Safe, Single-Pilot IFR generalities

Greg Farris wrote:

1) No Single-Pilot, single engine IFR in IMC at night

I personally do not agree with this one, but I understand and respect
everyone's personal minimums.

My aircraft is meticulously maintained with a 200 hr since rebuilt engine
and it is equipped with dual alternators, two attitude indicators (one
electric and one vacuum), and an autopilot. Additionally, I wear a
red/white LED light strapped to my head at night, I have two LED
flashlights in the cockpit, and I carry a McMurdo FastFind Plus PLB.

Being that I fly a lot of Angel Flight missions in the Northeast, I
encounter night IMC often.

--
Peter
























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Greg Farris wrote:
Here are some "general" tips for safe, single-pilot IFR, gleaned from
Larry Bartlett's refresher course. These tips do not represent the "meat
and potatoes" of the video course, but are thrown in at a couple of
points as generalities. How many agree with these :

1) No Single-Pilot, single engine IFR in IMC at night
Too broad. There's night and there's NIGHT. For example, starting a
flight in daylight and ending with some night enroute into a familiar
area with familiar approaches, in benign weather, in my plane - that's
night-lite. Night departure into a low ceiling with breakout at
minimums at the destination - NO. In fact, night departures into low
ceilings are off my SE/SP list.
3) No S-P IFR in IMC without dual vacuum sources, and strong
preference for dual alrternators.
Dual vac - a good idea. A vac failure light - equally important. I
have a strong preference for a Pilatus...
4) Keep VFR weather within range of the aircraft at all times, and
know where it is
Having an out is critical. Figuring it out during pre-flight planning
is crucial and sometimes an eye-opener.
5) Avoid S-P circling approaches in IMC, and definitely not at
night or close to minimums
You don't circle until you are VMC. Not sure what this is. Avoiding
circles at night - good idea but it depends.

Wow, I've done all those (except #2).
The important thing to remember is that "safety" is not an absolute.
Pilots need to start thinking in terms of risk management and not "safe
vs. not safe"

-Robert

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
Wow, I've done all those (except #2).

And what was that?

Don't you love people that talk to themselves?


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Greg Farris wrote:
Here are some "general" tips for safe, single-pilot IFR, gleaned from
Larry Bartlett's refresher course. These tips do not represent the "meat
and potatoes" of the video course, but are thrown in at a couple of
points as generalities. How many agree with these :

1) No Single-Pilot, single engine IFR in IMC at night

I would never get any IFR time if I didn't. Seriously, I don't see your issue.
It really comes down to if you are going to be safer contacting the ground
on engine out in the dark with or without fog. I'd say its unlikely that
its a significant disadvantage over the (already admittedly dangerous)
engine out with night VFR.

2) No S-P Multi-engine IFR with MEA's higher than the aircraft's SE
performance

Don't have a multi, so can't comment.

3) No S-P IFR in IMC without dual vacuum sources, and strong
preference for dual alrternators.

Pretty much don't agree. I am moving away from vac stuff to electric,
its more reliable. The next step is to get rid of the vac horizon.
And people make a big deal about a single alternator, but it is not
true that it is single point of fail. It is also backed up by the
battery. In any case, the vac and the electric back each other up.
It comes back to if having the attitude go out kills you, even if
you have a backup for that. It seems to me that an electric attitude
that flags itself for problems is the best you can do here.

4) Keep VFR weather within range of the aircraft at all times, and
know where it is

Nice. Not always possible, but nice.

5) Avoid S-P circling approaches in IMC, and definitely not at
night or close to minimums


Agree. I don't do circling anything, except for my instructor. But
I fly needles and lines, and I don't feel comfortable any other way.

And people make a big deal about a single alternator, but it is not
true that it is single point of fail. It is also backed up by the
battery.

Right, the single point failure is not the single alternator - it is
the single battery contactor. If that fails (or the battery cooks
itself) the alternator ALSO goes off line - because it needs battery
power to excite the field and won't self-excite. Most light twin
electrical systems feature two alternators - which isn't any better,
because the battery/master contactor still exist as point failures.
Most generator-driven light twins have paralelling relatys, which, in
the event of some kinds of failures, will cook the system. A truly
redundant (no single point failures) electrical system is a very rare
thing in light GA. That's why all-electric airplanes scare me unless
they have independent buses and multiple batteries.

It seems to me that an electric attitude
that flags itself for problems is the best you can do here.

No such animal in GA, I'm afraid. You can buy one that flags loss of
power (be it vacuum, pressure, or electric) but that's not the most
common mode of failure for the AI - generally it is the gyro mechanism
(brushes, bearings, etc) that fails.

Ultimately, the only solution is dual independent power sources
(neither alternators nor generators with a paralelling relay qualify)
and dual attitude gyros. For example, one vacuum and one electric
attitude gyro is a great choice. Few GA airplanes have that.

Michael

In article om,
says...


Ultimately, the only solution is dual independent power sources
(neither alternators nor generators with a paralelling relay qualify)
and dual attitude gyros. For example, one vacuum and one electric
attitude gyro is a great choice. Few GA airplanes have that.



More and more do (because more and more have glass primary systems) -
but the backup is often a tiny job way off by your right hand somewhere.
I've seen some panels with two separate AI's, separate power sources,
and both right there in front of you. I like that - not only do you have
it where you need it when you need it, but you'll also detect the
failure immediately, because you'll see the discrepancy. One of the
nasty parts of AI failures in IMC is that it fails slowly, and by the
time you realize it's cooked, you're heading into the trees at low mach
speeds.

I've been a bad, bad boy.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:58:31 +0200, Greg Farris wrote:
These tips do not represent the "meat
and potatoes" of the video course, but are thrown in at a couple of
points as generalities. How many agree with these :

1) No Single-Pilot, single engine IFR in IMC at night

Disagree. Plane does not care if it's night or day, IMC or VFR. Important
thing is currency and maintenance of the plane you fly. I did 2 1/2 hour
solid IMC at night, and actually for me, found it easier then VMC in
complete dark. Nav lights give a comforting glow inside the clouds, so
it's not "pitch black".

2) No S-P Multi-engine IFR with MEA's higher than the aircraft's SE
performance

Don't know since I am not ME rated.

3) No S-P IFR in IMC without dual vacuum sources, and strong
preference for dual alrternators.

Disagree. Keep the plane maintained, and you should be fine. Things happen
granted, but why fly if you expect the on the what if in a million comes
up.

4) Keep VFR weather within range of the aircraft at all times, and
know where it is

Disagree. Get a big ole stationary low pressure and you won't fly. What's
the purpose of getting an IFR ticket if you are not going to use it. I
don't think it's wise to launch when everything around you is at minimums,
but to expect VFR within range of the plane, I disagree with that. The
reason I say it's not wise to launch if everybody is reporting minimums, is
that the weather *could* worsen

5) Avoid S-P circling approaches in IMC, and definitely not at
night or close to minimums

Disagree. My 2 1/2 hour night IMC flight terminated in a circle to
approach where ceilings were 1300. Minimums were 900. Nothing more
magical then descending, descending, and descending, and poof, out of the
ceiling the city lights come to life. Again, plane doesn't care whether
it's IMC or VMC, still need to fly the plane.

Fortunately, I had an instructor who took me down to ILS and circle to
approach minimums. The first time I went out on my own, ceilings were at
1000 and I loved every minute of it, since I had before done an approach
right down to ILS minimums. So, safety limits are relative to one's
experience.

Allen

Many thanks to those who contributed their experience and opinions to the
discussion.

With regard to the author cited, Larry Bartlett, and his video refresher
course, I would recommend this series.It does not contain in-flight videos,
it's all classroom and blackboard (which the author masters quite well). It
also is not a basic IFR training course, and by no means pretends to cover
all the textbook training for IFR - but as a refresher course, with a
distinct point of view, expressed by a seasoned instructor, I find it
engaging and informative. Recommended, even if somewhat pricey (mine, from
Sporty's was over $100 for three tapes).

G Faris