Dear Rod:
I've been told that carrying a fire extinguisher in a training airplane is a waste of time. Someone said an extinguisher is only good for breaking windows in the event of a crash. Is this true? If not, what type of fire extinguisher would you recommend?
Thank you,
Larry
Greetings Larry:
No, it's not true that fire extinguishers are worthless. While fire extinguishers may not be useful in extinguishing an in-flight petroleum-based fire (you need to get the airplane on the ground ASAP in that instance), they are extremely useful during in-flight fires of other origin. In the case of an electrical fire, for example, turning off the master switch removes the ignition source, but it doesn't preclude residual burning of electrical insulation (as well as other nearby combustibles). A fire extinguisher is your best means of suppressing this slow burn, allowing you to land safely at the nearest airport.
Fire extinguishers are also very useful if you have a fire during engine start. I know of one fellow who exited his Bonanza after seeing smoke billow from under the cowling during startup. He didn't have a fire extinguisher, and he could only sit and watch as his airplane sustained a lot of unnecessary fire damage. You might say that he got burned without getting injured.
A fire extinguisher is cheap insurance, and it's a "policy" that every plane should have. Without a fire extinguisher on board, the only option you have for extinguishing a fire is the same one you used to put out the candles on your birthday cake (which doesn't work very well, especially if you're over 40).
My recommendation is to purchase a combination liquid/gas Halon fire extinguisher. It's true that Halon is not produced in the United States anymore (for environmental reasons), but that doesn't mean Halon extinguishers aren't still available on the market.
Whatever you do, don't carry a carbon monoxide fire extinguisher in an airplane. It puts out the fire alright, but the gas can also put out the pilot. Dry chemical fire extinguishers are also a poor choice for the cockpit. The chemical agent is often abrasive and can temporarily blind a pilot. It's also conductive and can render avionics permanently useless.
Regarding the cracking of windows for emergency egress with your extinguisher, I have a better suggestion. Most pilots carry two window-cracking units whenever they fly. We call them legs. The average pilot, if properly braced during this maneuver, will have no problem kicking out the side windows and baggage compartments of most nonpressurized general aviation airplanes.
Wandering wing tip
Dear Rod:
Recently, I had an accident in an airplane. I caught a wing tip on a fence, and I feel just terrible about it. I'm a flight instructor and just wasn't paying attention when I let my student wander off the side of the taxiway and clip the fence with the right wing. I feel very bad about it. I just wanted to tell someone about this.
No-Name CFI
Greetings No-Name:
If you didn't feel bad I would certainly feel sorry for you. You probably feel bad for several reasons, the primary one being that you have a conscience. Those who try to pass the blame to someone or something else when they are actually responsible for a faux pas deserve our pity, not sympathy.
My advice to you is to feel bad about it for as long as you need to, then stop. If you're worried about what your fellow CFIs think, then do what only one in 10,000 people is wise enough to do: Make what is known as a public apology. Apologize to those who know of the event and tell them you're deeply embarrassed and hope you haven't let them down or in some way diminished the flight instructor profession (believe me, with your attitude, you're a credit to our profession, not a deficit). There's nothing better than 'fessing up when you honestly mess up as a means of throttling any rumors about your professionalism. Most folks just love an honest person.
Years ago I witnessed the fallout when a CFI in a twin-engine airplane tried to taxi out from a tie-down spot with a nosewheel chock still in place. The nosegear collapsed. He ran out, grabbed the chock, and tossed it 50 feet away from the scene. The only problem was, several folks witnessed this behavior. He never admitted his wrongdoing, but he never lived it down, either. Had he just been man enough to admit his mistake, as you have, the issue wouldn't have gone any further than the chock he tossed.
Value for the money
Dear Rod:
I'm in my early thirties and about ready to invest a lot of money in an accelerated flight training program to become a CFI, then eventually an ATP-rated pilot. Do these accelerated programs work? How do I know if I'm making a good investment here? The administrator at this flight school wants me to put down a great deal of money before I begin my flight training. What does your experience tell you about these programs?
Thomas
Greetings Thomas:
Accelerated flight training programs can and do work, depending on the quality of flight instruction you receive (this is true with unaccelerated programs as well, of course). Here's the most important nugget of knowledge I can give you about this situation. Ask this flight school for referrals to recent graduates (and those who will soon graduate) from the exact program for which the school is asking you to fork over hard-earned dollars. If the school won't do that, I assume you understand how fast you should run in the opposite direction. If they do provide references, you need to chat with these people to see if the company's performance met or exceeded its promises. The only intelligent way to find out if a company performs as advertised is to look at (or in this case talk to) the product it produces.
Make me an offer
Dear Rod:
Next month I will be receiving my private pilot certificate. Like all new pilots, I'm looking at all the airplanes at the field where I'm learning. I'm dreaming of owning one someday. One particular plane in the corner has not moved one inch since I started training a few months ago. Here's my question: Is it bad manners to try to find the owner to see if I can rent or borrow the plane, or even sit in the right seat and just work the radio?
Sincerely,
Max
Greetings Max:
Not only is it not bad manners, it's a great way to find a deal on an airplane. In many cases you might find an owner who just doesn't use his or her airplane that much and either wants to sell or perhaps take on a partner. Inertia is a powerful force, and sometimes people wait for an answer to come to them. Many airplane owners would love to see their airplane fly a little rather than sitting dead on a ramp somewhere. I've known several people who've made some very good airplane deals by doing precisely what you want to do. It's also possible that you might be able to rent the airplane from this person, assuming that insurance isn't an obstacle. So look up the owner. Make a friend, and perhaps a deal, too.
Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. A pilot for 32 years and a CFI for 28, he has flown more than 8,000 hours and owns a Beech A36 Bonanza. Visit his Web site www.rodmachado.com.
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