Shamelessly borrowed
Courtesy Capt W.J.R. Hamilton. I love this!!.
A MEMBER RECENTLY ASKED ME WHY WE HAVE ---
SPECIAL RULES FOR JETS IN “G”
In light of my almost 40 years experience on almost 100 types, here is the most probable reason for this local peculiarity, a result of “aeroblight” , a recent discovery of widely acclaimed aviation consultants Aero Omni Pestcontrol Associated, or AOPA for short, not to be confused with Any Old Pilots Association, AOPA for short.
Consultancy is the only thriving sector of Australian aviation.
Dear Jim
Firstly, by virtue of the fact that a jet at 150 knots is flying much faster than a Dash 8 or a BAe Pipedream 31 at 150 knots, and a 38 seat high capacity jet carries many more people than a low capacity 38 seat Dash 8. All turbines simply streak past a Cessna 421 dawdling downwind at 150kts.
We all know how fast jets are !!
Jets have only one lever per engine, ( Cynthia, the anti ice is a switch) compared to the much more simple turbo prop, with its throttles, condition levers, and propeller control levers, propeller anti ice systems, or; the super simplified throttle levers, mixture levers, pitch levers, carb. hot air levers, cowl flaps levers or switches, fuel boost HI/LO and magneto switches and propeller anti ice system etc. of the average piston engine, ------ not to mention the average of sixteen ways you can screw up the fuel selection on the average piston twin, for instant silence.
The ON/OFF ( and in some cases not even ON/OFF --- Just OFF when you pull a Fire Switch) jet fuel systems are just too much for the average pilot
A even greater problem on all the modern jets is something called FADEC, which eliminates the power and engine life enhancing “ Instant Detonation” mode of piston operation, when in the “ham fisted overboost” phase of flight, starting as it does just, after engine start and ending at engine shutdown.
A further problem with a jet engine is very slow acceleration time, where it can take as long as 4 seconds to go from flight idle to in flight takeoff thrust, compared with the very rapid 4 seconds it can take a turbo prop to increase from flight idle to max torque.
None of this compares with the almost instant effect of slamming the throttles of any piston engine of the GTSIO variety to the firewall ---- the tinkle tinkle little cash register effect.
Other jet performance impediments, include such as a lousy rate of climb out of low level airspace of as little as 4000 ft per minute, compared to the sparkling 800 ft per minute of a Beech Porcupine (on a good day) and the positively breathtaking performance of a hot, high and heavy Cessna 402, as in it: takes your breath away that you didn’t hit anything, again !! Blessed be the curvature of the earth.
Thus we must have a standard safety rule from CASA that says that all airfields which have jet services must be an MBZ. Very dangerous these new fangled machine are, only been operating them for more than 50 years, not like the tried and true turboprops that we have been operating for nearly 55 years.
Remember also that the large windows of new jets cockpits do not have the advanced and enhanced visibility features of the viewing ports of the BAe Baddream 31, or the vision enhancing engine running indicators, attached to big round things bolted to large planks, usually found just above the pilot's respective outboard ears, or buttocks, depending on particular manufacturer preferences.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, the view from the BAe146 is just great, especially if you have the DV windows open. This window open not only eliminates the blue oil haze in the cockpit but allows you to “ look through” the bugs smeared on the windscreen. At least pilots do not have a problem with bird strikes on the 146, birds don’t fly that slowly.
The BAe 146 aircraft has a further very important feature to encourage pilots to look out, and be vigilant for other traffic.
You can’t see half the instruments, so you may as well look out for other traffic.
The HSI is barely visible, and the CDI is obscured to pilots of normal stature, as operators await the availability of the long rumored “transparent control column” Service Bulletin..
All this is a real safety gain, as research shows that compliance with communications procedures at CTAFs are better than MBZ's, clearly making MBZ's safer, as at least somebody is looking out the window, rather than just talking, on some flights around an MBZ.
OR IS THERE A FLAW IN MY LOGIC ???
Naturally, to enhance safety, no croppy (aerial pest exterminators, or APE, as they are popularly known as) with a dud radio would consider flying into Longreach on Wednesday (without radio), just in case last Sunday's weekly jet was a little behind schedule.
Standardisation is a laudable aim, so naturally we should always promulgate unneeded, unjustified, meaningless, pointless and unenforceable airfield restrictions H24, one cannot be too safe, can one.
As the years go by, services will increase, nothing like having any unnecessary and ineffective restrictions well proven years ahead.
Plan ahead, that’s what I say.
Say after me the creed, "Marconi Rules, OOOH Yeahhhh", ( No, not the Sydney Soccer Club, Cynthia, the Italian bloke who invented the flapping lip mode of flight, refined and perfected in Australia, an antipodean unique application of acoustic lift theory – if you quit talking, the aeroplane quits flying)
Strange that other countries are not flocking to our door, to see how we organize a collapse in a vital industry, General Aviation, once a major jobs generator in rural and regional Australia.
The Australian economy is the best it has been for many years.
General Aviation elsewhere is booming, we have obviously struck the correct balance in Australia, eliminating such simplistic notions as “when the economy booms, aviation booms.”
Regards,
Bill Hamilton.