January 2018 Safety Corner

In case you didn’t know….

1. Thirty seconds of cranking = 50 hours flight time wear.

2. Electrical loads will be heavier.

3. Don’t set parking brakes after heavy use of them – hot brakes will freeze solid. Let them cool first.

4. Idle at a little higher than normal rpm to keep plugs from fouling and oil hot.

5. Normal engine temperatures are necessary to evaporate moisture in crankcase.

6. Change tanks more often so that maximum fuel is available.

7. If RPM rises when carburetor heat is applied it could mean that air filter is
blocked.

8. Gyros will need to warm up and speed up, too. It’s not uncommon to see the AI cockeyed for a while.

9. Use radio only after electrical system has run a few minutes.

10. Keep in mind that braking on snow or ice may be poor to nil. You don’t have differential power like a twin engine plane to help keep you on the runway. If you land on ice, you’ll be at the mercy of mother nature and the laws of physics. This is why it’s important to call your intended destination AND check NOTAMs.

11. Keep power up during descents and extend any drag that may be available. This will keep the engine warmer.

12. Don’t use brakes until tires are on hard surface. Be prepared for ineffective braking. Touchdown areas of runways are more slippery.

13. If there is any slush on the runway, recycle the gear in the Arrow and Bonanza once you have lifted off. This will help knock off the slush and keep the gear from freezing in the wheel wells.

14. Ramp operations can cause ‘black ice’ problems for taxing.

15. Weather systems move more quickly in winter. Fast-moving winter systems create turbulence and hazardous conditions.

Performance:
1. STAY CLEAR OF ANY ICING CONDITIONS!!!

2. Just remember that your performance on runways may be less.

3. Reduce crosswind capability by 50% for snow and 75% for ice.

4. Just because no ice is forecast doesn’t mean there won’t be any. If you find yourself picking up any unforecast ice, change your altitude. This is where preflight preparations are critical. Know where warmer air is and where good VFR weather is.

5. If you find yourself in it, descend through ice at lower speed but high rate of descent.

6. Carburetor ice is far more likely to occur and cause an accident than is airframe icing.  51% of icing accidents are caused by carburetor ice or induction system ice. The cause of this ice is the failure of the pilot to ANTICIPATE the possibility of ice by applying full carburetor heat and alternate air. The fixed pitch plane will develop a rough engine while the constant speed plane is going to show a drop in rpm. Under icing the C.H. will increase the roughness of the engine. Leave it on. Use alternate air if available.

KEVIN BRODERICK, SAFETY OFFICER, ATP,CFII