Welcome to the first issue of A & M Aviation's News-Flyer! Our objective is to provide information to promote safety, proficiency, improve technique, a source for training industry news, and what's new at A & M. There will be no set time and date for an update but check back periodically. So here we go .....
Safety
Winter is here and it is actually a great time to fly, but you need to be prepared. Pre-flight, taxi, engine operation, runway conditions, and weather briefings all have special considerations. See our Winter Weather Briefing summary and presentation on Winter Operations for more insight. A & M makes it easy to get the airplanes ready and in the air by keeping the fleet in a heated hangar which not only precludes snow, ice, and preheat hassles but lets you pre-flight in comfort.
Improving Proficiency — Emergency Approaches — being ready for the unexpected
The General Aviation Joint Safety Committee is comprised of experts that review GA accidents and provide recommendations to the FAA on actions and information to improve GA safety. The topic for this month was Best Glide Distance and Emergency Approaches, trends show this is an area where more practice is needed. I gave a seminar on this on January 21 and if you would like a copy to review let me know, hope it inspires you to practice the maneuvers suggested, and for safety, make sure you have another competent pilot or a CFI on-board. The seminar included about 60 people with great backgrounds and experience and the discussion is what made the seminar really valuable and informative. Keep in mind when reviewing our presentations that it lacks the discussion that goes with the presentation, so come out and hear the whole story (see seminars below).
Industry News
Starting April 1 student pilots will no longer get their Student Pilot Certificate from an aviation medical examiner. Students can apply through the FSDO, a DPE, or their Instructor. The TSA reviews the applications and then the Civil Aviation Registry issues a plastic license, no more paper, and it does not expire. If you currently have a Student Certificate it is good until it expires. Plan ahead if you are a student, it is anticipated to take about three weeks to get your certificate, which you need to solo.
There has been a revision to Advisory Circular AC 61-98(C) - Currency Requirements and Guidance for the Flight Review and Instrument Proficiency Check. The key changes are emphasizing traffic pattern operations and stabilized approaches, areas where there is more risk of Loss Of Control (LOC) events. The AC discusses taking off at Vy (or Vx as appropriate) until safe altitude for return to airport if an engine failure occurs (see the presentation link discussed earlier on emergency approaches).
It goes on to address stabilized approaches to help preclude a landing accident. To have a stabilized approach the pilot should have:
- Flaps, gear, and power set on final
- Aiming point steady off the nose — stabilized glide path
- Airspeed +10/-5 KIAS of POH recommended approach speed
- Heading — don't exceed 15° from final
- Rate of descent not greater than 500fpm
If all can't be maintained when at 300 ft AGL — Go-Around
In addition, the AC recommends that CFIs review with pilots the use of automation and automation malfunctions on currency, Flight Review, and IPCs flights. These items are already a part of our training program and currency flights, but should you have any questions on your aircrafts automation we are ready to help. You can access the new Advisory Circular on the FAA website.
What's New at A & M
You don't have to be an instrument student to make use our simulator and improve your skills, this is a great option during those bad weather days. We offer training in the simulator on emergency approaches and procedures, system malfunctions, basic instrument maneuvers for non-instrument pilots, VOR navigation, and more.
We have expanded our training procedures for the C152, C172, and C182. Included now are how to effectively use checklists, standard briefings, determining return to airport minimum decision point altitudes, practice procedures for engine failure on takeoff, rough running engine procedures, and more aircraft specific detail on many of the basic procedures. If you are a customer please ask your CFIs for a copy.
Seminars
A & M Aviation and the Illinois Aviation Museum offer monthly seminars on many topics. Last month we provided a seminar on Best Glide speed and practicing for emergency approaches and landings, along with a Winter Operations presentation. These seminars are free and Wings credit is provided for attendance. It is a great way to learn, share your experience, and meet others with a passion for aviation.
The next seminar is February 18th and the topics are Advanced Preflight and Night Flying. The seminars are every 3rd Thursday of the month at 7PM-9PM at the Illinois Aviation Museum and notices go out via the FAA Wings program and posted on the A & M Aviation Facebook page. If you are not registered with Wings and do not get notices of seminar events, please check in with us just in case a seminar gets postponed, rarely happens but we don't want to inconvenience you.
IMC Club
We have temporarily suspended our IMC Club meetings, a notice will be coming out when they start up again.
The IMC Club is now a subsidiary of the EAA.
Contact A & M if you would like to set up training or have any questions about us:
A & M Aviation, Inc.630-759-1555
www.aandmaviation.com
I welcome your feedback, let me know how to make the News-Flyer more valuable to you and what seminar topics you would like to see us cover.