Instrument Flying

Any pilot whos flown in the system much knows air traffic controllers can be intimidating. The very use of the term controller implies a level of authority over pilots, which often translates into the mindset that pilots always must comply with a controllers instructions, or else. Thats true to an extent, but the pilot is always the final authority as to the operation of the aircraft. It says so, right there in FAR 91.3

“November 12345 is cleared for the visual approach to Runway One Left, traffic is a Boeing 737 on a seven-mile final behind you, maintain best speed, contact the tower….Fly into a Class C or Class B primary airport and youll eventually be asked to keep your speed up because of inbound traffic behind you. Do it IFR, even at some Class D facilities, and youd best be very ready to mix with the heavy iron, which easily could be approaching 100 knots faster than your flivver can manage.

Iwish I had read, or at least learned the material, in Mike Harts April 2018 article (Seeing The Invisible) before my husband and I departed on a flight from Santa Monica to Lone Pine, Calif., back in 1998. My excuse is that I had not yet earned my certificate. At the time, I blithely believed the plane simply went where you pointed it.

Its a staple of instrument flying: the need to alter your route to avoid weather hazards. Often the obstacle in your path is a building cumulus cloud-a thunderstorm. The good news is that ATC is almost always willing and able to let you maneuver around clouds with extensive vertical development. All you have to do is ask (although sometimes weve seen ATC offer a different route in advance). Before you make the request, however, there are several things you need to consider to safely and successfully maneuver around the threat.

Last December 24th, a Cessna 340 crashed at Bartow, Fla., during an attempted predawn, IMC departure. All five aboard the airplane died. We dont know yet what factors, if any, beside the weather may have contributed to this Christmas Eve tragedy. Regardless, the circumstances should remind us of the extra planning and skill needed for a departure into low IMC, day or night-even if everything is going right.

For the last few years, my home airport has been a private, paved and lighted strip in a rural area. The pilot-controlled lighting is non-standard, however. For one, the systems intensity is relatively weak. For another, there seem to be fewer runway lights than at most other airports Ive used. And the light fixtures themselves seem located farther from the pavement than Im accustomed. Often, there are few other ground lights in the area to help provide perspective at night. The runway does not have a rotating beacon, only a dimly lit windsock that may or may not tell the truth. There are few obstructions in the area above a couple of hundred feet, although theres a tall tower about five miles north.

• The Risk Of Engine Failure
• Vauum Systems
• Just Go Around
• Visualizing Wind
• Low-Viz Takeoffs

Almost from the beginning of our training, pilots are taught how to react to an engine failure. Before that, though, were also taught how to conduct a preflight inspection to ensure the engine (and the rest of the aircraft) is ready for what we are planning. Thats as it should be, since mechanical failures are a major component of overall accident causes, right after the pilot making a mistake. The good news is that the typical piston engine in a personal aircraft is much more reliable than it was a few years ago. The bad news is those reliability improvements often result in pilots giving little thought to piston engine aircraft reliability because failures have become so rare.

Over the last couple of years, Ive spent some time helping students transition to full-fledged private pilots. One of the first questions I do is ask them is to picture a standard six-pack of steam-gauge instruments and explain what they each do and where they get their energy. Most pilots can quickly rattle off the airspeed indicator, the altimeter and the vertical speed indicator. Those systems are relatively simple to understand and describe.

Right fuel tank cracked at top seam. Tank was replaced. Operator noticed a very loud oil canning sound from right wing after shutdown following a one-hour flight. Investigation revealed a partial blockage of the fuel tank vent, causing oil canning of fuel tank due to vacuum in fuel tank. Vent line was cleared and vented cap was replaced with new.