Tricks of the Trade

[LJDRVR]

I thought it might be a useful thread to discuss personal techniques that we all use to make flying easier/safer. Rules of thumb count too. I could list a bunch, but here are a couple to get us started:

Leaving your hand on the handle after selecting gear down until you get a safe indication.

Converting pounds of jet A to gallons in your head; weight divided by 2, times 3, drop the zero. (for example; 9000 pounds. 9000/2 = 4500 X 3 = 13500, or 1350 gallons.

Eyballing all three ADI's just prior to entering IMC to ensure they agree.

Cruise altitude for a short flight? Take the distance in NM, drop the last digit and add 5.
(167 NM leg = 16 + 5 = FL210, rounded up or down as appropriate for ATC purposes.)

C to F; Temperature X 2 + 30 minus 2 degrees. (25C 25 X 2 = 50 + 30 = 80 - 2 = 78F)

If you guys and gals can contribute enough of them, I'll compile and edit them into a list and post it here.

Anybody?

 

[LAFrequentflyer]

Cruise altitude for a short flight? Take the distance in NM, drop the last digit and add 5.
(167 NM leg = 16 + 5 = FL210, rounded up or down as appropriate for ATC purposes.)

I like this one...Never heard it before...

Thanks,
LA

 

[Ralgha]

Converting pounds of jet A to gallons in your head; weight divided by 2, times 3, drop the zero. (for example; 9000 pounds. 9000/2 = 4500 X 3 = 13500, or 1350 gallons.

How about weight, drop the last zero, add 50 percent. Much easier.

9000 -> 900 + 450 = 1350.

 

[sky37d]

There's a formula, that I have forgotten, for where you should start down.
Can anyone remember that formula. It's miles, I think, but may be minutes. Just can't remember.

 

[LJDRVR]

Keep em' coming folks; technique, ROT, it's all good!

Here's some more:

If you've got TAWS, make sure it's pulled up on at least one side of the cockpit. Even if you're landing in Kansas, it's nice to use all the resources. If that Gulfstream crew in Houston a few years a go had done that, their attempt to fly the HOU 04ILS with the VORTAC tuned up wouldn't have ended in their death.

If you're using the boxes to navigate, make sure the other pilot's got the green needle data pulled up on their HSI or RMI. Particularly during arrival and departure procedures. Easy way to avoid getting yelled at by ATC.

If accepting a clearance to a fix not currently programmed in the box, ask for an initial heading from ATC. Provides you with a bit of TLAR to prevent GNE with your programming, and gets the jet moving toward the correct fix with the onus of responsibility placed on the controller while the two of you go heads down and try to program the fix then select the appropriate LNAV. Especially useful if you're flying an older non user friendly box that requires more keystrokes.

We all use (Hopefully) the point and shoot method with the altitude alerter. (Whoever is responsible for turning the knob points at the new altitude until the other pilot verifies it.) But how many of us do the same thing for any LNAV changes? ("Direct Volunteer is in the box.".... "O.K., Direct Volunteer.")

 

[LJDRVR]

There's a formula, that I have forgotten, for where you should start down.
Can anyone remember that formula. It's miles, I think, but may be minutes. Just can't remember.

You're talking about a 3 to 1 descent. For example, you're at FL41000, you're expecting to cross a fix 30NM from the airport at 10,000'. 410-10 = 30,000' of altitude to lose. 30 X 3 = 90, so you would start your descent ninety miles away. To get a good rate of vertical descent to shoot for, halve you GS and add a zero. (500kts = 2500 fpm down.) If you're shooting for a hard crossing restriction, add a ten mile buffer. (In the example above start down 100 miles out.) Like any ILS, remember that headwind or tailwind component will affect your vertical velocity required.

That help?

 

[81Horse]

There's a formula, that I have forgotten, for where you should start down. Can anyone remember that formula. It's miles, I think, but may be minutes. Just can't remember.

<LJDRVR beat me to it -- and explained it better.>

 

[BSeals71]

("Direct Volunteer is in the box.".... "O.K., Direct Volunteer.")

Is that In PHL or CLT?

 

[sky37d]

That's it!! Thank you.

 

[LJDRVR]

("Direct Volunteer is in the box.".... "O.K., Direct Volunteer.")

Is that In PHL or CLT?

Knoxville. (VXV) Just an example.

337, you know about the old no more than 1" of manifold pressure reduction per minute, right? (Any six cylinder and or turbocharged engine.)