Wed, Jun 16, 2004
Free, With Pictures!
A free, illustrated four-step method
for VFR pilots to minimize their chance of a collision with terrain
at night or when visibility suddenly lowers has been added to the
AOPA Air Safety Foundation main Web page.
Called Terrain Avoidance Plan (TAP), the new ASF summary shows
how to use published altitudes on both IFR and VFR aeronautical
charts to establish an individual minimum safe altitude for VFR
flight in such conditions.
"In darkness or when the visibility unexpectedly comes down,
knowing how far you are above the ground or obstructions can be a
lifesaver," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "For VFR
at night, using ASF's TAP method can bring peace of mind and an
extra level of safety. And although we're certainly not encouraging
pilots to cheat on visibility, should a pilot be caught by a
sudden, unforecast drop in visibility, climbing is likely a safer
choice than descending to scud-run while the pilot works to regain
acceptable flying conditions."
Scud-running by GA pilots has been shown to result in accidents
labeled by the NTSB as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) and is
almost always fatal. Flying VFR at night is considered relatively
safe, provided the pilot is properly trained and exercises good
sense.
ASF also offers a wide range of free online interactive courses
on various aspects of GA safety, as well as search capability on
the ASF GA Safety Database, the world's largest non-governmental GA
accident database.
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