Brady Texas Fly In (KBBD)

Stephanie Mertz Joins Texas Top Aviation

ByHank Gibson April 15, 2019April 30, 2019

Texas Top Aviation has added a new member to our instructing team. Stephanie Mertz was hired in March 2019 and will be specializing in G1000 & Instrument instruction.

Stephanie graduated from LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas with a degree in Aeronautical Science, earning her commercial single and multi ratings while there. She began her aviation career in Ontario, California flying a Pilatus PC-12 for charter and medical trips. While operating the PC-12, she gained valuable experience flying all over the US and Mexico.

In 2013, Stephanie moved back to East Texas with her husband where she worked as a contract pilot flying a variety of Citations as well as a Falcon 10. A few years later, she became involved in her local Ninety-Nines chapter and joined their mentorship program.

After earning her CFI, CFII, and MEI, Stephanie returned to her alma mater to pass on her flying passions to college students through flight instructing. After a year of teaching at LeTourneau, she and her husband, with their first baby in tow, moved to the Austin area. Now she is instructing with Texas Top Aviation while acting as a mentor for other women working on achieving their flying dreams.

King Schools Updates Check Ride Guidance

ByHank Gibson August 1, 2016August 17, 2016

Most in the aviation industry are familiar with John and Martha King, the faces of the myriad of Kings Schools aviation training courses.  Thousands of pilots have gone through their ground school courses for a variety of certificates or ratings, taking in the videos on original VHS, DVD, or streaming online depending on what the current technology is.

With the advent of the Airmen Certification Standards (ACS) replacing the Practical Test Standards (PTS) for the private and instrument certificates, King Schools didn’t take long to update their material.

To help private students prepping for their check ride (and their instructors who aren’t familiar with an ACS check ride yet), John King plays the student pilot in the latest King Schools prep video.  The streaming online video is about 5 hours long, includes the oral portion and the flight portion of the check ride, and runs $139 (you can still get the DVD, too!).

I have recommended King Schools and their courses to all of my customers.  They have always put out a great product as they reduce the fear felt for a check ride applicant.  If you are prepping for your private pilot check ride, checkout the King Schools video today.

Winter Ops

ByAndrew Robinson August 10, 2015August 19, 2015

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.

 

 

• 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.

 

 

• 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.

 

 

• 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.

Flight Service Station

ByHank Gibson October 29, 2017

When is the last time you talked to the Flight Service Station?

Believe it or not, FSS is still in existence.  Over the past 10 years, they went from FAA run, the being bought by Lockheed Martin, to now being privately run by a company called Leidos. 1-800-WX Brief will get you connected with a weather briefer, but you’ll hear “Leidos Flight Service Station” now when the briefer picks up.

Since the advent of Foreflight, most pilots these days get their weather briefings digitally on the iPad. Foreflight has come a long way since it’s inception.  The briefing part of their Flights page is quite comprehensive, with lots of information, and counts as a legal weather briefing (which pilots are still required to get before a flight).

Why does a pilot even need to call Flight Service?  Well, when’s the last time you tried to interpret everything the Briefing on Foreflight told you?  As I said before, it’s a lot of information and a lot of it can be confusing.  Pilots are not fully trained on interpreting Prog Charts and getting an overall weather picture for a flight.  A weather briefer is.

I have over 5,000 hours and I still call a weather briefer before almost every flight.  On the way to the airport is a great opportunity to get a weather briefing.  I get a great picture of what’s going on in my area or over my route, frontal movement, bad weather areas, and whether or not it’s a good idea to even take off. Calling in the car alleviates the main complaint I hear about calling the Flight Service Station, which is it’s inconvenient and causes a delay since you have to call them on the phone.

I don’t do much private pilot training anymore, but when I do, I always teach my students how to get a weather briefing from the Flight Service Station.  I’ll show them how to get the briefing on Foreflight too, but usually their eyes bug out of their heads when they start trying to read everything.  A breathe of relief is released when I tell them there is a trained professional just a phone call away who can clear everything up.

The other thing that the Flight Service Station provides that is important to a lot of folks are PIREPs.  It’s vital in sketchy weather areas for the FSS to get a report of what’s actually going on in the air.  This helps other pilots out greatly as they are getting information about icing, cloud bases and tops, turbulence and a myriad of other things from airplanes who are actually in the conditions.

Finally, the most used portion of the Flight Service Station is the Clearance Delivery line (888-766-8267). At airports without a tower or a clearance delivery frequency, with IFR conditions present, the only way to get your IFR clearance is to call Clearance Delivery.  Yes, it can take a little time sometimes, but you will get a clearance every time, unlike taking off and trying to dodge the clouds without hitting anything, while trying to call Center on the radio (which isn’t safe or legal).

Been a while since you’ve talked to the Flight Service Station?  Give them a call, either on the phone or on the radio.  Odds are, they are bored and just wanting someone to talk to, just like you are on that long cross country flight!

Checkout 1800WXBrief.com to see all the cool stuff the Flight Service Station does.

Night Flying

ByHank Gibson October 16, 2018October 16, 2018

Ah, fall is finally here.  In Texas, it arrived about a month late, but showed up with a vengeance.  A strong cold front caused a 40 degree temperature drop in 12 hours earlier this week, bringing rain, lower freezing levels, and lots of wind.

Fall means cooler temps, but fall also means less light.  The sun begins to set sooner, plus the fall back time change in November cause darkness to spring upon an unaware pilot.

Before getting in to too many night landings tips, just a friendly reminder, passengers can only be carried at night if the PIC has completed 3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop in the last 90 days during the time period of 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise.

Lots of us have been landing long before sunset for most of the past couple of months, so those night flying skills might be a little rusty.  The best way to remedy night flying rustiness?  Call an instructor and go get some practice.

In the meantime, here are some tips as to what to expect for your next night flying experience.

1. Your Eyes Are Very Important.  This may seem like an obvious statement, but night vision can be affected by many things.  Before you takeoff, you want to make sure you can see in the dark.  The FAA recommends no bright lights 30 minutes prior to takeoff.  They also recommend using oxygen at night as this greatly improves night vision, even at low altitudes.  Use off center viewing to help spot traffic or other objects in the air.  Finally, when preflighting, use a red flashlight as much as possible, but if you do have to use a white light, close one eye to keep one eye from being blinded.
2. Utilize Approach Lights on Landing.  Night landings are very different then day landings.  It is very difficult to get the proper depth perception, not too mention see obstacles below you on your final approach to a runway.  PAPI’s, VASI’s, and instrument approach glide slope’s become very important.  If you are VFR only pilot, if your airport has a PAPI or a VASI, keep 2 white and 2 red (or 1 white and 1 red) lights.  If you see 3 red (or 2 red), climb.  If you see 4 red, definitely climb.  If you are an IFR pilot, I highly recommend always flying an approach at night.  What if your airport doesn’t have a PAPI, VASI, or approach with a glide slope?  You might not want to utilize it at night.  One side note on VFR flight: Clouds are nearly invisible at night.  If you do fly into a cloud (a clue is your strobe lights start reflecting back at you), don’t panic.  If you have an autopilot, turn it on and execute a 180 degree level turn.  If you don’t have an autopilot, start scanning your instruments, keep your attitude indicator blue side up, and make a shallow 180 degree while maintaining altitude.  Then call ATC, advise them what happened, and ask for help.  One more note:  I highly recommend that if a pilot finds that he/she will fly at night at lot, get an instrument rating and fly IFR at night.  It’s much safer.
3. Practice Landings Before Carrying Passengers.  The tendency when landing at night is to level off too high before flaring, causing the airplane to bleed off speed and energy too high above the runway.  This can lead to a stall, a hard landing, and/or too high of a pitch attitude at touch down causing a tail strike. A good tip is start your level off when you can see the tire marks on the runway.  Make sure you practice night landings, preferably with an experienced instructor who is night current and proficient, before carrying any passengers on board, even if you are night current, but haven’t landed at night in a while.
4. Night Emergencies.  For engine failures at night, you are very limited on options.  Unless you have a Cirrus equipped with a CAPS parachute system, you really have two options if an airport isn’t within gliding distance.  Find a wide, lighted road that appears to be lightly trafficked.  A word of caution, though:  be careful of light poles, fences, concrete medians, cars, and buildings.  The LA freeway would not be a good option (though there are exceptions to this rule as is evidenced by the picture below).  The second option is find a dark spot and pray it’s a field (or the Hudson River).  As you get closer, you can turn your landing light on to see what the ground looks like.  If it looks good, keep the light on and continue.  If you don’t like what you see, turn your landing light off and continue….

Flying at night can be the best time of day to fly.  It’s usually smoother, cooler, and you get to see all the city lights.  It is a very different environment, however, so make sure to get some training before darkness settles in on your next trip.