Aviation Rules of Thumb

John Mahany, ATP/MCFI

Flight Advisor, EAA Chapter 7
FAASTeam Lead Rep, KLGB
September 13, 2011
Checked Out From The SAFE Members Only Resource Center
Society of Aviation and Flight Educators www.safepilots.org


ATA SmartBrief, 8/30/11
Automation prompts safety officials' concern about
pilots' skills
Airplanes are become increasingly automated, leading
some safety officials to raise concerns that pilots might
be losing their in-flight instincts, which could be
troublesome when faced with an issue. Rory Kay, co-
chairman of the Federal Aviation Administration's
committee on pilot training and an airline captain, says
that the industry is suffering from "automation
addiction," which is leading to different types of
incidents.
ATA SmartBrief, cont.
"We think the best way to handle this is through
the policies and training of the airlines to ensure
they stipulate that the pilots devote a fair amount
of time to manually flying," said Paul Railsback,
operations director at the Air Transport
Association. "We want to encourage pilots to do
that and not rely 100% on the automation. I think
many airlines are moving in that direction."

More on piloting skills
The ability of pilots to respond to the
unexpected loss or malfunction of
automated aircraft systems "is the big
issue that we can no longer hide from in
aviation," said Bill Voss, president of the
Flight Safety Foundation in Alexandria,
Va. "We've been very slow to recognize
the consequence of it and deal with it."
Some Aviation Rules of Thumb
Navigation reciprocals
Normally aspirated & Turbo-charged
Density Altitude
Takeoff Performance
Crosswind Component
Vx & Vy
Cruise Climb
More Aviation Rules of Thumb
Flight Planning & ISA
Figuring TAS
Figuring Va
Engine Failure
Converting KTS to MPH
Maximum Glide
Icing, weather, descent planning
Your own?
Navigation reciprocals
Take the 1
st
digit plus two, 2
nd
digit minus
two; or visa versa;
Minus two, plus two
180 becomes 360
090 becomes 270
Related accident?
Lexington, KY CRJ takeoff accident,
Aug. 27, 2006
Did they brief the takeoff??
Were their Heading Bugs properly set?
They did not realize they were on the wrong
runway until it was too late, at rotation.
Comair 5191 CVR
Pilot: Thrust Set
Pilot: That is weird, No Lights
Pilot: Yeah
Pilot: 100 Knots
Pilot: Check
Pilot: vee one
Pilot: Rotate
Pilot: Whoa!
Generic Takeoff Briefing
Departing KSNA or any other; confirm R/W _ _
If applicable, r/w is _ _ _ _ ft. long
Density Altitude if applicable, is _ _ _ _
Takeoff weather/visibility is X; T/O alternate?
Up to Vr, will abort for _ _ _
Once airborne, if engine fails then _ _ _
Any noise, DP or terrain issues?
In event of emergency return, plan is ??
Normally aspirated engines
A normally aspirated engine only produces
rated Hp at Sea Level on a Standard Day, or
ISA; 15C or 59F

It loses 3 % - 4% hp for each 1000 increase
in altitude.

Every 10 deg. F/6C above ISA results in 1% less
power output

Turbo-Charged Engines
Takeoff fuel flow
Your takeoff fuel flow should be at least 10%
of your max rated hp. ie., for 285hp, expect
28.5 gph; 310hp should be at least 31.0gph
For turbo-normalized (8.5-1) it should be
somewhat less
CHT during takeoff/climb should be < 380F
Source, Mike Busch, Savvy Aviator
Density Altitude
For every 10F above ISA, add 600 to
the airport elevation to figure density
altitude and your airplanes performance.

source, Richard L. Collins
Density Altitude
From AOPA Safety Advisor #6,
Mastering Takeoffs and Landings
the simple act of taking off or landing
accounts for 50% of all general aviation
related accidents
Big Bear City, CA, takeoff -
6748 msl
What is your density altitude?
What is your takeoff performance?
Do you know how to lean for takeoff?
Begin the takeoff roll, and with full power,
lean the mixture until there is some
roughnesss, then enrichen until it runs
smoothly.
source, Mountain Flying Bible
Takeoff performance
T/O distance increases 15% for each 1000
Increase in Density Altitude above S.L.

A 10% change in aircraft weight will result in a
20% change in the takeoff distance required

source; Mountain Flying Bible

Takeoff flap setting
If you want to use flaps for takeoff, but
there is no reference in the P.O.H., suggest
turning the yoke full scale, either direction
and lower the flaps to approximately
match the down aileron deflection.

source, Mountain Flying Bible
Takeoff performance
Short field takeoff advice from the late Sparky
Imeson, noted mountain flying expert;
If you have not reached 70% of your takeoff
speed way down the runway, ABORT!
Also, make sure the parking brake is OFF!

source, Mountain Flying Bible
Crosswind component
The 5, 7, 9 rule
Runway numbers are magnetic; ATIS/ASOS
winds are magnetic
If the wind is 30, 45 or 60 degrees to the R/W
Take 50, 70 or 90% of the wind velocity; this
becomes the direct crosswind component.
Note; Crosswinds are not hard limits; they are
only demonstrated; more importantly, how is
your cross-wind proficiency?

Vx & Vy
Both Vx & Vy decrease 1 knot per
100 pounds below max gross weight
Verify this in the P.O.H.
Cruise Climb speed
Vy Vx = C. Add C to Vy, this is cruise climb
Ex., a CE 172S; Vy 74 knots; Vx 62; C = 12
74 + 12 = 86 suggested for cruise climb.
P.O.H. shows 70 85Kts for cruise climb

A more efficient climb. Better engine cooling
with a lower, better deck angle. Source, Fly
the Engine, Kas Thomas
Flt. Planning - Figuring ISA

Intl Standard AtmosphereISA
Found in the P.O.H. in performance charts
ISA is 59F or 15C at sea level, 29.92hg
To find ISA at altitude; take cruise altitude, x 2,
subtract 15, then change the sign (+/-)

5,000; 5 x 2 = 10 - 15 = -5; becomes +5.
10,000; 10 x 2 = 20 15 = +5; becomes -5


Figuring TAS
How to find your approximate TAS
TAS increases approximately 2% per 1000
What is your indicated altitude?
Double the 1
st
digit, and add to the IAS.
Result should approximate TAS
Example; 3000, and 120 knots, TAS is ~ 3 x
2 = 6, 120 + 6 = 126 knots
The ice tea airspeed formula

Airspeed relationships; how to remember
The iceT formula; indicated ~ calibrated,
equivalent (applies to jets), True Airspeed.
TAS increases with altitude. Indicated will
decrease with altitude due to less dynamic
pressure in the Pitot tube
Rule of 60
At cruise TAS, each degree of crab angle
x TAS multiple (60=1, 120=2, etc)
= crosswind component
Ie., @ 120 knots, each degree of crab is
caused by a 2 degree x-wind component
resulting in a x degree drift correction.
Ex., 5 degrees left x 2 = 10 knot cross
wind
Maneuvering Speed Va
Maneuvering Speed; Va = ~ 1.7 x Vs1

Reduce Va by 10% for each 20% reduction in gross
weight. Or, reduce by 1% for each 2% reduction in G.W.

Remember, you are always BELOW G.W. at cruise. You
burned fuel on taxi, takeoff and climb.

All V speeds are predicated on G.W., so adjust
accordingly for best performance.
Engine failure A, B, Cs
Airspeed best glide

Best place to land straight ahead, to the
side, or behind you?

Aircraft Control maintain control!
Know your emergency checklist!
Engine Failure, Maximum
Glide
Weight has no effect on max glide range
Weight does have an effect on glide speed
Reduce glide speed 5% for each 10%
reduction in gross weight
With a headwind, increase glide speed by
50% of the headwind component. Glider
pilots use this technique.
Converting KTS to MPH
Add 15%, or multiply by 1.15

100kts = 115mph
Icing
No aircraft is certified for CONTINUOUS
flight in KNOWN icing conditions
Icing/deice certification is only for flight
THROUGH icing. Ref. FAR 25 Appendix
C, icing certification
Check your P.O.H.
From, Professional Pilot, 3
rd
. ed., John
Lowery
Weather
A rough rule of thumb for avoiding/escaping
icing conditions but it varies each time
Climb in a cold front towards colder temps (away
from ice); if temps in the bases of developing
cumulus clouds is -12C or warmerexpect heavy
icing
Descend in a warm front to warmer temps below
Sources, Severe Weather Flying, Dennis Newton
Weather Flying, Bob Buck
Weather/TRW rules
Storms tend to be stronger when the cold
frontal passage occurs in the afternoon or
evening. This is because the air can get
more unstable out ahead of the front (i.e.
daytime heating).

IFR Standard Rate Turn bank
angle

Take 10% of the IAS and add 5.
Ground Speed
Rough estimate

Add or subtract all of the headwind or
tailwind

Add or subtract of a quartering head or
tailwind
Calculating Ground Speed -
piston drivers
Note the time to fly a distance; ie., 30NM
30/15; 15x 4 = 60; 4 x 30 = 120
15 min to fly 30NM. G.S. = 120kts.
10 min to fly 25NM; 10x6=60; 6x25 = 150 kts

Ground Speed Check -
VLJ drivers
For faster aircraft (at least 250 kts.) there
is another G.S. check
Note the distance travelled in 36 seconds
on the DME and multiply by 100.
36 seconds is 1% of an hour.
So, if you travel 3NM, ground speed is
300 kts.
How to plan descents
Suggestion; altitude to lose times 2 (500
FPM for pax comfort), times ground speed
in miles per minute (1,2, 3, etc.), this is
how many miles you will cover
descendingadjust as needed for wind
and plan when to start down accordingly
Descent planning from the
flight levels
Multiply cruise altitude ( thousands of
feet) x approx. 3 (depending on the aircraft
and winds) to determine the approximate
start of descent.
To descend from FL 250; 25 x 3 = 75
Begin descent 75 NM out
Intercept the glideslope
At G.S. intercept, lower the nose exactly
whatever the G/S angle is, as shown on the
approach plate. Capture is automatic.
This is typically ~ 3 degrees.
source, Barry Schiff, Proficient Pilot
Flying the glideslope
Determine the proper ILS descent rate
Standard ILS descent rate = 300/NM.
Take IAS / 2, add a zero; this is your Rate of
Descent; 100kts / 2 = 50, add a 0 = 500
FPM. 120 kts = 600 FPM
Or, use this to figure the altitude to be at a given
distance from a runwayfor a stabilized
approach

Landing
Approx. 42% of G.A. accidents occur
during approach and landing
If the runway is wet and ungrooved, the
landing ground roll doubles
Crossing the runway threshold higher than 50
feet; landing distance increases ~ 200 for
every 10 of excess height
Every 10 kts of excess speed increases
landing distance 20%
Misc
For each 1000 above S.L., the takeoff run
will increase ~ 12%
Others
Rollout from a turn; lead your bank by
the bank angle
Most structural icing occurs between 0C -
10C
Your own
Rules of Thumb???
Thank you!



j.mahany@charter.net
www.johnmahany.com
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