Avoid the adrenaline junkies
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Avoid the adrenaline junkies
At least, consider avoiding the ones who appear to rash things in which they have no experience. In this case, the licensed but low time pilot was flying a Cirrus with a more experienced pilot who already had a situation where he had had his license taken away by the FAA. Of course, there is little hope for preventing an accident with the guy in the right seat who rolled the airplane at low altitude as he likely won't listen. But as a low timer(or experienced pilot) having the chance to fly with someone who sounds like he likes to do 'wild and crazy things' in aircraft and live on the edge....best to just avoid.
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA
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Yes. You really have to pick your mentors carefully. The problem is that if you are lesser experience, the person with more experience simply has more experience, but it can be hard to know how much more. And, a person with good flying skills may lack good discipline and crew skills.
A very good tool to protect yourself from impromptu silliness in the cockpit is the preflight briefing. Generally, this is done between two pilots, though if you think it will help, brief yourself for a solo flight, no reason not to! Have the briefing, does it make sense? Does it sound safe? Are there appropriate safety points? Does everything in the briefing conform to the rules and is within the limitations of the plane? (You have the books now, it's a good time to check if in doubt!). Are you confident that the briefed maneuvers are within the skills of the pilot? If there is a briefing, and it sounds compliant, go flying.
Now you're up in the air, is the flight going the way the briefing said it would? If something changes, it should be rebriefed. If that won't work, land, and start again for the next flight. If the pilot you're flying with says: "just let me show you...", "let's try...", or, "watch this", and that's not in the briefing, say no, and the flight should be ended promptly.
Many to many times I have been a passenger/second pilot to "watch this" from the other pilot, and I'm surprised I survived it all. I've been asked in flight to demonstrate things which were not in the plan. While doing a design approval test flight in a club 172 once, I was asked by the right seat instructor if I would show him a roll - no, I would not. I later learned that that instructor was the safety officer for the club!
Yes, I've been taught to roll, by an aerobatic pilot in his 150 Aerobat. Then, I practiced a lot. I also learned and practiced all the other aerobatic maneuvers approved in the Aerobat (yeah, I know, it's not a real aerobatic plane, but it's something...). That done, I can say that a roll is the most likely aerobatic maneuver which, if bungled, will get you in the most trouble fast. There are countless videos of low altitude roll crashes at airshows - and we presume that those pilots should have known how to roll safely!.
Aerobatic maneuvers include pointing the plane toward exceeding a limitation, and then completing the graceful maneuver without exceeding any limitation. We all understand to not exceed Vne, and we have a nicely marked airspeed indicator to assure that we know we're staying within the speed limits. And, the pointer shows you the trend. Aerobatics also involve varying the G loading. Unless the plane is equipped with an G meter, what do you have to assure you that you are flying within the G limits of the plane?
The preflight briefing for a dual aerobatic flight would include a reference to not exceeding any G limits. I wonder how the Cirrus roll pilot would have briefed how they would keep the plane within the G limits....
A very good tool to protect yourself from impromptu silliness in the cockpit is the preflight briefing. Generally, this is done between two pilots, though if you think it will help, brief yourself for a solo flight, no reason not to! Have the briefing, does it make sense? Does it sound safe? Are there appropriate safety points? Does everything in the briefing conform to the rules and is within the limitations of the plane? (You have the books now, it's a good time to check if in doubt!). Are you confident that the briefed maneuvers are within the skills of the pilot? If there is a briefing, and it sounds compliant, go flying.
Now you're up in the air, is the flight going the way the briefing said it would? If something changes, it should be rebriefed. If that won't work, land, and start again for the next flight. If the pilot you're flying with says: "just let me show you...", "let's try...", or, "watch this", and that's not in the briefing, say no, and the flight should be ended promptly.
Many to many times I have been a passenger/second pilot to "watch this" from the other pilot, and I'm surprised I survived it all. I've been asked in flight to demonstrate things which were not in the plan. While doing a design approval test flight in a club 172 once, I was asked by the right seat instructor if I would show him a roll - no, I would not. I later learned that that instructor was the safety officer for the club!
Yes, I've been taught to roll, by an aerobatic pilot in his 150 Aerobat. Then, I practiced a lot. I also learned and practiced all the other aerobatic maneuvers approved in the Aerobat (yeah, I know, it's not a real aerobatic plane, but it's something...). That done, I can say that a roll is the most likely aerobatic maneuver which, if bungled, will get you in the most trouble fast. There are countless videos of low altitude roll crashes at airshows - and we presume that those pilots should have known how to roll safely!.
Aerobatic maneuvers include pointing the plane toward exceeding a limitation, and then completing the graceful maneuver without exceeding any limitation. We all understand to not exceed Vne, and we have a nicely marked airspeed indicator to assure that we know we're staying within the speed limits. And, the pointer shows you the trend. Aerobatics also involve varying the G loading. Unless the plane is equipped with an G meter, what do you have to assure you that you are flying within the G limits of the plane?
The preflight briefing for a dual aerobatic flight would include a reference to not exceeding any G limits. I wonder how the Cirrus roll pilot would have briefed how they would keep the plane within the G limits....
The preflight briefing for a dual aerobatic flight would include a reference to not exceeding any G limits
G meters are certainly fitted to civil aerobatic-certified aircraft. Our Bolkow Junior has one.
The Zlin I did training in at North Las Vegas also had a pressurised mainspar, with a pressure gauge between the seats so any cracking would be retracted.
The Zlin I did training in at North Las Vegas also had a pressurised mainspar, with a pressure gauge between the seats so any cracking would be retracted.
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The preflight briefing for a dual aerobatic flight would include a reference to not exceeding any G limits. I wonder how the Cirrus roll pilot would have briefed how they would keep the plane within the G limits....
Agree with Dar above.
Two offences in that youtube video. Unauthorised low flying and aerobatics in a "non aerobatic" a/c.
The problem i have with the aerobatics, is this. Even a loop, flown properly, you shouldn't pull anymore G than a good steep turn. However, you only have to screw an aeobatic manoeuvre up, then maybe overstrrss the aircraft. You will only know how much, if you have a g meter installed.
If overstressing is suspected, is the cowboy going to go to engineering and say, "been doing aeros when i shouldn't have done can you check it over?". Hell no, he's going to clam up. That folks is where the real problem lies.
Aircraft spars, metal or composite, have a very long memory. Years ago a Cessna 180, flew to bits with an inosent pilot aboard. The aircraft had been known to have been aero batted, years previously.
Don't do it,people. Think of the .consquences.
Authorised, operational low flying can only be carried out with any degree of safety, only after hours and hours of practise. You only have to have a bird strike in a sensive part of the aircraft, for example. The more high you have, the better. Target fixation and cables/wires are other risks along with a host of others.
Two offences in that youtube video. Unauthorised low flying and aerobatics in a "non aerobatic" a/c.
The problem i have with the aerobatics, is this. Even a loop, flown properly, you shouldn't pull anymore G than a good steep turn. However, you only have to screw an aeobatic manoeuvre up, then maybe overstrrss the aircraft. You will only know how much, if you have a g meter installed.
If overstressing is suspected, is the cowboy going to go to engineering and say, "been doing aeros when i shouldn't have done can you check it over?". Hell no, he's going to clam up. That folks is where the real problem lies.
Aircraft spars, metal or composite, have a very long memory. Years ago a Cessna 180, flew to bits with an inosent pilot aboard. The aircraft had been known to have been aero batted, years previously.
Don't do it,people. Think of the .consquences.
Authorised, operational low flying can only be carried out with any degree of safety, only after hours and hours of practise. You only have to have a bird strike in a sensive part of the aircraft, for example. The more high you have, the better. Target fixation and cables/wires are other risks along with a host of others.
Last edited by Dan_Brown; 20th May 2020 at 20:19.
G meters are certainly fitted to civil aerobatic-certified aircraft
https://www.casa.gov.au/file/124771/...token=XsmwXDnl
Is it a requirement where you are Maoraigh? Not the case here.
https://www.casa.gov.au/file/124771/...token=XsmwXDnl
https://www.casa.gov.au/file/124771/...token=XsmwXDnl
Also, to fly a manoeuvre accurately your eyes will be outside, not watching a g meter. A g meter will show the highest and lowest level achieved since reset, but if the pilot is dumb enough to they're probably dumb-enough to reset it afterwards - hence logging g meters in some aircraft. A final thought, cocked-up aeros don't only lead to gz overstress.
HFD
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One general tool to protect innocent people from accidents caused by pilots is the PASSENGER BRIEFING.
This step can often be found on the "before engine start" checklists and verbalizing the task to be flown reduces the likelyhood of doing something stupid, like unauthorized manouvers, going into IMC with no rating/currency for that etc.
Moreover, the passenger (pilot-rated or not) can also point out deviations that compromise safety and can feel when the flight becomes somewhat abnormal, requesting a return to what was originally planned, or a return to base.
Every non-flying pilot and passenger has the right for a briefing before engine start.
I wouldn't fly with anyone who doesn't give me a brief plan (or plans, e.g., alternatives) before engine start. That's valid also when I fly with instructors too. I need to know, and I have the right to know. You don't play along? You fly alone, or with some other poor soul, have a nice day, bye
A good side-effect is that briefed passengers tolerate turbulence better, indicate any motion-sickness earlier, cooperate with the pilot-flying much better (eg.., scanning for traffic).
So if it's missing totally.... it's a huge red warning light in my head that it's time to step out of that aircraft and live another day.
This step can often be found on the "before engine start" checklists and verbalizing the task to be flown reduces the likelyhood of doing something stupid, like unauthorized manouvers, going into IMC with no rating/currency for that etc.
Moreover, the passenger (pilot-rated or not) can also point out deviations that compromise safety and can feel when the flight becomes somewhat abnormal, requesting a return to what was originally planned, or a return to base.
Every non-flying pilot and passenger has the right for a briefing before engine start.
I wouldn't fly with anyone who doesn't give me a brief plan (or plans, e.g., alternatives) before engine start. That's valid also when I fly with instructors too. I need to know, and I have the right to know. You don't play along? You fly alone, or with some other poor soul, have a nice day, bye
A good side-effect is that briefed passengers tolerate turbulence better, indicate any motion-sickness earlier, cooperate with the pilot-flying much better (eg.., scanning for traffic).
So if it's missing totally.... it's a huge red warning light in my head that it's time to step out of that aircraft and live another day.
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G meters are certainly fitted to civil aerobatic-certified aircraft
you've been flying some strange loops and steep turns if the gz is similar. A balanced steep turn with 60 degrees of bank will generate about 2g; loop entries and exits will be just under 4g.
cocked-up aeros don't only lead to gz overstress.
One general tool to protect innocent people from accidents caused by pilots is the PASSENGER BRIEFING.
I agree with your "don't do it" message but you've been flying some strange loops and steep turns if the gz is similar. A balanced steep turn with 60 degrees of bank will generate about 2g; loop entries and exits will be just under 4g.
Also, to fly a manoeuvre accurately your eyes will be outside, not watching a g meter. A g meter will show the highest and lowest level achieved since reset, but if the pilot is dumb enough to they're probably dumb-enough to reset it afterwards - hence logging g meters in some aircraft. A final thought, cocked-up aeros don't only lead to gz overstress.
HFD
Also, to fly a manoeuvre accurately your eyes will be outside, not watching a g meter. A g meter will show the highest and lowest level achieved since reset, but if the pilot is dumb enough to they're probably dumb-enough to reset it afterwards - hence logging g meters in some aircraft. A final thought, cocked-up aeros don't only lead to gz overstress.
HFD
Same with a well flown loop, you are on the nibble in certain stages of the manoeuvre. However i do stand to be corrected.
I'm very aware of how to teach aeros and MRTs, but I believe you were discussing "good steep turns" rather than MRTs. Very few light aircraft have the power to sustain much more than 3g in an MRT without descending. As an aside, the gotcha when descending to maintain something approaching Va and max turn rate is remembering to resist the aerodynamic pitch-up when levelling the wings - best to unload before the roll.
Yes, a "granny loop" can probably be flown in a lightly-loaded aircraft at 3g but it is unlikely to be circular.
HFD
Yes, a "granny loop" can probably be flown in a lightly-loaded aircraft at 3g but it is unlikely to be circular.
HFD
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"granny loop"
The CAerobat is not a wonderful aeros machine but round loops are possible with a level entry at the right speed, a smooth 4g pull, little bit of right rudder to keep the wingtip in the right place on the horizon as speed decays, relax (or very slight push) at 1/3 point to float over the top (the engine will go a bit quiet!), remove applied rudder as speed builds and control speed by smoothly pulling to 4g, exit level. Protect your engine by either keeping one eye on the RPM gauge and throttling accordingly, or accept lower performance by diving to highest planned airspeed, setting throttle for max RPM at that speed and leaving it set there - you then don't need to worry about the throttle unless you go faster than planned.
I realise you didn't ask for this, but I'm bored ;-)
HFD
Moderator
I realise you didn't ask for this, but I'm bored ;-)
Depends on the certification of the particular aeroplane type
I won't strain the memory too much. Every Airtourer that I have flown was fitted with a G-meter. The Decathlon's approved AFM states that the G-meter is required for FAA certification.
