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GACE Flying Club www.egace.com
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Dec 2003 |
2099
Smithtown Avenue, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 Volume
6 Number 12 |
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Directors President Alan Klug ---- Vice Pres. Rob Terano ---- Secretary Rich Raine ---- Treasurer Joe Leonard ---- Administration Doug Weston ---- Membership Mark Goodman ---- Operations John Blosser ---- Training John Vahey ---- At Large Mark Hervan |
Caught off Guard Rob Terano A recent business flight back from Connecticut sparked
some thinking on how many of us a really prepared to deal with sudden
emergencies. It was late after long day of meetings. All I had on my
mind from the minute I lifted off was getting down and vegetating on my
couch. Cruising at 4500 over long
Island Sound the frequency was surprisingly quite. I just finished copying
the ISP ATIS when I heard a rather loud “thump and splat” sound. In that
instant half of the windscreen went black.
My first thought was an oil line ruptured until a quick scan of the
gauges indicated no immediate problems. I shinned my flashlight on the
windscreen and noticed the black was actually red fluid sprinkled with
feathers. Not knowing what other
parts of the aircraft got hit I did a quick control and systems check that
indicated everything was intact. I was lucky. No damage and no injury. Except for reduced
visibility, I landed uneventfully. Back at the GACE ramp as I washed what was
once a small flying creature off N2112K, I started to mentally review. What if? How many of us are prepared to deal with a sudden
in-flight emergency? What if the oil
line had ruptured and I needed to land quickly in darkness? Was I really in the state of readiness
that I needed to be? In my mind this was a simple flight. Clear and a million nighttime conditions
on a route I knew all too well. I was flying an aircraft type that I had a
few hundred hours. What could go wrong? We learn about emergencies early in our training. We
practice the all too familiar “engine out” scenario on flight reviews and checkouts. We read checklists and review manuals for
new aircraft we learn to fly. Some of us would say emergency? No problem. Pull out “the brain” (read
checklist) work through it. But what
if there is not time to pull out a checklist or it is physically impossible
to read one? That might have been the
case if I had encountered a broken windscreen? This event reminded me of how imperative it is that we practice
emergency procedures often. A quick review of the manual and/or checklists
the day before a check ride just isn’t enough. Here are some things you can do to stay prepared even if you do
not have the opportunity to fly as often as you might like to. Training for high performance complex aircraft is almost
always centered on systems knowledge and emergencies. Knowing the aircraft
you fly is a cornerstone to a sound set of piloting skills. Almost every
emergency checklist has what we call “Memory Items”. These are items that
absolutely must be committed to memory and executed instinctively if an emergency
should occur. After those items are complete with time permitting we should
review the written checklist. In a
simple aircraft a “memory item” might be “Master Off” in the event of an
electrical fire. Some newer aircraft
manuals show these items in bold type.
For most others it is a matter of learning the procedures for your
airplane and practicing them often.
You can create memory item checklists for every emergency shown in the
POH and practicing doesn’t have to be limited to the cockpit. These things
can be worked through in your mind as you’re driving, watching TV or sitting
for hours in the back of a 767. If you are not certain what the important items are, go
up with an instructor a couple of times a year and ask them to focus on emergency
training. He or she can help you develop Memory/Flow type checklists for the
aircraft you most often fly. Just as important as memorizing the important
stuff is being mentally prepared before each flight on how you will react in
case something happens. Think about
the “what if” before it happens. |
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Instructors Michael Baldari (718)
428-6925 John Brook (631)
368-1901 Rich Clinton (631)
368-9693 Bernie Davidson (516)
931-7699 Dave Ferrara (631)
874-8492 Frank Hayes (516)
767-0391 Bob Klemfus (631)
744-0764 Roy Matthews (631)
968-0154 Jeff McArthur (631)
288-6276 Bill Rudock (631)
874-6155 Rob Terano (631)
467-4159 John Vahey (631)
835-6106 Bob VanSise (516)
799-8684 James Weisberg (631)
689-1636 GACE Flying Club 2099 Smithtown Ave. Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 Phone: (631) 737-6879 E-mail: We’re on the Web! www.egace.com |
Anticipate an altered course of action outside the norm.
(Aborted take-off, go-around) Do not mentally commit to a predetermined
outcome. Complacency can kill
you. Know your memory items
emergency checklists. Think before
reacting “haste makes waste” Brief yourself, your co-pilot and your passengers on what
your action will be in the event something goes wrong. Utilize every resource you have to assist you in
neutralizing the problem. Honestly, I was caught a little off guard that night.
However, it did give me a chance to review my own state of readiness. It reinforced my thinking and what I have
been teaching for years. Know your
aircraft and its systems, expect the unexpected and stay current on all your
procedures. Don’t get caught in an
aviation squeeze play. Till next time, safe flying. The Left Seat Al Klug With the club elections behind us, I would like to thank
all those members who supported me. And, to the others, I hope I can win your
confidence and support in the future. While on the subject of elections, I
must mention that the entire club including myself, owe a debt of gratitude
to the election committee. John
Costello and John Koch spent quite a bit of time making sure that
everything was done in a manner that was both consistent with club rules and
fair to both candidates. A committee was appointed at the November meeting, to
help us decide what direction we want to take towards upgrading our fleet.
The group, which would appear to be quite diverse, consists of Tony
Monaco, Joe Fontana, Charlie Raymond, Tom Klemenko and James Weisberg As
information becomes available, I will keep you updated. As previously reported, Scott Posner will be
supplying the entertainment at our annual Holiday Party. Timber Point
management gave their approval and all systems are now “GO”. The party is
December 19th from 7PM to 11 PM and the price is the same as last year, $35
per person. If you plan on attending, please send me an email or a phone call
will do just so we know about how many to expect. Towards the end of the November meeting, a question was
posed about the use of our pre-heaters. After the meeting was adjourned, we
all headed for our hangar and a hands on demonstration was given on their
proper usage. A reminder from the maintenance department about tire
pressures. CHECK THEM BEFORE YOU FLY. The proper inflation is important to
prolong the life of the tires. Tires have a tendency to go soft faster in
winter. Tire pressures for all a/c are listed on the portable air tank in the
oil shed and there is a pressure gauge with the tank. I hope to see you all at the Holiday Party but in any
case, from the Board of Directors and myself, we wish you joyous holidays and
a fantastic New Year. And, if you fly during this holiday season, a tailwind
where ever you go. Secretary’s Corner Rich Raine Our elections had all the drama of the National
ones. The strong national feelings must
have spread to our struggle, as it was exciting and hotly contested. Of the 86 ballots that were printed and
given to the voting members, only 56 ballots were actually returned. The vote was pretty evenly balanced with
the majority going Al. Long live the
King! Please let me know if you have any concerns or
suggestions that could make this group more responsive to YOU. You can email me by clicking here. Phone calls are great too! 631-897-3030. |
