Sales Information - Delta Aviation LLC

Optional Equipment:
Optional Performance Package utilizing 310 HP STC: (Ovation 3 Aircraft Only)
This Performance Package consists of a new Hartzell Propeller and Spinner assembly, enabling the aircraft to Climb faster, Needs less runway and creates more speed, through higher RPM limitations (maximum of 2700 rpm).
-- 310 Horsepower
-- 40% Shorter Take-Off Distance
-- 15% Increase in Rate of Climb
-- Ability to Maintain 75% power as much of 3000 ft Higher
-- Increased Take-Off Weight
Optional Platinum Engine:
New Blueprinted Engine with key components matched, tighter tolerance and balanced by Teledyne Continental Motors giving extended time of warranty. The engine is also identified by the Platinum color.
Optional Air Conditioning:
The R--134a Air Conditioner System is designed to cool the aircraft cabin to desired temperature settings
during all phases of flight operations. The air conditioner system may be used during any part of the flight.
The system offers a choice of: 1) Fan only, HI or LOW speeds, or 2) Cabin cooling air, LO or MAX operation.
Optional Standby Alternator System: (Standard on Acclaim & S-Type Acclaim)
The Standby Alternator consists of a 20 Amp standby alternator mounted to the engine accessory case
vacuum pump drive pad. The alternator is a 28 volt unit. The system includes a voltage regulator unit,
annunciator light, EMERG BUS switch, and an electrical bus (Emergency Bus) configuration to provide
specific, dedicated equipment generated power.
The Standby Alternator system is required equipment for the installation of the certified flight into known
icing TKS STC kit. The system is offered as a separate optional equipment installation for the M20R Ovation 2 & 3 for owners who desire a second source of electrical generation.
Optional Oxygen System:
-- 77.1 cubic foot system (standard on Acclaim and S-Type Acclaim)
-- 115.7 cubic foot system (Optional on All Aircraft)
An optional four--place oxygen system provides supplementary oxygen necessary for continuous flight
at high altitude. An oxygen cylinder is located in the equipment bay, accessible through a removable panel
on the aft wall of the baggage compartment, or through the standard external, right side, panel in the tailcone. A combined pressure regulator/shutoff valve, attached to the cylinder, automatically reduces cylinder pressure to the delivery pressure required for operating altitude. The oxygen cylinder filler valve is
located under a spring loaded door aft of the baggage door.
HYPOXIA:
Hypoxia in simple terms is a lack of sufficient oxygen to keep the brain and other body tissues functioning
properly. There is wide individual variation in susceptibility to hypoxia. In addition to progressively insufficient oxygen at higher altitudes, anything interfering with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen can contribute
to hypoxia (anemias, carbon monoxide, and certain drugs). Also, alcohol and various drugs decrease the
brain’s tolerance to hypoxia. Your body has no built in alarm system to let you know when you are not
getting enough oxygen. It is impossible to predict when or where hypoxia will occur during a flight, or how
it will manifest itself. A major early symptom of hypoxia is an increased sense of well--being (referred to
as euphoria). This progresses to slow reactions, impaired thinking ability, unusual fatigue, and dull headache feeling.
Symptoms are slow but progressive, insidious in onset, and are most marked at altitudes starting above
10,000 feet. Night vision, however, can be impaired starting at altitudes lower than 10,000 feet. Heavy
smokers may experience early symptoms of hypoxia at altitudes lower than non--smokers. Use oxygen
on flights above 10,000 feet and at anytime when symptoms appear.
Optional TKS Known Ice Protection System - (via retrofit)
The TKS Ice Protection System consists of porous panels installed on the leading edges of the wings
and tail surfaces, a slinger ring on the propeller hub, a spray bar for the pilot’s windshield, pumps (two
Main & two windshield), fluid reservoir, and associated plumbing. The TKS Ice Protection System exudes
ethylene glycol based fluid and will spray upon demand, to displace ice build--up. This system also requires the additional installation of the standby alternator when retrofitted.
Optional Ceramic coated exhaust pipes: (Ovation 2 and 3 only)
The ceramic coating gives a “Silver or Chrome” luster to the exhaust pipe and also used a heat dissipater.
Optional AmSafe Airbag seat belts - Rear Seat (Standard on Front Seats)
The AAIR V23 is a self-contained, modular, three-point restraint system that improves protection from
serious head impact injury during a survivable aircraft crash by inclusion of an inflatable airbag to the lapbelt portion of the three point restraint.The AAIR V23 system is activated when the buckle’s are joined
[buckled] together at each seat location. Not Available on Bench Seat.
Optional Precise Flight SpeedBrake 2000:
The Precise Flight SpeedBrake 2000 System is installed to provide expedited descents at low cruise power, glide path control on final approach, airspeed reduction and an aid to the prevention of excessive engine cooling in descent. The SpeedBrakes can be extended at aircraft speeds up to VNE.
Optional REIFF Engine & Cylinder Preheat - 110 volt:
The system consists of band heaters clamped around the cylinders and a HotStrip element epoxies to
the oil sump, just simply plug in with an extension cord. This will reduce engine damage from, cold starts,
easier starting, reduce run--up time, saves fuel, simplifies your winter flying.
Optional L--3 COM Skywatch:
The L--3 SkyWatch HP extends the proven capabilities of SkyWatch. With greater display and surveillance range, increased closure rates, and EFIS interface compatibility, SkyWatch HP offers more performance and features than other Traffic Advisory Systems . It monitors the airspace around your aircraft
and indicates where to look for nearby transponder--equipped aircraft that may pose a collision threat.
L--3 COM WX-- 500 Stormscope:
L--3 Avionics Systems’ Stormscope helps thousands of pilots safely avoid the hazards of convective
weather. With Stormscope, they spot dangerous conditions that radar might not show. The Stormscope
series enables pilots to make informed, flight critical decisions about thunderstorm avoidance and allows
them to fly with greater confidence. These Series II Stormscope products incorporate the latest ranging
technology for more precise tracking of lightning discharges from as far away as 200 nmi.
Optional Xenon Landing & Taxi Lights: (Standard on Acclaim & S-Type Acclaim)
Optional Xenon lighting is xenon/LED technology allowing the option of using the xenon bulb for longer
life and more visibility over the conventional style bulbs.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING: Conventional navigation and high intensity strobe lights are installed on the wing
tips and on the rudder trailing edge (strobe light only). Landing and Taxi lights are installed in the right
and left wing leading edge. Split switches are used to control either the left or right taxi or landing lights.
All exterior light switches are located on overhead panel just behind top of windshield.
The high intensity wing tip and tail strobe lights are required for night operation but should be turned OFF
when taxiing near other aircraft or flying in fog or clouds. The conventional position lights must be used
for all night operations.
LANDING AND TAXI LIGHTS
WING TIP
RECOGNITION LIGHTS
Optional Flashing belly beacon:
The aircraft can be equipped with the flashing beacon phasing out the old style rotating beacon. These
flashing beacons are a more robust anti collision--avoidance lights making the aircraft more visible while
flying.
Optional 3.0 inch Rudder Pedal Extensions:
Pedal extensions (1.5 inch or 3 inch versions) allow the pilot to have the pedal closer to them for more
comfort.
Optional Monroy Long-- rang Fuel Tanks -- Retrofit, installed under Monroy Aerospace STC, after delivery:
The Long Range Upgrade provides an increase in range performance. The M20R (Ovation) range increases from the *standard range of 1860 NM to extended range of 2400 NM. The M20TN (Acclaim)
range increases from the *standard range of 1445 NM to extended range of 1852 NM. This range increase
is provided by the addition of two long range fuel tanks in the wings. Each tank holds up to 18 gallons
a side (15 gallons with speed brake) for a total of 36 gallons (30 with speed brakes).
Note: *No--reserve range at 50% power at 15,000 feet, zero wind. Range varies with weight and mixture
leaning.
Optional Becker RA3502 ADF System:
The Becker ADF is a highly useful navigation instrument, particularly for IFR flying. Easy operation is its
long suit. It is tough to beat a system that simply points to the station you tune in. Furthermore, instrument
approaches into many small airports, especially outside the USA are still NDB--based. Lastly, if you are
equipping an aircraft for operation outside of the USA you are generally required to have an ADF.
Optional KN63 Remote DME:
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) is a transponder--based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals. Aircraft use DME to determine their distance from a land--based transponder by sending and receiving pulse pairs -- two pulses
of fixed duration and separation. The ground stations are typically colocated with VORs. A typical DME
ground transponder system for enroute or terminal navigation will have a 1 kW peak pulse output on the
assigned UHF channel. A low power DME can also be colocated with an ILS localizer where it provides
an accurate distance function, similar to that otherwise provided by ILS Marker Beacons.
Optional Bose Headset Series X: (Standard on Acclaim and S-Type Acclaim)
The Upgrade to Series X you will enjoy full--spectrum noise reduction, comfortable fit and clearer sound
when you fly with the Bose Aviation Headset X. Thanks to unique Bose acoustic technologies, this unmatched combination of benefits is available in one lightweight headset. And with bose AdaptiSense
headset technology, you can enjoy the performance of the Aviation Headset X for at least 40 hours from
just two AA alkaline batteries.
Standard Equipment:
Garmin G1000 Integrated Avionics:
The GARMIN G1000 Integrated Avionics System is a fully integrated flight, engine, communication, navigation and surveillance instrumentation system. The system consists of a Primary Flight Display (PFD),
Multi--Function Display (MFD), audio panel (GMA), Air Data Computer (ADC), Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), engine / airframe processing unit (GEA), and integrated avionics (GIA) containing VHF communications, VHS navigation, and GPS navigation.
ELT upgrade to ARTEX ME406:
The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) is located in the tailcone and is accessible from the battery
access door on the right side of the tailcone. The emergency locator transmitter meets the requirements
of FAR 91.52 and is automatically activated by a longitudinal force of 5 to 7 g’s. The ELT transmits a distress signal on both 121.5 MHz and 243.0 MHz for a period of from 48 hours in low temperature areas
and up to 100 hours in high temperature areas. The unit operates on a self--contained battery.
The ME406 is designed specifically for the private pilot in mind. With a weight of two pounds it is the lightest and smallest 406 MHz ELT on the market and transmits on 121.5 and 406.028 MHz. The mechanical
footprint is compatible with all Artex and some other ELT manufacturers products footprints. The ME406
features single antenna output feeding a wire whip or a rod antenna depending on the aircraft speed.
Oxygen System: (Acclaim and S-Type Acclaim)
(77.1 cubic foot system)
An optional four--place oxygen system provides supplementary oxygen necessary for continuous flight
at high altitude. An oxygen cylinder is located in the equipment bay, accessible through a removable panel
on the aft wall of the baggage compartment, or through the standard external, right side, panel in the tailcone. A combined pressure regulator/shutoff valve, attached to the cylinder, automatically reduces cylinder pressure to the delivery pressure required for operating altitude. The oxygen cylinder filler valve is
located under a spring loaded door aft of the baggage door.
TSIO--550-- G Engine:
(Acclaim and S-Type Acclaim)
The M20TN engine is a Teledyne Continental Motors Aircraft Engine Model TSIO--550--G. It is a twin-turbocharged, horizontally opposed, six cylinder, fuel injected, air cooled engine that uses a high pressure, wet sump style oil system for lubrication. There is a full flow spin--on disposable oil filter. The engine
utilizes top air induction, engine mounted throttle body and a bottom exhaust system. Engine front accessories include a hydraulically operated propeller governor and a gear driven alternator. Rear engine accessories include a starter, gear--driven oil pump, gear--driven fuel pump and dual gear driven magnetos.
(Ovation 2 and 3)
The M20R engine is a Teledyne Continental Motors Aircraft Engine Model TSIO--550--G. It is a horizontally opposed, six cylinder, fuel injected, air cooled engine that uses a high pressure, wet sump style oil system for lubrication. There is a full flow spin--on disposable oil filter. The engine utilizes top air induction,
engine mounted throttle body and a bottom exhaust system. Engine front accessories include a hydraulically operated propeller governor and a gear driven alternator. Rear engine accessories include a starter,
gear--driven oil pump, gear--driven fuel pump and dual gear driven magnetos.
AmSafe Airbag seat belts - Front Seats (Optional on Rear Seat)
The AAIR V23 is a self-contained, modular, three-point restraint system that improves protection from
serious head impact injury during a survivable aircraft crash by inclusion of an inflatable airbag to the lapbelt portion of the three point restraint.The AAIR V23 system is activated when the buckle’s are joined
[buckled] together at each seat location
Xenon Landing & Taxi Lights: (Optional on Ovation 2 and 3)
Optional Xenon lighting is xenon/LED technology allowing the option of using the xenon bulb for longer
life and more visibility over the conventional style bulbs.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING: Conventional navigation and high intensity strobe lights are installed on the wing
tips and on the rudder trailing edge (strobe light only). Landing and Taxi lights are installed in the right
and left wing leading edge. Split switches are used to control either the left or right taxi or landing lights.
All exterior light switches are located on overhead panel just behind top of windshield.
Bose Headset Series X: (Optional on Ovation 2 & 3)
The Upgrade to Series X you will enjoy full--spectrum noise reduction, comfortable fit and clearer sound
when you fly with the Bose Aviation Headset X. Thanks to unique Bose acoustic technologies, this unmatched combination of benefits is available in one lightweight headset. And with bose AdaptiSense
headset technology, you can enjoy the performance of the Aviation Headset X for at least 40 hours from
just two AA alkaline batteries.
Mooney Main and Nose Gear: (LANDING GEAR)
CONSTRUCTION:
Landing gear legs are constructed of chrome----molybdenum tubular steel, heat--treated for greater
strength and wear resistance. Main gear leg attaching points pivot in bearing surfaces on forward and
stub spars. The nose gear mounts on cabin tubular steel frame. Rubber discs in all gear leg assemblies
absorb shock of taxiing and landing.
Main Gear (shown)
RETRACTION SYSTEM:
Landing gear is electrically retracted and extended. The landing gear switch operates a landing gear actuator relay. Pull wheel----shaped knob out and move it to upper detent to raise landing gear. An Airspeed
Safety Switch, located on left fuselage side adjacent to the pilot’s left knee and connected to the airspeed
indicator, is incorporated into the electrical system to prevent landing gear retraction while on the ground
and until a safe takeoff speed (approximately 60 ± 5KTS) is reached. A properly rigged up----limit switch
will stop landing gear in its retracted position. Move control knob to its lower detent to lower landing gear.
A properly rigged down--limit switch will stop landing gear actuatingmotor when proper force has been
exerted to hold landing gear in the down--and--locked position. Bungee springs pre----load the retractionmechanism in an overcenter position to assist in holding landing gear down. A landing gear safety by-pass switch override is provided, next to the gear switch, to allow the landing gear to retract for maintenance purposes. Depress and hold this switch tomanually by--pass airspeed safety switch and allow
landing gear to retract. The electrical extension or retraction system will not operate if the manual extension lever is not properly positioned down (refer to EmergencyExtension System section).
WHEEL BRAKES:
Main gear wheels incorporate self--adjusting, disc--type, dual puck, hydraulic brakes. The pilot’s rudder
pedals have individual toe--actuated brake cylinders linked to therudder pedals. Depressing both toe pedals and pulling parking brake control, on console, sets the brakes. Push parking brake control forward
to release brakes. It is not advisable to set parking brake when brakes are overheated, after heavy braking or when outside temperatures are unusually high. Trapped hydraulic fluidmay expand with heat and
damage the system.Wheel chocks and tie downs should be used for long--term parking.
EMERGENCY EXTENSION SYSTEM:
A manual, emergency gear extension mechanism is provided to allow emergency lowering of landing
gear. The controlmechanism is located between and aft of pilot and co--pilot seats. The RED lever must
be released and pulled up (rotated aft) to engage themanual emergency extension mechanism. The
mechanism has a spring retracted pull cable which manually drives the gear actuator to extend landing
gear. 12--20 pulls are required to fully extend and lock landing gear down. The electrical extension or retraction system will not operate if the manual extension lever is not properly positioned down.
WARNING SYSTEM:
The landing gear warning system consists of:
1) Landing gear condition lights, GREEN for “GEARDOWN” and RED for “GEAR UNSAFE”, and
2) VOICE ALERT, activated when landing gear is not down--and--locked and throttle is approximately 1/4
inch from idle position.
The green light shows continuously when landing gear is fully extended. The red light shows when ever
landing gear is in transit or not locked down but is OFF when landing gear is fully retracted. A visual gear-position indicator, located on floorboard, aft of the fuel selector, shows that landing gear is down when
indicator marks align. The gear down light is dimmed when navigation lights are turned on.
General Information and Terminology:
FLIGHT PLANNING:
FAR Part 91 requires that each pilot in command, before beginning a flight, familiarize himself with all
available information concerning that flight. All pilots are urged to obtain a complete preflight briefing. This
would consist of weather; local, enroute and destination, plus alternates, enroute nav aid information.
Also airport runways active, length of runways, takeoff and landing distances for the airplane for conditions expected should be known.
The prudent pilot will review his planned enroute track and stations and make a list for quick reference.
It is strongly recommended a flight plan be filed with Flight Service Stations even though the flight may
be VFR. Also, advise Flight Service Stations of changes or delays of one hour or more and remember
to close the flight plan at destination.
The pilot must be completely familiar with the performance of the airplane and performance data in the
airplane manuals and placards. The resultant effect of temperature and pressure altitude must be taken
into account in determining performance if not accounted for on the charts. Applicable FAA manuals must
be aboard the airplane at all times including the weight and balance forms and equipment lists.
The airplane must be loaded so as not to exceed the weight and the weight and balance loading center
of gravity (c.g.) limitations. Also, that at least minimum fuel for takeoff is aboard and sufficient for the trip,
plus reserves. Oil in the engines should be checked and filled as required.
VOR -- VOR is short for VHF Omni--directional Radio Range, is a type of radio navigation system for aircraft. VORs broadcast a VHF radio composite signal including the station’s morse code identifier (and
sometimes a voice identifier), and data that allows the airborne receiving equipment to derive the magnetic bearing from the station to the aircraft (direction from the VOR station in relation to the earth’s magnetic
North at the time of installation). This line of position is called the “radial” in VOR parlance. The intersection of two radials from different VOR stations on a chart allows for a “fix” or specific position of the aircraft.
The VOR’s major advantage is that the radio signal provides a reliable line (radial) to or from the station
which can be selected and easily followed by the pilot. A worldwide network of “air highways”, known in
the US as Victor (for VHF) Airways (below 18,000 feet) and “jet routes” (at and above 18,000 feet), was
set up linking the VORs and airports. An aircraft could follow a specific path from station to station by
tuning the successive stations on the VOR receiver, and then either following the desired course on a
Radio Magnetic Indicator, or setting it on a conventional VOR indicator (shown below) or a Horizontal
Situation Indicator (HSI, a more sophisticated version of the VOR indicator) and keeping a course pointer
centered on the display.
VORs also provided considerably greater accuracy and reliability than NDBs due to a combination of factors in their construction ---- specifically, less course bending around terrain features and coastlines, and
less interference from thunderstorms. Although VOR transmitters were more expensive to install and
maintain (as was the airborne equipment, initially), today VOR has almost entirely replaced the low/medium frequency ranges and beacons in civilian aviation . . . and is now in the process of being supplanted
by the Global Positioning System (GPS). Because they work in the VHF band, VOR stations rely on ”line
of sight” -- if the transmitting antenna could not be seen on a perfectly clear day from the receiving antenna, a useful signal would not be received. This limits VOR (and DME) range to the horizon -- or closer
if mountains intervene. This means that an extensive network of stations is needed to provide reasonable
coverage along main air routes. The VOR network is a significant cost in operating the current airway
system, although the modern solid state transmitting equipment requires much less maintenance than
the older units.
ILS -- The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is a ground--based instrument approach system which provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching a runway, using a combination of radio signals and,
in many cases, high--intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during Instrument meteorological
conditions (IMC), such as low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow.
Instrument Approach Procedure charts (or “approach plates”) are published for each ILS approach, providing pilots with the needed information to fly an ILS approach during Instrument flight rules (IFR) operations, including the radio frequencies used by the ILS components or navaids and the minimum visibility
requirements prescribed for the specific approach.
IFR -- Instrument flight rules (IFR) are a set of regulations and procedures for flying aircraft whereby navigation and obstacle clearance is maintained with reference to aircraft instruments only, while separation
from other aircraft is provided by Air Traffic Control. In layman’s terms, a pilot who is rated for IFR can
keep a plane in controlled flight solely on the data provided by his instruments, even if that pilot cannot
see anything (useful) out the cockpit windows; indeed, one of the benefits of these regulations are the
ability to navigate fly through clouds, which is otherwise not allowed.
IFR is an alternative to visual flight rules (VFR), where the pilot is ultimately responsible for navigation,
obstacle clearance and traffic separation using the see--and--avoid concept. The vast majority of commercial traffic (any flight for hire) and all scheduled air carriers operate exclusively under IFR. Commercial
aircraft providing sight seeing flights, aerial photography, or lift services for parachute jumping usually
operate under VFR.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules) -- A defined set of FAA regulations and “rules of the road” covering operation
of aircraft primarily by visual reference to the horizon (for aircraft control) and see--and--avoid procedures
(for traffic separation). VFR is used by more than 70 percent of all flights; it is not, by definition, uncontrolled or out of control!
VFR -- LOW CEILINGS
If you are not instrument rated, avoid “VFR On Top” and “Special VFR”. Being caught above an undercast
when an emergency descent is required (or at destination) is an extremely hazardous position for the VFR
pilot.
Accepting a clearance out of certain airport control zones with no minimum ceiling and one--mile visibility
as permitted with “Special VFR” is not a recommended practice for VFR pilots. Avoid areas of low ceilings
and restricted visibility unless you are instrument proficient and have an instrument equipped airplane.
Then proceed with caution and have planned alternates.
VFR -- AT NIGHT
When flying VFR at night, in addition to the altitude appropriate for the direction of flight, pilots should
maintain a safe minimum altitude as dictated by terrain, obstacles such as TV towers, or communities
in the area flown. This is especially true in mountainous terrain,where there is usually very little ground
reference and absolute minimum clearance is 2,000 feet. Don’t depend on your being able to see obstacles in time to miss them. Flight on dark nights over sparsely populated country can be almost the
same as IFR and should be avoided by untrained pilots.
VFR -- NIGHT
Night VFR Part 1 Do You See The Hazard?
by John Heiler, Regional Aviation Safety Officer, Pacific Region
Night visual flight rules (NVFR) flight has always been and continues to be more hazardous than day VFR
flight, mostly because of the lack of visual cues and our vulnerability as humans to be affected by illusions.
Historical accident data indicates not only that the risk of specific types of accidents increases at night
(in the form of dark night takeoffs, inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), controlled
flight into terrain (CFIT), and black--hole illusion) but also that these accidents are usually fatal.
Even though the hazards associated with flying at night have been known within the industry for many
years, these types of accidents continue to occur, which suggests a relatively low level of awareness within the pilot community. This article will address some of these hazards, which usually affect our human
physiological limitations.
Whether we are a low--time recreational pilot or a highly experienced airline veteran, we are all affected
by the increased risk of night flying. In January 1999, a DC--3 was en route from Vancouver to Victoria,
B.C., on an NVFR flight when it collided with trees on Mayne Island, at about 900 ft AGL. The aircraft
then fell into a valley, where a post--crash fire occurred. The two occupants of the aircraft sustained fatal
injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. This CFIT accident occurred even though there were almost
30,000 hours of flight experience between the two pilots!
Pilots can have difficulty seeing terrain at night, even in clear visual meteorological conditions (VMC). In
addition to the above example, one of the most publicized CFIT accidents claimed the lives of eight members of country music singer Reba McEntire’s band and two flight crew members. While flying below controlled airspace in San Diego, California, and awaiting an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance, the flight
crew of the Hawker Siddeley DH--125 flew under controlled flight into mountainous terrain. The night was
clear and moonless with 10 mi. visibility.
Pilot Self--check
It is primordial that you are physically and physiologically at your best before flying at night. While you
may be tempted to squeeze in a few circuits during the day with a head cold and get away with it, the
same trick at night may cause you more than a few sniffles. Never fly at night if you are sick, tired, or taking
medication. This may sound overly paternalistic and just plain motherhood, but it needs to be said. Also,
it is generally believed that smoking prior to a night flight may reduce your visual acuity -- a good time
to butt out!
Pre--flight Planning
With any flight, pre--flight planning is extremely important; this is especially true at night. As it is difficult
to see weather at night, you need to review the weather conditions that you may encounter. Pay particular
attention to the temperature--dew point spread. Be very cautious when the spread is less than 5°C. Section 602.115 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) requires a visibility of three miles for NVFR
flight but, remember, this is a minimum.
Dark Night Conditions
Dark night conditions normally occur when there is no or there is very little celestial lighting or when this
lighting is obscured by an overcast layer of cloud. Most night accidents happen in these conditions because of the lack of visual cues available to the pilot even in VMC.
In a recent accident, a Piper PA--31 with nine occupants on board departed Rainbow Lake, Alta., westbound at night and collided with trees and terrain approximately 3000 ft west of the departure end of the
runway. The sky was clear with unrestricted visibility and light winds. The ambient lighting conditions were
described as dark, with no moon, little illumination from the night sky and no lights to the west of the airport, basically, dark night conditions. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) determined that
the aircraft was inadvertently flown into trees and the ground in controlled flight because a positive rate
of climb was not maintained after takeoff.
The pilot’s night departure technique was considered to be the active failure in this accident. Night departures in dark conditions require full use of the aircraft flight instruments, and it is essential that the pilot
achieve and maintain a positive rate of climb. In the absence of outside visual cues, the pilot must rely
on aircraft instruments to maintain airspeed and attitude to overcome any false sensations of a climb.
In this case, the pilot was either relying on outside visual cues during the initial climb and/or using only
a partial instrument panel scan while being influenced by a somatogravic illusion. (See ”Controlled Flight
into Terrain (CFIT) at Night” in ASL 4/99 or TSB Final Report A98W0009 for a complete review of this
accident.)
Route Study
A thorough route study is required to identify any hazards or obstructions along the way. For commercial
operators, CAR 703.27(a) prohibits en route NVFR at less than 1000 ft above the highest obstacle. In
addition, NVFR must be conducted along air routes or routes specifically established by the air operator
and designed in accordance with section 723.34 of the Commercial Air Service Standard (CASS). As
ground features may be very difficult to see, identify any NAVAIDs that you can use along the way to assist
in navigation. Always carry a serviceable flashlight or, better yet, carry two. Pre--fold your maps and bookmark pages in any flight publication that you may be using to help you find the information you are looking
for.
Aircraft
Last but not least, is your aircraft. Check all interior and exterior lights, and make sure you are totally familiar with the operation of all instrument panel, overhead and cabin lights. Test the dimmers, which will allow
you to adjust your cockpit lighting as required. Also, it is a little known fact that CAR 605.16 requires the
pilot--in--command to have a number of spare fuses that is equal to at least 50% of the total number of
installed fuses of that rating accessible to him/her during flight. (Bet you didn’t know that.)
Start, Taxi and Run--up
With the dim lighting, it will be more difficult to find your charts, pencil, flashlight, Canada Flight Supplement (CFS), etc., so organize your cockpit to have all items easily and quickly accessible. Passengers
can reduce your workload by holding a map or the CFS for you.
Because of the restricted visibility, taxi at a reduced speed, particularly in the vicinity of other aircraft and
obstacles. Taxi speed is deceptive at night, and there is a tendency to taxi too fast. One reason for this
is the lack of customary visible ground objects that make speed apparent during the day. At night, stationary lights are nearer than they appear to be, which makes judging distance difficult. Also, our depth perception is reduced in dark conditions, so give yourself a little extra room while manoeuvring.
Some aircraft do not have a taxi light, so the landing light could be used. Keep in mind that at the slower
speeds, the landing light may overheat and fail. Also keep in mind that other pilots may be trying to adapt
to night vision and would not appreciate your landing or taxi light illuminating their immediate surroundings. It is also more difficult to detect movement at night; therefore, when parked with the engine running
or doing your run--up, make sure you have the brakes firmly applied and be on the look--out for any movement that may occur.
Takeoff and Climb
One of the high accident rate areas at night occur during the takeoff and climb phase. According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), you are more than five times as likely to have an
accident during this phase of flight at night. Prior to takeoff, adjust your cockpit lighting so that the brightness does not interfere with your night--adapted eyes or reflect off windows to the point of distraction, but
keep it bright enough to clearly read the instruments.
It may take some time to find the correct level of lighting for the given situation and will change as your
eyes adapt to the darkness, which will take about 30 min. After time spent in bright sunlight, the eye is
slow to adapt to darkness, and this may reduce night vision. To improve dark adaptation, pilots should
use sunglasses during the day to avoid eye fatigue. For the most part, the take--off procedures are the
same at night as they are during the day except that once you leave the ground, you will have fewer visual
clues and will become more susceptible to illusions.
Keep an eye out for Part 2 in an upcoming issue of Aviation Safety Letter, and contact your regional System Safety office for the latest on our NVFR safety promotional campaign.
Night VFR Part II -- The Dark Side of Night Flying
by John Heiler, Regional Aviation Safety Officer, Pacific Region; and Dale Wilson, Assistant Professor,
Central Washington University. This article is a follow--up to “Night VFR Part 1 -- Do You See The Hazard?” published in ASL 4/2000.
Visual flight rules (VFR) flight is inherently more risky at night than it is during the day. Not only are certain
types of accidents more likely at night, but there are also some accidents that occur only after dark. In
Part I (ASL 4/2000), we discussed the importance of pre--flight planning and the hazards associated with
ground operations at night. This article introduces the major hazards of night VFR (NVFR) operations
during the take--off and climb phases of flight, while en route, and during the approach and landing phases
of flight.
Takeoff and Climb -- A critical hazard after takeoff at night occurs when climbing into black--hole conditions where there are no surface lights and the sky is overcast and/or moonless. Over three--quarters
of night takeoff accidents occur during these dark--night conditions. A contributing factor in these accidents is the somatogravic or false climb illusion. When our body is accelerated after takeoff (or during
an overshoot), the brain perceives acceleration and gravity as a single force acting both downward and
backward. Pilots who experience this pitch--up illusion often respond by pitching the nose down. For example, the pilot of a Cessna T210 Centurion died after his airplane crashed into a frozen lake one and
a half miles from the end of the runway after an NVFR departure from Flin Flon, Man. In a similar accident,
three people on board a Piper PA--31 Chieftain were fatally injured when their MEDEVAC flight struck
the dark waters of Lake Erie shortly after departing Pelee Island, Ontario. VFR and dark--night conditions
prevailed, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) cited the somatogravic illusion as a
causal factor in these accidents. Therefore, to ensure a positive rate of climb and safe terrain clearance
during the initial climb phase at night, it is important to use your flight instruments until adequate outside
visual references are established -- do not rely solely on outside visual references.
En route -- Reduced ability to see at night also creates hazards during the en route portion of flight. If
you are not using radio navigation, it will be more difficult to navigate at night, especially on a dark night.
There is simply not enough light to visually confirm your position, especially in sparsely settled areas.
Therefore, you need to use other sources of navigation information, such as VORs, NDBs, and GPS.
It is also difficult to detect terrain at night, even in good weather conditions. Transport Canada recently
studied several dark--night accidents that actually occurred in conditions of good visibility, but they happened over sparsely settled areas where there is literally nothing to see! Since it is difficult to visually detect terrain at night, you should plan for a safe obstacle clearance altitude of at least 2000 ft above the
appropriate maximum elevation figure (MEF) indicated on your VFR Navigation Chart (VNC). If you are
flying on an airway, you should plan for the minimum en route altitude (MEA) indicated on your IFR Navigation Chart. Also, when selecting an altitude, keep in mind that the retina of the eye is the first organ
to experience hypoxia. To ensure adequate night vision, it is recommended that supplemental oxygen
be used above 5000 ft MSL.
Finally, there is an increased risk of inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at
night. Even though an estimated 10% of VFR flight activity occurs at night, a full 30% of VFR--into--IMC
accidents occur during the hours of darkness. It is more difficult to visually detect inclement weather when
flying at night. Over a ten--year period, a TSB study found that VFR flight into IMC accounted for only
6% of all aircraft accidents yet was responsible for 26% of fatalities, making this the number one killer
in aviation. Why are these accidents so deadly? Once VFR pilots enter cloud, either they fly into terrain
while in controlled flight or they experience spatial disorientation and lose control of their aircraft. The
latter was presumably the case for the non--instrument--rated pilot of a Cessna 150 who was killed when
he struck terrain en route from Spirit River to St. Paul, Alberta. The TSB report indicates the pilot “continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions, probably became disorientated . . . lost control of the aircraft . . . [and] entered a spiral dive from which [he] could not recover.” Since he was flying over a sparsely
populated area at night, he would have had difficulty seeing the inclement weather, let alone the ground
or horizon.
To avoid flying into IMC, not only should you obtain a thorough pre--flight weather briefing, you should
also carefully monitor any weather changes while en route. Also, you can often detect the formation of
low cloud or fog if you see a halo or glow around surface lights.
Approach and Landing -- As you near your destination, it is important to understand the risk that darkness
brings to the approach and landing phase of flight. It increases significantly when you conduct an approach in black--hole conditions. A black hole exists on dark nights when there are no surface lights between the aircraft and the runway environment. In these conditions, pilots have a strong tendency to fly
too low and could crash short of the runway.
Comparision of the approach path flown by pilots during a night visual approach with the desired altitudes.
Altitude is in the thousands of feet; distance from the runway is in miles. (After Kraft, 1978.) Illustration
reproduced from Human Factors in Aviation by Earl Wiener and David Nagel, Academic Press Inc., 1988,
with permission.
Ever since Dr. Conrad Kraft at Boeing verified this problem in a series of simulator studies in the late
1960s, the hazards of black--hole illusions have been widely publicized in the aviation community. Unfortunately, pilots still fall prey to this visual illusion. For example, while the crew of a C99 Airliner was conducting a visual approach to Moosonee, Ontario, they struck the trees and crashed seven miles short
of the runway, killing one crew member and seriously injuring the others on board. In 1991, a Canadian
Forces C--130 Hercules struck the terrain several miles short of the airport on a clear night while conducting a visual approach to Canadian Forces Station Alert. The black--hole illusion was cited by the TSB as
a causal factor in these accidents.
An upsloping runway increases the black--hole illusion. Recently, the crew of a Boeing 767 was fooled
by this illusion while on final approach for an upsloping runway at Halifax International Airport. In spite
of proper guidance provided by the precision approach path indicator (PAPI), the crew responded with
an unwarranted power reduction, causing the airplane to land short, damaging the tail skid and rear fuselage.
To avoid these illusions, you should supplement your outside visual reference to the runway with airport
approach slope indicators (VASI, PAPI, etc.) or glide path information from your navigation instruments
(ILS or GPS). Using distance measuring equipment (DME), you can also fly a three--degree approach
angle by remaining 300 ft AGL per nautical mile flown. Also, consider overflying an unfamiliar airport before beginning your approach descent.
Summary -- NVFR flight can be a pleasant experience, but the risks are clearly greater. A pilot who died
in a typical “dark--night takeoff accident,” had claimed earlier that flying at night was no different than flying
during the day. Well there is one difference -- you can’t see anything at night! Awareness of the hazards
associated with each phase of NVFR flight will help you avoid becoming another statistic. Remember that
an illusion, by definition, deceives us, so don’t completely trust your senses -- use other aids to vision.
If you are not instrument--rated, obtain some instrument training and maintain a minimum level of instrument proficiency. If you have an instrument rating, use it; it is your best defense against the hazards of
night flying.
Contact your regional System Safety office for the latest on our NVFR safety promotion campaign.
This article is based in part on Dale Wilson’s article, “Darkness Increases Risks of Flight,” published in
the Flight Safety Foundation’s (FSF) Nov.--Dec. issue of Human Factors and Aviation Medicine, which
can be accessed on the FSF Web site at http://www.flightsafety.org.
AVIATION -- ICING CONDITIONS
Many would contend that icing is the most serious weather condition pilots can face as they fly through
adverse weather. While not as monstrous as thunderstorms, icing is even more dangerous because of
the insidious nature in which it can attack. A pilot can see a thunderstorm from miles away in most
instances. In the rest of the cases, radar, ATC and other resources are available.
In addition, a pilot knows when he is in a thunderstorm. The lightning, downdrafts, updrafts, microbursts,
and even mesocyclonic activity make them hard to miss. But icing is different. It is a sneaky killer. One
minute you are flying along seemingly with no problems and the next you a plummeting to Earth in an
uncorrectable stall. Ice accretion on the aircraft wings wings has destroyed their ability to act as airfoils
and provide lift. As we all know, lift may fail, gravity never does.
So what is icing? Basically, it is the accretion of ice on aircraft surfaces. That accretion can cause a variety
of woes ranging from instrument failures to engine power problems and finally a total loss of lift.
Luckily, icing can only occur in a very narrow range near the freezing point. Now we could get into the
formulas to determine the freezing level using lapse rates and such, but why bother when the work is
basically done for us.
Let’s take a look at the general parameters needed for icing, then we can look more closely at the three
types of icing mentioned above. The following graphic developed by the National Weather Service gives
the general basics of airframe icing. First, we need temperatures in the range of 14--32 degrees. Any
warmer and nothing will freeze. Any colder, the air does not have the ability to hold the moisture needed
to form supercooled droplets. These supercooled droplets are able to remain in a liquid state, though they
may be as cold as 15--20 degrees. We will not get into the dynamics of how they exist in this tutorial, but
accept that they do. So if you look at “1” we have the optimal temperature range, then “2” gives us a relative humidity allowing droplets to form form rising, warmer air. The fourth step shows that these droplets
can be anywhere from 30 to 300 micrometers across. That size will become important later. Finally, we
see the drops freeze on the airframe and disrupt the flow of air.
So why are there three different kinds of icing? Well it has to do with the tweaking of those parameters
noted above.
Clear Ice is formed when large supercooled droplets hit the airframe, freezing as they spread along the
surface. This allows a solid sheet of smooth ice to form on the airframe. There is a good and the bad here.
The good first: Since clear icing spreads as a smooth sheet on the airframe, there is little disruption of
airflow. Unfortunately, this is outweighed, literally by the bad: Clear ice is heavy and hard. It is the heaviest
of all types of icing and the toughest to remove. Add enough of it to the airframe and lift is overcome by
gravity with serious effects. You can expect to find Clear ice in areas of rain and almost exclusively in
cumulous types of clouds.
Rime Ice is formed when smaller, fast moving, supercooled droplets hit the airframe and freeze instantly.
They do not spread across the surface but freeze where they hit. As hundreds of these hit the airframe
they trap air in pockets between frozen droplets. This gives Rime ice a milky appearance, compared to
the ”Clear” ice. Rime ice is much lighter due to the air trapped within. But the rough irregular surface can
so significantly disrupt the airflow over the wings and other control surfaces that control is impossible.
Rime icing is common in areas with drizzle and usually stratus types of clouds.
Mixed Ice is just what it says, a mix of clear ice and rime ice. This is seen when droplets vary in size or
when snow, various size droplets and ice pellets make up the mix hitting the plane. This is the most serious form of icing. It has the weight of clear ice and the airflow disruption of rime ice. A deadly combination.
Before we look at how to handle icing, let’s look at a couple of other icing problems not directly related
to control surface icing. Induction icing forms when supercooled droplets are pulled into the engine. This
can restrict the flow of air into the engine and even restrict the movement of engine components. Instrument icing occurs when pitot tubes and static vent ports are covered and clogged with ice. This can lead
to the loss or malfunction of a host of instruments, many essential to safe flight in heavy weather.
So what do we do? In most cases, this is not that big a deal. During pre--flight, check for any PIREPs along
your path as well as freezing line and precipitation charts. If there is any chance you will enter icing conditions, well ahead of the adverse conditions, make sure pitot heat, engine anti--ice and structural anti--icing
are all on. Do not wait until you are in icing conditions to turn these devices on. They all take a little time
to come to full working status. So this takes care of the airliners with full anti--icing systems, what about
planes with such systems?
First of all, you should still have engine heat and pitot heat. Use them. Then try to avoid the icing conditions
by climbing above the precipitation or descending below the freezing line. If this is not possible, land and
sit out the passage of the conditions.
LAMINAR FLOW WING
Laminar Flow is the smooth, uninterrupted flow of air over the contour of the wings, fuselage, or other
parts of an aircraft in flight. Laminar flow is most often found at the front of a streamlined body and is an
important factor in flight. If the smooth flow of air is interrupted over a wing section, turbulence is created
which results in a loss of lift and a high degree of drag. An airfoil designed for minimum drag and uninterrupted flow of the boundary layer is called a laminar airfoil.
The Laminar flow theory dealt with the development of a symmetrical airfoil section which had the same
curvature on both the upper and lower surface. The design was relatively thin at the leading edge and
progressively widened to a point of greatest thickness as far aft as possible. The theory in using an airfoil
of this design was to maintain the adhesion of the boundary layers of airflow which are present in flight
as far aft of the leading edge as possible. on normal airfoils the boundary layer would be interrupted at
high speeds and the resultant break would cause a turbulent flow over the remainder of the foil. This turbulence would be realized as drag up the point of maximum speed at which time the control surfaces and
aircraft flying characteristics would be affected. The formation of the boundary layer is a process of layers
of air formed one next to the other, ie; the term laminar is derived from the lamination principle involved.
FLYING TAIL
The main goal of the flying tail concept is to give maximum pitch control.