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How to land in a crosswind

Crosswind landings are one of the most frightening thing to learn for student pilots.  For me, crosswind landings were one of the most challenging manoeuvres and probably took me the longest to perform proficiently.  This is because they absolutely have to be mastered – you simply cannot fly and not be able to do this. But also with cross wind landings, experience is everything, and the more you do these the better you will be at them, and the more comfortable you will feel.

In the beginning when you are only flying with your instructor (dual), they make sure you are very comfortable and proficient at cross wind take offs and landings. Though on your first solo it is highly unlikely you will be sent up in any crosswind, you have to be prepared.   What if the surface wind changes when you are in the air?  You are on your own.

There are two basic cross wind landing techniques. They are:

  1. Side Slip (or wing-low) landing
  2. The Crab

The Side Slip

The most popular cross wind landing technique and the easiest is the side slip (different than a forward slip).  This is the first one you will encounter when you are learning. In fact, in North American for flight training the side slip is preferred and the crab is largely ignored, until you get into more advanced training and more complex aircraft. The nice thing with a side slip is that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is already aligned with the runway, so there is no need to straighten out the aircraft before touchdown. This makes the procedure slightly less overwhelming then a a crab.

Cross wind landing techniques. Image from Flying Magazine.
Cross wind landing techniques. Image from Flying Magazine.

In a side slip, the longitudinal axis of the aircraft should be aligned with the runway and one wing, the upwind wing will be pointed down.  To enter into a side slip, dip your upwind wing down into the wind, and apply opposite rudder sufficient enough to keep you aligned with the runway and from turning.  You will have to adjust the amount of bank required to keep you flying in a straight line.  Too much bank and the plane will move into the wind, too little and it will drift with the wind.

You hold these inputs until the flare, and hold off until the airplane is landed in exactly your approach configuration: you will land on the upwind wheel first.  This is awkward at first, but this is usually brief as the downwind wing follows soon after.

Remember that when we are landing we have to use right rudder to counteract left turning tendencies, so anticipate this and factor it into the amount of rudder you will need when both wheels are on the ground.

Wind gusts will make it more challenging

When the wind is gusty, you will have to adjust your inputs to keep you on track.  This is a tricky thing to learn and takes some time.  If you practice often, you will get a good feel of how to keep the aircraft under control in gusty conditions.

The challenge with side slips is they don’t work for all aircraft types, whereas the crab works for all aircraft.  They are also not suitable for instrument approaches (ILS) or gliding for range.

The Crab

The crab is more advanced because the configuration has to be changed just prior to touchdown.  In the figure above note that your aircraft is not pointing straight in a crab approach – it is not aligned with the runway. This means that prior to touchdown, you have to release the rudder inputs to avoid cross loading the landing gear.

To enter a crab,  point the nose into the wind and maintain wings level.  Your nose will be pointed into the wind, unlike a slip, and your wings will not be dipped but level. Just prior to your wheels touching the ground,  remove the drift and use the rudder to align properly with the runway.

As you can imagine, it is more challenging simply because your heading and track are offset and you must quickly straighten the airplane at the proper moment.  When judging when to straighten the airplane out, it is better to do it too early than too late. It takes a bit of time for the airplane to be sufficiently affected by the drift to cause you serious problems. If you remove them too late, you will have a much bigger problem where you can cross load the landing gear, possibly damaging it, or worse.  Use wind aileron throughout the roll.

Crab landing in an airliner. Image courtesy of The Blaze.com.
Crab landing in an airliner. Image courtesy of The Blaze.com.

 

This photo is an example of a fairly extreme crosswind landing.  If the wind is causing this jet to crab so steeply, you can imagine that it is too strong and unsuitable for a smaller aircraft.

What about flaps?

Typically, it’s a good idea to always use flaps on approach, except in the case of a strong crosswind. The increased surface area of the wing just gives the crosswind more opportunity to blow you around, and when the crosswind is strong, don’t use flaps, or use less flaps in a moderate crosswind.

How about a crosswind takeoff?

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Rust Removal – The Challenges of Returning to the Air

Guest blog by Sylvia Fletcher

Read Sylvia’s account about getting back in the air and the challenges she encountered.

A control panel for a Cessna 152. Category: Images of Cessna aircraft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A control panel for a Cessna 152. Category: Images of Cessna aircraft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My flight test was done in a Cessna 152 last summer.  I continued to fly until rough winds and low ceilings came in the fall, and decided I would simply pick it up again in the spring, thinking this would be an easy task.  What I didn’t realize is that before I made this decision, I should have done some research and a little due diligence on what, exactly, it would require for me to be current again.

Before an airplane can be rented, a pilot must complete a practical and written test if that pilot has not either flown at that rental place before, or a significant amount of time has passed, (more than a few months), since the pilot’s last flight.  The testing is documented and signed off by an instructor before solo rental can take place.

When spring came, I called my school and was informed the 152 was in maintenance awaiting a new engine.  It was also scheduled to be painted.  I decided I would wait a few weeks, and inquire again.  By the time summer started, the paint was not dry and the plane was not ready to fly.  The new engine also had to have at least 30 hours cross country logged in order to break it in before releasing it for demanding student use.

I therefore decided I would get current in a C172.  Throughout my training in a 152, I flew a 172 occasionally, and have about two to three hours in a 172, and even though I knew I would have to get used to the differences in airspeed, attitude views, and just the general feel of a bigger plane, I suspected the practical flight exercises would be simple enough (sort of like riding a bike, so they say).  I also realized that along with doing the exercises themselves, I also had to become familiar with flying a 172 again.

I requested a booking in a 172 which was similar to the 152.  I wanted to eliminate as many differences as possible, in order to do the practical exercises, which would be stressful enough.

Four types of flaps. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sometimes the instructor acts in the best interest of the school, rather than the student.  Sometimes, it’s the other way around.  Instructors that I tend to engage find the perfect balance.  In this case, the instructor booked me in a 172M, acting in the best interest of the school.  It was explained that in order for maintenance to occur on a regular basis with all the planes in the fleet, the students are often “bumped” into a different plane that what was booked, in order to accommodate the maintenance schedule.  They further explain that bumping makes one a better pilot.  When I realized this, I refused to fly the plane that I was bumped in to.  In my training I want and expect consistency.  I realize that adding items while learning to understand a particular maneuver, task, or exercise in a plane, is part of the graduated learning process.  Yet, familiarity breeds comfort, and purposeful bumping into an unfamiliar plane, in my view, adds unnecessary challenges.

On the pre-flight walk around, I realized the flap setting in a 172M is similar to a 150, in that an electric switch is activated, and held until the desired flap setting is achieved.  I did not realize that there was another 172 model with a flap setting similar to the 152; hence the booking I originally requested.  Why Cessna even came up with this idea to engage flaps by holding an electrical timed switch is a ridiculous notion, should be recalled, abolished and changed to a notched “set and forget” setting in all training planes!  I was then told that the 172N model has a notched “set and forget” flap switch, similar to the 152, but it was not available at the time of my booking.

I made a note to make my next booking in the ‘N’ model.

Amazingly, once up at 3,000′ in the practice area, I was successful with a slow flight demo, stall recovery and a forced landing exercise.  My instructor was not pleased on how I handled the overshoot, and said it was likely due to the added drag of 40 degree flaps, and hand to eye muscle coordination.  Little did he, at the time, or I realize how much difference my unfamiliarity with a timed flap setting would make.

I believed I had completed some of the upper air work exercises in the ‘M’, in order to get current, and that I was half way through getting my check ride signed off.  Unfortunately, I had not received the school’s Currency Check Ride List.

On the one hand, it resembles a flight test and can be quite intimidating.  I had no idea of the amount of items needed to be checked off on that list!  Things from tower light signals, comm failure, and soft field takeoff with obstacles.  Had I forgotten that much since my flight test?

On the other hand, the Current Check Ride List is a great way to review and remember forgotten items.  In my latest issue of Flying magazine, I read an article on one pilot’s decision to make a short, soft field landing, and took off without flaps only to crash through the top of trees at the end of the grass strip.  The article stated there was no accounting for the added Runway Friction Index (in Canada, “CRFI”), or that, according to the Pilot Operating Handbook for the accident plane, 10 degree flaps were required for a soft field takeoff with an obstacle.  The article states that no flaps were applied.  If they were perhaps the pilot would have cleared the trees.  This was a serious reminder that I have to know that grass will slow me down on takeoff.  I have to know that 10 degree flaps will give me better lift for a short field take off.  I have to know to always be diligent with my weight and balance calculations.

One of my Facebook pilot friends, Ed Bryce, a well-seasoned pilot, posted this check list used whenever getting into an unfamiliar plane.

1. How do you control the flaps?
2. How do you set the trim?
3. How is the fuel system controled?
4. Audio panel: how do you set it and hear/talk on which radio?
5. How do you set the radios?
6. Is there a PTT (push to talk) button or do you use the hand-held mike?
7. Are there any engine/navigation instrument that you’re unfamiliar with?
8. Are there any controls on the panel that you don’t recognize?
9. How do you prime the engine (some planes use a fuel pump rather than the hand control near the ignition switch)?
10.  Adjust seat for optimal attitude/panel view.

On short final
On short final

Perhaps my last two rides getting current and familiar with a 172, the instructors have expected more from me, and were intentionally passive, just to get a feel for where I was at.  Now that I have this checklist in hand, I am going to use it, and take a more active role in what I want covered, when and how.  I also have a copy of the Currency Check List, and will diligently review and go over each and every item with my instructor, checking the items off one at a time.

———————

About the author: Sylvia has a recreational pilot’s license and blogs about her experience with flying.  Her blog features “chronicles of a passionate, enthusiastic female recently minted pilot, over the age of 50, who has come to appreciate that staying in ground effect and forward slips are the coolest thing.”

Check out her blog at PrimerMasterMags

 

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Clearing Turns

Clearing turns are very important

If you are getting your license, you probably have experienced your instructor being very adamant you do these clearing turns consistently and correctly.  It is mandatory you understand them for your flight test: if you show the examiner a lax attitude when checking for traffic, that is not only dangerous, but will constitute a fail.

So what is the proper way to do clearing turns, and why do we need to do them?

The real reason is safety.

When we do any maneuver practicing upper air work, be it slow flight, steep turns, stalls, spins, spirals, or whatever, we always do clearing turns.  We check for traffic by turning 90 degrees in each direction, using a consistent angle of bank (my instructor likes 30 degrees).   Then you roll around back to your original intended heading (you hope!) knowing that you have had a good look primarily behind you.    There is no real guide or standard as to how to exactly perform the clearance turns, but as long as something is done to actively check for traffic using turns.

To start always look to the right or left first, whichever way you intend to turn and verbalize that you are doing this.  Strain your neck, really have a good look, and say “clear for traffic on the left”.  Do your turn.  Then do this for the right side. Look, bend your neck to have a good look, and say “clear for traffic on the right”.  When you have completed the turn have a look around.

Before turning, always check for traffic, and verbalize that you are doing this.
Before turning, always check for traffic, and verbalize that you are doing this.

Generally, it is better to start from the left rather than from the right.  Overtaking aircraft are to pass on the right side; so if you take a right turn you may inadvertently cut an airplane off trying to pass you on the right. But regardless which direction you start from, make sure you have a good look around before changing your heading.

I used to think these turns didn’t accomplish much and was skeptical about how effective they are. I thought they left a section of sky unobserved.  But think about it,  you can see to the right or left without turning, and when you turn in either direction you can see behind you.   You can imagine it’s like doing a shoulder check.

 

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The challenges of getting a pilots’ license

Flying is an amazing hobby and a challenging and interesting profession. 

Unfortunately, flying has many challenges, and this is seen in the data.  Many students who start never in fact finish their license.  In Canada, the number of student pilot permits hovers just around 10,000 but the number of private licenses issued in a year is just over 2000 (based on the latest data I could find).  Generally, about 1 in 5 flight students ever finish their license. There are many barriers, most of them financial. Another common problem is becoming disillusioned with flying – that it is simply too big of a commitment than originally thought.  Also, keeping up with it is hard, one has to fly regularly to maintain proficiency, and this can get expensive.

The profession is very gender-unbalanced

A career as a pilot is one of the most gender-unbalanced workplaces that exists today in terms of number of participants.  As we know, there are very few female pilots. Only about 6% of all private licenses are held by women, about 7% of commercial licenses holders are female, and only 3-4% of airline transport licenses are female.  The desires of many operators to have a more gender balanced workforce of pilots can potentially stack the odds in favor of females. That is not saying that you will get a flying job faster because you are female, but applicants with the same level of experience and proficiency and differ only in gender may have employers favoring females, all things equal.

The pilot shortage

We hear much of the looming pilot shortage.  So what’s happening? Boeing and Airbus have predicted it for years and have estimated the shortage to be as high as 500,000 – half a million – new airline pilots required over the next two decades.  This is a worldwide shortage and not just North American,  since most of the growth in airlines is outside of Canada and the U.S.  The bulk of new demand will be from India and the Asia Pacific region.   Though there is definitely some debate about the extent of the pilot shortage, the overseas demand appears to be largely certain to rise.

How to we overcome these hurdles in getting a license?

1.  Be financially prepared

Knowing that money can be an issue we can simply be prepared to pay the initial costs of training. If you budget around $10,000 for your PPL you will be able to complete it without stressing out or worrying about money.  However this is only if you don’t take huge breaks in your training (like me!). These breaks get expensive and it’s frustrating worrying about money when you’re learning.   Flying requires so much concentration you don’t want to have to worry about how you’re going to pay for it.

Can you set aside this kind of money?  If it is a priority for you, you certainly can. You will just have to make some financial trade-offs.

2.  Make time

Make room in your life for flying.  Let your friends and family know that you will sometimes be unavailable in the evenings or weekends; you won’t be able to make some social engagements.  Let people know that this is important to you.  You will find people are very receptive to this and very supportive! They always want to talk about flying and will be interested in your progress. Give yourself time to prepare for flights, review lesson plans, and de-brief on your own time. Come fresh for every flight, you will spend less money when you are prepared and ready to learn.

3. Create a pilot network

Talk to your fellow students; make friends, lean on one another.  If you get frustrated with something, just reach out. You will find that your peers are having many of the same problems that you are.  You will find that the support will go a long way to helping you reach your goals!

Comments? Please add below.

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How to get a pilots license in Canada

So you want to learn how to fly.  Very exciting!  One of the first things you should decide your motives.  Deciding on what motivates you will increase your chances of successfully completing it and being inspired throughout the process.

Decide whether you want to do it as a career or for fun.

You can always change your mind, but if you are interested in a possible career or to fly at night or on instruments, consider a private license over a recreational license.  A recreational license is terminal, meaning you can’t build on it,  like a commercial license, do a night rating, instrument rating, and only allows you to remain VFR and it is not valid outside of Canada.  It only allows you to take one passenger.  The only thing you can add to a recreational license is a float endorsement.

License Requirements
License Requirements

There are four kinds of licenses you can hold:

1.  Recreational Permit

2. Private License

3. Commercial License

4. Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) License

The requirements for licenses are:

Hours: Recreational Private Commercial
Ground School 40 40 80
Dual Instruction 18 17 35
Solo Instruction 7 12 30
Total Hours 25 45 65

Remember these are minimums.  Generally it takes much longer to complete the license than the minimum requirements.  In addition, the faster you do the license the less hours it will take.

To apply for a CPL (commercial license), you must have a PPL.  You need at least 200 total time for the CPL with a minimum of 20 hours cross country as pilot-in-command.  For requirements, see Transport Canada’s licensing requirements.

In addition to the flying, you will also have to complete a ground school course – 40 hours for the recreational and private and 80 hours for the commercial is the requirement.  You will have to study and write a ground school exam, and receive a 60% mark in order to pass.

Unfortunately, flying has many challenges, and this is seen in the data.  Many students who start never in fact finish their license: the approximate statistic is about one in five students never finish.  Most concerns are financial and the realization of the commitment required to keep up the training.  Many people who complete a license never actually even use it.  This is not surprising since it takes a lot of work and commitment to keep up a license.

A career as a pilot is one of the most rewarding out there!

I am not speaking from my own experience (not quite there yet!), but ask any pilot if they love their job – most love it and have wanted to fly since childhood. Of course, it isn’t an easy career.  Though once seniority is gained you can earn a good salary, the beginnings are tough.   Flight training can cost you close to $100,000 before you are employable to fly for a company.  A PPL and CPL will cost approximately $25,000,  add to that your multi-engine IFR at $13,000 and if you chose to work as an instructor to gain your flight hours and experience, your instructor rating will cost almost $7000.

Flying for fun

Flying for fun is also a great option for taking to the skies. With a PPL, you can add a night rating, IFR, multi-engine rating, VFR OTT (Over-the Top) and float plane rating.

  • Night Rating: Allows you to fly at night.  Requires minimum 20 hours flight time, with 13 dual and 5 hours solo.  1 hour ground school.
  • Multi Engine Rating: Allows you to fly aircraft with more than one engine.  There is no minimum requirement but usually takes about 10 hours. The applicant is required to pass a flight test.
  • VFR OTT (Over-the-Top): As a VFR pilot you can fly over tops of clouds keeping a vertical distance of 1000′ from cloud.  This gives VFR pilots lots of flexibility.  Requires 15 hours of flight time.
  • IFR (Instrument) Rating: Minimum 50 hours cross country PIC hours and 40 instrument hours.
  • Float Rating: Minimum 7 hours and 5 solo take-offs and landings.

With the looming pilot shortage, pursuing pilot career is a very sensible choice of profession. Also if you are a female, even more opportunity is forecast.  The industry is very gender- unbalanced: less than 4% of all airline pilots are female, and the industry is in need of female aviators!

Now make sure you choose the flight school that best suits your needs and a find yourself an instructor that you really like. Take your first flight and say hello to those big, wide open skies …

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Preparing for your PPL Written Exam

A few important study materials that you will need to study for your exam.

Recently I wrote and passed the written exam for the PPL.  I had put it off for a very long time.   With all the breaks in my flight training, the gap between ground school had grown quite large.

I finally decided that enough was enough and I had to get the test out of the way.  So I had myself “grounded” – no distractions. No flying. It’s much more glamorous to fly rather than study about flying – but in reality, studying is a huge part of aviation.

What I would recommend the most is to write it as soon as possible after finishing ground school and while flying.  Actually getting out and flying while attending ground school or studying ground school topics solidifies some of the subject areas. Specifically, they make theory of flight, instruments, and air law easier to understand.  For example, when you use wind inputs for taxiing, you already know how that works, you know that in a right turn your right aileron is up, and you know about lift, and some general things about aircraft performance.  You know weight and balance.   If you fly out of a busy airport, like I do, you quickly learn about airspace and how to talk to controllers.

Some books you will find useful when studying for your PPL written exam.
Some books you will find useful when studying for your PPL written exam.

I recommend some resources for studying. These tools really helped me.

Top Books for Studying

1. Private Pilot Answer Guide

This book is undoubtedly the best resource you can have. Once you study each subject area in detail, I recommend writing the practice questions in this guide. Write them again and again. This item is now available in our store.

2. From the Ground Up (FGU)

Not surprising, the Canadian “bible” for aviation, is a constant reference resource, filled with a lot of useful information on weather, navigation, general aeronautical knowledge, aero engines – everything! Have it handy. Take it with you everywhere.

3. From the Ground Up Workbook

Tests specific concepts in FGU.  This workbook is great as it asks very detailed questions on subject areas presented in FGU. It also provides answer references so you can look up the answers in the text book. Having the workbook forces you to browse FGU and look up information, and helps you learn it. This item is also available in our store.

4-6. Protractor, Ruler and E6B

These tools come with the ground school kit.  You will need these to make your calculations for flight planning. Know how to use your E6B. This calculator comes with a booklet with practice questions. Go through them and make sure you understand how it works.



7. VNC Map

The 1:500,000 scale map is used for flight planning.  Write all over it, plan lots of flights to learn your nav!

8. AIM

The Aeronautical Information Manual. Use the manual to look up regulations and various topics, such as weather. The weather portion of this manual is very helpful (MET).

9. CARS website

Find all the links to specific regulations that you will need to answer exam questions.

10. Pilots Operating Handbook

The POH is the specific manual for your aircraft model. You will need this to look up performance data for your aircraft, such as take off runway length, performance and fuel burn at altitude, density and pressure altitude…

11. Canada Flight Supplement

The CFS is also handy to have when planning a cross country flight. It gives you airport data for all Canadian registered aerodromes.  You should get used to looking up data such as runway direction, length, type of runway (turf or pavement?), service times and arrival and departure procedures.

10. Your Instructor!

Don’t forget to ask your instructor questions if you get confused.  Your instructor is your greatest resource and is on your side – they want you to do well on your exam.  Spending some time studying at your flight school is a good idea, so if you get stuck you can simply ask someone rather than stressing about not being able to understand something. It is common to get stuck, so having instructors and fellow aviation students around is not only inspiring but also helpful.

Also helpful:

  • Air Command Weather Manual: If you have trouble understanding meterorology with or are really interested in weather, I suggest this manual. In addition, if you are planning on pursing a commercial license this explains some advanced topics that are used for the CPL, such as detail on icing and weather fronts.  Weather geeks unite. Buy Air Command Weather Manual on Amazon
  •  Air Command Weather Workbook: Guides you step by step through the various topics presented in the Manual.   If you are buying the Manual, make sure you buy the workbook as well. It is an excellent complement to the manual – it goes through each topic step by step and highlights the important concepts you need to understand.  I found it extremely helpful in learning  weather and highly recommend it.

And of course: Lots of caffeine!

The main tip for passing the exam is to read the questions carefully. They are very tricky, and will often present answers that are very close. Sometimes several answers are right and they ask you to choose one that is most right.  They can be very sneaky, so you must be very prepared. Simulate the exam environment by writing as many practice exams as possible.