Be a Better Pilot

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Big Pistons Forever
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Big Pistons Forever »

LousyFisherman wrote:
Big Pistons Forever wrote: Snip.......
-Lights: Virtually all large aircraft operators have the same SOP for the use of lights. It is as follows:
position lights: On when electrical power aplied to aircraft (Not IMO required for small aircraft during day but should be done at night)
rotating beacon: On just prior to engine start
strobe lights: On when crossing runways and when entering active
landing lights: On when cleared for take off or starting take off roll (uncontrolled airports)
And the reverse when landing and for the taxi in.
Thank you, after 5 years of flying I have a clue on how to use the lights :)

LF
LF


Well then that part of the post was not intended for you. There seems to be a lot of different opinions on use of the lights, some appear to be FTU generated SOP's that are mindlessly passed down the line and constitute some rather bizarre practices. What I posted is what I would suggest is the "industry standard". Therefore it would seem reasonable to apply the same practices to the operation of light aircraft and could be of value for those pilots who are reading this who are confused as to what to believe.

As for your comments regarding intersection takeoffs, well we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I firmly believe that "better pilots" work to mitigate risks where practicable. Availing yourself of the maximum amount of runway increases your options if bad things start happening. I always use the full length, even if this requires a back track except for very long runways.
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Big Pistons Forever
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Big Pistons Forever »

I can't believe I didn't include this in the original post. :oops:

Be a Better Pilot: Stop saying "Any Conflicting Traffic Please Advise" !
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Rookie50 »

Big Pistons Forever wrote:I can't believe I didn't include this in the original post. :oops:

Be a Better Pilot: Stop saying "Any Conflicting Traffic Please Advise" !
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Oxi
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Oxi »

I seem to see this more and more now and cannot remember if its in a POH or not. It is putting the flaps down to full during the walk around, particularly in the winter. Checking the tracks and pins can be done without this and can be done with the engine on. Thoughts?
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halfmilevis
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by halfmilevis »

As a new PPL holder, this post is extremely informative!

Thanks for the great read!

Cheers,

HMV
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Mmittal
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Mmittal »

Actually a great read. Lots of time spent in typing up this information for dissemination. Now where is that copy paste handout button.
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xysn
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by xysn »

Great post.

Interesting points about intersection takeoffs. I've opted for 3 800' of a 10 000' runway (And used maybe 1 200') and never even considered requesting more (Maybe one more intersection down?) until CpnCrunch pointed the possibility using the remainder for landing in case of efato.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Rookie50 »

xysn wrote:Great post.

Interesting points about intersection takeoffs. I've opted for 3 800' of a 10 000' runway (And used maybe 1 200') and never even considered requesting more (Maybe one more intersection down?) until CpnCrunch pointed the possibility using the remainder for landing in case of efato.

Around 5000 or close is my loose rule.

It's common at CYXU to takeoff at the intersection that I believe is almost exactly halfway to either runway, I think it's 8800 ft so that's 4400 per side. Just don't be the dolt that did this and took off the wrong way, into the path of 2 landing aircraft. Oops.

Also I will always take the entire length at a high density altitude airport --- 9000 ft is not overkill during a 30 C takeoff no wind and 5000+ elevation.
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Last edited by Rookie50 on Thu Sep 04, 2014 7:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by CpnCrunch »

Rookie50 wrote:
xysn wrote:Great post.

Interesting points about intersection takeoffs. I've opted for 3 800' of a 10 000' runway (And used maybe 1 200') and never even considered requesting more (Maybe one more intersection down?) until CpnCrunch pointed the possibility using the remainder for landing in case of efato.

Around 5000 or close is my loose rule.
Yes, I think anything over 5000ft is probably overkill.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by niss »

I prefer to have as much runway in front of me as possible, but I am probably not going to taxi an extra 10+ minutes to avoid an intersection take off halfway down a 5000' Runway when my home airport is 2100'x30'.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Pop n Fresh »

I used to agree with that when I was flying every week. The big airport tower would ask if 2640' was enough. I would answer, "roger." That seems like half a mile


edit : Removed the part where I suggested he could take off in fifteen hundred feet. Sorry.
Oops. I see the problem. I wrote 1500' instead of 2100'.

My bad. I am pretty clumsy with honglaise.
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Last edited by Pop n Fresh on Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by niss »

No what I'm saying is that I would prefer to start at the end of the runway and have it all, but I'm not necessarily going to go out of my way for it when halfway is already more than I'm used to.

I'm not going to do an intersection TO that leaves me with less than the 2100' I'm used to.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Pop n Fresh »

So prefer does not mean you would pick that one?
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by niss »

It depends. If the ramp is right by the intersection and getting to the end is by way of Alpha then bravo 1 to charlie blah blah blah then as long as I have that 2100' or more I'll take it.

I would not take an intersection TO at a field that is 3000 or 3500. My magic number is the 2100' I have at home.
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Pop n Fresh
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Pop n Fresh »

Um.. Sorry, I'm still not following.

Do you want the intersection or would you prefer as much runway in front of you as possible?
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by niss »

I would prefer as much runway as possible and therefor will usually go to the ends but I may opt to take an intersection as long as the runway remaining is not less than 2100'. I drew this line because that is how much runway I am used to at home.
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Pop n Fresh
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Pop n Fresh »

Given the option tomorrow I might taxi the extra right to the end. If it's warm enough to be doing density altitude calculations I'm going all the way for sure.

If something goes wonky with the engine during or just after take off I can just relax with the remaining 4+ of the runway to go back to.

Pretty sure if I was flying more I would go back to being comfy with 1500' or more. It's dumb but I never claim to be smart.
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New_PIC
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by New_PIC »

On my first solo, the wind happened to have set the active runway to one I was less familiar with. When I stopped and reported at the line, the FSS asked if I would be doing an intersection take off, making it sound like that was common and expected. I had heard of and seen intersection take offs but had not done one from that intersection and didn't recall noticing one from there before either. I hesitated but just wasn't sure and declined, advising them that I'd be doing a full backtrack.

I've since taken off from that intersection lots of times but still remember being very aware that, at the time, I had not actually calculated the distances needed, or available from there. A little concern or nervousness really helps drive a lesson home.

More to the current point, there was the time my instructor had me try to turn back to the runway with a simulated engine failure on take off. We climbed straight out to 1000 feet and then he cut the throttle back. 1000 feet is lots of altitude but two big guys in a fully fuelled trainer cover a fair distance getting up there on a warm day so it was still a long glide back. I made the runway, just barely, but part of that was because we took off in about the first quarter of a 6000 ft runway.
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Rookie50 »

New,

The larger lesson is -- when ATC "encourages" or requests you to accept an instruction you or your airplane is not comfortable with -- never accept just to fit in -- even if everyone else is doing it. There are lots of scenarios.
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Collidingwiththesky
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Re: Be a Better Pilot

Post by Collidingwiththesky »

Thanks for the original post. Lots of good info!
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