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The Golden Age of Unmanned Flight

It was a time when air races and record setting flights filled the news with larger than life characters such as Howard Hughes capturing the headlines. After World War I America fell in love with the airplane and the excitement of traveling through air and visiting exotic locations. Wealthy travelers and adventurous pilots began filling the skies.

This was a time when our national airspace system was in its infancy and the government was discovering how to safely allow airplanes access to the skies above our country. Decades later and through much trial and error our nation has the safest and most technologically advanced airspace in the world and as Americans we expect this to continue.

Similar to the planes returning from World War I we have unmanned aircraft returning to the United States after being successfully used in the military. It was exciting to see how these aircraft are being used by the military. We now have become accustomed to reading about these unmanned flying machines performing missions with little or no loss of life to our troops.

We are now entering the golden age of unmanned flight as we watch TV and read newspapers describing these flying machines. Much like the Golden Years In Aviation of the 20’s and 30’s we look upon pictures of these flying machines with amazement as we wonder how this will change our lives and impact our safety.

On March 9, 2012 The FAA Issued a Notice of Proposed Rule making to identify six test ranges/sites to integrate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). This is the largest step forward in the future integration of Unmanned Aircraft into the National Airspace System.

What is an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

The unmanned aircraft, associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, necessary to operate the unmanned aircraft comprise what is defined as the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The FAA issues an experimental airworthiness certificate for the entire system, not just the flying portion of the system.

A UAS can vary in size and capabilities ranging from the size of a 737 flying at high altitude to a device weighing only a few ounces flying from room to room in your house. This brings up many challenges to the certification and usage rules for UAS’s.

Radio Controlled Model Airplanes

Many hobbyists enjoy flying radio controlled model airplanes that are by the definition above a UAS. This may be true but those model aircraft are restricted to fly below 400 feet above the ground and must be kept a sufficient distance from populated areas and full scale aircraft, and may not be used for business purposes.

The new proposed rules will not change the use of these model aircraft. FAA Advisory Circular 91-57 addresses recreational use of the National Airspace System.

Safety

The number one priority of the FAA, pilots, air traffic controllers, and all those who use the National Airspace System is Safety. The traveling public and all those who use the National Airspace System deserve the highest level of safety. The introduction of Unmanned Aircraft Systems will not and should not compromise the safe and efficient use of our airspace.

See and Avoid becomes Sense and Avoid

Pilots must at all times see and avoid other aircraft. Since there is no pilot, the UAS must “sense and avoid” other aircraft. Although there has been much success by the military in sensing and avoiding other aircraft, our National Airspace System does not accept collateral damage afforded a wartime aircraft.

The UAS is normally designed to use onboard cameras and radar to sense and avoid other aircraft. The unmanned aircraft by law must now be accompanied by another aircraft for this reason or stay within a distance observable by someone on the ground.

Communicate, Command, and Control

The UAS must also be in constant communication with a land based system or in the future be able to communicate autonomously. The UAS must also be able to be remain under control and be commanded to operate by ground based facilities or by other means if the system of communications fail.

The ability to control the aircraft from the ground must be standardized and the security of those on the ground must be enhanced. We have secured cockpit doors to prevent unwanted persons from controlling the aircraft while in the air. A similar system must be put into place for ground controllable aircraft.

Where We Are Going

Currently Unmanned Aircraft Systems have had access to our National Airspace System through the use of experimental aircraft and certificates of waiver and operation issued by the FAA. These have been issued to Public organizations such as Customs and Border Patrol and State Universities.

Further study of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System is necessary for the eventual use by civilian organizations. We are in the infancy of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in numbers of hours flown and safety as is evidenced by accident statistics.

The Customs and Border Patrol(CBP) between 2006 and July 13, 2010 has had only 5,688 flight hours. Standard Safety Data is reported based on accidents per 100,000 hours flown. If we strictly look at the numbers, the CBP has had an accident rate of 52.7 per 100,000 hours flown.

This is more than seven times the rate for general aviation accidents which is 7.11 per 100,00 hours flown, and 353 times the commercial aviation accident rate of 0.149 per 100,000 hours flown. As we gain more experience the rate for UAS accidents should drop precipitously.

The FAA mandated by congress is moving towards increasing the speed with which we discover how Unmanned Aircraft Systems will work in the National Airspace System. To do this the FAA has announced a proposed rule to allow for six new tests sites for evaluation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and they are asking for public comment through May 8, 2012.

Entering The Golden Age Of Unmanned Flight

The vision of colorful aviators whisking passengers through the sky in the ever evolving and record setting world of the Golden Age Of Flight has given way to engineers with pocket protectors. We are on the precipice of unmanned aerial flight and the Golden Age Of Unmanned Flight has arrived. Where we will go from here is exciting and full of challenges, but one thing is for sure. The United States is taking an active role and leading the field in research and development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems usage in a National Airspace System.

If this introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems has peaked your interest, look for future places and dates of my presentation “Unmanned Aircraft Systems : A Pilot’s Guide”. Clear Skies and Safe Flying!

 

For More Information:

 

FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Website

 


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A Cessna 421 Crashed into the Gulf Of Mexico Today. It seems the pilot may have succumbed to oxygen depravation. The following is a review of the intercept procedures, oxygen requirements, and the time of useful consciousness.

Listen to the 421 here:
Audio Courtesy LiveATC.net.

[audio: http://expertaviator.com/podcasts/N48DL-New-Orleans-Departure-20120419.mp3]

View the story at My Fox Tampa Bay.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/plane-with-injured-pilot-circles-gulf-041912

Time Of Useful Consciousness

(click to enlarge)

Oxygen Requirements

Sec. 91.211

Supplemental oxygen.

(a) General. No person may operate a civil aircraft of U.S. registry--
(1) At cabin pressure altitudes above 12,500 feet (MSL) up to and including 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen for that part of the flight at those altitudes that is of more than 30 minutes duration;
(2) At cabin pressure altitudes above 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen during the entire flight time at those altitudes; and
(3) At cabin pressure altitudes above 15,000 feet (MSL) unless each occupant of the aircraft is provided with supplemental oxygen.
(b) Pressurized cabin aircraft.
(1) No person may operate a civil aircraft of U.S. registry with a pressurized cabin--
(i) At flight altitudes above flight level 250 unless at least a 10-minute supply of supplemental oxygen, in addition to any oxygen required to satisfy paragraph (a) of this section, is available for each occupant of the aircraft for use in the event that a descent is necessitated by loss of cabin
pressurization; and
(ii) At flight altitudes above flight level 350 unless one pilot at the controls of the airplane is wearing and using an oxygen mask that is secured and sealed and that either supplies oxygen at all times or automatically supplies oxygen whenever the cabin pressure altitude of the airplane exceeds 14,000 feet (MSL), except that the one pilot need not wear and use an oxygen mask while at or below flight level 410 if there are two pilots at the controls and each pilot has a quick-donning type of oxygen mask that can be placed on the face with one hand from the ready position within 5 seconds, supplying oxygen and properly secured and sealed.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, if for any reason at any time it is necessary for one pilot to leave the controls of the aircraft when operating at flight altitudes above flight level 350, the remaining pilot at the controls shall put on and use an oxygen mask until the
other pilot has returned to that crewmember's station.

Intercept Procedures

(click to enlarge)

Intercept and Escort Procedures from The Aeronautical Information Manual 5-6-2

==========================================================================

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Pre-Flight

Ooooooooweeeee, what a great show we’ve got lined up for you today! Carl and Len report on their exploits and tomfoolery from Sun N Fun 2012, Rick updates us on the happenings with our friends at Terrafugia and their roadable aircraft, Len shares a story about telling air traffic control to piss off, Victoria gives us some pointers on special considerations when flying with your furry loved ones, no not your husband but your pets, and Carls talks about severe turbulence signs and flight characteristics.

Cruise Flight

After Landing Checklist

~ Picks Of The Week ~

Tips: Never Expected, Always Appreciated

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Avoiding Severe Turbulence

The Cleveland skyline glittered, shards of light spraying out upon the lake on this clear and bitterly cold evening. The flight attendant was sleeping in the back of the plane all alone this quiet evening. We had no passengers on this repositioning flight so she was taking a break from the long day. Our groundspeed was over 600 knots as the jetstream pushed us eastward.

Our jovial mood would change shortly as we began to descend into the New York area. The air traffic controller (ATC) informed us the plane ahead of us reported moderate to severe turbulence on the descent into New York. I then turned to the flight attendant and said that she should strap in tight because it might get rough. That was an understatement!

As we descended through twenty thousand feet our tailwind suddenly began to drop. I immediately began to slow to turbulent air penetration speed. A few seconds later we were pressed against our seat belts. My head almost hit the ceiling. The planes pitching and rolling made it difficult to read the instruments.

A few minutes of this turbulence seemed an eternity but as quickly as it came it subsided. I looked at the wind velocity and realized we had lost over 100 knots of tailwind in only a few thousand feet. Talk about wind shear! Luckily someone ahead of us reported the turbulence and the flight attendant was able to buckle up and avoid injury but that is not always the case.

Recently a flight from Tampa to Houston encountered severe turbulence which caused some of the passengers and flight attendants to be taken to the hospital with injuries. I spoke with Fox News Tampa Bay about the dangers of turbulence and the importance of using your seat belt while traveling. The story can be viewed here:

Several injured on flight from Tampa to Houston: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

A Learning Experience

As pilots what can we learn from this incident and what tools do we have to avoid severe turbulence? We have many resources and general rules of thumb in trying to avoid severe turbulence so lets review.

Turbulence is primarily a hazard to an unsuspecting passenger rather than the airplane. WIth that said severe turbulence can over stress the aircraft if we are flying too fast. So what can we do to avoid turbulence and what do we do if we find ourselves caught in severe turbulence?

Turbulence comes in many forms and is normally a nuisance but if we don't remain vigilant we might get caught in turbulence beyond our capabilities and possibly injure ourselves or others. To avoid this we need to understand a few concepts about turbulence and how to find forecasts and current reports of turbulence.

Causes of Turbulence

The earth's surface varies because the material that covers the surface is not uniform. Grassy fields, black paved roads, and deep blue lakes all absorb and reflect heat differently. Therefore as we fly over one type of land mass to another the air may be rising over a black road while the air is sinking over a deep blue lake. This change in the up and down movement of the air is what causes the day to day turbulence and is normally light.

When the winds begins blowing we may experience mechanical turbulence which is associated with certain man made and natural occurring structures interfering with the winds near the surface. The winds will tend to burble and eddy around these structures and will cause variations in wind and therefore turbulence. If you place a stick in a stream you will see the stick interrupt the smooth flow of water and small ripples will form downstream of the stick. This is an example of mechanical turbulence.

When surface winds are high the resulting mechanical turbulence will also be high causing some wind shear near the surface. Wind shear is any sudden change in direction or speed of the wind. We normally associate wind shear with thunderstorms but if the winds are strong enough we may get wind shear near the surface.

One of the most noticeable causes of turbulence is the movement of air in clouds. These are the most obvious forms of turbulence and can be avoided easily because we can see clouds especially during the day.

Avoiding Severe Turbulence

Thunderstorms and towering cumulus can cause severe to extreme turbulence. These type of clouds especially thunderstorms should be avoided by all and especially smaller aircraft. Smaller aircraft are especially prone to inflight structural damage due to storms.

The updrafts and air flows around these storms can be so strong that they can be felt miles away. The rule of thumb is to stay at least 20 miles from a large thunderstorm. If you are downwind from the storm you want to add more distance since strong winds can blow the turbulent air in your direction. The best course is to fly upwind around any storm while giving yourself 20 miles laterally from the storm.

Aside from avoiding clouds with large vertical development such as thunderstorms we can also choose not to fly during very windy conditions. While close to the ground on a very windy day the mechanical turbulence from terrain and man made structure can disrupt the wind and cause swirling wind currents that can cause severe turbulence.

Another place prepare for turbulence is the boundary layer between two air masses and temperature inversions. A sudden change in wind direction and speed will cause turbulence and on occasion severe turbulence, especially if there is a large wind change across the boundary layer. This sudden change in wind speed is what we experienced the day we flew descended towards New York.

Forecast And Reported Turbulence

Before every flight we must become familiar with all available information including forecasts and reports of turbulence. There are many resources for looking at turbulence both graphical and textual. My favorite resource for turbulence information is the Turbulence page from Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) provided by the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA).

http://aviationweather.gov/adds/turbulence/

(click image to enlarge)

Type and Time

When reading or reporting turbulence you should use the following chart available in the Aviation Information Manual. While you are reading the turbulence report pay attention to two items, the type of aircraft and the time the report was given.

Reports of turbulence are relative. A report of moderate turbulence by a Boeing 747 will likely be severe in a Cessna 172 due to the size difference in the aircraft. The size of a 747 is similar to a large ship sailing through 10 foot seas. The big ship would barely feel the motion of the waves but a small boat would be tossed around.

The time of the report is also important. If a pilot report (PIREP) is old it may help you in discovering a trend in the weather but the more recent reports are what will affect you right now. Also realize the lack of pilot reports is not an indication that there is no turbulence especially if you are one of the first pilots to fly that day. In this instance it is more important to look at the Turbulence forecasts.

(click image to enlarge)

Conclusion

It is important to avoid severe turbulence for the safety of our passengers and to avoid damage to our aircraft. Flying around weather that may have the possibility of severe turbulence is much better than actually flying through it instead of wishing you flew around the weather. The more experience you have with reading weather and looking at clouds in the sky the more you will be able to avoid severe turbulence.

I highly recommend your exercising your decision making abilities while on the ground and reading weather forecasts on days you are not flying. Then look for pilot reports throughout the day to see if your estimates were correct. And always remember to report any un forcasts or moderate or greater turbulence to air traffic control or flight service.

Safe flying!


Recommended Reading:

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Sun N Fun 2012 Audio Interviews

As many of you know, Carl Valeri and Len Costa have been volunteering for Sun N Fun Radio all week and running around doing interviews with anyone they can. We’ve been granted access to these interviews and are sharing them for you here in one, easy to find location – they just won’t be in the iTunes feed so click the link to listen directly here on the site. Enjoy!

Day 1 – March 27, 2012

WASPS – Listen to the most requested interview at Sun N Fun 2012. Carl speaks with two World War II female pilots. One of the pilots, Dora, is one of only 2 women to ever fly a Boeing B29. Their inspirational stories of perseverance in the Women’s Air Service Pilot corp will have you listening to this interview more than once.

Cirrus Aircraft – Cirrus demo overview and product line comparisons with the SR series the Cessna 182.

Boeing B25 – The only flying B25H model and how the organization is raising money to bring our fallen heroes home.

Cessna 196 – Listen to the owner that restored this unique, large, tailwheel aircraft.

Fokker DR7 – The owner of this pristine Fokker on the vintage aircraft shares the history and unique markings of this aircraft, including a little known fact that this aircraft bears his family name.

Lockheed Electra L12 – Step inside this immaculately restored L12 signed by Hilary Swank from the movie “Amelia”.

Stearmans – Listen to 2 Stearman pilots talk about their historically accurate restoration of a Stearman used in the American military and the RCAF.

Wings Of Dreams – A new aviation museum in Central Florida housing some very unique aviation and space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle simulator.

Day 2 – March 28, 2012

Bk1 Sport Plane – A sleek silver, new design, with a retro wooden prop that costs less than $15,000 to build.

Great Plains Aircraft – Talk to the man that redesigned Volkswagon engines for use in small, experimental airplanes.

Millennium RV – Hear Carl drooling over the marble floor of this $1 mill motorhome, a great way to arrive in style.

National Aviation Academy – Bored with your job? Want a change in life? Become an aircraft mechanic or an airline pilot. National Aviation Academy has been training folks for over 3 decades.

Peter Hunt RV – Check out this pristine, teal blue, true IFR RV loaded with all the bells and whistles.

Savor – This is a one off, Cirrus looking, flowing design aircraft by a young man with some real inspiration.

Vans Unpainted RV8 – Hear this Sun N Fun virgin in his just completed, unpainted, RV, completed by a former US Air Force Major C-17 pilot.

Vietnam Pilot Dave – Learn how Vietnam helicopter pilots actually operated during Vietnam and where some thought getting shot at was a good thing.

Vietnam Pilot Howard – Listen to Howard, another Vietnam helicopter pilot, as he works to preserve the heritage of the Vietnam helicopter pilots and honor their service.

Advocate Consulting – Want to save money on taxes when purchasing an aircraft? Find our more from Advocate Consulting.

Data Toys – A convenient way to video record your flight and view it without the propeller blur and artifacting.

Huffy Windsock – Learn how barnstormers could judge wind speed and velocity and how it lead to the development of these quality windsocks.

Pilot Chews – A great way to build to energy without the crash and diabetic sage. Carl says they make him crazy.

Day 3 – March 29, 2012

Bill Finagin Pitts – Learn to fly a Pitts from Bill Finnegan whose accumulated more than 15,000 hours of instruction in this aerobatic masterpiece.

Keel & Curley Winery – Try a unique blueberry vine and varietals from Keel & Curley Winery, the Napa Valley of Tampa Bay.

Marisha Faulk of Embry Riddle – Listen how this flight instructor from Embry Riddle became a race car driver, strapping a jet engine to her bottom.

JAARS Mission Aviation – Learn about the largest airline you’ve never heard of.

Poly Fiber – Learn how you can be taught to cover your aircraft from the experts at Poly Fiber and listen to an excited Canadian having fun in the sun.

Project Pre-Flight – The FAA Safety Team and their annual project pre-flight event held at Sun N Fun each year where you can win prizes for properly preflighting an airplane.

WASP Panel Discussion – Join us for some fascinating stories at the 99?s lunch and panel discussion with the Women Air Service Pilots.

Day 4 – March 30, 2012

iFlightPlanner – An interview with Christian Pulm about the new iFlightPlanner iPad flight planning application, features, and future developments.

Collier County Aviation Authority – The organization that promotes Marco Island, Everglades City, and Immokalee, Collier County airports have a wide range of variety.

Patient Air Lift Services (PALS) – Joe Howley speaks about this new charitable organization that assists in transport medical passengers in need and how PALS differs from Angel Flight in some really neat ways.

Blackbox Aviation Systems – An upcoming electronic pilot logbook app for the iPhone and iPad with a simple, one-button, interface for recording flights and syncing them with the cloud.

Pops Leather – Custom designed leather jackets and headed holders for aerobatic pilots.

ForeFlight’s Tyson Wiehs – Tyson speaks about the new Stratus ADS-B appliance and how it interfaces with ForeFlight to provide subscription-free aviation weather datalink to the cockpit via iPad.

Restored Champ Aircraft – Learn about this pristine, immaculately restored Champ aircraft with a polished wood interior.

Coconut Flyers – A friendly social group of Stearman pilots with a unique traveling tiki bar.

Embraer Business Jets – Embraer Aircraft showcases it’s first step into the world of business jets.

Mustang 2 Homebuilt Aircraft – An interview with the proud builder of sharing the story of his aircraft including some great advice to folks considering or new to homebuilding.

Gathering of Aviation Podcasters (GAP) – Jack Hodsgon of UCAP fame interviews Carl and Len about the origins of the Stuck Mic AvCast aviation podcast.

Day 5 – March 31, 2012

Phil Maschke – An interview from behind the scenes of Sun N Fun 2012 with this Media Center volunteer about how his day job, how he got started in volunteering at the airshow, and his future plans as an aviator.

Bob Evans – Another behind the scenes interview with an airshow Security volunteer, a 20+ year pilot, and unique and interesting gentleman including his impressions of his very first experience working Sun N Fun.

Columbian Female Pilot – A bilingual interview with a young Columbian woman as she talks about her challenges with coming to America, learning English, and pursuing her Sport Pilot Certificate.

Flight Time Radio – Milford of Flight Time Radio talks about his experience at Sun N Fun.

RV Aircraft Homebuilders – 2 very experienced homebuilders of RV’s discuss their aircraft and how to make the most use of the the information available at Sun N Fun.

V1 Clothing – We meetup with the founder of V1 Clothing as he talks about some of his unique designs available at the Sun N Fun Pilot Mall and online. Joining us later is the owner of AirspeedJunkie.com, who carries ALL of V1 Clothings products.

The AvPad – Interview with creator of the AvPad iPad Kneeboard, an aviation kneeboard for the next generation of pilots, made in America. This versatile kneeboard is great for your iPad, charts, checklists, and more!


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In this episode of the Stuck Mic AvCast, we talked about a quick recap of the Women Fly It Forward event back on March 10th, 2012. Carl was attending the Planes, Trains, & Automobiles event at Plant City Airport, Florida during recording so you’ll enjoy a fun airplane sound seeing tour as airplanes takeoff in the background. Then Len finally got to share his Super Cub Alaska bush flying adventure stories from Summer 2010 and Winter 2012. Special thanks of our sponsor, Keel & Curley Winery for lending us their hangar at Plant City!

For Show Notes Visit Stuck Mic AvCast Website.

Listen to Episode 21 Below

[audio: http://expertaviator.com/SmacEp21]

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How To Listen To Sun N Fun Radio 2012.

Press The Play Button And Listen To Sun N Fun Radio:

Click Here To Listen from the Sun N Fun Radio Website.

To Listen To Individual Interviews From Sun N Fun By The Stuck Mic Avcast Click Here.

Craning my neck as I look skyward every time I hear the sound of an airplane, catching a fleeting glimpse of a biplane as I drive under the cypress canopy trees covered with spanish moss. The sweet smell of citrus, clear skies, warm Florida sun, and the sound of airplanes tells me that it is time for my favorite aviation event of the year, Sun N Fun in Lakeland, Florida!

This event never gets old for me. My childhood fascination with planes is rekindled transforming this gray haired middle aged man into a young boy. For many pilots Sun N Fun is the annual aviation Phoenix, with the rebirth our our aviation passion occurring at this wonderful event.

I am especially excited this year since I will be able to share my passion for flight and bring you some interesting information as a field reporter for Sun N Fun Radio. Whether you are unable to make it to the event or are at the event and want to listen to interviews and keep up to date on the daily events and breaking news, tune into Sun N Fun Radio.

I will be walking around in My Stuck Mic AvCast T-Shirt so Please stop by and say hello if you see me. If you have something interesting to tells us and would like to be on Sun N Fun Radio I would love to interview you. There are many ways you can get in touch with me while at Sun N Fun. Of course you can stop by Sun N Fun Radio at the show but if you want an immediate response send me a tweet or e-mail me:

You can reach me on twitter @ExpertAviator

Send me an email at Carl@ExpertAviator.com

Stuck MicAvCast Live Saturday Night at 6:30 pm.

Len Costa and I will be broadcasting a live show of the Stuck Mic Avcast Saturday night at 6:30pm from the deck at Sun N Fun Radio. Our cohosts Victoria Neuville and Rick Felty will be joining us virtually on the internet thanks to the folks at LiveATC.net.

You can listen to Sun N Fun Radio right now at the Sun N Fun Radio page:

Stream it live from your mobile device Courtousy of Live ATC.net

Of course you can always visit the Sun N Fun Website for more information:

Sun N Fun Website

You an even get your free mobile app from Sporty’s below:

Sun N Fun 2012 App for Iphone and Ipad

Sun N Fun 2012 App for Android

Sun N Fun 2012 App for Kindle Fire.

Hope to see you at Sun N Fun or virtually on the Internet!

Enjoy the Show!



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The Citrus Aviation Association is a wonderful example of how grass roots advocacy can have a positive impact on the aviation community. Last night I was the guest speaker at their monthly meeting. The members of this should be applauded for their sincere effort to promote aviation and their dedication and hard work at keeping the aviation community alive.

The business meeting came first and I was impressed by the brevity and relevancy of their discussions. These folks cover many topics in a short meeting.

There are two things about this organization that really stood out in my mind. First, they have a website with local information which promote their community. There is an informational page on the website full of local activities including activities you can enjoy for a day or for a weekend. For most of us this is why we became pilots, the adventure of finding new places and discovering new people.

Second I love the idea of “the fill a seat program”. As pilots we enjoy sharing our flying experiences. The fill a seat program offers those interested in flying or pilots looking to fly with another person the ability to place their contact information on the website. So if someone wants to go flying and bring a guest along they simply can go out to the website and see who is interested in flying.

The Citrus Aviation Association is grass roots aviation advocacy at its best. Their advocacy takes flight through community outreach programs, open house events, and introducing students to flying. Citrus Aviation Association also promotes aviation on a local level by giving a clear view of how the airport is important for the economic viability and safety of the community.

I really enjoyed speaking to the members and guests of the Citrus Aviation Association. I will be returning soon to give my presentation “Instrument Flying : Tips and Tricks”. I’m excited about the prospect of returning.

Below is the video of the presentation I gave last night “Fatigue : Recognition and Prevention”. Click “here” for notes on the presentation and links to how you can obtain your FAA Wings.

Watch the video of my presentation at the Citrus Aviation Association. For links on how to obtain Wings Credit for This course Click Here.

For More Information:


Citrus Aviation Association

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Are you working to obtain your instrument rating? Are you instrument rated but need to review holding patterns and inoperative instruments? Well I have discovered two simple and inexpensive training aids to benefit any instrument pilot.

Pieper training aids Holding Pattern Aid and Inoperative Instrument Aid are well worth the small investment. Both products use a static cling decal that can easily fit in your bag and can temporarily and quickly be stuck to a windscreen or other flat device.

Watch the video review of Pieper Training Aids instrument training tools on YouTube:

One of the more difficult maneuvers to master during instrument training is the proper holding pattern entry. Pieper Training Aids has come up with a simple in cockpit training aid to help you visualize the entry and is a great tool for both students and instructors alike.

Included in the Holding Pattern Aid are two Right Hand Pattern and two Left Hand Pattern Decals. Let’s see how they work:

1. Turn direct to the holding fix;
2. Overlay the Right Hand or Left Hand Holding Pattern Aid on your Directional Gyro with the large arrowhead pointing toward the inbound heading of the hold;
3. The quadrant on the bottom of the Holding Pattern Aid indicates the entry procedure.
Note: If it is a teardrop, the TDEL (Tear Drop Entry Line) indicates the appropriate heading to turn to after crossing the fix to execute the teardrop entry.

In this example we are told to hold on the 160 degree radial. Once we are heading direct towards the VOR we obtain the Right Hand Holding Pattern Aid. Then place the Aid over the DG( Directional Gyro) with the arrow head on the inbound course and the the tail on the radial. In our example we place the arrow head on the 340 radial inbound and the tail will fall on the 160 degree radial.

To determine the type of holding pattern we look which quadrant the bottom of the DG is within. In this case it is a teardrop entry. To aid us in entering the hold a Tear Drop Entry Line, labeled TDEL, shows us the proper heading to fly. In this example we are to fly a heading of 130 degrees and then turn right to 340 for the inbound leg.

Now lets see how it looks when we use it in the airplane with a few examples.

Example 1:

We are told to hold on the 300 degree radial. We turn towards the holding fix on a heading of 180. Next we take the holding pattern aid place it no the DG (Directional Gyro) with the arrow pointing towards the inbound heading of 120 degrees. To confirm we have the correct inbound heading look at the tail and make sure it points towards 300 degrees.

Since ATC (Air Traffic Control) and pilots always talk about radials from the holding fix I found it was easier for me to start with placing the tail on the radial first then confirming the inbound heading.

Continuing on with our example the third step is to look at the bottom of the DG and see what quadrant we are in. We read direct off the training aid and our initial turn will be to the right to towards a 300 heading. In the center of the training aid the holding pattern is depicted helping us confirm this is a direct entry.

Some of us who are used to the thumb method can try and confirm our analysis by placing your right thumb on the DG and seeing that we are in the direct quadrant. If you don’t use the thumb method there will be another video depicting this.

Example 2:

We wish to hold on the 210 radial with right hand turns. We are continuing towards our fix on a 180 degree heading and place the arrow head on the reciprocal of 210 which is the 030 heading. We then look down to the bottom of the DG and notice the entry is a teardrop. This is also can bee seen by visualizing the entry on the holding pattern drawn on the center of the training aid.

The Tear Drop Entry Leg or TDEL is a great tool in determining the proper heading turn when entering the holding. In our example we need to turn towards a 180 heading. which is depicted by viewing the TDEL.

Example 3:

We told to hold on the 160 degree radial left turns. Remove the Holding Pattern Aid for Left Hand Patterns and Place the large arrow on the Inbound course of 340 and the tail on the 160 radial.

We simple look down and see the entry is a teardrop with a 190 heading after we cross the fix. Again simple and easy to use.

Another great tool manufactured by Pieper Training Aids is the INOP sticker. The wonderful thing about this tool is simply stick it onto the inoperative instrument such as the attitude indicator and you will instantaneously have the instrument covered. Since it uses static cling you will no longer have to wet the back of the sticker which is common in older Inop training devices.

When you want to remove the device simple pull it off the instrument and stick it to the windscreen or other smooth flat surface. When you are ready to use it again, peal it off the flat surface and place it over the instrument you want to cover up and simulate being inoperative.

After using Pieper training aids in the airplane we wanted to see if there was any application in the simulator. I found the tool helpful as an aid in the simulator while teaching holding pattern entries. The inop sticker was not quite as useful since the training device can simulate system failures more realistically.

I would recommend Pieper Training Aids Holding Pattern Aid and the Inop stickers because they are easy to use, low cost, and are a great training tool. To find out more about Peiper Training Aids go to PieperTrainingAids.com.

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David Allen of Other People’s Airplanes creates wonderful HD videos taking you into the cockpit of many types of airplanes. During the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo I spent some time with David when he was wrapping up his show at Sebring. I hope you enjoy the video:

Interviews in this video:

Mike Hansen of Hansen Air Group about the Fk12 Comet, the an aerobatic biplane with tandem seating.

Ken Scott of Vans Aircraft, Inc.

Ken Z. of Breezer Aircraft USA.

I attended the event for several days and interviewed some interesting people for the Stuck Mic AvCast. Read show notes and listen to the Sebring podcast by clicking here.

Play the Sebring podcast now:

[audio: http://media.blubrry.com/stuckmicavcast/traffic.libsyn.com/stuckmicavcast/StuckMicAvCast_-_Episode_17a_-_US_Sport_Aviation_Expo_Special.mp3]

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