Since the ATP requirement for first officers of FAR Part 121 carriers took effect in summer 2013, the debate over the existence of a pilot shortage has intensified. So, too, has the finger pointing all across Washington.
Cirrus Aircraft has begun offering its Performance Braking System for operators of Generation 3 and newer aircraft from Cirrus Direct, the company owned parts distribution system. The high-performance, single-caliper brake system uses tubeless tires and redesigned wheel fairings to improve reliability and performance. The system is standard on new SR22T, SR22 and SR20 models. Cirrus is additionally developing the upgrade for earlier model aircraft. The system is priced at $15,300 for Generation 3 and newer models.
A low-cost flight director is under development by King Radio engineers. The price goal is in the $1,000 ballpark. So far no such device is available (or known to be in development) at anywhere near this figure.
TSB investigators determined that the accident pilot was getting a briefing on the King Air’s instrumentation and avionics systems from the assisting pilot during the flight from Georgetown, Texas, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Hamstrung in its hiring efforts from sequestration cuts, the FAA late last year decided to take a much more open approach to hiring and on Feb. 10 simply posted job openings for air traffic controller candidates. In July, Administrator Michael Huerta reported he was “pleased to announce that the FAA has extended tentative offer letters to 1,600 candidates to join this proud team as the next group of air traffic control specialists.” Training for the class began last month.
I was an unmanned aircraft expert until I turned 16. Up until then, I built squadrons of balsa and tissue control-line airplanes and competed with them. But then I soloed in a Cessna 150, discovered girls and forgot about toy airplanes.
This month we’re looking at the loss of a Beech 1900C that crashed while setting up for an approach at Dillingham, Alaska, Airport (DLG). Both pilots were killed when the airplane crashed into rising terrain about 10 mi. east of Aleknagik, Alaska.
The entry-level light jet market is awash in inventory and the flood isn’t going to recede anytime soon. That creates some great bargains for used aircraft buyers. And one of the best buys out there is Embraer’s Phenom 100 because of its clean-sheet, low-drag airframe, space efficiency, operating economy and jetliner-like reliability.
Aug. 27— About 1045 CDT, a Cessna 310 (N101JB) conducted a forced landing shortly after takeoff from the El Dorado/Captain Jack Thomas Memorial Airport, El Dorado, Kansas. The airline transport rated pilot and sole passenger, were not injured, however the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Lakepoint Aviation II, LLC, Augusta, Kansas, as a proficiency flight. It was VFR for the flight that was originating at the time. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector, that he was doing touch-and-goes.
Top-notch military, airline and business aircraft flight operations have multiple layers of defense that trap risks before they can develop into mishaps. Among them are Federal Aviation Regulations, aircraft documents and manuals, safety management systems (SMSes) and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Other models use different labels, but they all illustrate multiple layers for trapping pilot errors.
In June 1968, I was among a group of despondent U.S. Air Force lieutenants hanging around the operations desk at the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Phu Cat Air Base in South Vietnam. One of our friends had spread himself and his airplane over a quarter mile of rice paddy that morning. The most likely cause of the tragedy was that he’d stared a second too long at the target on his second low-angle pass. Nevertheless, he was dead, we were dejected and facing a reality, given this man’s suddenly changed status, that we had not seriously considered.
One common trait among maintainers is a strong curiosity about how things work. Many of us were inquisitive children who would take apart just about anything our hands could hold. Nothing mechanical could escape our exploration. With more practice, we put them back together without our parent’s knowledge. The ability to understand how things work and how to repair them creates a unique kind of satisfaction that the unknowing masses can never really appreciate. It becomes a part of our makeup, rather than just something that we do.
Until recently, search and rescue efforts for downed aircraft were keyed to emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signals on 121.5 MHz and 243.0 MHz, the civilian and military emergency frequencies, respectively. ELTs are designed to activate automatically by the g forces experienced in a crash. The frequencies were monitored by orbiting satellites and ground-based mission control centers.
What is the one aircraft system pilots seem to know the least about? During my book research; following presentations at gatherings sponsored by the NBAA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Flight Safety Foundation; and after countless conversations with fellow pilots, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s the one activated by the small switch labeled “ELT-ON.”
There are times when you may be forced into a situation where you need to repair a part, but the manufacturer might no longer be in business or support the thing that needs fixing. In such cases, you can develop your own repairs, using acceptable data and good shop practices, but you will need to get approval. To learn how to do this, see FAA Order 8110.54a — Instructions for Continued Airworthiness Responsibilities, Requirements and Contents. Go to www.faa.gov and search for 8110.54a.
OK, everybody, listen up. On Friday afternoon between 1:00 and 5:45 and then again from 9:15 that night until about midnight Saturday you're to stay put. There's someone more important than you coming to visit, and we don't want you in the way causing trouble. Got it?
What is the most-complex system on your aircraft? Which system is the most error-prone? If you are flying an airplane built in the last 40 years or so, chances are the answer to both questions is the same: the pilot.
One thing that appeared to be missing from “Lessons Learned — Asiana Flight 214” ( Cause & Circumstance, August 2014, page 68) was a discussion of the union effect on operations. Because of the length of these long-range Pacific flights, most legs require four pilots either by regulation or union contract. Most contracts are based on a maximum of 75 hr. per month and can be modified by negotiated contract specifics.
I just finished reading “Operators Survey: King Air 250” (September 2014, page 28), a very enjoyable article about a wonderful plane. As a Blackhawk King Air 200 operator, I wanted to add a few things.
RUAG is now providing real wood flooring as an option for owners and operators looking to enhance the quality of their cabin environment. Developed by Austria’s LIST components and furniture GmbH, the wood flooring can be installed by RUAG on various aircraft types.
FlightSafety International is offering online training for the ground school portion of its Gulfstream G550 recurrent pilot training course. The course is offered to pilots who operate their aircraft under FAA or EASA regulations. It replaces two days of the recurrent training course normally taken at a Learning Center and includes a 13-hr.
