then directs that highly compressed (and thus very volatile) air into the combustion section. Once there, fuel is added to the mix and ignited creating a bang. Then that heated up air either drives a rotating shaft, as with the turbo- prop and turboshafts, or it can be blown out the back as with a turbojets and turbofans. In the case of turboprops, this can also drive a propeller. Aircraft engines can be broken down into many more sub-cate- gories but the biggest thing to remember here is that all engines enable thrust, the force by which an aircraft moves forward through the air. The Wind Beneath My Airfoil Easily the most recognizable structure that identi- fies a machine as an airplane is its wings. The special shape of an airplane wing makes it an “airfoil.” Here’s a simplified description of how it works. As an airplane moves forward and air is split around the wing, the angle and curve of the top half of the wing allows for the air to move over it much faster and with much lower pressure than the air below it. Since the higher pressure air below the surface always wants to escape to lower pressure spaces, the wing is “lifted” up. The faster the plane travels forward while maintaining a sufficient angle of attack (tilt), the greater lift is generated. In case you were wondering, this still works when the airfoil and the aircraft it is attached to are upside down. An adjustment for what is called the “angle of attack” keeps the air moving over the inverted wing, ensuring that there is still enough lift to keep the plane flying. If at any time the “critical” angle of attack is Courtesy of Raymond Preston, Selkirk College 28 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 exceeded — meaning the angle at which the airfoil produces the maximum amount of lift — the aircraft may stall. This means that the airfoil will experience a reduction in lift. The engines can still be turning and the aircraft can still be moving forward, but being that lift is no longer produced, the other forces that act upon the aircraft (i.e., drag/weight) will eventually take over. All the pilot has to do to recover from the stall is to lower the angle of attack so the wing can once again generate lift. Stall recovery is one of the first things fledgling pilots practice in flight training. In order to control the air that flows around a wing and maneuver the body of the aircraft in flight, an aircraft comes equipped with flight control surfaces. For the wings, these control surfaces take the form of flaps and/or ailerons. Most flaps are attached to the trailing edge of the wing. They can increase or decrease the amount of lift by effectively increasing or decreasing the curvature of the wing. Extending the flaps can increase the lift a wing can gener- ate, but it also creates drag (air resistance). This slows the aircraft (i.e., for landing) and lowers the speed at which an aircraft will stall. The weight of the aircraft and its occu- pants are what eventually get it to the ground for good. Once safely down, the pilot will raise the flaps to ensure there is no extra lift being generated and the aircraft can brake properly. In some cases, flaps can also be used to change the pitch (nose up/nose down) of an aircraft. Ailerons are a hinged control surface found on the trailing edge of a wing typically located next to the flaps. They work opposite from one another to control bank (roll). As one aileron lifts up the other drops down, causing the aircraft to roll. When combined with a pitch up motion, the aircraft will also turn. Bringing Up the Rear The last structural section is the empennage, or tail end of the aircraft. In most GA aircraft, a rudder is housed in the vertical part of the tail called the vertical stabilizer. The rudder is a hinged vertical flap that is operated by foot pedals in the cockpit. In some aircraft the rudder can assist with making turns on the ground during taxi via a steerable nose or tailwheel that is typi- cally linked to the rudder pedals. The rudder is used to keep the fuselage aligned with the direction of flight by controlling yaw (nose left or right). In addition to the signature “vertical” of the empennage, you will usually find two more little wing- Courtesy of NASA Example of an aircraft empennage. July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 29 like structures that help to stabilize and control the aircraft in flight. This structure is called the horizontal stabilizer. Attached to the trailing edge (on most air- craft) are elevators, which move up and down to make the aircraft climb and descend in flight. Back to the Science By now you should have a pretty good idea about the four forces keep an aircraft flying: thrust, lift, drag, and weight. Another way of saying this is the forces that push an aircraft forward, upward, downward and backward, and downward, respectively. Plenty (and I mean plenty) of people like to argue the Bernoulli, Coanda˘, and Newton theories that, on a quick read, seem to contradict one another. In truth, they actually complement each other quite well, and NASA agrees (http://go.usa.gov/k6xP). The short version is that Bernoulli’s principle best describes the effects of velocity versus pressure within a fluid, or in this case, the air. The resulting effect is lift, but once that lift is generated, Newton’s third law of motion kicks in. The lift (airflow) is an action, so as the action is created it results in an equal and opposite reaction that in turn produces even more aerodynamic forces. Where Coanda˘ fits into all of this is that he first identified that airflow will “attach” itself to nearby sur- faces — good news for airfoils everywhere. The part I find humorous is that besides Coanda˘, these guys never set out to define anything to do with aerodynamics or flying in the first place. I guess it just shows you that you never know what your potential legacy is going to be … which brings me back to my ROTC pilot buddy. He is the final cog in what makes airplanes work. My friend had the opportunity to learn and obtain the hours he needed to achieve a private pilot certifi- cate well before he graduated college. This is not an accomplishment to be taken lightly. To get certificated as a pilot, he had to meet age requirements, pass a medical screening, log at least 40 hours of flight train- ing, and pass a practical test — and that is just the start. Once in the cockpit he had to understand and manipulate an assortment of gauges, switches, levers, and pedals that provided information about the air- craft and gave him control over it. Some more recog- nizable cockpit devices are the yoke (steering device), the throttle (controls engine power), the radio (to chat with air traffic/controllers), as well as the heading, fuel, speed and altitude indicators. This equipment is just as integral to aircraft flight as the wings or the engine. His prep for the flight likely started long before we even arrived to the hangar. He had to perform a detailed preflight inspection of the aircraft to make sure it was fueled, airworthy, and in a condition for safe flight. He had to take into consideration how our additional weight would affect the weight and balance of the aircraft and therefore, the stages of flight. He had to chart a course that maintained a balance between not being overly challenging while still affording us a spectacular ride. In addition, he had to brief himself on the weather, and review the rules for the airspace we would traverse on the trip. The steps my friend took describe the process that every pilot must follow every time they fly. Where he was perhaps a little deficient was that he failed to make sure that we, as passengers, were also mentally and physically ready for the flight ahead of us. The result was that one out of two passengers didn’t know what to expect, and didn’t enjoy the experience at all. It remains a valuable lesson to all of us and it is one I want to pass on here. The chance to ride along with a friend, family member, or coworker as he or she pilots a GA aircraft is a tremendous opportunity. In order to really get the most out of the trip, a little background knowledge goes a long way. So now you know that: ü The aircraft wants to fly. It has been designed, maintained, and certified to do so. ü The pilot has been trained and certified to fly it. So sit back, relax, and hit the skies knowing you know now have a passenger wiki understanding of how an airplane works. Sabrina Woods is an assistant editor for FAA Safety Briefing. She spent 12 years as an aircraft mainte- nance officer and an aviation mishap investigator in the Air Force. Example of an instrument panel. 30 FAA Safety Briefing July/August 2014 You heard about the Automatic Dependent Sur- veillance–Broadcast mandate: By Jan. 1, 2020, as part of NextGen, aircraft operating in most U.S. controlled airspace must be equipped with ADS-B Out avionics. How did you react? Pick up the nearest avionics catalog? Banish it from your mind until December 2019? Or ask, “What is ADS-B anyway, and what’s in it for me?” Aircraft operating with ADS-B in controlled air- space ensure comprehensive traffic surveillance and, ultimately, an overall safer National Airspace System (NAS). Pilots may be concerned about ADS-B for a variety of reasons, such as cost, fear of a changing flight environment, and lack of knowledge about the technology. We hear your concerns. ABCs of ADS-B ADS-B is more accurate than radar, reporting air- craft movements once every second. ADS-B avionics use GPS and other onboard systems to determine the aircraft’s position, speed, and other data and broadcast this information directly to other ADS-B In-equipped aircraft and to the more than 600 ADS-B ground sta- tions installed throughout the country. Ground sta- tions relay the information to air traffic control (ATC) and aircraft equipped to receive the data. ADS-B’s Out function enables data to be transmit- ted. The In function enables an aircraft to receive data from ground stations and nearby Out-equipped air- craft, as well as traffic advisory, flight information, and weather service products. ■ Basic avionics required: a GPS/WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) position source and transmitter ■ For ADS-B In-equipped aircraft: the addition of a multi-function display and receiver Being that ADS-B Out avionics transmit data approximately once every second, it enables more precise tracking of aircraft compared with the cur- rent radar sweep rates of 3-15 seconds. The smaller footprint of ground radios enables their placement in areas where a radar site would be unfeasible, such as mountainous terrain. The Highly precise GPS-based surveillance provided by ADS-B is also improving our ability to perform life-saving search and rescue opera- tions. Air traffic controllers have better information about an airplane’s last position, thus helping to take the “search” out of search and rescue. With an expanded coverage area and with all aircraft transmitting Out data, controllers will have a highly accurate traffic picture. ATC, in turn, can better manage traffic flow and provide improved surveillance in a period of expanding traffic demand. Pilots of ADS-B In-equipped aircraft, have the added advantage of seeing traffic and graphic weather on displays, which sharpens situational awareness and crucial see-and-avoid capability. ADS B Ins and OutsB Y F R A N C E S F I O R I N O Photo by Tom Hoffman July/August 2014 FAA Safety Briefing 31 ADS-B Can Work for You Early adopters of ADS-B technology are singing its praises. John Croft and his two co-owners of a 1997 Piper Archer fly in the traffic-congested Washington, D.C., area reaping the benefits of ADS-B In with a portable unit [Garmin GDL 39]. For instance, Traffic Information Services–Broadcast (TIS-B), transmits traffic information from ground stations to ADS-B In- equipped aircraft, providing pilots with enhanced situ- ational awareness of aircraft operating in the area. “Midair collisions are my biggest fear in flying,” said Croft. “With the TIS-B, I’ll see targets on my iPad display and on the portable, and then am better able to make visual contact.” Croft described a scenario he and his partners experience once about every two flights: On a Decem- ber 2013 flight up the Hudson River Exclusion area, the display showed a target off the left wing and climbing towards the Piper. Remembering the fatal August 2009 midair collision of a tour helicopter and a single-engine aircraft, all three strained to make visual cont