Training and Safety; Job #1

Welcome to East Hill's Training/Safety Page: GA Safety: "Room For Improvement"

Student Pilot Focus Items
Communication Skills
Basic Taxi Rules(pdf)
Understanding Aerodynamics
Take Off and Landing(pdf)

Private Pilot Skill Building
Aeronautical Decision Making
Out of the Pattern!
Important Aerodynamics(pdf)
Aviation "Rules of Thumb"

Experienced Pilot Staying Sharp!
Increased Automation
Glass Panel Design
Advanced Aerodynamics

Safety Tip: VFR into IFR

This video is quite chilling...a flight into IFR that ends up with four fatals....but it's a good safety lesson for all pilots that are VFR only (or not IFR current) with our encrouching winter weather season. It clearly points out some psychological traps that can snare any pilot. Especially clear here is the "mission mentality" of accomplishing the stated goal despite dangerously worsening conditions. Second, there is a failure to respect personal minimums and continue despite weather clearly below forcast. Third, notice the pilot relinquishing of PIC authority with no cogent plan for escape. This wandering ultimately leads to disaster. As a side note, simply declaring an emergency and asking clearly for help to get out of the weather would have saved this flight.

Use East Hill's "Safety Management System" Please Help Keep Us All Safer! This Anonymous MyFbo Reporting Tool Alerts Us to Safety Issues! (Please Use it!)

Please use this new safety tool to alert us immediately to unsafe equipment, conditions or actions. The last action might be controversial to some. The "kindergarten approach" to this might caution "why fink on friends?" A more mature understanding would comprehend "if we damage planes or hurt someone, flying costs me more and we have fewer members and resources...everyone suffers!" Ultimately it comes down to understanding safety as a group job and we need to be part of a "safety culture." We cannot afford accidents, we need to keep everyone safe, and even small things need to be fixed immediately. "Friends don't let friends fly stupid" FAA SMS References

"Think Right" for Safe Flying: Attitude is Everything!

Dr. Bill Rhodes has addressed the enigma of pilot safety: ratings and hours do not seem to be any inoculation against accidents. Safe pilots have certain harmful traits. The "folklore" prediction that some pilots are "unsafe and will hurt themselves" is increasingly supported by hard data he is working to codify and publish. Since 70-80% of accidents are "pilot error" thinking and acting safer have a huge impact on your flying safely. Here is an article from Flying Magazine. Here is a good powerpoint review from BIll.

One good pilot trait we can all incorporate in our flying is "not rushing." Bill identifies this as a hazard both in preparation for every flight AND in acquiring pilot certificates and ratings. Those involved "quick rating courses" and getting all the certificates NOW are much more likely to be involved in accidents; so much for immediate gratification! Take your time and learn thoroughly.


UND Normal Approach and Landing Series (White Shirt Optional) Although they call it Normal, the Normal Approach and Landing is one of the most challenging parts of any flight to consistently master. In this episode, UND CFI Anthony Bottini guides you through the procedures and techniques defined by UND Aerospace Standardization that allows the pilot to make safe, stabilized approaches and landings again and again. If you're a new student, use this episode as a guide during your flight training to aid in building your confidence in making safe approaches and landings and developing the experience to help decide when it is time to go around. For you seasoned pilots, maybe its time to brush up on some basic skills to keep you safe and, well, maybe impress your next group of passengers.

UND Normal Approach and Landing Series (White Shirt Optional)

Although they call it Normal, the Normal Approach and Landing is one of the most challenging parts of any flight to consistently master. In this episode, UND CFI Anthony Bottini guides you through the procedures and techniques defined by UND Aerospace Standardization that allows the pilot to make safe, stabilized approaches and landings again and again. If you're a new student, use this episode as a guide during your flight training to aid in building your confidence in making safe approaches and landings and developing the experience to help decide when it is time to go around. For you seasoned pilots, maybe its time to brush up on some basic skills to keep you safe and, well, maybe impress your next group of passengers.

Amazing Slide Show on Metacognitive Thought Processes (Situational Awareness)
How we think is critical to how we act. Most mental processing goes largely unexamined and consequently our performance suffers...in everyday activities as well as in flying. Take a look at this interesting slide show and you will begin to "look inside" for the solution to some of your common problems in your performance. Metacognition is "thinking about thinking" and introspection provides increased efficiency and precision in all activities. Click here (3.2MB)

"Normal Accident Theory" Dr. Michael A. Greenfield (NASA)

This pdf is an amazing analysis of coping with complex interrelated systems! Every pilot should review this!

On Safety Management System and "Safety Culture"

"Effective risk management depends on strong rules and not cutting corners"

A Safety Management System can be defined as a coordinated, comprehensive set of processes and parameters designed to direct and control resources to optimally manage safety. SMS takes unrelated processes and builds them into one coherent structure to achieve a higher level of safety performance, making safety management an integral part of overall risk management. An SMS is essentially a quality management approach to controlling risk. It also provides the organizational framework to support a sound safety culture. SMS is based on leadership and accountability but requires open communication and lack of recrimination. This leads to proactive hazard identification, risk management, information control, auditing and training. SMS facilitates the proactive identification of hazards and maximize the development of a consistent safety culture, as well as modification of attitudes and actions of personnel in order to make a safer work place. Ultimately, a consistent safety culture and SMS leads to a happier and more efficient work place. Click <here> for a great article from Professional Pilot Magazine. the new FAA Risk Management Handbook is <here>

Latest ASF safety quiz "Electrical Fires" <here> All the safety quizzes <here>

There is a new regulatory requirement you must comply with before crossing an international border. An e-mailed manifest of passengers and itinerary is required. Learn more from this ASF Course

Weather Decision Making <pdf> | 12 Steps to Understanding Weather <here> | Scenario Based Training <pdf>

Frank Adelstein's Duchess Multi-Engine Training Videos: Start-Up | Taxi | Take-Off | Steep Turns | Landing

Hudson landing offers important lessons for GA By Elizabeth A. Tennyson

Pilots seeing images of US Airways Flight 1549 floating in the Hudson River probably shared three thoughts: those pilots did everything right; I hope I could do it right if I ever had to; I hope I never have to.

Bruce Landsberg, executive director of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation, says general aviation pilots can learn valuable lessons from the airliner’s amazing emergency landing and increase their odds of a successful conclusion to any emergency.<more>

September 10, 2008, KLKP (Lake Placid, NY): Imagine yourself in a Cessna 310 on approach to Lake Placid at night (it could be any aircraft). You have keyed up the lights and are following a stabilized descent path to the runway on a beautiful clear night with no wind...you end up trashing the plane. Fortunately, you and your passenger walk away, but what caused this amazing wreckage? Check out the details!

Watch start-up and take-off videos in the Duchess on our member's homepage. Multi-engine operations, even more that singles, require very careful attention to checklists and procedures to assure safety!

RNAV "Fly Visual"

Chart Challenge

Get started on Aspen! Aspen Avionics Panel

Training for the new Flight Designs CT

CT-SW LSA

Upcoming Safety Seminars: TBA on members

FAA Safety Courses on line <here>

Necessary Basic Concepts (All Pilots):

Talking on the Radio by Ed Snow

Angle of Attack by Ed Kolano

Climbs, Descents, Turns, Stalls by David Montoya

Fatal Instinct by Barry Schiff

Pitch and Power by Barry Schiff

Stalls and Spins by Rich Stowell

The Perfect Stall Video

WAAS Instrument Training Videos (IFR):

GNS 430/530 WAAS Introduction

GNS 430/530 WAAS Part Two

GNS 430/530 WAAS Part Three

SPORTY'S Garmin 430W Video

SPORTY'S Garmin 396/496

Max Trescott Flying LPV Approach

How to Register and Use FAASafety.gov

21 Minute Flash Presentation Tutorial on FAA Wings Program: Click Here

Help Reference - (pdf) 0.4mb
"Getting Registered" Designed to help the person new to FAASafety.gov get through the simple registration process.

WINGS Made Easy for Participants - (pdf) 0.6mb
Here is the process of validating WINGS credit made simple. This is designed to help all authorized instructors through the validation process.

WINGS Made Easy for CFIs and Representatives -(pdf) 0.5mb
Step-by-step instructions on how to participate in the new WINGS - Pilot Proficiency Program, writen by pilots for pilots!