Jason Schappert has posted the the next video in MzeroA’s Understanding Weather Series and this latest video focuses on thunderstorms and thunderstorm avoidance. In the video, Jason covers the two types of thunderstorms (air mass and steady state), the three ingredients it takes to make one (sufficient water vapor, unstable lapse rate or change in temperature rate and uplifting action), the three stages of thunderstorms (cumulus, mature and dissipating stages) and tips for avoidance (stay 20 miles away, avoid flying under the anvil of the storm and avoid attempting to fly over one as the top of a storm can be as much as 60,000 feet in altitude – in other words, much higher than you can fly in a normal aircraft!). The short video is well worth watching – especially by pilots in areas that experience frequent summer thunderstorms.
Awesome low-level aerobatics (Video)
Check this out. I bet you wish you could do this in your Extra!
Understanding weather fronts video
Pilots need to have a good grasp and understanding of basic weather conditions that they may encounter in the air. Hence, Jason Schappert, the blogger behind the MzeroA.com blog, has begun a new “understanding weather” video series where he will be going over various weather conditions and how they impact pilots. Jason’s first video covers weather fronts and he begins by explaining what an air mass is and what a front is and then he explains the four most common types of fronts. The video is less than five minutes long and well worth watching as a reminder of what pilots face while flying.
VFR departure briefing simulator video
John Fiscus, the Chief Pilot of The Flight Academy, has recently posted a video on to the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association (COPA) website where he demonstrates a VFR departure briefing and then a departure which utilizes some of that briefing. In his post, John made an interesting point that:
Many people I train with aren’t as ready as they ought to be for anything beyond the norm to happen in those first few seconds of flight. Performing a VFR departure briefing is a good way to prepare for the unexpected… and ensure the appropriate (and timely) reaction!
He also noted that:
A VFR departure briefing is going to be difficult for most established pilots to start performing. I have heard the excuses, but they really boil down to, "I have been flying this long and it works fine. I know what to do if something happens, I can handle this."
However, John then mentioned that when he see pilots doing simulator training, many aren’t all that prepared to make a tough call fast. Furthermore, he noted that many experienced Cirrus pilots don’t pull the CAPS handle soon enough – especially when a low altitude engine failure is simulated and time is short.
The video is less than six minutes long and hence is worth watching.
A personal jet that will fit inside your garage
While flying cars or jetpacks may not exactly be on the market, the personal jet may soon be. According to the Wired.com Autopia blog, the SubSonex is designed to be a modestly priced (that is, if you consider US$60,000 to be modestly priced) private jet that will also conveniently fit inside your garage.
However, the company has only performed ground testing and hence, it doesn’t have any real performance figures just yet but the jet is expected to cruise at more than 240 mph and climb at over 2,000 feet per minute. In other words, as close as most of us will ever get to flying a real fighter jet.
According the aircraft’s manufacturer, they are hoping to debut the jet at the AirVenture Aviation Show next July (and perhaps have it ready for Christmas….)
Engine failure and incipient spin video
We have recently posted a couple of posts concerning what to do or not to do should you experience an engine failure right after take-off. However, Blake, the blogger behind the Fly With Blake blog, has just posted a video showing a textbook example of what can and will likely go wrong if you attempt to return to the airport at to low of an altitude after an engine failure immediately after take-off.
Unfortunately, the pilot and his acrobatic partner were both killed in the crash and we should warn you, the video is graphic.