Flying Lessons - 110309

©2011 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. All rights reserved.

FLYING LESSONSFLYING LESSONS for March 10, 2011

suggested by this week’s aircraft mishap reports FLYING LESSONS uses the past week’s mishap reports to consider what might have contributed to accidents, so you can make better decisions if you face similar circumstances. In almost all cases design characteristics of a specific make and model airplane have little direct bearing on the possible causes of aircraft accidents, so apply these FLYING LESSONS to any airplane you fly. Verify all technical information before applying it to your aircraft or operation, with manufacturers’ data and recommendations taking precedence. You are pilot in command, and are ultimately responsible for the decisions you make.

For the free, expanded FLYING LESSONS report each week, “subscribe” at www.mastery-flight-training.com FLYING LESSONS is an independent product of MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC. www.mastery-flight.training.com This week’s lessons:

We’ve got a lot of material to cover in our final review of the ninth most common cause of fatal general aviation mishaps, thanks to some great comments from FLYING LESSONS readers. So we’ll break from the usual format this week to cover this critical topic. Read on…

Top 10 Causes of Fatal General Aviation Accidents

Cause #9: Low Altitude Maneuvering in Areas of Obstacles

In early February FLYING LESSONS posted synopses of the mishaps that together make up the ninth most common cause of fatal general aviation mishaps, as reported by the FAA. Several readers provided very insightful comments. I’ve listed their comments, verbatim, beneath each applicable scenario description and highlighted some

LESSONS they derived as a result. I’ve then made comments of my own.

Last month FLYING LESSONS offered a couple sample lesson plans to help instructors teach skills helpful for avoiding a repeat of accident history. I’ll continue to do so for future cause breakdowns, but at least for Cause #9 there are no clear, objective LESSONS around which to build an FAA-style lesson plan. Instead, the scenarios when taken together point to a cultural problem in the mindset of many aviators. Instructors and educators are encouraged to review the scenarios and quiz students on possible contributors, then use these reader comments to drive the point home that it is pilot attitude, not stick-and-rudder skill alone, that determines the safe outcome of a flight.

As my friend, aviation ethicist and researcher and FLYING LESSONS reader Dr. Bill Rhodes says, “Every one of these guys met the practical test standards” for a pilot certificate, at least at one point. There is no clearer illustration of the fact that the PTS represent a minimum standard of safety that considering each of these scenarios, and the comments that follow, with that thought in mind.

Let’s review, then, specific scenarios that contribute to the ninth most common cause of fatal general aviation accidents, the comments of FLYING LESSONS readers, and some observations to wrap up this discussion…on the Mastery Flight Training website.

See www.mastery-flight-training.com

Share safer skies. Forward FLYING LESSONS to a friend.

Fly safe, and have fun!

Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety, MCFI

2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year

2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year

©2011 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. All rights reserved.

FLYING LESSONS is ©2011 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. Copyright holder provides permission for FLYING LESSONS to be posted on FAASafety.gov. For more information see www.mastery-flight-training.com, or contact mastery.flight.training@cox.net or your FAASTeam representative.