Learn to fly a plane and earn your private pilot license in Canada

FRED went SLOW with HASEL until his head TILTed - IT PAID off

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Updated...with your suggestions

By the way, I have no idea what the above sentence means but that's the best I could come up with with the known mnemonic checks. So, please don't over analyze it:)

Here is a collection of some useful aviation mnemonics and checklists I think will help you in your flight training and more importantly your flight test...

On the ground

Documents:

Thanks for the new suggestion Hallaig!

Here's one to remember which documents to have on board - CP RAIL

Crew documents (pilot, radio + medical)
POH
Registration
Airworthiness certificate
Insurance
Logbook - aircraft journey log

That reminded me of a couple more:

Documents to have on board (another mnemonic) - AROWJIL

Airworthiness Certificate (C of A)
Registration (Certificate of Registration C of R)
O - POH (Aircraft Flight Manual, Aircraft Operating Manual)
Weight and Balance and Equipment
Journey log
Insurance Proof
Licenses of the Crew

Validity of the Certificate of Airworthiness - PARADE C

POH
Annual Maintenance (every 200 hrs)
Regular scheduled maintenance (every 50 hrs in 4 sections that add up to 200 hrs)
Ad's/SB's Airworthiness directives (major) and Service Bulletins (minor)
Defects/Snags
ELT (once every 12 months, test 5 minutes on the hr for no more than 5 secs)
Compass (must be swung once a year)

Passenger Briefing:

SAFETY check

Seat ( for seat belts, seat position)
Air vents (passenger discomfort)
Fire extinguisher (location and operation)
Exit doors, Emergency survival/first aid kit (location and contents); Equipment (location and operation)
Traffic (scan, spot, notify); Tabacco (no smoking)
You (Ask questions and feel comfortable to speak up)

Before takeoff:

TTILTS check:

At the hold short line just prior to departure be sure to take your

Tower (communicate)

Time (note your time)

Instruments (check instruments)

Lights (appropriate lights)

Transponder (change to alt)

Sock (check the wind)

In the air:

When en-route to a destination:

FRED

Fuel (check flue burn, levels)

Radio (check radio frequencies, communicate position etc)

Engine (check engine gauges, oil pressure tachometer etc)

DG (directional gyro aka heading indicator needs to be reset ever 15 minutes to match the compass)

Position Report while on route:

IT PAID

Identification (what is your call sign)
Type (aircraft type)
Position (what is your position)
Altitude (your altitude ASL)
Intention (What do you plan to do, if applicable)
Destination (Where are you headed?)

Prior to upper air work exercises (including Stalls, Slow flight, Steep turns etc):

HASEL

Height (good altitude at i.e. 2000 AGL)

Area is clear (look for traffic)

Safety/Security (seatbelts, loose objects are secured etc)

Engine (check oil pressure, tachometer, etc)

Lookout (do a 360 turn around to look for any traffic, obstacles, issues)

For more info on another version of the HASEL check go here

Before landing:

When doing your precautionary landing:

TC SLOW

Transportation (are there roads near by? Can I stop a car for help?)

Communication (Are there houses, where I can call for help?)

Surface (Is the surface good for landing? Soft, hard, etc?)

Length (Is the field long enough for landing? Tips to measure length here)

Obstacle

Wind

When your engine fails:

Cause check (no good mnemonic for this one...:) Sorry...

Fuel (pick the tank with most amount of fuel)
Ignition (on)
Mixture (rich)
Carburetor, Alt air. Throttle to full

Do you know any others that are useful? Post your comments and I will update this entry to include those that are most useful.

Also, check out other emergency checklists here.

Maps - Cones and Cylinders are key!

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:27:00 +0000

I can't believe it has been over a month since I've posted last time, but I guess life is catching up with me. I recently became a dad and my seven month old is pretty demanding. He is awesome of course, but nonetheless, I find it hard to find time for this blog or aviation in general.

I wanted to take some time to go over two major map types and why they are important. Here are a few questions you may expect on the exam.

1. VFR terminal area chart (VTA) is

a. an example of a Lambert Conformal Conic Projection
b. an example of a Transverse Mercator Projection
c. only accurate concerning airspace delineations
d. a smaller version of a WAC

or:

2 Straight line drawn on a Mercator Projection chart most closely represents

a. a rhumb line
b. an arc of a great circle
c. a track made good
d. a track line

any my fave:

3. On a ____, 1 minute of latitude is equal to ____.

a. Transverse Mercator Projection chart, 60 nautical miles
b. Transverse Mercator Projection chart, 1 nautical mile
c. Lambert Conformal Projection chart, 60 nautical miles
d. Lambert Conformal Projection chart,6 nautical miles

Let's get into what you need to know to answer these:

What is a Rhumb Line? and Great Circle? According to Wikipedia:

In navigation, a rhumb line (or loxodrome) is a line crossing all meridians at the same angle, i.e. a path of constant bearing. Following a rhumb line covers more distance than following a geodesic, but it is easier to navigate.

and a great circle of a sphere is a circle that runs along the surface of that sphere so as to cut it into two equal halves. The great circle therefore has both the same circumference and the same center as the sphere. It is the largest circle that can be drawn on a given sphere.

Below is probably the best graphical representation of the difference between the great circle and the rhumb line.

In plain language:

to find the shortest distance between two points, use the great circle, but if you wish to get there by following the same course, use the rhumb line.

There are two type of charts primarily used for aviation navigation:

Lambert Conformal Conic Projection - think of putting a cone on top of the globe and envision a section of that cone to represent a specific area. Have a look at this graphic.

Key principles of this chart are:

Distance distortion is limited. As the cone 'sticks' closely to the sphere, distance is pretty uniform on the entire chart
Straight lines most closely represent an arc of a great circle.
Lines of latitude (horizontal), curves concave towards the poles
Lines of longitude (vertical), converge towards an imaginary point over the poles.

The second method is a Mercator Projection used to produce a chart that involves putting a cylinder around the earth and then using a section of that cylinder to represent a specific area. You can align the cylinder either parallel to the longitude line (meridian) or latitude line (equator). When you align it parallel to the equator, it is called a Transverse Mercator Projection. A Transverse Mercator Projection is one of the most accurate methods of covering a small area.

Key principles of this chart are:

Straight lines most closely represent a rhumb line.
Greater distortion is produced compared to a Lambert Projection, distance becomes exaggerated closer to the poles.
Lines of latitude are straight parallel lines.
Lines of longitude are straight parallel lines.
1 minute of latitude is equal to 1 nautical mile

I found an interesting way to remember charts and what projection method they are associated with:

WAC - Lambert Conformal. (World Aeronautical Chart)
VNC - Lambert Conformal. (VFR Navigation Chart)
VTA - Transverse Mercator.(VFR Terminal Area Chart)

Now that you know all this, what are the answers?

Here they are:
1. b
2. a
3. b

Thanks and good luck.

Wind - air molecules in motion

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:45:00 +0000

From meteorology we know that:

forces which drive wind or affect it are the pressure gradient force, the Coriolis force, buoyancy forces, and friction forces. - Wikipedia

The good news is, we now know where wind comes from...As you prepare to write the PPL exam however, you will realize the theory is good, but TC will expect you to know the application of that knowledge. For good reason.

You can expect questions about wind dynamics including; direction it is expected to blow, how the time of day affects it, cross-wind components during takeoff and landings, change with altitude, hazards it poses and more...

Here are a couple exam questions you can expect....

For a take-off on runway 31 with the wind from 270° at 20 kt, the aircraft would be
subject to head wind and cross-wind components respectively of
(1) 20 and 15 kt.
(2) 15 and 13 kt.
(3) 15 and 20 kt.
(4) 13 and 15 kt.

To solve this question you will need a wind component chart (provided below - it will be provided to you during the exam) and some simple math and most importantly common sense...

Let's try it then.

If the runway is 310 and wind is coming from 270 we know that the angle of the wind direction to the runway or your flight path is the difference of the two, hence 310 minus 270 or 40°. We also know the wind speed is 20kt, so that is all we need to figure out the answer...Looking at the chart, find the angle of 40° and slowly slide down that line until you get to 20, which in this case is the wind speed. From that point draw a horizontal line and a vertical line that will intersect that point until you can read both the head and cross wind components on both axes. Click the chart to see result.

The answer: 15kt and 13kt

Simple, right?

Here is another rule of thumb, that is good to remember related to the wind component. It works well with wind angles of 15° increments (15, 30, 45, 60 and 75).

What is important to notice is that the head and crosswind component ratio is exactly the same at 45° at 2/3 and then is perfectly symmetrical. It should therefore a bit easier to remember. Just remember 1/4, 1/2, 2/3, 9/10 and 19/20.

Wind Angle	Crosswind	Headwind
15	1/4	19/20
30	1/2	9/10
45	2/3	2/3
60	9/10	1/2
75	19/20	1/4

Here is another question to test your skills:

For a take-off on runway 31 with the wind from 265° at 24 kt, the aircraft would be
subject to head wind and cross-wind components respectively of
(1) 20 and 15 kt.
(2) 16 and 16 kt.
(3) 16 and 20 kt.
(4) 13 and 15 kt.

We know the angles is now 45° (310 minus 265), we also know that the head and cross wind ratio is 2/3 of that, therefore the expected head and crosswind component is 16kt.
The answer: 2.
Here is another question I got wrong the first time I looked at it:

An aircraft flying an approach into a strong head wind encounters a sudden tailwind near
the ground. The wind shear hazard to be expected is a sudden
(1) increase in groundspeed and increase in lift.
(2) decrease in groundspeed and loss of lift.
(3) increase in airspeed and increase in lift.
(4) decrease in airspeed and loss of lift.

My initial reaction was that you can expect an increase of air and groundspeed and a loss of lift as you may think something is pushing you hence you will go faster. That's not exactly how it works.

For a second, think you are flying with calm wind or no wind at IAS of 100kts. As there is no wind in front of you or behind you the groundspeed is also 100kt.

When you encounter a sudden head wind sheer (wind picks up suddenly) directly ahead, your IAS will rise and so will lift. When airspeed increases, the ram air pressure is increased which gets through the pitot static system, which translates into an increase of airspeed on the indicator.

With a 20kt headwind shear, the IAS will rise instantly to 120, increasing the lift over the wing. The groundspeed will still be 100. However, after a moment due to the extra drag created by the extra lift, eventually this will slow the aircraft down to 100kts IAS again, at which speed the GS will have fallen to 80kts.

In the example above we expect the opposite to happen, where you encounter a tailwind (wind coming from behind you). In this case, when the tailwind hits you, the IAS will drop instantly to 80kts, resulting in a loss of lift as well. The ground speed will still be 100. After a little time due to drag, the plane's groundspeed will increase to 120 and the IAS will come back to 100kts. The key to the question however is what is to be expected immediately after it hits, not what happens later.

The answer therefore is 4.

This situation is particularly dangerous during landings when the IAS drops significantly getting the plane into airspeed range very close to a STALL.

And that is why folks, these air molecules in motion have to be well respected!

Good luck and safe flying.

Human Factors - "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes"

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:15:00 +0000

What are Human Factors?

You have probably heard of human factors including hypoxia, ozone sickness, carbon monoxide, smoking, hyperventilation, decompression sickness, vision (depth perception, night vision, DERP) hypothermia, sensory illusions, spacial disorientation, physical fitness, stress, attitude etc.

All of the above have a great impact on how the pilot will perform, react, communicate, feel...

By complete fluke, I have recently stumbled upon a 'factor' I didn't expect to make the list.

I'm currently reading a book entitled Outliers: The Story of Success (If you have heard of The Tipping Point or Blink, this book is by the same author) . One of the chapters is entitled: "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes". I know it sound a little dramatic, but Malcolm, the author, embarks on a second-by-second reenactment of one of the most horrific plane crashes in recent history.

The reader is introduced to a word-for-word transcript from the black box of communications between the pilot, first officer, flight engineer and ATC. When you first read how the action unfolds, you can't necessarily pinpoint anything that is wrong with the decisions of the pilots or ATC (or at least I couldn't).

Mind you the weather was not cooperating, the pilot was tired but this is not unusual after a 12+ hr flight.

Some facts about the pilot and the flight:

Captain of the plane was 42 years of age, fit, healthy, prepared for the trip
8900 hours of flight time (3200 in jumbo jets)
Plane: Korean Air Boeing 747 (KAL 801)
Flight to Guam from Kimpo (over 7000km trip)
VOR/DME approach (glide slope equipment was out of service that night)
Pilot flew there 8 times that route in the past
Haven't slept for over 12 hrs

Here is a short transcript from the last few moments of the flight. See if you can spot anything odd...

Last few minutes of the flight:

1:20:01Captain: ...with 8 hrs we get nothing...they make us work to max...
1:21:13 Captain: Eh, I'm really sleepy
1:21:13 First Officer: Of course
....
1:29:xx Flight engineer: Is it Guam?
1:29:xx Flight engineer: It's Guam!
1:29:xx Captain: Good!
1:29:xx Flight engineer: Captain, the weather radar has helped us a lot.
1:29:xx First Officer to ATC: Clear of Charlie Bravo (cumulonimbus clouds), request vectors for runway six left
1:30:xx ATC: Korean 801, Roger...cleared ILS runway six left approach, light slope unusable
1:30:xx Captain: Let's make a visual approach
1:41:48 Captain: Wiper on
1:41:59 First Office asks : Not in sight?
1:42:00 GPWS: Five hundred feet
1:42:02 Flight engineer: Eh?
1:42:19 First officer: Let's make a missed approach
1:42:20 Flight Engineer: Not in sight?
1:42:22 First Officer: Not in sight
1:42:23 Flight Engineer: Go around
1:42:24 Captain: Go around
1:42:24 Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS): One hundred
1:42:24 GPWS: Fifty
1:42:25 GPWS: Fourty
1:42:25 GPWS: Thirty
1:42:25 GPWS: Twenty
1:42:26 Sound of initial impact
1:42:28 Sound of tone
1:42:30 Sound of tone
End of Recording

Did you pick up anything strange, peculiar? Can you spot the issue?

Here are some stats from late 90s...when this accident occurred:

Loss rate in US - 0.27 per million departures (meaning one lost plane in 4 million flights)
Loss Rate in Korea - 4.79 per million departures - 17 times higher (at one point this stat was so bad that Canadian officials considered revoking overflight and landing privileges in Canadian airspace)

Why was the loss rate 17 times higher in Korea?

You may argue that US pilots are better qualified and trained than Korean pilots, that may be true but is that the main reason?...Upon a closer look, they did spot some interesting trends...not just with Korean Air accidents...

They found that in 52% of 'losses' the pilot has been awake for more than 12 hrs
44% of the time, the two pilots (captain-first officer) have never flown together
Crashes are more likely to occur when the Captain is the PIC (pilot in command)

Can you believe the last point? Seems contrary to popular belief.

Why would the last point be true? Does it have to do with the fact that older pilots are worse than their younger stallion counterparts?

Far from it.

One of the issues has to do with something the author labels as Mitigated Speech, or the tendency of the speaker to downplay the meaning of what is being said, including when we are polite, ashamed, embarrassed, intimidated by authority etc.

The truth is the first officer is less likely to 'speak up' when an issue arises to the Captain due to this phenomenon. You don't want to tell your boss he/she is doing something wrong...hence undermining their authority.

Planes are generally safer when the less experienced pilot (first officer) is flying because the captain is perfectly content to tell the first officer they are doing something wrong!

Crazy but true. So, let's go back to the situation described above? Why did the Korean airline suffer many more losses? Can you spot the issue in the transcript?

When you look closely, you will find the tone and approach of the first officer and the flight engineer is very passive and in some cases they fail to speak up at all. They basically let the captain make the mistakes...They are just not assertive enough when the time requires them to be. By the way, the investigation ruled that the Pilot made some critical procedural errors including not following standard non precision VOR/DME approach. Here is the official accident report. The crew failed to point out the issues when they had the chance to the Captain.

Malcolm goes further to explain this issue by introducing, Geert Hofstede and Hofstede's Dimensions (Power Distance Index (PDI), Individualism, Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity) that help us understand cultural differences and their tendencies.

Check out this site for a global map of scores such as world map of power distance scores.
According to the book, Korea like many Asian countries has a very high PDI, meaning there is an overwhelming tendency for subordinates (flight officer and engineer) to acknowledge the power of others simply based on where they are situated in a formal, hierarchical position. In this culture it is expected to speak only when spoken to, follow orders rather than offer suggestions, don't speak up when speaking with people of higher standing than your own etc.

This provides us with a hint to why Korean first officer and the engineer didn't speak up...they probably felt it was not their place to do so!

How would most Canadian pilots react? Let's assume the answer lies with Canada's PDI score:

Power Distance (lower score means we have much less issue with authority, we consider each other equals)

UK - 35
Canada - 39 (we are generally not afraid to speak up even with our superiours! and hence we would be more likely to say something when in dire straits)
US - 40
China -80
India - 77
Venezuela - 81

Check out Individualism (high in Canada), Uncertainty Avoidance (low in Canada), Masculinity (balanced in Canada).

Next time you fly with someone, remember; count mainly on yourself, not your co-pilot, ATC. Always retain the responsibility but most importantly work as a team!

If you are wondering...Korean Air has discovered the root of the issue and now is one of the safest airlines in the world! One solution was to enforce English in their crew communications that alleviated some of the formality of the Korean language hence reducing the issue of Mitigated Speech. Many other airlines have also invested in training their first officers and other crew to reinforce the importance of communicating with the Captain especially in times of luring danger.

Make sure to take the above into consideration when flying. Remember, safety first!

P.S. Outliers: The Story of Success is not an aviation book. It really is a deconstruction of the notion of 'success'. Certainly intriguing, and I would recommend to those with an inquiring mind.

Here is a link to the author's quick intro: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/mpd/permalink/m3K73VOL0U85ZQ

On a brighter note. Have a look at Seinfeld's take on some of the issues surrounding cultural dimensions including personal space....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j41tJdqZX7E

Turns - useful rule of thumb

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0000

If you are a student pilot, you most likely have heard the term "Standard-Rate Turn" .

The definition is :

"A standard rate turn for (light) airplanes is defined as a 3° per second turn, which completes a 360° turn in 2 minutes. This is known as a 2-minute turn, or rate one (= 180°/minute)."

Thanks Wikipedia!

In layman's terms, turn at a rate at which you can complete a full circle in 2 minutes...

The bigger question why do I care...

Here are a few examples why it may be useful

Air traffic Control - ATC uses standard turn rates in providing traffic separation.
Instrument flying and IFR conditions - when you can't see where you are, using the standard rate is critical in telling you where you will be when making turns just using the correct turn bank angle and time piece.
Intercepting, tracking, departures, approaches and other maneuvers are all accomplished using standard rate turns.
If you are going for your IFR rating, you need to know all about the SRT and you need to perform it too.
....and my fave: It's always good to know you can be on your way back to the direction you came from in one minute:)

In not going to go into explaining how to use the turn coordinator or a turn and bank indicator but rather help you figure out the bank angle needed to get you into the standard rate turn....

Here is the easy to remember rule of thumb:

Divide your airspeed in knots by 10 and add 7.

For example, if your airspeed is 100 kt, your bank angle will be 17° (10 + 7).

Voila!

123s of Radio range

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

First of all, I want to wish you all a Happy New 2009! Do you have a New Year's resolution? I know I do.

All the best in your aviation studies and training. Remember to have fun and to stay safe!

Here is a short post I think will prove useful.

Here is a sample exam question:

You are flying at 8,500 feet above the VOR station and you are wondering for how many more miles you can expect to receive a readable VOR signal from the station.

A. 100 nm
B. 92 nm
C. 184 nm
D. 113 nm

What is the answer?

First thing to understand is that VOR uses VHF radio signal which stands for Very High Frequency. VHF is mainly used for FM radio, TV and two way radio communications. Unlike low, medium frequency radio signal, very or ultra high frequencies do not 'bend' much around the surface of the earth, Very High Frequencies can only be received by the receiver that is in line-of-sight to the sending station.

In order to calculate the max line-of-sight distance in nautical miles from the transmitter (ATC, VOR, DME) and the airplane, you use the following simple calculation:

1.23 * square root of airplane's altitude above the station

Let's take the exam question and calculate the distance.

1.23 * square root of 8,500=113.4

You can also do an easy mental check. You know that if the altitude is 10,000 AGL, the answer will be 123 nm. Generally, you can assume an altitude lower than 10,000 AGL will generate a shorter distance. On a practical level, remember that if you are out of comm range, one way to get into range is to climb. However it is also reasonable to expect that at higher altitudes you can encounter more interference from other transmitters on similar frequencies hence weaker signal etc.

Now that you know all that...

The answer to the exam question above is D.

Navigation 1.1 - MF vs ATF procedures

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:40:00 +0000

When you get closer to your flight exam and more specifically your first cross country flight, you will surely be required to learn MF and ATF procedures. Why is this important? Simple: According to TP's Aviation Safety letter you need to SEE, COMPLY, AVOID and MAINTAIN SEPARATION AT AN UNCONTROLLED AERODROME.

You have probably gathered by now that MF and ATF frequencies and procedures are followed at uncontrolled aerodromes and the simplest way to define those is to think of an airport without a control tower.

This does not mean however there are no rules that govern this airspace, quite the opposite. There are many rules (and recommendations/suggestions) you need to know about before you head out.

When you first read the rules, regulations and in your AIM, you will see many similarities between MF and ATF. To be honest, I had to read a few materials to truly get the differences.

I figured it would be helpful to try to summarize/decipher that info in a more human language, at least something I can remember and understand.

Some general points:

MF=Mandatory Frequency
ATF= Aerodrome Traffic Frequency
Both MF and ATF are radio frequencies and procedures used within an uncontrollable aerodrome
The main difference between MF and ATF is that MF is where the pilot must obay the rules and must communicate with traffic or ground. With ATF they should but do not have to...
I think it is fair to assume MF area is an area where you can expect more traffic in the air than at ATF area, hence the need for more mandatory rules
MF area is an area around the aerodrome (usually 5 nm radius and up to 3000 AAE, or otherwise stated in CFS) where these rules apply
Unless provided (in your CFS) the agreed on frequency is 123.2
Within MF area traffic info can be provided by FSS, FIC, CARS, UNICOM and RCO
When these facilities are closed the area automatically should follow ATF rules
Within ATF you communicate with traffic (air and ground) and/or UNICOM
In many cases the uncontrolled aerodrome airspace follows rules of Class E airspace

Traffic Circuit Procedures

For any uncontrolled aerodrome when approaching from upwind, plan to descend to 1000 ft AAE when crossing the runway
When you need to cross before joining, do so at 500 feet above circuit altitude
Aerodromes within MF area (with available airport advisory info) may follow standard circuit procedures including circuit pattern straight-in or at 45 degrees to downwind and straight in to the base or final leg (basically the same as where a control tower is in operation)
The difference for aerodromes when MF is after hrs (not in operation) hence ATF, is that the pilot should not join the circuit straight in to final, base or at 45 degrees to downwind. So, ideally you should join on upwind side or straight into downwind - all of the above when the PIC is sure no conflict with other traffic exists.
If the situation allows and the pilot has confirmed no conflict, can make the decision to join straight in or 45 degrees as (
remember in ATF you should do, not must do as in MF
). Here is a real life example when the upwind side was not avail due to soaring activity http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=47839. Some pilots argued the pilot only could have joined straight into downwind (with the upwind being congested) but the truth is he could have joined at 45 degree to downwind or straight into base or even final after confirming no conflict existed...REMEMBER SHOULD IS NOT SHALL

Radio Procedures

Must listen on MF frequency or should listen on ATF frequency (CFS) or 123.2
Before entering area report position and intentions (to Radio, traffic, vehicles etc)
On Departure

Before entering onto the runway (takeoff surface) report intention
Ensure no other traffic is in conflict with you before takeoff (collision likelihood is small or null)
After takeoff report to traffic when leaving the circuit and continue listening till after you leave MF or ATF area

On Arrival

Report when entering area (5 mins before), position, intentions, ETA etc
Report when joining circuit (and give your position within circuit)
Report when on downwind, then final, when clear of runway after landing

Continuous circuits

Report when on in downwind, final (state intentions), report when clear of runway after landing

Flying through the area

Report before entering area (5 minutes before), IT PAID (Ident, type, Position, Alt, Intentions, Directions (From))
Report when clear of it
Best to avoid it to reduce radio congestion
In most cases plan to pass at least 2000 feet AAE

Find more detailed information visit AIM RAC section 4.5.4.

I'm also including a link that summarizes the circuit procedures well. Blake from http://fly.blakecrosby.com has done a great job putting this together. Thanks!

Here you go: CHART

The Precautionary Landings

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:10:00 +0000

Having a bad day?

The weather is going down the tube, you can barely see one mile out and the clouds are below VMC...your engine is making funny noises but you don't feel like laughing. You are in the middle of nowhere, the best place to land happens to be in a hay field ahead.

I'm exaggerating but whether real or fiction, this is why you need to learn the precautionary landing procedure. It is fairly long and you won't like the bills after you come back from the practice area, but it is a core maneuver you need to perfect.

In a nutshell there are only two steps:
1. Fly a normal circuit and a lower pass to visually inspect the potential landing area
2. Fly another normal circuit ending in a safe landing (most likely soft or short field)

Here is the detailed approach:

Procedure for the Cessna 172

1. Slow down to 80KIAS with ten degrees of flaps for best speed and visibility. Your POH will most likely recommend lower portion of normal operating range like 65kt, but at that speed you are operating too close to stall speeds for my taste.
2. Select a field, or road or whatever is suitable for a safe landing.

3. Call FSS/ATC/ or other traffic of your intentions and current position. Consider emergency frequency 121.5 when in a mountanous area.

4. Brief the passengers. "Hey Bob, the weather is deteriorating fast so we need to execute a precautionary landing right here, but it's OK, as I'm trained to do this. Please adjust your seat back, remove any sharp objects from your pockets and put them away and ensure to secure your harness. When we get closer to the ground I will ask you to open your door, and before touchdown cover your face with your jacket for extra cushioning. "

5. Review emergency checklist

6. Fly over picked field at 1000 feet AGL (circuit altitude). This will be your high pass. Note wind direction, set your landing path, but most importantly do your first TC SLOW check. - Transportation (close to a road), Communication (do I have phone?), Surface (flat, hard), Length (long enough for landing), Obstacles, Wind (Can I land into wind)?
7. Plan your circuit considering all of the above. When complete, re-establish 'clean' configuration, regular flaps, add power. Continue in circuit pattern.
8. Get ready for your low pass. Go for 70KIAS and 20 degrees flaps. Descent to 500 feet AGL (or at least 200 feet above any obstacles you identified). Trim. This will get you to a comfortable position to get a closer look at the field. Fly along your landing path to do your TC SLOW check once again.
9. Make another radio call with most current intentions and position and brief your passengers.

10. Once done with your inspection, re-establish clean configuration, retract flaps, apply power, climb back to full circuit altitude (1000 AGL or best alt considering the ceiling etc). This will be your final circuit.11. Complete your downwind checks, establish for a soft/short field landing. Remember, this is not a forced approach, so you have power and hence time to make the perfect landing! When on short final consider Avionics Master Switch off, then Master Switch off, right before touchdown. Unlatch doors, turn magnetos off.

12. LAND

Tip: From Pilot Examiner's Manual -

Take ceiling and visibility into consideration when doing the maneuver. How will the visibility affect your choice of field, circuit altitude etc. Also, examiner may be prone to asking you to complete the actual short or soft field exercise as it fits with precautionary landing.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. What colour is fuel 100LL?

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:16:00 +0000

How well do you know your fuel colours?

Now, you will need to. For the PPL exam you need to be able to identify fuel colours. In practice, the idea is you need to ensure the right fuel is used to fill your aircraft's tanks. Using the wrong fuel can prove disastrous.

In case you didn't know: Avgas is aviation gasoline and Mogas (or Autogas) is motor gasoline

Here they are (sorted by octane ratings except for jet fuel) :

RED - Grade 80 or 80/87 is a used primarily in low compression ratio engines..
GREEN - 100/130 and P87-90 is also known as MOGAS or automobile gasoline.
BLUE - Grade 100LL is a medium power output fuel with low lead content (LL).
PURPLE - 115/145 - purple, primarily military use
STRAW (light yellow or colourless) - is jet fuel or also known as Kerosene. That's right, jets and rockets run on paraffin:)

If you didn't know most fuel is colourless, but they use fuel dyes to help differentiate them.

Hey, now you won't have a problem answering the following sample PPL exam question:

What grade of fuel is in your tanks when upon your review the fuel colour is blue?

Grade 80 or 80/87
Grade 100
Grade 100LL
Kerosene

Checkout more info about avgas here.

Upper Winds (FDs) - Prelude to Nav 101

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:50:00 +0000

I started a post on navigation and flight planning. After a few pages of content I decided I needed to break it down into smaller more manageable parts and to explain a few critical components.

Understanding of upper wind forecasts is one of them.

Here is a typical chart you can expect to see on Navcanada site. You will use this data in your flight planning to calculate headings, fuel burn, time, airspeed, drift etc.

STN VBI - 49.5N 94.1W	for use	3000	6000	9000	12000	18000
FDCN01 CWAO FCST BASED ON 141200 DATA VALID 141800	17-21	3421	3526-09	3317-13	3217-18	3318-31
FDCN02 CWAO FCST BASED ON 141200 DATA VALID 150000	21-06	3424	3616-12	3419-15	3324-18	3530-30
FDCN03 CWAO FCST BASED ON 141200 DATA VALID 151200	06-17	3416	3420-12	3527-14	3425-18	3226-30

The first two columns are very intuitive so you should be able to figure them out...

Here is the important stuff:

3000
3421

Read: at 3000 feet, you can expect winds from 340 degrees true at 21 knots

6000
3526-09

Read: at 6000 feet, you can expect winds from 350 at 26 knots and temperature of minus 9 degrees (temperature is not given for altitudes at or below 3000 feet)

So far so good. The challenge?

What if you chose your flight altitude to be at 5500 feet? How will you find the wind direction and wind velocity...

Before you start the calculations apply some other knowledge namely about nature of veering and backing winds.

The rule is:

Veering is when the wind direction changes in a clockwise direction and with increasing altitude velocity of the wind also increases (due to lowering of surface friction)

Backing is when the wind direction changes in a counter-clockwise direction and with decreasing altitude velocity of the wind also decreases (due to increasing surface friction)

In this case, you can expect the wind direction to veer from 3000 to 6000 feet, with the wind direction to turn clockwise and velocity to increase. The answer will be anywhere between 340 and 350 degrees with speeds of 21 to 26 knots. Anything outside of this range signals an error in the calculation.

Here is a practical calculation method to get your info for 5500 feet.

First, pick an altitude right in the middle between those forecasts in this case 4500 feet.

The new wind direction becomes 345 = (350-340)/2, the new wind velocity becomes 24= 26+21/2 (rounded up)

Now you are still 1500 feet away from 6000 and 1000 from your desired altitude of 5500.

What you should do now is calculate for the additional 1500 feet first.

5 degrees for additional 1500 feet (350-345)

divide by 3 to get to 500 feet

= 1.6 degrees

multiply by 2 to get to 1000 feet

=3.2 degrees (4 degrees rounded up)

The wind direction at 5500 feet is 345+4=349 degrees

Similarly, you can do the same for the wind velocity

2 kt divided by 3= 0.67

multiply by 2 = 1.34 (2 rounded up)

Therefore, rounded to the nearest integer the new wind velocity becomes 24+2=26 kt

The final answer is : at 5500 feet, you can expect winds from 349 degrees true at 26 knots

Here is another table to help you interpret the data.

EXAMPLE	DECODED
9900 + 00	Wind light and variable, temperature 0˚C
2625	260˚ true at 25KT
*791159	290˚ true (79 - 50 = 29) at 111 KT (11 + 100 = 111), temperature -59˚C
*859950	350˚ true (85 - 50 = 35) at 199 KT or greater, temperature -50˚C

*Encoded wind speeds from 100 to 199 kt have 50 added to the direction code and 100 subtracted from the speed.

For more info about FD's go here...

You are now ready to answer the following two sample PPL exam questions.

At 1200Z one could expect the winds at 5,500 feet to be

340 degrees magnetic at 24 knots.
349 degrees true at 26 knots.
350 degrees true at 29 knots.
349 degrees magnetic at 26 knots.
340 degrees magnetic at 24 knots.

With the wind at the surface being reported at 120/10, one could reasonably expect the wind at 3,000 feet AGL to be

150/15
150/8
120/15
140/8

In the upcoming posts I will cover other areas important for your Navigation section of the exam.

Let me know if you have any specific requests.

Claremont training area - Google Earth and Maps

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:38:00 +0000

I always thought Google did an amazing job with Google Maps and Google Earth. I'm now happy to say I was able to contribute to the community by creating a layer I hope pilots can use to familiarize themselves with the Claremont aviation training area.

You may wonder why would I want to spend the time? Well, a few days ago I was prepping to go solo to the training area and I decided to use Google Earth as a way to familiarize myself with the area. And it worked! It helped me tremendously so I decided to create this for others to use.

Here it goes:

View in Google Earth View in Google Maps

Furthermore, I recommend to download the following view that will show you the North American airspace classification in 3D. Really cool, but most importantly helpful when you are preparing your flight plans.

View in Google Earth View in Google Maps

Enjoy.

If you know of other Google Earth additions you feel may be useful, please let us know.

Magical Number Seven of Canadian airspace

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:24:00 +0000

Only 7 letters are used to describe and classify Canadian airspace. According to psychologists and wikipedia, 'seven' also happens to represent human capacity to retain/remember things...If there were 8, no one would remember airspace H. Aren't you glad there are only 7?

Regardless, TC was quite sneaky to pack a lot of info into those classes.

I have found a few mnemonic helpers I think will be useful for you to finally get the ABCs of airspace down...

Here they are:

A irliners only and other IRF traffic, and Above 18,000' ASL
B etween 12,500' and 18,000' ASL and Busy
C learance required to enter for VFR
D ialogue required - ATC clearances and instructions required
E asy for VFR aircraft, Control Area Extensions, Control Zone with no tower in operation
F OFF or Fancy for special use airspace only
G overnment step away or General uncontrolled airspace

Here is also my attempt at summarizing the class requirements in terms of altitudes, radio, transponder, traffic separation etc.

Here is the Google doc.

Here is a lovely chart from AIP following the extensive explanation:

If you have other east ways to remember, let me know or better yet comment below.

Rule of Thumb - airspeed control

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Here is a quick post on a new rule of thumb I learned about that I thought is very useful and most importantly easy to remember...

Do you know how to increase or reduce airspeed in straight and level flight? You know you need to use increase or decrease power. The question is by how much.

The magic answer:

100 to 5

meaning a 100 RPM control change produces approximately a 5kt airspeed change.

If you are flying 100 KT at 2200 RPM setting, but need to reduce airspeed to 90 knots it is now easy. All you need to do is to reduce the power by 200 RPM to 2000 RPM (100RPM X 2 (for every 5KT).

Viola!

How the VFR weather minima max out my brain

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:30:00 +0000

My problem has always been with memorization of numbers. Better yet, remembering numbers as they pertain to regulations only attribute to my inevitable aneurysm. I admit, for my PSTAR exam, I cranked the numbers into my brain only to find out I only remember half of them a few months later...

Clearly, I needed to find a way to retain this info. The only way I could do this was by finding an easier way to remember and pretend I understand the rationale behind those rules.

Here is the table straight out of CARs and AIM:

AIRSPACE		FLIGHT VISIBILITY	DISTANCE FROM CLOUD	DISTANCE AGL
Control Zones		not less than 3 miles	horizontally: 1 mile vertically: 500 feet	vertically: 500 feet
Other Controlled Airspace		not less than 3 miles	horizontally: 1 mile vertically: 500 feet	—
Uncontrolled Airspace	1 000 feet AGL or above	not less than 1 mile (day) 3 miles (night)	horizontally: 2 000 feet vertically: 500 feet	—
	below 1 000 feet AGL – fixed-wing	not less than 2 miles (day) 3 miles (night)	clear of cloud	—
	below 1 000 feet AGL – helicopter	not less than 1 mile (day) 3 miles (night)	clear of cloud	—
VFR Over-the-Top		not less than 5 miles	vertically 1000 feet and 5000 feet between layers	scattered cloud or clear at airport
Special VFR Flight		not less than 1 miles (fixed-wing) not less than 1/2 mile (helicopter)	clear of cloud	visual reference must be maintained

Here are lovely images I put together....can you believe it, I could not find one decent images on the Internet...so I had to do them myself.

Uncontrolled Airspace and Special VFR

Controlled Airspace and VFR Over-the-Top

Night in Uncontrolled airspace

Below you will also find some tips. I can't take the credit for some of those as they come from one of of the best online resources especially when preparing for the PSTAR exam - Robyn's Flying Start .

Vertical/Horizontal/Visibility - first two are about distance from cloud
500'/2000'/1 miles - uncontrolled airspace minima above 1000AGL
500' vertically - is the norm across the board except when below 1000 AGL in uncontrolled airspace
Multiply everything by 3 to get the numbers for controlled airspace except for the 500' - you get 500'/1 mile/3 miles (2000 feet times three is 6000 or 1 nm
As the conditions most likely diminish for the minima to drop to below 1000 AGL in uncontrollable airspace,
For Special VFR Flight - remember half the minima requirements of uncontrolled airspace under 1000 AGL
VFR Over-the-Top - I don't have a good one...5 miles min visibility with 1000 and 5000 feet from cloud minima respectively?....that's just over the top!
Night and Day in controlled airspace is treated the same
Multiply the visibility by 3 in uncontrolled airspace at night, everything else remains the same as during day

I hope you find these useful. DO you have other tips to remember? Make sure to comment.

References

What is day, night or twilight? Easy! or is it?

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:00:00 +0000

It should be simple to define day and night. Of course Transport Canada can and will make it little bit more difficult. The proof is in the high fail rate of related questions in the written exam. You would think PPL students would be smart enough to know better, and they are. Why do so many stumble then?

I think I figured it out...

At the flight school I was told 'for practical reasons' that "day" - is the period beginning one half-hour before sunrise and ending one half-hour after sunset. This may be true for most of people living close to the US border but remember that for a large geographical portion of the country there are places in Canada where the sun does not rise and set daily so the definition above would fail...

What is the current definition according to CAR 101.01?

Here it is:

"day" or "daylight" - means the time between the beginning of morning civil twilight and the end of evening civil twilight; (jour)
and
"night" - means the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight; (nuit)

The source of confusion I think is the fact that the amended version from 1996 and before sounded very much like the practical version taught in flight schools today:

Previous Version 101.01(1) - 1996/10/10

"day" - means the period beginning one half-hour before sunrise and ending one half-hour after sunset and, in respect of any place where the sun does not rise or set daily, the period during which the centre of the sun's disc is less than six degrees below the horizon; (jour)

The problem of course is that the same section in the CARs does NOT define twilight. For that you need to go elsewhere...Wikipedia is one place.

Civil twilight

It begins in the morning when the center of the Sun is less than 6° below the horizon (the point of civil dawn), and ends at sunrise. Evening civil twilight begins at sunset and ends when the center of the Sun is more than 6° below the horizon (the point of civil dusk)....A fixed period of time (most commonly 30 minutes after sunset or before sunrise) is typically used for simplicity.

Here is also a interesting chart in the AIM: Morning and Evening Twilight Charts

Highest fail rate - Forced Landings - Why?

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:30:00 +0000

I finally went back flying after a few weeks' absence...had a good reason mind you. I'm now a father!
Still can't believe it sometimes. I'm a dad of a most beautiful boy. He was born just a few weeks ago, his name is Niko and I can't wait to take him flying.

The day was perfect and my instructor decided to go over all the main exercises including steep turns, slow flight, forced landings and stalls. Considering the lengthy absence I did pretty well. I think.

I do however want to dedicate this post to forced landings. From my research it appears this is one of the 'most failed' exercises during the flight exam...so why?

The simple sequence goes something like:

1. Carburetor heat on (if you have one)
2. Set glide speed
3. Pick a field to land and plan your approach
3. Cause check

Fuel (pick the tank with most amount of fuel)
Ignition (on)
Mixture (rich)
Carburetor, Alt air. Throttle to full

4. Restart
if you fail
5. Radio - Mayday – Squawk 7700
6. Brief Passenger(s)
7. Try again. Secure engine (Ignition off, fuel off, etc)
8. Fly
9. Unlatch doors before touchdown, master switch off on final
10. Land safely

Only 10 steps, seems simple enough. So, what's the deal?

I know I oversimplified but where do you think is the issue ?

What do the flight examiners have to say about this exercise?

The forced landing item is not only about gliding to a point, it is also about managing an emergency situation, making correct decisions and following prescribed procedures that lead to a successful approach and landing.

It's all about you being able to manage. Key points according to the examiners' manual?

Pick the field and stick to it- I know this may sound a bit daunting especially when you are at 3000 feel AGL and you can't make out much more than a house, but I after a few times practicing this exercise I noticed that it is better to pick an 'ok' field (rather than the 'perfect' field) that looks level, without too many obstacles and hopefully into the wind and not into the sun:) ...another tip, pick a field you know you can make. How? By estimating your glide distance - here is what I recommend. By the way, in most cases if you change your mind during the exam about your pick, you fail!
Control/Approach - translates to 'make the field' - this is where your glide estimate comes in handy. It also helps to know your approximate altitude AGL so you can arbitrarily pick a point at which you need to start your base turn and final approach. The recommended point is usually 1000 AGL when you beam the touchdown point threshold. Tip - check out the map and the closest obstacle so you can calculate the ground elevation. Then, hands on flying as you practiced many times before.
Cockpit Management - remember your safety checks including your 'cause check' above and overall good airmanship

It does not appear complicated but I believe based on my own experience, many make the mistake to over think this exercise including the choice of the field...! My advice? Trust your experience. There is a reason they make you practice this one over and over again.

Here is a good article I've found on the web from New Zealand that focuses on forced landing .

What are your experiences? Make sure to comment below.

V- Speeds

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Velocity speeds are universal terms used to define important airspeeds of the aircraft. You want to know at what speed you will clear the tree that is in front of you...:)

The following V-speeds and their definitions you need to know for the PPL exam. I tried to summarize them as they appear on the airspeed indicator as well as importance.

Indicated on the Airspeed indicator:

V_{SO -} Stall Speed with landing configuration, that is flaps out (could stand for the "O") and landing gear down. The VSO is indicated at the bottom of white arc

V_S - Stall Speed with a "clean" aircraft configuration. i.e. No flaps. Bottom of the green arc

V_FE – maximum flap extension speed – the top of the white arc on an airspeed indicator. Flaps should not be extended beyond this airspeed.

V_NO – safe normal operating speed – the beginning (bottom) of the yellow arc or top of green arc on an airspeed indicator. One should only fly over this airspeed in smooth air conditions.

V_NE – never exceed speed – indicated by a red line on the airspeed indicator. This speed is the maximum allowed to insure structural integrity in smooth air only.

Not on the Airspeed indicator

V_A – manoeuvring speed (A ok)– the airspeed where one can apply full control input, without causing structural damage. Used to penetrate turbulent air.

V_Y – best rate of climb – the greatest gain in altitude over shortest period of time.

V_X – best angle of climb – the greatest gain in altitude over shortest distance, used for clearing obstacles. Good way to differentiate between rate of climb and angle of climb is that X has more angles than Y

V_LO – maximum gear operating speed – the maximum speed one should operate an aircraft with the gear lowered wheel ('O').

V_G -'Best Glide Speed'.

V_LE- 'Maximum Landing Gear Extended Speed'.

V_R - 'Rotation Speed' or take off speed.

There are more V's for you on Wikipedia page here.

Just remember, you will need to know the above for the exam. Please note the most challenging questions are those that ask about the top of bottom of the white and/or green arc. Example would be V_S and V_NO. Another tricky one is knowing your Vs and Vso. Know them well. For your aircfart you will be able to find all the key V's in the POH (Pilot's Operationg Handbook).

and here is V_{HS- as in Holy Sh%#!} (don't worry, not on the exam)

Magnetic Dip, Not the Macho Nacho Dip

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:48:00 +0000

Most everyone loves the nacho dip but most pilots don' like the magnetic one....Find out why below.

I'm sure you are all familiar with the compass however for the PPL exam and when you are flying you need to know about a couple of its tendencies.

One of them is the Magnetic dip which results from the tendency of a magnet to align itself with lines of earth's magnetic force. These lines of force are not parallel to the surface so in the north end, the compass needle will point down on the northern hemisphere (positive dip) or up on the southern hemisphere (negative dip).

One sample exam question you may encounter may be:

Q . When operating in the northern hemisphere, one can expect a direct reading compass to _____, when turning from a heading of 085 degrees to 115 degrees.

lead
show little or no error
lag
dip

Solution?
Let's look at some useful techniques to understand and remember.

Turning Errors
When turning from southerly headings the compass tends to lead, meaning the compass indicates the direction before the aircraft. When turning from northerly headings the compass tends to lag meaning the aircraft is turning in advance of the compass indication.

A good mnemonic to remember :

SAND
S - Southerly heading
A - Compass to Advance (lead)
N - Northerly heading
D - Compass to Delay (lag)

or

OSUN
O - Overshoot
S - South
U - Undershoot
N - North

I find SAND is easier to remember, but the choice is yours. Below is an image I found that shows the magnetic dip at work.

These errors are most noticeable near the north and south poles and non-existent at the equator. Therefore, these errors are observed when turns are initiated from northerly or southerly headings, and least when turns are initiated from easterly or westerly headings.

Note: These effects are opposite in the southern hemisphere.

Acceleration/ Deceleration Errors
Acceleration and deceleration errors are apparent on the compass reading most noticeably on easterly or westerly headings. These errors are non existent on headings of north or south.

Acceleration will cause the compass reading to indicate a turn towards the north.
Deceleration will cause the compass reading to indicate a turn towards the south.

A good mnemonic to remember :

ANDS

A - Accelerating
N - Northerly indicating error
D - Decelerating
S - Southerly indicating error

Let's get back to the question...

My recommendation? Deconstruct it:

What is your heading? - In this case Easterly (85 degrees).
What is the action? In this case a Turning slightly to the South (115 degrees)
Do the rules apply?

Turning Error? SAND? - in this case - No! We are turning but we are not on a Northerly or Southerly heading.
Acceleration/Deceleration Error - in this case - No! - There is no evidence of acceleration or deceleration in this example

The Answer: show little or no error.

You may be tempted to pick an answers that suggests magnetic errors ( I was) but please be careful as in some cases no error will be observed. The lesson? Make sure you understand all the information given to you before you solve the problem.

It's all about the balance

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:00:00 +0000

For this post I'm going to assume you understand the concept of weight and balance in aviation. You can learn the basics by reading and watching the following: read here and watch this video.

Instead, I'm going to focus on what you need to know for the exam.

You can expect the following types of weight and balance questions in the exam:

A. Concerning aeroplane "x", one could _____, to bring the aeroplane back into the centre of gravity moment envelope.

1. remove weight from the aeroplane
2. move weight forward in the aeroplane
3. move weight towards the back of the aeroplane
4. do none of the above

B. What is the location of the CG, in relation to the datum, for aeroplane "x"?

35 inches aft the datum.
44 inches aft the datum.
101 inches aft the datum.
70 inches aft the datum.

C. The load details for aeroplane "x", indicates that this aeroplane

1. is within the weight limits for the utility category only.
2. is within the weight limits but is not within the C of G limits.
3. exceeds both the weight limits and the C of G limits.
4. is within both the weight and the C of G limits.

in most likelihood, you will be provided with three things to work with to solve the following problems:

Sample loading scenario
Loading Graph
Centre of Gravity Moment Envelope Chart

The starting point is your sample loading scenario calculation that will have incomplete portions that you will need to look up in the loading graph. You may be given the weight of the passenger and pilot but then you need to use the loading graph to find the corresponding load moment/1000 (pounds-inches). You will repeat this to find the total weight, CG and arm of the loaded plane.

Sample of the materials you will be provided with:

Below is a sample Loading Scenario.

The formulas you need to know are:

Moment 1000/lb-in = Weight * Moment Arm /1000

Hence: 51 = 1365 * 37/1000

Load Details	Weight	Moment Arm (inches)	Moment 1000/lb-in
Basic Weight (includes full oil/unusable fuel)	1365	37	51
Usable fuel at take-off	230	52	12
Pilot and Front Passenger	360	38	13.5
Two rear seat Passengers	282	71	20
Baggage	50	80	4
Total	2287	44	101
Moment arm inches from datum is (CG)	44

Let's solve the problems then:

Solution A.
Using the total of 2287 pounds and 101 as the Moment 1000/lb-in, you ensure both points are within the envelope. Using the chart above you will see both the weight and the C of G (in this question referring to the moment) are within limits so 4 is the answer. If they are not however, use the rule below to put it into balance:

The CG location is above the envelope - weight must be removed from the aircraft.
The CG location is ahead of the envelope - weight must be moved back in the aircraft.
The CG location is behind the envelope - weight must be moved forward in the aircraft.

So, if the moment was 80 instead of 100 at the same weight, the weight would have to be moved to the back in the aircraft.

Similarly, if the moment was 115 instead of 100 at the same weight, the weight would have to be moved forward in the aircraft.

Solution B.
This one can be tricky as one of the answers is 101, which you may think is the answer...Nope, 101 is the moment 1000/lb-in not the arm which is the distance in inches aft the datum.

The answer here is 44 as it is calculated by the sum of the moment arm divided by the total weight.

hence: 101,000/2287 = 44

Solution C.
Ensure that the total weight of the plane and the total moment where these two points cross each other are charted within the 'envelope' . In the case above with weight of 2287 pounds and moment of 101, the plane is within the envelope hence the answer is 4.

One tricky part about this question can be when the airplane is within the weight limits but is not within the C of G limits. An example of this would be a plane with weight of 2400 pounds and CG (moment 1000/lb-in) of 90. If you think about it, the max allowable weight for his plane is around 2550 lbs, hence 2400 is still below that. The CG however is too far left. The weight would need to move to the back of the plane to just over 100 for it to balance.

If you know how to answer the above questions, you will not have problems during the exam.

In addition have a look at this cool weight and balance calculator here.

UTC vs LMT

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:00:00 +0000

In the PPL exam in the NAV section you may encounter questions that require you to convert local times to universal times or vice versa. Be careful when you encounter them and ensure you know what is being asked!

Here is a sample question:

The time UTC is 0100Z. What time is it at a location 60 degrees longitude west of Greenwich England?

2100LMT
2100Z
0500LMT
0500Z

Ok, so what do we know about the time zones?

Well, standard time zones are made up of Earth's 24 equal parts bordered by meridians each 15° longitude apart.

So, in the example above, 60 degrees divides nicely by 15 to give you 4, meaning you are 4 hrs west of Greenwich England (that of course happens to be the location of the the mean solar time at longitude 0° also called the Prime Meridian. )

When converting LMT (local mean time) to UTC (universal coordinated time), remember:

East is least - subtract one hour for every 15 degrees of longitude, if the location is east of the prime meridian.

West is best - add one hour for every 15 degrees of longitude, if the location is west of the prime meridian.

Using the rule above you may be compelled to add the 4 hrs to 01:00 as west is best? NOPE...

Please note that above the time given is 1 o'clock UTC, so you do not need to convert to UTC but rather to LMT.

Therefore, you use the reverse rule of the above to convert from UTC to LMT.

100 UTC minus 4 HRS = 2100 LMT (or 9PM)

Viola, the answer is 1.

Here is a great time zone map for your review

Test your knowledge in this example:

A location that is located 45 degrees longitude east of the prime meridian has an LMT of 1000. The Universal coordinated time would be

0600Z.
0700Z.
1000Z.
1300Z.

Answer?

1000 minus (east is least) 3 hrs (45 divided by 15) = 700Z (UTC)

Therefore: 2

VOR Navigation

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:50:00 +0000

When you review TC's sample PPL exam you will see a few questions like the following:

With the VOR receiver tuned to the Coehill VOR (N44º40’ W77º50’), when you are over the town of Marlbank (N44°26’ W77°05’) the CDI should be

centred with a “FROM” indication when the OBS is 123°.
centred with a “FROM” indication when the OBS is 303°.
deflected full left when the OBS is 123°.
deflected full right when the OBS is 303°.

As you can see, not only will it test your ability to know exactly where you are on the map but also to know how to interpret the VOR receiver readings.

How do you go about solving the issue above? First you need to know where you are on the map in relation to the provided points of reference. Then, you will need to understand how VOR navigation works and where you are in relation to the given information.

You will however need to understand how the VOR works. Hopefully, below you will find an easy way to understand it.

VOR is short for VHF Omni-directional Radio Range, is a radio beacon located on the ground that transmits a signal which contains azimuth or the bearing with respect to magnetic north the station is from the aircraft. The most challenging for me is how to read the actual instrument...

The round dial with selectable azimuth information is the Omni Bearing Selector (OBS). The 'needle' is the Course Deviation Indicator (CDI). That needle will move/deviate from the centre to either left or to the right when the airplane gots off course.

When the aircraft is left of the course, the CDI needle will deviate to the right, showing the pilot which direction the desired course is located.

If the needle is to the LEFT, turn the plane to the LEFT to get back on course.

The TO and FROM indicator tells you if the VOR station is in front of you or behind you in the relation to the radial you set in the OBS. If you are tracking a 000 radial and the station is ahead of you the indicator will say TO. However, if you have the reciprocal radial of 180 set, then you will show a FROM heading.

You won't need to know the following for the exam but I think it will be certainly useful in practice.

A series of horizontal dots is shown on the instrument dial so that one can tell how much of a deviation you are tracking. Every dot represents a 2° deviation off your intended course. This will tell you how lost you are but also which new heading to choose to get back on course.

Here is a great simulation that helps you to visualize.

Here is a good Youtube video that explains the above.

Dreading those rules

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:04:00 +0000

No pilot or pilots, or person or persons acting on the direction or suggestion or supervision of a pilot or pilots may try, or attempt to try or make, or make attempt to try to comprehend or understand any or all, in whole or in part of the herein mentioned Aviation Regulations, except as authorized by the Administrator or an agent appointed by, or inspected by, the Administrator.

Sound familiar? :) Yes, welcome to CARs - The Canadian Aviation Regulations are a compilation of regulatory requirements designed to enhance safety and the competitiveness of the Canadian aviation industry, blah, blah, blah

Joking aside, expect more of the above when you study the CARs. Not only are they written in legalese but memorizing them won't help you at all. You have to understand them. The exam itself will test your knowledge and "application" of those rules and regulations.

You will need to know them for your PSTAR as well as your PPL exam. So, don't waste any time.

I love Web 2.0 collaboration. In exchange for the MET flashcards I created earlier, Igor was kind enough to prepare the flashcards for all the important CARs.

Download them here

He also posted the Word and PDF version of the earlier MET cards here.

How much do pilots make in Canada?

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:05:00 +0000

Someone asked me a few days ago..how much do pilots make in a year? To be honest, I didn't know the answer to this question as I'm not pursuing my PPL to become a pro. I did some research just out of curiosity. The results were a little daunting...

The range seems unreasonably wide...

18K to 265K a year!

So, what does it take to make 265K a year? You have to own the airline:)

Ok, I'm kidding, but I suspect there are a select few with all the right skills, ratings and experience to get to that level and I'm sure many pilots just never get there. The general trend suggests that if you make it to the 'majors' as a Captain with 10+ years of service you can expect an average of 135K plus a year. Not too bad. You appear to be out of luck as a part time instructor who just got their CPL and has barely hit 250+ hours:(

Here are a few reference pieces I thought to be good to review.

Here I'm including a cool pay calculator. Be aware, his is based on individuals' self reported data meaning people could inflate these numbers. Take these results with a grain of salt.

PayScale Salary Calculator

Considerations for the written PPL Exam

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:17:00 +0000

As I'm preparing to write the PPL exam, I've decided to look around for tips I may find useful just before/during the examination. Here are top 20 I've found to be most interesting and insightful.

Review the sample exams and answer guides. They will give you a flavour of the type of questions to expect. Click here to download the TC sample exam software. Have a look at the right navbar of this site for sample online exams you can take.
Spend appropriate amount of time learning what Transport Canada tells you is of major importance. Click on each section and see little airplane that represents the most important sections
Review TC's document that outlines weak knowledge areas based on past years' exam results - Review it here
Know your CAR's - shouldn't be too much trouble as TC tells you the sections plus you already studied most of them for PSTAR exam
Be careful with questions that reference AGL vs MSL heights -TC will use them interchangeably
When asked for minimum altitude over any given point on the map, ensure you consider the type of an area i.e. parks
Be careful with questions that reference Magnetic vs True heading or track -TC will use them interchangeably
In the MET section ensure to read all the notes on the maps/charts provided - the notes may contain the answer you are looking for!
Do navigation last as it is most time consuming and you don't want to run out of time
Be careful to check your early NAV answers as some will carry through to future questions
In NAV, only focus on calculations required to answer questions on the exam
On VOR questions, draw the plane facing the OBS to reduce confusion - TC will purposefully make it look a bit odd
In NAV section your numbers/answers will seldom be identical to one of the options due to different interpolations on charts. Go for BEST(closest) ANSWER!
Before you click "start" do all your cross country planning and review it well because it'll save you time! Know your latitude and longitude coordinates.
Don't forget to bring: I.D., current medical, letter of recommendation, proof of experience and training, payment, pencils, eraser, navigation ruler, protractor, calculator and flight computer
You are not allowed to bring in any notes (obviously) so write down any formulas you think you may need right before you start the exam. You may ask for scrap paper too...
Don't forget about common sense - it is not all about memorization
Review more tips from Transport Canada - View here
Know your stuff! You want to ace this not just pass.
Did you make an appointment yet?

Break a pen.

PPL Students' Achilles Heal - Meteorology

noreply@blogger.com (PPL) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:43:00 +0000

I'm exaggerating as usual, but many say Meteorology is the hardest component of the PPL exam. I'm currently preparing for the written test, so I decided to start with MET. As I'm am a very visual learner and can't rely on my memory alone, I decided to prepare visual flashcards that I hope will help me remember the most critical concepts.

I originally planned not to spend more than a few days on this, but I quickly realized it will be a much more daunting task. Few weeks later...

Today, I've finally printed my 'masterpiece' and it came to 36 pages or 72 flash cards with most important meteorology facts inside.

And it works! I tested my MET knowledge in a sample online test (thanks http://viennatech.ca/blog/ for the link) and already got over 85%...just by creating the cards...I'm sure that with some review time, I will be able to ace the test soon enough.

Here are a couple things to remember before you get it..

When you download the file, make sure to format it in Word or other editor to ensure the margins are equal on both sides, the table columns of equal length, cell padding etc. It will take some formatting time but it's worth it.
Duplex print - I have set up the document to be printed double-sided so you can print it, cut the cards and laminate them if you choose to do so...
Content - content is from either wikipedia, AIM or other publicly available websites and my own interpretation from other various reference materials. If you are unsure of the validity or accuracy, look it up. Basically, I'm not taking any responsibility for the accuracy of the content nor your test results. Better yet...
Contribute - if you wish to edit, add to this document, just let me know, I will get you the author rights in Google Docs.
Enjoy and let me know if you find it useful!

Here it goes: Meteorology Flashcards