Finally, it’s all about you...                           A I R S H A R E S  E L I T E

AirShares Elite highly recommends the use of a Cirrus simulator with an experienced simulator instructor for regular practice of abnormal and emergency procedures.  See the "Simulator" section of this site for more information.

Appendix to Airworthiness Directive 2009-05-05 Limitations Regarding Avidyne Primary Flight Displays (PFDs)

Before conducting flight operations, pilots must review and be familiar with the Crosscheck Monitor section of the Avidyne Primary Flight Display Pilot's Guide and all limitations contained in the aircraft operating handbook.

As a normal practice, all pilots should be vigilant in conducting proper preflight and in-flight checks of instrument accuracy, including:

• Preflight check of the accuracy of both the primary and backup altimeter against known airfield elevation and against each other.
• Verification of airspeed indications consistent with prevailing conditions at startup, during taxi, and prior to takeoff.
• ''Airspeed alive'' check and reasonable indications during takeoff roll.
• Maintenance of current altimeter setting in both primary and backup altimeters.
• Cross-check of primary and backup altimeters at each change of altimeter setting and prior to entering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
• Cross-check of primary and backup altimeters and validation against other available data, such as glideslope intercept altitude, prior to conducting any instrument approach.
• Periodic cross-checks of primary and backup airspeed indicators, preferably in combination with altimeter cross-checks.

For flight operations under instrument flight rules (IFR) or in conditions in which visual reference to the horizon cannot be reliably maintained (that is IMC, night operations, flight operations over water, in haze or smoke) and the pilot has reasons to suspect that any source (PFD or back-up instruments) of attitude, airspeed, or altitude is not functioning properly, flight under IFR or in these conditions must not be initiated (when condition is determined on the ground) and further flight under IFR or in these conditions is prohibited until equipment is serviced and functioning properly.

Operation of aircraft not equipped with operating backup (or standby) attitude, altimeter, and airspeed indicators that are located where they are readily visible to the pilot is prohibited.

Pilots must frequently scan and crosscheck flight instruments to make sure the information depicted on the PFD correlates and agrees with the information depicted on the backup instruments.

Click here for printable version of this.

Circuit Breakers to Know

Most fleet aircraft, with the exception of the G3, will have some circuit breakers collared as depicted in the photo to the left with the autopilot breaker red, the PFD breakers green, and the trim breakers yellow.  These tactile cues should assist the pilot in the event of a runaway autopilot, a PFD failure, and runaway trim problems, respectively.

NASA’s 23-minute video on in-flight icing hazards, specifically the tail-plane stall, includes these key recommendations for pilots flying in ice:

·  Become acutely aware of the conditions conducive to and the symptoms of tailplane stalls.

·  Be prepared to immediately undo any configuration changes, especially flaps extension, if tailplane stall symptoms appear.

·  Avoiding using the autopilot in known icing conditions.

·  Significant ice may form on the tail before it begins to accumulate on the wings.  If equipped with a deicing system, use it to clear even very small amounts of windshield or wing ice.

·  If you lower flaps and the controls begin shaking, do not mis-identify the condition as a wing stall.  Retract the notch of flaps you just added, and be prepared to pull back and reduce power if the nose suddenly drops.

And don't forget NASA's interactive, free, online course, "A Pilot's Guide to Inflight Icing", intended for the general aviation pilot who flies aircraft certified for flight in icing, although much of the information is applicable to all pilots. With an operational focus, this course provides tools pilots can use to deal with in-flight icing.

Doug Ritter is a man with a mission... to get you through what could conceivably be the worst day of your life so that you can have a day after the worst day of your life. And in the case of a ditching at sea, the issues necessary to insure survival both numerous as well as ponderous... and that's why Ritter, Aviation's own "survival guy" is the man to listen to.  Read about it and view a video presentation here.