Is your "co-pilot" ready to take over the controls?

The recent death of a senior airline captain at the controls should pose as a potent reminder that we all may become incapacitated at the most inopportune times. Armed with that possibility what should be done?

Well for a start, I'll briefly discuss the options and possible outcomes in the case of single pilot operations. Assuming that the pilot is suddenly totally incapacitated, what is the passenger sitting in the right seat to do? Panic is the most obvious option with an unpleasant and predictable outcome. But what if there had been a brief discussion before take-off including the handing to that person an instruction sheet of things to do, a "what if protocol"? Things such as: if the auto-pilot is on, leave it on. If not, push the auto pilot button to turn it on. These suggestions and those that follow assume that the plane is in a fairly stable flight regimen i.e. not take off or landing. How to keep the plane level and upright is a bit much to try and tell someone in a casual 30 second briefing. So anyway, the next thing is to call for help. That is done by keying the mike and calling Mayday three times and listening for a reply. Remember that the distress frequency 121.5 is universally monitored, and a prompt reply is almost a guarantee.

So now you get the idea. PPPPPP (prior planning prevents p-s poor performance) as mentioned in an earlier blog.

I have read accounts of ground personnel talking an unskilled passenger safely down in a small plane. Lets hope this scenario is not ever to be. But if it were, will you be prepared?

I just read an interesting write-up or to do list more complete, but also geared for someone with some flying know how by K. Truemper at:
http://wwpub.utdallas.edu/~klaus/Flying/incapacitation.pdf
Have a look and happy, safe flying.

Before You Go-Know Where To Stop To Abort

Reading about some recent mishaps involving inadvertant collisions between airplanes and trees, reminds me of a flight to Hendersonville, NC (OA7) in our Be-36, several years ago. Landing at this particular strip was ok, but taking off another matter. Although the runway is 3075 ft long by 40 wide and aligned 15/33 there turned out to be worrysome factors for this pilot. There was a considerable slope downhill towards the southeast terminating in a line of tall trees. It was warm and the wind although light was out of the NW. The slope meant landing uphill and taking off downhill unless one had JATO tanks aboard, with a slight tailwind.

Well, it got to be departure time and as we taxied to the departure end I noticed lots of small stones on and around the runway. That meant better be slow in advancing the throttle or risk flying stones in the prop and denting the skin. So we got rolling slowly and as I approached my half way visual check point (decision point for go no go) we had barely 60 knots, the trees looking menacing ahead. So I aborted the take-off with the usual discomfort, especially for my wife, the sole passenger. At this point my wife wanted nothing further to do with the plane, I could't blame her. She got out and I decided to do a practice short field take-off following usual procedures. I taxied back to the end of 15 and set 10 degrees flaps. Gunned the engine as soon as I was clear of the stones and was airborne and climbing by midfield. I landed and after promising my wife the moon and a four star meal she climbed back in the plane and we headed back to CLT.

So the message is always have a visual check point picked out to decide if you can safely make your take-off.

If you haven't reached your target speed by this point abort and try something else as I had to do i.e. short field technique. Trees or other obstacles surrounding the runway/airport must be avoided by using proper landing and departure techniques. When landing over an obstacle it is important to fly at your minimum safe approach speed or you will risk overshooting the runway.

Learn to coummunicate like the pros

Before I really ever did much of my own flying, I listened to ATC communications on my aircraft radio while watching the inbounds to Logan from my rooftop. Sounds goofy but I learned a lot about what and how to say it. I still turn on my transceiver occasionaly, just to listen and keep the lingo and rhythm in my head.

You don't hear the pros saying ah, um or waiting seconds to answer. No, they know what is expected and are ready with an appropriate reply. For example: United 123 you are cleared to 14000, not to exceed 250 knots. Roger 14 at 250, United 123. That is preferable to repeating the whole thing and wasting everyone's time.

Copying clearances can be tricky. However it is vital that they are copied verbatim as an error can be costly. So be prepared to copy complicated changes in routings, new clearances etc.

To make it easier to write as you fly, get a strap on writing pad arrangement for your thigh. They are commercially available. I even made my own when I was starting out.

Flying out of trim

We were coming back from France on a 767. I was seated by the window (of course) just aft of the left wing. My attention was drawn to the various moving wing surfaces during the various phases of the flight. Slats on the front, outboard and inboard ailerons and the spoilers. As I was seated next to the inboard ailerons, I was puzzeled as to why they were deflected, left down 10 and the right (yes, I went to look) up 10 degrees. They should have been flush with the wing. I started thinking that if they were not needed as in a turn, then they were creating unneeded drag. Increased drag means that you burn more fuel and ya de dah. As I didn't want us to have to go swimming, I decided to share my concerns with the flight crew. It took several conversations with a steward to get to talk with the Captain, who was none too pleased to see me up in the first class cabin area. Sitting up there incidentally was Lance Armstrong coming back from another championship ride. I shared my observation about the inboard ailerons with the Captain. He thanked me politely, then turned on his heels and I returned to my seat. Within 30 seconds after I sat down I saw the ailerons return to a neutral, in-line position.

Yes, I felt a bit foolish over my concern, but the point had been made. Flying out of trim is not in your best interest.

Approach with care

Several years ago I was in the right seat of a lovely almost new Baron, years younger than mine, providing the eyes for a relatively new twin pilot who wanted to do some approaches. We started out for the ILS 35 at ILM. After a clearance from the controller we were on our own. It didn't take long for me to wonder what was happening as we wern't on a part of the approach I knew. So I asked and after a pause the pilot replied he wasn't sure. That was not good and I requested vectors for another approach without giving a reason. This time it was better. Ignorance is bliss, yes but it may kill you,so beware.

An instrument approach is the cats meow. If flown correctly it can put you right on the numbers every time. Note the if. Well what is required? For starters having the data to fly the approach. These can be obtained from various sources. My favorite was Jeppesen. A bit pricey but loaded with the info you need in a readable format.

OK, so now you have the charts out you must look them over. If there is an ATIS on the field, listen to it in plenty of time to get all the pertinent data: wind, ceiling and active runway. This will allow you to select the best approach for the weather/runway. If you don't need the ILS because of a high ceiling maybe the VOR will do and save you some time. This of course depends on the specifics. Sometimes the ILS can be the simplest depending on factors such as traffic.

Say for example we choose the ILS, the most precise, it is time to study the details of the approach. These include altitude at the initial segment, inbound heading and minimum descent altitude. The MDA is critical, busting minimums is not a viable option. It is pertinent here to say that if this approach is to be flown outside the radar environ without approach control guidance, the ball will rest squarely in your court. Now you will be dropped off by center and "cleared for approach" all on your own. Before I offer a check list for performing an approach I should add that you should glance at the missed approach procedure, especially in the non radar setting.

All right so far? Now let's break up the approach into three segments

1. Enroute to the FAF

Set radios, confirm correct freq. with audio

Maintain position awareness (know where you are on the approach-there may be high terrain nearby or even a restricted area).

Crosscheck data with your DME, GPS, ADF

Approach flaps and ready for gear down

Fuel on mains (usually)

Check autopilot on if using a coupled approach

Recheck altitude

2. Final approach fix

Gear down-confirm

Cross check altitude vs. GS if on ILS

Especially if on A/P

Call out altitudes every 500 ft (yes, even if flying solo)

Review minimums and missed proc.

3. Landing Assured (runway in sight and free of traffic)

Final gear check

Disconnect A/P if used

That's it in a nutshell. Follow these guidelines or something of your own doing, BUT do have a procedure for insuring that you cover all your bases, and you will have a good safe approach and happy ending to your flight.

Three In The Green Or Else!

It is absolutely shocking to read the FAA daily accident lists and see how many are due to " landed gear up". Out of a list of ten accidents two to three are gear related. Not all are called "landed gear up" but rather gear failure or landing gear collapsed ( another of the same). If you dont believe me go to the FAA accident site for April 6, 2009, and count the number of gear related accidents. (5)

Now fortunately these are seldom fatal, but they sure can ruin your day and dig deep into your pocketbook. And oh how embarrassing. The only time I ever came close to a gear up was when I was taking a check ride in a light twin. The instructor in the right seat waited until I was about to touch down, and finally said in his terse manner, "aren't you going to put the gear down"? Well a go around is better than a hole in the ground.

So what can be done to avoid this expensive mistake? Well, very simply have a check list of your own that includes at least: checking the GEAR DOWN three times. Flying VFR in the pattern, on downwind drop the gear as you turn base leg. Audibly say GEAR DOWN as you check for the gear down lights. I used to enjoy saying "Three In the Green" as if a military pilot. Then again as you turn final check for the lights and say "GEAR DOWN".

And one final time just before touching down, check for the lights and say "GEAR DOWN".

On an INSTRUMENT approach you can still do the gear check three times. One at the start of the final segment such as at the outer marker, then at minimums, and finally at the flare.

If you do this religiously you will not appear on the FAA website as another "landed gear up".

Happy Safe Landings!

Radar Contact - Better Stay Alert

I was flying VFR at 9500 feet in an A-36 in the Harrisburgs approach sector "radar contact". The weather typical of August, murky with scatered CB's and visibility lower than you like. Destination was Bloomsburg not over 5o miles away. All of a sudden out of the corner of my left eye I saw an airliner heading north slightly higher than we were and about 1/4 of a mile away. Hey what gives I queried the controller. He replied US Air such and such IFR at 10,000 feet, no factor. Maybe not for US Air with his TCAS system and all their bells and whistles. Well it may be legal, but 500 feet vertically really doesn't provide much separation. To add to the adrenaline rush not soon after I happened to look down and right under us, perhaps 500 feet below was a twin turboprop commuter. Once again I ask approach what gives? "Oh, our error the trainee working the site forgot to call out the traffic to you". Great I think to myself, what next? Well things happen in threes. The Stormscope had been showing a line of lightning strikes (cells) at our 9 0'clock approximately 1 mile away. Suddenly there was a big boom and a flash, the plane bucked and dropped a few hundred feet and the autopilot uncoupled. My wife screamed. In the center of the Stormscope now there was an x, indicating a new lightning strike.

Now someone might say we should have been IFR to get better separation from traffic and get weather advisories, but I say yes but in the murk with CB's all around I don't trust ground radar to keep us out of the big stuff. Also remember that you only may have a 500 foot altitude separation. So, you pays your money and takes your chances. In the best of worlds you would have your own radar to keep you clear of storm cells. I have flown with it and thought it very helpful.

So in summary, we were lucky with two near misses and avoiding a catastrophe with the near lightning strike. Don't let your guard down when "Radar Contact". Remember that the responsibility for flying the plane rests squarely in the left seat.