In this lesson, you will learn and practice how to conduct airport inspections at unfamiliar airports or fields.
Planned Activities
• Exercises 21, possibly intro to 22
Reference Material
• FTM (Flight Training Manual)
• VNC/VTA
• Ground Instruction Notes
• CFS
• CARs
Preparation
• Review the mandatory calls required when departing or arriving at an airport.
• Review the air regulations pertaining to minimum altitudes when flying
• Review illusions created by drift and the circuit
• Be able to answer the following questions:
1) What is the purpose of conducting a high pass?
2) What items would you consider when selecting a field for a precautionary landing?
3) In conditions of low clouds, poor visibility and strong winds that cause you to adopt a precautionary landing procedure and fly low, will there be visual illusions to be careful of? If so what are they caused by and how will it influence you?
4) What height would you consider doing a low pass at?
5) Other than question 3, what are scenarios can you think of that would cause you to do a precautionary landing?
• Write down your questions.
Tips/Rules of Thumb/Theory
• When communicating always state: who you are, where you are (position and altitude) and what you want/what you are doing.
• The hardest part of this is making the decision to execute a precautionary. Avoid this by being vigilant and only flying in weather and areas that are comfortable with your skill level.
• If doubt exists as to the advisability of continuing the flight, make the decision to land while there is still time to do so while the airplane is under full control and before conditions deteriorate to dangerous levels.
• If no suitable field is obvious for this, searching downwind will allow you to have a higher groundspeed and cover more areas.
• Identify key points to reference base and final turns.
• It is not possible to complete both high and low passes every time. Make decisions based on your current situation
• Use smoke, dust blown by wind, tall grass and ripples in water to determine wind direction
• Once you have confirmed the site that you will be landing on, complete 3Ps: Pan Pan call (If required), passenger briefing and pre landing checks.
All of this information on pilot training and flight training in Canada is also available at www.myflighttraining.ca.