The one-and-one is the minimum required per FAR 61.56, and when you add in the time for brief, debrief, and logbook endorsement, you often go beyond an hour, which makes the CFI late for their next client. It is much better to set aside three hours so you aren’t late—and more importantly—aren’t rushed.

• READ MORE: The One-Time Water Landing

Yet many pilots insist that one hour on the ground and one in the air is all they need, or are willing to pay for. Some pilots expect to be automatically signed off for the flight review, even if they don’t demonstrate the requisite knowledge or fly to the level of their certificate.

It doesn’t work that way. Find a CFI who is up-front about this as the Airman Certification Standards for the certificate you hold are what you should be using.

This particular client had held a private pilot certificate for more than 20 years and flew several times a month. Over the years, he had owned airplanes, but at that time, his aircraft was down for its annual, so he was renting a Cessna 172. He didn’t want to rush the flight review. As he put it, he often flew with his grandchildren and was adamant to take his time in the name of safety.

He was more than 25 minutes late. He apologized—traffic was worse than expected when he left work. As we settled into the classroom for the ground portion of the flight review, he discovered he had left his headset at home. He put new ear seals on it the night before and had left it on the kitchen table.

• READ MORE: The Importance of Following Checklists

I offered to let him borrow a spare headset. Instead, he looked at me apologetically and asked if we could stay on the ground rather than fly because his brain, he said, would not be in the airplane. 

He then told me about a rule he had for himself—the rule of three. If three things delaying the flight were distractions, he made it a rule to cancel. I have heard this so-called rule from many other pilots. Three is a cosmic number, one told me, adding that “things happen in threes” is a cliche for a reason. 

I am a student of the accident reports published by the National Transportation Safety Board. When you read them, the bad decisions are clear as day. Often the pilot is rushed or distracted.  Accidents, especially the fatalities, are often a chain of poor decisions.

Distracted = Dangerous

Flying is one of those things that demands our undivided attention. Any distraction can be detrimental to safety. When and if you are in the cockpit of a jet getting paid the big bucks, we hope you’ve learned how to compartmentalize or recognize your own limitations. There will be some days when you are too distracted to fly.

When you fly as a hobby, the stakes aren’t as high. This is not the last chopper out of Saigon, as my first CFI used to remind me. Yet even student pilots can face a lot of pressure to fly, and it comes from all directions. 

It can be a challenge for a student pilot to cancel a flight, especially when the CFI is pressing for it to happen. As a commercial candidate, I encountered a CFI who argued we could “dodge” the thunderstorms that were approaching the airport. The commercial certificate requires more knowledge of weather than the private certificate, and I had embraced this with gusto. The idea of dodging anything didn’t sit well with me.

• READ MORE: What You Need to Know About Tires When Learning to Fly

I had obtained three weather briefings—one the night before, the morning of the flight, and the last one an hour prior to the flight. On that last one the briefer remarked the cold front that was bringing the storms had “moved much faster” than the weather models had anticipated. Based on this available information, I canceled the flight. 

Dark clouds were approaching from the southwest while the CFI somewhat grudgingly helped me put the cover back on the airplane. As we were draping the cover over the fuselage the temperature dropped like someone had opened a window on a cold day. It started to hail. It came down so hard and fast a line boy ran onto the ramp to help us. I felt good about my decision.

Make It Fair

At all times it should be remembered that flight instruction is not compulsory education, but it is a business. For this reason many schools and independent CFIs have a no-show or late cancellation penalty.

This usually takes the form of a signed contract between the school, or CFI and the learner. This policy should be discussed at the first meeting and expectations established. There is often one “free pass” then after that a penalty is levied, such as the cost of one hour of aircraft rental or an hour of the instructor’s time. If the CFI does not show or is late, they owe the flight student a free hour of instruction.

• READ MORE: Don’t Skimp on Ground Instruction in Flight Training

If the learner at least makes an effort to let the CFI or school know they can’t make it, that goes a long way. One of my mentors who ran a flying club for many years took a very hard stance on this, saying if the learner was not responsible enough to make a phone call or at least send a text letting us know they were going to be late, or were not going to be there at all, they were not responsible enough to be a pilot.

When late cancellations or no-shows become a habit, the CFI and/or the flight school may stop scheduling the student altogether. If you have to consistently cancel lessons, perhaps this is not the time for you to pursue flight training.

You are paying a lot of money and investing a lot of energy in your aviation education, so do your best not to get in your own way. If the deck appears to be stacked against you, such as in the form of “the rule of three,” ask yourself if this is the day for you to be in the air.

As for the client who was there for the flight review, a quick text canceled the aircraft reservation. I assured him I was not angry with his decision not to fly, because when a pilot demonstrates good aeronautical decision making—such as recognizing that their head won’t be in the game —I say learning has taken place.  

The post Do You Have the Rule for a No-Go? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“This approval marks a critical milestone in Sterling’s strategic expansion and reinforces its commitment to delivering exceptional aviation education across multiple locations,” flight school officials said in a statement.

Benefits of Part 141 Programs

Having an FAA Part 141 certification enables the Tallahassee campus to offer a more structured curriculum, “designed to provide an accelerated path to a professional pilot career, meeting the highest standards of safety and efficiency,” according to the company.

“The FAA’s approval of our Tallahassee location for Part 141 training is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence in aviation education,” said Wayne Heller, CEO of Sterling Flight Training. “This expansion not only strengthens our ability to train the next generation of pilots but also enhances our capacity to serve the aviation needs of the Tallahassee community and beyond.”

School officials said the 141 program at the new location is designed to complement Sterling Flight Training’s Jacksonville, Florida, operation, which has been providing both recreational and career-oriented flight training for years. Certificate options include remote pilot (drones) through college degree programs and airline careers.

The post Sterling Flight Training Receives Part 141 Certification appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Aerodynamics and contribute to their growth and fleet innovation,” said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam chief sales officer.

The delivery date for the aircraft was not released.

According to Tecnam, Aerodynamics Academy is one of the fastest-growing flight schools in Europe, with some 200 students.

The versatility and ease of use of the Tecnam P2008JC’s single-engine, high-wing design makes the aircraft attractive in the training environment, according to the company. The design sports a carbon-fiber fuselage, and metal wings and tail. This combination produces an airplane that is more fuel efficient and quieter than all-metal designs.

Aircraft at flight schools have to fill many different roles, from primary, VFR training to instrument flight.

Tecnam said the P2008JC MkII does this by means of a redesigned instrument panel and glareshield, which allows the use of Garmin’s innovative G3X Touch display.

The post Spanish Flight School Expands Fleet With Tecnam Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Three miles out from the airport, the pilot of the C-340A announced he was doing a straight-in. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the larger, faster airplane was not configured for landing as its approach speed was 180 knots. The published flap extension speed for the C-340A is 160 knots, and the landing gear extension speed is 140 knots.

Muscle memory, checklist use, and procedures often go hand in hand. Had the pilot of the C-340A flown the traffic pattern for the airport beginning with maneuvering for 45-degree angle entry on to the downwind at midfield, he might have remembered to slow down the airplane and configure it for landing.

NTSB reports are full of similar but thankfully mostly non-fatal events that can occur when the pilot on a straight-in forgets the landing gear—often at a non-towered airport. 

At a towered airport, the controllers often contact the pilot and advise them that their gear is not down with a simple “check gear” query. NTSB investigations into gear-up landings often include a statement from the pilot, who note that the straight-in, devoid of the usual cues such as turning on to the 45 or downwind, resulted in forgetting to run the checklist, which included the action of lowering the landing gear with the phrase “gear down and locked.”

Many instructors, myself included, advocate for at least three gear checks: downwind, base, and final. In the faster aircraft such as a twin, the landing gear is often deployed on the 45 as a means to help slow down the aircraft.

In a fixed-gear airplane you don’t have to worry about the landing gear position, but checking the position of the gear if possible (like looking out the window in the high wing aircraft) is a good habit.

Verbalizing the checklist on each leg of the pattern is also a good habit. There may be things that are “deferred,” such as putting the propeller to full as one does on final in a complex airplane to facilitate a go-around if needed.

My U.S. Air Force Academy-trained instructor beat this into me—and recitation had to end with “check list complete” in my authoritative pilot voice.

On a straight-in approach, you miss the cues for aircraft configuration changes, such as power reduction and addition of flaps.

Here’s a teachable moment: dropping all the flaps at once can potentially bend metal if the aircraft is outside of V_FE, and will trigger a pitch change that catches many novice pilots by surprise. The natural reaction is to take all the flaps out in one movement, which makes the bad situation worse.

I demonstrate this to the learner at an appropriate altitude and at a flap-friendly speed in the practice area just so they know what it feels like and what it does to the airplane and why it is not something you want to mess with when you are close to the ground.

We then discuss how the incremental deployment of flaps prevents the pitch surprise, as does following the prelanding checklist on each leg of the pattern to achieve the published speeds for each leg as recommended by the manufacturer.

Poor Approach, Poor Landing

One of the first lessons to be taught to the novice pilot is that a poor approach results in a poor landing. If you are behind the airplane, as in slow to reduce throttle, start the descent, deploy flaps, that landing will be ugly. This can happen during straight in approaches as the legs of the pattern are a reminder to the pilot to run the checklist and reconfigure the aircraft.  Instead, the pilot relies on experience and knowledge of the aircraft performance to determine when to do configuration changes. This experience is best gained with a seasoned CFI next to you and flown in an appropriate environment, like at a towered airport when the pilot requests and ATC grants a straight-in approach.

Straight-ins at non-towered airports are especially dangerous as we learned by the Watsonville collision. When an aircraft comes bombing into a pattern already occupied by other aircraft, it is very much like running a red light. There may be someone closer than you think on a collision course. You can’t slam the brakes on an airplane in the air. Entering the pattern on the 45 at pattern altitude provides better situational awareness as it gives the pilot more of an opportunity to scan for traffic, see and avoid it.

It is for this reason many instructors discourage their learners from doing straight-in approaches. While I agree they are not a good idea at a non-controlled airport, they should be, at the very least, briefed and the scenario flown in the practice area so the learner knows when to refer to the checklist, when to reduce power, when to lower the flaps, etc.

Outside a request from a tower, there are times when a straight-in is called for, such as when a magneto fails a few miles outside the traffic pattern and the airport is the closest suitable runway.

This is the scenario I use with my learners, as I experienced it in the real world as a learner. My CFI demonstrated the proper technique, troubleshooting the issue to no avail, calling my attention to the diminished engine power available and sight picture, and ensuring that we had the runway made before applying flaps and reducing the power to idle.

Many years later, I was the CFI and had this happen. The straight-in and landing was a nonevent. The chief mechanic brought me fragments of metal that had been the left magneto to show my ground school class.

Another scenario where a straight-in is appropriate is when the weather that was VFR or MVFR drops to IFR and you, the noninstrument-rated pilot in the non-IFR-equipped aircraft need to get down quickly.

Don’t Be That Pilot

There are pilots who, when they hear another pilot on the radio state they are planning to do a straight-in approach, will scold the pilot or even threaten to call the FAA on them. This is not a discussion to have on the radio.

I have witnessed this at nontowered airports. I tell my learners not to engage that person. Focus on flying the airplane. If you are the pilot doing the straight-in for any of the above mentioned reasons—weather, a mechanical issue, or perhaps even an airsick passenger that necessitates getting on the ground quickly but not declaring an emergency—wait until you get on the ground before you get into a “discussion” with the other pilot. 

The post Why Straight-In Approaches Aren’t So Straightforward appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The event is scheduled for October 15-17 on the campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

“Last year’s summit was successful because of the strong technical program delivered by industry leaders and experts. This year will be the same,” said NAFI president Paul Preidecker. “But instead of addressing six themes as we did last year, this year we decided to bring more focus by supporting three very important ones: training the trainer, mentorship, and peer support, and pilot health and well-being.”

The event—which has the slogan, “Come to NAFI Summit, go home a better CFI”—is an opportunity for instructors of all levels and varying backgrounds to meet with their peers and discuss educational techniques, learner challenges, and opportunities to enhance their careers.

There will be 28 educational sessions during the two days. Among the topics to be discussed will be specific strategies instructors can use to “reach” their learners, as well as more technical topics such as the appropriate uses of autopilot during IFR and teaching emergency procedures in the most effective manner.

According to NAFI, there will be 21 exhibitors at the event, including Sporty’s Pilot Shop, King Schools, Avemco Insurance, and Redbird Flight Simulations. Several online training courses will be represented, as well as manufacturers of safety wearables, designed to enhance the educational experience.

Celebrity guests are also expected, and include keynote speakers Dr. Susan Northrup, FAA federal air surgeon, and Bruce Landsberg, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association senior safety adviser and recently retired National Transportation Safety Board vice chairman.

Northrup will be discussing the FAA’s rulemaking committee report. Instructors are tasked with knowing the rules and where to look them up and teaching this practice to their learners.

Landsberg will focus on how instructors can best teach fundamental aviation concepts to their learners.

On the evening of October 16, a dinner will be highlighted by aviation educators and instructors John and Martha King. The Kings have more than 50 years experience as aviation instructors. 

Registration for NAFI Summit is $350 for nonmembers and $300 for NAFI members. Further discounts exist for Master CFIs and DPEs, as well as active military attendees.

There is also reduced pricing for flight schools that sign up as a group and bring at least three instructors or a maximum of 10 to the event.

Additional information, including how to register, may be found here.

The post NAFI Unveils Focus of Upcoming Summit appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A member of Whirly-Girls will benefit from a scholarship sponsored by Coptersafety, an independent helicopter pilot training provider that specializes in simulator training for H125s, H145s, AW13s9, and AW169s. Training is done at Coptersafety’s facility near Helsinki Airport (EFHK). The independent training provider offers instruction for certification around the world.

The scholarship provides an opportunity for one Whirly-Girls member to complete an FAA H145 initial training and/or ATP training course, including technical ground training, full-flight simulator training, and practical tests.

The training is done using Level D full-flight simulators. 

Applications are open until early October, and the scholarship will be awarded in 2025. 

This is Coptersafety’s second scholarship sponsorship with Whirly-Girls, as earlier this year the company sponsored two FAA AW139 type rating scholarships.

“At Coptersafety, we recognize the importance of increasing diversity in the vertical aviation industry,” said Matt Presnal, chief theoretical knowledge instructor at Coptersafety. “We are proud to continue our collaboration with Whirly-Girls International. By investing in women in aviation, we not only promote gender equality but also cultivate a stronger, more inclusive workforce for the future of vertical aviation.”

The post Coptersafety Sponsors Whirly-Girls Helicopter Training Scholarship appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Becoming an aerobatic or airshow pilot is a dream for many, but there are many steps to go through to achieve that goal.

Start With Primary Pilot Training

As with becoming any type of specialized pilot, the first step to becoming an airshow pilot is to become a private pilot. Such training teaches the basics of aircraft control, energy management, and aeronautical decision making.

Many airshow pilots also consider getting a commercial pilot certificate, regardless of whether they plan to fly in the events for a living. The additional training provides more expertise and aircraft control, and it builds upon the concepts learned during private pilot training to make an aviator more complete and well-rounded.

Specialized Aerobatic Training

After primary training, aerobatic pilots then need to go through aerobatic pilot training to hone their stunt skills.

A number of flight schools around the country provide acrobatic training in aircraft such as the Cessna Aerobat, Pitts Special, or American Champion Decathlon.

In addition to special training, aerobatic flight schools employ instructors with significant experience flying acrobatics. Real-world experience is a great benefit to help newer pilots learn the trade of aerobatic aviation.

To become a stunt pilot, one must complete at least 10 hours with an aerobatic instructor on top of the requirements to achieve an FAA pilot certificate. It is recommended that aerobatic training not be completed until a pilot receives their primary training and certification to make the process of becoming a stunt pilot easier.

It is important to note that one can become a stunt pilot with only an endorsement. This means that they fly with an instructor until it’s determined they are proficient to act as an aerobatic pilot by themselves. No additional FAA exam is required.

Maintaining proficiency as a stunt pilot is no easy feat.

After receiving their endorsement, a pilot should practice regularly to make sure their skills, decision making, and reaction times stay sharp. This is especially important for pilots performing at airshows or flying in formation with other aerobatic aircraft.

Career Opportunities for Aerobatic Pilots

Some stunt pilots are happy to fly only for themselves. They may enjoy the adrenaline of flying aerobatics or want access to a unique sector of aviation not available to all.

However, some decide to continue into a career as an aerobatic pilot. Many go on to fly as instructors or in fields such as aerial photography or film. Still others become test pilots, flying new or modified aircraft to ensure their performance and safety.

Again, flying in airshows is a top attraction for many stunt pilots. Some airshows are operated by volunteers flying antique or unique aircraft, while others are professional pilots who tour the country—or world—as part of an act. Major airshows across the country attract hundreds or thousands of paying viewers excited to witness a special facet of aviation.

Some stunt pilots are even sponsored by companies or branches of the military. Acrobatic flying can be such a spectacle that planes painted in certain colors can bring significant visibility in key demographics.

In addition, large companies and the military are among the few who have the resources to fund and maintain fleets of aerobatic aircraft, often jets, as they tour.

Resources to Start Training

There are a number of organizations that help pilots work toward acrobatic training and maintain proficiency as stunt pilots.

The International Aerobatic Club (IAC), for example, sponsors events and educational programs to help pilots attain and maintain their aerobatic proficiency. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is also a great place to make connections with pilots who have the knowledge and skills to help with aerobatic training.

Local pilots will know the best places to start aerobatic training. Participating in local IAC and EAA chapters, or stopping in at the local FBO, could help prospective pilots learn more about how and where to get started.

A great way to test out aerobatic flying is to visit a flight school with planes that can perform basic spins.

Every flight instructor in the U.S. is required to complete spins during their instructor training and thus have experience with the maneuver. Getting flight time practicing spins can help pilots decide whether acrobatic flight is a path they would like to pursue more in depth. If not, simply practicing spins can provide an adrenaline rush and help pilots hone their basic airmanship.

Ultimately, acrobatic flying is an exciting path to take. Whether you want to pursue acrobatics as a career or simply want to learn to improve your flying skills, there are resources across the country to help you pursue your passions.

Acrobatics help you learn energy management in new ways usually not accessible to standard category airplanes and can help you apply a wider variety of principles to your day-to-day flying.

The post How to Become an Aerobatic or Airshow Pilot appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Sporty’s, the partnership integrates Infinite Flight’s scenario-based training with Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course, which bridges the gap between online aviation training and advanced flight simulation.

When paired with Sporty’s online ground schools, Infinite Flight allows the users to practice concepts “in the virtual cockpit.” The scenarios presented are those used in the training environment. With the push of a button, users can transition from watching instructional videos to flying a maneuver in a virtual Cessna 172 Skyhawk.

The system includes an evaluation of the user’s performance and also offers feedback.

Infinite Flight allows users to virtually fly to and from thousands of airports around the world while integrating popular electronic flight bag apps like ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot just as they would in an actual aircraft. The platform also gives users the ability to experience varying weather scenarios and aircraft performance.

For the learner who is struggling to keep up in the cockpit, or who is apprehensive about getting lost during cross-country flights, Infinite Flight allows them to “practice” the flight before they get near an aircraft. 

The post New Sim Partnership Blends Virtual Ground School, Flight Training appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

As I pulled into work the announcer came back on, sounding surprised as she said a second airplane had struck the other tower at the WTC. 

I rushed into the break room and turned on the television just in time to see the video of the second airliner hitting the second tower. When the announcer came on saying that the FAA was grounding all aircraft—calling it a “ground stop all aircraft”—I immediately called my father to let him know I was safe. I was a week out from my commercial check ride and flying quite a bit. Dad addressed me by my full name (when you hear the middle one, it means business) and ordered me to stay on the ground.

If you were old enough on September 11, 2001—especially if you were in aviation—that day is probably etched in your memory as well. Airline crews were diverted and not told why until after they landed. People gathered around radios and televisions to listen for information. It was a time of great uncertainty.

Temporary flight restrictions popped up over military bases and other potential targets. Barricades were put up at some airports. Ramps became crowded with transient aircraft that landed wherever they could. It was eerily quiet. I live near a U.S. Air Force base and even they weren’t flying.

There was a 30 nm no-fly zone around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (KSEA). Basically, if your airport was under the Mode C veil, you stayed on the ground or took a risk far greater than getting in trouble with the FAA. Weather briefings stated that “deadly force was authorized.”

In the weeks that followed, we learned a “new normal.” We filed IFR flight plans on VFR days just for the privilege to head out to the practice area and back. On the day of my commercial pilot check ride, I was using a pink highlighter to color in the newly created TFRs over Port of Bremerton, Washington, and Naval Submarine Base Bangor on a brand-new sectional when I was ramp checked. It was early Sunday morning, and the FAA inspector wanted to know what I was doing out there so early.

Within two weeks of the attack, the number of CFIs at the airport doubled. It was the boomerang effect as those shiny new airline jobs they had all reported to a month earlier were gone, as so many airlines shut down or scaled back.

A few weeks after the attack, CFIs were allowed to fly and some flight schools allowed something called “supervised solo.” It seemed odd that students were allowed to fly and the certificated pilots could not unless they were with a CFI or instrument rated, current, and on an IFR flight plan. And you had to have current approach plates and sectionals appropriate to the mission because ramp checks were still happening.

This created a challenge when we needed to move the company aircraft 14 nm to another airport so it could undergo its annual inspection. My employer was definitely not IFR current, but I was, so technically I was to be PIC on this flight. We didn’t have a current IFR sectional. I had my certificates with me but not my gear bag, which was still at home, and we had to move this aircraft because of a tight weather window.

While he preflighted the aircraft, I ran into the local FBO to see if they had the sectional we needed. The guy behind the counter laughed and said no, so I had better turn into a CFI right quick.

I ran across the parking lot to the newly opened pilot supply shop. It had what I needed, and because there was just a week left before the sectional expired, Tom, the fellow that ran the supply shop, didn’t change me for it.

A few years later, I would be working at that school as a CFI, and Tom would become a friend.

Flight School Fallout

Following reports that the terrorist hijackers trained at U.S. flight schools, there were people who called for them to be shut down for good. The anti-airport types decried aviation as a threat. Thank goodness the hysteria died away after a few weeks, although a few years later we did get the requirement to verify a trainee’s citizenship and prove we had done this by giving them the TSA endorsement.

The endorsement requires verification of the applicant’s citizenship. For those born in the U.S., the FAA approved language reads: “I certify that [insert student’s name] has presented me a [insert type of document presented, such as a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport, and the relevant control or sequential number on the document, if any] establishing that [he or she] is a U.S. citizen or national in accordance with 49 CFR 1552.3(h). [Insert date and instructor’s signature and CFI number.]”

A record of the endorsement is made in the instructor’s logbook or other means used by the instructor to document flight student endorsements. CFIs are required to keep these records for five years.

In lieu of this, the FARs said the flight training provider “may make and retain copies of the documentation establishing an individual as a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.” So photocopies of their passports or birth certificates may be on file at their school.

In May the TSA tweaked those rules. TSA awareness training is now required every two years, instead of annually. 

The rules for training foreign pilots were also adjusted as now foreign nationals can use TSA Precheck and Global Entry in lieu of going through the old TSA approval process. In addition, a security coordinator must be named for a Part 141 school. If the training is under Part 61, the CFI who gave the endorsement is considered the contact person.

My fellow CFIs, please find out what method your flight school utilizes. I say this because I recently encountered a batch of freshly minted CFIs who insisted “no one does the TSA thing” anymore. I was pretty sure something got lost in translation.

It turns out the schools they attended—larger academy types—did not do the individual endorsements in logbooks. They had never heard about the CFI providing the endorsement. They were surprised when I told them how we did it “back in the day.”

I can’t help but be concerned that the aviation world may be lowering its collective guard as we get further away from 9/11. The things we were taught to watch for, like people who also wanted to know how to do cruise flight but not take off and land, or who presented large amounts of cash and wanted concentrated training—like six a hours a day—may now be viewed as an opportunity rather than a red flag.

I just hope the aviation industry doesn’t forget what we learned so many years ago.

The post Remembering 9/11 and Lessons Learned appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The agency has released Safety Alert SA091, which warns pilots to train for partial as well as full power loss in multiengine piston aircraft.

According to the NTSB,  the safety alert was issued because of recent significant multiengine accidents attributed to a loss of control stemming from the pilots’ failure to properly manage the propeller on the engine that lost power.

The problem, according to the NTSB alert, is that there is a gap between training for full engine power loss and partial loss, as pilots can improperly manage a partial loss of power leading to an increased risk of loss of control.

“Constant-speed, manually feathering propellers on multiengine aircraft are equipped with mechanisms called start locks that keep propeller blades from going into feather position during a normal engine shutdown on the ground, thus making it easier to start the engine with the propeller blades at a low pitch blade angle,” NTSB said. “These locks’ centrifugal latches disengage when the propeller is spinning above a certain rpm. However, start locks can engage in flight if the propeller’s rpm drops below this critical threshold.”

Chapter 13 of the FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C) outlines multiengine operations: “In a multiengine airplane, loss of thrust from one engine affects both performance and control. The most obvious problem is the loss of 50 percent of power, which reduces climb performance 80 to 90 percent.” 

The loss of engine power on one side creates asymmetrical thrust, similar to the way a rowboat with one of the oars turned sideways results in asymmetrical thrust.

When held so the large flat part of the oar is facing forward and moved through the water, the oar can generate a lot of forward motion (thrust). But if one of the oars remains static and in the water while the other continues to generate thrust, the rowboat can go out of control because the nonmoving oar is generating drag. Rotating the nonmoving oar so the thin side of the oar is facing forward creates feathering and the lowest profile into the water. In the case of the aircraft, the relative wind generates less drag, allowing for more controllability.

The NTSB noted that while feathering the propeller of an engine that has lost power is a recommended practice, pilots are reminded that once the propeller rpm decreases below the speed at which the start locks engage, the pilot will not be able to feather the propeller, which can lead to drag that results a loss of control.

The safety alert reminded pilots that twin-engine aircraft certified under Part 23 are not required to provide a positive climb rate with one engine inoperative, although they do have a published “minimum controllable airspeed.”

“Because the minimum control speed for an airplane with one engine inoperative is determined with the propeller windmilling, timely feathering increases your controllability margin beyond certificated performance,” the safety alert said.

During training, multiengine pilots are warned that single-engine operations consist of maintaining aircraft control and attempting to troubleshoot and restore engine power while simultaneously drifting down toward an emergency landing site because very few light twin trainers can climb on one engine.

Several accidents have been attributed to a loss of control due to the start locks engaging before the propeller could be placed into feather, resulting in a loss of control, NTSB said.

The NTSB recommended pilots review and practice manufacturer procedures for engine failure, including partial power loss in addition to complete engine failure. Pilots should know the rpm below which feathering the propeller is not possible.

Engine power loss scenarios should be practiced in the air or in simulator training sessions so that the pilot’s actions will be correct and timely.

When conducting pre-takeoff checks, the pilot should be sure all engine controls, including the propeller feathering mechanisms, are functioning normally.

Pilots should discuss and brief what procedures to follow when there is a loss of engine power at a particular phase of flight, such as shortly after takeoff when the landing gear has been retracted or when the aircraft is in cruise above 3,000 feet or on approach.

And don’t forget the multiengine pilot’s mantra during engine power loss—”identify, verify, fix or feather.” That means determining which engine has lost power, noting the nose yaws toward the the sick engine, verifying this theory by adjusting the throttle and looking at the gauges; fixing the issue by switching fuel tanks if able; and feathering the propeller to cut down on drag and maintain controllability.

The post NTSB Issues Warning of Prop Lock Out on Multiengine Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.