Luckily, there are a number of routes a new hopeful pilot can take to progress toward their long-term career goals.

Which job a new pilot takes can be an important decision. Pilots want work that will provide them with quality experience that will benefit their long-term goals.

Among the most important things to do to build the right qualifications is to build connections with others in the aviation industry. Whether in a flying or non-flying job, a brand-new pilot can pick positions that will bolster their qualifications and relationships for significant benefit.

Non-Flying Jobs for Student Pilots

New pilots at the very start of their careers—those just beginning to learn to fly—often choose to work in aviation on the side to fund their training.

Most notably, many work at FBOs at airports big and small to build connections with the crews passing through to pick up passengers or reposition planes. Getting face time with seasoned pilots and reputable charter companies can help budding pilots gain valuable insights and even get an edge that will improve their job prospects down the line.

• READ MORE: How to Become a Charter Pilot

Other student pilots choose to fuel planes or work on the ramp at big international airports, often for major airlines or contractors who manage large contracts. These jobs help new pilots get the feel of working for major airline operations. They can get a sense for how to get around big airports, witness airline schedules firsthand, and manage real-world delays along with the pilots upfront.

Many detail companies also hire student pilots. These new pilots will become comfortable caring for planes and gain new respect and appreciation for the aircraft they fly themselves. Other potential non-flying jobs include airport operations, aircraft maintenance, and airport customer service.

A Pilot’s First Flying Job

Once a pilot is fully qualified to fly for a living, the next question is which flying job will be the best transition from being a student to a professional pilot. A pilot must, once again, be able to gauge which jobs will serve their long-term career goals the best.

Pilots find their first job in a number of different ways. Some use the connections built in previous positions to their benefit, and others work for organizations that have already employed them. In addition, some pilots find creative ways to advertise services such as ferry flights, air tours, or aerial refueling.

• READ MORE: How to Land a Helicopter Pilot Job

Some pilots turn to services such as FindaPilot.com to find jobs. FindaPilot connects pilots looking for work with operators who need crewmembers to operate specific flights. Services such as this can be a great way for new pilots to connect with reputable operators and fly high-performance, complex aircraft to build high-quality time for their careers. Many pilots use services such as FindaPilot as launching pads to accelerate their careers into the next stage.

Flight Instructing

Many new pilots choose to become flight instructors for their first aviation job. Teaching new pilots can be an excellent way to build time quickly while also learning to work with a variety of personalities, students, and situations.

Different flight schools also give instructors the opportunity to operate in different environments. Part 61 schools often promote independent decision making without close guidance from company standard operating procedures, while Part 141 schools help instructors learn to operate in structured, airline-esque environments. Whichever direction new instructors choose, they are sure to gain valuable experience towards their long-term goals.

Instructing is a great way to learn from your own experience and to become intimately familiar with the knowledge and skills you are expected to know. New students keep instructors on their toes and ask intriguing questions that challenge instructors to study, grow, and expand their knowledge.

Banner Towing

Some new commercial pilots opt to become banner towing pilots. These pilots tow large advertisements behind them over beaches, malls, and other tourist attractions.

These jobs give pilots the opportunity to learn in congested airspace—multiple banner tow aircraft often fly in the same area—at low altitudes. This demands heightened situational awareness and attention that helps pilots learn to be aware of their surroundings and take prompt action to correct unusual situations.

• READ MORE: Congress Shells Out Millions to Aid Pilot Shortage

These jobs especially tend to operate with aircraft that require specialized training. Many, for example, use tailwheel airplanes that have unique operating characteristics as opposed to the now-more-popular tricycle gear airplanes. This additional experience gives banner tow pilots experience that helps them stand out from other applicants.

Banner tow pilots often fly for hours at a time multiple times per day, making banner towing a great way to build a lot of flight time quickly. Many new pilots thus use banner towing as a great way to gain the experience they need for airline or charter flying in a relatively short amount of time. This is particularly the case in markets that have flyable weather conditions year-round, such as in Florida or Arizona.

Charter Flying

Some pilots are lucky enough to become charter pilots early on in their careers. These jobs often involve operating as second in command of light jets, such as the Cessna Citation line.

These jobs are often, but not always, acquired through connections built earlier in their careers but can often come through online advertisements through social media channels or dedicated advertising agencies.

Charter jobs are especially valuable because they allow pilots time in multiengine turbine aircraft, the exact type of planes that pilots will be flying later on in their careers. The more experience pilots have flying these types of aircraft, the more attractive they’ll be later on with other operators.

Not all charter flying involves point-to-point hops in private jets or turbine aircraft, however. Some pilots start off as ferry pilots, when they get hired to fly an airplane one-way from point to point for maintenance, a system upgrade, or for delivery to a new owner.

This type of charter work can give pilots experience flying a wider array of aircraft to a wider range of destinations across the country. This variation is again valuable for pilots looking to work for operators that fly to more places or over longer distances at a time. Being able to handle a wider array of situations, aircraft, and geographic locations gives ferry pilots an edge over pilots used only to the same part of the country.

Survey Flying

Still other pilots choose to fly for aerial survey companies. These companies are enlisted to fly regular patterns over specified areas to take pictures, scout land, or check areas for damage. Some pilots patrol pipelines for damage as well.

Survey pilots often work side-by-side with photographers or IT specialists who operate imaging or mapping equipment on behalf of the client company. This provides pilots with the experience of operating a specific mission with certain parameters and constant distractions. This requires the pilot to divide their attention between flying the airplane and completing their task in a way that is both efficient and safe.

Though pilots, of course, train in division of attention throughout their training, flying survey provides a real-world way of dividing attention that cannot be simulated in a training environment.

There are plenty of ways pilots can build experience toward becoming professional aviators. Each job has strengths that will help pilots grow towards their long-term career goals, whether they be airline flying, corporate aviation, or contract work.

There is no one specific way to become a professional pilot—and it’s possible to be successful no matter which route is taken.

The post Best Jobs for New Pilots appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Northrop Grumman, I needed something that would challenge my mind, body, and spirit. There were two options on the table. I had just graduated with my master’s degree and was seriously thinking of taking the next leap of faith and earning a doctorate.

But that was quickly overshadowed by my second option—my childhood dream of learning to fly. And I wasn’t disappointed. It did challenge my mind, body, and spirit every step of the way.

What intrigued me the most about learning to fly was that it required mastering many disciplines. In other words, it’s more than just jumping into an airplane and learning stick-and-rudder skills. You have to become entrenched in subjects such as aerodynamics, radio navigation, geography, radio communications, airspace, map reading, legal, medical, and my favorite discipline, meteorology.

Despite my background as a research meteorologist, my aviation weather background was limited when I was a student pilot. So, I was very excited to discover what more I might learn about weather in addition to all of these other disciplines. If you are a student pilot, here are some tips that will help you achieve a good foundation with respect to weather.

It Isn’t Easy

First and foremost, weather is inherently difficult. It’s likely the most difficult discipline to master because of the uncertainty and complexity it brings to the table. Therefore, strive to understand what basic weather reports and forecasts the FAA effectively requires that you examine before every flight. It certainly doesn’t hide it. It’s a fairly short and succinct list that’s all documented in the new Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28) and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). Ultimately, knowing the nuts and bolts of this official weather guidance will help with your knowledge and practical tests and give you a head start once the ink is dry on your private pilot certificate.

Second, as a student pilot, plan to get your weather guidance from a single and reliable source. Try not to bounce around using multiple sites or apps. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of websites and apps that will deliver weather guidance to your fingertips such that you can become overwhelmed with all of the choices, and entropy quickly takes over. Besides, flight instructors love to show off their unique collection of weather apps on their iPhone. Sticking with the official subset of weather guidance will allow you to focus on what matters the most.

• READ MORE: Aviation Weather Center Website Upgrade—the Good, Bad, and Ugly

Once you receive your private certificate, then you can expand the weather guidance you use to include other websites and apps.

The two internet sources that should be at the top of your list include the Aviation Weather Center (aviationweather.gov) and Leidos (1800wxbrief.com). Both of these sites provide the essential weather guidance needed to make a preflight weather decision. Using one or both of these sites will help focus you on the official weather guidance the FAA demands you use.

Categorize Your Data

Third, when you look at the latest weather guidance, take a minute and characterize each product. It should fall into one of three categories: observational data, advisories, or forecasts. Knowing its category will tell you how to properly utilize that guidance. For example, if you come across a visible satellite image, that’s an example of observational data.

Observational data is always valid in the past and typically comes from sensors. What about a ground-based radar mosaic (e.g., NEXRAD)? That’s also an observation. Pilot weather reports (PIREPs) and routine surface observations (METARs) are also considered observational data. While not a pure observation, the latest surface analysis chart that is valid in the recent past will identify the major players driving the current weather systems.

• READ MORE: What Is the Criteria for Issuing a Convective SIGMET?

Observations are like the foundation when building a house. All other weather guidance you use will build on that foundation. A sturdy and well-built foundation is the key to a good preflight weather briefing. You can’t know where the weather is going until you know where it has been. Identifying the latest trends in the weather through the use of these observations is the cornerstone of this foundation. When possible, looping the guidance over time will expose these trends. Is the weather moving or stagnant? Is it strengthening or weakening over time?

Advisories such as the initial graphical AIRMETs (G-AIRMETs) snapshot, SIGMETs, and center weather advisories (CWAs) are the front lines of aviation weather. They are designed to highlight the current location of the truly ugly weather. Advisories build the structure that sits atop of this foundation. Essentially, these advisories summarize the observational data by organizing it into distinct hazards and areas of adverse weather to be avoided.

Forecasts are the springboard for how these observations and advisories will evolve over time. You can think of forecasts as the elements that protect the finished house, such as paint, shingles, and waterproofing. This also includes the alarm and surveillance system to alert you to the possible adverse weather scenarios that may occur during your flight. While forecasts are imperfect, they are still incredibly useful. Forecasts include terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs), convective outlooks, prog charts, and the remaining four snapshots for G-AIRMETs.

Dive into the Details…

Fourth, details matter quite a bit. Look at the guidance and identify what stands out. Don’t make a decision too early. Instead, carefully observe and gather facts. Is the precipitation occurring along the route limiting the ceiling and/or visibility? Is the precipitation expected to be showery? This is a clear indication of a convective process in place.

Are the surface observations reporting two or three mid- or low-level cloud layers? Again, this is another indication of a convective environment. This can be especially important to identify, especially when there’s a risk of thunderstorms that have yet to form.

…But Fall Back on the Big Picture

Fifth, get a sense of the big weather picture. This is likely the most difficult aspect of learning how to truly read the weather. Think about the big weather picture as the blueprint for building an entire community. It’s what brings everything together. When I do my own preflight briefings, my decisions are largely driven by what’s happening at that synoptic level.

Lastly, read, read, and read some more. Focus mostly on the weather guidance and less on weather theory. These are the specific weather products mentioned earlier. Weather theory is something you can tackle at a later time. The FAA’s Aviation Weather Handbook is a great start. You can download a PDF document for free from the agency website and add this to your online library. This was issued in 2022 to consolidate the weather information from six FAA advisory circulars (ACs) into one source document. My book, Pilot Weather: From Solo to the Airlines, was published in 2018 and is written for pilots at all experience levels in their journey to learn more about weather.

If you fly enough, you will eventually find yourself in challenging weather. The goal of any preflight weather briefing is to limit your exposure to adverse conditions, and that takes resources and time. Once you’ve mastered the weather guidance, then giving Flight Service a call at 1-800-WXBRIEF will allow you to sound like a true professional.

Yes, I eventually did earn that doctorate, but I am really happy that I took the step over 25 years ago to learn to fly. One guarantee with weather: You can never learn enough. I am still learning today.

This column first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post How to Wrap Your Head Around Weather appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Tecnam, the company is now on track to begin deliveries to U.S. flight schools.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor

“The FAA certification of the P-Mentor is another significant milestone for the Tecnam team,” said  Giovanni Pascale Langer, Tecnam managing director. “We look forward to working with all U.S. flight schools to improve the quality of training and help them keep hourly rates low.” 

The performance specs of the Tecnam P-Mentor put its hourly fuel consumption at 3.7 U.S. gallons per hour.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Signs Deals for HCH Aviation Fleet Transition

Deliveries of the aircraft in North America will begin soon, with the first 20 going to HCH Aviation/Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Deliveries will also be made to Kilo Charlie Aviation in New Century, Kansas, and EpicSky Flight Academy in Des Moines, Iowa.

About the P-Mentor

The two-place P-Mentor sports a Rotax 912isC3, with a variable pitch propeller, simulated retractable landing gear, and optional ballistic parachute. The cockpit features a Garmin G3X IFR touchscreen suite compliant with the latest CS-23 EASA and FAA amendments. The aircraft is designed to take a learner from private pilot and instrument training up through commercial certification on a single platform.

According to Capua, Italy-based Tecnam, the P-Mentor is one of the most environmentally efficient designs available, with very low carbon dioxide emissions. 

“Recent study shows that flight schools operating with Tecnam single- and twin-engine fleets can reduce emissions by up to 60 percent: 10 tons of CO2 for each student by the time they receive their commercial pilot license,” the company said in a statement.

The post Tecnam P-Mentor Earns Full Part 23 FAA Certification appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

There was no damage or injuries, except for frayed nerves, but as a precaution the school’s chief mechanic took a look at the Cessna 150. Mostly it was done to show the learner that part of being a pilot was being responsible. If you have an unintentional off-runway experience, you have a mechanic inspect the airplane as a precaution. The CFI didn’t think there was any damage as there hadn’t been a prop strike. The chief mechanic confirmed this.

It became a teaching moment for the rest of us CFIs. One of the instructors insisted that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had to be notified. He then went into a story about “a buddy of his” who had a similar experience and found himself in a great deal of trouble because he didn’t call. There was a group eye roll. Then the Federal Aviation Regulations Aeronautical Information Manual (FAR/AIM) was brought out, and the learners instructed to look up Part 830, which provides guidance on when you need to notify the NTSB and, if need be, the FAA.

When to Call the NTSB

Although going off the runway may seem like high drama when it happens to you, it likely falls under the category of an incident, not an accident, per the definition found in Part 830 of the FAR/AIM. 

• READ MORE: Scaring Yourself into Additional Dual Instruction

According to the definition, aircraft accidents are specifically defined as events that involve a fatality, serious injury, or substantial damage to the aircraft and require NTSB notification.

NTSB 830.5 states that notification must happen if there is damage to property, other than the aircraft, estimated to exceed $25,000 for repair (including materials and labor) or fair market value in the event of total loss, whichever is less. Ding up the wheel pants on the clapped-out, older-than-you-by-20-years Cessna 172, no notification. If the airplane collides with aircraft on the ramp or totals the Lexus sedan parked on the ramp, a call to the NTSB will be in your future.

With the exception of removing wreckage to rescue people or preserve it from further damage, NTSB 830.10 tells us to preserve the wreckage, stating, “the operator of an aircraft involved in an accident or incident for which notification must be given is responsible for preserving to the extent possible any aircraft wreckage, cargo, and mail aboard the aircraft, and all records, including all recording mediums of flight, maintenance, and voice recorders, pertaining to the operation and maintenance of the aircraft and to the airmen until the Board takes custody thereof or a release is granted pursuant to § 831.12(b).”

• READ MORE: Always Look for a Place to Land

Basically, the accident is treated like a crime scene, and evidence should not be disturbed if possible. If not, the original position should be documented. Pictures taken with a smartphone usually suffice.

If the aircraft has sustained substantial damage, and it is obvious it can’t fly, the NTSB asks to be notified. This is when we get into the gray area of “do we need to notify the FAA?” If there are no injuries and only damage to the airplane, probably not.

If you are at a towered airport, the tower operator may notify the FAA, depending on the situation.

The pilot of a freshly restored Stearman learned about this the hard way when he had a wingtip strike during a ground loop. As he taxied his aircraft with a crumpled lower wingtip off the runway, the tower controller asked what happened. The pilot, angry with himself, replied he had his head in anatomically infeasible location. He was understandably upset. It was the Fourth of July, and he had been planning to give rides to people in his plane during a hangar picnic.

• READ MORE: Make Flight Reviews for CFIs Worthwhile

About an half hour later, the airport manager showed up to warn the pilot that the tower operator had notified the FAA, and a sheriff deputy was on his way to take a look at the airplane. None of us had heard of this before. The deputy was not a pilot and told us that he had been called by the FAA. He wasn’t sure why he was there, except that he was asked by the FAA to look at the airplane and talk to the pilot.

The owner of the aircraft, much calmer now, explained he was upset because he had damaged his beautiful airplane, and he regretted being terse with the controller. Fortunately the deputy understood and that was the end of it, with the exception of the aircraft owner ripping off a piece of the torn fabric of the lower wing and giving it to me with the instructions, “Tell your students to pay attention, or bad things can happen!”

I still have that piece of fabric.

The post Knowing When to Call the NTSB appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The partnership expansion announced Thursday will add 50 DA40s and six DA42s to the Republic Airways training program. 

• READ MORE: UNSW School of Aviation Expands Diamond Fleet

According to Diamond Aircraft, the trainers are slated to bolster programs at new LIFT Academy campuses in Galveston, Texas; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

“These aircraft are chosen for their advanced technology and fuel efficiency, which not only align with our sustainability efforts but also closely mirror the aircraft our pilots will operate at Republic Airways,” said Ed Bagden, director of flight operations and academic programs at LIFT Academy. “This strategic expansion ensures that LIFT Academy continues to offer industry-leading training, preparing our students with a seamless transition to their careers as airline pilots.”

• READ MORE: Purdue, LIFT Academy Partner to Tackle Commercial Pilot Need

The Diamond DA40 piston single is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine and comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics. The aircraft offers a top cruise speed of 152 knots, 934 nm range, and maximum useful load of 900 pounds. The DA42 advanced piston twin is powered by 168 hp Austro Engine AE300 powerplants. It offers a top cruise speed of nearly 200 knots, 1,225 nm range, and maximum useful load of 1,276 pounds.

The post LIFT Academy Makes ‘Significant Fleet Expansion’ with Diamond Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

So imagine my surprise when after his second solo flight he asked for additional dual instruction. He had scared himself, he said, and was worried he had done something wrong.

When I asked why, he said he had been out in the practice area early in the morning, self-announcing over landmarks as he had been taught. When he didn’t hear anyone else on the frequency, however, he became concerned he wasn’t using the correct one.

• READ MORE: Should I File an Initial Approach Fix?

The second thing that filled him with trepidation was that the aircraft was bouncing around in turbulence more than he was used to. Then, during his attempt to practice a slip, it felt so awkward he wondered if he was doing it wrong.

I assured him that every pilot scares themselves at least once, if not more, in their career—especially at first. These experiences often make us better aviators, especially when you deconstruct the event with an eye toward preventing it from happening again.

We started with the lack of radio contact. A review of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Chapter 4, 4.1.11 verified that 122.75—what he had been using—was indeed the air-to-air frequency and what many pilots use to self-announce. 

He had been flying on a Saturday morning before 0800. Maybe he was the first one up? 

What threw him was that the frequency is not printed on the sectional or terminal area chart. He had been looking for it on the chart around the vicinity of the airport.

• READ MORE: Always Look for a Place to Land

Before ADS-B, self-announcing combined with clearing turns was the primary means of achieving situational awareness. Pilots report over landmarks, announcing tail numbers and/or make and color of aircraft, their altitude, and the maneuver they are doing. For example, “Southeast practice area, green and white Cessna 172 over amphitheater, 1,400 S-turns, southeast practice area.”

The turbulence, we surmised, was a combined product of the ground heating up as it was summer, and the fact the aircraft was considerably lighter without the CFI in it, so it was more easily displaced. He had slowed to maneuver speed as a precaution when he hit the bumps— exactly as he had been taught—and suggested perhaps he had overcontrolled the aircraft a bit.

We went over to the foothills where the bumps lurk so he could get more experience as Mother Nature batted us around like we were a cat toy. There was some experimentation with altitudes and a discussion of how to approach a ridgeline—always at a 45-degree angle—and knowing what topography will result in the least bumps. The green fields and water of the Puget Sound resulted in a smoother ride.

I had the learner take us up a couple of thousand feet and talked him through both side slips and forward slips until he felt comfortable. The fact that a slip is essentially cross controlling an aircraft is what made him nervous. He was practicing slips in the clean configuration, as the scenario was that the electrical system had failed. Therefore he had to do a no-flap landing, and he was high on final. 

He noted the placard that reads “Avoid Slips With Flaps Extended.” What followed was a discussion on obeying the placards and understanding why they are placed in an aircraft.

• READ MORE: Make Flight Reviews for CFIs Worthwhile

I advised him that slips do feel awkward at first, especially in a side-by-side airplane with a narrow cockpit. I have a vivid memory practicing them in a Cessna 140 with a broad-shouldered gentleman instructor. He was on the uphill side of the slip and asked me if this bothered me, as  he was pretty much half in my seat on top of me. I replied, “Oh, no, we’re fine,” although I wondered if we were now legally married in certain cultures.

I did caution the learner, however, to warn his passengers before he entered a slip, as it can be a startling and uncomfortable maneuver.

At the end of the flight he had his confidence back. I was there the day he earned his certificate.

It’s not just the fledgling pilots that scare themselves, and it doesn’t even have to be something you did or didn’t do that throws you for a loop. I have written about far too many mishaps to take anything for granted. Every six months or so, I find the most experienced CFI I can and get some dual instruction.

You better believe that learning takes place.

The post Scaring Yourself Into Additional Dual Instruction appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

This is a question every pilot needs to ask themself, and frequently. That’s not because the aircraft engine is unreliable—and I have to stress this because there have been learners who panic when a CFI asks this—but because aircraft, unlike cars, don’t have the luxury of simply pulling over when there is an uncommanded loss of engine power. 

I teach my learners to always be looking for emergency landing areas just like you would scope out restrooms in public places when you have small children. Before a possible emergency, you want to know where they are before you need them.

FAA & Emergency Landings 

The FAA doesn’t tell us where to land in an emergency. The closest we get to a regulation on this is FAR 91.13, which states no person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another, and FAR 91.119, Minimum safe altitudes which states, “except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes anywhere, allowing if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface. Over congested areas of a city, town, or settlements or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of aircraft, over other than congested areas an altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas, in those cases the aircraft may not be operated close than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.”

If you lose engine power during the flight, breaking a FAR is likely the least of your worries. Besides, the FAA allows pilots to deviate from the FARs to meet the nature of the emergency.

Space Needed

When you begin your flying career, ask your instructor to point out the potential emergency landing spots as you fly to and from the practice area, as well as the places within it. This is important, because at first you don’t have a frame of reference of how much space an airplane needs to come to a stop and what constitutes a good emergency landing field. 

I utilize three practice areas. The learner’s first lesson includes overflying them, and before every maneuver, we identify one we will use if the engine quits.

This activity provides an introduction to learning to read the VFR sectional, as the learners are taught to look for all runways, paved and other than hard surfaced. The ones designated with a magenta circle with an “R” in the center can be confusing at first. Contrary to many a learner’s first guess, this is not the symbol for a “restricted” runway, it’s a privately owned one. I tell my learners to recall it with the phrase “rich dude (that’s the “R”) has a private runway”.

Agricultural fields are often the second-best choice if you don’t have an actual runway within gliding distance, depending on the crop. Avoid anything with vines, such as beans and tomatoes, and pumpkin patches as those are basically growing boulders. 

Also, be aware that agricultural fields are often surrounded by irrigation ditches, and some of them are several feet deep and indiscernible until you’re too low to avoid them. Wire fences around the crops can also be invisible until you’re almost on top of them. 

Dry lake beds can be an option if in an arid part of the country,  provided there are no chuckholes or large rocks. 

Empty parking lots are also an option. By empty I mean the ones without cars and without light stands. You often find them off the extended centerlines of runways or next to the runway because the light stands may interfere with the glideslope of the ILS. 

Learn Your Area’s Topography 

In the Pacific Northwest we have clear-cuts that look empty from altitude, but when you get down to ground level, you see the tree stumps are several feet high. During a training flight an instructor pointed out the logging access road that ran parallel to the clear-cut and suggested that, if we had to, we would put down on the road aiming for the straightaway. There were trees on either side of the road, we noted, which looked to be at least 20- 30 feet high. Our wingspan was approximately 38 feet. If the road was 40 feet wide, we’d barely make it. Or else the trees would act as arresting cables and jerk us to a halt. We never had to test this, but when I fly over mountains to this day I look for those open areas and roads next to them. 

When flying to eastern Washington, I follow the route over the freeway that has the unpaved runways adjacent to it. These runways were built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration to be used as emergency landing strips for the DC-3s that crossed the mountains.

• READ MORE: Flying with an Athletic Mindset

Landing on the beach is also an option if you are over the Puget Sound and within gliding distance to shore. Most of the beaches are made of gravel, but if you do encounter sand, aim for the dark (wet) sand as it is more firm than the dry and will likely put the aircraft on its back. Stay away from the heavily populated beaches, or do your best to put it down in shallow water offshore away from people. You may flip the aircraft, but it’s better than taking out a civilian.

Athletic Fields

If you’re a pilot and you spend a lot of time on municipal athletic fields used by high school and college teams, you may find yourself scoping them out as potential emergency landing sites. I know I have. I often wonder if someone had to, could they put a small aircraft, such as a Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee, down on the pitch?

There are a few parks where my field hockey team plays that are below the VFR arrival and departures path for King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KBFI) and Renton Municipal Airport (KRNT). The aircraft are supposed to be at 1,200 feet in order to stay away from the big iron in the Class B airspace above them. I have flown these routes many, many times. A few times, during play, my teammates have called my attention to the aircraft, asking if they are in trouble or buzzing us? I assure them neither is the case.

Every now and then we learn about aircraft that make emergency landings on golf courses. Making a safe landing on a golf course without engine power takes a great deal of skill and, frankly, luck as such terrain is often sloped or wildly uneven. Most pilots file these emergency landing areas under “better than hitting a house or building.”

Stay Off The Road

One of the first things pilots learn is that roads are not the place to put it down because of power and telephone lines that you often can’t see until it is too late—not to mention street signs, parked cars, and moving traffic. These are areas of last resort. Sometimes the pilot gets the airplane down just fine, then a car pulls in front of them because the driver doesn’t understand the airplane is having an emergency, or they simply don’t see it. 

Invariably, when this topic is discussed in ground school, someone will mention the legends surrounding the Autobahn in Germany, designed with 1-mile straightways every 5 so they could be used as runways. This allegedly stems from Dwight Eisenhower, who while serving as supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe during World War II, was impressed by the highway system in Germany. When he became U.S. president, he wanted to do something similar with America’s road network, which resulted in the formation of the Interstate Highway System in 1956.

I admit when I am driving on a flat, four-lane road someplace, I do think about its use as an emergency landing strip.

The post Always Look for a Place to Land appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Ahead of us some 1,000 feet down the runway there was a bald eagle standing on the centerline, scarfing down the carcass of what looked like a large white rabbit. We brought the aircraft to a stop as the bird stopped its feeding frenzy and hopped toward us, spreading its wings and obviously saying, “Come at me, bro!” in eagle. 

We had three choices: We could try to scare the bird away by heading toward it and run over the carcass in the process, go off the runway to the side and take our chances in the grass area that needed mowing, or we could do a 180-degree turn and taxi back. I chose door number three and in taking the aircraft demonstrated the pivot turn to the learner. 

As he taxied us back to the ramp, I got on the unicom and reported that there was an eagle parked on the runway. That brought out the airport manager with his truck and big shovel. He scared off the bird by waving the tool, then picked up the remains of the white rabbit and flung it into the woods on the east side of the airport. The eagle flew after the carcass. Within 10 minutes there was a warning on the one-minute weather about wildlife in the vicinity of the airport. 

The airport manager later told me that as it was May and the carcass was that of a white domesticated rabbit and figured it was a pet Easter bunny that had been dumped. Sadly, this happens a lot and pretty much condemns the animal to death. He also noted that there is no such thing as one rabbit, suggesting the abandoned pet was pregnant when it was left and likely mixed with the wild population, resulting in more rabbits. Their presence attracts the higher predators such as coyotes and eagles—two animals you definitely don’t want to hit with an aircraft. He was right. In the following weeks, there was an uptick in coyote and eagle encounters at the airport.

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One of the most frequently asked questions is how much trouble would a pilot be in if they accidentally hit a bald eagle—or any animal for that matter. The answer is none. However, the FAA has provided us with guidance with Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5200-32B. 

According to the AC, pilots are asked to report encounters with all birds, bats, and terrestrial mammals larger than 2.2 pounds. That means if you hit a rabbit, muskrat, armadillo, fox, coyote, domestic animal, deer or something else with hooves, the FAA wants to know about it because it helps the agency create wildlife management plans to make airports safer. 

Additionally, biologists want to know about these things because it can help them track migratory patterns.

An increase in animal activity at an airport can also be a clue that there is something else happening on the property.

For example, when deer and elk started appearing en masse on the north end of the airport, the manager realized there was likely a hole in the fence against the tree line. There were thick trees on both sides of the fence, so getting to it involved making your way through a lot of slash and uneven terrain. But someone did it and had cut the chain-link fence intentionally.

Based on the tire tracks that appeared to be from ATVs—and the number of hangars that were broken into—it was suggested that someone was accessing the airport to steal tools and anything else they could sell for scrap metal. 

If You Hit an Animal

The AC has instructions on how to file a report and with whom. Pilots are asked to do this when “bird or other wildlife remains, whether in whole or in part, are found: (1) Within 250 feet of a runway centerline or within 1,000 feet of a runway end unless another reason for the animal’s death is identified or suspected.”

In addition, the FAA wants to know about it if “the presence of birds or other wildlife on or off the airport had a significant negative effect on a flight,” such as forcing the pilot to abort takeoff or the aircraft leaving the pavement to avoid a collision. 

You can report the event online at the Airport Wildlife Hazard Mitigation website or via mobile devices.

The Worst Thing to Hit

According to the AC, the animal encounters that are likely to result in the most damage are  white-tailed deer, snow goose, turkey vultures and Canada geese. 

I have encountered all of these, fortunately from a distance. Mostly we have geese in the Pacific Northwest, and airports invest a lot of time and money into methods to deter the birds from roosting there. This includes noise cannons, using an airport dog to chase them away, or having someone drive around in a golf cart to chase them away.

There are some airports that disguise ponds on their property by filling them with black or gray plastic balls (think the ball pit at a kid’s amusement center). From the air the birds see the black and gray and assume that it is cement, not water, so they do not land.

If you see a gaggle of geese near the runway, notify airport personnel before you take off or land. The staff will likely chase them off before you take the runway. Bonus note: If you land at an airport and see plywood dogs mounted on revolving poles in the airport grass infield, that’s a good indication they have bird issues. Birds see the faux dogs moving in the wind and avoid the area.

Avoiding Birds

You can decrease your chances of having a bird strike by avoiding places they congregate, such as bird sanctuaries. Pay attention to the altitude restrictions noted on the VFR sectional and terminal charts, especially along coastlines. 

Most birds fly at 2,500 feet or less, so flying higher than that can mitigate your risk. Be careful with flocks of starlings and seagulls as their numbers can create serious issues if you fly through them. If you see them on the ground, don’t buzz them. They will likely launch in a panic with disastrous results.

Unfortunately, most of our knowledge about bird strike avoidance is theoretical and anecdotal. Some pilots believe that turning on the landing light will deter birds because they will see and avoid the aircraft.

If you see a bird approaching head-on, pull up, being careful not to stall the aircraft. The birds often dive to avoid aircraft—so do bats. But sometimes you just don’t have the time to react. I speak from experience.

I was flying with a learner on downwind at an altitude of 1,000 feet agl when we saw a red-tailed hawk heading right for us. It had descended into the pattern, and it was going the opposite direction. It had its belly toward us, and it was flapping wildly. There was a thump, followed by a shudder in the airframe, and we felt and heard something roll over the top of the aircraft. I took the controls and gingerly tested the rudder and elevator while my learner looked outside for damage. We didn’t see any, and the landing was normal. After landing we discovered a small dent, and some blood and feathers stuck to the top wing next to the air vent.

We had noted where the strike took place, including the altitude and our airspeed at the time of impact. This information was used to fill out the FAA Bird/Wildlife Strike Report. 

We were lucky because we were not going too fast, and the bird did not hit the windscreen. The higher the speed, the greater risk of structural damage. GA aircraft windscreens are definitely not designed to withstand bird strikes.

The most important thing to remember if you encounter a bird strike is to fly the airplane. Pilots who have experienced bird strikes that resulted in significant damage tell stories of the aircraft “flying a little wonky” because of a big dent in the wing or tail and having trouble maintaining altitude if the windscreen is compromised.

But they lived to tell the story. That’s what’s important.

The post Avoiding and Surviving Bird Strikes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

This is dubious at best, and can be an example of the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where people with limited competence in a particular domain—like flying—overestimate their abilities. It is particularly common with someone who took lessons in the past then returns to it decades later. It can be difficult to accept the fact there is some rust on those skills.

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In this way, aviation is very similar to athletics. While you lettered in (insert sport you played in high school or college) some time ago, it probably wouldn’t be realistic to expect that same level of performance today. 

Poor performance in sports can be embarrassing and ego and body bruising, but rarely are the failures as high stakes as they are in aviation.

Similar Learning Process

Learning to fly is a lot like learning to play a sport. You begin by learning the fundamentals. In flying, you learn how to taxi, use the rudder pedals and throttle, and how to move the yoke or stick. In sports, you learn how to hold the bat, throw the ball, etc. With both activities most of us are clumsy at first, but with practice, repetition, and drill, you get better. Both athletics and flying take a good bit of hand-eye coordination, and you may find rekindling your playing of the sport improves your cockpit performance.

The role of the coach is similar to that of the flight instructor. If they are good at their job, you will remember what they taught you, even many years later. While it may have been awhile since you played, as life got in the way, expect there to be rust. But, if you were taught well, the skills will come back, provided you practice, and if necessary, are prepared to relearn things.

The athletics analogy is particularly poignant because I have just returned from playing in a field hockey tournament in British Columbia, Canada. For the unfamiliar, field hockey is a cross between soccer and lacrosse. I learned to play in high school but had to drop it after college.

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It is very much an East Coast sport, so I was excited when I found a team to play with in Seattle. I am a goalkeeper for the Seattle Women’s team, and I returned to field hockey just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. And like a pilot who has not flown in years, there was a learning curve.

For starters, the equipment had changed significantly. The sticks are now composite, not wood, and the goalkeepers wear a lot more protective gear. Back in the day, I relied on a mouthguard, a padded glove, and a high pain tolerance in case the kickers and leg guards made of canvas and cotton batting around bamboo didn’t do the job. Today, goalies wear padded pants, kickers, leg guards, and hand protection made of nylon, rubber, and plastic. In addition, I have a helmet, throat guard, and body armor. When I saw the updated gear, I felt a bit like a pilot who learned to fly on steam gauges with a magnetic compass and an ADF for navigation who was now facing a Garmin avionics suite.

It had been so long since I played field hockey that I had to watch videos to relearn how to put on the gear and move in the goal cage. Kick and clear, shuffle, drop into the protective stance, etc. These are the basic moves, like climb, turns, and descents in aviation.

At practice, our coach leads the team through drills that benefit both the offense and defense. These are basically scenarios we will face in a game. It is not unlike pilots practicing steep turns, slow flight, traffic patterns, stalls, and emergency descents—things we could use on every flight.

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Like flying, field hockey has a certain amount of risk: That ball hurts when it hits you, even with the protective gear. Some of those women players—like that gusting crosswind—are downright intimidating when they charge the goal cage. A few times I have been tempted to ask, “Do the Valkyries know you took the day off?”

I am supposed to stop the ball and clear it from the defense area with the kickers, my stick, or the mitt on my left hand. I have to read the situation, just like a pilot needs to when they are coming in for a landing—do I add power or flaps, or leave it be? If I lose situational awareness (where did that ball go?) or when there is a pileup in the cage (and we have them, trust me), someone—most likely me—might get hurt.

The only way to lessen the risk is more practice and drill so we are prepared as a team for any situation. It is sort of our version of knowing when to go around.

I find it useful to watch field hockey training videos before practice, just as I watch and recommend my learners view aviation training videos of the maneuvers we will be flying. This is particularly helpful for the learners who haven’t been in an airplane for months or even years.

Preseason Training for the Pilot

If you are returning to flying after a long hiatus, it may be useful to approach it like an athlete returning after the offseason. Here are some tips:

• Make the time to watch an online ground school that covers the basic maneuvers, procedures, and knowledge you will need to be a safe and effective pilot. There are several to choose from: Gold Seal, King, and Sporty’s to name a few. Find one you like and commit.

• Pay attention to the procedures for the maneuvers. A good majority of the physical skills we learn are acquired in part by watching someone else demonstrate it. At least it gives you an idea, then you supplement this knowledge by reading the pilot’s operating handbook (POH) for the aircraft so you have an idea of the metrics for takeoffs and landings, such as the appropriate speeds. Emergency procedures are also in there and should be memorized so you act rather than react in an emergent situation.

• Choose your instructor carefully. Find someone who loves aviation as much as you do and wants you to return to the sky rather than pad their logbook.

• Be patient with yourself. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes in the cockpit—but learn from them.

The post Flying with an Athletic Mindset appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Is there a particular way the FAA wants the pilot to measure distances, navigate, and pick a route?

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Answer: According to FAR 61.1(b)(ii), to meet the aeronautical experience requirements for a private pilot certificate, a commercial pilot certificate, an instrument rating, or for the purpose of exercising recreational pilot privileges, cross-country flight time must include a landing at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nm from the original point of departure. Measure that with a plotter and paper sectional, and it’s best if the distance is a bit past 50 nm—like at least 53 nm.

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As far as navigation goes, FAR 61.1(b)(i) navigation for cross-country flights can be ded reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigational aids (GPS), radio aids (VOR), and other navigation systems. Keep in mind that many designated pilot examiners (DPEs) will fail the GPS or ForeFlight to test the applicant’s use of the more basic navigational skills. 

Pro tip: Carry a current paper sectional with you and make sure you can read it. Andexpect to be told to divert to another airport during the check ride using the sectional as your guide.

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As far as if it is legal to reposition an aircraft to an airport that is not a pilot’s home base, then use it as a starting point to give them a straight-line distance of more than 50 nm, we asked the FAA directly. The answer: Yes, it is legal to do this.

The post How to Make Sure Your Cross-Country Hours Count appeared first on FLYING Magazine.