Flying

Now there's a thought that would really make me think for a very long time about even flying anywhere!!

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Because of the higher hazard, Professional crews train hard and often for takeoff emergencies, and that's why they handle them well. This was recently demonstrated by the crew of American 1400 with no injuries. Your risk of being involved in some excitement like this if you're a regular airline passenger is miniscule.

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Last year, I had a student of mine suffer an engine failure at the worst possible instant on takeoff, on his second solo flight. He could have done better (trashed his plane) but he credits his training with saving his life.

At particular points throughout takeoff, there is one best option to commit to without hesitation when the worst happens, and that's where the best primary and recurrent training pays off. It's a lot like the reflexive responses that martial arts training is all about.

 

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Well that about does it for me!! End of my flying , boats and trains from now on!!

 

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Importing this from another thread:

spacemansteve: "I was doin a solo nav and it took me about 15 mins to realise that i'd been running on PFI"

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PFI?

"Prop full increase...

Don't think the engine appreciated me after that... come to think of it... about a week later when i was doing my Progress test i flew the same aircraft... A bit of rough running in the circuit... Guess i cost the aussie public a few bucks in repair costs

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PFI! You just taught me something about flying, SSS!


I've only ever said say "prop forward", "full increase" "prop fine", "beta", etc. HA! I like PFI! Sounds more technical. Either that's used in OZ and not so much in the USA, or there's a gaping gap in my training. Actually if a term is used anywhere and I don't know it, I consider that a gap in my training. Mind the gap.

Anyway, don't feel bad, not that it sounds as if you do- I've left wheels out, flaps out, left a tailstand on the tail once, etc. suffering various takeoff brainfarts over the years. That's not including the usual forgetting to switch on transponder, lighting, de-ice (that can get scary) etc.

I highly doubt you did any damage cruising at PFI and a couple-hundred revs over nominal redline. You probably sounded like a mad hornet from the ground, though. Real overspeed is quite a bit past redline, where catastrophic, not subtle things happen. At least that's been my experience with fixed-pitch props and aerobatics- lotsa overspeeds, no catastrophic engine failures attributable to overspeed damage. Think about what they do with engines in air racing: They turn them WAY faster than stock redline RPMs, often with stock engines, especially with cheaper formula racers like Cassutts and such- and blow them regularly

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But not until hours and hours of abuse.

What I rarely do (and see other pilots do too often) is select PFI approaching arrival, but before adequately slowing down. That's obviously a lot harder on engines, because it's so much more sudden. Next time I'm giving a flight check and some hapless soul leaves the props back on short final, I'm going to tersely say PFI! PFI! and see if I can get him going (he'll prolly just look at me like I'm psycho, and ease the prop levers forward). Anyway, thanks for the PFI term, I had no clue.

 

Is it true that run ways have to wait 10 minutes before the next plane can come?

If so, why is this, cause the air currents really shouldn't be that unstable

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Low over the runway, it depends on wind conditions, relative mass & size of following aircraft, and pilot's discretion. Heavy vortices sufficient to flick a small aircraft inverted at low altitude can be, and are encountered under the right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) conditions. Picture a light aircraft in one of the vortices above, that exceed in size the wingspan of a smaller craft, and that far exceed the rolling control available to negate them. Smaller following aircraft can be and are slammed very hard into the runway and obliterated, often inverted at a fatal angle of impact. Fortunately, dangerous vortices interacting with the ground seldom last very long- they break up, often forming vortex rings and dissipate within a few minutes. Astute pilots operating at low altitude (takeoff or landing) behind heavy aircraft can reliably visualize where the wake is going, especially with a windsock in view. Vortices do last longer at altitude where the ground doesn't perturb and precess them, and they can and do break hapless airplanes that fly into them.

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There are many situations that require aviators to visualize what the air is doing, especially when energized. There are also high-energy vortices formed in nature (mountain rotors) that can be intense and sustained- they are equally deadly if not visualized, understood, and respected.

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Without the moisture and particulates to paint this scene, but with the same winds, it can get deadly in there under a clear blue sky. As with surfing on the sea, there are (under the right conditions) deadly waves and resultant high-energy vortices that aviators can encounter in ignorance, with sudden deadly peril.

Flying is full of predictable, avoidable deadly dangers. Some pilots don't remind themselves enough about these, which is a very real and serious potential for disaster on any given day. I think it's very healthy for aviators to cultivate a morbid curiosity about everything that has gone horribly wrong for others, and always can for any of us.

 

Wow.. didn't know that the currents are so strong. That vortex seems to be pretty strong indeed.

Do pilots know where areas of strong vortexes are or do we separate planes apart so we know its more or less safe

 

Do you use a glider or fueled airplanes?

 

John99: "That vortex seems to be pretty strong indeed."

I've hit turbulence so localized and powerful, it feels like hitting a brick wall, and I've been afraid the structure of the aircraft might break in such scary moments.

"Do pilots know where areas of strong vortexes are or do we separate planes apart so we know its more or less safe"

At tower-controlled airports, it's a collaborative effort between pilots and controllers to avoid these intense little tornadoes that accompany any heavy aircraft.

Where there is not controller sequencing aircraft for takeoff and landing, it's entirely up to the following pilots' judgement. I have provided recurrent training to many pilots who hardly give the dangers of wake vortices a thought in practice, although they can academically describe them. It's an unseen killer that many complacent pilots narrowly miss daily- by sheer luck.

"Do you use a glider or fueled airplanes?"

I fly both.

 

Well then you should give it up.

 

We could describe the dangers of crossing a city street on foot, with as many grisly possibilities to consider. I love to fly, like nothing else I have ever done. The risks are very manageable, but it requires a healthy curiosity and paying attention in flight to do so.

 

Youve got some pair of balls. How do you fit them in the airplane?

 

I use a ball compressor (actual balls not shown for modesty)

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I don't profess to know alot about flying because my experience is basic and rather new. I got my "cherry popped" so to speak only about a 2 years ago now. 75hrs later...

I'm not too sure if PFI is used out in civvie street... It is one my military instructors used a fair bit and wouldn't surprise me if it were a military only acronym, or maybe even just a Basic Flying Training School term.

I'm moving onto PC9/A's in two months time so i'm looking forward to using a PCL, flying turbo-prop and going at speeds in excess of 240kts... not to mention all the aero's i'll be punching out in my solo's

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Life is good

 

You flying in Aus ? , where at ? .

 

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spacemansteve: "I'm moving onto PC9/A's in two months time so i'm looking forward to using a PCL, flying turbo-prop and going at speeds in excess of 240kts... not to mention all the aero's i'll be punching out in my solo's"

I'm so jealous. The PC-9 has to be fantastic: Almost a P-51, but even friendlier. And turbine engines are so much easier to manage, almost idiot-proof (once they're started). Going fast is such glee- especially in a nimble aeroplane that can slow right down when you want, too. Please keep us posted on your PC-9 transition, and impressions. Don't forget to put the wheels down

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Right now i'm not flying, lol. Right now i'm sitting in an office looking out the windows watching other people have enormous fun at flying.

Nah seriously. There's a bit of a back log of pilot trainees at the moment so i'm just marking time on an interim job until i can get to Pearce (Perth WA) to do the rest of the training. I finished up training on the CT4B... that aircraft is a pleasure to taxi around in but has the flying characteristics of a brick.

Ultimately a good bit of kit for its purpose... i guess i have a need for speed though... 120kts is not fast enough.

PS. Nice pic of the roulettes... Hung around with them for 3 months last year, mostly a good bunch of guys

 

yeah, why do we need a titting passport! its annoying to people who can't get one!!

 

A group of Roullettes did a flyover at a parade once. Beautiful thing, particularly if you were in the parade.

 

I managed to con a back seat ride for a graduation parade...

4 x PC9/A's flown by CFS instructors
Callsign Tempest and i was in 2

From the ops room at CFS the weather TAFs and TTFs were looking shite for melbourne, point cook. They decided to press on and have a look see and make the call airborne and about 20mins after leaving East sale, you could see the whole of melbourne covered in fog... It was spectacular... Needless to say we flew over the top of point cook and decided that the parade will have to do without us and on the way back managed to get some schooling in how to formation fly... was an awesome experience.

Prior to that experience i only had 12 hours flight time and that was all flight screening

A funny story from the CFS ops room was listening to a formation flight callsign Camel. Ops said something on the radio which was replied with: "Camel one" "Camel toe"