Back To Basics

Aviation covers a broad spectrum of skillsets, from taming taildraggers on the dirt to managing a jet in the flight levels. Yes, each aircraft may have wings that generate lift in a fundamentally similar way, but the idea that the ability to fly one prepares a pilot to venture skyward in the other is misplaced.

Potentially, the first step in going back to basics is possessing the correct mindset: shelving any thoughts of complacency and honestly addressing the need to learn some things all over again. At times, it can be tempting to seek out the quickest path to mitigate cost, but as the old saying goes, this can be “penny wise and pound foolish”.

Investing appropriate amounts of time and money will ultimately lead to a better and safer outcome.

In the same vein, defining the correct aircraft for the type of flying, and then shopping around for a school and instructor, is time very well spent. Is the goal to fly aerobatics, cross-country or local hops? Solo, or with the family? Each will present a very different answer with very different requirements.

The good news is that shopping around only costs time, not funds.

However, it also represents a key element in choosing not to rush. Haste and aviation are not good partners, so deciding on Friday night that it would be nice to fly this coming weekend when there is a lack of currency brings with it a range of potential problems.

And often these last-minute decisions are brought upon by the wellintentioned desire to share aviation with others who possess a timetable different to our piloting needs.

We need to step back and act like the pilot in command we are, recognise these potential threats and address them just as we would in the air.

Threats and considerations

Risk mitigation has been a concept that has truly found a home in aviation over recent decades. It has always been there, but now it has a name.

As such, while it is fundamentally common sense, a formal approach to considering risks avoids overlooking them when we may become timecompressed or trending towards being overloaded.

Before each sector, multi-crew briefings frequently commence with “Threats and Considerations” and that is a good starting point for all pilots venturing into an unfamiliar operation. As discussed, currency is the most obvious point to consider.

‘Honestly address the need to learn some things all over again’

Knowledge is another – knowledge of the aircraft, the airport, the airspace and the procedures are just some of the new information that needs to be assimilated. Fortunately, these points can be addressed well in advance and on the ground to free up valuable brain capacity once in the air.

Airmanship should be employed in every operation, but its specifics can vary. The route employed by a singleengined aeroplane may be different to an instrument-rated multi-engine aircraft offering forced landing options in the event of an engine failure.

The management of passengers, particularly around propellers, may not normally be a consideration for the jet airline pilot. Also important is recognition of one’s own limitations and building in buffers, be they extra fuel, extra time to complete tasks, or simply when to call a halt and cancel the flight altogether.

Creating the correct mindset and considering risk in advance of a flight is a tremendous safety tool.

Preparation

Even though a pilot may be getting back to basics after a period away, it is doubtful that they will have forgotten the tremendous benefit of sound preparation.

Having chosen the aircraft and flight school, cultivating information is another important step. Obtaining the Pilot’s Operating Handling notes, checklists and charts, well before the first flight is a sound move. In this digital age, these documents can often be emailed as a PDF, while charts can be found in a variety of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) and downloaded onto a tablet. That said, there is nothing to preclude an aviator returning to the tried and tested paper charts.

Creating a personal hard copy of the pilot’s notes is a good form of familiarisation with a new aircraft type. Relevant operational speeds, weights, checklists and procedures copied into a small A5 folder can prove handy, while recognising that these are an uncontrolled document and need to be cross-checked with the current publications at the school and in the aircraft. Additionally, recording the relevant speeds, weights and procedures into a phone can prove a worthwhile form of revision when played back as you sit in a traffic jam, or enroute to the airfield.

The weight and balance of an aircraft is unfortunately often overlooked. Most light aircraft exist in a state of compromise with passengers and fuel jostling for their share of available payload. Using the charts from the flight manual, it is a beneficial exercise to work out a range of scenarios to better know an aircraft.

Some core questions include how many passengers can be carried with full fuel? Or with a full complement of people on board, what is the range and endurance from the fuel that can be uplifted? While, the calculation still needs to be made on each flight as passenger weights vary, a general appreciation of the “fuel vs passengers” question is key.

In the same way, sample calculations of takeoff and landing data add detail to the picture. What distance is required at maximum weights and what affect does increasing temperature, airfield elevation and unprepared surfaces have on the calculation? From the charts, the airport layout, relevant controlled airspace steps and frequencies can be gleaned with “uncontrolled” notes added to that A5 folder and phone recording. In addition, the online Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) provide the correct phraseology and procedures as they pertain to particular airports and airspace.

Furthermore, there are specific resources available for certain light aircraft lanes of entry, transit lanes and notable general aviation airports.

There is a wealth of information online that is invaluable in the preparation phase and its sheer volume further emphasises the importance of planning well in advance. Time is a critical asset and rushing an ever-present enemy.

Putting into practise

The opportunity to fly with an instructor should be just that – an opportunity. It is the chance to fly with a qualified pilot who is current on the very aeroplane and environment you are seeking to fly in. Additionally, as an instructor, they are trained to impart that knowledge and also bear witness to common errors.

Your preparation will undoubtedly have given rise to a range of questions and time with an instructor can provide the answers. Too often, a dual check or training is treated as the time “on the clock” in the aeroplane, ground-based dual instruction can also be beneficial. Some schools factor ground instruction into costs, but others do not. Paying for an hour of ground instruction can be a sound investment and the best value is to approach this session with prepared questions in hand.

‘Go-around is the safest solution to an untidy approach’

Knowledge of aircraft systems can be an area where learning solely from the book may prove difficult. A thorough understanding of the fuel system of any aeroplane cannot be overstated and again, an instructor can be of great benefit. I recall the emergency landing gear extension system on the Piper Arrow causing confusion among some pilots, even those with significant experience on the type. Currently, “flying the avionics” can prove a challenge with a variety of suites available, and an instructor can prove to be a great asset here as well.

Throughout the dual training, the goal is to maximise value. Delegation of radio procedures may be wise if, initially, you just want to feel at ease in the air again. Once the comfort factor returns, make the most of each dual flight, from the first start to the taxi route, run-up bay and procedures, and beyond. Sometimes it is the procedural aspects that have changed the most.

then cruising to the training area through a combination of normal, slow and high-speed cruise. Local features and relevant landmarks can be noted down. Perhaps a segment within the white arc with a stage of flap extended as preparation for those circuit situations where a slower preceding aircraft has gone wide in the pattern. Established clear of the circuit area and at a safe height, there could be some steep turns to the left and right, followed by a practise forced landing. Consider your fuel status and consider changing tanks before returning to the circuit via standard joining procedures.

In a separate lesson, or depending on the instructor’s assessment and your personal fatigue, a series of circuits should be flown, flying a mixture of normal, ‘short field’ and flapless circuits. A good idea can be to fly at least the first few as a normal approach and landing to re-establish the base line clearly in your mind. If need be, make it a full stop and taxi back rather than have a flurry of hands in a touch and go first up. And make the final landing to full stop a short field approach to remind you how much runway is actually used.

Always practice a go-around. It is a very under-valued manoeuvre that can be called for under any number of circumstances. Even from a perfect approach, a runway incursion can necessitate a goaround.

Similarly, it is the safest solution to an untidy approach or unsatisfactory landing. If in doubt; bug out! The ability to conduct a safe missed approach is a tremendous ace up the sleeve and should always be part of a pilot’s armoury.

If the ultimate goal is to return to cross-country VFR flying, then once comfortable with the aircraft, the principles of preparation and dual instruction apply once more.

The training to re-establish currency should be an opportunity, not a hurdle. Yes, there is a cost in terms of time and money, but they are resources well spent.

Keeping current

“Armchair flying” is a tremendous, cost-free means of training. We have all seen aerobatic pilots walking around visualising their sequences, and the same can be achieved in any type of operation. From start-up to shutdown, a flight can be rehearsed procedurally. A trip to the airfield can also allow a chance to use the actual aircraft as a “fixed base simulator” for even more realistic armchair flying between flights.

While there is great satisfaction to be found in the safe carriage of passengers, ensure that adequate flights are planned to be flown solo. Solo flight facilitates the ability to conduct exercises such as glide approaches, and permits full concentration without the potential distraction and added responsibility of passengers.

Rather than a mere series of takeoffs and landings, plan a sortie that encompasses as many tasks as possible. Too often certain manoeuvres only see the light of day at periodic reviews. They should be flown to enhance handling and a pleasing by-product is a sound state of readiness when the flight review ultimately rolls around again.

Such a session as described offers a very good workout, far more so than simply circuits. The individual pilot may wish to bias the format to suit their own areas of weakness, but regardless it should be a rounded exercise in handling and procedures.

Such a session can be achieved comfortably in a little over an hour if it is planned, and time is not wasted dawdling around the sky wondering what comes next. And never shy away from a refresher flight with an instructor who may note bad habits that have crept in or new procedures that have gone unnoticed. Always make your flying count and make it of quality.

Back to basics

Aviation seems to be ever-changing in this day and age. From procedures to EFBs, airspace to apps, it is possibly easier than ever to become uncurrent and rusty. Fortunately, the benefits to be gained from sound preparation and the experience of others such as instructors are evergreen.

Venturing back to basics should never be seen as a formality. It can indeed be a challenge. However, it is that challenge that can make aviation very satisfying and once the safe level of competency has been achieved and maintained, the joy of flight will be even greater. The niggling self-doubt that can stem from a rushed process will be silenced by sound preparation. From there, the real enjoyment is free to begin.