Safety Spotlight

Real Pilot Story: Vacuum Failure in IMC

Dry vacuum pumps should be replaced every 500 hours, and Dr. Donna Wilt has always done that.  In 2007, her Cardinal's pump reached 499 hours just as she was picking her way through thunderstorms, in hard IMC (approx. 11 minutes). Hear the pilot tell the story>>>

Aircraft Deicing and Anti-icing Equipment Safety Advisor

If you shell out thousands of dollars for deicing equipment—whether on a new airplane or retrofitted to an existing older aircraft—you should reasonably expect your investment to see you safely through icy clouds or other freezing precipitation, right? (PDF file—354KB) Download it now>>>

Aircraft Icing Safety Advisor

Do you know how to anticipate areas of probable icing? Is your aircraft's anti-icing equipment enough to provide safe flight through ice-laden air? How can you know if your aircraft is accumulating ice on areas you can't see—like the propeller or the tail? This Safety Advisor discusses icing and provides tips on how to avoid this potentially deadly foe. (PDF file—442KB) 
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Single-Pilot IFR Safety Advisor

Single-pilot IFR is the most challenging flight operation most general aviation pilots face. This Safety Advisor presents suggestions that will stimulate serious thought and discusses proven procedures for safe single-pilot flying. Give yourself an advantage and enjoy safe, efficient IFR flight. Read the "Single-Pilot IFR" Safety Advisor. (PDF file—256KB) 
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Spatial Disorientation Safety Advisor

We humans are VFR-only creatures. The senses we use to maintain our balance and know "which end is up" are completely unreliable when our bodies are in motion without visual reference to the world around us. No amount of training or experience can overcome this physiological limitation. Pilots deprived of visual references while flying can quickly lose control of the aircraft and succumb to one of general aviation's biggest killers: spatial disorientation. (PDF file—320KB) Download it now>>>

Thunderstorms and ATC Safety Advisor

ATC weather radar can be an invaluable resource for pilots seeking to avoid convective activity. But in order to take advantage of ATC thunderstorm avoidance services, pilots need to have a solid understanding of not only what information is available, but also the limitations of that information and the circumstances under which it's provided. In this Safety Advisor, we'll take a closer look at ATC weather radar services, as well as strategies for dealing with some of nature's most violent storms. (PDF file—359KB) Download it now>>>

Weather Wise: Practical Tips and Tactical Tricks Safety Advisor

Weather is the most critical and complex variable that affects your flying. But you don't have to be a meteorologist to understand what makes weather, and use that understanding to help make sound flight decisions. This is what being weather wise is all about ... the ability to integrate official reports and forecasts with what you can see outside to cope with changing flight conditions in the real world. (PDF file—358KB) Download it now>>>

Cold Facts: Wing Contamination Safety Brief

During the last 10 years, there have been over 30 accidents on takeoff as a result of wing contamination by snow, frost, and ice. A few simple steps during preflight could have easily prevented these accidents. Download it now>>>

Pneumatic Systems Safety Brief

Pneumatic systems, commonly known as vacuum or pressure systems, power the heading and attitude indicators in most general aviation (GA) aircraft, and in some aircraft, also power the autopilot and de-ice systems. This ASI Safety Brief explains how the pneumatic system works, how to recognize a system failure, and system redundancy options. Download it now>>>