Insights

It's the small things that make a difference

You caught a big fish while ocean fishing, but when you pulled it out of the water, the tail was missing. A shark got it while the fish was on your line. If only it had its tail-the photo would have guaranteed bragging rights.

You and your date were enjoying ice cream cones during a blistering hot summer day. When she gave you a disgusted look and her eyes rolled to the top of her head, you realized that the bottom of your cone was cracked and ice cream was dripping all over your shirt. If you had checked the cone first, it would have been a perfect date.

Yes, the small things do make a difference. Aviation is no exception.

You quickly plan a four-hour flight to a familiar, nontowered airport that's near a freshwater lake known for its excellent bass fishing. No sharks in those waters.

When was the last time you computed the distance required for an aborted takeoff in your single-engine airplane? Try it. You'll probably add the ground roll distances for takeoff and landing that are listed in the airplane's pilot's operating handbook (POH).

If takeoff distance is 1,000 feet and landing distance is 600 feet, you get 1,600 feet. Is that enough? Never. You must consider airplane condition-performance charts were developed by factory pilots in a new airplane-as well as your piloting techniques and reaction time.

Many airplanes have old brakes and old tires with worn tread and improper tire pressure. Those factors will increase stopping distance. If you were taught to always taxi at 1,000 rpm and drag the brakes to control taxi speed, overheating will cause your brakes to quickly fade during an aborted takeoff; stopping distance will increase dramatically. If you were taught to use proper power management, you would not apply brakes unless you have set idle power.

All humans are subject to reaction delays during unexpected situations. Remember this: One knot is equal to 1.66 feet per second. If the airplane's liftoff speed was 60 kt, you'd be traveling almost 100 feet per second. If you delayed your reaction by six seconds at that speed, you'd travel 600 feet. That increases the accelerate-stop distance to 2,200 feet.

Next, add 10 percent for old-airplane performance, which increases the distance to 2,420 feet. And, if you did not start at the end of the runway and rolled a bit before you set takeoff power, the accelerate-stop distance will easily exceed 2,500 feet. It's the small things that make a difference. (Multiengine-airplane POHs do have accelerate-stop performance charts, but they also do not take the preceding factors into account.)

As you near your destination for this VFR flight, you get the feeling that your fuel is excessively low. Did you check your groundspeed after you reached cruise altitude in order to validate the winds aloft forecast? The actual headwind was 15 kt greater than forecast; yes, you burned some of your reserve fuel.

As you fly over the airport to check the windsock, you notice construction equipment and a displaced runway threshold. Wow! Fifty percent of that 3,000-foot runway was unusable. Why didn't you check for notams before departure? No sweat. The required landing distance as published in the POH is only 600 feet.

Short-field approach speed is 62 kt with full flaps extended, and all looks well, but you flare just a little long, the airplane floats, and those old brakes and wheels suckered you into a trap. You roll off the end of the runway, which fortunately damaged only your pride, not the airplane. Obviously, you were upset, and while getting out of the airplane, your foot caught on and broke that expensive fresh-water fishing rod that you'd wedged between the seats. Things can really go downhill fast when you make mistakes.

Here's the problem: You should reduce final approach airspeed 1 percent for every 2 percent below gross weight. If the airplane's gross weight is 3,000 pounds and the actual landing weight was 2,400 pounds, you're 20 percent below gross weight. You should have reduced your approach speed by 10 percent or 6 kt. That extra 6 kt caused the floating and the increased landing distance.

Just remember, it's the small things that make a difference.

Ralph Butcher, a retired United Airlines captain, is the chief flight instructor at a California flight school. He has been flying since 1959 and has 25,000 hours in fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Visit his Web site.