I need help from some CFI s

[mcjohn]

I've just completed my first round through the commercial written prep guide and have some questions. Please help:

1. How can I find the most up-to-date info on Airworthiness Directives for a particular airplane. I stumbled upon one for a Warrior II that said the screw holding the yoke to the shaft came loose during a fatal accident and now they all need to be checked. That's one of the main aircraft I fly. I want to talk to the owner and try to get records but first I need to aquire a list of all the AD's for that model right?

2. What does "primary category" aircraft mean (FAR 91.325) and why can't they be operated for compensation or hire?

3. What's up with the rule stating that (per a NOTAM) you can't fly if the pressure is greater than 31.00 inches of mercury? Does that ever happen?

4. Is the rule that states a pilot must use designated reporting points when not in radar contact during an IFR flight part of emergency operation or do people really fly that way? I was on a VFR X-C and was out of radar contact for quite a while around the Virginia and Western North Carolina border. If that were an IFR flight would I have been expected to know where I was going to loose radar contact and have desognated reporting reports ready to go?

 

[EatSleepFly]

1. How can I find the most up-to-date info on Airworthiness Directives for a particular airplane. I stumbled upon one for a Warrior II that said the screw holding the yoke to the shaft came loose during a fatal accident and now they all need to be checked. That's one of the main aircraft I fly. I want to talk to the owner and try to get records but first I need to aquire a list of all the AD's for that model right?

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/MainFrame?OpenFrameSet

2. What does "primary category" aircraft mean (FAR 91.325) and why can't they be operated for compensation or hire?

http://www.faa.gov/certification/aircraft/Special_Airworthiness_Primary_Category.htm

3. What's up with the rule stating that (per a NOTAM) you can't fly if the pressure is greater than 31.00 inches of mercury? Does that ever happen?

See how high you can set the pressure in your altimeter sometime. And no, I don't think it happens too often. I've never seen it (not that that's saying much).

4. Is the rule that states a pilot must use designated reporting points when not in radar contact during an IFR flight part of emergency operation or do people really fly that way? I was on a VFR X-C and was out of radar contact for quite a while around the Virginia and Western North Carolina border. If that were an IFR flight would I have been expected to know where I was going to loose radar contact and have desognated reporting reports ready to go?

No, ATC will say "radar contact lost", then you can start with the compulsory reporting points.

 

[SiuDude]

I've just completed my first round through the commercial written prep guide and have some questions. Please help:

1. How can I find the most up-to-date info on Airworthiness Directives for a particular airplane. I stumbled upon one for a Warrior II that said the screw holding the yoke to the shaft came loose during a fatal accident and now they all need to be checked. That's one of the main aircraft I fly. I want to talk to the owner and try to get records but first I need to aquire a list of all the AD's for that model right?

2. What does "primary category" aircraft mean (FAR 91.325) and why can't they be operated for compensation or hire?

3. What's up with the rule stating that (per a NOTAM) you can't fly if the pressure is greater than 31.00 inches of mercury? Does that ever happen?

4. Is the rule that states a pilot must use designated reporting points when not in radar contact during an IFR flight part of emergency operation or do people really fly that way? I was on a VFR X-C and was out of radar contact for quite a while around the Virginia and Western North Carolina border. If that were an IFR flight would I have been expected to know where I was going to loose radar contact and have desognated reporting reports ready to go?

1.http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/MainFrame?OpenFrameSet

2. Primary category aicraft are those that weigh 2700 lbs or less and a Vso of 61kts or less. I think there are some other limiations.

3. It has happened before. I guess ATC can not assure separation when the altimeters are not properly set (the Kollsman window only goes to 31").

4. Yesterday, I flew IFR in the same area you described and ATC lost radar contact near SUG VOR. The loss of radar coverage is not an emergency, and yes, you need to know how to fly IFR in a non-radar environment. You are not expected to know where gaps exist in radar coverage, but you will most likely be put on an airway and you will have to use the non-radar reporting procedures (ever heard of the 20th century?).

 

[mcjohn]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to answer.

The question is probably a dumb one. But I've never been faced with losing radar contact in IMC. I know I should just crack the books and learn about it AGAIN! However, for now I'll continue with my silly questions:

With no DME or GPS how would I decide on reporting compulsory reporting points. If I'm not supposed to know where radar gaps exists how would I plan for any of this ahead of time?

 

[SiuDude]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to answer.

The question is probably a dumb one. But I've never been faced with losing radar contact in IMC. I know I should just crack the books and learn about it AGAIN! However, for now I'll continue with my silly questions:

With no DME or GPS how would I decide on reporting compulsory reporting points. If I'm not supposed to know where radar gaps exists how would I plan for any of this ahead of time?

All intersections along airways are defined by, uhhm, intersections. You can always use a crossing radial. They probably wouldn't let anyone fly "direct" without radar.

 

[mcjohn]

Dumb question #6:

What if I'm not anywhere near an intersection and ATC really wants to know where I am asap? Would I just say "somewhere between GENOD and SWENK?"

 

[flyifrvfr]

Remember that when you file your flightplan you list the type of aircraft and equipment onboard, i.e. Cessna 172/U 172/A 172/G. However, you ask a question that has an easier answer too it. Lets say that you are flying along an airway that has a huge break between intersections you can easily tune in a nearby VOR and figure out what radial you are crossing. You can now tell ATC, if they ask, where you are even if you don't have DME. " Cessna 12345 say your position " Cessna 345 is on Victor 123 crossing 270 degree radial from XYZ VOR.

So now ATC can see where you are based on the info given.

 

[mcjohn]

That's what I thought, but wasn't sure. Oh yeah, equipment code. Thanks

Could someone pls elaborate on primary category aircraft?

This is still confusing.

 

[mattpilot]

I think its time to write a check. $10 an hour ain't that bad for instruction

 

[enigma]

Dumb question #6:

What if I'm not anywhere near an intersection and ATC really wants to know where I am asap? Would I just say "somewhere between GENOD and SWENK?"

mcjohn, one needs remember (or learn) that the IFR system is not based upon radar seperation. The system we use comes directly from the days when all IFR flying was done with a whiz-wheel and a watch. Position was derived from time away from a know point. If you'll review the items required in a position report, you'll notice that one of those items is time to the next fix. Absent radar, ATC provides seperation based upon the assumption that you will be over the fix when at the time you estimated.

If you are not in radar contact, and you do not have DME or any RNAV, you should still be able to give them an accurate position based upon your airspeed and time elapsed since crossing the last known position.

Simple math my man, 60 knots true times sixty minutes elapsed since the last know position, puts you sixty miles away.

Overall, this question reminds me of the need to keep up with my flight plan log. My carrier prints out a trip log along with my release. On that log, the time between fixes is already calculated, assuming that I fly at planned mach, so all I have to do is keep up with time over fixes. With that info, I can track my planned fuel burn vs actual, revise my ETA, etc. Usually, I look at the plan once to verify the correctness of my FMS flight plan, then ignore it. The only time I really refer to it, is if I'm worried about fuel, then I keep up at every waypoint. After your question, I'm reminded that one should keep up all of the time. Doing so is only necessary one time out of five hundred, but if I do ever lose my FMS halfway to Mexico, having the raw data back-up will certainly keep me from looking stupid in from of those Havana controllers.

enigma

BTW, has anyone else noticed that Havana center controllers speak better english than do controllers from most all other Latin American countries?

 

[mcjohn]

Absolutely facinating! Just like an IFR mag article. Give me an address and I'll send 10 bucks!