Never Forget

In this time of national morning and remembrance. Please as a pilot community and as a citizen of the United States of America remember that the freedoms that we have were won with the blood and sweat of those before us. I will never forget where I was, what I was doing, and who I talked to that day. Will you?

NEVER FORGET!

VOR vs. GPS Navigation

Recently at my company pilots have found the same ways to an age old question. How did you fail your recurrent checkride? I have talked to a couple of people and it seems that pilots are now fail basic navigation. When I say basic I mean navigating to or from a VOR (click here). This is basic navigation when it comes to instrument training. In fact if a student doesn't understand VOR navigation they don't get past the first stage check within instrument training.

There is a very simple training aid that is on the web (click here). The gentleman, named Tim, does a wonderful job of helping a student, or pilot, understand how to properly use a VOR for the purpose of navigating from one airport to another. I am baffled. This makes no sense that people are having that much trouble using VORs. I get all choked up just talking about it because this is extremely simple stuff. There is nothing more simple in navigation than doing this. It is just a shocker. I am going nuts about this. Oh well, as long as I pass my checkride I will be happy. That's all for now.

Advisory Circular 91-73A:

I an effort to continue with the Notes Series here are my notes on Advisory Circular 91-73A: Part 91 and Part 135 Single-Pilot Procedures During Taxi Operations. The actual AC can be located by clicking here. Ok, so I am using the tinyurl because it is way to long for me to actually list the whole address.

Ac91 73a Notes

Publish at Scribd or explore others: How-to-Guides & Manu aviation

Icing for GA Pilots

These are the notes that I took when I was watching NASA's Icing for GA Pilots. It condenses 30 minutes into three pages worth of notes. USE WISELY! NOT USING THESE WISELY WILL HAVE ILL CONSEQUENCES.

Icing for GA Pilots

EDIT: Due to page loading issues I have removed the in page listing of my notes. I have kept a link to the notes available but have had to remove the in text posting. I apologize for an inconveniences. -LVL7K

A Pilot's Guide to Icing

Thanks to the large area of high pressuring moving from Canada into the US over the past couple of days I thought it would be appropriate to talk about an informal guide to icing.

1. A pilot must, when in or around forecast, anticipated, or reported icing, respect the icing. If you do not respect it, it will come back to bite you hard!
2. Make sure that you have the proper icing protection. If that is through use of boots, heated leading edges, or TKS make sure that the system is functioning prior to entering any icing conditions. With TKS and heated leading edges make sure that they are turned on PRIOR to entering the icing conditions.
3. Find out where on the aircraft ice accumulates first. Make sure that you look at that position often to find out how much ice has accumulated to determine the severity of the icing to make a PIREP.
4. If your system cannot keep up, or if you have no protection, GET OUT OF THE ICING! There is just about no greater threat to the aircraft.
5. When icing conditions exists and you are in them, tell people. ATC has gotten irrated with me sometimes because I actually try to give too many PIREPS. If things change, get into worse or you get out of the icing, tell people again. Another pilot may be flying through that same area very shortly after you.

Those are the five main rules to follow with icing. I try to give icing reports as much as I can because of number 5. I do not want to be the reason that another pilot crashes or something happens to them because I didn't let someone know that I was picking up icing conditions. If you follow the Avation Weather Branch of the NWS they have asked CFI's many times to even give PIREPs if the weather is great. This will help them in their forecast models (they have really long and hard equations that determine the forecasts).

Try to solicit PIREPs from other pilots. Ask ATC if there has been any icing reported in the area, where the tops of the clouds are and if possible the bases as well. There have been many different occasions when I have been the first pilot to fly through an area. Early mornings and late afternoon does not mean that others won't follow it just means that I get to find out first hand how the weather is doing that day. If you find something is different than what they have reported to you, let them know. ATC is only knowledgable about what is going on based upon the last report given.

Use all available weather resources. Check all AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and PIREPs when planning your flight. If you can, carry enough fuel for more than just FAA minimums and make sure that you have a full tank of TKS ready to go when possible. In the Baron I have a maximum of 6.7 gallons which translates to 1.25 hours of protection in moderate icing, or 2.5 hours of prection is light. That means the system is on no matter what and if I determine that I am outside of icing conditins I still leave it on. After time you will learn what you can and cannot do within the TKS system and you can strech that out much futher. But, NO TKS, NO ICE PROTECTION. It's just that simple.

I hope this help those who are wondering what it is like to fly through icing. Through out training as a pilot everybody talked like getting icing was worse than having an engine failure. This is not true. You make work just as hard, in a different way, but depending on the aircraft, it will continue to fly. Always remember that AIRSPEED IS LIFE AND ALTITUDE IS LIFE INSURANCE. If you notice that the aircraft is cruising slower than anticipated and the temperature is near freezing CHECK FOR ICE!

Good luck!

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Aviation Weather Center - http://www.aviationweather.gov/
Icing Portion of the AWC - http://adds.aviationweather.gov/icing/
Icing Branch of NASA - http://icebox.grc.nasa.gov/

If you like other links let me know! I may post them here!

Really Long Time With No Post.

Well, it's been awhile. Actually I have been doing fairly well. I have been working a bunch. Usual 70+ hours per week and while I have been working my normal hours and in fact took my first real vacation. Guess what I did....nothing. In fact most of the time I was off I spent relaxing at home. It was extremely nice. Especially after over a year and a half of getting up before the sun and not getting home until after 630p most days.

So what has happened in my world. Well the fog one day got so bad that I wasn't able to depart until after 8am. Then once enroute to another airport, my dispatch wanted me within an hour of the destination, I still had to wait for about 30 minutes until the fog lifted. Then to me feel like crap I get to my destination and it is pretty much clear skies. Yes it lifted so quick that by the time that I got there it was almost clear. Frustrated me to no end that I could have just waited at my home base and then depart when I wanted to and would have probably got there sooner. I am not saying that I sat and waited on purpose but because I wanted to make sure that I got into the airport. I was down about 1.5 hours of gas and while I don't usually care because I have 4 hours normally because of full fuel. But once full fuel is off of the aircraft I start to get concerned. That means that I really don't have every drop of gas that I could have.

Well, I finally got into the airport about 2.5 hours late got my cargo to the couriers and I felt like the day had been robbed from me. Yeah, like fog can actually rob time from me...well, maybe. Then recently I took a week off from work. First paid vacation from my employer in TWO YEARS! So for the first paid week off from flying and working I did nothing. Mostly sat around enjoying not getting up prior to the crack of dawn. Only one day did I come close to getting up early but that was getting up two hours late. So I feel much more relaxed.

So what is on the horizon, well lots of more working but I feel better getting some of this out. I have been busy just getting ready for the vacation. Why does it always seem that the week leading up to vacation is the most hectic? Oh well, doesn't matter now but just happy to be flying again. Lots of thinking lately about what I am going to let my career patch to take. Maybe starting next week I will be able to better describe what is going through my head.

Recent Comment.

Recently I have noticed a comment that I have seen in previous places. I search a few forums so that I keep abreast of what is going on in the industry. This same user name has popped up before in a certain part of the forum. The freight topics this "CrackdMachine" seems to think that because freight pilots fly aircraft that are somehow more likely to talk about the type of flying that we do on video to certain people. In fact on one post I even saw them talk about how "shoty" the maintenance was on freight aircraft. The best response I can no longer find, probably because they told them to take a hike, but it simply stated "Go somewhere else!". That is what they said to them and what I tell "CrackdMachine" now. Never ever come back, I am OOTSK and that does not mean that we break rank.

I would bend over backwards for another freight pilot if they were looking for a job, or needed help while airborne. There is nothing like knowing that the pilot, or controller, on the other side of the radio is the only person on the frequency. I have flown during all hours of the day and the people who fly freight are for the most part interested in the same thing that I am, to get to the destination and get the job done, THAT'S IT! They don't operate the aircraft in an unsafe manor, they fly the aircraft to the LEGAL limits and that is it. I know this is off topic but it just gets under my skin when someone who knows nothing about flying tries to talk to a pilot and fit in. I know that controllers probably feel the same way with pilots some times. But within the industry I think most people would feel the same way. Leave me alone and you will get what you want! I have litterally contacted a center frequency before and the next transmission I heard was them handing me off to the next sector!

So CrackdMachine, knock it off and buster back home!

(This is what they left as a comment that pushed me over the edge on this one. This is a tamed down version of what appeared initially on the message boards. Same username though. Therefore, I have had to moderate comments on the blog because I do not want to see people such asking such stupid questions! They are not ignorant because they don not want to learn from previous places!)

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CrackdMachine said... I work for a production company called Creation Films Documentaries that is looking for freight pilots interested in being a part of a series about the world of freight transportation.

At this point we are interested in anyone who would like to be considered for this show. If you are interested please send us a video telling us who you are and your background as a pilot. In addition any video clips of freight aircraft would be greatly appreciated. Please send video to:

Creation Films Documentaries
7 Theatre Square
Louisville KY 40202

Please send video on DVD or VHS and include contact information. Video materials will not be returned. Those considered for the series will be contacted and an additional interview will be scheduled.

This program is not after "shock value" nor does it seek to shine a negative light on the freighting industry or the men and women who work within it. Our goal is share the thrills and excitement of aviation and highlight the careers of the unsung heroes that command the aircraft that help keep the global economy moving.

Anyone with questions regarding this production please contact our office by phone or email.

Thank You

Creation Films LLC

There goes the weekend.

Recently my company updated their HAZMAT training so now I have to spend one day this weekend completing the training so that Monday when I come back to work I will be able to carry more Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT). I don't know which yet because I have yet to complete the training. No rest for the weak, push on for higher and better things.

I have recently been reading a lot about the accident of Colgan 3407 and wish to point you towards some of the better posts out there at Blogging at FL250 or Flight Level 390. I have been trying to figure out what happened on my own, but without direct knowledge of the Dash-8-Q400 I would only be speculating and that would mean that I am no better than the mainstream media out there. I tend not to watch the media much anymore because they are usually wrong or just flat out boring. I save my political views to myself. This is an aviation blog not a political forum. Best of luck to the NTSB while they are investigating the crash site and accident. I cannot blieve that there are so many different theories now out there. If something were to clue investigators that they should look in one area compared to another I wish for the safety of all pilots and the flying public that they can expidiously find the root cause of the accident. Again my thoughts and prayers go out to the friends, families, and all those affected by the accident of Flight 3407.

Cleared to Land...(Wait am I on the phone?)

Recently, I have been noticing that when I am on just about all forms of communication I see more and more of my aviation training coming through. I will be on the phone with some random business and I will start talking in shorter sentences. I am not saying that what I am doing is right but I think I need to get out more and spend more time away from flying. Oh well, just a short clip today. More of the Midwest Snow Connection later.

The Midwestern Snow Connection

Alright, since I have finally thawed out from some of the snow that has fallen and there is still at least 6 inches of snow on the ground at home it's time to talk about flying through the white stuff.

Usually I would start talking about how much I love flying IFR and that is true but there are some times when flying through all this stuff is just plane (pun intended) wrong...

On the day the snow started falling around the Midwest and didn't really care to leave until two days later in the early morning, right before I went into work. For the most part passengers of airliners think that all runways must be clear before a pilot can land on it. Not true. Last winter and again this winter my home airport tries to clear the runway as best they can but that in no way shape or form states that they have to get the runway clear of all snow, ice, slick stuff. For the most part if a runway remains UNTREATED, no plowing, or deicing, then they will most likely close the airport. As of 15:50 Zulu (9:50 Central Time) on 29 January there were four airports with at least one runway closed and five airports that were closed entirely. The reason most of the airports closed were because of the runway conditions. And that is for airports that have actually issued a NOTAM about the airport or runway. There are many many more that have only grass strips and the Airport Facility/Directory will actually tell you that they are closed during certain times of the year...wonder if this is why?

Mostly if an airliner has to go into that airport, we are talking Part 121 (Scheduled Service) then those runways are almost always clear, or as close as possible, of snow, ice, and any other stuff that ends up on the runway. I enjoy the winter time flying because the aircraft performance is drastically different from the summer. For instance a Baron during the summer time at 140 KIAS will indicate approximately 500 foot per minute (fpm) climb rate. I like to go fast, I have two engines and there is no reason to slow down until told to do so. During the winter time that climb rate is no 1000 fpm. So if I am climbing through a layer of clouds that I suspect to have icing conditions, I know that I can climb, almost always, twice as fast through them. This means that my exposure in the climb and to the actual icing of the airframe has decreased. A good thing.

Getting back to landing though. You land an airplane the same way whether or not you are landing on a contaminated runway. What is a contaminated runway? The FAA defines a contaminated runway as...

A runway is considered contaminated whenever standing water, ice, snow, slush, frost in any form, heavy rubber, or other substances are present. A runway is contaminated with respect to rubber deposits or other friction-degrading substances when the average friction value for any 500-foot segment of the runway within the available landing distance fails below the recommended minimum friction level and the average friction value in the adjacent 500-foot segments falls below the maintenance planning friction level.

What does this all mean? It means that if the runway falls below a predetermined friction level then the runway is considered contaminated. To me it doesn't mean much other than that I get to land on a snow packed runway. Which really isn't much different much than what a normal runway is like just slightly more slippery. It is one of the few times that someone would land a multi-engine aircraft on something other than a hard surface runway. But then again a snow pack runway is pretty hard.

To be continued...