Labor Day

It's Labor Day and, for as long as I remember, that has meant one thing to our family, the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. Most of you know that my brother suffers from muscular dystrophy. Let me say that the disease is as terrible as they say. It robs a person of the use of their body while allowing their mind to be strong. My brother is, without a doubt, the sharpest person that I know. He is extremely smart, very witty and quite possibly the funniest guy I know.

So this day is my day to reflect on this disease and it's impact on families all across this nation. My brother, thankfully, is now 33 years old and is living a good life in Colorado. However, some families never get the chance to see their loved ones have a full life. When I was a teenager I attended a MDA camp. I was a couselor to a child that had muscular dystrophy. It was my job to help this child do things that their disease would otherwise not allow them to do, fish, canoe, swim, and things like that. The camp is a week long and it can be a life changer. The Muscular Dystrophy Association makes this camp possible. Yes, MDA does great disease research, and they are closer than ever to a cure, but they also provide the smaller stuff, stuff like the camp, that allows children to have a better existence.

Labor Day is my day to give, to pray and to hope that there is a cure to this terrible disease that has taken so much from my family and the families of others. Please look in your heart and give.

James, I love you.

Monday update on a Thursday

As normal, I'm running several days behind on my post. What I can tell you is I have some big trips coming up as well as King Air recurrent training. My King Air recurrent training will be at the end of the month at Flight Safety in Atlanta. I have never attended King Air training at Flight Safety, in the past it has always been CAE. In my experience King Air training is a little less intense that Lear 60 training, but not much. I'm hoping that Flight Safety gives me a good training experience, I think that will.

I have an itch to get back in a Cessna 172 or possible a 210. It has been awhile since I've been in a single-engine and I miss it. There is definitely a desire on my part to fly around the local area at less than 250kts, and remember that freedom that comes with flying a light aircraft. I have a picture of my favorite light single-engine, one I used to fly, N761FT a Cessna T210. I will include it at the bottom of this page. If I do get back into a light airplane I will be sure to write about it.

I will see you on Monday ( yeah right ) if not sooner.




N761FT, this one is special to me.

Okay it's Tuesday

I have been at DFW and unable to post until now. Doing a little King Air flying over the past few days.

It's been too long.

I haven't been keeping up with this blog like I wanted too. That will change. I have a few pictures to share from trips to Salt Lake City, Sun Valley, and Florida. I will upload them now.

Stay tuned, because I will start posting every Monday at a minimum.

On approach to Sun Valley, Idaho

Coming over the mountains toward the valley that leads to KSLC

Fire in Florida

Nice Clouds

Approaching a cell

Maintenance Time

Occassionally, we pilots are required to take the aircraft we fly in for checkups, just like cars. Since the corporation I work for doesn't have "in-house maintenance" we rely on service centers to take care of our equipment needs.

So for the past couple of days I've been parked in Wichita, KS at the Bombardier Factory Service Center. The Bombardier plant is kind of cool to see. Not only are there several types of Lears ( 31's, 45's, 55's and 60's) being worked on, but right next door they are rolling out new CRJ's. There seems to be quite a bit of activity at the service centers and that seems like a good thing.

Flights to the service centers can be different because we have no passengers and we WEAR SHORTS AND T-SHIRTS !

Recurrent Rehash

Well Lear 60 recurrent training at Flight Safety has ended. This time around my sim instructor sort of specialized in the FMS or Flight Management System. He was a wiz at working the magic box. The training had all the usual stuff, including stalls, steep turns and assorted emergencies.
The emergency training included engine failures before V1 and after V1. Basically prior to V1 you try to stop on the runway and after V1, you're going flying.

During one session I had an engine failure right at V1 on a slushy runway and windshear. That was plenty challenging. Having a thrust reverser deploy on takeoff (treat it as an engine failure) can be a fun experience as well.There was of course the high,hot,and heavy departure from Reno.

The Reno departure is interesting because of the steep climb gradient and, of course, the tall rocks nearby. And sim instructors, being black hearted creatures, have nasty things planned for you to take care of during the departure. In fact. the instructors have plenty for you to do during all phases of flying. Their job is to prepare the student for the unexpected, and they do it well.

On the way to San Francisco from Reno ( and yes the entire flight takes place ) the crew experienced a loss of pressurization at FL320 ( 32,000 ft ) and an emergency descent was warranted. The crew has to don the oxygen mask and try to communicate all while trying to attend to the simulated passengers and run the appropriate checklist. It's demanding.

However, for this recurrent session, the most demanding thing for me was the elevator jam while trying to fly the ILS to minimums. The pitch of the Lear 60 is very, shall we say, touchy when thrust is applied or removed. Having to land using just slight power adjustments and trimming was definitely not easy. In the end, I was able to put it on solid concrete, touching the ground at a descent rate of 700 ft per minute. So it worked out.

There were other challenging things, as you might imagine. Dual generator failure, total hydraulics failure and others. Of course, the weather was always crappy ( see blackhearted comment above ) now matter what kind of approach was going on. I performed ILS, VOR, and GPS approaches throughout.

I had a great time and I really like Flight Safety. Looking forward to the next recurrent training date.

Recurrent Day 1 Complete

The ground school and Sim session went pretty much as advertised today. No super cool things happened during the actual sim ride. Started with an engine starting malfunction, then a RNav departure, a GPS approach, a go around, an engine failure, a single engine approach and an ILS approach. Just a standard sim ride. More fun coming my way tomorrow.

Here we go

Well I finally leave for recurrent today. My schedule is fairly busy for the next four days as you might imagine. My ground courses each day start each day at 0730 and run through 1115. The schedule looks like this:

Day 1
0730-1045
Intro/Fuel System/Power Plant/Aircraft General/Lights/Master Warning
1045-1115
Specific Situations/System Integration
1530-1600
Sim #1 Briefing
1600-1900
Sim # 1 Full Flight Simulation ( Flight Safety's Lear 60 is a Level D simulator )
1900-1930
Post Sim Briefing

Day 2
0730-0800
CRM
0800-1045
Electrical System/Hydraulic System
1045-1115
System Integration
1530-1600
Sim # 2 Briefing
1600-1900
Sim #2 Full Flight Simulation
1900-1930
Post Sim Briefing

Day 3
0730-1115
Avionics/Flight Controls/Pneumatics/Pressurization/Air Conditioning
1530-1600
Sim # 3 Briefing
1600-1900
Sim # 3 Full Flight Simulation
1900-1930
Post Sim Briefing

Day 4
0730-0800
Performance/Weight & Balance/Flight Planning
0800-1115
Ice & Rain Protection/EXAM
1530-1600
Sim # 4 Briefing
1600-1900
Sim # 3 Full Flight Simulation
1900-1930
Post Sim Briefing

As you can see they pile a lot of stuff in short periods of time. You'll notice that on the last day there is only 30 minutes available for performance, weight & balance, and flight planning. It might take slightly longer than that, but believe me it moves rapidly. Lots of info to absorb and re-absorb. The simulator portion of this training holds most of the stress and work. The instructors can and do throw multiple scenerios at you during the flight. I think the thrive on putting the students through pain, but that's their job.

My "favorite" sim flight happened to me during my last recurrent session in 2008. The instructor put the aircraft in Reno on a hot day ( of course ) and the aircraft was right at gross weight ( of course again ). After rotation, at about two hundred feet, our aircraft encountered birds. The right engine spooled down and the left engine caught fire. It was asses and elbows as the co-pilot and myself worked on restarting one engine, then shutting the other down, all while trying to keep the aircraft from hitting high terrain. Did I mention that the airport visibility was at 1/2 mile and the ceiling was 200 feet. After we got the aircraft stabilized we had to position ourselves for the ILS. As we were coming out of the 200 ft overcast there was an aircraft on the runway ( of course for the third time ) which meant that we had to do a single engine go around, again avoiding terrain. This was a busy part of that flight. That's right, we had to do other things during this flight, including windshear ( microburst ), stalls, and steep turns. It was great, although not at the time I was doing it.

Believe me, at Flight Safety it's always a "good time". The instructors and equipment are great and I can't wait to get started. I might not be able to sleep tonight.

Emergency Procedures

These are the memory items associated with the Emergency Procedures Checklist. Obviously, there can be a great deal of things to accomplish during an emergency. Again, these are simply the memory items and of course this items listed here are FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY.

ENGINE FAILURE DURING TAKEOFF
Below V1 Speed

1. Wheel Brakes....................APPLY
2. Thrust Levers...................IDLE
3. Spoilers...............................EXT

Above V1 Speed

1. Rudder and Ailerons..........AS REQUIRED FOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL
2. ACCELERATE TO Vr. KEEP NOSEWHEEL ON GROUND
3. ROTATE AT Vr; CLIMB AT V2
4. Gear......................................UP WHEN POSITIVE RATE ESTABLISHED
5. Clear of Obstacles...............ACCELERATE TO V2 + 20 AND RETRACT FLAPS

ENGINE FAILURE DURING APPROACH

1. Control Wheel Master Switch ( MSW )................DEPRESS AND RELEASE
2. Thrust Lever ( Operative Engine ).......................INCREASE AS REQUIRED
3. Flaps..........................................................................20 DEGREES MAXIMUM
4. Airspeed....................................................................1.3 Vs ( FLAPS 20 ) MINIMUM
5. Rudder Trim.............................................................AS REQUIRED

ENGINE FIRE-SHUTDOWN
Affected Engine

1. Thrust Lever...............................IDLE, UNLESS CRITICAL THRUST SITUATION EXISTS
2. If Fire Continues More Than 15 Seconds Or There Are Other Indications Of Fire:

• Thrust Lever...............................CUTOFF
• Engine Fire Pull Handle.............PULL
• Eng Ext Armed Light.................DEPRESS ONE

IMMEDIATE ENGINE AIRSTART
Affected Engine

1. Thrust Lever...............................IDLE
2. Ignition Switch.............................ON

CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING HORN ACTIVATES, CABIN ALTITUDE EXCEEDS 10,000 FEET, OR CABIN ALT HI LIGHT ILLUMINATES ( IF APPLICABLE ) ( EMERGENCY DESCENT )

1. Crew Oxygen Masks...............................DON, SELECT 100 % OXYGEN
2. Thrust Levers..........................................IDLE
3. Autopilot....................................................DISENGAGE
4. Spoiler Lever.............................................EXT
5. DESCEND At Mmo/Vmo, BUT NOT BELOW MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE
6. Passenger Oxygen Valve..........................DEPLOY

CABIN FIRE LIGHT ILLUMINATED OR CABIN/COCKPIT FIRE, SMOKE, OR FUMES

1. Crew Oxygen Masks......................DON AND SELECT 100 % OXYGEN
2. Smoke Goggles.................................DON
3. Emer Depress Switch.......................LIFT GUARD AND DEPRESS
4. Pilot and Copilot Norm Mic/Oxy Mic Switches......ON

OVERSPEED RECOVERY-OVERSPEED WARNING HORN ACTIVATES

1. Thrust Levers...................................IDLE
2. Autopilot.............................................DISENGAGE
3. INDENTIFY AIRCRAFT PITCH AND ROLL ATTITUDE
4. LEVEL WINGS
5. Elevator and Pitch Trim....................AS REQUIRED TO RAISE NOSE
6. Landing Gear Switch..........................DOWN

PITCH AXIS MALFUNCTION

1. Control Wheel Master Switch ( MSW )............DEPRESS AND HOLD
2. Attitude Control...................................................AS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL
3. Thrust Levers.......................................................AS REQUIRED
4. Pitch Trim..............................................................OFF

ROLL OR YAW AXIS MALFUNCTION

1. Control Wheel Master Switch ( MSW ).............DEPRESS AND HOLD
2. Attitude Control....................................................AS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL
3. If Control Force Continues: Airspeed................REDUCE TO MINIMIZE FORCE

EMERGENCY BRAKING

1. PULL EMER BRAKE HANDLE OUT OF RECESS
2. PUSH DOWNWARD ON HANDLE TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

1. STOP THE AIRCRAFT
2. Parking Brake...................................SET
3. Thrust Levers...................................CUTOFF
4. If an engine fire is suspected

• Applicable Eng Fire Pull Handle..........................PULL
• Either Eng Ext Armed Light................................DEPRESS
• Other Eng Fire Pull Handle..................................PULL

If engine fire is not suspected

• Both Eng Fire Pull Handles...................................PULL

5. Both Battery Switches............................................OFF

STALL WARNING ACTIVATES

1. LOWER THE PITCH ATTITUDE TO REDUCE THE ANGLE OF ATTACK
2. Thrust Levers.....................................SET TO TAKEOFF POWER
3. LEVEL THE WINGS
4. ACCELERATE OUT OF THE STALL CONDITION

INADVERTANT STOW OF THRUST REVERSER AFTER A CREW-COMMANDED DEPLOYMENT

1. MAINTAIN CONTROL WITH RUDDER, AILERON, NOSE-WHEEL STEERING AND BRAKES
2. Both Thrust Reverser Levers............................STOW

INADVERTANT THRUST RESERVSER DEPLOYMENT DURING TAKEOFF

Below V1 Speed

1. PERFORM ABORTED TAKEOFF PROCEDURE

Above V1 Speed

1. Rudder and Ailerons...............................AS REQUIRED FOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL
2. ACCEELARATE TO Vr. KEEP NOSE-WHEEL ON GROUND
3. ROTATE AT Vr; CLIMB AT V2
4. Gear...........................................................UP, WHEN POSITIVE RATE ESTABLISHED
5. When Clear of Obstacles.........................ACCELERATE TO V2 + 20 AND RETRACT FLAPS

Recurrent right around the corner

Finally got a date that I will be going to recurrent training. I will be going to Tucson on June 7th. I'll be attending Flight Safety's Tucson Training Facility located at the Tucson International Airport. It's a fantastic facility with first class instructors. Also, I really dig the city of Tucson, so I'm very much looking forward to the trip. On my next post I will be including the Emergency Checklist memory items as a way to keep them fresh in my mind. In the mean time, I will be continuing with my limitations, systems and other stuff.

Time to study limitations

Yes it is true that my Lear recurrent training with Flight Safety is next month, but it is time to start my studies. For those of you who haven't attended a course at Flight Safety, they aren't easy. They take you through the ringer and, of course, that is a good thing.

So one good way to review limitations is to write them dowm, at least that works for me. Here are the limitations of the Lear 60. These limitations come from the manual that is provided be Flight Safety and is labeled FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY.

GENERAL
Type of operation.
This aircraft is approved for:

VFR
IFR
Day
Night
Icing -- Icing conditions exist when outside air temperature (OAT) on the ground and for takeoff is 10 C ( 50 F) or below, or the static air temperature (SAT) in flight is 10 C to -40 C, and visible moisture in any form is present ( such as clouds, foog with visibility of one mile or less, rain, sleet, snow, or ice crystals )


Minimum Flight Crew:
Pilot and co-pilot


WEIGHTS LIMITS
Maximum Ramp Weight:
23,750 lbs.
Maximum Certified Takeoff Weight:
23,500 lbs.
Maximum Zero Fuel Weight:
17,000 lbs.

Maximum Allowable takeoff Weight:
The takeoff weight is limited by the most restictive of the following requirements:

Maximun certified takeoff weight.
The maximum takeoff weight with anti-skid OFF or antiskid protection for any wheel inoperative is 18,500 lbs.
Maximum takeoff weight (climb or brake energy limited) for altitude and temperature as determined from the applicable figure entitled Takeoff Weight Limits.
Maximum takeoff weight for the runway and ambient conditions as determined from the applicable figure entitled Takeoff Field Length

Maximum Certified Landing Weight:
19,500 Lbs.

Maximum Allowable Landing Weight:
The landing weight is limited by the most restrictive of the following requirements:

Maximum certified landing weight.
Maximum landing weight for the runway and ambient conditions as determined from the Actual Landing Distance chart.
Maximum landing weight (approach climb or brake energy limited) for altitude and temperature as determined from theapplicable figure entitled Landing Weight Limits

AIRSPEED/MACH LIMITS
Maximum Operating Speed Vmo/Mmo

Primary Instruments:
Vmo

• Up to 8000 feet.................... 300 KIAS
• 8,000 to 20,000 ft............... 340 KIAS
• 20,000 to 23,000 ft............. 340 to 330 KIAS
• 23,000 to 26,750 ft.............. 330 KIAS
  

Mmo

• 26,750 to 37,000 feet........... 0.81 Mach
• 37,000 to 43,000 feet.......... 0.81 to 0.78 Mach
• 43,000 feet and Above........ 0.78 Mach
• With Mach Trim inoperative and autopilot disengaged......0.77 Mach

Standby Instruments:
Vmo

• Up to 8000 feet.................... 298 KIAS
• 8,000 to 20,000 feet........... 338 KIAS
• 20,000 to 23,000 feet......... 338 to 329 KIAS
• 23,000 to 26,750 feet.......... 329 to 330 KIAS

Mmo

• 26,750 to 37,000 feet.......... 0.81 Mach
• 37,000 to 43,000 feet......... 0.81 to 0.78 Mach
• 43,000 feet and Above....... 0.78 Mach
• With Mach Trim inoperative and autopilot disengaged.......0.77 Mach

Maximum Landing Gear Operating Speed Vlo:
200 KIAS
Maximum Landing Gear Extended Speed Vle:
260 KIAS

Maximum Flap Extended Speed Vfe:

• Flaps 8 ..........250 KIAS
• Flaps 20.........200 KIAS
• Flaps 40.........165 KIAS

Minimum Control Speed Vmca:

• Flaps 8...........120 KIAS
• Flaps 20.........110 KIAS
  

Minimum Control Speed Groung Vmcg:

• Rudder Boost ON..........95 KIAS
• Rudder Boost OFF........116 KIAS

OPERATIONAL LIMITS AND REQUIREMENTS
TAKEOFF

Maximum Pressure Altitude:
13,700 feet
Ambient Temperature:
Refer to Ambient Temperature Limits Chart
Tailwind Component:
10 Knots
Runway Conditions: Takeoff is limited to paved runways. Runway Water/Slush Accumulation:
3/4 inch ( 19 mm )
Engine Sync:
Off
Trim:
All Axes Set For Takeoff
Fuel Load:
Wings balanced within 200 pounds
The must be checked and operational:

• Trim Systems
• Both ADC Systems
• Standby Altitude Indicator
• Stall Warning Systems
• Autospoilers
• Rudder Boost

ENROUTE

Maximum Pressure Altitude:
51,000 Feet
Fuel Load:
Wings balanced within 500 pounds

LANDING

Maximum Pressure Altitude:
13,700 feet
Ambient Temperature:
Refer to Ambient Temperature Limits Chart
Tailwind Component:
10 Knots
Runway Conditions: Landing limited to paved runways. Runway Water/Slush Accumulation:
3/4 Inch ( 19 mm )
Pressurization:
Cabin Not Pressurized
Engine Sync:
Off
Fuel Load:
Wings Balanced within 200 Pounds

LIMIT MANEUVERING LOAD FACTORS

• Flaps up............. +3.0 to -1.0 G
• Flaps Down....... +2.0 to 0.0 G

MANEUVERS

No aerobatic maneuvers, including spins, are approved.
Intentional stalls are prohibited above 18,000 feet with flaps and/or landing gear extended.

TURNAROUND LIMITS

If the turnaround weight limit for brake energy is exceeded during a landing or rejected takeoff, the following limitationsmust be observed:

• The aircraft must be parked for a minimum waiting period of 20 minutes before the next takeoff attempt can be made
• After the waiting period is observed, a visual inspection of the mair gear tires, and brakes for condition must be made

SYSTEM LIMITS

AIR DATA SYSTEM

Both air data systems must be operative and the onside system selected for takeoff.
All air data flags on the PFDs must be retracted for takeoff.
To assure proper air data system operation, the "Before Starting Engines" overspeed warning system check must be accomplished in accordance with "Normal Procedures"

ATTITUDE HEADING REFERENCE SYSTEM

The onside attitude heading system must be selected and the comparator annunciators must be extinguished for takeoff.

AUTOMATIC PERFORMANCE RESERVE

Manual selection of APR during a two-engine takeoff is limited to emergency conditions.

AUTOPILOT/FLIGHT DIRECTOR

The autopilot/flight director system is approved for Catagory I ILS approaches.
When using the autopilot, the pilot or copilot must be in their respective seat with their seatbelt fastened.
Operation of the auopilot with the red TRIM fail light illuminated is prohibited.
Autopilot pitch and roll axes must not be used for takeoff and landing. Do not intentionally overpower the autopilot.
The minimum altitude for use of the autopilot is:

• Approach configuration................ 200 feet AGL
• Enroute Configuration.................. 1,000 feet AGL

CABIN PRESSURIZATION

For takeoffs and landings above 8,000 feet, the automatic pressurization mode must be used.
Do not land with the cabin pressurized.
Maximum Differential Pressure:
9.8 PSI

ELECTRONIC FLIGHT INSTRUMENT SYSTEM (EFIS)

A minimum of three large flight displays must be operational for takeoff and the following conditions must be satisfied:

• Each outboard PFD display must be operational.
• At least one inboard display must be operational.

The standby attitude indicator must be operational for takeoff.

ENGINE SYNCHRONIZER

Engine sync must be OFF for takeoff, landing, and single-engine operation.

EXTERNAL POWER

The maximum amperage from an external power source must be limited to 1,500 amps.

COOLING SYSTEM

The cooling system must be OFF or the cabin temperature control must be in the manual mode with full cold selected for takeoff and landing.

GENERATOR LIMITS
Generator output is limited as follows:

Ground operations

• Continuous-325 amps.
• Transient-higher transient loads for cross-starts and battery charging, up to maximum generator output are authorized.

Flight operations
Continuous

• 400 amps up to 31,000 feet
• 325 amps from 31,000 to 46,000 feet
• 300 amps from 46,000 to 51,000 feet

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

Do not exceed auxiliary hydraulic pump duty cycle of three minutes ON, then 20 minutes OFF.

NACELLE HEAT

Nacelle heat must be ON during ground or flight operations when icing conditions may exist.

Nacelle heat must be on during descent into visible moisture even if the SAT is below -40 C ( -40 F )

Ground Operations

• Do not operate nacelle heat system for more than five seconds when the associated engine is not running.
• Do not operate nacelle heat system for more than 30 seconds when static air temperature is above 15 C ( 59 F )
• Except for takeoff, do not operate nacelle heat system when engine rpm is greater than 65 % N1

RUDDER BOOST SYSTEM

If the rudder boost system is to be used, the rudder boost system check must be accomplished in accordance with Section II of the AFM

SPOILERS/AUTOSPOILERS/SPOILERONS
Spoilers

If the spoilers are inoperative during flight, the maximum operating altitude is limited to 38,000 feet.
Do not extend spoilers with flaps extended while airborne.
Do not extend spoilers, or operate with spilors deployed, at speeds above Vmo/Mmo.

Autospoilers

If autospoliers are to be armed, the autospoiler check must be accomplished in accordance with the "Normal procedures".
Do not arm the autospoilers for takeoff if SPOILERON circuit breaker is open.
Do not arm autospoilers for trianing maneuvers where where engine failure will be simulated above V1 speed or for touch-and-go landings.

Spoilerons

Spoilerons may be inoperative.

STALL WARNING SYSTEM

To assure proper stall warning system operation, the stall warning operation checks must be accomplished in accordance with the "Normal Procedures".
The angle-of-attack indicators and the appraoch and low-speed awareness cues may be used as a reference but do not replace the airspeed indicators as primary reference.

STARTER LIMITS

The following cooling periods must be observed between consecutive uses of the starter during ground operations:

After Start Attempt / Wait
1 ------ 3 minutes
2 ------ 15 minutes
3 ------ 30 minutes

THRUST REVERSERS

Thrust reverse system use is limited to ground operations on paved surfaces and attempts to deploy shall not be made in flight.
Thrust reverse must not be used to back up the aircraft.
If successful completion of the thrust reverser operational check per the "Normal Procedures" chapter of this manual has not been accomplished, the thrust reversers must be pinned per the Learjet 60 Maintenance Manual prior to takeoff.
Thrust reverser curcuit breakers must not be intentionally pulled while in fligh, except as specified in Emergency and/or Abnormal Procedures.
Thrust reversers must not be used for touch-and-go landings.
Use of reverse thrust is limited as follows:

• Below 50 KIAS-----------Limited to idle
• 50 KIAS and above-------From idle to maximum

ENGINE OPERATING LIMITS

Too much information for this blog

ENGINE SPEED LIMITS

Too much info for this blog

TIRES

Main Tire Limiting Speed:
182 Knots

POWERPLANT LIMITS

Engine Type:
Pratt and Whitney Canada PW305A turbofan engines.

Approved Fuels:
JP-5, JP-8, Jet A-1 fuels conforming to Pratt and Whitney Canada CPW204 and SB24004 are approved.

Aviation Gasoline:
The use of aviation gasoline is prohibited.

And that is the little list of most of the stuff that I must remember for Flight Safety's limitations for the Lear 60.

I am back

Okay, I will start updating the blog at least once a week from now on. There have been too many trips since I have been away to list here so I will start from this point on.

Right now all of us here in Oklahoma are preparing for the spring weather. Happens every year, massive thunderstorms roll across this state and leave destruction in their path. Usually, it starts in March and runs through June. I think in the last several years that trend is starting a little later like mid-May, but that's just my opinion. So far it has been a relatively quiet start to the thunderstorm season, but it's coming.

Obviously, thunderstorms pose a problem for pilots. Thunderstorms can produce and contain some of the worst conditions to fly in. Those condition would include, turbulence, heavy rain, hail, and ice just to name a few. Thunderstorms can be particularly dangerous during takeoff and landings. Wind shear and microburst can be potentially deadly during these phases of flight. If there is a thunderstorm on the airport during takeoff, we wait it out or cancel. If there is a thunderstorm at our intended landing airport, then we find somewhere else to land. All of these things can be worked out prior to departure during the flight planning phase. When it comes to storms, I don't mess around with them. Just a friendly reminder during the thunderstorm season.

I will return

This is a message for the numerous ( three ) readers of this blog. I am taking a short break and will return shortly to describe my many high-flying adventures to such exotic locations as Birmingham, AL.

Northwest Trip Part Two

Seattle is a great town. However, there wasn't much time to look around on this trip. I basically went to my hotel and stayed there for the remainder of the evening. I experienced TV lock. It happens occassionally. It's when you get to a hotel, a little tired, and you make the mistake of turning on the TV. You then spend untold hours flipping through shows you have no interest in, unable to turn the dang thing off. Anyway, that's how my night went.

We showed up at the airport the next day to find miserable weather. Our flight was going to be a quick hop to Portland, only 36 minutes. There was heavy rain, low ceilings, and the wind was blowing around 20 knots. We put on enough fuel to get to Portland and then back to Seattle if the weather went below minimums at our destination.

We got the aircraft set for passengers and waited for them to arrive. Once we had them on board, we taxied out for departure. After a bit of a wait for other departures, we were cleared to position and hold ( that is pull onto the runway, all lights on, ready to depart when cleared ). Then we were cleared for takeoff. We were considerably lighter on this leg and it didn't take long to get right into the clouds.

The last time that I flew out of Seattle the view from the aircraft was gorgeous, great views of Mt Rainier, Mount St Helens, and the cascades. This time, nothing. We were in the clouds almost the whole time. We picked up a good amount of ice from 3,000 ft up to 16,000 ft. We leveled off at 17,000 feet and sped up. The ice was almost gone from the windscreen when we started the descent in Portland.

The weather in Portland wasn't as bad as Seattle, but close. It was rainy and windy. It was fairly bumpy on the approach, but no ice. We touched down in gusty winds and deployed the thrust reversers. Off the runway and into Flightcraft. Passengers were unloaded and the aircraft cleaned. Tonight the aircraft goes into the hanger, we arrange for that. Flightcraft is a nice FBO ( Fixed Base Operator ). The have a great looking lounge for the pilots and passengers to hang out in. Of course, the people were nice. Pretty much all the FBO's you run across in large airports treat their customers well.


Here is the Lear after we landed at KPDX.





The crew rented a car and headed to the hotel for check-in. It was only 10:30 PST so I was determined not to get TV lock. We decided that we would take a little drive down to McMinnville, Oregon to check out the famed Spruce Goose ( the large aircraft built by Howard Hughes ). The Spruce Goose is housed in the Evergreen Aviation Museum. So we headed out.

Now you would think that two jet pilots would be able to read a road map and find our destination. Not so. We made a wrong turn and somehow ended up taking a scenic tour of western Oregon. I had no idea how much agriculture was in Oregon. We saw the Oregon wine country, which is vast. I enjoyed our travels through the country and it certainly beats hanging out in the hotel.

After a few hours driving around Oregon, we finally pulled into the Evergreen Museum complex. The Spruce Goose is impressive. It's gi-normous and not surprising that it barely got into the air, even though it has eight engines, it seemed underpowered. The pictures I took do really do it justice.



We hung out in the museum for a bit, just taking it all in. There is some serious legend and history associated with this particular aircraft. The museum also had other aircraft sitting of historical importance. DC-3, Sopwith Camel, and a Mig 29 are just a few.


After the museum, we headed back to Portland to eat and retire for the night. As I have mentioned before in this blog, getting out and being able to see stuff I wouldn't normally see is one of the great things about my job.

The next day, the weather was okay for the flight back to Oklahoma. It took a lot less time to get back due to the tailwind. We touched down at our home airport and logged another successful flight by our crew. Good trip to the northwest, I hope we go back soon.

Northwest Trip Part One

Here is my first effort to describe what it's like to have my job. I'll describe what happens on a typical trip.

First, the crew is notified of the trip. Sometimes the trip is scheduled way in advance, sometimes not. We get to required trip time, passenger load, and fuel needed figured prior to the flight. Day of the flight all the fuel is loaded, weight and balance gets figured, and the aircraft is set up with coffee, snacks and newspapers. Yes, the crew does that stuff. We verify the appropriate Jepp charts ( for instrument flight ) are on board.

About 30 minutes ( give or take ) prior to departure time, after the pre-flight inspection, the APU ( Auxillary Power Unit ) is started to provide electricity and heat to the airplane. This is when the the crew does the Before Starting Engines Checklist. The checklist includes entering info into the FMS ( Flight Management System, which contains flight plan info, fuel comsumption, etc. ), and various other systems checks. Once that is done, we wait for our passengers.

1315- Passengers arrive. Bags load, passengers seated, passenger briefing completed.
1325-Engine start and taxi to active runway.
1330- Another on time departure. Time enroute to Seattle ( KSEA ) 3 hours 58 minutes ouch...that's a long one.

After liftoff, the flaps and the gear are retracted and the After Takeoff Checklist is completed. The Lear 60 had a very respectable thrust-to-weight ratio, so at this point in the flight I am pulling the thrust levers back. Civil aircraft below 10,000 feet are restricted to 250 knots. If I didn't reduce the thrust, our aircraft would fly right through that speed even during the climb.

As soon as we cross 10,000 feet the only speed I have to worry about is something called Max Operating Speed. It varies a little in attitude but that speed is around 330 knots below 26,750 feet. And the 60 will do that speed no problem.

We complete checklists at 10,000 feet and Flight Level ( FL ) 180 or 18,000 feet. Upon reaching FL400 ( 40,000 feet ) the Cruise Checklist is completed. Total time to climb to FL400: 14 minutes. Not bad for an aircraft that's heavy with fuel and passengers.

And then there's not a whole lot to do. Here's something to consider. If you want to be a pilot, part of a crew, you should be a people person. You have to sit in a small area with another person for long periods of time. I bring this up because I have known pilots and pilots-to-be who are not fans of other people. I imagine 3 hours and 58 minutes would seem like 10 hours if you didn't work well with others. In a previous job I experienced this very thing. My experience was over a four day time period and it was brutal. The crew I fly with now is great.

So we discuss life, the universe and everything as our aircraft flies over Woodward, Oklahoma; Denver; Rock Springs, Wyoming; and Pocatello, Idaho. Finally, descending through the clouds we catch a glimpse of the huge rock that is Mount Rainier.


Now, the crew starts to get busy. We have to perform the Descent Checklist, and the start getting the aircraft configured and slowed down for the instrument approach we need to get into Seattle. Approach control gives us the approach assignment, the ILS 34L. Then comes the Approach Checklist followed closely by the Before Landing Checklist. The gear is down the flaps are down and the aircraft is descending through the muck on a precision instrument approach. The Co-Pilot calls out speeds and altitudes as we zoom towards the runway. We touch down at our ref speed ( or reference speed- to simplify-our landing speed based on weight ) and the brakes are applied as the thrust reversers are deployed.

We slow the aircraft, get off the runway, and taxi into the general aviation part of the airport. The Lear's engines are shutdown and we began to deplane the passengers. Of course, we unload the baggage and make sure that the passengers transportation is secured. You might think my job is over, but it's not. The aircraft interior has to be cleaned and made ready for the next flight. When all of that is finished, we head for the hotel. We are in Seattle for the night. Tomorrow is a short trip to Portland.

The blog must go on

I considered recently the possibility of turning off this blog. It can sometimes be a hassle to keep things updated. Plus, with a huge readership of three or four, would it really be missed? I decided that it would be missed, missed by me. So this blog will continue. It will continue, but instead of just putting pictures up, I will include more in depth descriptions of what it's like to have my occupation.

As far back as I can remember, I have wanted to fly. Actually, my first real memory of wanting to be a pilot is when I was 8. Anyone that I have ever associated with in my life has known that I was either a pilot, or wanting to be a pilot, depending on when they were associating with me. I have had the dream of flight for a very long time. And I've stuck to that dream. Yes, life does come along and create roadblocks to your dreams, but stick to them. Has it been worth all the training and work? Yes it has. I have a cool job.

Flying an airplane, any airplane, is cool. It takes a fair amount of smarts. Your safety depends on many things: a good knowledge of how weather works; the systems that make your plane fly; good judgement; and how to communicate in another language. And that's just to fly a Cessna 152 ( two-place aircraft ) around the airport. There's a lot to know and a lot to do.

As you move up in aircraft size and performance, there is more to know and , at times, more to do. Plus things begin to happen a lot faster. Now add passengers in the back of the airplane that expect to have a hassle-free, uneventful flight and you have my job....more or less.

There are many rewards in my job and past flying jobs that I have had. I have seen a lot of the nation the flight deck. I have landed at airports in 45 of the 50 states. I've flown over great natural landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Saint Helens and Niagra Falls. I've also been able to see man made wonders from the sky. Washington D.C. was cool, Times Square from 35,000 feet at night was cooler. I've seen beautiful clouds of every kind from the top, bottom and side. I've seen the tips of a Caravan propeller glow green as I flew through heavy dry snow at night. I've seen the windscreen covered in a mini electrical storm ( also know as St Almos Fire ). I have squeaked a 46,000 pound aircraft onto the ground with 50 passengers in the back who had no idea how hard I was working in that crosswind. I have flown around massive west Texas thunderstorms without even a bump. I have handled emergencies in the air and lived to fly another day.

It may sound like I'm bragging...I'm not. I'm simply pointing out how my job differs from others and to snicker because my job is better than yours.

In the coming days and months I would like to use this blog to give all three of my readers a better understanding of how it is to work and live as a pilot. Maybe someone will learn something, maybe not. Regardless, I will continue to publish this blog...I'd miss it.

Peace.

Vegas pics

Some pics from a Las Vegas trip. The corporation has an annual convention there each year.

Patriot Day

Most people in this country, if they are old enough, remember what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001.

I was ironing my clothes at my Denver apartment, getting ready for another full day of flight instructing. I had just talked to a briefer from the Automated Flight Service Station at Centennial Airport. The weather was looking very good for my flight with a student in N6270R ( a C172RG Cutlass ). I suppose the first Trade Center tower was hit while I was on the phone getting the weather briefing. As soon as I turned on the TV to CNN the story was already going on.

As is true with so many breaking news stories, the media was in high speculation mode. There were more questions then answers. One thing struck me as I watched smoke rise from the Trade Center, it was a beautiful day in New York City. I felt like something was amiss. Large aircraft don't just accidentally run into buildings like that, especially on a beautiful VFR day, especially in the busy northeast. Could a highly experienced airline pilot and his crew, operating in contact with highly experienced air traffic controllers accidentally steer his jet into a building? I suppose it could happen, but I didn't buy it. These were the things going through my mind as I dressed and grabbed my flight bag to head out the door. As I was reaching to switch the television off, I froze. The image of an airliner came into the picture. That was quickly followed by an explosion as the airliner smashed into the second tower. The sight of that aircraft hitting the World Trade Center literally put me on my knees. Shock, horror, grief and total disbelief all hit me at one time. I'm sure that this is what most people were experiencing when they saw that. I had felt that wave of terrible emotions just one other time that I could remember, the day that the space shuttle Challenger exploded.

After 10 minutes, I collected myself and started calling my family. I think it's natural to check on your loved ones when something like this happens, no matter how far away they are from the scene of the disaster. Called my wife, father and mother as I headed out the door. Had to get to the airport.

On the road to the Boulder Municipal Airport, the radio reported that the airspace over this country might be shut down. More shock. I arrived at the airport and my student was diligently pre-flighting the airplane. He hadn't talked to flight service yet. In fact, he hadn't seen the TV or listened to the radio that morning. He was just excited to go on his first instructional flight in the Cutlass. I informed him that something terrible had occurred that might affect his flight. We went in to call the FSS and we couldn't get through. We turned on the TV in the FBO. My student watched it for a few minutes and then said he didn't feel like flying and wanted to go be with his wife. I said go.

My co-workers began filtering in for the day. We watched as the news reported the Pentagon was hit by an aircraft. Frankly, when that plane hit the second tower, I knew we were under attack. The Pentagon strike just confirmed it. The President being flown to various locations in the US to protect him removed any doubt about the situation. Then started a period of confusion in the media as everyone began to panic. How many aircraft were up there with terrorists on board? I heard 5, 3, and 4 at various times that morning.

Then the towers fell. A new round of horror. After that we found out about the crash of Untied Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The news all day long was bad, nothing good.

About 1 pm I went out to the ramp to check the tie-downs on all of our aircraft. The silence was eerie. Normally, the airspace around Denver is full of noise. But standing out there on the ramp, I didn't hear anything. It was surreal. How could this be happening to this country? I should have listened to the radios of one of our planes, I heard that ATC had an automated message playing on all frequencies explaining that the airspace above the United States was closed. I think at that point it would have put me over the edge. There was just too much information coming in and I couldn't take anymore.

Later that afternoon F-16's from nearby Buckley AFB began flying patrols over Denver. The patrols went on round the clock for nearly 2 days.

By the end of the day, there were nothing but questions. Who were these terrorists? Are we going to be hit again? What is going to happen to the aviation industry? Will I have to start a new career in a different field? Will the families of the victims ever have peace? So much to contemplate. Of course, all of these questions would be answered with time.

Today we should take time to remember all those feelings that we had that day so that those who died are honored.

Scenes from a recent trip to New York City

The following pictures are from a recent trip to the NYC area. We landed at Teterboro ( KTEB ) which is in New Jersey. I would have liked to have taken some shots from the cockpit during our approach to KTEB but we were far to busy. So these are a few pics from the trip into the city.

This is Times Square...much more

impressive at night.

More Times Square, very Vegas like when the

lights are on at night.

A popular place to take a picture. The Hello Deli

is right around the corner. I went in and there

was Rupert behind the counter. Very weird.

A shot from inside Central Park.


A shot of Central Park from the 86th floor of
the Empire State Building.


This is the other side of the Empire State
Building looking toward the financial district.


The Statue of Liberty from the 86th floor of
the Empire State Building.



Looking up the Empire State Building. It's
big!



Now for a few pics of the "people" that make
New York City an interesting place.



The iconic Naked Cowboy.



Yes it can be a strange place.

More Pictures of the flight to Sun Valley

The first picture is of a crater close to Hailey, Idaho. Don't know if it's man made or not. The rest of the pictures are mostly of Colorado from FL390 ( 39,000 ft) to FL410 ( 41,000 ft ).