Unintended Consequences of Flight Training

  • Drinking more water to stay hydrated & to prevent dehydration prior to flights – started using a water jug that holds about 5lbs of water and have been drinking it constantly throughout the day. Something I have never really done.
  • More alert when driving my vehicles. I tend to drive a little more cautiously & definitely paying more attention with less focus on distractions.
  • Have a strong desire to eat healthy and too lose a few lbs. Maybe it’s because of the physical.
  • Forced to sit in my chair for hours at a time & I can’t get distracted easily.

Flight Equipment

Transponder

  • Garmin GTX 320
  • Garmin GTX 327 – $500+
  • Stratus [ESG] – $3,000
  • Garmin [GTX 335] – $3,195
  • Garmin [GDL 82] – $1795
  • uAvioni [skyBeacon] – $1,849

iPad GPS

  • Dual XGPS150A – $100
  • Dual XGPS160 –  $150
  • Garmin GLO 2 – $130
  • Bad Elf Pro – $150
  • Bad Elf Pro+ – $240
  • Bad Elf Plug in- $100

ADS-B

  • Foreflight Scout – $200
  • Foreflight Sentry – $500
  • Apparel Stratus 3 – $700
  • Dual XGPS170D – $500
  • Dual XGPS190 – $750
  • Garmin GDL 50 – $700
  • Garmin GDL 51 – $650
  • Garmin GDL 52 – $1150

Misc

  • Aspen Evolution PFD – $5,000+
  • GPS/NAV/COMM/MFD – $12,000
  • Nav/Comm – King KX 165 – $500-$2,000 (eBay)
  • 3M WX-10A Stormscope – $1,000 (eBay)
  • S-Tech System 50 2 axis Autopilot – $2,500 (eBay)
  • PS Engineering PM 1000 II intercom
  • Garmin GDL 88 ADSB – $4,000
  • SDI Fuel Totalizer
  • JPI Engine Analyzer
  • Standby Vacuum

 

Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)

Headset

  • Bose A20
  • David and Clark DC-ProX

 

Flight Maneuvers

  • Power on Stalls
  • Crosswind Taxi
  • Crosswind Takeoff and Climb
  • Crosswind Approach and Land
  • Steep Turns
  • Sideslip
  • Forward Slip
  • Basic Instrument Maneuvers
  • Rectangle Course
  • Turns Around a Point
  • S-Turns
  • Communications
  • Primary Flight Display
  • Preflight-Inspection Interior
  • Preflight-Inspection Exterior
  • Engine Starting
  • Taxiing Before Takeoff
  • Normal Takeoff Climb
  • Entering, Departing and Flying Traffic Patterns
  • Climbs
  • Descents
  • Straight and Level Flying
  • Use of Trim
  • Turns
  • Normal Approach and Landing
  • After Landing, Parking and Securing
  • Maneuvering During Slow Flight
  • Power Off Stalls

How the Engine Works

The power plant is the combination of the engine and the propeller which are designed to work together to produce thrust as well as to drive various systems that support the airplane.

Most small aircraft are designed with reciprocating engines. The name reciprocating engine is derived from the back and forth (reciprocating)  movement of the pistons.

Common means of classifying reciprocating engines are by cylinder arrangement with respect to the crankshaft. Radial, in-line, v-type or opposed. The method of cooling is liquid or air.

Cessna 172 Skyhawk and the Cessna 162 Skycatcher are horizontally opposed cylinders that are air cooled.

 

 

Aircraft Maintenance

Preventative Maintenance can be performed by a pilot on an airplane such as the Cessna 172 Skyhawk or 162 Skycatcher only if you are the owner of the airplane and you have a pilot certificate (Private Pilot certificate for Skyhawk & light sport or above for SLSA (Special Light Spork Aircraft) such as the Skycatcher

Preventative Maintenance is detailed in FAR Part 43 and includes:

Simple or minor preservation operations such as changing the engine oil, replenishing the hydraulic fluid, servicing landing gear bearings, changing a tire.

Replacement of small standard parts not involving complex assembly operations such as the landing lights or seat covers.

Those items listed in 14 CFR Part 43 Appendix A for Private Pilots or 14 CFR Part 65 for sport Pilots.

Preventative Maintenance does NOT include maintenance activities that must be performed by a maintenance technician such as

  • alteration of main sear support brackets
  • making engine adjustments that all the use of auto gas
  • repairing landing gear struts
  • repairing portions of the skin sheets by making additional seams

Records and Returning the Aircraft to Service

Pilots performing preventative maintenance must enter the aircraft’s maintenance records to include a description of the work, the date it was complete, the grade of pilot certificate (sport, Private pilot or higher) and the pilot’s certificate number along with signing the maintenance record.

Before and airplane is returned to flight after being services, it must be noted by the person making the entry in the airplane log book and that the airplane is acceptable to return to service.

Form 337 for Major Repairs and Alterations

Any repair or alteration to an aircraft that substantially affects the aircraft’s operation in flight requires that form 337, Major Repair and Alteration is completed. The aircraft must be test flown for an operational check of the maintenance or alteration performed by a private pilot or above without passengers and the entry must be added by the pilot to the aircraft’s maintenance records.

 

 

Special Flight Permits

A special flight permit is one type of Special Airworthiness Certificate that is issued for a specific flight and often called a “ferry permit”.

This special flight permit may be issued for an aircraft that cannot meet the current applicable airworthiness requirements but is otherwise capable of safe flight for the following purposes:

  • flying to a facility for repairs, alterations, maintenance or storage.
  • delivering new aircraft to the base of a purchaser or to a storage point
  • conducting production flight tests
  • evacuating an aircraft from impending danger
  • conducting customer demonstration flights in new production aircraft that have passed or completed production flight tests
  • excess weight operations such as extra fuel for flight beyond normal range (oceanic crossings)

An example request for a special permit may be:

  • aircraft does not meet airworthiness standards due to a broken or missing instrument
  • needs to be evacuated for impending severe weather such as an approaching hurricane

An additional example would be:

  • failure of required equipment such as one of the two fuel gauges where one gauge is installed for each tank and the other is working properly but there are no maintenance facilities at the remote location and the return home is easily within range for the remaining tank to be sufficient and both tanks are full.

Obtaining a Special Permit (Ferry Permit)

  • a request is submitted to the local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) (form 8130-6 online and may be faxed)
  • The FAA may inspect the aircraft or require you to have a mechanic/repair station inspect in which the inspection must be noted in the aircraft records.