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R-ATP Cross Country Time
I previously wrote about a regulatory boo boo that made it impossible to determine how much cross country flying experience was required to obtain a restricted ATP certificate. The regulation that allowed students to apply for the rating with 30 college credit hours was never included in the nearby paragraph authorizing reduced cross-country time requirements. To bring…
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R-ATP Denied at Eastern Michigan University
A search on federal websites revealed the FAA denied Eastern Michigan University’s exemption petition for R-ATP flight training last month. “The FAA has fully considered the petitioner’s supporting information and has determined the relief requested is not in the public interest and would adversely affect safety.” This decision is not surprising in light of the two-year…
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Flight Range Ring is Always a Circle
I found an interesting error in Flying Magazine today, in which the author described an airplane’s range as being “anywhere from a perfect circle to an egg shape based on the wind conditions.” Wrong! Remember, one should think in the most simple terms about the effect of wind on an airplane. Wind is just motion…
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Safety Pilots are Not Allowed Cross Country Experience
Think twice the next time you log a “time share” flight or act as a safety pilot on a cross country flight. According to legal interpretations from the FAA dated in 2009, only the pilot flying is allowed to log cross country time under § 61. As explained in the Gebhart Interpretation: Section 61.65(d) contemplates that only the…
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GPS Flight Planning – WAAS Going On?
It’s time to review the rules for planning an IFR flight with GPS navigation. Maybe the airplane has an old receiver without WAAS capability. Or maybe the rules have changed too many times to remember the current limitations. Where to find the answers? Destination Alternates – Without WAAS I’m starting with destination rules, because most…
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Unmanned Aircraft, See and Avoid?
The first proposal for unmanned aircraft regulations appeared in the Federal Register yesterday. A small unmanned aircraft, less than 55 lbs, could fly for commercial purposes up to 500 feet above the ground. I am in favor of adopting new technologies, and I took the time to write some constructive comments for the official docket. This…
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Re-Thinking Risk Assessment
The best tool available for pilots to quantify overall flight risk is the form found in the FAA’s Personal and Weather Risk Assessment Guide. However, that form is more than 10 years old and needs many improvements. It is based on the “PAVE” method or checklist, and enables a pilot to assign a predetermined point…
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R-ATP Denied at Baylor University
Part 141 flight training graduates have been denied participation in the R-ATP program again, this time at Baylor University. In its recent denial letter, the FAA explained that even though Baylor’s students are enrolled in an aviation degree program with part 141 ground and flight training, the lack of a ground training certificate in the…
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Missed Approach Points in Jeppesen Charts
The M.A.P. Study Guide is a list of notes I first developed during instrument-flight-instructor training because I needed a concise explanation of various approach profiles. Now that I’m considering airline jobs, I’ve decided to adapt my study guide to the chart format used by Jeppesen, which is also used by many airlines. I find the missed approach…