FAA cockpit email system promises to reduce airline delays

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is giving the go ahead for a new data and email system that allows tower controllers and airplanes sitting on the tarmac to relay requests and instructions for flight plans.

READ MORE: Seattle Times

[Credit: Brianc/Flickr]

by Adam Clark Estes

September 10,2013

The Honeywell Primus 2000 EFIS flight director system is composed of five 7"x8" CRT screens. Dual flight management systems with GPS are standard.

Hi, I'd like to introduce myself.

My name is Mark Gardner and I am a Professional Pilot living in the Las Vegas, Nevada area.

I have many talents that I could put to work for your company.

If, you need a Pilot to operate, or possibly manage your aircraft please feel free to contact me.

Below is a short video review of my pilot qualifications.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions about my experience.

Thank you.

Mark A. Gardner - Pilot/Webmaster

ScienceDaily (Apr. 24, 2012) — Night-time departures, early morning arrivals, and adjusting to several time zones in a matter of days can rattle circadian rhythms, compromise attention and challenge vigilance. And yet, these are the very conditions many pilots face as they contend with a technically challenging job in which potentially hundreds of lives are at stake.

In an article to be published in a forthcoming issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, John A Caldwell, a psychologist and senior scientist at Fatigue Science, a Honolulu business focusing on fatigue assessment, examines the problem of sleep deprived pilots by teasing out the complex interplay of inadequate sleep and circadian rhythms. He explains how airline industry solutions miss the point and then suggests other options.

Caldwell points out that "fatigue-related performance problems in aviation have been consistently underestimated and underappreciated, despite the fact that decades of research on pilots and other operational personnel has clearly established that fatigue from insufficient sleep significantly degrades basic cognitive performance, psychological mood, and fundamental piloting skills."

Evidence abounds. In 2004, a corporate airlines flight crashed as it approached Kirksville Regional Airport; in 2008, Honolulu based pilots of Go! Airlines overshot their destination by more than thirty miles because they fell asleep during a trip that was only fifty minutes long. A Northwest Airlines Flight overflew its destination by 150 miles because pilots had dozed off at the controls. In 2009, fifty people were killed when a Continental Connection flight en route from Newark to Buffalo crashed into a house. Pilots failed to respond properly to a stall warning and the flight went out of control.

After examining what went wrong, the NTSB concluded that, "the pilots' performance was likely impaired because of fatigue." Since 1990 the US National Transportation Safety Board has placed pilot fatigue on the Most Wanted List of safety related priorities.

Why? Because as fatigue increases, "accuracy and timing degrade, lower standards of performance are accepted, the ability to integrate information from individual flight instruments into a meaningful and overall pattern declines, and attention narrows. "

In one study, F-117 pilots were deprived of one night of sleep and then were tested on precision instruments. Not only did pilot errors on those instruments double after one night of sleep loss, pilots reported feeling depressed and confused.

Clearly fatigue is fundamentally the result of insufficient sleep, but for pilots the important issue is the consequences of that sleep loss when they are sitting at the control panel. The author suggests that "fatigue related risks increase substantially when (a) the waking period is longer than 16 hours, (b) the preduty sleep period is shorter than 6 hours, or (c) the work period occurs during the pilot's usual sleep hours."  READ MORE: Science Daily

Safety Management System (SMS)

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The Aviation Safety Organization's Safety Management System Website was created as a public resource for those seeking to learn more about SMS within the aviation industry and the FAA. The website will also provide resources to individuals and aviation product/service provider organizations seeking to learn more about implementing a SMS within their organization.

SMS introduces an evolutionary process in system safety and safety management. SMS is a structured process that obligates organizations to manage safety with the same level of priority that other core business processes are managed. This applies to both internal (FAA) and external aviation industry organizations (Operator & Product Service Provider).

This website will evolve; please continue to visit this site periodically for enhancements, updates and the most current information about SMS, Aviation Safety and the interface with FAA.

Please send us your feedback! What would you like to see on this website? Please feel free to email your comments to 9-AWA-AVS-SMS@faa.gov.

Source: http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/sms/

Some confusion exists as to what a pilot is supposed to do when a "Cleared as Filed" clearance is issued by ATC from an airport, but no Departure Procedure (DP) is assigned in the clearance. ATC at some airports may not issue a Departure Procedure as part of the clearance.

However, the pilot is expected to determine a way to safely depart the airport and join the enroute structure defined in the ATC clearance (or flight plan if "cleared as filed"). One way to accomplish this-and normally the safest way in IMC-is to fly the appropriate published Departure Procedure. If a textual DP has been established for the airport, it will be found in the front of the U.S. Terminal Procedures Publication under Take-Off Minimums And (Obstacle) Departure Procedures.

If there is more than one Departure Procedure, the pilot should fly the one most appropriate to the route of flight. Absent specific departure instructions from ATC, the pilot may also elect to "climb on course," but only if he/she has determined that adequate terrain and/or obstruction clearance can be maintained until reaching the minimum IFR altitude (MIA), or minimum enroute altitude (MEA).

Weather conditions permitting, a pilot may request a "VFR climb" for the initial portion of the flight. While this will often expedite your departure clearance, note that this provision applies only to the vertical aspect of the ATC IFR clearance. The pilot is expected to follow the ground track as assigned, overflying the fixes or airways stated in the clearance. A "VFR climb" is not permission to deviate from the cleared route.

As part of your IFR preflight planning always familiarize yourself with the airport written and graphic departure procedures. You may not always be assigned one by ATC but you are expected to determine a safe departure method-a published DP is one way to accomplish that.

Following a published DP is also appropriate if you depart VFR expecting to pick up an IFR clearance en route, especially at night when terrain features, such as mountains, are not clearly visible - just remember to stay VFR until you have your IFR clearance.

FMI: http://aeronav.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=aeronav/applications/d_tpp

Available To Entegra & MFD Customers

Owners of Avidyne's displays with CMax Charts can now download Terminal Charts, Airport Diagrams and/or European VFR Charts subscription from Jeppesen for use on Apple iPad at no additional charge, the company announced Monday.

"Jeppesen has developed an easy-to-use iPad application, Jeppesen Mobile TC, that allows general aviation pilots to receive all the information from their standard Airway Manual and VFR Manual in an easy-to-use electronic format," said Thomas Wede, Jeppesen senior vice president and general manager, Aviation. "Now, Avidyne MFD customers with CMax can download an iPad App to view their current chart subscriptions at no additional charge."

READ MORE:    AeroNews

The FAA issued a draft policy memorandum that would change circuit-breaker layouts in aircraft electrical systems, as well as how pilots deal with tripped ­circuit breakers. Comments are due by September 12. Principal changes would be for manufacturers to group and identify essential and non-essential circuit breakers in Part 23 aircraft and to publish flight manual guidance about when to reset circuit breakers. According to the FAA, it has allowed resetting of circuit breakers or replacement of fuses while in flight, but current Part 25 advisory information “is to recommend that no pilot should reset any ­circuit breaker more than once.”

Original Article from: Ainonline.com

AVIATION RULES OF THUMB

The following information is provided as a guideline for better flying.

Use this information at your own risk. Nothing is written in stone here.

1) Altimeter correction for non-standard pressure
'From high to low, look below'
1 mb = 30 feet
FL 270 QNH 977
ISA - 36 mb ???? 36 x 30 = 1080 feet
Altitude = 25920 feet

2) Altimeter correction for non-standard temperature
'From high to low, look below'
Corr (feet) = 4 x ? ISA x altitude (feet)
1000
FL 300 ISA - 6°C
Corr = 4 x 6 x 30 = 680 feet
Alt = 29320 feet

3) SAT out of TAT
SAT (°C) = TAT (°C) - 3 x Mach
TAT = -17 °C Mach 0.64
SAT = -17 – 3 x 6 = -17 - 18 = -35 °C

4) SAT out of TAT for higher Mach and lower Temp
SAT (°C) = TAT (°C) - (100 x Mach) - 50
TAT = -31 °C Mach 0.74
You have 24 above M 0.50
SAT = -31 -24 = -55 °C

5) Level Off procedure if R/C ? 1000 feet/min (also for descent R/D)
? feet = R/C (feet/min)
10
Climbing to FL 210 R/C = 2000 feet/min
? feet = 200 feet ???? start level off at 20800 feet

6) Level Off procedure if R/C > 1000 feet/min (also for descent R/D)
? feet = 2 x R/C (feet/min)
10
Climbing to FL 300 R/C = 2500 feet/min
? feet = 500 feet ???? start level off at 29500 feet

7) Cruise Flight Level computation

NO OFFICIAL USE -ACCURACY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED - FOR INFO ONLY !

Cruise FL = Trip Distance (NM)
EBBR-EBOS = 60 NM
Optimum is FL 60

8) Vertical Speed to rejoin assigned altitude
V/S (feet/min) = 2 x ? feet
If on 6250 feet instead of 6000 feet, correct with V/S = 500 feet/min

9) To obtain TAS out of Mach-number (high altitudes - cruise)
TAS (kt) = 6 x Mach
M 0.72
TAS = 420 kt

10) To find TAS out of IAS and FL
TAS (kt) = IAS (kt) + FL
2
FL 300 IAS = 240 kt
TAS = 240 + 150 = 390 kt

11) Ground Speed out of Mach
GS (NM/min) = 10 x Mach
M 0.72
GS = 7,2 NM/min


NO OFFICIAL USE -ACCURACY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED - FOR INFO ONLY !

12) Drift computation in cruise
Drift (°) = X-wind (kt)
Mach
M 0.7 X-wind 35 kt
Drift = 35 / 7 = 5°

13) Drift computation out of TAS (not IAS, unless during approach)
Drift (°) = X-wind (kt) .
speed number
TAS 180 kt X-wind 36 kt
Drift = 36 / 3 = 12°

14) To find Ground Speed with DME station available
GS (kt) = 10 x distance (NM) in 36s
Read distance covered in 36 seconds towards or away from station

15) Off-Track distance
Off-Track Distance = ?° x distance to station
60
9° off track 11 NM from station
Off-Track Distance = 9 x 11 / 60 = 99 / 60 = 1.6 NM

16) Slant distance overhead a DME – station
each 6000 feet altitude ???? 1 NM DME
Overhead station FL 330
you will read 33000 / 6000 = 5.5 NM on DME

17) Intercepting outbound leg when close to the VOR-DME station (valid for Mach 0.7)
1 NM for each ?30°
FL 330 Inbound on R-180 (Hdg N) to track 060 outbound
Start your turn to 060 at 2 NM before (+ slant 5.5NM)

18) Intercept Heading when passing over station before turning to outbound Heading
Attack (°) = 1/3 x ?Track (°)
Inbound on 180 (Hdg N) to track 060 outbound
Take Heading 080 overhead Station to intercept Radial

19) Intercept Heading when a little bit off-track
Attack (°) = 3 x Off-Track angle (°)
On R-310 outbound instead of R-315
Take attack 15° to rejoin

20) Top of Descent (Idle thrust - 3° descent path)
TOD (NM) = ? FL
3
FL 280 down to 2000 feet
TOD = 260 / 3 = 87 NM

21) R/D required to be down at certain point
R/D (feet/min) = speed number x altitude (feet)
distance (NM)
Descent 17000 feet in the next 28 NM TAS 240 kt
R/D = 4 x 17000 / 28 = 2400 feet/min

22) Vertical speed by changing Body Attitude (valid for high speeds)
R/D (feet/min) = Mach x ?BA (°)
Mach 0.74 ???? One degree BA results in 740 feet/min

23) Vertical speed by changing Body Attitude (valid for lower speeds)
Use TAS or IAS in approach
R/D (feet/min) = speed number x ?BA (°)
Speed TAS 420 kt BA 3 degrees down
R/D = 7 x 3 = 2100 feet/min

NO OFFICIAL USE -ACCURACY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED - FOR INFO ONLY !

24) Distance required if you want to maintain a certain R/D profile
Distance (NM) = speed number x altitude (feet)
R/D
Descent 23000 feet at 1000 feet/min TAS 300 kt
Distance = 5 x 23 = 115 NM

25) Wind correction for descent distance
Wind Corr (NM) = 10% for each 40 kt component
Example Thumbrule 20) with 20 kts Tailwind
Add 58 to 87 = 92 NM

26) R/D required to follow a certain glide %
R/D (feet/min) = Ground Speed (kt) x %
TAS 350 kts 20 kts tailwind Glide 3° = 5%
R/D = 370 x 5 = 1850 feet/min

27) Conversion % versus degrees for glide path
% = 10 x degrees
6
ILS 3° Glide Slope ???? 30 / 6 = 5%

28) Start the roll-out from a turn when
?Heading (°) to go = Bank (°)
3
Bank 25° Right turn to Hdg 080
Start roll-out 8° in advance, thus on Hdg 072

29) Amount of Bank required for a turn
Bank (°) = ? Heading (°)
Heading North Right to Heading 007
Take 7° Bank

30) Bank required for a rate one turn
Bank (°) = 15% TAS (kt)
TAS 180 kt Rate one turn
Bank = 18 + 9 = 27°

31) Turn diameter of a rate one turn
Diameter (NM) = TAS (kt)
100
TAS 150 kt
Turn ? = 1,5 NM

32) Outbound timing for a base turn, when not mentioned on the chart
Time (min) = 36 .
?Track
ILS Rwy 27 (QFU 270) Teardrop 066 outbound
Time = 36 / (090-066) = 1,5 min

33) R/D to follow the glide slope ILS 3° = 5%
R/D (feet/min) = 5 x Ground Speed (kt)
On Glide Slope TAS 140 kt 10 kt Tailwind
R/D = 750 feet/min

34) Visibility required to see threshold at VDP (Non-Precision Approach)
Vis (m) = 6 x MDA (feet)
MDA 430 feet
Visibility = 6 x 430 feet = 2500 m

35) Memorize this table 1/60 speed (kt)

Second number is Speed in Miles Per Minute
120 = 2
150 = 2.5
180 = 3
210 =3.5
240 = 4
270 = 4.5
300 = 5
330 = 5.5