Table of Contents
FAA Safety Briefing is the FAA safety policy voice of non-commercial general aviation.
The March/April 2018 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on Flying Companions. Building on our previous companion-based edition in 2014, this issue is specifically designed for the friends and loved ones who join us in the air or might have an interest in doing so. Feature articles help regular or prospective passengers gain a better understanding of the world of general aviation and offer the tips, techniques, and resources needed to take a more active role during flight.
Features
9 Aviation 101 Understanding the Flying Companion Role by Susan Parson 10 Bring Your “A” Game Fly the Airplane, First and Always by Susan Parson 12 Flight of the Navigator Improve Your Navigation Skills as a Flying Companion by James Williams 16 In the Air and ON the Air Decoding (and Parroting) Pilot Patter by Susan Parson 19 See Something? Say Something! Flying Companion’s Guide to Help Manage Risk by Susan Parson 20 Flying with Mates, Munchkins, and Mutts Tips for Keeping Your Passengers Safe — and Happy by Brad Zeigler 23 You Can’t Take All That! What Aircraft Weight & Balance Means to You by Susan Parson 24 How to Be a Weather Wingman Pay It Forward with PIREPs by Tom Hoffmann 28 Roll of Honor 2017’s Master Pilot and Master Mechanic Award Winners
Departments
1 Jumpseat – an executive policy perspective 2 ATIS – GA news and current events 5 Aeromedical Advisory – a checkup on all things aeromedical 6 Condition Inspection – a look at specific medical conditions 18 Checklist – FAA resources and safety reminders 32 Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons – GA maintenance issues 33 Angle of Attack – GA safety strategies 34 Vertically Speaking – safety issues for rotorcraft pilots 35 Flight Forum – letters from the Safety Briefing mailbag 36 Postflight – an editor’s perspective Inside back cover FAA Faces – FAA employee profile
Jumpseat
JOHN DUNC A N E X ECU T I V E DIREC TOR, F L IGH T S TA NDA RDS SER V ICE
Jumpseat
The Flying Companion’s Compendium
Like most pilots, I am eager for family members are completed at the right time, and in the correct to share my enthusiasm for flight and I’m thankful sequence. One way to help is to “run” the checklist for my wife’s support for my aviation activities. I’m by reading items to the pilot, and then watching to anxious to have family and friends fly with me, and I ensure completion of the required task. In addition to want them to enjoy the experience as much as I do. being a big help to the pilot, performing this task will Because I know how important family support boost your knowledge of the aircraft and of safety- is to a pilot, I am very pleased that this issue of FAA focused aviation procedures.
Safety Briefing revisits and builds on the GA Flying Monitor progress : Even in the era of moving map Companion’s guide we published in July/August navigators, there is no substitute for human situ - 2014. As before, this issue is devoted to, and specifi - ational and positional awareness. A companion can cally designed for, the family members and friends learn to read paper charts, tablet navigation apps, who share the skies with us in the wonderful world or panel-mounted moving map navigators; follow of GA flying. This time, though, we also touch on the the progress of the flight; and make verbal callouts challenges of having a fellow pilot flying with you. when the aircraft crosses a I am confident that you and your flying compan - named navigational point.
Through the articles in this issue, flying ions will find a wealth of helpful information, advice, Especially on a flight where and practical suggestions in these pages, which are ATC gives instructions, it is companions will have the foundation organized in terms of the aviate-navigate-commu - also helpful to keep a writ - they need to better understand GA. Those nicate-mitigate framework we’ve been using in the ten log of assigned head - looking for a more active role will also have past few issues. ings, altitudes, and radio a good start on being able to help monitor Through the articles in this issue, flying com - frequencies.
and manage the flight.
panions will have the foundation they need to better Set/monitor radios : understand GA. Those looking for a more active Still another way to assist the pilot is to set and role will also have a good start on being able to help change radio frequencies. A flying companion can monitor and manage the flight. also learn to set the aircraft’s ATC-assigned tran - sponder code, and to perform basic functions on the Helping Hands installed or hand-held moving map navigator(s).
Here’s a short checklist of things a flying com - Happy Hearts panion — regardless of aviation qualifications — can do to assist the pilot. Our hope is that flying companions will eagerly Watch for traffic : One of the most important read this issue cover to cover, and take it all to heart.
things a passenger can do is to watch for other air - But even if none of your companions can be per - planes and point them out to the pilot. If the pilot is suaded to read this passenger-focused issue, I am con - monitoring an ATC frequency, listen to traffic calls fident that you will find lots of useful tips and “talking that the controller makes and try to spot the other points” to answer or even anticipate their questions.
airplane. You will learn in this issue how controllers We’ll look forward to your feedback, and pub - use a combination of clock positions, distance, and lish any passenger-care tips you care to share in a altitude to convey the other aircraft’s position rela - future issue.
tive to yours.
Run checklists : Pilots at all levels make extensive use of checklists to ensure that all necessary tasks
ATIS
ATIS AV I AT ION NE WS ROUNDUP
2. ADS-B Out is valuable for safety when an Attention ADS-B Non-Compliant Aircraft aerobatic aircraft is not performing dynamic In early January 2018, the FAA launched a cam - maneuvers. It will transmit an aircraft’s paign to significantly reduce the high number of identity and position to controllers and pilots non-compliant ADS-B Out equipped aircraft in the of other aircraft equipped with ADS-B In, even two years remaining before the 2020 deadline. The if their aircraft is not being tracked on radar.
campaign started with the FAA’s ADS-B Focus Team 3. Equipping with ADS-B Out, and In, will help (AFT) mailing hundreds of notification letters to pilots of aerobatic aircraft travel safely to and aircraft owners and operators with non-compliant from events.
ADS-B equipment.
If you want to find out if you’re on the AFT’s The FAA is developing a new policy on the aero - non-compliant aircraft list, use the Public ADS-B batic use of ADS-B, available in early 2018. The policy Performance Report (PAPR) service at will be accessible in the FAA’s Flight Standards Infor - adsbperformance.faa.gov/PAPRRequest.aspx . If mation Management System (Order 8900.1) and advi - the PAPR identifies problems with your ADS-B sory circular, AC 91-45D, Waivers: Aviation Events.
equipment, go ahead and get the problem resolved Gardner says the FAA policy for ADS-B is being as soon as possible. If you need assistance inter - written in the same way as for transponders. The preting a PAPR, there’s a user’s guide available at transponder rule has no waiver under 14 CFR sec - adsbperformance.faa.gov/PAPRUsersGuide.pdf , or tion 91.205. With few exceptions, pilots are required questions can be submitted via email to to turn on the transponder. For instance, while in 9-AWA-AFS-300-ADSB-AvionicsCheck@faa.gov.
formation when aircraft are not separated during the maneuvering sequence, only the lead aircraft needs Aerobatic Pilots and ADS-B ADS-B turned on. This must be authorized by the controlling FAA facility, in advance.
As of January 1, 2020, ADS-B Out will be required in most controlled airspace. Pilots who are practicing aerobatics, performing in an air show, or New Option Available for Online BasicMed competing in an event, will also be required to report Course their position via ADS-B Out. This requirement is An online medical course is one of the required no different from the current requirement to use an steps for pilots seeking to operate under BasicMed operating transponder for these types of flight opera - without an FAA medical certificate. A pilot must first tions. The FAA maintains that the ability of control - obtain a physical examination from a state-licensed lers and other pilots to identify and track aerobatic physician using the Comprehensive Medical Exami - aircraft via ADS-B will enhance safety.
nation Checklist (available at http://bit.ly/2CZUUAd ).
According to Sue Gardner, the FAA’s national A pilot must then complete an approved BasicMed event specialist, the agency has three messages for medical education course. In addition to the AOPA the community of aerobatic pilots: course that was approved last April ( BasicMedi - 1. ADS-B equipment does not function properly calCourse.AOPA.org ), pilots now have the option during aerobatic maneuvers, and the FAA will to take the online BasicMed course with the Mayo not penalize any pilot in that situation.
Clinic at BasicMed.Mayo.edu .
To learn more about flying under BasicMed, go to www.faa.gov/go/BasicMed .
Sun ’n Fun 2018 Get ready for some fun in the sun aviation style at this year’s Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In and Expo, scheduled to take place April 10-15, 2018, in Lakeland, Fla. This aviation extravaganza attracts aviators and airplane enthusiasts from all over the 2 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 globe. The event features aerial performances, exhib - its, and a wide variety of educational seminars (visit bit.ly/SnF18 for more information).
The FAA will also host a series of safety forums between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day at the FAA Safety Team’s National Resource Center. NTSB Board Member Dr. Earl Weener is scheduled to speak about loss of control accidents and the FAA’s General Aviation and Commercial Division Manager, Brad Palmer, will discuss the agency’s efforts to enhance GA safety. Other forum topics include wilderness survival, BasicMed, UAS regulations, and ADS-B equipage. See the safety forum schedule on page 7 of this issue or take a look at go.usa.gov/x9MZq. And if you’re planning to fly to Sun ’n Fun, don’t forget to While the FAA’s automated Low Altitude Autho - read the 2018 Sun ’n Fun Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) rization and Notification Capability system is the available at faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/notices.
quickest way for a small UAS operator to acquire an airspace authorization, there currently is no single place where operators can register their drones, In the Drone Zone apply for airspace or operational waivers, check the The FAA is aiming to consolidate and improve status of their applications, or submit UAS accident the processing of unmanned aircraft system registra - reports. The FAADroneZone encompasses all of tions, waiver applications, and incident reports with those capabilities. The website will also feature a new cloud-based application — the FAADrone - “smart” waiver application guidance to facilitate Zone (faa.gov/Dronezone).
applicants’ success for approval.
The FAADroneZone is now the main hub for public, commercial, and government small unmanned Flight Plan Changes in Effect for DC FRZ aircraft systems (UAS) applicants and operators, for FAA personnel in charge of handling UAS-related The FAA will transfer responsibility for the filing submissions and data, and for other agencies and of Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) flight plans from the Congress with inquiries on small UAS usage.
Flight Service to the Flight Data Unit, located at the
Safety Enhancement Topics
March: Emergency Procedure Training April: Smart Cockpit Technology How to best prepare for the unexpected. Exploring how today’s smart cockpit technology may reduce the GA accident rate.
Please visit www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing for more information on these and other topics.
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration ISSN: 1057-9648 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 Volume 57/Number 2 Elaine L. Chao Secretary of Transportation Daniel K. Elwell Acting Administrator Ali Bahrami Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety John Duncan Executive Director, Flight Standards Service Susan Parson Editor Tom Hoffmann Managing Editor Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), James Williams Associate Editor / Photo Editor on March 29, 2018. The transfer of this responsibil - Jennifer Caron Assistant Editor Paul Cianciolo Assistant Editor ity will increase security in the validation of flights John Mitrione Art Director allowed to operate in the FRZ. Pilots will need to use a Published six times a year, FAA Safety Briefing, formerly FAA Aviation News, pro - new telephone number to call in a FRZ flight plan.
motes aviation safety by discussing current technical, regulatory, and procedural Pilots flying in the Washington, DC metropolitan aspects affecting the safe operation and maintenance of aircraft. Although based on current FAA policy and rule interpretations, all material is advisory or infor - area, designated as both a Special Flight Rules Area mational 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 (SFRA) and a FRZ, are under additional security of those involved.
measures to protect the nation’s capital. The SFRA is The FAA does not officially endorse any goods, services, materials, or products of an area where the identification, location, and con - manufacturers that may be referred to in an article. All brands, product names, company names, trademarks, and service marks are the properties of their respective trol of aircraft is required and considered national owners. All rights reserved.
defense airspace. The SFRA consists of a lateral The Office of Management and Budget has approved the use of public funds for printing FAA Safety Briefing .
30-nm radius of the DCA VOR/DME and is clearly marked on the Washington DC sectional chart and CONTACT INFORMATION the associated terminal area chart. The FRZ, which The magazine is available on the Internet at: http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing is subject to additional restrictions, is located within the SFRA and covers approximately the area within a Comments or questions should be directed to the staff by: 13-15 nm radius of Washington, DC.
● ● Emailing: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov Before departure, IFR and VFR pilots wishing ● ● Writing: Editor, FAA Safety Briefing , Federal Aviation Administration, to fly through or within the FRZ, or depart or arrive AFS-920, 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20591 at College Park, Potomac Airfield, or Washington ● ● Calling: (202) 267-1100 Executive/Hyde Field airports currently must file a ● ● Twitter: @FAASafetyBrief FRZ flight plan with the Washington Hub Flight Ser - vice Station. Effective March 29, 2018, at 0400Z, the SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Washington ARTCC Flight Data Unit will file pilot’s The Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office, sells FAA Safety Briefing on subscription and mails up to four renewal notices.
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the appropriate identification. Pilots will not be able Subscription Problems/Change of Address: Send your mailing label with your to submit any flight plans to or from a FRZ airport comments/request to Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Contact Center, Washington, DC 20408-9375. You can also call (202) 512- online. To receive search and rescue services, pilots 1800 or 1-866-512-1800 and ask for Customer Service, or fax your information to must file a separate VFR flight plan with Flight Service.
(202) 512-2104.
Check NOTAMs for updated information and the phone number to file a FRZ flight plan. In addi - tion, the DC Special Flight Rules Area course was updated to reflect this change. For further informa - tion on training required to fly in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, visit the FAA Safety website bit.ly/2nGg6S2.
4 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
Aeromedical Advisory
MICH A E L BE R R Y, M .D.
F EDER A L A IR SURGEON
Aeromedical Advisory
The Ultimate Safety Pilot
The safety pilot function is well known in aviation. the package insert to “not drive or operate heavy In specific terms, a safety pilot is a second pilot whose machinery?” Has the pilot taken this drug before presence is required for certain training scenarios, without adverse side effects? Your role isn’t to deter - such as instrument flight training and practice. mine the answer to these questions, but rather to act A flying companion can also be a safety pilot, as a sounding board and ask these types of questions albeit in a different context. I’ll describe two levels where appropriate.
of this safety pilot role which, depending on your The Sky Ahead relationship with the pilot, may be available to you as The second level is assessing the pilot’s overall a flying companion.
use of medications and his or her actual impairment.
The Here and Now This level is best evaluated by close friends and The first level is assessing the current condition family members. This level isn’t about the actual go/ of the pilot. A frequent flying companion may be in no-go decision, but focuses more on the bigger pic - the best position to see if the pilot looks tired, or if ture. For example, one issue could be the prolonged he or she is a bit under the weather. The pilot may use of medication. Such as, has the pilot been taking be trying to keep on schedule or simply looking to Ibuprofen for a while? The medication itself isn’t a get a flight in to keep from disappointing you or the problem, but the underlying condition is more often group. This kind of pressure is both very subtle and the greatest concern.
very real. As it relates to pilot fitness, weather, air - A more difficult issue comes in the form of a craft issues, or anything else that could impact flight subtle impairment brought on by some form of safety, the first thing that you, as the “medical safety cognitive deficit. This could present itself as lapses in pilot,” need to do is to make it clear that this flight memory, for instance, that go well beyond occasion - doesn’t have to happen, and that it certainly doesn’t ally forgetting where you put your keys. It have to happen right now. In addition, simply ver - is very hard for the person suffering from A flying companion can balizing to the pilot your observations or concerns, this type of condition to even recognize also be a safety pilot.
can have a major impact. The goal is to alleviate the the deficit. While sometimes these symp - “external factors” pressure on the pilot. toms can exhibit the early stages of some kind of Another pilot fitness consideration arises from cognitive condition like Alzheimer’s disease or other medication, including over-the-counter (OTC) dementia, there are also more treatable conditions medications. If your pilot is experiencing something that could cause such symptoms as well.
like allergies, the symptoms may be a problem, but Conditions that disrupt proper sleep, for exam - the OTC medication might be an even bigger one. ple, can have very similar symptoms. Sleep apnea is One of the most common OTC meds for allergies an obvious example, but one that might not jump out is diphenhydramine (tradename Benadryl), but it’s is acid reflux. Acid reflux can occur at night and cause also found in many other meds. Since it is primarily imperceptible disruptions to your sleep. Regardless of used for allergies, pilots don’t always recognize that the cause, sleep disruption could significantly impair diphenhydramine can cause significant impairment cognitive performance. The good news however, is to the executive functions of the brain that are so that both of these conditions are treatable.
critical to flying. Note that diphenhydramine is also To summarize, the flying companion’s safety used as a sedative in many PM or nighttime-labeled pilot role is not to make the actual decision, but to OTC medications. make sure that the pilot’s decision is an informed There are other seemingly harmless medications one. Simply asking, “Do we have to go today?” or, that can cause major problems for unsuspecting “Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?” can help pilots, so caution is warranted. While some meds are facilitate better decision making for the pilot.
strictly disqualifying, others may be considered on Better decision making means fewer accidents.
a case-by-case basis due to their differing reactions That’s a goal we should all strive for, and as the among users. Help your pilot by posing questions: flying companion’s safety pilot, it’s a goal that you Is this drug disqualifying? Are there warnings on can help us all achieve.
March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 5
Untitled
P E NN Y GIOVA NE T T I, D.O.
M A N AGER, A EROSPACE MEDIC A L
Condition Inspection SP ECI A LT IES DI V ISION
Hypertension
[Editor’s Note: To provide a wider range of medi - Can I get treatment that is acceptable to the FAA?
cal information to aviation enthusiasts, we have Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise, retired “Ask Medical” and introduced Condition and a healthy diet are highly encouraged. Nearly all Inspection , which will focus on a specific medical anti-hypertensive medications are acceptable to the condition in each issue.]
FAA, including combinations of up to three medica - tions. The one exception is the class of drugs known Definition as “centrally acting” e.g., Catapres, but this class is Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the generally avoided in current practice. More than most common conditions faced by airmen seeking three drugs will require a special issuance.
medical certification. Blood pressure is the measure - How long will it take to get my medical certificate?
ment of the force of the blood If you meet all of the criteria listed in the Con - pushing against the walls Hypertension is one of the most ditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI) worksheet, your of the arteries as the heart common conditions faced by airmen AME can issue a medical certificate at the time of pumps blood. The measure - seeking medical certification.
your exam. You can view that worksheet at ment is presented as two bit.ly/2saYbrn or simply Google “FAA CACI Hyper - numbers: the systolic (top number) over the diastolic tension.” If you have any questions, call your AME (bottom number) in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
or Regional Flight Surgeon.
A doctor should not diagnose hypertension based on a single reading or at one point in time.
Correction: In our last Ask Medical department However, at the time of your FAA exam, a single sys - (Jan/Feb 2018), we incorrectly stated in Answer tolic reading higher than 155 or a diastolic reading 1 that the use of unifocal, non-accommodating higher than 95 will require your Aviation Medical intraocular lenses is not acceptable. Use of uni - Examiner (AME) to follow up.
focal, non-accommodating intraocular lenses Recently, the American College of Cardiology is acceptable, as well as multifocal lenses. We published new hypertension guidelines, as shown in regret the error.
the table below.
Frequently Asked Questions Penny Giovanetti, D.O., received a bachelor’s degree from Stanford, a mas - I have hypertension, what should I do?
ter’s in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine from the University You should determine an appropriate treatment of Iowa and doctorate from Des Moines University. She completed a 27-year plan with your physician. Uncontrolled hyperten - career as an Air Force flight surgeon. She is board certified in aerospace sion significantly increases your risk of stroke, heart medicine, occupational medicine and physical medicine/rehabilitation. She attack, and other vascular diseases. It is also dis - is also a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and a private pilot.
qualifying for FAA medical certification.
Blood Pressure Systolic Reading (mmHg) Diastolic Reading (mmHg) Normal lower than 120 lower than 80 Stage 1 hypertension between 130-139 between 80-89 Stage 2 hypertension 140 or higher 90 or higher 6 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
FAA Safety Forums at SNF 2018
March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 7
Look
Listen
LIVES
FOCUS
ARE AT
STAKE!
IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU: By keeping your head down to complete a checklist or other operational duties, OR engaging in non-operational conversation with passengers while approaching the runway, you may accidently cross a hold short line.
Complete all checklists prior to leaving the ramp and follow the airlines’ THE FIX: lead and adopt a sterile flight deck rule while taxiing.
For additional runway safety education, take the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s 8 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 Runway Safety online course at www.airsafetyinstitute.org/runwaysafety.
Aviation 101
S U S A N PA R S O N
Understanding the Flying Companion Role
f there is a pilot in your life, chances are good that We have added “mitigate” — another term for you have been “encouraged” to occupy the pas - risk management — at the end for convenience, but I senger seat in a GA airplane. As an enthusiastic mitigating hazards is really an ongoing process. So presenter of flying companion seminars over the it’s no coincidence that you will find more articles years, though, I’ve met quite a few reluctant passen - under the “mitigate” rubric than in other sections.
gers. To help self-described cockpit cowards make Here’s a quick preview of this issue: the transition to comfortable and confident cockpit Aviate is a fancy word for “fly the airplane,” companions, I structure these sessions around a which is the most important duty. Aviating means couple of key points.
controlling attitude, airspeed, and altitude, so we’ll First, GA flying is not a death-defying activity talk about using flight controls and instruments to undertaken by risk-loving daredevils. Yes, there is accomplish those essential tasks.
risk, but it can be managed. The scary stuff you see Navigate means knowing where you are, where in the media ironically arises not so much because you want to go, and how to get there. With the advent aviation accidents are common, but rather because, of moving map navigators, both those installed in unlike auto accidents, they are rare enough to be the airplane and those provided newsworthy. Certification and maintenance require - through tablets and other hand - ments for both aircraft and pilots are a lot more Acquiring some basic knowledge held devices, navigation is easier demanding than most people realize, and pilots and skill through ground training than ever before.
are intelligent, rational, and accomplished people and a few hours of hands-on flight Communicate — You are who get a lot more training than that required for training with a good flight instructor never more than a click of the mic a driver’s license. There are also more inspection can be a great confidence booster.
from help; using 121.5 — the “911 requirements for airplanes, and recurrent training of the sky” — will get an instant requirements for pilots.
response. But we will also offer tips for learning and Second, pilot incapacitation, which is a common practicing basic radio functions on routine flights, concern in the flying companion community, is rare.
along with a primer on PilotSpeak.
Like accidents, these stories make headlines primar - Mitigate means managing risk by identifying ily because they are unusual occurrences. That said, hazards and taking action to eliminate or reduce acquiring some basic knowledge and skill through them before they cause a problem. We will look at ground training and a few hours of hands-on flight several areas of practical risk mitigation. We also training with a good flight instructor can be a great provide a mnemonic passenger S-A-F-E-T-Y briefing confidence booster. It’s very unlikely a flying com - checklist you can use.
panion will ever need to take over the controls, but There’s a lot to cover, but we’ll make it fun. So, learning a few basics can enhance confidence, enjoy - as they say on commercial flights: sit back, relax, ment, and the ability to lighten the pilot’s workload.
enjoy the trip … and let us know if there’s anything What Does A Flying Companion Really Need we can do to make your GA flying companion to Know?
journey more comfortable.
Pilots quickly learn the Aviate-Navigate- Communicate mantra, which serves as a reminder Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of of essential duties and priorities. Because it’s both FAA Safety Briefing . She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.
helpful and easy to remember, we have chosen to use this framework to present essential information for flying companions.
March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 9
Bring Your "A" Game
AVIATE S U S A N PA R S O N
“ ” “ ”
Bring Your Game
A A
Fly the Airplane, First and Always
arly in training, pilots are taught to fly the To learn what the right attitude looks like for airplane first, last, and always. This idea is various phases of flight, look outside. Pay close E formalized in the “aviate-navigate-communicate” attention to how the airplane’s nose and wingtips mantra presented during the very first flight lesson, if look relative to the horizon in each of the four not before. fundamental maneuvers. Take a mental snapshot In a “well, DUH” sort of way, it intuitively makes and, for later study, use your smartphone.
sense that a pilot’s top priority, both in normal If the weather is not good enough to see outside, operations and in not-so-normal times, is to fly the the flight occurs in instrument meteorological airplane before tending to any other task. However, conditions (IMC), using instrument flight rules those of us whose four-part Myers-Briggs Type (IFR). In this case, the pilot uses an instrument Indicator includes an “S” for sensor (versus an “N” called the attitude indicator, or “artificial horizon,” for intuitive) have a strong need to know what that to establish and maintain the right attitude for the means in very practical and very specific terms. phase of flight.
I eventually came to understand that it’s about It takes specific training and lots of practice for a bringing your “A game.” To aviate — to fly the pilot to be proficient in IFR flying. Chances are good airplane — means using the flight controls and flight that a non-pilot flying companion will never need instruments to direct and control the airplane’s to take over the flying at all — much less in IMC. If attitude , airspeed , and altitude . So let’s get straight you want to “get the picture,” though, first master on the As. outside references for attitude flying, and then start comparing them to how they are depicted on the Attitude attitude indicator.
The term attitude refers to the aircraft’s Airspeed orientation with respect to the horizon.
In flight under Before we talk visual flight rules (VFR), about airspeed, I need weather conditions are to briefly introduce good enough for the another “A” term: pilot to see and use the aerodynamics.
natural horizon as a Aerodynamics deals reference point for the the motion of air, what pilots call the four which is a gas, and the fundamentals: straight forces that act on solid and level flight, climbs, objects, like airplanes, turns, and descents. that move through it. Attitude indicator Airspeed gauge 10 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 To put it (very) simply, an airplane flies because air takes a bit of practice to learn to read this kind of moving over the wings generates a force called lift. altimeter quickly and accurately, but your pilot can Airspeed is the measure of how fast that air help — and there are lots of YouTube videos that is moving. An airplane needs a certain minimum show it in action.
airspeed to take off and fly. You might hear pilots talk Getting Straight on the As about “true” airspeed and “calibrated” airspeed, but You need not be a pilot the one that matters for this discussion is “indicated” to benefit from the resources airspeed (IAS), as shown on the airspeed indicator Flying the airplane is about bringing your that the FAA and the aviation (ASI).
“A game.” To aviate means using the flight training community have on The values for the necessary IAS differ from one controls and instruments to direct the these topics, so check them airplane to another. A flying companion can cer - airplane’s attitude , airspeed , and altitude .
out. Aim to get straight on tainly memorize numerical airspeed values for the the “A”s of flying the airplane, various phases of flight, but it’s a lot easier to use the so your A game will be ready if ever you need to fly color coding on the ASI.
the airplane.
As with attitude flying, start paying attention to the placement of the ASI pointer during various phases of flight. In general, though, pilots use an 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.
airspeed in the white arc for takeoff/climb and descent/landing. An airspeed in the green arc is used for normal cruise flying. Yellow is for smooth Learn More air only, and the red line is the “never exceed” speed.
Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge Don’t go there!
(FAA-H-8083-25B) www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/ Altitude handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak As with airspeed, Seek out information from Chapter 5 — Aerodynamics aviation uses several of Flight, Chapter 6 — Flight Controls, and Chapter 8 — kinds of altitude.
Flight Instruments.
Most people think first about height above ground level (AGL). AGL is impor - tant, but the altim - eter displays the Altimeter altitude that really counts for flying: Photo courtesy of Avidyne height above mean sea level (MSL).
The grid on aeronautical charts shows the MSL value for the minimum safe altitude (MSA) in each square, or block of airspace. In the unlikely event that a flying companion needs to take over from an incapacitated pilot, the trick is to use the altimeter to verify that you are at or above the MSA for the airspace you occupy. So part of your A game is knowing how to read the altimeter.
In newer airplanes with “glass cockpit” instru - ments, the altimeter is easy to read because it is a moving “tape” with numbers beside it. In older airplanes with “round dial” instruments, you might first think the altimeter is a distorted clock from a Salvador Dali painting. You will see numbers from This modern glass cockpit panel combines altitude, airspeed, 0 to 9, and three pointers that indicate height in and altimeter information in one display.
hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands. It March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 11
InThe Air and On The Air
COMMUNICATE S U S A N PA R S O N
IN the Air and
ON the Air
Decoding (and Parroting) Pilot Patter
pride myself on being a word-wrangler. On my first aircraft, the “November” for “N” is assumed.
flight lesson, though, I couldn’t lasso a single syl - Note that for tail numbers, altitudes, and other I lable of the static-filled gibberish flowing from the such transmissions, pilots and controllers pro - little Cessna’s radio. If you’ve had a similarly baffling nounce the individual digits: “fife niner” rather than experience, here’s the not-so-secret “decoder ring” “fifty-nine.” for pilot patter.
Grammar Letters and Numbers Now that you know the letters and numbers, First things first. To avoid confusion with similar let’s look at the “grammar” (structure) and vocabu - sounding consonants, the International Civil Avia - lary. Aviation language follows a sequence of “Ws.” tion Organization (ICAO) has a standard phonetic With pronunciation as we’ve indicated earlier, a alphabet for aviation use: pilot might say something like: “Phoenix Approach ( whom you are calling), Skyhawk one-tree-fife-niner Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Tango ( who you are), two-zero miles west at fife- Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, tousand, fife hundred feet ( where you are, both later - Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uni - ally and vertically), landing Falcon Field” ( what you form, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.
want to do).
Pilots mostly pronounce numbers as in regular The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) uses a similar sequence to respond: Skyhawk one-tree-fife-niner English but with a few exceptions. Zero (0) is always Tango ( whom ATC is calling), Phoenix Approach “zero,” not “oh.” Three (3) becomes “tree.” Five (5) ( who is making the call), radar contact, twenty becomes “fife.” Nine (9) becomes “niner.” So if the tail number is N1359T, the pilot and the miles west, fife-tousand fife hundred feet ( where the aircraft is). Maintain present heading; descend and controller will pronounce the airplane’s call sign as: maintain tree-tousand, fife hundred feet” ( what ATC “one-tree-fife-niner Tango.” You may or may not hear wants you to do).
the call sign start with “November” because, as the first character in the call sign for any U.S.-registered The letters, numbers, and facility names will vary, but the structural sequence is the same.
16 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 Phrasebook Learn More Now let’s decode some useful words and Aeronautical Information Manual’s Pilot/Controller phrases: Glossary ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) go.usa.gov/xnsxG is recorded information on current weather and FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) Radio Communications airport information, such as runways in use. Each Phraseology and Techniques ATIS recording has an alpha-numeric designator.
go.usa.gov/xRFvk The recording for “ATIS information Foxtrot” follows Aeronautical Information Manual “ATIS information Echo.” faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/media/aim.pdf Squawk : This word refers to the aircraft’s tran - For more information on how to talk like a pilot, take sponder code, which can be either a standard code a look at some of our previous articles in FAA Safety (1200 for visual flight rules — VFR) or a discrete code Briefing : “What Not to Say,” in the May/June 2011 assigned by ATC. It can be a noun (“say assigned issue, “Don’t Get Lost in Translation,” in the November/ squawk”), an adjective (“squawk code is 2345”), or a December 2012 issue, and “Pilot Speak,” on page 12 of verb (“squawk 5423”).
the July/August 2014 issue.
Mayday : Hopefully you will never have to use this one, but “Mayday” means emergency. In case Early pilots did the next best thing by transmit - you’re wondering, the word is a corruption of the ting the word “Roger,” the phonetic alphabet version French term for “help me” (m’aider).
of “R” before ICAO adopted the current scheme.
Mystery Man “Roger” Then, as now, it was simply an acknowledgement Last but not least … ever wonder why pilots say that “I have received and understood your last trans - “Roger?” Here’s a plausible explanation.
mission.” The fledgling aviation industry adopted (and adapted) practices from established industries, like Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of telegraph. In the telegraph business, the receiver FAA Safety Briefing . She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.
would send a single letter “R” in Morse code to com - municate receipt and comprehension.
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March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 17
Checklist
Checklist SUS A N PA R SON
When the Wind Blows
A Mini Weather-Wiki for GA Flying Companions
Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody capability. If there is a crosswind — that is, wind does anything about it. blowing from the side of the runway — the pilot needs to be proficient in using the controls to keep — Mark Twain the airplane in line with the pavement, and to be If you are the partner or companion of a GA sure the flight controls have enough authority to pilot, you have probably noticed that your pilot counteract the wind.
does more than just talk about the weather. In fact, Pilots use winds aloft data in flight planning. A it might seem that anyone and everyone involved in flight with a headwind will take longer; one with a aviation takes a near-obsessive interest in meteoro - tailwind will go faster.
logical matters … and for very good reason. Unlike Ceiling & Visibility commercial airliners, which cruise serenely above Aviation uses ceiling and visibility values to the worst of the weather, GA airplanes live where the define weather in terms of visual or instrument weather is. So the wise GA pilot aims to be a meteo - meteorological conditions. Initial certification rological maven.
allows a pilot to fly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
A full-blown weather course is the stuff of text - Flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) requires books, not magazine articles. Still, you might find additional training and testing, as well as regular it helpful to know what GA pilots consider in the practice to retain currency and (most important) search for “fly-able” weather.
proficiency. An instrument-rated pilot who hasn’t Aviation Weather Data practiced enough to stay proficient should not be Pilots do watch broadcast weather reports, but in IFR weather.
we use them mainly for a broad, big-picture look.
Also, there are some instrument conditions, like For the more detailed information flying requires, thunderstorms, that are off limits to all pilots.
we use aviation-specific weather products, both Temperatures reports and forecasts.
Temperatures — both surface and aloft — pro - Three of the most commonly-used are the area vide important information about how the airplane forecast, the Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), will perform. Hot air is thinner, and that means and the Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine that both the wing and the engine/propeller have Weather Report (METAR). The to work harder.
area forecast offers the big pic - Airplanes perform better in colder air, but not if You might find it helpful to know ture. Pilots use the TAF to evalu - cold air and clouds combine to produce icing condi - what GA pilots consider in the ate forecast weather conditions tions. Ice is very dangerous because it reduces lift for departure, destination, and en search for “fly-able” weather.
while adding weight. Unless the airplane is equipped route airports at the times those for flight into known icing conditions, the pilot needs airports will be used. The METAR provides current to avoid such areas.
conditions at those airports.
There’s a lot of information in these and other aviation weather products, but GA pilots focus on Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of three major meteorological elements: wind, ceiling FAA Safety Briefing . She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.
and visibility, and temperatures.
Wind Learn More For GA flying purposes, wind data comes in I’ve Got Weather! (… Now What Do I Do with It?) — two flavors: surface winds, which are provided in Mar/Apr 2015 FAA Safety Briefing TAFs and METARs, and winds aloft, provided in a bit.ly/2r08NZN different report.
A GA airplane pilot needs to consider surface winds in terms of both pilot skill and airplane 18 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
See Something? Say Something!
MITIGATE
See Say
Something? Something!
S U S A N PA R S O N
Flying Companion’s Guide to Help Manage Risk
ilot pride can sometimes interfere with good assist with plans for a possible delay or diversion.
judgment and good decisions, especially if pas - Passengers prepared for these eventualities make it P sengers are involved. Pilots don’t want to appear much easier for the pilot to make a “no go” decision dumb. We don’t want to be (or appear to be) cow - when conditions so require.
ards. We don’t want to disappoint passengers who Build A Buffer Zone have agreed — some grudgingly — to put their lives One of the most useful things a pilot can do in in our hands. We don’t want to be (or appear to be) aviation safety risk management is to develop per - incapable, unable, or unworthy.
sonal minimums. I think of personal minimums as Flying companions can do a lot to help a proud the human factors equivalent of reserve fuel. Personal pilot make the right decision. In this mitigation- minimums serve a solid safety buffer between the focused section, we’ll start with the big picture and skills and aircraft performance required for a specific then look at several specific areas.
flight, and the skills and aircraft performance available.
Take It Step by Step If your pilot doesn’t have written personal Today’s pilot certification requirements include minimums, check out “Getting the Maximum from risk management. There are many practical risk Personal Minimums” ( May/June 2006 issue ) and management methods around, but PAVE is one of encourage him or her to build a personal safety the easiest tools for hazard identification. buffer. Once that is in place, a flying companion can Pilot/People : This item reminds the pilot to contribute by asking the pilot to verify that a pro - review readiness for the flight in terms of total expe - posed flight is consistent with personal minimums.
rience, recent experience, proficiency, and legal Everybody wins. Personal minimums increase the requirements as well as physical and emotional con - passenger’s comfort and confidence while making it dition. A pilot’s partner or friend can be especially easier for the pilot to make sound decisions.
helpful in this area, because who is better situated to Just Say No know when something isn’t right?
In addition to speaking up in the areas discussed Aircraft : This item addresses fuel/fuel reserves, above, a flying companion can just say no. Agree in mechanical condition, and aircraft performance for advance that if any aspect of the flight is questionable, day-of-flight conditions. It includes the pilot’s level you will use the veto to request prompt diversion to a of experience in the type of aircraft, as well as assess - safe alternate destination. There will be plenty of time ment of the airplane’s suitability for the type of flight on the ground to review conditions, discuss options, to be made.
and decide — together — on next steps that will keep enVironment : The V element covers things everyone safe and ready to fly again.
like airport and runway conditions, airport light - For an expanded version of this article read ing, terrain, obstacles, and airspace restrictions. It “Voice of Reason,” in the July/August 2014 issue of also includes weather. Some pilots are qualified to FAA Safety Briefing, at bit.ly/2zneCDs.
fly only under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), when the weather is good. But even a pilot qualified for Instru - ment Flight Rules (IFR) cannot, and should not, Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of attempt to fly in all weather conditions. No GA air - FAA Safety Briefing . She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.
plane can safely operate in thunderstorms or severe icing conditions.
Learn More External Pressures : Passengers eager for a trip "Your Safety Reserve, Developing Your Personal and people waiting at the destination are External Minimums" Pressures that can adversely impact pilot judgment.
FAA Safety Briefing — March April 2015, p 31 A flying companion can help by asking about PAVE bit.ly/2r08NZN hazards for this flight. It is also helpful to actively March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 19
Flying with Mates, Munchkins, and Mutts
MITIGATE
Flying with
Mates, Munchkins,
and Mutts
Tips for Keeping Your
Passengers Safe— and Happy
B R A D Z E IG L E R to exit the airplane quickly if necessary. I generally Pre-flight the Preflight avoid the words “in the event of an emergency” in My wife and I often drive separately when our my briefings, but make sure I cover everything that family travels. I leave for the airport early with the needs to be covered. Some pilots provide passenger luggage, and she comes a bit later with the dog and safety briefing cards, which may be useful depend - our 3-year old son. That way I have the time to do a ing on the passenger.
thorough walk-around, arrange for fuel, check the paperwork, load the Make the First Flight Short … but With a luggage, install the Purpose Whether it’s their first or four thousandth flight child safety seat, file Someone who’s never been in a small plane with you, be sure to brief your passengers in my flight plan, and before may have many preconceived notions of age-appropriate language about what your plan mentally prepare how the experience will play out. No doubt they for the flight is, what they can and cannot do for the flight. My have concerns for safety, their ability to keep their wife simply parks during the flight, when it’s okay to speak, and lunch down, etc. I try to keep the flight as “boring” her car, arranges a how to exit the airplane quickly if necessary.
as possible — shallow bank turns, smooth gradual last minute potty maneuvers, and slow, ear-friendly descents. No need break, and hops in, while I load up the dog and the to impress anyone with the maneuverability of your toddler. My experience suggests that toddlers (and plane — we’re building trust, not trying to shake off really kids of any age) don’t like waiting around. My attacking MiGs. While the flight may be “boring,” wife feels like a rock star because she shows up, and make sure it has a purpose. That could be flying over we’re in the air less than 10 minutes later.
a familiar town, scenic area, or the proverbial “Ben - jamin Burger” at another airport close by.
Brief the Flight Whether it’s their first or four thousandth flight Pair a Newbie with a More Experienced with you, be sure to brief your passengers in age- Passenger appropriate language about what your plan for the This tip doesn’t work in a two-seat aircraft, but one flight is, what they can and cannot do during the way to take the stress off of a new passenger is to bring flight, when it’s okay to speak, etc., as well as how someone else along — ideally a trustworthy person 20 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 such as a parent or a friend — to join the first-timer.
The new passenger will look to the experienced pas - senger for cues. Something as simple as a flap move - ment or an autopilot disconnect alert may initially cause alarm to the newbie; seeing the experienced friend’s nonchalance will provide comfort. Also, they can answer questions when the pilot is busy.
Keep Them Safe and Comfortable If your little ones need a child safety seat in the car, then you need the same in the airplane. Practice ahead of time on how to install it; most GA aircraft won’t have the LATCH connections so you’ll need to make sure it’s secured with the safety belts. Consult the child safety seat manufacturer and/or the aircraft flight manual/operating handbook for more infor - mation. For everyone else, make sure they know how to work the safety restraints since they’re usually dif - ferent from what passengers are used to in the car.
Make sure everyone has some form of hearing protection that fits, whether or not they’re old enough
Bonus Tips on Flying with Your Mutt
to have a headset that plugs into the intercom. You can even find hearing protection for babies nowadays.
Know Your Dog Pro tip: Get the little ones accustomed to keeping How your dog behaves in the car is a great indicator of the headset on before you make it to the plane.
how they’ll do in-flight. If your pooch is known to get sick Fighting with your toddler to keep it on is not fun just by looking at your car, you might want to skip that flight.
for anyone. However, if they can’t wait to jump in the car for the ride to the airport, chances are they’ll love the plane too.
Explain What You’re Doing …. but Don’t Make a Spot in the Plane for Your Dog Overdo It Dogs are pack animals and like cozy, secure spots. A famil - One thing that passengers love about flying iar travel crate, or even a spot in the cargo area with plenty of in GA aircraft is the ability to actually see how the blankets will do. For everyone’s safety, you’ll want to secure pilot flies the airplane. They’ll be watching what your pooch pal.
you do and wondering why you do it. Use terms If you can get your dog to tolerate canine hearing pro - that they can understand: a traffic pattern at an tection gear, that’s great. Not all dogs will, but making a airport is a lot like a traffic circle on a roadway; it comfortable space in the plane with blankets will help them a allows planes to enter and exit while continuously great deal with the noise and motion of the new environment.
moving. They’ll wonder about your radio calls, the Bring a Human Flight Attendant intercom system, and whether the “tower” can Especially if your dog doesn’t have a lot of GA flight experi - hear them talking through it. You’ll explain that ence, a human flight attendant can be a big help. As a pilot, you only you can be heard outside the aircraft, and only need to focus on the flying, and a dog who is not handling the when you key the mike.
flight can be a big distraction.
What you want to avoid is long, esoteric explana - tions of aerodynamic concepts (unless your passen - Be Strategic with Food and Water ger happens to be an aeronautical engineer). Stick Don’t starve or dehydrate your pooch, but minimize large to simple concepts. Avoid unnecessary detail that intakes of food and water prior to takeoff. Remember, gas in could alarm a passenger. Describing “carb heat” as a the body expands at altitude. Limit the duration of the flight and plan for interim stops on longer flights to give your doggy a “system that allows the carburetor to be effective in chance to stretch his legs (and perhaps mark some territory at all operating conditions” is probably better than “if the same time).
I don’t pull this lever the engine will stop, and we’ll have to land in the trees.” March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 21 flights boring, right? If the trip is a longer one, it’s Manage Expectations not a bad idea to have an alternative travel plan in Compared to the airlines, most GA airplanes are case the flight gets scrubbed. Keep the car gassed up, much more limited in the type of weather they can cash-in your frequent flier miles, or plan an alternate fly in, even if the pilot is instrument rated. Further, we activity. We never want to disappoint our passengers, don’t always have a backup airplane available if we but if we manage expectations and have a backup experience a mechanical issue. Between the plane, plan, we are less vulnerable to get-there-itis.
the weather, and the pilot’s personal minimums, there are many possibilities in which a flight might need to Plan Around Toddler Naptimes, and Bring be canceled. Explain to your passengers ahead of time Snacks that there’s the possibility that the flight might not take While naps may be more appropriate to our place as planned. If the destination is a “must reach” younger passengers, everyone gets grumpy if they event like a wedding, funeral, etc., and time is limited, get too hungry. If your little ones fall asleep in a you need to consider other means of travel.
moving car, chances are they’ll be out before you even climb to pattern altitude. When they’re young, Plan Your Flights Strategically Regarding planning a flight around naptime is a great way for Weather — Have a Plan B (C and D too) everyone to arrive rested and happy. Also, if you In the summer, flying at the crack of dawn usu - have little ones, bring plenty of wipes for clean up, ally results in the smoothest air and least likelihood and trash bags to pack everything out.
of thunderstorms. Remember, we want to keep these Keep Your Passengers Involved … or Let Them Do Their Own Thing When my wife flies with me, she wants as little to do with the operation of the flight as possible.
Passenger
When our son was born, she moved to the back seat and hasn’t returned to the front row. If she’s not interacting with him, she’s listening to music or
SAFETY Briefing
reading a book. That’s OK. For other passengers, I find assigning tasks can be helpful. A lot of fellow pilots report success bribing their kids to spot other S eat belts fastened for taxi, takeoff, landing.
planes. The front seat passenger might follow along Shoulder harnesses fastened for takeoff, landing.
on the aeronautical chart. Your math wiz might enjoy calculating winds aloft or figuring real-time Seat position adjusted and locked in place.
fuel burn. A busy passenger is a happy passenger, which leads me to … A ir vents (location and operation).
Don’t Let Your Passengers Become a All environmental controls (discussed).
Distraction for You Action in case of any passenger discomfort.
Many of the other tips I’ve mentioned help pre - vent passengers from becoming distractions. As a F ire extinguisher (location and operation).
general rule, most hazards from passengers can be mitigated with proper planning. You should be con - E xit doors (how to secure; how to open).
fident that your front seat passenger is not going to grab the flight controls or pull the mixture lever. Brief - Emergency evacuation plan.
ing your passengers on sterile cockpit procedures Emergency/survival kit (location and contents).
can help minimize distractions, but a “pilot isolate” button on the intercom is helpful too.
T raffic (scanning, spotting, notifying pilot).
Talking ("sterile cockpit" expectations).
Brad C. Zeigler is an Aviation Safety Analyst with the General Aviation and Commercial Division. He is also an Airline Transport Pilot, Certificated Flight Y our questions? (Speak up!).
Instructor and frequent Cessna 182 flyer around the Washington, DC area.
22 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
You Can't Take All That
MITIGATE
You Can’t Take All That!
What Aircraft Weight & Balance Means to You
S U S A N PA R S O N [Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from the full fuel, full seats, and passenger bags without JulAug 2014 issue of FAA Safety Briefing.] grossly exceeding maximum gross weight. So the pilot has to make choices about how many pas - Image courtesy of Cessna ne of the joys of GA airplane travel is that you sengers, how much baggage, and how much fuel to don’t have to limit liquids and gels, remove your carry (which could result in more fuel stops).
O shoes, or go through airport security scanners.
Hanging in the Balance So you pack everything you want, only to discover that your personal pilot is far more ferocious than Having dutifully limited your luggage, now you wonder why the pilot starts rearranging the items the stone-faced screeners at Big Airplane Airport.
you’ve stowed in the baggage compartment, and Upon seeing your bags and bundles, your pilot freezes, scowls, and states (or shouts): You can’t take why there are passenger seat assignments.
all THAT in THIS airplane! That’s where the “balance” part comes in. To be stable in all phases of flight, an airplane’s weight Your offer to squeeze it all in doesn’t soothe must be balanced around a point within a fairly the pilot. On the contrary, he or she gets even more agitated because “you just don’t understand how narrow range of values established when the air - it works!” plane is manufactured. The idea is to avoid loading the airplane in a way that makes it either nose-heavy Because knowing something about the basics of or tail-heavy.
aircraft weight and balance could reduce some of the tension that can arise, here’s the story. To achieve this goal, the pilot uses the manu - facturer’s charts and graphs, or apps containing that A-Weigh We Go data, to make a weight and balance calculation. To The description of GA aircraft as “light airplanes” determine weight, the pilot starts with the airplane’s is apt, because light is the name of the game. The published empty weight, and totals the weights for lighter the airplane, the faster and higher it can fly passengers, bags, and fuel to calculate the total weight.
with a given engine. Also, keeping the aircraft light After verifying that total weight is below maxi - enables the pilot to carry more fuel, more passen - mum gross weight, the pilot calculates the airplane’s gers, and/or more cargo.
“center of gravity,” or CG. This process involves mul - Notice that I said “and/or” — not just “and.” GA tiplying each component of the weight by the pub - flying involves tradeoffs. The presence of four seats lished “station” value for its position in the airplane doesn’t mean it can always carry four passengers, to produce a value called the “moment.” The pilot especially if those passengers have baggage. Nor can divides total moments by total weight to determine the pilot just fill the tanks and launch. Here’s why.
the CG — the airplane’s balance point. The final To stay aloft, the airplane’s wings must be able step is verifying that the CG is within the acceptable to generate enough lift to equal the weight of the range. If so, good to go. If not, the pilot moves pas - airplane and everything it carries. When an airplane sengers or bags until the CG is acceptable.
is made, its manufacturer determines its maximum Once weight and balance and CG are within gross weight — stating, in essence, that the airplane acceptable limits, away you go!
can generate enough lift to carry that amount of weight. The pilot decides how to use the set “weight Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of allowance” on any given flight. In most cases, it is FAA Safety Briefing . She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.
simply not possible to load a light GA aircraft with March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 23
How to Be a Weather Wingman
MITIGATE T O M H O F F M A N N
How to Be a
Weather Wingman
Pay it Forward Wit h PIREPs
n this flying-companion-based issue, we discuss discussions with several PIREP user groups and in detail how teamwork among cockpit crewmem - looked at 16 accidents and incidents that exposed I bers can have a positive impact on aviation safety. PIREP-related areas of concern.
But pilots, what if I told you that you could help be Admittedly, drawbacks and inefficiencies in the a good cockpit companion even when you’re not PIREP system contribute to both submission and in the same plane? Better yet, how about if you had dissemination issues. This article aims to address the power to potentially help save a fellow pilot’s life some of these concerns, but also clarify some — maybe several pilots — with a simple click of the common PIREP misconceptions and highlight how mic? Interested? Let’s take a look. future changes and emerging technologies may As pilots, we can all agree on the importance of provide some welcome changes to the process.
weather and its impact on flight safety and decision More importantly, I hope it encourages you to be a making. It goes without saying that having the inside weather wingman on your next flight.
scoop on weather conditions could have serious Can I Get a PIREP Over Here?
implications on whether you decide to proceed with Let’s begin by defining a PIREP, which is a your flight, divert, change, or cancel your flight alto - brief report made of the actual weather conditions gether. One way this valuable inside information can encountered by a pilot while airborne. PIREPs are be provided is with pilot weather reports, or PIREPs.
submitted to ATC or Flight Service (by radio, tele - Now, I know what you’re going to say: PIREPs phone, or electronically) and then disseminated are too difficult to send; I’m way too busy with other to other pilots to improve their weather situational flying duties; they don’t even use my information; awareness. They can provide a more complete pic - or, why should I? — the weather is perfectly fine .
ture of weather for both strategic and tactical pur - These are among the many reasons and themes that poses. Pilots typically report weather conditions that have contributed to an overall reluctance in PIREP are not forecast or are worse than forecast — which, reporting. In fact, the sad truth is that many pilots incidentally, is one of the problems we’ll discuss can probably count on one hand how many PIREPs later. Low visibility, turbulence, icing, and thunder - they’ve submitted in recent years. According to a storms are good examples of conditions that may 2016 study conducted by the Aircraft Owners and warrant a PIREP.
Pilots Association (AOPA), three-quarters of their As an airborne observer, you might say filing a 700 respondents said they filed pilot reports, but PIREP is a way to leverage your on-site insight and 86-percent said they did so only “sometimes” or “pay it forward,” a term eloquently used by the NTSB “rarely.” The National Transportation Safety Board in the title of its 2016 two-day PIREP safety forum (NTSB) also focused its efforts on how to improve and accompanying Pilot Weather Report Safety Alert the PIREP process with a Special Investigation (go.usa.gov/xny6g).
Report (SIR) issued in 2017. The report incorporated 24 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 But PIREP value isn’t just measured by pilots. were not encountered, a pilot should also report this This in situ weather information is also one of the null or negative observation. AOPA’s PIREP survey most important pieces of information that weather tells a different story however; 81-percent of the forecasters have when assessing the quality of their pilots who responded said they would rarely to never forecasts and improving graphical weather products. file a PIREP for as-forecast conditions, and 76-per - Even a single PIREP in some cases can influence cent said that they would rarely to never report the decision to issue (or discontinue) a hazardous benign conditions.
weather advisory or amend its geographic area. That would certainly indicate a need for a culture Other beneficiaries include air traffic personnel change in how pilots perceive the purpose of PIREPs.
who use PIREPs when making decisions about the It should also serve as a call to action for flight safe and expeditious flow of air traffic in their area instructors to stress the importance of making PIREPs of jurisdiction and meteorologists who analyze and a more routine part of flying during initial training archive them for research purposes. and while performing flight reviews. Real-world Given their widespread use and significance to scenarios can be especially useful training methods NAS safety, it is important to understand the role when trying to illustrate the value of fair-weather that all participants play in submitting and dis - versus adverse-weather PIREPs as well as how they seminating PIREPs, as well as explore ways for those contribute overall to flight safety. Going forward, the involved in the PIREP process to help improve its FAA will be looking at ways to improve education effectiveness and efficiency. on the relevance of both adverse- and fair-weather PIREPs, and will review and revise any existing guid - PIREP P-Factor ance that can help clarify this point accordingly.
As helpful as it may seem, the PIREP system is There’s an App for That only as good as the information that it receives. That means the perishable content in these time-sensitive Technology and cockpit workload tend to reports can only be effective when they are plenti - work hand-in-hand to present another obstacle for ful, precise, and promptly processed for NAS users. submitting PIREPs. Pilots are often already task- Therein lie some of the roadblocks we referenced saturated when an unexpected or adverse weather anecdotally earlier. Sparse reporting, for example, condition comes their way, which puts filing PIREPs prevents air traffic controllers and other pilots from lower down on their priority list. But that reluctance receiving information that could help them develop can more often be attributed to the method used enhanced situational awareness of weather scenarios. for submitting, which according to AOPA’s survey, is The reason for this shortage is often the result of predominantly via a radio call to ATC or flight ser - pilots simply underestimating a PIREP’s importance. vice. Although this number has likely changed since While it is conceivable for pilots to sometimes over - the survey was conducted in 2016, only eight-percent look just how beneficial PIREPs can be, think of the of the survey respondents indicated that they used times you were on the receiving end of some juicy on-board technology (e.g., tablets, avionics) to “intel” on turbulence or reported icing conditions submit a PIREP.
that helped you and your passengers steer clear of a That matters greatly as pilots are often deterred hazard. How helpful was it to have a near, real-time from reporting weather by having to interrupt report of conditions that may have filled a critical communications on an already congested ATC fre - gap in your weather planning? Or, how about when quency or leave an ATC frequency for fear of missing conditions were exactly as, or better than, forecast, important instructions or advisories. When pilots allowing you to proceed as planned? That latter situ - responding to the AOPA survey were asked what ation seems to be the area in need of some attention. would encourage more PIREPS, the most frequent comments involved making it simpler to file PIREPS, The Positive Side of Negative Reporting specifically the ability to automate filing via elec - One of the greatest misconceptions of PIREPs tronic technology.
is that pilots believe they are used strictly for report - The good news is that this technology does ing severe or unexpected weather conditions. Pilots exist and is continuing to gain ground. Tablet and should actually report any observation, good or bad, smartphone-friendly PIREP submission tools are to assist other pilots with flight planning and prepa - becoming more popular, some with time-saving, ration. If conditions were forecasted to occur but auto-populated values based on user preferences or March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 25 GPS data. And as datalink capabilities evolve, PIREP While these tools help simplify the PIREP text messages may soon be on the horizon for GA. process, be aware of their limitations, including The FAA also has an electronic PIREP submission tool increased head-down time and connectivity issues.
at the National Weather Service’s Aviation Weather What’s important to remember is to use whichever Center Digital Data Service (ADDS) website. Regis - PIREP-submission method that seems most appro - tered users can electronically submit turbulence and priate for the circumstances, considering your work - icing PIREPs on the site, which are instantly displayed load, the type of weather information, and any other in graphical form and distributed nationwide. Visit relevant factors. For example, for urgent weather www.aviationweather.gov/user/register to register and hazards, providing your PIREP to ATC via the radio see FAA InFO 14011 – Electronic Submission of Pilot would likely result in the most rapid, local dissemi - Weather Reports (go.usa.gov/xnVcW) for more details. nation of the information.
For the record, submitting a PIREP via radio is not as cumbersome as it might seem. ATC will almost always approve a request to leave frequency
PIREP FORM
for a few minutes while en route, but avoid waiting Pilot Weather Report Space Symbol
=
until the last minute or while in congested airspace.
3-Letter SA Identifier Don’t get too hung up on the format. ATC can usu -
1. UA UUA
Routine Urgent ally help with coding it properly and/or prompt you Report Report Location:
2. /OV
PIREP Tip: To help you estimate visibility, make use Time: of your GPS or sectional chart and plotter to estimate
3. /TM
the distance of furthest object you can see.
Altitude/Flight Level:
4. /FL
Aircraft Type: if you’ve left out something critical. That leads to our
next area of concern for PIREPs: data accuracy. 5. /TP
Items 1 through 5 are mandatory for all PIREPs Precise is Nice, Especially with Ice Sky Cover: Figure 1 shows the form typically used for sub -
6. /SK
Flight Visibility and Weather: mitting a PIREP. It might help to think of it as being in a who , when , where , and what format. The what
7. /WX
Temperature (Celsius): segment does require some extra detail, but be sure
not to skimp on precision for the when and where 8. /TA
Wind: sections. As was highlighted in the NTSB’s report,
PIREPs without accurate position and timing infor - 9. /WV
Turbulence: mation can have little to no value in some cases.
10. /TB
Onboard technology can help with capturing time, Icing: location, and altitude, but be sure you’re keeping
11. /IC
tabs on accurately noting and reporting this informa - Remarks: tion when you see something.
12. /RM
Since most pilots aren’t professional meteorolo - FAA FORM 7110-2 (1-85) Supersedes Previous Edition Electronic Version (Adobe) gists, describing the observed conditions or the “what” of a PIREP is by nature a fairly subjective pro - Fig -1 PIREP Form — Items 6 – 12 cover the “What” of a PIREP: cess. The ability to properly assess and relay weather Sky Cover (SK) includes cloud amount, bases, and tops.
conditions that pilots encounter is typically linked Weather (WX) reports precipitation, flight visibility and any to their training and experience. A new or low-time restrictions to visibility. Pilots should report Temperature (TA) pilot, for example, may have a tendency to overesti - and Wind (WV) when known. Intensities of Turbulence (TB) mate turbulence and icing intensities.
and Icing (IC) should be reported as objectively and accurately Icing intensity should be reported as trace, as possible — reference the AIM or AC 00-45H for details.
light, moderate, or severe and by type (rime, clear, Remarks (RM) clarify or add information not contained in other or mixed). Be sure to include sky cover and tem - elements, such as the movement of thunderstorms, low-level perature with an icing PIREP. Turbulence intensity wind shear, and mountain waves.
26 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018 should be reported as light, moderate, severe, or extreme and the duration as intermittent, occasional, Five Things You Should Know About PIREPs: or continuous. A common tip for estimating turbu - lence intensity is to imagine how a full cup of coffee 1. A pilot report or PIREP is a pilot’s report of would react in the cabin: from a slight slosh in light actual weather conditions encountered while turbulence, to flat out wearing the coffee in severe or airborne.
extreme conditions.
2. A PIREP’s main purpose is safety — it helps A good way to refine your reporting skills on weather forecasters update their data and these two phenomena is to reference the Aeronauti - improve quality of forecast.
cal Information Manual paragraphs 7-1-20, -21, and 3. A PIREP filed to report good weather is just -22. Also, FAA Advisory Circular 00-45H, Aviation as important as a PIREP filed to report bad Weather Services , contains extensive information on weather.
how to report and read PIREPs, how to apply inten - sity modifiers for precipitation and other weather 4. Yes, you can submit them electronically — check out the electronic PIREP submis - phenomena, and how to use the remarks section to sion tool at the National Weather Service’s further describe the weather phenomena. The FAA Aviation Weather Center Digital Data Service is currently reviewing ways to better harmonize and (ADDS) website.
possibly revise guidance in both of these references.
5. Don’t be overly concerned with strict format Promptly Processed or phraseology. The important thing is to relay Our final PIREP P-factor deals with what hap - information beneficial to other pilots.
pens on the collection and dissemination side.
Delayed, missing, or improperly keyed reports not only affect data quality, but these issues may May/June 2008), this first-hand weather report from ultimately lead to a lack of faith in the system and a fellow aviator may be the single most informative inhibit future reporting among pilots. The NTSB’s SIR piece of data you have in that stack of “all available recommended changes in several areas that could information” you gathered before your flight. So on help improve the efficiency and accuracy of PIREP your next flight, pay it forward with PIREPs and be processing. These areas focused on PIREP solicita - the best wingman you can be!
tion, guidance, collection and handling methods, verification procedures, training, and technology.
To address issues identified with these and other Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing . He is a com - mercial pilot and holds an A&P certificate. Contributing to this article was factors, the FAA is establishing a team of subject Terry Lankford, an active pilot, retired FAA Flight Service Station specialist, matter experts from across the agency’s Air Traffic and current FAA Safety Team representative.
Organization, including representatives from the Air Traffic Services, System Operations, Safety and Technical Training, and Mission Support Service Learn More Units. This team will analyze and determine the FAA Advisory Circular 00-45H, Aviation Weather feasibility of adopting the NTSB’s recommendations.
Services In addi tion, the FAA surveyed ATC facilities across go.usa.gov/xnfkt the nation to solicit ideas for procedural changes or NTSB News Release on PIREP Special Investigation improvements. The FAA will review this feedback as Report 17/02 it considers ways to make PIREP processing tech - ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/pr20170417.aspx niques easier, less time consuming, and more accu - NTSB Presentations from PIREP Seminar rate. Expect to see more later this summer.
ntsb.gov/news/events/Pages/2016_pirep_FRM_ agenda.aspx The Power of PIREPs AOPA ASI course – PIREPS Made Easy Despite all the technological advances in aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/ weather radar and forecasting, there is still nothing online-courses more valuable than a PIREP in helping aviators avoid AOPA’s 2016 Pilot Report Survey hazardous weather. As Susan Parson notes in her bit.ly/2DCLuad “Pipe Up With PIREPs” article ( FAA Aviation News , March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 27
Roll of Honor
Roll of Honor
Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award
The FAA’s most prestigious award for pilots is the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.
It is named in honor of the first U.S. pilots, the Wright brothers, to recognize pilots who
have demonstrated professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise by maintaining safe
operations for 50 or more years. The following master pilots were recognized in 2017.
For more about the award, go to faasafety.gov/content/MasterPilot.
John Amundsen AK Benjamin Middleton AZ Roger Paskell CA Delbert Coller DE Larry Seesholtz FL Burton Bomhoff AK John Redden AZ Scott Patterson CA Frank Cotroneo DE Conrad Shad FL Eric Denkewalter AK Arthur Rogers AZ Gerald Penn CA ——— Dennis Sherman FL Maurice Hendrickson AK Ronald Rounds AZ Kenneth Pepper CA Gordon Anderson FL Howard Smith FL Francis Jones AK Edward Rountree, Jr AZ Kenneth Petersen CA Thomas Berg FL Clarence Smith FL David Matthews AK Arvin Schultz AZ Michael Phillips CA Prescott Bond FL Charles Starr FL Frederick Patterson AK Charles Wait AZ Robert Pina CA Douglas Coleman FL Charles Steele FL Michael Van Hatten AK James Warniers AZ James Pinckney CA William Corley FL John Steidinger FL David Wiewel AK Robert Wasik AZ John Pugliese CA David Creasman FL Allan Tiburzi FL ——— Edward Weber AZ David Raspert CA Versel Dalton, Jr FL Susan Upchurch FL Clarke Barber AL Richard Wetherell AZ Lawrence Rector CA Daniel Diz FL Wayne Ziskal FL Robert Butler AL ——— Paul Richey CA Kendall Durkee FL ——— Henry Hall, Jr AL John Adair CA Thomas Rosen CA John Feliu FL Julius Alexander, Jr GA James Kale AL Gerald Alves CA William Shoup CA John Foster FL William Austin GA Elwyn Roosevelt AL Charles Asbury CA Paul Singer CA John Fow FL Jesse Bell GA John Wilkes AL Arthur Barth CA Robert Spencer CA Carroll Gammill FL Homer Bentley GA Melvin Yanda AL Richard Biggs CA Richard Stahlman CA Howell Gannon FL Reinhardt Carlson GA ——— Joseph Biviano CA Louis Tobin CA Irvin Gleim FL Luke Closson, Jr GA Herbert Baker AR Stuart Bloom CA Joseph Valla CA Phil Greco FL Lawrence Gilbert GA Barry Beck AR Lewis Brown CA Michael Venturino CA Loren Haatvedt FL John Godbehere GA Lloyd Blasdel AR Michael Cowan CA Leslie Waller CA James Harris FL George Greene GA David Cahoon AR James Davidson CA Richard Webb CA Lowell Howard FL Truitt Harper, Jr GA Robert Welsh CA Horace Howard FL Robert Connor AR Raymond Dean CA George Huffman GA Alfred Gore AR John Draper CA ——— Edward Johnson FL John Jameson GA Danny Helms AR James Dubois CA Stephen Benson CO Lowell Johnston FL Lewis Lytton GA John Holtam AR Gordon Evans CA Robert Deline CO George Kelley, III FL Dale Mastley GA James Marlar AR Eugene Evans CA Gary Kopp CO Charles Kessler FL Irvan NeSmith GA Thomas Mitchell AR Glynn Falcon CA John Pinell, Jr CO Lester Kyle FL Charles Reed GA Edward Seaton AR Peter Gillies CA Ronald Williams CO Victor Landau FL Roff Sasser, III GA ——— Bill Griggs CA ——— Lee Lauderback FL Ronald Walters GA Robert Bloemer AZ Carl Hakenen CA John Bailey CT John Lindsay FL David Winans GA June Bonesteel AZ Gregory Hein CA Richard Bliss CT James Lynch, Jr FL Gerald Zimmerman, Sr GA Marion Burton AZ George Inskeep CA Herman Carvache CT Don Marek FL ——— Harold Burtzloff AZ Jack Irwin CA Kenneth Forrester CT Frank Marsalek FL Richard Emminger HI William Canino AZ Russell Kellum CA August Gorreck CT Edwin Martin FL Jack Schneider HI Robert Dilday AZ William Kramp CA Norman Graham CT Frank Maskiell, Jr FL ——— John Fedor AZ Wood Lockhart CA Sheldon Holson CT Craig Maudsley FL Adell Brecheisen, II IA Jerry Fischer AZ John Lotz CA John Kirmayer CT Jere McKee FL William Hemme IA Dennis Genzman AZ Thomas Luciano CA Evelyn Kropp CT James McLennan FL Harley Noe IA John Giehm AZ John Lyon CA Paul Mangini CT William Meenan FL William Stout IA Aleck Gragijan, Jr AZ Alan MacHardy CA Rafael Quiros CT Grodon Moyer FL ——— Bernard Gross AZ Michael Magnell CA Ted Selken CT Richard Osmer, Sr FL Fernando Arenas, Jr IL Gordon Grover AZ Richard Martindell CA Roger Van Dyk CT Ronald Patton FL Ronald Arnett IL Frank Hertzler AZ John McGowan CA ——— Ronald Pearson FL John Barrett IL Jeffrey Jacobs AZ Joseph McGuire CA Howard Brandon DC David Pomerance FL Armand Bendersky IL James McDermott AZ Henry Miller CA ——— Grover Rawlings, Jr FL Donald Berrier IL E. Monroe McDonald AZ Gerald Orr CA Lloyd Austin DE Thomas Sage FL Jerry Coarson IL
28 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
Donald Cramer IL Lawrence Lay KS Ernest Harbin MI Loretta Jones MO Richard Cramer NM Donald Day IL Nicky Mardis KS Richard Hare MI Allan Koebel MO Anthony Sobol NM John De Joris IL Jay McLeod KS James Harris MI Dennis McAlee MO ——— Vincent Doss IL Douglas McMullin KS Thomas Hoagland MI Jack Mehner MO Eliot Alper NV William Garland IL Alan Moler KS Bill James MI Herman Person MO Darrel Blomberg NV N.H. Verne Jobst IL Terry Poling KS Larry Johns MI William Pollard MO Ronald Cassinelli NV Jean Mclaughlin IL William Qualls KS William Kelley MI Richard Sauder MO Richard Clark NV Orrin Moen IL Sarah Lee Ratley KS James Klein MI Ralph Schmude MO Gary Griffith NV Robert Peacock IL Thomas Rourke KS Joseph Lupton MI Randall Schuermann MO Linda Hivert NV Michael Rafferty, Jr IL Mark Schlegel KS Donald MacLeod MI Daniel Scott MO Earl Jobson NV Robert Russo IL Jimmie Smith KS Robert Malin MI Carl Sparks MO James Martin NV William Saloga IL Ernest Spriggs KS Theodore Mathis MI Donald Tate MO Mark Potter NV Steven Seaman IL David Tiday KS Charles McConnell MI John Taylor MO Manny Puerta NV John Sheridan IL Harold Walter KS Larry McKillop MI Peter Van Arsdale MO Eric Rebstock NV Samual Sisk IL John Wolesky KS David Schneider MI Michael Williams MO Barton Welsh NV Thomas Sherman MI ——— ——— Thomas Smith IL Ronald Wood KS George Stuhr IL Donald Yoder KS Mario Sotolongo MI David Bennett MT Albert Cerullo, Jr NY Henry Villiger IL ——— Cody Welch MI Bob Davis MT David Freed, Jr NY John White IL Terry Richardson KY ——— Dale Edlund MT Charles Gilbert NY Gerald Whitehurst IL ——— Kayland Call MN Charles Sherman MT Phillip Ide NY Garner Williams, Jr IL Thomas Barnard LA Donald Clobes MN Mary Wadekamper MT Ernest Kovacs NY Garner Williams IL Kenneth Brummett LA James Conn MN Clifton Walters MT Donald Mann NY John Zaeske IL Michael Bryant LA Keith Davison MN Clayton Wilhelm MT Paul Middlebrook NY William Enxing MN ——— Robert Carbary LA ——— Allen Roggen NY Thomas Carney IN Phillip Collins LA Wilbur Finley MN Russell Barringer, Jr NC Kenneth Scheider NY Jared Combs IN Jerry Cutrer LA Arthur Howard MN Charles Czermak, Jr NC Martin Schemer NY Dale Etherington IN Fred Phillips LA Robert Johndahl MN James Dukeman NC ——— William Hohlt IN Paul Storment LA John Johnson MN Hershal Hollifield NC Donald Apple OH Gerald Keller IN ——— Harold Kral MN Kenneth Huffine NC Donald Chopchinski OH George Lohmeier IN Frank Bill MA Peter Kroll MN Clarence Hustrulid, Jr NC Todd Fisher OH Robert Lutes IN Gary Kearney MA Darrel Larson MN Henry Joyner NC Theodore Kellogg OH Charles Marshall, Jr IN Gary Potts MA William Lothert MN Larry Mullis NC Donald Leis OH Russell McDonald IN Donald Staszko MA Barbara Mack MN Kenneth Pagurek NC Donald Louderback OH Thomas Rea IN Kermit Wieselquist MA Gerald Michaletz MN John Peake NC John Lundblad OH Winfried Rudloff IN ——— Carl Moser MN Ronald Shoemaker NC Vincent Massa OH John Sanders IN Robert Bricker, Jr MD Niel Petersen MN Richard Smith NC Gordon McOwen OH Leon Sanders IN Edward Walker MD Gerald Sather MN William Whiteheart NC Don Miller OH James Stark, Jr IN William Wallace MD Terrel Stern MN Bernard Zimmer NC Russell Otto OH Daniel Tannas IN ——— George Sugden MN ——— Earl Pounds, III OH ——— Gary Chandler ME Charles Swanson MN Daniel Heuer ND Earl Redmond OH Ronald Black KS Elvin Drake ME Terry Schubert OH Jerry Van Kempen MN ——— David Blanton KS Gary Dumond ME Andrew Vano MN Michael Howard NE Ronald Siwik OH Robert Blanton KS Christopher Hayden ME ——— William Redick NE Michael Smyser OH Wayne Bormann KS ——— George Alexander MO Donovan Schardt NE Richard Todd OH Harry Clements KS John Adams MI John Ampleman MO William Stuart NE James Yarbrough OH Rex Corbin KS Ray Belz MI Leon Basler MO ——— ——— Richard Curtis KS Leslie Brown MI Gregory Bettis MO Richard Connor NH Phil Carson OK Robert Davis KS Cecil Carreras MI David Davidson MO ——— Russell Craig OK James Duea OK Larry Gourley KS Richard Druschel MI David Dungan MO Robert Dannhardt NJ Gerald Griggs KS Don Dykstra MI Forrest Frazier MO Francis Fine NJ Charles Gauntlett OK Donald Grunke KS Ralph Fairbanks MI Richard Green MO Alan Greenhalgh NJ Edward Maxwell OK Larry Hastings KS Jimmy Farris MI Leslie Heikkila MO John Humbert NJ Ronald Murray OK Michael Jacobi KS Robert Fox MI John Hessling MO Walter Kahn NJ Edward Petersen, III OK Wesley Kimball KS John Gostinger MI Raymond Higgins MO Jeffrey Tait NJ Charles Shelton OK Stephen Larsen KS Keith Haddix MI Jeanette Hoynacki MO Joel Turpin NJ
March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 29
Roll of Honor
Charles Allen OR Morton Boggs TN Francis Compton, Jr TX Jim Pope TX William Carico VA Daniel Beltrami OR Ben Carr, Jr TN William Darby, II TX Stephen Poppe TX Robert Dobbs VA William Dewey OR Billy Cox TN Patricia Darby TX Omer Price TX Bruce Holmes VA Dallas Enger OR Clifford Eldred TN Louis Ebersole, III TX Jimmy Ray TX Floyd James VA Robert Halvorsen OR Douglas Eshelman TN Donald Euton TX John Reynolds TX Gerald Knouff VA Richard Markee OR Roger Flenniken TN Charles Fischer, Jr TX John Richardson TX Frank Stapopoli VA Richard Maury, III OR Kenneth Franks TN Jimmie Foreman TX Steven Richmond TX Owen Thompson VA Thomas Murphy OR George Gunn TN James Fowler, Jr TX Louis Rochester TX Steven Zaboji VA Lynn Hadler TN David Fulton TX Ronald Roland TX ——— Cecil Radcliff OR Thomas “Sam” Spayed OR Arthur Hiatt TN Bobby Grantham TX Robert Scheinblum TX Barry Bergeron WA Kelly Wilson OR Michael Jacobs TN Charles Hall TX Wayne Schmitt TX Carl Domschke WA ——— Boyd Mitchell TN James Hartman TX James Schwertner TX Michael Dyberg WA David Allen PA Charles Nabors TN Matthew Hartnett TX James Schwertner, Jr TX Robert Guthrie WA Joseph Baginski PA Scott Niswonger TN Luther Hathorn TX Harlan Screws TX James Hawks WA Anthony Bartolo PA William Rondeau TN John Hawley, Jr TX David Setzer TX Edward Hoit WA Thomas Sharpe TN Paul Smith TX Daryl Jackson WA J.D. De Angelis PA Howard Horton TX Kenneth Egge PA Nicholas Smith TN Jim Humphries TX Robert Stark TX Randal Kersten WA David Gurkin PA Robert Sudderth TN J.R. Hurt TX Gary Sublette TX Patrick Mitchell WA John Kandravi PA David Sullivan TN Norwood Jennings TX Russell Thorstenberg, Jr TX G.M. “Jake” Nelson WA Roger Lucheta PA ——— Leland Johnson TX Russell Thorstenberg TX Robert Pastore WA Joseph Pelletier PA Donald Albert TX Stephen Johnson TX Wallace Thrash TX Rupert Tart, Jr WA ——— Jackie Ashmore TX Kendall Kelly TX Cranford Viosca TX Lawrence Tobin WA Michael Ballee SC George Auburg TX Don Klos TX James Watkins TX Kevin Ware WA Leo Berube SC Stephen Balogh, Jr TX Quentin Koecher TX Guy Watson TX ——— Roger Blackman SC Norwood Band, Jr TX Lawrence Latimer TX Harold Watson TX Charles Aldrian WI Allen Barseth TX James Lattimore, Jr TX Larry Wheelock TX Jeffrey Anderson WI Raymond Enslow SC Edward Ganter SC Louis Bass TX Arno Leuthardt TX Robert Williams TX Larry Boehme WI Robert Jenkins, Jr SC Glenn Beavers TX Bobbie Long TX Richard Williams TX Jake Jasinski WI Arthur Magill SC Steven Bernstein TX Paul Loyd TX John Wing TX Mark Koenig WI James Malek SC Grant Bogue TX Robert McBride TX Richard Wingfield TX Robert Nelson WI John McGrath, Sr SC William Boothe TX Carter McGregor, III TX Larry York TX William Plendl WI Lawrence Savage, Jr SC Edward Borowy TX John McMurray, Jr Tx James Zoeller TX Milbert Schott WI Elijudah Yisrael SC Donald Bowles TX Jack Merrell, Jr TX ——— Scott Sherer WI ——— James Bristol TX Brian Moline TX Dale Larsen UT ——— Bruce Allred SD Juan Brito TX Mark Mulder TX Richard Sweet UT Robert West WY Roger Huntley SD Randy Brown TX Thomas Musgrave, III TX Roger Hutchison SD Phillip Bryant TX Phillip Myers TX Mark O’Leary SD Jerry Campbell TX Ronald Paduh TX Wilmer Carroll TX Harry Perez TX
30 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award
The FAA’s most prestigious award for aircraft mechanics is the Charles Taylor Master
Mechanic Award and recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics. It
is named in honor of the first aviation mechanic in powered flight, Charles Taylor, who
served as the Wright brothers’ mechanic and is credited with designing and building the
engine for their first successful aircraft. The following master mechanics were recognized
in 2017. For more about the award, go to faasafety.gov/content/MasterMechanic.
Edwin Keith AK David Girard CO Wayne Sanchez, Sr IL David Umlauf NC Donald Bennett SC Michael McHenry AK Joseph Kilbourn CO Thomas Smith IL Jack Zeock NC James Franklin, III SC Theodore Novotney AK ——— ——— ——— Howard Hollis SC Rodney Russell AK Herman Carvache CT John Bruno IN Jerry May NE Elijudah Yisrael SC ——— Mark Josel CT Robert Girdley IN ——— ——— Jack Barry NH Thomas Miller Al ——— David Pieper IN Lynn Hadler TN William Monk AL Merle Thomas DE James Spore IN Donald Vallerand NH Edward Hasch, Jr TN ——— ——— William Henley TN Larry Riggs AL Paul Williams IN Ernest Roberts, III AL Oscar Aloyo FL ——— Joseph Esmerado NJ John Starnes TN ——— Juan Blanco FL William Qualls KS Roger Hughes NJ ——— Herbert Baker AR Thomas Bragg FL ——— ——— Warren Bischoff TX James Marlar AR Loren Friedle FL Lawrence Andrzejewski KY Magel Lugo NV Grant Bogue TX Kenneth Miller AR Jimmy Grizzard FL Frank Piasecki KY ——— Donnie Brown TX Thomas Schmidt AR Frank Hartle, Jr FL ——— Raymond Calascibetta NY William Butler TX ——— Thomas Hay FL John Goglia MA Michael Cartelli NY James Garrett TX Cyril Manning AZ David Lockner FL Gennaro Cibelli NY James LaBrecque MA Perry Gilroy, III TX James McDermott AZ William Meenan FL Robert Nelson MA John Grindley NY Henry Hilburn TX Hector Mendoza, Sr AZ Richard Osmer, Sr FL Gary Potts MA Donald Mann NY Donald Hite TX Rodney Peterson AZ Randall Pickron FL ——— Donald McLoughlin NY Paul Jonathans TX ——— Luis Rivera-Guzman FL Anthony Serio MD Michael Scott NY Ronald Paduh TX Carl Aronson CA Gordon Schmidt FL ——— Randy Wagner NY Dennis Quesinberry TX Ross Belfiore CA Conrad Shad FL Elvin Drake ME George White NY Robert Rushlow TX Charles Steele FL ——— David Santoy TX Khalil Boini CA ——— William Angelo Canario CA Mark Welke MI Dennis Baran OH Harlan Screws TX John Steidinger FL Edward Cohn CA John Zielinsky FL ——— James Beisner OH Robert Stark TX Mickey Curry CA ——— Darrell Bolduc MN Donald Leis OH Joseph Steinback TX David Dent CA Jesse Bell GA Harold Fown MN Victor Speroni OH Edward Strong TX Thomas Evans CA Truitt Harper, Jr GA James Hancock MN Robert Zitney OH Tommy Williams TX Peter Frinchaboy CA David Hickey GA Lance Matteson MN Thomas Zoldesy OH Joseph Wolf TX Antonio Geck CA Thomas Long GA Dale Mendenhall MN ——— ——— Albert Glover CA ——— Robert Turner MN Douglas Burdette OK Luis Alicea VA Joseph Gonsalves CA William Louch HI John Eberstein OK Barry Barbini VA ——— Kenneth Simpson HI Lawrence Johnson MO Charles Gauntlett OK ——— John Harper CA Ronald Lyda CA Victor Valentin HI Harold Schilling MO Albert Hutton OK Hugh Devlin WA William Malcomson CA ——— ——— ——— Carl Domschke WA John Neal CA William Kyle IA James Bondurant MS Daniel Beltrami, Jr OR Carl Domschke, Jr WA Robert Pina CA John Tibben IA ——— John Fisher OR Michael Potter WA John Schaper CA ——— Dale Edlund MT Thomas Murphy OR Thomas Robinson WA William Shoup CA Thomas Anderlik IL Michael Ferguson MT Louis Myers OR ——— Richard Stahlman CA Patrick Finn IL ——— Rex Kessler WI ——— Gary Suozzi CA William Garland, Jr IL Charles Maresca NC David Allen PA Darrell McCullion WI John Wilholt CA Norman Oakley NC Paul Haubert PA Raymond Gepford IL Thomas Wittman CA Richard Mileham IL Ronald Shoemaker NC John Trupchak PA Alan Pattenaude IL Roger Thompson NC
March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 31
Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons
S A BRIN A W OODS
Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons
How Airplanes Work
My first experience flying in a general aviation ensure there is no extra lift being generated and the (GA) aircraft was thrilling. To my fellow passenger? aircraft can brake properly.
Not so much. It occurs to me that perhaps if he had Ailerons are a hinged control surface found on just known a bit more about how an aircraft works, the trailing edge of a wing typically located next to the he might have relaxed a bit and enjoyed more of flaps. They work opposite from one another to control what that experience had to offer. To understand the bank (roll). As one aileron lifts up the other drops rather complex and beautiful nature of how aircraft down, causing the aircraft to roll. When combined fly, I am going to break this all down. with a pitch up motion, the aircraft will also turn.
In the cockpit, the pilot has to understand and Heart of the Matter manipulate an assortment of gauges, switches, There are two major types of engines: piston levers, and pedals that provide information about engines — driven by a mechanical component the aircraft and give control over it. Some more within the engine that is connected to other major recognizable cockpit devices are the yoke (steering components to provide rotational torque (twisting device), the throttle (controls engine power), the force); and gas turbine engines. Since the major - radio (to chat with air traffic/controllers), as well as ity of airplanes in the existing GA fleet have piston the heading, fuel, speed, and altitude indicators. This engines, we’ll focus on that engine type. The engine equipment is just as integral to aircraft flight as the gets its power via one or more reciprocating pistons wings or the engine.
that convert the pressure they generate into a rota - Bringing Up the Rear tional motion. That motion is transferred to a crank - shaft, which in turn powers the propeller, which The last structural section is the empennage, or creates thrust (pull). tail end of the aircraft. In most GA aircraft, a rudder The biggest thing to remember here is that all is housed in the vertical part of the tail called the engines enable thrust, the force by which an aircraft vertical stabilizer. The rudder is a hinged vertical moves forward through the air. flap that is operated by foot pedals in the cockpit.
The rudder is used to keep the fuselage aligned with The Wind Beneath My Airfoil the direction of flight by controlling yaw (nose left The special shape of an airplane wing makes it or right). You will usually find two more little wing- an “airfoil.” As an airplane moves forward and air like structures that help to stabilize and control is split around the wing, the angle and curve of the the aircraft in flight called the horizontal stabilizer.
top half of the wing allows for the air to move over Attached to the trailing edge (on most aircraft) are it much faster and with much lower pressure than elevators, which move up and down to make the air - the air below it. Since the higher pressure air below craft climb and descend in flight.
the surface always wants to escape to lower pressure The chance to ride along with a friend, family spaces, the wing is “lifted” up. The faster the plane member, or coworker as he or she pilots a GA aircraft travels forward while maintaining a sufficient angle is a tremendous opportunity. So sit back, relax, and of attack (tilt), the greater lift is generated.
hit the skies knowing you now have a little back - In order to control the air that flows around a ground knowledge of how airplanes work.
wing, and maneuver the aircraft in flight, it comes equipped with flight control surfaces in the form of (Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared flaps and/or ailerons. Most flaps are attached to the in the Jul/Aug 2014 issue of FAA Safety Briefing trailing edge of the wing to increase or decrease the magazine.)
amount of lift by increasing or decreasing the curva - ture of the wing. Extending the flaps can increase the Sabrina Woods is a guest writer for FAA Safety Briefing . She is a human fac - lift a wing can generate, but it also creates drag (air tors scientist with the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. She spent 12 years as an resistance). This slows the aircraft (i.e., for landing) aircraft maintenance officer and an aviation mishap investigator in the Air Force.
and lowers the speed at which an aircraft will stall.
Once safely down, the pilot will raise the flaps to 32 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
Angle of Attack
T OM HOF F M A NN
Angle of Attack
Take Plane Spotting to a New Level
The activity of plane spotting has been around fortable and then adhere to it to assure optimum for nearly as long as the airplane itself. While early scanning. And since we can’t be looking everywhere versions of plane spotting helped identify hostile all the time, learning how and when to concentrate aircraft during wartime, this activity has grown into your search is critical. Scanning traffic patterns in a recreational (and sometimes addictive) hobby, the vicinity of an airport is particularly important. Be attracting aviation enthusiasts worldwide. sure to clear before each turn in the pattern and be Used in more of a safety context, plane spotting on the lookout for anyone who might be improperly is also a skill near and dear to all pilots, especially for entering the traffic pattern. In this situation, your those whose aircraft rely solely on the Mark 1 eyeball ears can also be your eyes; listening to radio calls can system (otherwise known as unaided vision) for col - help you hone in on areas where traffic may pop up.
lision avoidance. While the traditional plane-spotter During normal flight, a good practice is to scan might be used to a stationary environment and focus an area 60 degrees to the left and right of your center on a predictable aircraft flight path, airborne plane of vision, as well as horizontally 10 degrees up and spotting can be a much more challenging task. If you down. Be mindful of aircraft blind spots that can have the good fortune of riding along with a pilot impede your outside view such as door or window and want to show off your plane-spotting skills — posts. Maneuvering your head around these obstruc - and more importantly — take a more active role in tions and/or a change in pitch or bank can help you the safety of the flight, please read on. get a better overall view of traffic.
For starters, being a good companion plane- Finally, if during flight your eagle eyes spot a spotter requires a more patient and methodical possible traffic conflict, it’s important to know how approach than the constantly moving, head-on-a- to properly convey this to the pilot. Simply saying, swivel tactic that some might think is required. It’s “I see something moving over there,” accompanied quite the contrary. According to the Pilot’s Handbook by a wayward finger point out the windshield is only of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK), effective scan - marginally helpful. Pilots are accustomed to using ning is accomplished with a series of short, regularly clock positions relative to the direction traveling to spaced eye movements that bring successive areas of help them locate an object. For example, you might the sky into the central visual field. Each movement say: “I see a high-wing airplane above us at one should not exceed 10 degrees, and each sky segment o’clock,” which would alert the pilot to look up and should be observed for at least one second to enable slightly to the right.
detection. This slow and steady approach helps It takes a little practice, but before long you’ll be pilots compensate for the limitations the human eye plane spotting like a pro. It’s worth noting also that has in being able to detect targets. There are dozens as you train your eyes to spot minute targets in the of factors that can affect vision while airborne. Some sky, you’ll also learn to see many other important are biological (age, fatigue, germs); some are envi - “little” things you may now be missing, and which ronmental (weather conditions, sun glare, heat); and will enrich your visual experience while flying.
others are caused by the aircraft (windshield distor - tion, interior lighting, aircraft design).
Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing . He is a com - Another reason for this method of interval mercial pilot and holds an A&P certificate.
scanning is to capitalize on the power of peripheral vision, which can be most useful in spotting colli - Learn More sion threats from other aircraft. Each time a scan is FAA Advisory Circular 90-48, Pilots’ Role in Collision stopped and the eyes are refocused, the peripheral Avoidance vision takes on more importance because it is go.usa.gov/xnsca through this element that movement is detected.
Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 14 So what is the best way to scan for traffic? There’s go.usa.gov/xnscC really no one perfect way. Although back and forth How to Avoid a Midair Collision, FAASTeam Resource eye movements seem preferred by most pilots, each faasafety.gov/gslac/alc/libview_normal.aspx?id=6851 pilot should develop a scanning pattern that is com - March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 33
Vertically Speaking
Vertically Speaking JIM CIC C ONE
Helicopter Companions
Pilots will tell you that some of the best times It’s important to secure all loose items. If an they had flying included a friend or family member item can fly out, fall, roll under your feet, or get who was not a pilot. Whether going somewhere spe - stuck somewhere out of reach, secure it in a cockpit cial, or for a hundred-dollar hamburger, the expres - or baggage compartment. If your passenger has a sion on their faces during the first takeoff is priceless. camera, make sure they secure the camera’s strap Every pilot knows that the first step to a safe around their wrist or neck to prevent it from falling, flight is a thorough preflight. This includes consid - and brief them to keep it away from the pilot’s collec - eration for some challenges when flying with others tive flight control.
who are not pilots. That is especially true in helicop - After you’ve conducted the required passenger ters. briefing on the use of safety belts, you may want to As the pilot, you may want to explain some of the share a few more safety items. Pilot and passenger basic operating differences between an airplane and conversations are encouraged. However, brief your a helicopter. These could include how the helicopter passengers that you may have to stop a conversation main and tail rotor systems work versus the airplane abruptly in order to communicate with ATC, other propeller, the difference between how airplanes aircraft, or to maintain a sterile cockpit during criti - and helicopters take off and cal phases of the flight such as takeoff, landing, or land, or why helicopter pilots hovering. Agree on a short phrase or a hand gesture You may want to explain some of the fly from the right seat while as a signal that you need to stop the conversation.
basic operating differences between airplane pilots fly from the Another very important briefing item for heli - an airplane and a helicopter.
left. You may want to walk copter safety is instructing the passenger on how to passengers through your preflight inspection and exit while the rotor blades are still turning. The best answer questions they may have. This practice will way to avoid accidental contact with moving rotor boost their confidence in you as a knowledgeable blades, especially the tail rotor, is for everyone to and safe pilot. remain inside the helicopter until the rotor blades Most small helicopters allow for the pilot to come to a complete stop. However, if your pas - remove the passenger side collective, cyclic, and sengers need to exit the helicopter before the rotor anti-torque pedals. If your flight doesn’t involve blades have stopped turning, direct them to walk flight instruction, you may want to consider remov - perpendicular from the helicopter’s longitudinal ing those controls. Just be sure to review the rotor - axis, and stay low until well clear of the rotor blades.
craft flight manual to determine if this function Never walk towards the rear of the helicopter.
requires a mechanic. If there are no restrictions, but Take some time to develop your own passenger you’ve never done this before, have a flight instructor briefing card and include these points to standardize or mechanic familiar with your helicopter walk you your passenger briefings.
through the process. Fly smart, fly safe.
If you choose not to remove the passenger side flight controls, brief your passenger on the importance James Ciccone is an aviation safety inspector with the General Aviation and of not grabbing or bumping the flight controls during Commercial Division. He is also an Airline Transport Pilot, and a Certificated flight. A good method I’ve found is to have passengers Flight Instructor in multi-engine land airplanes, as well as helicopters, with keep their feet flat on the floor away from the anti- 25 years of flying in the Long Island and New York City airspace.
torque pedals, and to keep their hands in their laps if they’re not taking pictures or holding on to something.
34 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
Flight Forum
Flight Forum
From Our Twitter Pages You Can’t Take All That!! What Aircraft Weight & Balance Means to You is a great article to pass along to your flying companions.
Or clients! I used to provide luggage for over - night trips to make sure they didn’t overpack.
— Maria Thanks, Maria. Check out the full article in the Jul/Aug 2014 issue of FAA Safety Briefing , or visit bit.ly/2zneCDs.
Push to Talk Phobia Q: Will the deadline to equip with ADS-B Good day! I enjoyed the article about “push to talk phobia” in the Nov/Dec 2017 issue. I learned to Out be extended past Jan 1, 2020?
fly at a non-towered airport, and was really nervous A: The FAA has consistently demonstrated its the first venture into air traffic control land. It took commitment to the January 1, 2020 ADS-B Out me a while to feel comfortable talking with towers compliance date.
and centers, however, there is one resource that you The rule was published in May 2010, nearly left out of the article, and that is LiveATC. That site ten years in advance to allow ample time for the has almost every available airport radio available production and installation of equipment on for free. That site is the one that helped me the most, aircraft and complete deployment of the ATC and I always have one of the feeds going every time ground network (completed in 2014). ADS-B I am on my computer. It is well worth checking out.
is currently used by ATC in all but the smallest Thanks for the good work!
facilities where integration with the automation — Barry is on track to support the compliance date.
Equipment options are varied and plentiful; there Hi Barry, thank you for your email, and we are approved ADS-B systems for almost all aircraft are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the article!
We agree, liveatc.net is a great resource, so much types. Manufacturers share this information with so that we saved it to use in our follow up article the FAA which is available through a searchable database at faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/ called “How to Talk Like a Pilot: The Basic Elements installation/equipment/adsb_ready .
of Aviation Communication” in the Jan/Feb Back to Basics issue of FAA Safety Briefing . We hope that article will also be a great resource for you and all of our FAASB reader community. Check it out at Let us hear from you! Send your comments, suggestions, adobe.ly/2p7KwQb.
and questions to SafetyBriefing@faa.gov or use a smartphone QR reader to go “VFR-direct” to our mailbox.
Sim City Correction You can also reach us on Twitter @FAASafetyBrief or on In the FAA Safety Briefing ’s “Sim City” issue Facebook facebook.com/FAA.
(Nov/Dec 2017), we stated in the Simulation We may edit letters for style and/or Training Allowance Chart on page 12 that seven length. Due to our publishing schedule, hours of flight training device (FTD) time could be responses may not appear for several applied toward the private pilot certificate under an issues. While we do not print anonymous approved part 141 program. Per 14 CFR part 141, letters, we will withhold names or send personal replies upon request. If you Appendix B, section 4(c)(3), part 141 training in an have a concern with an immediate FAA FTD may be credited for a maximum of 15 percent operational issue, contact your local of the total flight training hour requirements or 5.25 Flight Standards Office or air traffic facility.
hours. We regret the error.
March/April 2018 FAA Safety Briefing 35
Postflight
Postflight SUS A N PA R SON
Pilot
At this age and stage, flying is most enjoyable to response such as, “Noted; correcting.” If the situa - me as a social activity. Having someone else along tion isn’t resolved, the next transmission might be to share the wonder that GA flying provides makes something like, “No correction noted.” “You’re still it a lot more fun. It may be the same for you. In too slow!” is prohibited.
that spirit, we have devoted this issue of FAA Safety Even if you’re not comfortable calling your Briefing to GA flying companions, with emphasis companion captain, you can still adopt this crew on welcoming non-pilot partners and passengers. resource management concept. Omitting the pro - We also aim to offer information that, we hope, will noun is a small change that makes a big difference make the cockpit a more comfortable place for our when human beings (and pilot egos) are involved.
companions. Before we close this edition, though, I It requires the pilot-monitoring to provide objective want to address the topic of flying with companions information rather than accusations, and it enables — be they friends, colleagues, or life partners — who the pilot-flying to accept it in that spirit.
do happen to be pilots.
Roles & Responsibilities O Captain … Having this kind of discussion as part of the pre- Early in my passage along the pathways of pilot- brief opens the door to the broader conversation you hood, I went joyriding in the sky with a pilot who should have with any pilot you invite to join you — was then a member of my flying club. We launched and, for that matter, with any pilot who invites you to as friends, but I’m not sure I would have used that fly along.
word when we landed. Both of us For one thing, it’s important to explicitly estab - were fairly new to GA flying, but lish which pilot will serve as Pilot in Command In a Pilot configuration, get the his steady barrage of instructional- (PIC). As the rules say, the PIC is directly responsible style commentary made me for, and is the final authority as to the operation of basics squared away so you don’t wonder if he somehow thought the flight. Lawyers will tell you that knowing who has square off in the sky.
the right seat magically made him that role is very important if something goes wrong, a flight instructor. He also had a dismaying habit of but a more fundamental reason is safety. The experi - “helping” me by, for example, changing trim or flap ence with my friend “helpfully” changing the aircraft settings without even telling — much less asking configuration “for” me illustrates how dangerous it — me first. Since I didn’t relish duking it out in the can be when there are, as the cliché goes, too many cockpit, I suffered in seething silence. cooks in the kitchen.
I probably owe John and Martha King for the If you are the PIC, state that before you go to fact that I have lots of flying friendships nowadays. In the airplane. Tell your pilot companion what kind of their typical entertaining fashion, they told a safety assistance you do (and do not!) want. If you are the seminar audience how a single word — “captain” — guest of the PIC, make no assumptions. Ask whether helped saved their marriage from foundering on the and how you can assist, and stick to terms you estab - kind of icy inflight interactions I experienced flying lish during the flight.
with my erstwhile friend. If not from your own experience, take it from The fundamental idea is that the pilot in the me that freelancing is not a good idea. So in a Pilot right seat always addresses the pilot in the left seat as configuration, get these basics squared away so you captain, and provides objective information with no don’t square off in the sky.
personal pronouns. For example, “you’re getting too slow!” is forbidden. Instead, the right seat occupant Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of might say, “Captain, airspeed is decreasing.” The FAA Safety Briefing . She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.
captain similarly avoids personal pronouns with a 36 FAA Safety Briefing March/April 2018
FAA Faces
T O M H O F F M A N N
FAA Faces
Kieran O’Farrell and Fred Kaiser
dilapidated Aeronca Champ . “It was just hanging there … dusty, floating, and absolutely mesmerizing,” said Fred, recalling his aeronautical discovery in an old barn owned by a friend of his grandfather. As any wide-eyed, 8-year-old boy would do, Fred pestered Mr. McGhee, the owner, to get the old bird back in flying condition. Many months later, and with Fred’s help as his apprentice mechanic, Mr. McGhee was able to launch this WWII era trainer back in the sky.
Fred’s passion and career track for aviation also launched to new heights, bolstered by the expert tutelage of a meticulous pilot and mechanic.
After a military stint in aviation, Fred found his way to Alaska as a bush pilot flying just about every type of workhorse airplane. “There is no way I could pick a favorite,” says Fred. “Each aircraft had a life For husband and wife FAA-ers, Kieran O’Farrell and experience to share, in the way it handled and and Fred Kaiser, the aviation bug bit hard — and bit flew.” Fred leveraged his vast Alaskan flying experi - early. Kieran’s initial experience with aviation might ence to become an FAA operations inspector in 1997 have sent many of us running for the hills. On her at the Juneau Flight Standards District Office, where first flight, a transcontinental trip from Denver to his flightpath would intersect with Kieran’s.
Newark, an inflight emergency forced an unexpected The flying couple’s combined aeronautical detour to Chicago. After landing, a flight attendant experience spans more than 80 years and 140 types instructed Kieran — traveling as an unaccompanied of aircraft. This vast experience makes Fred and minor — to remain in her seat until she could help Kieran understand the importance of flying compan - her exit the aircraft. Kieran watched in awe as the ion roles and good cockpit resource management.
plane touched down on a foamed runway flanked by “People say the most dangerous thing in an aircraft fire engines and emergency vehicles. “I remember is two instructors or two inspectors,” jokes Fred.
thinking to myself that this is as good as it gets for a That’s why they stress the importance of agreeing 10-year-old,” says Kieran, who knew her brothers and who will be the pilot in command (PIC) when they sisters would be jealous. “If only I had a picture of me fly together. “This is our first and most important going down the emergency slide.” decision, as the PIC always has final say,” notes Fred.
Despite (or perhaps because of) this unusually Kieran is more experienced in floatplanes, so she is exciting introduction to aviation, Kieran embraced PIC in those aircraft. Fred, in turn, is PIC in tailwheel the industry by becoming a pilot before graduating and ski planes. For inflight decisions, they have an high school. Her quest to expand her flying resume agreement to go with the most conservative and took her to Alaska in 1982 for a seaplane rating.
informed position. They also defer to each other’s Enamored by the beautiful and rugged environment, strengths: Kieran relies on Fred’s critical and disci - Kieran quickly realized that the “last frontier” would plined eye for maintenance issues, while Fred relies be her home. After 24 years of flying floatplanes in on Kieran for her uncanny intuition. Their approach Juneau (including her favorite — the De Havilland is a good model for all aviators.
Beaver ), Kieran joined the FAA as an Operations Oh, and one last pointer from the flying couple: Inspector. She went on to become a Regional Safety “Never, we repeat, never take any kind of disagree - Program Manager, FAA Safety Team Program Man - ment on the ground into the air!” That’s good advice ager, Frontline Manager and, most recently, acting for any aircraft occupant: front, left, or back seat.
manager for the General Aviation and Commercial Division’s GA Operations Branch.
Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing . He is a com - Fred Kaiser’s path to aviation had a similarly mercial pilot and holds an A&P certificate.
serendipitous beginning: a chance meeting with a U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20591 FORWARDING SERVICE REQUESTED Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 faa.gov/news/safety_briefing
faa.gov/news/safety_briefing @FAASafetyBrief
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Legendary flight instructors and King Schools owners John and Martha King understand the importance of high quality aviation safety information.
That’s why they read FAA Safety Briefing magazine.