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Contents
…A License to Learn;
…Flying Smart IFR; ..Saving
Money; …Safety Pilot; …Hood
'Actual'; …Safety Standards; …Tape
Recorder; …Logging Time; …Low
approach; …Cockpit Organization; …Basic
IFR Flight Skills; ...Having the Light Touch when
IFR; ...Compass Turns
Required when HI Dies;
...Standard Rate Turn Rule of Thumb; ...Steep
Turns; ...Zero-Zero Takeoff Simulation; ...Right
Seat IFR; …Transitions; …Flying
so Flying is not Part of the IFR Problem; …Trim;
...IFR Climb and Descent; ... Visibility;
... Using
IFR; ... IFR Rating Allows You to... …VFR-on-Top;
…Rudder Trim in IFR; ...Altitude
Selection; ...MOA Item; ...KISS
Flying; … An IFR Solution to Turbulence;
…Items; …Night IFR;
… Big Picture IFR into Small Places;
…Stabilize Early Technique; ...Emergency
Knowledge; ...Six IFR Instrument Configurations;
... Vacuum Failures; ...My
Gyro Failure; ...Anticipate Your Expectations;
…Flying in Weather; ...
A License to Learn
The hard part of IFR flight after obtaining your rating is not the flying
so much as surviving while you fill all the experience gaps not covered in
your training. The last level of achievement will be in acquiring the
confidence needed to fly IFR alone. Competent IFR pilots do not crash, often.
Flying Smart IFR
When first beginning IFR training the multiplicity of tasks so divides our
attention that the putting together of the puzzle seems impossible. There are
some ways not only to fly better but to fly smarter.
--A good pilot will anticipate rather than react. Thinking ahead of the
airplane is a necessity, not a choice.
--Scan is an essential ingredient to good IFR piloting. A proficient scan can
only be maintained by continual practice.
--You can get away with some memorized checklists. Written checklists are the
preferred method of experienced pilots.
--Be exact in your actions. Know how much power, trim, rudder, it takes to do
what. Organize the flow path of what you do.
--Know where you are in the world around you. Nothing, but nothing, so
disables the thought processes as being lost, confused or misplaced.
--Learn enough of the codes so as to know the navaid identifier when you hear
it.
--Organize your flight materials. There is considerable difference between
having something and knowing just where you have it.
--Use all your ATC and cockpit resources. Every radio and navaid should be
used effectively. Knowing you need
assistance requires a companion factor of being able to ask for it.
--Divide the things you do into priorities. Do the primary things in order.
Secondary things must wait both their turn and the time of doing.
--Standards are just averages. Fly to a higher level in maintaining altitude,
heading and airspeed.
--The pre-approach preparation of weather, getting plate essentials, setting
radios and navaids is completed before
reaching the initial approach fix.
--If you are not doing something then there must be something you should be
doing.
--Getting behind is part of life and flying. Slowing down the airplane is the
best way to catch up to it in the cockpit.
--Beginning with aircraft control we find that flying the airplane must be
removed as part of the equation.
Saving Money
The IFR rating doesn't have to be as expensive as most pilots make it. The ego
of most mid-time pilots often and mistakenly lead them to believe that the
major hurdles are to learn the applicable material needed to pass the written.
The flying is a 40 hour understood requirement but no problem.
Though often not prone to boast, every pilot likes to think of himself as a
good pilot. The pilot, however, is selective in his recollections of flying
events and performance. The quality of a pilot is a conglomerate of many
skills and thought processes. Any deficiency in one area permeates the whole.
Jack Nicklaus said of golfing, "The game of golf is not how many good
shots you hit, it's how few bad shots you hit. The same concept applies to
instrument flying. Greatest weakness of IFR students is their inability to fly
basic instruments.
Until you master efficient aircraft operation don't even think of beginning
concentrated IFR instruction. That is unless you have in ingrained desire to
escalate your instructional costs. The best way to become IFR efficient after
getting your private license would be to get at least forty of your fifty
required hours of cross country using IFR enroute techniques while VFR. IFR
radio procedures like most ATC procedures are 'canned'. Everything you say
will be the same format except for place names, altitudes, aircraft numbers,
and special instructions or requests.
The skill of flying has a foundation of planning for efficiency in every phase. Anticipation instead of reaction is the difference. The skillful pilot has a planned efficient preflight, a planned efficient departure, a planned efficient flight route, and a planned efficient arrival. Even the most minute aspect of the above operations should be both planned and efficient. The seeming effortless performance of a skillful pilot is due to planning and efficiency. There is a minimum of wasted or repetitive movement of body and controls. All actions are predicated to anticipate a minimum of subsequent action. How rapidly you improve in your instrument flying will be directly related to how quickly you learn from your mistakes.
How well you fly IFR is directly related to your initial flight training and the extent to which the instrument instructor has to rebuild habits and concepts. Extra vigilance and precision is required to fly IFR. The transition is not easy or without emotional pain. You will sacrifice much of the freedom and tolerances allowed in VFR flight.
A CFII will use numerous devices to reduce the stress of the VFR to IFR transition. The learning curve depends on many factors which must be orchestrated by the student and instructor to keep everything moving in harmony. The student wants the enjoyment of flying, perhaps, without realizing that the expense of flying will soon out run any enjoyment if the required book knowledge is not acquired. I roughly figure about four hours of study for every hour of flying.
Study should go in phases. Initially cover the material quickly as with a novel to get the big picture. You need to see where you are headed. Next read and make small marks (Not underlines or highlights) to identify what you think of as worth underlining. A final reading should underline or highlight the essentials.
The flight training should include extensive pre- and post-flight briefings and review. My preference for a planned flight to Sacramento would include mentioning the flight and suggested preparation for the flight at the end of the immediately preceding flight. This would be followed by a phone conversation the night before during which preparation would reviewed by going through the approach plates and radio procedures to be anticipated.
I would expect the aircraft to be preflighted and ready to go at the appointed time of my arrival at the airport. We would walk through the entire departure route on the ramp. We would walk through the route and expected altitudes including the missed approach. We would walk and talk through the radio procedures. Next, we would sit in the aircraft and make a dry-run through all the communication frequencies and voice communications anticipated including a check of our frequency list. Finally, we would run through The #1 and #2 navigational frequencies and OBS settings for the route as they occurred in sequence. We do everything on the ground that can be done on the ground.
Since all of the preflight briefing and actual flight is tape recorded my post-flight briefing will be directed toward essential successes and shortcomings. I will emphasize how and why any changes must be initiated. A final debriefing will occur over the phone after the student has had a chance to play back the recordings.
I try to make flying and learning to fly enjoyable but not without mistakes. Mistakes are an instructional tool not to be feared but to be appreciated as real time events that can occur regardless of experience level. I am always available to talk flying.
I have had IFR pilots go through a very difficult instructional period and then relax. They relax so much that they make basic mistakes of heading, radio, aircraft configuration and situational awareness. Don't relax until you stop the engine.
Safety pilot
per FAR 91.109(b)
--Safety pilot must be private with category and class ratings. If VFR safety
pilot does not need IFR rating. If IFR PIC must be instrument rated, current,
and legal.
--If two equally qualified pilots should chose to trade hood time while the
other acts as safety pilot, they both can log PIC time. One as sole
manipulator of the controls and the other as required crew member.
--Minimum qualifications for safety pilot is a private pilot appropriately
rated in aircraft. Flight under simulated instrument conditions are logged as
place and type of each instrument approach completed and name of the safety
pilot.
Hood 'Actual'
You should have an "actual conditions" checklist. Every time you go
under the hood you should go through the list to develop good IFR habits. It
could/should include such items as pitot heat, vacuum backup, alternate air
check and HI/Compass check
Safety Standards
1. No hard IFR without redundant vacuum and possible redundant gyros
2. Enough fuel to fly to VFR conditions.
3. Don't do a second approach after missed approach. Go somewhere
better.
4. Don't let 'getting there' be part of the problem.
5. Don't fly where slow air masses meet low pressure systems.
Tape Recorder
When using tape recorder always give a time check at the beginning of each 45
minute tape run so that time of a given event can be determined. The FAA does
it to you every time you contact ATC.
Logging Time
--FAR Part 1 defines PIC as the one responsible for operation. You cannot be
PIC on an IFR flight plan unless IFR rated even in VFR conditions.
--You can log PIC time under FAR 61.51 (c)(2)(i) which is when the pilot is
the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is
rated.
--FAR 61.51 (C)(4) then defines instrument time as when the pilot operates an
aircraft solely by reference to instruments. This second PIC time is time
toward instrument flight experience requirement of FAR 61.65.
--Instructional time cannot be logged as IFR instruction unless a CFI is
aboard. 40 hours of instruction in IFR is required. 25 hours can be with a CFI
and at least 15 must be with a CFII. If you can, get up to twenty-five hours
of instruction from a CFI who will probably instruct for less than a CFII.
Low Approach
The practice of IFR low approaches to minimums does not violate the
restrictions in FAR 91.119.
Cockpit
Organization
Consider using the back of your lapboard to keep round numbers for range,
climb per nautical mile speeds, landing and takeoff distances. Every checklist
has a time where it should be completed. Planning ahead gets the list finished
before that time. Emergency lists must include such automatics as convert
airspeed to altitude, turn to selected field.
The POH tells you how to operate the aircraft but very little is said of the specifics of preparing for IFR flight. Every phase of IFR flight has a specific number of items that should be checked by the checklist. When you play with the 'big boys' you must fit into the game by knowing what to say, do, and avoid.
Basic IFR Flight
Skills
To fly basic instruments the pilot must acquire sufficient experience in
flying with a light "finger-tip" touch to see that it really works
best. Doing so, will make aircraft control an exercise in relaxation. You must
hold the controls with only your fingertips. This is the beginning step in
good instrument flying.
To fly IFR you must be able to do quite a number of different simple things in correct sequence. Anticipation instead of reaction. The timing and order of these things must be reduced to their most simple denominators. Then, after all aspects of instrument flight are in place and ordered you must have sufficient intellectual/emotional capacity left to carry on a casual conversation AND cope with some unexpected event. This is what you can do while driving a car.
--Do we lift off at Vso and climb at Vy? There are NO acceptable variations
in airspeed. Speed is right or not right.
--Have we preset the trim?
--Do we know the direction and amount of trim change for several key
configurations and power settings?
--Do we know the power changes and sequence, as well?
--Can you climb and level off at the same speeds with a minimum sequence of
trim and power changes? Altitude is either right or not right. There are NO
acceptable variations in altitude.
--Can you go from a climb to level cruise, likewise?
--From level cruise to approach speed?
--From approach to 500 fpm descent? And back level?
--From approach/landing configuration to climb?
--Go through any of the above flight changes and note the time required. Now
cut that time in half next time.
--Once in a configuration, can we fly with one finger?
--How well can you hold heading with rudder alone? How long?
--How well can you track to a VOR like this?
For a given aircraft configuration, a known pitch attitude with a known power setting will result in a standard of performance. The configuration, pitch and power requirements MUST be pre-determined and known for the aircraft that we fly. Smoothness and precision is everything in IFR flying. Make flying the plane a part of your body. Think ahead...You must be able to anticipate any power changes required by control movements or pressures. Reaction instead of anticipation is indicative of a skill deficiency,
Basic instrument flight skills are those that a pilot can accomplish by reference to the aircraft instruments without outside reference. The four basic maneuvers (climbs, descents, level, and turns) alone or in combination, can be accomplished at several airspeeds and configurations with exact ordered sequence of power, control and trim. Specifically, you must know the power settings required for level, climb, and descent for at least two or more airspeeds. You must know how to anticipate the control movements and pressures required for any power changes. You must have mastered the following transitions.
(I must make a very important note to the reader at this point. If the leveling off procedures, or any other procedure, given below are different from those you normally use you will have a potential problem. Under an instructor's initial guidance you may learn and perform without difficulty. When you are under stress, as on an actual approach, you may well revert back to prior techniques. I have seen it happen many times. An IFR skill must be over-learned and over-practiced until it becomes the skill you will exercise under stress.)
Having the Light
Touch when IFR
There are times, when flying IFR that having confidence in yourself and
the aircraft will allow you to release the yoke and do cockpit chores
hands-off. You should be able to change radio frequencies, shift through
papers and deal with distractions for up to five seconds. During this time you
do not touch the controls except with your feet. You continue to scan the
instruments and make necessary corrections with you feet.
Compass Turns
required when HI Dies
A standard rate turn is at three degrees per second. By dividing the
number of degrees requires in a turn you can determine the number of seconds
required to make the turn. Less than six-degree changes in heading can
(should) be made with just rudder. Another way is to roll in and right back
our of a half-standard rate for a three degree turn and a full standard rate
for six degree turns. You should practice these turns and others.
Standard rate turn
rule of thumb
-Drop final zero off of airspeed and add five. Use attitude indicator for
initial bank and check turn coordinator for calibration by timing turns.
Steep Turns
Making a steep turn under the hood is made easier if you roll quickly into
the turn and lock the nose attitude with your elbow. Some speed deterioration
will occur by the 180-degree point so it is best that some power be added
then. On a flight test you might discuss ahead of time whether the examiner
will allow the use of trim. I teach it with and without trim. I teach use of
the VSI as a primary altitude indicator. Correct slight changes in altitude by
changing your bank angle. Recovery from the steep bank requires that not only
do you lead by 22 degrees, you must be positive in lowering the nose to the
horizon.
Zero-Zero Takeoff
Simulation
Stop momentarily on the runway centerline and set the heading indicator to
the runway heading. Use right rudder as you apply power smoothly to maintain
heading. Be sure to add additional rudder as you reach flying speed and raise
the pitch attitude. The attitude indicator will show more than required pitch
attitude than required on initial acceleration. Expect this.
Flying the Zero-Zero Takeoff
---Defined: Entire runway not visible and ceiling is below lowest
allowable approach minimums
---Part 91 is good to go but can’t come back.
---Practice hood-VFR
---Narrow tolerances of heading to stay on runway and then on course during
climb.
---Some say the turn coordinator should be used to hold directional control on
the ground and in the air..
---I feel that the heading indicator gives a quicker and more accurate
correction and fixation.
---All left turning forces occurring on the ground are resisted by tire
friction on the tarmac until airborne.
---Any back pressure to raise the nose MUST be accompanied or even anticipated
with right rudder.
---An airplane can’t turns if the wings are kept level.
---There is some instrument lag at lift off due to ground effect, expect the
lag.
---Use ground effect to accelerate then pitch for the desired climb speed by
setting attitude with AI.
---Never make a z-z takeoff without have a VFR alternate nearby. S.F Area has
Angwin above Napa.
Right Seat IFR
You can readjust yourself to the visual references and changed hand
positions on the controls. You will learn how to fly cross panlel in the
pattern and doing flight maneuvers. You will be able to use the same line of
sight referenced for aligning yourself with the same references as you used
from the left seat.This is followed by IFR tracking on approaches. You will be
forced to break habits you never even knew you had acquired. Paralax will
cause your use of compass and HI to vary a few degrees from what is read from
the left seat.
Transitions
--Normal climb to level cruise
--Level cruise to level approach speed
--Level cruise to level holding speed
--Level approach speed to holding speed
--Level cruise to 1000 fpm descent
--Level cruise to 500 fpm descent
--Approach speed to 1000 fpm descent
--Approach speed to 500 fpm descent
--Level approach speed to landing approach
--Descending approach speed to landing approach.
--Turning approach speed to short approach landing
A tight grip does not allow the pilot to sense the aircraft. This pilot will be anxious to control everything and end up controlling nothing. This anxious pilot will be tense and reduce his ability to sense the aircraft. Having these problems are normal. Some fear, tension, and concern is a good way to help you make safe decisions. The IFR training program is designed to eliminate them in-so-far as they affect your actual flying.
Beginning IFR students usually fly with a "death-grip" on the yoke. They react with jerks and have a tendency to over control. A pilot who reacts to feel or sound before verifying his reaction with the flight instruments will have 'jerk' control problems. Every change in configuration, of altitude, or heading requires that the scan speed be increased. Failure to increase the scan speed will again create control problems. Work on anticipation instead of reaction.
Another nearly unrecognizable factor may be body position. You must adjust the seat so that you can see under the wing and over the panel properly. Your body must be firmly supported by the seat. Some VFR pilots will lean in their seats while turning, a no-no in IFR. Some pilots nod or tilt their heads while receiving radio transmissions, another no-no. These VFR habits create difficulties under IFR.
Flying so Flying
is not Part of the IFR Problem
Beginning IFR training before you have mastered the basics is a waste of
time and money. In addition to maintaining headings and altitudes you want to
know the situations where you will be using the Ts.
--Turn
--Time
--Tune
--Transition
--Talk
Learn the power settings and configuration for the performance required. There is a specific power setting, attitude, configuration and airspeed for climb, cruise, cruise descent, level approach, and precision descent. With these settings as constants you increase your ability to deal with problems.
From the very beginning my instructional method is that we must remove the
student's ability to fly the aircraft as a problem. There is no one way to do
anything in flying and this is even more true in instrument flying. What you
have is choices based on POH, FARs, conditions, training and ability. The
"light touch" is where it all starts. The feather touch required is
one of the last skills acquired but one of the most important.
As a student instrument pilot or as a retread, you must know where every power
setting, trim change, and attitude is for a particular aircraft. You must know
where you want the aircraft to be relative to speed, attitude, configuration.
FULL of anticipation. You anticipate the required throttle movement,
anticipate the required trim and anticipate the required attitude. No
reactions, all anticipation. With anticipation comes smoothness. Controls are
pressed lightly. Controls are pressed into position and trimmed to stay there.
Don’t press a control unless it needs to be pressed. Always apply half as
much pressure as seems to be needed and you will achieve the smoothness of a
favorite drink. Fatigue becomes a factor in instrument flying but it is not
physical. The instrument pilot flies so lightly that the controls spend most
of their time not moving. Things stay where they are supposed to stay because
they were put there in the first place.
The argument as to whether you use elevator or throttle to control airspeed
and altitude is moot. Neither work independently of the other to control
airspeed and altitude. Elevator, by itself, controls attitude. Power, by
itself, controls thrust. Stabilized flight conditions such as level or glide
slope do require that elevator control altitude and power to control airspeed.
In another situation, where by design, power is not a variable, elevator is
used to adjust speed. Elevator gives relatively fine speed control when speed
is a priority. To do this altitude must be available to lose or gain. Power
tends to be coarse, slow, and inaccurate when controlling airspeed.
Instrument flying by itself could be relatively easy if it weren’t for all
the other things you are expected to do. Time writing, talking, listening,
feeling for things, looking for things take you away from scanning. Even with
good preparation and cockpit organization you will need to take time away from
your scan. The solution lies in the scan itself. A good scan will allow you to
have time to deal with all the other things.
An autopilot makes it easier but the proficient pilot must be able to hand-fly the plane and still do the required operational tasks. Being prepared means more than just having things where you know where to look and reach, it includes detection and covering of inoperative instruments. Being prepared, includes competency on partial panel. You may be one of those pilots who fly better when there are fewer instruments to watch. The attitude indicator gives most of the information you need. Over reliance on the attitude indicator leads to neglect of the confirming impact of other instruments. You may set the standard rate using the AI if you know your airspeed. But confirming the standard rate with the turn coordinator should be part of the full panel scan. The attitude resolution of the AI is more sensitive and less perceptible than is the resolution obtained from the VFR nose/horizon scale. The fact that aircraft loading and attitude can be adjusted visually come into conflict with the idea that the AI can be reset for these same loading and attitudes.
Instrument flying requires that the pilot be sensitive to and get control pressure feedback from the airplane. This cannot be easily done with a tight full-fist grip on the yoke. It cannot be well done with a tight several finger grip either. It is best done with only a finger and thumb. The way you hold the controls has a direct relationship with the fatigue you will experience in flying. Control feel will tell you what is happening several seconds before the instruments are able to register.
A tight grip does NOT give you the sense of control when flying an airplane any more than it does when driving a car. A beginning driver holds on tight with both hands and jerks the steering wheel this way and that. The experienced driver drives with a couple of fingers resting lightly. The same idea applies to flying. You will have better control with a light touch. The combination of a light touch and an organized scan will give even the single pilot plenty of time to do the ‘other’ things required by IFR.
The instrument pilot is thinking ahead of the airplane. There is a specific altitude, heading, and airspeed for every situation. He is mentally there ahead of the aircraft and presses it (the airplane) into position. Once the airplane is controlled, instrument flying skills move to the instruments.
Trim
An airplane in a specific configuration will perform consistently
according to its power and attitude. Learn to set power and trim for attitude
and you will get consistent performance. Adjust trim only when making a, power
or airspeed change. If you can maintain a consistent application of trim it
will be relatively easy to use the aircraft instruments to keep it there. This
system called "control and performance" relies on the AI and
anticipation. Do not fly with the trim. Set the attitude with the yoke; then,
trim off the pressure. The feel of the aircraft on the yoke is the common
denominator to all flight configurations. Proper trim makes the feel of the
aircraft remain as a flight constant.
You must be able to trim efficiently and effectively to keep a given flight condition. Every pilot flies with a different trim pressure or feel. This is a matter of an acquired individual comfort zone. Regardless, the pressure must be such that it corrects for any inherent instability in the aircraft. Very few aircraft can be flown hands off. With aircraft peculiarities as a known factor it is a waste of emotional energy to blame the airplane for its performance or failure to perform. The competent pilot makes the airplane give its best performance. The same might be said for riding horses or living with someone.
One factor in trim feel is the position of the microphone switch. Use of
this switch cannot be allowed to affect the flight path. The position in
front, back, or side of the yoke can make a difference in how triggering of
the switch affects the yoke feel and pressure. If you climb, descend or turn
when keying the mike try a change in position.
IFR Climb and
Descent
You must include in your IFR planning the vertical aspect. Every IFR
departure has a climb gradient that your are expected to meet or exceed.
Ground speed determines your gradient. Groundspeed divided by 60 equals
vertical speed divided by gradient. Jeppesen has a chart of gradients.
Adequate gradient figures for either climb and descent can be obtained by
rounding the feet per minute by the distance in miles.
540' rounded to 5 over distance of two miles 2 gives angle of 2.5 degrees
To find gradient per mile you just multiply angle by 100
Angle of 2.5 x 100 = 250' per mile
To convert angle to rate of climb/descent use E6B or work proportion
Ground speed VSI
60 feet per mile (gradient)
IFR departures have obstacle-clearance gradient of 1.5 degrees. that begins 35' above departure end of runway. A .5 degree safety margin is built in so you must make good a 2-degree climb rate. If you accept a DP with a higher rate required you are expected to perform. ATC en route climb rates are 150 feet per mile below 5000'; 120 between 5k and 10k; and, 100' above 10k.
If below 5,000' you are told to gain 3000' before crossing a particular fix
you would do the following.
At 150 feet per mile required converts to 1.5 angle.
3000' converts to 30, divide by 1.5 = 20.
You must begin climb 20 miles out.
ATC usually expects a climb or descent rate of 500 feet per minute. A
pilot-discretion clearance means you can choose both when to initiate and at
what rate. Once an altitude has been left it cannot be attained again without
an amended ATC clearance. Any DP clearance that has a climb gradient is
concerned with terrain clearance. Crossing restrictions have more to do with
traffic routes that may conflict. When climb and crossing restrictions appear
together be careful.
Don’t hesitate to request radar vector to assure clearance of terrain.
This puts clearance responsibility back to ATC. 300 ft/nm is the maximum TERPS
gradient for the intermediate segment; 400 ft/nm is the maximum for the FAF to
TDZ elevation. The more closely you fly the required elevations and descents
the more likely will be your approach a stabilized one.
Visibility
The distance at which you can see and identify unlighted objects is day
visibility. Night visibility is by how far you can see a lighted object.
Atmosphere containing fog, haze, clouds has visibility measured by statute
miles or hundreds of feet.
Flight Visibility
How far on average you can see from the cockpit forward and horizontally as
determined by the pilot.
Ground Visibility
The prevailing (over 50-percent of the horizon) distance at which an
accredited weather observer can see reference points.
Prevailing Visibility
How far you can see over at least half of the horizon on average.
Runway Visibility Value (RVV)
An electronic measuring system for a specific runway of visibility in
fractions of a mile.
Runway Visual Range (RVR)
Uses instrument to tell the pilot how far he can expect to see from the
aircraft down the runway in hundreds of feet.
Using IFR
--Set personal minimums and live by them.
--Get a real time weather map sequence of what has happened, is happening and
about to happen.
--The FSS has this picture of the weather transmittable to you in the near
future but told to you now.
--Phone local airports to get real-time local weather.
--Ask ATC and FSS to put out calls for PIREPs.
--Locate an alternate to use before you takeoff.
--You need visibility to land legally.
--Wait if the weather is improving, try always to fly into improving weather.
--Don't fly if you don't have an OUT.
IFR Rating
Allows You to …
--Make a zero-zero IFR takeoff
--Get an IFR rating without being qualified for flying IFR.
--Avoid midair collisions by making every flight an IFR flight.
VFR-on-Top
--People with GPS are more willing to fly VFR-on-top and to scud run.
--VFR-on-top should never be flown unless weather is improving at destination
and alternate
--When weather does not improve or deteriorates, deviate sooner than later.
--Bring some good reading material
Rudder Trim in IFR
But should you ever go IFR or practice some ILS/Localizer approaches, you'll
see exactly what that rudder trim is for. When you're trying to keep exactly
on the centerline of an airway with a substantial crosswind, you'll want to
use rudder, not aileron, to hold the line. Your foot will get tired on an
extended run between VORs or ADF beacons.
The plane without rudder trim is in trim for only one speed, cruise. You have
to hold right rudder in climb and some left rudder in descent. Rudder trim
allows you to trim all of the pressure off for any speed. It is more
comfortable on long cross country flights to be able to fly with both feet
flat on the floor. You won't use the rudder trim much during VFR flying except
for small adjustments to center the ball.
Altitude Selection
--First, plan the route
--Second, select altitude best for your aircraft, weather avoidance and
equipment
--Third, adjust your route for #2
--Higher is better if it lets you see and avoid weather
--Above 18,000 you will need jet charts.
--Above 18,000 icing is a year long problem
MOA Item
--Any flight into an MOA above 18,000 must be IFR
--High altitude MOAs are called ATCAAs (Air Traffic Controlled Assigned
Airspace
--An ATCAA is restricted airspace
--Consider flying VFR below 18000.
KISS Flying
--Taxi on lines
--Land on lines centered on touchdown point
--Fly centered LOC needles
--Exact heading , altitudes and airspeeds
An IFR Solution
to Turbulence
Do it like its done on instruments a certain pitch setting and a certain power
setting yield a certain performance for a given configuration, every time! Set
the power, set the attitude and hold both- everything else will take care of
itself. Don't chase anything and let the aircraft ride the bumps, remember
it's stable! Fix the big deviations by always returning the plane to the known
attitude.
Just as an example, in the plane I fly for a living, if no wind shear is
present, we set up for a visual approach by configuring to 700 ft-pounds
torque (a turbine engine, just insert your power setting in RPM, RPM/MAP etc.
here), and 20 degrees flaps. This configuration and a 6 degree nose down
attitude puts the approach speed right on 120 knots every time, and the VASI
red over white. If it's bumpy, hold the power and attitude, the airspeed will
never get off by more than 2 or 3 knots from Vref, and it will settle back to
ref every time.
Trim is equally important as the plane is trimmed for airspeed. If there are
deviations, the plane will try to return to the trimmed speed.
If wind shear is present, then add 1/2 the gust factor rule works great,
regardless of what you're driving! Just my 2 cents! Regards to all,
Russ Longdon
Items
--Exec/Corp flying has only .3 of the accidents while doing l5 percent of
the flying.
--Half of all flying is done by private pilots while they are having more than
2/3 of the accidents.
--Business flying makes up 16 percent of flight hours with less than ll5
percent of the accidents.
--Insurance data shows that experience and qualifications reduces accidents
--Every pilot should get occasional high crosswind refreshers
--When contacting ATC to go to an airport IFR destination with AWOS, say
you have "one minute weather"
--Tarmac or macadam is an asphalt paving material mix named after John
McAdam the Scottish inventor.
--You can have too much gas in the aircraft when you are on fire, even more
so if you also too high.
--We clan learn from everyone, especially from those we dislike.
--Happiness is an attitude, just ask you favorite airplane.
--Never use a runway as a taxi route unless specifically authorized
--Not everyone is capable of becoming a safe pilot.
--Pilots must be prepared to handle the unexpected which frequently happens
with ATC.
--Excellent foggles made by buying safety goggles and taping over as required for you and aircraft.
Night IFR
--Lighter traffic at night means you are more likely to get an off-airway
direct route
--Any night flight increases the risk of a fatal accident VFR or IFR
--Major factor is possibility/probability for going from VFR into IMC without
notice.
--The effects of hypoxia at night are more dlramatic at night than during
daylight.
--Oxygen should be used above 7000 feet at night.
--With half of U.S. pilots over 40 and probablly wearing glasses, the use of
red cockpit lighting affects acuity.
--Visual depth of field is much less with the pupils dilated. Clear focus is
more difficult.
--Small plates notes will be more difficult to read at night.
--Suggest using CD Jeppesen plates and enlarging for night flights.
--Like altitude and airspeed, you need flashlights
--Know your cockpit blindfolded and practice locating all instruments,
switches, breakers and knobs.
--Know which way to turn or twist knobs. Make large movements of the OBS.
--Make a night diagram of the breaker panel.
--At night use well lighted instrument runways and fly the glide slope.
--Circling approaches are not good single pilot operations in right turns at
night.
--Confirm fuel and service availability well before it becomes important.
--There no way to confirm the extent of icing at night. except with a
flashlight.
--A cloud and terrain appear the same at night, stay high if you don't know
where you are.
--Night slant visibility will be much less than vertical visibility, plan
accordingly.
--Precipitation can only be seen with light at night.
--Night IFR will compound problems easily handled in daylight;
--IFR system is designed to keep you in radar contact as much as possible.
--lFlying IFR traffic is always separated from other IFR traffic
--Know your approach plates before you fly at night.
--Cockpit lighting will not help you find something beneath your seat
Big Picture IFR
into Small Places
--A big runway with good lights will get you below minimums in an
emergency
--Use of a flight planning program may take you beyond the safe limits of the
aircraft
--Winds aloft forecasts are quite likely to be in error
--Fuel consumption planning needs larger margins when low IFR is forecast.
--Thunderstorms that are scattered or isolated can be avoided VFR or IFR
--Aircraft congregate in areas of the best weather.
--Planning for situations involving low visibility and low ceilings are best
not flown
--You are likely to fly into poor IFR situations at airports where you are
very familiar
--Never select a non-precision approach in low IFR where an ILS with strobes
may be available
--Always file an alternate, even a paper alternate, to keep it legal
--When departing PART 91 below minimums always have a nearby alternate with
precision approach
--Part 135 departure minimums are safer than Part 91's .
--You may as well file for preferred routes because that is what you will get.
--Weather and traffic may change the preferred routings.
--Once you are en route begin to negotiate to cut the corners
--The way you request changes is just as important as what you ask for.
--ATC has a way of not hearing your request. This can mean that the controller
is negotiating with another facility. A bit later you may well get your
request. It pays not to push too soon nor too hard.
--If weather is a critical consideration for your route selection make phone
contact on the ground.
--Preferred routes can be avoided by filing two intermediate plans that allow
a more direct route. Works!
--If you can plan a route that will keep you in radar contact, you will
probably get it.
--Center computers are likely to have airway intersections in flight planning
data base than small airports.
--Best time to contact Flight Watch for weather updates is at the top of the
hour.
--Weather changes and trends can be detected by listening to enroute ATIS,
AWOS and ASOS
--Ask Flight Watch to solicit PIREPS. Flight Watch can even phone an out of
your range AWOS
--Always check with 'locals' for help with unpublished clearances you may get.
Santa Monica has such.
--If weather is below minimums at your planned destination, get a new and
better destination immediately.
--If ice is below you, you will be better off to stay on top via the full
approach with a rapid descent.
--Planning 30 minutes ahead is the way to fly IFR.
--Recognize that you may be better off on the ground now than in the air
later.
--Most IFR accidents occur in low ceiling and low visibility conditions not
icing and storms
--Do not fly in low IFR conditions without a legitimate alternate close by.
--The more you fly in IFR the more confident and capable you will become.
--Do not let weather drive your personal minimums beyond your comfort level.
--Just because you have planned a flight does not mean that conditions cannot
cancel it.
--IFR capability offers a pilot a false hope that conditions will provide
safety.
--IFR flight may fly you into a situation from which there is no alternative
--Circling approaches require planning, reading of the notes, a different MDA,
and timed close in turns.
--Transition from IFR reference to VFR reference in low visibility is both
difficult and dangerous.
--Go missed as soon as the flight visibility gets below what is required for
the procedure.
--In a circling approach the landing runway must be in sight at all times, and
--No descent below circling altitude until in position to make a normal
landing.
Stabilize Early Technique
--Power set
--trim for speed
--Hands-off speed set
--Gear down
--Required flaps
--Power reduction for descent
Emergency
Knowledge
--Where is alternate air (carb or injection)
--Emergency gear extension
--Autopilot cut offs
--Runaway trim
--Vacuum pump
--Glide in configurations
Six IFR Instrument
Configurations
Pitch and power to give speed and performance sought.
--Climb
--Initial (between angle and rate speed)
--Cruise (Compromise of economy and efficiency)
--Descent
--Power reduction but same speed going down (6-700 fpm)
--Precision descent (475 fpm)
--Non-precision descent (13" for 800 fpm)
--Level
--Vectoring speed before intercept
Vacuum Failures
--Good news…Only average of four vacuum failures in IFR conditions per year.
--Bad mews…Everyone involved was killed.
--1/3 of failures occurred at night.
--Two out of five backup systems failed during the occasion.
--A backup clear across the cockpit has NOT proven to be of value during
actual emergencies.
--A good gyro will come to speed even at idle.
--A good gyro will spin up even at idle.
--Accidents have resulted when gyros have not had enough time to reach
required speed.
--Don't hesitate, fly the plane, declare an emergency only if you have time.
--Correct one axis of flight at a time is proven method for recovery.
My Gyro
Failure
I had a vacuum powered gyro failure in actual daytime IFR. I learned
that ATC was a problem because I knew where I was and what I had to do. I
needed to hold a heading and climb. I needed to ignore the AI and HI because
they had failed. My greatest regret was/is that I did not have immediately
available 3 x3 post-its to cover the failed instruments.
I knew the heading to avoid terrain was about 030 degrees. I wanted to climb but ATC kept giving me stair=step altitudes which compounded my difficulty in holding a heading with the compass. I never declared an emergency. Next time I will declare an emergency and turn, climb, dive or whatever without asking or telling ATC.
Considering the Statistics for gyro-failure above, I have used up one of my few flying lives by surviving a situation that usually kills pilots.
Anticipate your
Expectations
--Get your weather updates early
--After setting a flip-flop frequency set the standby before talking
--Write down your frequencies so you can preset the next one on your flip-flop
--Keep your Ident codes droning low so you know NAVs are working
--If you start having planning problems, request delaying vectors of 2 minute
legs when holding.
--Give values to what you do. Killer items come first.
--Keep the scan ball in the air all the time.
--Organize your cockpit, frequencies, charts, tools
--Do not readback clearances you have not checked for route
--Check your times enroute at intersections, figure the winds
--Get the ATIS early, early, early.
--Maintain traffic watch and radio watch for traffic.
--Catch-up by requesting delaying vector.
--It never hurts to ask where vectors are taking you.
--On approach fly the plane, know where you are.
--Know where you are using the ADF
--Use ADF needle to marker to anticipate vector turns
--Mark your alternate charts
--Use your right seater
--Use your checklists
--Keep your cockpit sterile
--Become a collector of outside the box (airplane) information
--Distractions land distracting or not, your choice.
--Scan quickly, fly lightly
Flying in Weather
---You must know not only your limits but those of your aircraft as
well.
---Know your aircraft numbers and be able to fly them.
---Learn to fly unfamiliar aircraft using the most essential instruments
first.
---Begin learning IFR GPS approaches.
---Never fly low IFR unless current
---Avoid letting ATC get you into deep water by saying, "Unable!’
---Fly the system in IFR as much as possible.
Return to Whittsflying
Return to IFR Contents
Continued on 7.23IFR
in Four Thousand Words