Tower: Aircraft in holding pattern, say fuelstate?
Aircraft: Fuelstate
Tower: Say again?
Aircraft: Again….
Oops! Pilot mistakes a closed taxiway for the main runway
General Aviation News will often reprint excerpts from US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports including this one from July 2009 about an incident that involved a Piper Cherokee in Hibbing, Minnesota taking off from the taxiway by mistake.
Apparently at the time of accident, the airport’s taxiway had been closed for painting and there was a NOTAM that noted that the taxiway was closed. However, temporary markings were being painted onto the taxiway so that it could also be used as a temporary runway at some point.
Nevertheless and at the time of the incident, the airport’s main runway was still open for normal flight operations. However, the pilot later said that he thought the taxiway was the main active runway after he saw the temporary runway markings and he only discovered his mistake after crashing into a construction barricade during the takeoff – resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.
Hence, the probable cause of the accident was ruled the pilot mistaking the closed taxiway for the main runway. In other words, be sure that you know and understand the layout of any airport that you takeoff from or land at.
Testing a new autopilot in instrument conditions
David Megginson, the blogger behind the Land and Hold Short blog, has recently written a post about testing his new autopilot in instrument conditions. David began his post by pointing out that his new autopilot has four modes (without altitude support) as currently configured and then he went into detail about how each of the modes worked for him during his initial test flights:
- Stabilization Mode (ST). This mode keeps the wings level so that a pilot can fly a hyper-stabilized plane like in Microsoft Flight Simulator. David noted that this mode is useless to him and he has only used it during initial tests or pre-flight checks. He also added that if he wants to steer the aircraft using the autopilot, it makes more sense to twirl the heading bug on the heading indicator and then to have the autopilot follow it.
- Heading Mode (HD). This mode keeps the aircraft on a specific heading. David mentioned that he tried to not touch the yoke when it was in HD mode and then correct any altitude deviations using the trim. However, he also added that despite working hard to damp out oscillations, it was still be a challenge for him while flying in turbulence.
- VOR-Tracking Mode or TRK (LO). This mode keeps the VOR CDI centered using a low-pass filter. However, David pointed out that the problem with this mode is that the VOR needles will scallop back and forth considerably – meaning the aircraft will still gently weave during a flight. Hence and in IMC, he found the heading mode to be much more effective.
- Localizer-tracking Mode or TRK (HI): This mode keeps the VOR CDI centered with more-aggressive corrections. However, David wrote that he tried this mode on an approach to an airport but from 10 miles back, it did not seem like it was doing a good job as sometimes it was allowing nearly a half deflection on the CDI. Hence, he disengaged the autopilot before flying too low and flew the remainder of the approach by hand.
Nevertheless, David concluded that having an autopilot makes a huge difference in the level of fatigue he has after a flight – especially in flying conditions that require constant attention. Furthermore, he added that the autopilot helps him relax more so that he can study approach plates better and pay more attention to the engine gauges. In other words and for David, the autopilot was worth the investment.
Would being a CFI be a good career option?
Nicole, a student pilot, recently asked on the Ask a Flight Instructor site, about the potential career path for CFIs. Specifically, she asked:
Hi, I’m beginning my path as a student pilot and I would like to know if there’s is anything like a Flight Instructor career. I know most CFIs are only interested in building up hours to go to a better job, but can anyone live from being a flight instructor? Are there any good salaries or benefits?
James MacGregor CFI responded by commenting that one can make a good living by being a flight instructor and he suggested the book, Savy flight instructor, along with taking a few business and marketing classes at a local community college. James also pointed out that his last flight instructor gig paid him $50 a hour and he had an agreement with a few FBOs and private aircraft owners who did not fly that much and allowed him to use their aircraft at a discount. He also did some advertising on Craigslist, a few mailings, gave out 100+ business cards a month and put up posters or flyers in pilot lounges or tourist stops. However, James did point out that it took time to build up a client base.
Meanwhile, commenter Micah pointed out that to be a CFI, you will either end up working for a flight school as an employee or a contract employee or you will be self-employed where all other considerations such as benefits would be the same as if you owned your own business. However, Micah also added:
I don’t think you should expect very much from a CFI career (except to enjoy it) but that doesn’t mean you can’t manage a living from it (even though it will probably be a hard beginning).
Hence, we want to ask any of our readers who are CFIs, especially in the UK or Europe, about their CFI career path. In other words, would you recommend it? Moreover, have you tried to be a self-employed CFI?
Exotic Swedish hotels: The Jumbo Stay
The next time you visit Sweden, you might want to consider spending the night in a defunct silver mine, a former prison and for aviation buffs: A grounded jumbo jet. In this recent video, the Wall Street Journal’s Dan Michaels profiled the Jumbo Stay at the Stockholm Arlanda Airport (along with two other even more exotic accommodation options).
Specifically, the Jumbo Stay is a Boeing 747 that flew for Pan Am and other airlines until it was retired in 2002 and acquired by a local entrepreneur at a bankruptcy auction two years ago. Today, the Jumbo Stay offers 27 guests rooms plus a hostel where bunks go for $60 a night. Guests also have the option of more luxurious suites in the cockpit and tail of the aircraft that go for as much as $500 a night.
It should also be noted that CNN has excellent profile of the Jumbo Stay as well:
Do pilots make better CEOs?
According to a new study from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Oregon, the type of risk-seeking behavior that motivates people to fly could also make them more effective as corporate leaders and CEOs. The study had looked at 179 companies led by CEOs who were also pilots and 2,900 companies that were led by non-pilots and the researchers found that the pilot-led companies tended to do better by certain benchmarks.
Specifically, Matthew Cain, an Assistant Professor of Finance at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, noted that pilot led companies:
- Had significantly more leverage and debt.
- Had volatile stock prices.
- Were 1.35 times more likely to execute an acquisition in a year.
In addition, it was noted that pilot led companies tended to execute better and higher quality acquisitions that created more value for their firms.
Professor Cain also pointed that:
Piloting small aircraft as a hobby is more risky than driving a motorcycle, flying a helicopter, or even crop-dusting. Thus, the research shows, these CEOs exhibit a clear willingness to engage in risky activities for the sake of pleasure.
Hence, we want to ask you our readers what you think: Do pilots really make better CEOs or corporate leaders? Moreover, have you ever worked for a company led by a pilot CEO or have you ever reported to a manager or executive who was also a pilot? If so, what were the noticeable differences?