Ramp Check Advice From CASA.
I keep a real-time continuous fuel log - its called Shadin Digital Fuel Flow. At any instant it tells me my fuel consumption and endurance, and if I push a button it tells me fuel used and fuel remaining. I cross check its accuracy every time I refuel - fuel used on the Shadin is generally +/- 2 L of what I pump into the aeroplane.
Why would I want to keep a written fuel log?
I also keep several real-time navigation logs - they are called GPS's! They tell me at any instance where I am (to within a meter or two), how to get to where I want to go and how long it will take me to get there, and ditto for anywhere else I might wish to go. They even keep a snail trail of where I have been - just in case I want to check that I have been where I think I have been!
If the endurance on the Shadin minus the time to my destination gives me my required margin, I am good to go!
I have my GPS set up to remind me to change tanks every 30 min (else the Bo wants to fly crooked!) so I take that opportunity to check my fuel as per above.
I generally fly with a detailed print-out of my flight plan and note my times at waypoints along the way - but only cause I am an old bugger and that's the way we used to do it - old habits die hard, but apparently not for CASA.
The two most significant advances in General Aviation in the 40 years that I have held a pilot's licence?
1) GPS
2) Digital fuel flow
Dr
Why would I want to keep a written fuel log?
I also keep several real-time navigation logs - they are called GPS's! They tell me at any instance where I am (to within a meter or two), how to get to where I want to go and how long it will take me to get there, and ditto for anywhere else I might wish to go. They even keep a snail trail of where I have been - just in case I want to check that I have been where I think I have been!
If the endurance on the Shadin minus the time to my destination gives me my required margin, I am good to go!
I have my GPS set up to remind me to change tanks every 30 min (else the Bo wants to fly crooked!) so I take that opportunity to check my fuel as per above.
I generally fly with a detailed print-out of my flight plan and note my times at waypoints along the way - but only cause I am an old bugger and that's the way we used to do it - old habits die hard, but apparently not for CASA.
The two most significant advances in General Aviation in the 40 years that I have held a pilot's licence?
1) GPS
2) Digital fuel flow
Dr
The two most significant advances in General Aviation in the 40 years that I have held a pilot's licence?
But that's not something not already known to 99 % of pilots in the wide brown land.
It's a pity CASA don't use Ramp Checks to provide people with guidance/mentoring rather than making it a policing exercise!
Unless it's blatantly obvious the person concerned is making little effort to comply.
Unless it's blatantly obvious the person concerned is making little effort to comply.
When the registered operator pays a LAME to perform an inspection on an aircraft, and the LAME takes the money and certifies for the completion of the inspection, the LAME is under numerous contractual, common law and legislative duties in relation to the airworthiness of that aircraft.
I actually agree with what you are saying about LAME liability, it is consistent with my comments about the person signing out the "return to service" docs., but the fact remains, many private owners who are also the registered operators do not understand that they, as the registered operator, have final responsibility for airworthiness.
Tootle pip !!
advances in GA?
Fantome it could be argued there is little new in RAAus/LSA aircraft, barring the legislative machinery that allows them to operate outside the 1946 (?) Chicago convention rule set.
I reckon GPS and digital engine monitoring equipment is a far greater advance, that required far more ingenuity than the mere removal of brown tape.
I reckon GPS and digital engine monitoring equipment is a far greater advance, that required far more ingenuity than the mere removal of brown tape.
and 3. Engine data monitor
The advent of Recreational Aviation Australia, the design, manufacture and ready availability of a wide range of types in the RAA category, it could be argued are of over-arching significance in terms of innovation and breakthrough.
Dr
It's a pity CASA don't use Ramp Checks to provide people with guidance/mentoring rather than making it a policing exercise!
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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ForkTailedDrKiller - please restore my faith in "an old buggar" and tell me that despite all your wiz bang electronics you do still run, at the very least, a mental fuel plot and still carry a route map? Ever been hit by a lightening strike? They can come from nowhere, doesn't have to be a Qnimb.
I got hit coming out of KL on my way back to Singapore in a B747-400, lost just about everything electric, had the benefit of one radio and radar vectors, lucky us. Your aircraft sounds as though it might well be an attractive target for a rogue streak of lightening! (We carried world wide topo charts, by the way)
Ask yourself, the day all your wonderful gizmos fail, (a minor on board fault can do it), when you are on a lengthy trip, variable weather, can you pick up the plot immediately and safely continue, if not to destination, then at least a safe landing?
Everything I suggested in post #19 were just minor points but they might just save some one's arse one day. Your electrical gizmos are aids, nothing more. If you have triple everything then I would agree you have a great deal of redundancy but a minor electrical storm can change all that.
I got hit coming out of KL on my way back to Singapore in a B747-400, lost just about everything electric, had the benefit of one radio and radar vectors, lucky us. Your aircraft sounds as though it might well be an attractive target for a rogue streak of lightening! (We carried world wide topo charts, by the way)
Ask yourself, the day all your wonderful gizmos fail, (a minor on board fault can do it), when you are on a lengthy trip, variable weather, can you pick up the plot immediately and safely continue, if not to destination, then at least a safe landing?
Everything I suggested in post #19 were just minor points but they might just save some one's arse one day. Your electrical gizmos are aids, nothing more. If you have triple everything then I would agree you have a great deal of redundancy but a minor electrical storm can change all that.
ForkTailedDrKiller - please restore my faith in "an old buggar" and tell me that despite all your wiz bang electronics you do still run, at the very least, a mental fuel plot and still carry a route map?
Mental fuel plot - why? I rarely depart with less than known fuel (generally full, occasionally tabs). With full fuel I know the aeroplane will fly for 5.25 hrs at my normal cruise settings before the engine stops. I never fly it for more than 4 hrs. If a lightening strike takes out all my electrics, I will still know my endurance.
I carry hard-copy WACs, Enroute charts and print-out DAPs of my departure point and destination and possible alternates.
I carry 2 x EFBs - one mini iFad with Ozrunways on the yoke and a Motion Computing tablet with Jeppessen FliteDeck in my flightbag.
Do I have enough redundancy?
1 x G430W in the panel
1 x mini iFad with Ozrunways on the yoke
1 x Garmin 496 on the yoke
1 x Motion Computing tablet with Jeppessen FliteDeck in the flightbag
1 x Garmin 296 in the flightbag
1 x iPhone with Ozrunways in the pocket
Ever been hit by a lightening strike? They can come from nowhere, doesn't have to be a Qnimb.
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Captain Fathom wrote
Been ramped twice...First was at Alice Springs, first time there, first big trip. After the initial hurdle of the fear of being ramped (i did have everything in place) I hit em up for some local knowledge. Was a good experience.
Second was at Avalon East.....nuff said...first exp at alice didn't help with complacency issuses...believing they would be of help
It's a pity CASA don't use Ramp Checks to provide people with guidance/mentoring rather than making it a policing exercise!
Unless it's blatantly obvious the person concerned is making little effort to comply.
Unless it's blatantly obvious the person concerned is making little effort to comply.
Second was at Avalon East.....nuff said...first exp at alice didn't help with complacency issuses...believing they would be of help
Forky, without a fuel log/plan, if you're ramped how can CASA work out how much reserve fuel you've decided to carry, other than believing your word?
Insisting on and checking a paper fuel plan seems to me to be a pretty pointless regulatory exercise.
If they won't believe what I say, why would they believe what I write?
A properly set up I0520 can cruise happily at 42 litres an hour or 62 litres an hour, but not in the middle, with only a few knots or so difference in TAS. A properly set up and run I0520 will eat far more fuel in an ROP climb than an I0520 that's being beaten to death at 25/25. Same laws of physics and systems characteristics drive the same outcomes on many other piston engines.
How on earth would the neddie from CASA know whether the numbers in a paper or mental fuel plan bear any semblance to reality or, more importantly, are safe? If it's just that paper fuel on board is greater than paper fuel calculated as required plus reserve, it's a pretty pointless exercise.
If they won't believe what I say, why would they believe what I write?
A properly set up I0520 can cruise happily at 42 litres an hour or 62 litres an hour, but not in the middle, with only a few knots or so difference in TAS. A properly set up and run I0520 will eat far more fuel in an ROP climb than an I0520 that's being beaten to death at 25/25. Same laws of physics and systems characteristics drive the same outcomes on many other piston engines.
How on earth would the neddie from CASA know whether the numbers in a paper or mental fuel plan bear any semblance to reality or, more importantly, are safe? If it's just that paper fuel on board is greater than paper fuel calculated as required plus reserve, it's a pretty pointless exercise.
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Nope! Hope I never do, but if a strike takes out the aeroplane's electrics, the MC tablet and G296 should get me home on their battery power, ie not be affected by the strike cause they are switched off.
No cigar there I'm afraid, the equipment doesn't have to be switched on for a lightening strike to affect it, due to the enormity and extent of the electrical upset. An outside chance, I admit, but sod's law usually prevails.
I will still know my endurance.
Bugger it Parabellum, that last lightning strike took out all my toys, burnt all my maps and paper logs to a crisp, fried my retinas so I am blinded and punched a big hole in my fuel tank!
I guess I am flucked!
I guess I am flucked!
Thread Starter
Last trip away I had Six GPS on board - the aircrafts King system. ipad with Ozrunways, Dual bluetooth, iphone, a Garmin forerunner on my wrist and an old one at the bottom of my flight bag with new batteries.
...However I still carry WACS, draw the planned track in pencil, and keep my passenger busy by getting them to mark our position and time at appropriate landmarks.
Call me old fashioned, but I never, ever, miss an opportunity to fix my position and check the accuracy of GPS by any means available including NDB and VOR.
My reason for doing that is that I run a reasonably sophisiticated system on my yacht (nav computer/GPS/Gyro/fluxgate/Wind/Autopilot) and I have experienced system failures before.
Man, when these interlinked systems screw up, which is rare, fault isolation can take a very long time and recovery even longer because you can get very confused about what is happening very fast indeed - and that is on a yacht travelling at a mere Six knots. I have reverted to magnetic compass, Mark I eyeball and paper chart more than once in the last Ten years.
Also bear in mind that GPS can be erratic at times and is susceptible to jamming.
I suggest that immediate action in the air if something doesn't cross check or behaviour seems erratic and the cause is not immediately blindingly obvious, is to revert to magnetic compass, paper chart, pencil and hand flying.
The alternative to doing that, I have found from experience, is an incipient spiral dive as you faff about with your eyes inside, perhaps trying to get the autopilot to follow a GPS heading
...However I still carry WACS, draw the planned track in pencil, and keep my passenger busy by getting them to mark our position and time at appropriate landmarks.
Call me old fashioned, but I never, ever, miss an opportunity to fix my position and check the accuracy of GPS by any means available including NDB and VOR.
My reason for doing that is that I run a reasonably sophisiticated system on my yacht (nav computer/GPS/Gyro/fluxgate/Wind/Autopilot) and I have experienced system failures before.
Man, when these interlinked systems screw up, which is rare, fault isolation can take a very long time and recovery even longer because you can get very confused about what is happening very fast indeed - and that is on a yacht travelling at a mere Six knots. I have reverted to magnetic compass, Mark I eyeball and paper chart more than once in the last Ten years.
Also bear in mind that GPS can be erratic at times and is susceptible to jamming.
I suggest that immediate action in the air if something doesn't cross check or behaviour seems erratic and the cause is not immediately blindingly obvious, is to revert to magnetic compass, paper chart, pencil and hand flying.
The alternative to doing that, I have found from experience, is an incipient spiral dive as you faff about with your eyes inside, perhaps trying to get the autopilot to follow a GPS heading
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Call me old fashioned, but I never, ever, miss an opportunity to fix my position and check the accuracy of GPS by any means available including NDB and VOR.