Top Tips for Flying Well and Staying Alive

[QDMQDMQDM]

I don't know if this has been done before, but I thought it would be interesting to get everyone's top tips for flying well and staying alive, along with a little explanation of why they think that point is important.

Most people seem to have a particular thing, or couple of things, which they watch out for and over which they take extra care every time they fly. Here's mine and it's something I think about every time I'm in the air, especially as I tend to fly fairly low:

Beware High Angles of Attack at Low Height

The thing that really got me sitting up and taking notice of this is when I found out that the aircraft I fly -- the Super Cub -- although one of the safest and easiest to fly aircraft at low speeds, has the highest stall/spin accident rate of any aircraft, according to US stats. The so-called 'Moose stall' kills a lot of Super Cub pilots, where they're loitering at low speed, looking for moose or whatever, then see one and whip round with too much rudder and too much back stick into a tight turn and, bang, they stall and spin in. It happens all the time.

As a result of this, I never orbit at low height, but always fly a racetrack pattern which allows one to level up after each 180 and get one's bearings. I also consciously 'over'-concentrate on my attitude in turns. I also don't make them too steep and always look for an excuse to ease back pressure on the stick, thus lowering angle of attack and stall speed, rather than pull back and increase it. I will never try and pick up a dropped wing with opposite aileron and back stick ( I tell myself). I am mentally determined, every time I fly, that if I crash it will be with the wings level, even if that means going into trees.

Any more for any more?

QDM

[Select Zone Five]

Good idea QDMQDMQDM. I had a nasty experience with a large fly in the cockpit recently after passing the skills test (quite distracting). I'm just glad it wasn't a wasp or a bee!

I always try to make sure the cockpit is free of pests before setting off! :rolleyes:

[Maarten]

How about: make sure you have looked at the NOTAMS!
Hahahahahahahaha!

Maarten

[Dusty_B]

Read the NOTAMS?

Barely enough hours of daylight to do that any more....

[Flyin'Dutch']

How about ensuring that you have done the 4 checks that ensure that you are not going to kill yourself on take-off.

Fuel on and sufficient (and pump on) FuPu
Mags on both Ma
Carb Heat off Ca
Trim set T
(TXPDR T)

FD

[bluskis]

Check: why fly, where to
Check: aircraft ok to fly
Check: pilot ok to fly
Check: weather ok to fly
Check: route planning ok
Double insurance cover and take off

[chrisN]

In a glider; fly fast enough when close to terrain; try to keep a good lookout.

[FlyingForFun]

Make the best use of any passengers.

Not too long ago I was flying my Europa, with another member of the group as pax. We pre-flighted together, and I was just ready to climb in when my pax commented that he'd never noticed that bit of wood on the undercarriage before, and did I know what it was? Closer inspection revealed that the ground-crew had apparently run over a wooden chock when moving the aircraft out of the hangar, and the chock had become lodged in the forks of the undercarriage, almost out of sight. I'd like to think that I'd have noticed that something wasn't right when I began to taxy, but who knows.... This has now been added to my pre-flight checklist, but I'm very pleased I got my pax to help me pre-flight that day.

FFF
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[big.al]

Good idea for a thread QDMx3 - I always think that one of the best reasons for reading PPRune is to learn from other people's experience.

From my experience of flying so far (at 60 hrs TT and only a dozen since getting the PPL ticket this is still very little and I'm still on a sharp learning curve) I am very conscious of three things above all others;

1) airspeed - avoiding having too little
2) engine oil pressure (ditto)
3) carb heat

I fly out of Netherthorpe with the shortest licenced runway in the UK. So airspeed is crucial as too much on final results in a risk of overrun and too little... enough said. Hence I think that my best ever landing was on 36 at Netherthorpe when I managed to land on the numbers and turn off the runway having rolled only half way down it.

As for oil pressure (and for that matter engine temp) - when I was on a solo XC just before the skills test I had a near engine failure and just made it to the nearest runway before the engine quit. So I always keep a very close watch on pressure now - far more frequently than the 10-15 minutes FREDA check intervals.

And thirdly, I'm also perhaps over-cautious (if you can be) regarding carb ice. I tend to apply carb heat every five minutes or so (depends on conditions) when in the cruise. Perhaps this may be overkill and result in too much fuel being used, but since fuel is include in my 'wet' hour I think that avoiding ice is more important than an extra quid or so of juice.

I learn from every flight and hope to learn more from others' experiences in this thread...

[nonradio]

Nothing like a simple question 3QDM!
" be surprised when the (only) motor keeps running, rather than the other way around..."

[Whirlybird]

I remind myself that the majority of accidents happen to pilots with between 200 and 500 hours. Just when you begin to think you know something... So check, check and check again.

[Julian]

Yep, the famous Killing Zone Whirly.

Just think, some of those guys (and gals) are sat RHS! :eek:
Hope LHS is keeping a good eye on em...

[Whipping Boy's SATCO]

"If you think something's not quite right, then you're probably right."

and from the RAF

"Don't assume, CHECK!"

[Select Zone Five]

Whipping Boy's SATCO reminds me of a warning a colleague once gave me...Assumption is the mother of all f***ups! Wasn't related to aviation but wise words in any field I'd say! :D

[bluskis]

Remember the ancient but always valid phrase:

Its better to be down here wishing you were up there, than up there wishing you were down here.

[poetpilot]

... and the oft-repeated "FLY THE AEROPLANE FIRST". ie. whatever distractions and problems you have, keep the aircraft flying safely within its envelope.

Has stood me in good stead through 3 engine failures, quite a few partial failures, one canopy departure & a cable cutting through the tailplane (last 2 in gliders).

[stiknruda]

keeping my eyes outside the cockpit and constantly searching the sky for other users has certainly paid dividends for me over the years!

I am amazed at how often that I am certain that another aircraft has not seen me! :(

Makes me wonder how many I do not see :eek:

Stik

[bottieburp]

Hi Dusty B

I note your comments about the Enstone fence posts.

THe fence posts at Enstone are a disgrace. I say this as fact because they are a clear hazard to airmen and were thus installed with selfish motives.

Poignant isn't it that the first (inevitable) victim was somebody who was flying in for maintenance to the facility of the sad person who decided to install them.

THe aircraft was totalled - the occupants lucky to escape without serious injury.

THey have claimed a few taxiing victims since.

THe whole operation on the Northside Grass at Enstone - with an approach/ climbout directly over the tower (for which planning consent was approved) - is foolhardy.

THere is a huge tarmac runway legitimately available at very reasonable cost.

TO put a strip in alongside a well-established runway and install a fence right up to the edge of the tarmac is disgraceful.

The good news is that Oxfordshire SportFlying are prospering and this was not the intention of the owners of the Northside strip. However, it stops them licencing. Scummy or what??

BB

[slim_slag]

QDM,

ALWAYS HAVE AN OUT (An old crusty freight flyer I knew in the Rockies said that was more important than any of the useless mountain flying stuff taught in the flat lands).

Stik. I'd be surprised if you see 10% of your near misses. Today I was out flying in an area where I knew there were two other planes within only a few miles, and in 30 minutes I never saw them. I was seen once, then quickly lost. I fail to see over half the targets radar services advises me about.

That Big sky theory I guess.

[Moneyshot]

Similar to Poet Pilot's reply. Learn to prioritise. Especially when the workload is high eg: Youve got to get to a safe landing but you're in cloud in mountainous terrain. But could be anything.

You:

1. AVIATE
2. NAVIGATE
3. COMMUNICATE

In that order but with AVIATE assuming about 99% importance. FLY THE F*****G AIRCRAFT the importance cannot be overstated. Your emergency drills, anti-ice drills, mayday calls, lookout, positional awareness etc may be perfect. But they're no use to you if you get disorientated, mis-handle the aircraft and
stall/spin and become part of the beautiful British scenery.

Use the principle in normal operations as well, you won't go far wrong.

[Flash0710]

Two bits .........

1. Its wise to remain clear of me im too erratic.

2. My signature below.


Happy flying team.

[MightyGem]

Much the same as above: Never pass gas.

[ChocksAwayChick]

I've only just recently passed my PPL (:D ), but here's a simple but good tip to remember whilst on navigation trips :

Before you look down at your map, have a DAMN good look out the window!

Although this might seem obvious, it's very easy to spend more time than you realise looking at your map or writing down ATC instructions etc, and VERY easy for another plane to sneak up on you whilst you do it.

So have a good 180º lookout before looking down, because you really do NOT want an "Oh Sh*t" moment when you're in an aeroplane...