Training Notes & News

Soaring Eagles take to the sky (again)

A member of Daniel Webster College's Soaring Eagles Flight Team practices precision landings.

Daniel Webster College in Nashua, New Hampshire, is bringing back its flight team. Student pilots on the Soaring Eagles Flight Team will compete in events such as the National Intercollegiate Flying Association's regional and national Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (Safecon) competitions. Safecons emphasize safety of flight operations, and students compete in both flight and ground events.

The last Daniel Webster competition team disbanded at the end of the 2001 season, even though it won the overall Region VII trophy in regional competition the year before.

"Throughout its history, the Soaring Eagles have carried on a legacy of pride and responsibility," said Scott Patten, a flight instructor at Daniel Webster and one of the team's coaches. In a nine-year period, the team won the Region
VII Top Flight Team Award twice, the Top Ground Team Award four times, and earned the Overall Champion award three times.

For the first time since the college's flight team was formed, students on the team will enroll in a course specifically designed to prepare them for Safecon competitions, Patten said. "The top students who have demonstrated mastery of the events will be eligible to represent the college at Safecon events," he said.

--Mike Collins

Embry-Riddle, Frasca add virtual ATC to simulator

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Frasca International, a manufacturer of flight training simulation equipment, have developed an integrated flight training device (FTD) with virtual air traffic control commands designed to give student pilots more realistic training. Designed specifically for general aviation pilot training, Synthetic Automated Flight Training Environment with Virtual Air Traffic (SAFTE/VAT) incorporates simulated flight plans with voice recognition technology, allowing the student pilot to "fly" in a particular situation or airspace and react to specific commands from the virtual air traffic controller. The technology allows flight instructors to focus on teaching rather than role-playing.

"Our research shows that students learn more--and much faster--in a virtual simulation environment, increasing the cost efficiency of our training programs," said Dan Macchiarella, associate professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle. The university uses flight-training devices extensively, with some 27 simulators to serve more than 1,350 students.

Macchiarella and his team developed the curriculum and program of ATC commands in the new product, while Frasca developed the software tools. Embry-Riddle is testing SAFTE/VAT to finalize the product before it becomes commercially available; that is expected late this year. --MC

What It Looks Like: Position lights

Flying at night? Your aircraft needs a white position light on the tail, a red position light on the left wing tip, and a green position light on the right wing tip.

Red position light on the left wing tip.

Green position light on the right wing tip.

By Mark Twombly

Like ships passing in the night, airplanes flying in the dark of night are all but invisible to each other. It's a big sky, but not big enough to preclude two airplanes flying at night from attempting to occupy the same chunk of airspace at the same moment, with obvious consequences. The time-honored method of avoiding collisions at night in visual meteorological conditions is to equip airplanes with lights to greatly enhance their conspicuity. As with boats, the most basic form of night lighting is position lights.

Position lights are so named because they help pilots to easily determine the position, or orientation, of other nearby airplanes.

By law (Federal Aviation Regulation 23.1385) an airplane must be fitted with "a red and a green light spaced laterally as far apart as practicable and installed on the airplane such that, with the airplane in the normal flying position, the red light is on the left side and the green light is on the right side."

Furthermore, there must be a white position light "mounted as far aft as practicable on the tail or on each wing tip."

Thus, any airplane approved for flight between sunset and sunrise will have a green position light on the right wing tip, a red position light on the left wing tip, and a white position light somewhere on the tail.

FAR 23.1389 goes into detail on the required viewing angle of the position lights (for each wingtip light it is a 110-degree arc looking forward, and for the rear white light a 140-degree arc looking rearward). These angles make it easy to figure out the relative orientation of the aircraft with respect to your own--coming directly toward you, moving right to left or vice versa, or moving away.

For example, if all you can see of another airplane is a steady white light (and a red flashing or strobing anti-collision light, which also is required), you know the airplane is flying away from you. If you see a red light and a white light, it is flying right to left. Green light and white light: left to right. If, however, you see a green light on the left and a red light on the right but no white light, it means the airplane is headed in your general direction. Keep this one in sight at all times and be prepared to alter course.

Final Exam

Final Exam is composed of questions similar to those a student may expect on the private pilot knowledge test. Answers are researched by members of the AOPA Pilot Information Center staff and may be found below.

1. One of the main functions of flaps during approach and landing is to:

A) Decrease the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.
B) Permit a touchdown at a higher indicated airspeed.
C) Increase the angle of descent without increasing the airspeed.

2. In the Northern Hemisphere, a magnetic compass will normally indicate initially a turn toward the west if

A) a left turn is entered from a north heading.
B) a right turn is entered from a north heading.
C) an aircraft is accelerated while on a north heading.

3. If the grade of fuel used in an aircraft is lower than specified for the engine, it most likely will cause

A) a mixture of fuel and air that is not uniform in all cylinders.
B) lower cylinder head temperatures
C) detonation.

4. Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) is the continuous broadcast of recorded information concerning

A) pilots of radar-identified aircraft whose aircraft is in dangerous proximity to terrain or to an obstruction.
B) nonessential information to reduce frequency congestion.
C) noncontrol information to selected high-activity terminal areas.

5. To get a complete weather briefing for the planned flight, the pilot should request

A) a general briefing.
B) an abbreviated briefing.
C) a standard briefing.

6. What should be the first action after starting an aircraft engine?

A) Adjust for proper rpm and check for desired indications on the engine gauges.
B) Place the magneto or ignition switch momentarily in the Off position to check for proper grounding.
C) Test each brake and the parking brake.

7. What is the definition of a high-performance airplane?

A) An airplane with 180 horsepower, or retractable landing gear, flaps, and a fixed-pitch propeller.
B) An airplane with an engine of more than 200 horsepower.
C) An airplane with a normal cruise speed in excess of 200 knots.

8. If the pitot tube and outside static vents become clogged, which instruments would be affected?

A) The altimeter, airspeed indicator, and turn-and-slip indicator.
B) The altimeter, airspeed indicator, and vertical speed indicator.
C) The altimeter, attitude indicator, and turn-and-slip indicator.

Final Exam Answers

1. The correct answer is C. Flaps will increase the angle of descent (steeper approach) without increasing the airspeed by increasing lift and induced drag, and permit a touchdown at a lower indicated airspeed than an approach made with flaps retracted.

2. The correct answer is B. Because of the northly turning error, a magnetic compass will initially indicate a turn to the west and lag behind when making a right turn from a north heading. Remember the acronym NOSE--north opposite, south exaggerated.

3. The correct answer is C. Detonation is caused by using a lower-than-specified grade of fuel or by excessive engine temperature. The misture explodes instead of burning evenly. Lower cylinder head temperatures could help prevent detonation. While the technical aspects of this answer are correct, only 100LL aviation grade gasoline is available for use today.

4. The correct answer is C. ATIS is the continuous broadcast of recorded noncontrol information in selected high-activity terminal areas. Its pupose is to improve controller effectiveness and to relieve frequency congestion. ATIS information will normally include the runway and approaches in use, ceiling, visibility, temperature, dew point, wind direction, altimeter setting, and other remarks.

5. The correct answer is C. The pilot should request a standard briefing to get a complete weather briefing for the planned flight. An abbreviated briefing is provided as a supplement to data or a previous briefing. There is no such thing as a general briefing.

6. The correct answer is A. After starting an aircraft engine, the first action should be to adjust for proper RPM and check for desired indications on the engine gauges (e.g. oil and fuel pressure). Turning the magneto switch to the Off position to check for grounding is usually done right before the engine is shut down. Testing each brake is typicaly performed during taxi.

7. The correct answer is B. A high-performance airplane is defined as an airplane with an engine of more than 200 horsepower. A complex airplane is defined as an airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable-pitch propeller. An airplane with a normal cruise speed in excess in of 200 knots is defined as fast.

8. The correct answer is B. The altimeter, airspeed indicator, and vertical speed indicator all rely on the static vents for normal operation and would be affected if the vents became clogged. The attitude indicator and turn-and-slip indicator are both gyroscopic insturments and do not operate off the pitot-static system.

AOPA members can discuss these or any aviation questions with Pilot Information Center staff by calling 800-USA-AOPA or sending an email.

Women in Corporate Aviation offers career scholarship

Men and women interested in pursuing a career in any job classification in corporate/business aviation are encouraged to apply for a $1,500 scholarship offered by Women in Corporate Aviation. The award can be applied toward flight training, upgrades in aviation education, dispatcher training, or NBAA Professional Development Program courses. Applications must be postmarked by August 1. Guidelines and applications can be found on the Web site.

The Frugal Student

Money-saving tips

Flying costs money, there's no way around that. But there are steps you can take that will save you money as you earn your pilot certificate. Don't forget to send us your ideas. E-mail them to [email protected]. Or, see the AOPA Flight Training page on Facebook.

• Listen and learn. Before starting the engine, use your cell phone to get ATIS information, and write it on your kneeboard--especially useful at towered airports with long, complicated ATIS broadcasts. ATIS is usually recorded approximately 50 minutes past the hour. If starting the engine close to that time, switch at the last minute to check and verify, and then call ground. --Submitted by Raul Perez
  
• Build your own kneeboard. See Karen Kahn's article for instructions on how to put together an inexpensive lap desk.
  
• Fly often. Flying two or three times per week will help you retain what you've learned and you'll progress more quickly through your training.

What's in 'AOPA Pilot'?

Here's what you're missing if you don't read AOPA Pilot, the association's flagship magazine published monthly for certificated pilots.

• GA Serves Africa, too. Pilots in the Kenyan Wildlife Services are being taught by U.S. instructors Patty Wagstaff and John and Martha King. Former CNN anchor Miles O'Brien tells the story.
• Little Big Bird. Flying the Tecnam Eaglet light sport aircraft over Maryland's Chesapeake Bay.
• The Doctor is In. Tips for finding a first-class aviation medical examiner.

Are you ready to read about more advanced subjects such as these? Just as pilots upgrade to more advanced certificates, it might be time to upgrade your magazine. You can convert your paid membership to AOPA Pilot at any time by calling AOPA toll-free (800-USA-AOPA).