At Least 50 Ways To Save Your Life

1. At Least50 Ways To Save Your Life or 100 Ways To Lose It In Aviation A PRESENTATION BY MARK D. DILULLO, D.P.E., A.S.C. JEREMY G. SCHUSTER, ESQ., A.S.C.

2. Plan Before You Fly F.A.R’s. require it: Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. F.A.R. § 91.103

3. Always Inspect Your Aircraft Prior To Flight • You Never Know What You Might Find ...

4. Always Inspect Your Aircraft Prior To Flight • Or What Might Be Missing!

5. Always Use The Checklist! • Inspect for foreign objects • Inspect all outflows and vents for blockage • Drain all sumps, filters, lines, etc. • Check tires, brakes, brake lines, fluid levels, lights • At all times, assume the ignition was left on and the engine is a hairbreadth from starting …especially when checking the prop(s).

6. Check The Prop(s)! • Check the propeller(s) carefully, but remain clear as able

7. Check The Prop(s)! Check For: • Chips • Stress Cracks • Other Signs Of Fatigue Or Wear • Looseness Of Blades • Oil Leaks • Spinner Tightness/Attachment

8. Check For Symmetry • The shapes should be the same on each side, except for lateral reversals and special equipment. If something looks askew, there could be a problem.

9. Check For Symmetry

10. Check For Symmetry

11. Check For Symmetry

12. Check For Symmetry • It doesn’t matter whether the plane has twenty wings or two—the concept is the same.

13. Consider Your Takeoff • Check Aircraft Configuration • Know Your Plan Before Takeoff • Use All Available Runway • Intersection departures, wide turns from the taxiway, and rolling departures will never help save lives.

14. Know Your Regulations Did you know? • Each person must occupy an approved seat with a safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness, properly secured about him or her during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing. F.A.R. § 91.107(3)

15. When To Go “ Do not let yourself be forced into doing anything before you are ready. ” —Wilbur Wright

16. When To Go • Preparation assists in avoiding emergencies. • Rushed departures can result in disaster.

17. Think About Aborting Takeoff At Least Until Your Plane Is Climbing

18. Never Take Off Or LandUnless The Aircraft Is Properly Configured • Check the flaps setting! Pilots often forget to retract flaps after touch-and-goes. • Check the gear handle position. • Check the mixture/power settings. • Check the DG! • “GUMPS” applies to takeoff and landing! • “Lights, Camera, Action” final check.

19. Never Take Off Or LandUnless The Aircraft Is Properly Configured This is not a composite photo. This was an airshow low approach performed in MN in 1966.

20. Never Take Off Or LandUnless The Aircraft Is Properly Configured

21. Never Take Off Or LandUnless The Aircraft Is Properly Configured

22. Never Overload The Aircraft • You Can’t Necessarily Fill Every Inch of Space

23. Never Overload The Aircraft • You Can’t Necessarily Fill Every Inch of Space

24. Never Overload The Aircraft • You Can’t Necessarily Fill Every Inch of Space

25. Never Overload The Aircraft • Or Take Every Passenger Who Wants To Fly

26. Never Take Off Above Maximum Gross Weight • You may not be able to take full fuel with the number of passengers present. • You must analyze the weight and balance and performance characteristics of your aircraft to ensure safe operation for the conditions and locale of your flight operations.

27. Never Take Off Without Sufficient Fuel FAA INCIDENT DATA SYSTEM REPORT Data Source: FAA INCIDENT DATA SYSTEM Report Number: 980521014579G Local Date: 05/21/1998 Local Time: 17:00 City: HOUSTON State: MS Event Type: INCIDENT - GENERAL AVIATION Aircraft Information Phase of Flight: NORMAL CRUISE Narrative: FUEL STARVATION ON SHORT FLIGHT. PILOT ADMITTED MISTAKE IN VISUAL FUEL CHECK. LANDED SAFE IN OPEN FIELD. Detail Primary Flight Type: PERSONAL Secondary Flight Type: PLEASURE Type of Operation: GENERAL OPERATING RULES Registration Number: 68172 Total Aboard: 2 Landing Gear: NONRETRACT TRICYCLE Aircraft Weight Class: UNDER 12501 LBS Number of Engines: 1 Environmental/Operations Information Primary Flight Conditions: VISUAL FLIGHT RULES Secondary: WEATHER NOT A FACTOR Light Condition: DAY Flight Plan Filed: NONE Pilot-in-Command Pilot Certificates: AIRLINE TRANSPORT Total Hours: 9000

28. Never Take Off Without Sufficient Fuel F.A.R’s. require: enough fuel (considering wind and forecast weather) to fly to your first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed if VFR day: to fly after that for at least 30 minutes or if VFR night: to fly after that for at least 45 minutes. F.A.R. § 91.151

29. Ensure Your Physical Ability To Fly Make sure you can: • see over the instrument panel; • reach and fully deflect the rudder pedals; • reach and fully depress the brakes; • move the flight controls freely throughout their range of travel.

30. Use All Available Runway

31. Do Not Hesitate In Aborting or Deciding To Abort Takeoff or Landing This was an aborted takeoff of PIA 747

32. Do Not Hesitate In Aborting or Deciding To Abort Takeoff or Landing This was an aborted takeoff of an AWACS plane.

33. Don’t Delay In Retracting The Gear • Retract the gear when you have a positive rate of climb confirmed visually and by instrument indications. • The plane does not require gear to land. In many cases, the plane will land better (e.g., stop in a shorter distance) with the gear retracted. • Late retraction of gear decreases or limits climb performance, depriving you of critical altitude you need to increase your options for landing.

34. Fly To The Best Of Your Ability • Flying to the best of your ability during EVERY FLIGHT maintains proficiency and prevents degradation of performance. • Practical Test Standards have nothing to do with the measures of safety to be employed or maintained during every flight.

35. Fly To The Best Of Your Ability • In an emergency, your abilities won’t rise to the occasion; you will default to your level of training.

36. Trim The Aircraft • Proper use of trim allows you to fly “hands off” momentarily without disruption of the aicraft’s flight attitude. • Failure to trim can be disastrous if you remove your hands for a moment while the trim is set for a different attitude/speed.

37. Fix One Problem At A Time • If you attempt to correct too many problems at once, you will put yourself in (greater) peril. • Use the aids at your disposal, i.e., trim, autopilot, etc.

38. Tell The Truth • If you are “off” of your assigned heading or altitude, and are asked to report either or both, respond with truthful information.

39. Tell The Truth • Controllers cannot properly assist you if you fail to tell the truth about your situation (wrong heading and/or altitude, lost, mistaken, unfamiliar, etc.).

40. Be Ruled By Safety Considerations • Regulations do not ensure safety in all circumstances, they state the minima for operation as set by law.

41. Be Ruled By Safety Considerations • Regulations do not require the private pilot to take flotation gear when traveling from LGB to AVX …

42. Be Ruled By Safety Considerations but it would certainly be better to have that equipment aboard than to look to the regulations to ensure your safety.

43. Get Fuel When It Is Available

44. Get Fuel When It Is Available • Make sure you receive the correct fuel.

45. Get Fuel When It Is Available • The fuel in the truck does not help you once you are airborne. • There is no fuel at AVX! • In 1995, there were 99 fuel management accidents; this is more than the total number of accidents for VFR flight into IMC. • Last year more than two airplanes a week were crashing from fuel exhaustion. -‘98 Nall Report

46. Know Your Airspace • Class D: Controlled Airports, Clearance Required • Class C: Communications Established • Class B: Specific Clearance To Enter Class B

47. Know Your Airspace • Class B Corridor: designed to provide easy transit.

48. Know Your Airspace

49. Use The Services Available To You • Flight Service Stations: Weather information, flight plan services. • “Class ‘C’harlie Service”: Clearance through Class C airspace, traffic advisories; usually involves altitude selection.Why work hard to avoid talking to SoCal? The controllers are there to ASSIST you! • VFR Flight Following: Provides traffic advisories; does not provide separation of aircraft or clearances.

50. The Reality Of Aviation “ Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect. ” —Original author unknown, dates back to a World War II advisory.