(Surprisingly many mountain courses do not emphasize this gotcha!)Īnd this circles back around to 91.103 (required preflight action) which is a critical mandate for every flight (once you get beyond “all available information”). This is also where a dry aerodynamic concept really requires more study and understanding. Here is where the divergence between IAS/TAS can hurt an unprepared pilot (and another one bites the dust…). Though your eyes (and hours of experience) say “it looks about right to rotate,” the airspeed indicator is still only showing 40 IAS. (Power decreases at 3% per thousand feet but TAS increases at 2% per thousand feet, what is the optimal altitude?) More important to safety is unpacking a scenario involving a take off at Leadville on a hot day. On a commercial evaluation, an examiner might ask selecting the most efficient altitude for cruise. Most pilots can state this fact (and pass an FAA knowledge or even practical evaluation) but still not comprehend the full significance of this physical principle. Indicated and true airspeed diverge as the air gets thinner (non-standard). This is the heart of Rich Stowell’s “Learn to Turn” initiative (see Community Aviation Courses). Once this is understood, a turning stall is easy. Both aileron and rudder should be neutral in a stabilized turn, the elevator does all the work (again lift is equal on the wings). Pilots often turn with the rudder or hold adverse aileron as they bank. But most simply solved, if the lift were *NOT* equal on the wings, your plane would still be rolling! Failure to fully comprehend this basic aerodynamic fact has huge safety implications. This statement can lead to many puzzled looks or start some red-faced arguments (with Greek letters). Lift is equal on the wings in a stabilized turn. I have discovered commercial pilots who don’t know this, or if they know it by rote, they don’t grasp the full implications this has on stability, control and limitations. The tail “lifts down!” Despite being able to carefully calculate the weight and balance of a plane (and pass all the FAA questions and several practicals), many pilots never fully understood this concept (or the ramifications). Even rated pilots with many hours seem to have missed some of these basics. Only when they are fully grasped, can seemingly dry concepts assemble into useful tools and make safer pilots. For CFIs, one critical job is to discover and correct these voids – the killers -before they hurt someone. But despite this, every pilot has “black holes” in their knowledge missed or just misunderstood. Growth and improvement are part of the challenge we accept when we sign that first temporary and assume PIC control. You can find this information from multiple sources such as: Aviation Weather Center, Foreflight, NOAA, and weather briefer.Despite what 91.103 requires, no pilot has “all available information.” But the nature of our changing equipment and environment requires continual learning from every pilot in both knowledge and skill. These will give you the current and forecasted weather conditions and help you make that go/no go decision. When checking the weather, be sure to look at the current METARs, TAFs, AIRMETs, and SIGMETs. Pilots should always check the NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) and PIREPs (Pilot Reports) along the flight route to make sure there are no active alerts, delays, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) or hazards that could impact the safety of the flight. The best way to remember the factors associated with EnVironment is by using the NWKRAFT checklist: N OTAMs, W eather, K nown ATC Delays, R unway Lengths, A lternates, F uel Requirements, T akeoff and Landing Distances ( 14 CFR §91.103). Things like weather, airport and airspace conditions, and the geography of the land are things a pilot needs to take into consideration before each flight. The outside environment is a major factor that could impact your flight.
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