Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

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Aero-Tips 11.25.06

Take out your #2 pencil, it's time for a pop quiz. Answers are at the end of this Aero-Tips... no fair peeking.

• QUESTION 1: You're in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and your #2 radio goes out. Are you required to inform Air Traffic Control (ATC)? (Yes/No)
• QUESTION 2: You're in visual conditions on an IFR flight plan and your #2 radio goes out. Are you required to inform ATC? (Yes/No)
• QUESTION 3: You're in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) on an ATC clearance in Class B airspace while on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight and your #2 radio fails. Are you required to inform ATC? (Yes/No)
• QUESTION 4: In each of the three scenarios above, your handheld GPS batteries die and you have no adapter to hook to ship's power. Are you required to tell ATC?
• QUESTION 5: If in any of these scenarios you are required to inform ATC, what specific information are you required to give?

Answers

FAR 91.187 Operation under IFR in controlled airspace: Malfunction reports.

(a) The pilot in command of each aircraft operated in controlled airspace under IFR shall report as soon as practical to ATC any malfunctions of navigational, approach, or communication equipment occurring in flight.

So the answers to our questions are:

QUESTION 1: Yes. You are on an IFR flight plan and the report is required regardless of actual flight conditions.

QUESTION 2: Yes. You are on an IFR flight plan and the report is required regardless of actual flight conditions.

QUESTION 3: No. FAR 91.187 only applies to airplanes on instrument flight plans, not when operating VFR even if in airspace requiring ATC contact or clearance.

QUESTION 4: Maybe, if IFR. This is a grey area. Although handheld GPS equipment may not be used as primary navigation equipment, it's common practice to note "VFR GPS" in the Remarks section of an IFR flight plan, and even in IMC negotiate a "vector" to your destination when both you and ATC know you're using GPS to define the heading and ground track. If you've been using your GPS in this manner it's a good idea to tell ATC it has quit, so they won't assume you still have the ability to "vector" and track yourself.

QUESTION 5: FAR 91.187 tells us that, if a report is required, you must provide:

1. Aircraft identification;
2. Equipment affected;
3. Degree to which the capability of the pilot to operate under IFR in the ATC system is impaired; and
4. Nature and extent of assistance desired from ATC.

Aero-tip of the day: Know when, and what, to report equipment outages. It's all about keeping you safe and in synch with ATC.

FMI: Aero-Tips