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.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network.

Aero-Tips 10.21.06

Next on the list of FAA's Top 10 causes of pilot error accidents (#7, if you're counting): improper in-flight decisions or planning.

This is an all-encompassing category with a lot of overlap with other Top 10 areas.  In a nutshell, however, in-flight decision boils down to asking questions like these (and coming up with an honest and fact-supported answer):

• Is the weather as good as or better than forecast, and is it holding or improving at your destination?
• • If YES, continue.
  • If NO, get updated weather information from uplinks, Flight Watch or any other available resource.  Revise your route and/or altitude, and start looking for alternates, as needed.
• " Is the fuel burn what you planned for, are fuel indicators in agreement with your computed fuel state at all times during the flight, and is your ground speed as good or better than forecast?
• • If YES, continue.
  • If NO, recalculate your reserves.  Change your power setting if needed and/or start looking for alternates with available fuel.
• "Is the airplane, its engine(s) and systems working, sounding and indicating properly?
• • If YES, continue.
  • If NO, troubleshoot and correct any problems as time permits, and start looking for a nearby alternate (and keep scanning for off-airport landing sites, just in case).
• Are you performing to your potential, not exhibiting signs of fatigue, hypoxia and/or the effects of lack or recency (sleepiness, poor heading and altitude control, difficulty making decisions, missed radio calls, physical signs of hypoxia, etc.)?
• • If YES, continue.
  • If NO, got to full supplemental oxygen, if available.  Aim for improving conditions and land as soon as possible to rest and wait for better conditions.

This should prompt you to come up with even more "howgozit" questions to ask yourself regularly while in flight.

Remember there's a wealth of help available on the other end of the radio-from controllers, Flight Watch, ASOS, AWOS, ATIS and UNICOMs along the way, and even other pilots on frequency (after asking ATC for permission to let you ask a question of another pilot). 

Aero-Tip Of The Day: Ask yourself questions like these, and you'll replace wishful thinking with solid, fact-based decision-making…to avoid this Top 10 contributor to aircraft mishaps.

FMI: Aero-Tips