Part two of the above - follows straight on
Right then - the flight!!
Departure. Start the aircraft and taxi out in accordance with public transport regulations. Lookout, Radio communication and navigation are all your responsibility. Leave the zone in accordance with any air traffic control clearance - but feel free to co-ordinate with ATC in an attempt to get the clearance that you require. Can you tell me what runway length we require for departure today, and what distance we will require for landing when we return in about 2 hours? How did you calculate these figures?
<<Discussion on runway lengths, todays weather conditions, and public transport operations - including runway length factoring. Good time to look at Mass & Balance, too>>
O.K. - any questions on the departure??
Navigation. Weather and obstacles permitting, off we go on a fairly straight line, visual, navigation flight. You are not to use any radio navigation aids during this portion of the flight. You may, if you wish, set up any radio aids that you envisage may be of use on the second leg - you may tune and identify any facilities of your choice. If, however, it appears that you may gain navigational assistance from these aids I will either detune then again or, more likely, offset the indicators on the instrument display. Tune in whatever you wish, but if you try to "accidentally" leave the CDI on the correct radial for the destination - then expect me to adjust it. Don't even dream of leaving the DME set on something helpful - it, too, will be altered. However, if I do need to detune any, or all, of these aids, I will make note of the frequencies and settings and I will reset them to EXACTLY the same configuration before you commence the diversion leg of the flight. If this involves retuning the frequency, I will re-identify those aids, and will return them to your use in exactly the same configuration as you had left them.
Once you set off on the navigation leg, please advise me of your initial heading, your planned altitude and - when you can - your estimated time of arrival at the destination. You may change any, or all, of these nominations as many times as you deem appropriate - but TELL ME, in advance, BEFORE you make the correction.
You should, of course, be keeping a running log of your actions. I will ask you for a copy <or the original> of your flight log at the end of the journey. Can you tell me why you should keep a log??
Before you arrive at the destination, I will advise you of my desired diversion. Feel free to plan your diversion during the remainder of the first leg. When you arrive at the destination you are required to positively identify the turning point and, if there is any possibility of confusion as to the exact location, then I may ask you to positively identify up to three ground features surrounding the destination point.
When you make the turn at the destination all the navigation aids become available to you. You may use any information that you can get out of any of the equipment installed in the aircraft other than the moving map section of the GPS. <<KNS 80 (RNAV) users may, or so I'm told, actually move a VOR to the diversion point and track direct to it. Loran users may use full functions of the box of tricks. Remember, however, that the individual examiner MAY, at his (or her) own discretion, simulate the failure of any item of navigational equipment - so you can't use it, if we don't want you to>>
Again, please advise me of your initial heading, your planned altitude and, when you can, an estimated time of arrival at the diversion point. After some moments of tracking in the general direction of the diversion, I will take control whilst you erect the screens (or put on your hood/foggles). When I give control back to you, assume that you have entered cloud and take the appropriate actions. Which would be.....?? <<waits for answer>>.
Continue navigating towards the diversion point whilst flying in accordance with IFR. You may take running fixes of your current location as you see fit. I will require to see at least one fix, which you are required to mark on your chart and record on your navigation log - if you've just done a fix which was suitable then I'll not do another one specifically, but if I haven't seen you do one for a while........I'll ask you to do one.
Continue the instrument navigation until I advise that you may remove the hood/foggles/screens. Orientate yourself visually and continue to navigate towards the diversion point. Depending on the progress of the flight, we may - or may not - continue all the way to the diversion point. If we do go to the diversion you will be required to positively identify the feature, or at least three other prominent features surrounding it.
You will also be required to carry out some radio aid tracking - this may be either towards or away from a navigation aid of my choosing and may involve an intercept of a particular track, or simply calculate the current QDM and turn on track direct to the facility.
If, during your "appropriate actions" when encountering the simulated instrument conditions earlier, you declare that you are going to climb to an altitude above the MSA, but this altitude would put you into real cloud - I will advise you that I will accept that you HAVE climbed to that altitude, but will ask you not to, due to our requirement to maintain VMC conditions. Although I am accepting that we have climbed, you must take into account that for airspace and obstacle purposes WE HAVE NOT, and that should your current track encounter any airspace that requires a clearance to enter at that lower altitude, or an obstacle that needs avoiding in order not to spoil our day, you are required to deal with the situation accordingly. Don't go bleating through somebody’s airspace announcing that we would have gone clear over the top if I hadn't kept you at a lower altitude, and that the subsequent airspace infringement is my fault. Nor will I accept that argument whilst we plummet towards the Earth whilst sliding down the side of a large radio or television mast that we have just hit.
Any questions on the navigation section??
Airwork. Two parts to this - you will be required to do some visual exercises and some simulated instrument exercises. Remember, I will take responsibility for navigation and for radio communication. Don't talk ON the radio - and don't talk OVER the radio. I guarantee to you that I will not try to take you into any airspace without a clearance. There are NO deliberate traps during this flight. Don't forget, however, that cockpit management is your responsibility at all times.
There is no need for you to try to remember any of these instructions, as I will remind you of each, and every, exercise at it occurs. This is just a "heads up" of what you can expect to have to do during the flight.
So, hood/foggles on, and I assume responsibility for lookout. You maintain straight and level flight. No matter what the heading, no matter what the level - you just keep 'em. Maintain that for a few moments and then I will ask you to carry out a level turn at a 30 degree angle of bank. Only this FIRST turn will be at 30 degrees - any subsequent maneuvers should be at the appropriate bank angles for climbing or descending - or, if it is a level turn, it should be done at rate one, and should be the shortest way round onto any nominated heading. The straight and level flight, followed by the 30 degree bank turn, is to give me the opportunity to position the aircraft in a usable chunk of airspace from which to commence the flight exercise profile.
I'll position the aircraft to avoid a town, or find a hole in the cloud that we can climb through.
The simulated instrument work will consist of both full panel instrument flying, and some limited panel operations. For the full panel all I will ask you to do is climbing, descending and turning - mainly because there is nothing else that we can do with an aircraft. I will nominate some altitudes to climb or descend to. I will nominate some headings to turn on to. I may get mean and nasty and ask for a climbing turn - and even nastier when I nominate a particular indicated airspeed for you to maintain whilst descending at a mandated rate of descent. Ooh - getting tricky now, huh?
Limited panel work consists of level turns. Easy stuff - level turns. Shortest way round, rate one. When you roll wings level, don't be surprised to find that the heading isn't what you wanted. Feel free to adjust your heading as required - roll back into the turn, or roll back again, as appropriate. It may take a couple of attempts to get it accurate with these scabby little compasses. Just tell me when you are satisfied that you have completed the turn to the best of your accuracy and ability.
Whilst in limited panel, I will also take control and disturb the aircraft into a few unusual attitudes. When I give control back to you, respond in the appropriate manner ("I have control") and recover the aircraft to straight and level flight with the minimum further loss of altitude.
Visual flight - you resume responsibility for lookout, I maintain the R/T and navigation. Don't forget, cockpit management is still yours.
I will direct a sequence of events that will include - but not necessarily in this order - stalling, steep turns and gliding turns. For the stalling, I will nominate an altitude which I will expect you to achieve and MAINTAIN during your pre-stall checks. Once you commence a stall recovery, each one should be with the minimum loss of altitude and each one should end in a clean - that's gear up and flap up - climb at the best rate of climb. Minimum loss of altitude, ending in a clean climb at Vy, best rate of climb - which you told me earlier would be at a speed of <<see above>>.
The first stall is likely to be a clean, fully developed stall, recovering on my command. After the checks, maintaining altitude remember, close the throttle, don't let the aircraft climb or descend, eventually it will fully stall. Wait for me to say the command "Recover", then carry out a standard stall recovery, with the minimum further loss of altitude, finishing in a clean climb at Vy, best rate of climb.
Recover to my nominated altitude - then prepare for the "approach configuration" stall. This is the simulated turn from base leg onto final - so will have gear down, two stages of flap, twenty degrees of bank and reduced power. A little bit over zealous with the back pressure - and recover, on your own initiative, at the first signs of the approach to the stall. Don't wait for me to say "Recover", because I'm not going to - this one is up to you. Again, finish this move with the aircraft in a clean, gear up, flap up, Vy climb. This climb may take you through my nominated altitude - don't worry about it, keep climbing until I ask you to level off.
The last stall will be in "landing configuration". Gear down, full flap, wings level, reduced power. 'Stretching the glide scenario' - recover, on your own initiative at the first signs of the approach to the stall, into a clean, gear up, flap up, Vy climb - which, again, may take you through my nominated altitude.
Steep turns. Feel free to adjust to any heading that will give you a good visual reference point ahead of the aircraft. After the appropriate checks <<not a clearing turn>> carry out a level turn, at 45 degrees angle of bank, all the way round through 360 degrees, rolling wings level on your own initiative, back onto your visual reference feature outside. One turn one way, settle down again, then turn the other way when ready. During each turn, maintain the altitude and the airspeed. The direction of the first turn is at your discretion - be prepared to tell me why you have chosen to go that way!!
Gliding turns: At one point during this flight, you will find the aircraft flying in a wings level glide, and trimmed for the best glide speed, which you have already told me is <see above>. This will be an ideal start to enter the steep gliding turns. I’ll ask you to maintain the wings level attitude for a few moments and then, when ready, to enter a gliding turn at 30 degrees angle of bank. Maintain this descending turn until I ask you to continue into a 40 degree angle of bank. Does anything strike you about this exercise? Can you tell me what actions you will need to carry out?? <<waits for answer>>. Can you now tell me why you should do this?? <<waits for answer>>.
At the end of this exercise I will ask you to recover to straight and level – and then, once established, to pitch into a climb at the best angle of climb, Vx. This climb, with the high nose attitude, will continue for quite some time, possibly a couple of thousand feet. Take the appropriate actions, which are?? <<waits for answers>>.
Any questions on the general handling?
Emergencies. During the flight there will be some simulated emergencies. These will include, but again not necessarily in this order, a practice forced landing, an engine failure after take-off and a simulated engine fire in flight. For each one of the exercises I will clearly announce ‘simulated…whatever’. Remember, whilst it would be nice to be able to use the aeroplane again, our singularly primary desire is to walk away from the burning wreckage. That’s what insurance is for.
For the PFL, this is meant to be that the engine has, for some reason, ceased to develop power. The engine is still running, there are no bits of piston punching holes through the side of the engine block, we don’t have a fountain of oil gushing through the top – the engine is still running, but is not developing power. To simulate this, I will reach across, close the throttle and announce “Ooh, simulated engine failure”. You should say, “Ooh, I’ll crash into that field there!”, work out a mental picture of how you will get there and then commence your engine failure drills. During the descent, if you realize that there is a better place to crash than the field that you initially chose, then you are welcome to change you mind and aim for the better site, but TELL ME. If you intend to land with the undercarriage up, tell me that too. If you have sufficient mental capacity left during this drill, try to consider what happens after the landing and aircraft evacuation. If you can find a long field with a pub at the end, or somewhere near a telephone and coffee machine, this would be far more welcoming than putting down in a random field. Remember this is Florida, the random fields here are often full of unfriendly, hungry, critters with very sharp teeth. Your passengers would not be happy to survive an engine failure and then be munched by an alligator.
Engine failure after take-off. At some point during the flight, whilst in the take-off configuration – fairly close to the ground, pitched for the climb, maybe with gear down, maybe with flap down, I will reach across and close the throttle whilst announcing “Simulated engine failure after take off”. Off you with the drills. Pitch down, look for somewhere to crash, then gear and flap as appropriate to crash as slowly as possible
For both the simulated engine failure and the engine failure after take-off I would ask you to continue the descent until I ask you to go-around. This may be below 500 feet agl, and will be my responsibility. We do, however, need to continue the approach until we both agree, without any doubt that we either would, or would not, make it into the landing site that you have chosen. If we disagree about the potential for reaching the site, then we must continue the approach until one of us is proven wrong.
Engine fire in flight. At some time, as we cruise along, I will say “Simulated smoke, simulated engine fire”. You will then sit still in a state of general confusion and eventually say “What?, Now?” “YES!!!!!! Run through the drills as “touch drills” with the exception of the throttle. Please DO close the throttle, but that is the only action you should actually do for real. It will really spoil our flight if you elect to shut down the engine. Believe me, it’s not the best way to make friends The fire will not extinguish with the routine drills, and you will be required to carry out the appropriate additional drills.
So, simulated emergencies. For each one I will clearly say “Simulated engine failure”, “Simulated engine failure after take-off” or, “Simulated smoke, simulated engine fire”. If, at any time during the flight, you encounter any symptoms of a problem and you have not heard me say “Simulated this, that or the other”, then the problem is genuine. It is a real emergency – deal with it. I promise you that I will not interfere with the aircraft systems, I will not pull any circuit breakers, I will not quietly turn off the fuel or mags – or whatever. If you don’t hear me say “Simulated something” then the problem is real.
Now, whilst I also promise you that these simulated emergencies will not happen during the instrument phases of flight, they may happen during the navigation leg or they may happen during the general handling – it all depends what mood I’m in and how nasty I feel like being.
If the simulation occurs during the navigation you should have some idea as to your position, because you are navigating, so if you do a simulated Mayday call – which should include a position report – then you ought to be able to give a fairly accurate position. However, if the simulation occurs during the general handling phase, I remind you that I am responsible for navigation and, as such, you may not be totally aware as to your accurate position – in which case you can say anything you wish….”intend forced landing in a field in Florida”, or “landing 4,000 miles south west of London”
If you encounter any problem, simulated or actual, take the appropriate action. This may be the aircraft, it may be a weather hazard or it may be you or I who, as crew, start to feel unwell and we elect to pause the flight test until we’ve had a walk around in the sunshine and drunk a can of Coke. If you encounter a problem – solve it!!
Any questions on the simulated emergencies??
O.K. Finally – circuits. Section 4 of the flight test profile includes various circuits and landings. I need to se you complete a normal landing, a glide approach and landing, a flapless landing, a low-level circuit – or ‘bad weather circuit’, call it what you will – and a short field, or performance landing. All of these landings should be to your nominated area of touchdown which, unless you specify otherwise, will be assumed to be the normal touchdown zone of the particular runway. I remind you that you have already nominated the speeds at which you intend to fly these approaches.
Can you tell me how you would carry out a short field landing. <<waits for answer>>. O.K., then please go ahead with that drill – but do not brake for real. Just tell me when you would apply the brakes, but do not rip the wheels or tires off the aircraft in your attempts to show me how quickly you can stop.
The circuits may be flown back here at the home airfield or, depending on traffic volume, we may elect to carry out the circuits at one of the airfields out there in the wild during the general handling section. Whether we do the circuits here, or not, before we return to base we will both agree on our current location – remember, at that point, I am responsible for radio and navigation. The two of us will identify some local landmarks and ensure that you are fully aware of your location and your orientation to the airfield, then I will hand over the radio and navigation to you, and ask you to make a commercially expeditious recovery to the runway. Call ATC and try to co-ordinate an expeditious rejoin, then fly us home.
That’s it!! Taxi in, tie the thing to the floor and we’ll go drink coffee and either fill out the paperwork or keep you away from sharp objects.
Any questions on the circuits and rejoin??
Do you understand the requirements for this flight?? Remember, I will repeat it to you, step by step, in flight. Have you any questions?? Then assume this to be the first flight of the day for this aircraft, complete the pre-flight paperwork and let’s be ready to start the engine in, say, 15 minutes from now.
Nervous?? <<expects to hear “Yes”>>. Well don’t be. Take into account that there is not one thing that I can do to fail you, nor is there one single thing that I can do to pass you. The result is not my doing, it’s yours. You are flying the plane and, as such, it’s all up to you. Having completed the course and having received a form 170, you are already starting with a pass. Just don’t do anything to screw it up. If you think about it, it is me who should be nervous. You know how well you fly, I have no idea – but as long as I’m sat there comfortably then you can assume that all is going reasonably well. If you are comfortable but you see me curling up into a ball under the front seat, or trying to get out in flight, then you may want to re-assess the situation.