The Art of Flying IFR

Lesson 1: Preflight & Departure

 

Lesson 1: Preflight & Departure

"The minute that I know I'm going to be taking a flight, I start my planning process."

What you’ll learn from this lesson:

Flying an airplane is a very risky business, but what makes it safe is the management of that risk.  This starts before you leave the ground.

  • START PLANNING NOW - Doug begins his planning as soon as he knows he's taking the flight.
  • FLIGHT PLANNING RESOURCES - Doug shares favorite sources for planning flights.
  • The P.A.V.E. CHECKLIST - this is not just an acronym.
  • The ENVIRONMENT - this can include many other considerations than just the weather to make that 'go' / 'no-go' decision.
  • AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE -  know that your aircraft has the ability to make the flight you're asking it to take.
  • BRIEFING for DEPARTURE - don't overlook the importance of being prepared to come back to your departure airport in case of an emergency.
  • TALKING with ATC - using standard phraseology will greatly increase the chances of getting your requests approved.
  • SPEAKING AVIATION, NOT ENGLISH - watch the use of words such as "to" to make sure you're not confusing with "two"; e.g., "climbing to four thousand" might be perceived as "climbing 240" by ATC.
  • TAKE YOUR TIME - being in a rush can get you in serious trouble.  The most important thing in pre-departure is giving yourself adequate time to prepare.

Supporting material

SUPPORTING MATERIAL

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P.A.V.E. Checklist

P = Pilot -Are you really ready for this flight? Are you current… More importantly, are you proficient How’s your heath? Are you rested? You know the drill…

A = Aircraft -Is this airplane appropriate for the mission? Does it have the requisite performance? How familiar are you with the aircraft? Do you know the panel and avionics? Is the GPS database current? A.R.R.O.W.?

V = enVironment -The environment encompasses much more than just the weather. How do your personal minimums stack up against the conditions where you're headed? What about the conditions enroute? Are you prepared for an overly optimistic forecast? How will you recognize an inaccurate forecast? Do you have passengers? Will they be a help or a distraction?

E = External Pressures -Where's your head? Are you truly capable of transitioning from the office to your cockpit? Do you have to be somewhere at a certain time? Do you feel rushed? Are you prepared to be late? Be focused 100% on the job at hand and fly the airplane.

IMSAFE-R

I = Illness -Are you suffering from any symptoms of an illness which might affect you in flight?

M = Medication - Are you currently taking any drugs (prescription / over the counter / illegal)?  

S = Stress - Are you overly worried about other factors in his life? The psychological pressures of everyday living can be a powerful distraction and affect your pilot performance.  

A = Alcohol - You should consider the amount, and the effects of any alcohol consumption within the last 8 to 24 hours.  

F = Fatigue -Are you adequately rested and properly nourished?

E = Emotions - Are you dealing with any personal of business crisis that could impact your ability to pilot an airplane?

and Doug's personal addition...

R = Recency - How long has it been since your last flight? Your last flight in these conditions?  

KEY ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS

Ceilings & Visibility - What are the current and forecast ceilings and visibilities at your destination, alternate(s) and along the route?  Are the forecasts holding true?  Do they meet legal limits and more importantly are they within your personal minimums?  If you have an emergency or abnormal situation where will you divert?

Convection - What is the outlook at your destination and general area? What's your 'escape' if you encounter convective activity enroute? Thunderstorms should be treated with the utmost respect!

Icing- If you encounter icing what is your escape.. climb, descend, or turn? Which way is the warmer air… up, or down? Where are the cloud tops and bases? Knowing the answers to these questions provides a plan to get out of any icing condition. And don't be afraid to declare an emergency.

Winds - What is the most efficient altitude relative the winds? What are the winds at the surface of your destination and along your route of flight? Do those winds exceed your personal minimums, or aircraft limits?

Runway Condition - Is the runway contaminated with standing water, snow, or ice? Are you prepared for a potential hydroplaning situation?

AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE

It is critically important for us to know “the numbers” of every airplane that we fly in order to stay ahead of the airplane. What “knowing the numbers” means is that every combination of pitch, power and configuration will yield a known performance, be it a climb or descent at a rate and/or speed, a cruise speed, or the bank angle required for a standard rate turn at any given airspeed.

If you know these numbers you won’t have to chase an airspeed, pitch attitude, or rate of descent or climb. Set the “numbers” and you’ll get the performance.

1.  welcome and introduction

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