This summer, I put aside my 'flight school owner' hat for my 'flight instructor' one and as such have given more flight instruction than I had in the past few years combined. Getting back to the basics of aviation training has been great, especially since I got to observe student development first-hand. Most of the students that I have worked with have been transitional to IAA with previous flight training experience form various locations. I have seen students complete pre-flight inspections, demonstrate basic aviation skills and even explain “density altitude” factors with confidence and skill.
When I ask pilots to explain the meaning of various airport markings, I’m met with blank stares, when I inquire about the last time they had a personal physical (not an FAA physical) I get puzzled looks and to top it off, when I ask most pilots if they have flown in IFR conditions or flown in gusty winds with an instructor, out comes the frustrated look. Considering the fact that these three factors are the leading cause of aircraft accidents and incidents, it is scary to learn that most pilots take them for granted.
Runway incursions are the number one cause of aircraft incidents in America. The circumstances are occasionally due to communications or lack of airport awareness but I have also found that most pilots’ inability to decipher airport signage is a major factor. Simply put, we need your eyes out of the cockpit, not in it. Here’s a great link to the index of the 2012 FAR/AIM, that talks about Airport marking Aids and signs: http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/chap2toc.htm
Health screenings: I just learned that yet another friend and professional pilot (under the age of 50) has suffered a stroke or heart attack in flight. We’d all like to think that this health crisis could never happen to one so young and never consider the possibility of experiencing a medical crisi in flight. Well we‘d be wrong; we need to seriously evaluate pilot safety and incorporate health improvement measures into our accident avoidance checklist. Topping that list should be routine physicals and if you have a partner that regularly flies with you, please consider a pinch hitter course.
Flight into terrain is still the number one cause of aircraft related fatalities. This makes sense as 'terrain' is required to “crash” an aircraft substantially. Whereas various explanations would suffice for flying into terrain, the number one cause is loss of control during or near the landing phase of flight. I’ve observed unfavorable wind conditions or poor visibility often disorienting pilots into lower flight paths, slower airspeeds and insufficient turns with poor coordination or really steep angles. Although no pilot wants to fly in poor weather conditions intentionally, sometimes we find ourselves pushing an unexpected boundary and are forced to act accordingly if we are to avoid an incident.
Airline pilots are supposed to fly a simulator at least once a year to experience difficult scenarios which enables them to keep abreast of the changing climatic and terrain related obstacles to flight. Most regrettably, general aviation pilots don't have to meet this requirement and perhaps this explains the high accident ratio in propeller driven aircraft. So take the opportunity to fly with an instructor in poor weather and polish up your IFR skills or substitute the aircraft for our Redbird simulator once a year at the very least, to keep you and your passengers safe. This is my concept on inexpensive but effective insurance and as pilots we should all endeavor to carry a ‘safe pilot’ policy with us all the time.
Sincerely,
Robert Werderich, President, IAA, Inc.
