In my 3,000+ hours of flight training, I have developed some tips and tricks to help people fly better. With teaching landings, I have 3 specific tips that will make smoother landings every time, guaranteed.
A Good Pattern
A wise flight instructor whom I would love to give credit to (but don’t know who it is!) once said that a good landing starts off with a good traffic pattern. So true! A good landing all begins with the setup. This is true for a VFR rectangular traffic pattern or an IFR instrument approach. Flying the proper speeds and being at the proper AGL altitudes helps immensely in making a good landing. Being at 600 feet AGL on a 1/2 mile final (or the alternative of 60 feet off the ground on a mile final!) makes it hard to make a good landing.
Proper Use & Understanding of Pitch and Power
Once flaps are used in the pattern, the plane is now on the back side of the power curve (or in the region of reverse command). Power is now being used to control the plane’s rate of descent while pitch is being used to control airspeed. The key is, both pitch and power work together, so if the pilot changes the power, he’ll also need to change the pitch and vice versa.
The common mistake I see here is when the airplane gets low on final, the pilot tends to (quite naturally) pitch up. All this does is bleed off airspeed and cause the airplane to sink faster. The proper input would be to add power, then adjust the pitch for airspeed.
Look Down the Runway
Now that we have gotten to the point of the round-out and touchdown, it’s the most important part. The best thing the pilot can do to make the best landing possible, is to look at the trees at the end of the runway. When I worked with college students, I told them to find the owl in the trees at the end of the runway.
The tendency is to stare at the pavement (or concrete) the whole way down to the landing. When a pilot’s eyes are fixated on the ground, this destroys his depth perception and causes a level off too low to the runway, resulting in a 3 point landing and/or a bounce.
By looking at the trees at the end of the runway, this gives the pilot much better depth perception and allows him to properly judge where to level off the airplane.
The question now is when should the pilot start looking at the trees? My recommendation is crossing the threshold of the runway. For some, it works better to start looking at the trees when turning final. Others, right before the level off. Regardless, find that owl!
In the fall of 2021, Garmin announced the long awaited confirmation that the Garmin GFC 600 autopilot is now certified for the Piper Meridian. The Garmin GFC 600 autopilot has been certified for all other types of the Piper PA46 line of aircraft, but the Meridian was last in line. The airplane has to have been manufactured prior to 2009 and have Avidyne avionics, Meggitt, or have been retrofitted with a Garmin G500 (no G1000 aircraft since those already have the GFC 700 autopilot).
The Garmin GFC 600 autopilot is the ultimate digital autopilot. The integration with the Garmin G500, GTN 750 and GTN 650 units is a beautiful thing. The autopilot communicates with all the heading and altitude bugs, flies approaches smoothly, and even has a level button.
In the latest technological marvel from Garmin, Garmin Safe Glide, the GFC 600 autopilot is critical in reducing pilot workload in an engine failure situation. It flies the airplane for you and takes you to the nearest airport, reducing the stress and allowing the pilot to troubleshoot the situation.
Texas Top Aviation recommends Abilene Aero in Abilene, Texas for any and all avionics installs. They have worked with several of our customers in the last year, are extremely knowledgable and do excellent work. Call them for a quote on a new Garmin GFC 600 autopilot in your Piper Meridian.
On the evening of November 3rd, 2015, I was returning to my home airport of Lancaster from Pittsburgh in my company’s Aerostar, after being out on charter all day. It was dark out as I entered the traffic pattern at Lancaster. After an uneventful approach, I was cleared to land behind a Mooney. The spacing looked good as I turned final, but, as I was nearing the threshold, I started to become concerned that the Mooney wouldn’t be clear of the runway in time for me to land. At that moment, over the radio I heard an uncomfortable transmission from the Mooney pilot: “Tower, Mooney ABC has landed gear up.”
It took the tower controller a minute to grasp what was going on, and I was on about a 1-2 mile final when I was instructed to go around. Thankfully, the Mooney came to a stop in such a position that I was able to use the other intersecting runway, and was on the ground only a few minutes later. I can assure you, however, that I’ve never checked my “3 green” so many times in one traffic pattern as after that incident. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but there sure was an impressive amount of emergency equipment on the runway as I taxied back to my hangar.
In aviation, there’s a saying that goes: “There are two types of pilots. Those who have landed with their gear up, and those that will.” I don’t like that saying. The potential of a gear up landing (as a result of pilot error) is something that has always been a risk that I have worked hard to avoid. Not only is a gear up landing embarrassing; but it’s also an extremely expensive black mark on any pilot’s career.
Not a good day. (Photo credit: http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/plane-lands-at-republic-with-no-wheels-1.2735131)
According to a July 2006, article in Aviation Consumer, the estimated cost of repairs following a gear up landing for an A-36 Bonanza would be about $27,000 and about 3 weeks of down time. 25 years ago, even my beloved E33 Bonanza was the victim of a gear up landing. While it was neither me nor my dad flying our airplane that day, the event stays in its history and reduces its value should the time ever come to sell it.
That incident in 1990 resulted in approximately $25,000-30,000 in repairs. The cause of the incident was classic: the pilot put the gear down at the normal time, but then had his downwind extended by tower. He brought the gear back up to fly the longer downwind, but forgot to put it back down later when he was cleared to land. Like many pilots, he had a set routine time when he normally put the gear down, and when his routine was changed, he didn’t remember to lower the gear once more.
Unfortunately, no matter what experience level one may be at, no pilot is immune to the possibility of such a mistake. The following are 5 tips that I have learned in my time flying that have helped myself and others minimize the chance of a gear-up landing occurring:
Know your aircraft systems: What are the operating perimeters on your airplane’s gear warning system? Most airplanes have a designated speed or power setting at which the gear warning horn will sound in the event that the gear isn’t down and locked. In the Aerostar that I was flying, the gear horn was supposed to come on at 15” of manifold pressure with the gear up, but in practice, it didn’t come on until much lower than that. It has since been adjusted, but at the time it was important for me to know that if I had left the gear up, the horn wouldn’t have sounded in a timely enough manner for me to go around, much less lower it prior to touchdown. Most likely it would have just added to the noise of metal on concrete as I pulled the power all the way back in the landing flare.
Don’t override gear-up warning systems: They were put there for a reason! Even if you’re out doing maneuvers and the horn is blasting in your ear for half an hour, resist the temptation to simply pull the circuit breaker or push the warning silencer to make it shut up. If a pilot disables the gear-up warning horn and then later forgets to put the gear down on landing, he or she will have a much worse headache on their hands than the one that the horn would have given them.
Use your checklists and memory items: It doesn’t matter how much a pilot knows about his or her airplane, or the procedures for it. Distractions happen. Mistakes Happen. Always consult the checklist for confirmation that you’ve accomplished all the essential tasks before landing. Additionally, if you haven’t already, work on developing call outs which you perform out loud regardless of whether you are alone in the airplane or not. Whenever I’m landing an airplane, I start with my flows, go through my GUMPS (Gas-Under carriage- mixture- props- seat belt) checks, then do the printed checklist, and finally when on short final I call out “short final, cleared to land, three green.” I’ve had several passengers tease me about doing the “three green” call out while I was flying aircraft that didn’t have retractable landing gear. But, I’d much rather be in the habit of checking every time regardless of what I’m flying than forgetting to check when it is necessary.
Use your available resources and develop healthy habits: If I have someone riding with me, I generally ask them to confirm that there are 3 green lights glowing on the instrument panel. Even if that person isn’t a pilot, they will probably enjoy the opportunity to be involved, and it’s a good way for me to stay in the habit of checking the gear lights to ensure that everything is properly down and locked. I’ve also found that intentionally leaving your hand on the gear lever until you have gear safe lights is a good idea. Forcing yourself to keep your hand on the handle until you have the all important lights obligates you to actually observe the indications instead of simply throwing the lever and moving onto something else. This way, if you only get an indication of 2 greens you’ll be aware of it right away and have more time to respond appropriately. It also helps you to learn the normal length of time it takes for the gear to extend or retract, which will be helpful to you to be aware of any abnormalities in the gear system.
Upgrade your aircraft’s gear-up warnings: There’s a variety of ways you can improve your aircraft’s ability to warn you of a potential gear-up landing. For student pilots or pilots new to complex aircraft, it could be something as simple as a red post-it note on the panel to remind you to verify the gear position prior to landing. Or, if you own an aircraft that doesn’t have an effective way to warn the pilot of a gear-up landing, consider investing in an aftermarket gear-up warning system – surely the extra price of such an upgrade is a small amount next to the cost of repairing the damage from a gear-up landing!
It can happen to anyone! The gear handle in this C-17 was in the “UP” position. (Photo Credit:https://theaviationist.com/2009/02/09/c-17-gear-up-landing-in-bagram-images/)
Always remember, regardless of experience, no pilot is immune to the possibility of a gear up landing. The best way to safeguard yourself is to discipline yourself in the use of flows, checklists, and call outs. Things like gear warning horns, visual reminders, and other systems are a useful back up, but they shouldn’t be relied upon to save your bacon if you don’t get the gear down at the proper time. Fortunately, in most gear up landings, the pilot and passengers are able to walk away uninjured – but that doesn’t lessen the embarrassment or financial burden of the event. So, keep your chin up, your gear down, and remember….THREE GREEN
Avidyne’s plug and play replacement for the Garmin 430, the Avidyne IFD 440, finally received certification from the FAA last week. The touch screen GPS unit is being marketed as a simple swap out for the Garmin 430. This release follows up Avidyne’s release last year of the IFD 540, also a plug and play replacement, but for the Garmin 530.
The features and touch screen of the GPS units sound quite nifty, but it will be hard for Avidyne to compete with the GTN 750 and 650 from Garmin. The unit prices for the IFD 540 and 440 will be less (and installation is simpler), but we will see how the company does.
The STC allows for installation in 1,000 makes and models of aircraft, according to the company, so there are a lot of possibilities for installs.
In conjunction, Avidyne also released a new version of it’s software for both GPS units. According to Avidyne, this will unlock multiple features that enhances the capabilities of both units.
To read more on the IFD 440 and it’s bigger brother, the IFD 540, check out Avidyne’s website.
Looking for somewhere to take a trip this fall? Sedona, Arizona should warrant strong consideration. Just shy of 100 miles north of Phoenix, Sedona is one of the most beautiful areas in the southwest United States. From Texas, depending on how fast your airplane travels, you could make it to Sedona in a day, with a couple of stops in between. You’d definitely want to spend a few days to enjoy the scenery and maybe jump over to the Grand Canyon while you’re in the area.
The Airport
As you approach the Sedona Airport (KSEZ), you become somewhat distracted by the scenery around you. Don’t be too distracted as the approach is a little tricky. If you are landing north, on Runway 3, the calm wind runway, don’t let the surroundings fool you. Stay on that PAPI and don’t be short, as the runway is on a 500 foot mesa. In instrument conditions, the MDA for the RNAV approach to Runway 3 dumps you out about 1,300 feet above the airport elevation, giving you plenty of time to set up to land.
When using runway 21, don’t make your pattern too wide as there are some pretty tall rocks (around 7,000 feet) north of the field. The Airport/Facilities Directory gives a warning to pilots in strong southwesterly wind conditions. Be aware of strong downdrafts coming in on final for runway 21.
The runway itself is in excellent condition, and plenty long at just over 5,000 feet. The FBO is a little dated, but the folks there are great. They were redoing the ramp this summer, so beware of that. Airplane parking is no problem, but actually getting to the FBO is a little tricky. The Mesa Grill is a very nice good restaurant just a short walk from the FBO. When I was there, I chowed down on a buffalo burger. It definitely hit the spot.
What To Do
Sedona is the outdoorsman’s paradise. Starting off, to get a great overview of the area, hop on the Red Rock Scenic Byway (SR 179) about an hour before dusk. You’ll get to see some spectacular views while it’s still light, then you can’t beat the sunsets in Sedona.
For hiking, you have a myriad of options, from the Cathedral Rock, to the Oak Creek Canyon, to the Devil’s Bridge Trail, all are beautiful, though most are not for the faint of heart (especially the Devil’s Bridge). Even though the fall is cooler, make sure you pack plenty of water for the hikes.
Want something to do in the evening? Go up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross to watch the sunset. After the sun goes down, go do some stargazing. You’ll get to take a tour of the stars at the Sedona Star Gazing location in Oak Creek. You are shown all the constellations and stars by professional astronomers, and blankets and chairs are provided.
Art connoisseur? You’ll find plenty of art galleries around town with a ton of beautiful, original artwork. There are also several theaters and golf courses around Sedona, giving everyone a little bit of everything.
If you’re up for it, the Grand Canyon is about a 2 hour drive north of Sedona, or a quick flight up to the Grand Canyon Airport (KGCN).
In search of a good getaway? Try Sedona. You’ll be sore from lots of hiking and sight seeing, but it will definitely have been worth it.
It’s summertime and the weather is hot! Over this dry, sunny season, winter flying is probably the last thing on your mind. However, now is the perfect time to start getting things in place for winter and that includes having a plan for taking care of your airplane.
Why are preparations for winter ops needed in the first place? Cold weather, especially during the engine start and warm up period, can be very damaging to your engine if precautions aren’t taken to ensure that safe temperatures exist inside the engine before you turn the key. I always thought that the biggest problem associated with cold weather was engine oil. The logic is since cold oil is thicker and less viscous as the temperature drops, it is not able to circulate quickly throughout the engine to provide proper lubrication upon starting.
While cold oil may be a factor, the introduction of multiviscocity oils has greatly reduced that issue. The real problem is created by the different ways that various parts of the engine respond to heat. Because aluminum expands more quickly when heated than steel does, the pistons (made of aluminum) expand more quickly than the cylinders (made of steel). This can lead to scuffing on the sides of the cylinder barrel. In the same way, differential heating can reduce clearances which are designed to provide cooling oil to bearings and other vital engine parts, thereby causing damage which greatly reduces the life of the engine.
So how cold is TOO cold? Unfortunately, that is a difficult question to answer. Because there is so much variation between engines, airplanes, and environments, there really isn’t any one specific answer. An older, more worn out engine may actually be less susceptible to cold weather damage than a newer, tighter engine because its internal clearances are probably not as tight as they were a few thousand hours ago. I have heard of some people who preheat their airplanes anytime the temperature falls below about 40 degrees. For us northerners, this seems excessive. On our E33A Bonanza which has a Continental IO520, we generally preheat the airplane when it is cold soaked in temperatures below freezing (32° F).
Here are a few of the best ways to get your machine ready for a cold weather flight:
Heated Hangar: Nothing beats a heated hangar for warming up an airplane. The warm air is evenly distributed around the engine and in the cockpit (your avionics and gyros will thank you!). The airplane will need to be in the hangar for a while in order to warm up the guts of the engine. Often, the easiest way is to have the airplane pulled in the evening before the planned departure and left overnight. Many FBOs will hangar airplanes overnight for a small fee and it is well worth the price. We almost always have our charter airplanes put into hangars overnight when on a winter trip to ensure that we don’t have any trouble when we depart the next day. This practice has the added benefit of keeping the airframe clear of any ice and snow that may accumulate before you are scheduled to leave.
Electric Engine Heaters: Multipoint electronic heaters use heating pads that are placed around the engine in order to heat up the various components such as cylinders, the oil pan and crankcase. Most of these systems are designed to be activated by being plugged into a wall outlet with an extension cord. Preheating for a winter flight is as simple as going to the airport the night before and plugging it in. Two well known manufacturers of multipoint engine heaters are Reiff and Tanis. These systems are relatively inexpensive and can be a life saver if you regularly travel in colder climates. If an engine heater is the right choice for you, it is recommended to avoid less expensive models that heat only the oil pan.
Pictured above is the Reiff system. The heated bands go around the cylinder bases and the pad at the bottom of the picture heats the oil pan. Picture Courtesy of www.reiffpreheat.com
Covers and Blankets: If it is especially cold or you have to preheat outside, having something to insulate the cowling and keep the wind out can be very useful. Regular blankets will work long as you can secure them in place. If you have an ongoing need for additional insulation, there are companies that make custom blankets and propeller covers to fit your airplane. If you are landing and then taking off again relatively quickly, using a few blankets and cowl plugs will work nicely to keep the engine warm while it is sitting outside. In a pinch, placing a couple of powered light bulbs in the cowling overnight with insulation on top can result in sufficient temperatures for starting the engine.
Even with the multipoint electric heater, we still use a blanket while preheating to help keep everything toasty.
Forced Air: This method is used widely by FBO’s and flight schools. Hot air is produced in a portable heater and is then pumped into the engine compartment via the openings at the front or bottom of the cowling. This method has the benefit of not requiring any additional equipment to be installed on the aircraft beforehand and can be very effective provided there is adequate time for the engine to heat completely before removal.
Pictured above is a Red Dragon engine preheater. Photo courtesy of Red Dragon’s website: www.flameengineering.com
Winter Baffles: When the air temperature starts to drop into the teens and lower, you may find it difficult to keep your engine temperatures warm enough in cruise flight. The problem is that the air entering the cowling inlets is so cold that it overcools the engine. The solution is to install additional baffling in the engine inlets to reduce the amount of airflow into the cowling. These additional baffles are usually just sheets of aluminum that are cut to the correct size and are bolted in and removed quickly and easily as needed. Some pilots swear by them while others complain that they can cause uneven cooling. If you have questions about winter baffling, I’d suggest talking to your mechanic about your specific airplane.
Winter flying can be extremely rewarding. After their hands thaw from preflight, a pilot is often rewarded with smooth air, improved performance and outstanding views. Just don’t forget to prepare the airplane for the cold. The preparation is often as simple as plugging in an extension cord or making a phone call to the FBO. So whether you live in the north or the south, take good care of your engine so that it can keep taking good care of you.
There are a multitude of weather products out there today to assist pilots in preparing for a flight. Aviationweather.gov is the best source for getting all the information a pilot needs for planning a flight. Aviationweather.gov is the National Weather Service’s source for all aviation related weather products. When I teach about weather and weather briefings, I recommend to my students to utilize Aviationweather.gov in the planning stages, but still call the Flight Service Station to get a full fledged weather briefing before takeoff.
When preflight weather planning, one of the best ways to get a picture of what is happening over a broad area is utilizing the Low Level Significant Weather Prog charts. The Prog chart gives a forecasted 12 and 24 hour picture of what type of weather to expect over the US. The Prog chart gives the expected flight rules, areas of turbulence, and where the freezing level is located. If you’re looking at the 4 panel view, the Surface Prog chart shows fronts, pressure areas, and areas of expected precipitation. That covers just about everything, doesn’t it?
I believe the Prog charts are underutilized in planning. Foreflight and Garmin Pilot have given easy access to radar pictures, satellite pictures, METARs, TAFs, and several other sources of weather information. But, a lot of the easy access data you can get from those apps is current data (with the exception of the TAF) while a lot of the forecast data takes some hunting around. So, products like Prog charts aren’t often utilized.
The other problem arises when pilots know about Prog charts, but don’t know how to read them, then don’t know how to find the legend to decipher the chart, the chart is often set aside and quickly forgotten about just because of a lack of knowledge. Have no fear, though, as now we will use an example 4 panel Prog chart to decipher the lines and colorations.
Just looking at the Low Level Significant Weather Prog Chart above, it can be a little confusing. That’s why they make a legend!
Coupling the legend with the chart above, we can determine some things. First, California, parts of the Pacific Northwest, a small part of southern Arizona, and a good portion of the Midwest and East coast are going to have marginal VFR conditions in the next 12 hours. Wisconsin, Illinois, a good portion of the Northeast, and a small portion of the Pacific Northwest will suffer IFR from IFR conditions. There are going to be a good amount of low level turbulence in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Finally, the freezing level starts at the surface running in a jagged line across the midwest states and curling up into the Northeast.
That’s a good bit of information, isn’t it? If a pilot is planning a VFR flight into the Northeast tonight, it would probably be best to wait for another day, according to this chart.
Now, to see what is causing the conditions above, we need to look at the Surface Prog Chart.
The green circular areas above show that some form of precipitation is in that area. The circular dots with the triangle located in Mexico and Baja California are depicting moderate rain showers. If the triangle was gone, it would just be moderate rain. In the northeast, all those symbols are showing moderate to heavy snow showers. Across the plains, we see a lot of high pressure, meaning visibility and nice flying weather.
These charts are invaluable when it comes to flight planning, especially over long distances when the weather could be changing a lot over the period of your flight. Put them to use the next time you are planning a trip and you’ll learn you have a much better picture of what the weather is doing.
Good stuff. Merry Christmas Brother!