by Joseph Standley | Jul 4, 2012 | All Pilots
When you hear the term “high density altitude”, do you get confused as to what that means? Most people do, so don’t worry! We’re going to clear it up once and for all and talk about how it affects you. Before we start, I’d like to clarify something. The images below are not to scale nor do they represent how close the molecules are to each other or the way they are laid out exactly in relation to the earth or each other. They are positioned this way for you to easily visualize how the density of the air changes with altitude and to better understand how it affects performance. It does not talk about how the air is compressed and becomes more dense, it simply shows that the air is less dense as you go higher.
When you hear “high density altitude”, it does NOT mean that the air is dense (thick) like most people think. You can’t just look at the words “high and density”, that of course would mean the air is dense. You need to look at the whole thing. When you hear the words “high density altitude”, it’s referring to the density of the air at a higher altitude.
For example, your home town airport has an elevation of 1000′ above sea level. You tune in the automated weather station and you hear it say that the density altitude is 3000′. That is a high density altitude because it’s higher than the field elevation at your airport. It is saying that the density (amount or thickness) of the air at your airport is equal to what it would be at 3000′. I will explain more in a minute with a diagram.
So what does the air density do as you go higher? If you don’t remember, think of going so high that you are in space. What is the density of the air there? The air density is much less. To make that even easier to understand, don’t think of all the empty space around you as air. Think of air as a bunch of balls (molecules). The amount of balls (molecules) there are determines the density of the air (molecules). If I fill a box with the balls (air molecules), it is dense with air. If I take a box that is twice the size and dump the balls from the smaller box into it, I have the same amount of balls (air molecules) in it but since they are not filling the box now, it is no longer dense with air.
This is the same concept you need to think of as you fly higher. People think that as you go higher, there is less air. That is not true. Think of the box scenario. As you go higher, you still have the same amount of air, but the air isn’t as dense (tightly packed together). Look at the diagram below and notice how there is the same amount of air molecules at a higher altitude, but they are farther apart from each other.
Notice how as you go higher, the air is less dense (packed together), but the same amount of air molecules is still there. So how does this affect you? The airplane needs air to fly. When you’re taking off, you have to get to the right speed before there is enough air (molecules of air) traveling over and under the wing to support lift.
The airspeed works the same way. As you accelerate down the runway, the balls (air molecules) are going into the pitot tube faster and faster and the pressure is increasing. The total pressure is what gives you your airspeed reading. Look at figures 2 and 3 below and to see how the density of the air at different altitudes affects performance.
So, let’s look at the above example in a take off situation. In figure 2 above, lets assume that our field elevation is 1000′. When the balls (air molecules) start entering the pitot tube and the pressure increases enough to indicate whatever your lift off speed is, then you’re ready to fly.
In figure 3 above, your field elevation is 5000′. Since we know the air is less dense (air molecules are farther apart) at higher altitudes, we know that we have a farther distance to travel to get to the next molecule of air. If we have farther to travel but we need the same amount of pressure to give us the required lift off speed, then we will have to go faster to do so. To go faster takes more time. More time traveling means more runway being used. This is the reason it takes more runway distance to take off at a high elevation airport. The same applies for landing. To keep the speed indicating properly when landing at a high elevation airport, you need to be traveling faster. Even though the speed is indicating the same, you will be flying much faster over the ground and using up more runway in the process.
The last part of this article, is heat. Heat affects the plane the same way high altitude does. As it gets hotter outside, the air becomes less dense. As the air becomes less dense, the plane will use more runway to get to flying speed just as if it were at a high elevation airport. When you hear the automated weather say that the density altitude is at 5000′ for example, that means your plane will perform as if you were flying at an elevation of 5000′.
High density altitude, high airport elevation and heat all mean more runway, slower acceleration and and worse performance. Always be sure to check your performance chart so you know how much runway and what kind of climb rate you will get before taking off. You want to be sure the runway is long enough and that you will clear the obstacles at the end! Sign up for our free newsletter for more information about how this can affect you and for other tips, advice and recommendations sent to your email.
by Joseph Standley | Jun 23, 2012 | Pilots, Student Pilots
Many student pilots and even some experienced pilots get behind the airplane sometimes. What I mean by “behind” the airplane is struggling to keep up. For a student this is especially hard because there are so many things that are new to them. There are a few things that can contribute to this and I will talk about how you can not only, keep up with the airplane, but actually stay ahead of the airplane!
Let’s start on the ground. This is the best time to get your stuff together. If you’re going somewhere, then you should have all available information about your trip ready in case you need it. It starts with the planning phase. I know that not everyone plans perfectly but this post is about what you should be doing. It’s advice to make things easier and safer for you. So, we will assume that you’ve gotten a weather briefing for your trip and you have all information you need and already planned it out.
Starting with the weather, you need to assess how the weather will affect you. Is there a chance it will get worse? Is there going to be turbulence,wind shear, strong crosswinds? Thinking ahead about how all these things can affect your flight will help you stay ahead of it because you will already know how you will react to the situation. If there is a chance that IFR weather may be coming in a couple of hours after the end of your flight, did you ever consider that it may come in earlier and could interfere with your trip? If you think of that as a possibility, then you will be prepared.
What about winds? When you get the forecast winds at the destination, you can look at the airport diagram in advance and figure out which runway you may be using before you even leave. While you’re looking at the diagram, you can go through any taxiway closures and mark them on the diagram.
Getting into the airplane, lay out all the information you have in a logical order and keep everything easily accessible. I would keep my charts, airport diagrams, flight plan and paper with a pen with me. Any other things I would leave out of the way within easy reach. Load up the radio frequencies. Most planes have 2 radios and each has a standby frequency. That’s enough to load 4 frequencies. Put them in the order you will use them so it will just be a matter of pushing a button or flipping a switch to get to the next one. If you have more than 4 frequencies you will be using, then as soon as you are finished with one, put the next one in.
Once you’re on your way, keep track of your checkpoints. If you are going to being flying past checkpoints A, B, C, D and E, then once you see A, you should already be looking of B. I see many people flying to checkpoint A and waiting until they get there to start looking for B. If you know you will be flying to B after A, then start looking for it as soon as you can and don’t wait until the last minute. The farther out you see your checkpoints, the easier it will be to navigate and the more time you’ll have to enjoy the view.
While you are flying, always think to yourself “what is next?”. If you are almost there and the next thing will be landing, then you should have the weather frequency tuned in for that airport already and ready to listen to it. If you’re flying to an uncontrolled airport then you should make your first call about 10 miles out. Knowing this, you should think ahead enough to listen to the weather before that. Do it far enough out to figure out which runway the winds are favoring. If they are favoring the runway you planned for, then great, if not then you’re still ahead because you listened to the weather far enough out to figure out which runway to use and how you will enter the pattern.
Coming down final, look at the taxiways and which ones lead to the ramp. You can get a nice birds eye view of the layout and see which is the easiest way to get to where you are going while approaching from the air. You already know what to do, most people do. The problem is they wait too long to do it. If you always think of what will be next and then get ready for it and actually do it ahead of time instead of waiting until the last minute, then you will stay ahead of the plane. It’s not complicated but it may take a bit to break any habits you have. Unexpected things happen too but if you’re ahead on the other things, you won’t have as much of a workload and it will be easier for you to handle!
by Joseph Standley | Jun 20, 2012 | All Pilots, Student Pilots
How well do you know VOR’s? Do you know to intercept and track a VOR radial or use it for navigation. Can you tell by looking at your chart, which ones have DME and which don’t? Can you identify the morse code on it? If you ever get lost or disoriented they are perfect for finding your position, but would you know how to use them to figure it out? There are many student pilots that struggle with VOR’s. They can explain them perfectly on the ground but when they get in the air and start to use them, the confusion sets in. Don’t worry because private pilots have a hard time too.
Assuming that you know the basics of a VOR, let me give you a couple of tips that can make things a little easier for you when using them. Many people get the TO or FROM indicator confused and they are not sure which one they should be using. The needle will always center with a TO setting and a FROM setting, so which do you use? Tip number one: if you are going TO a VOR, then use a TO setting. To make it even easier, the ONLY time you should use a TO indication is if you are heading directly TO the VOR you are using to navigate. All the rest of the time, you will use a FROM setting.
If you want to go directly to a VOR, just center the needle with a TO setting and fly the direction indicated at the top of the VOR (plus or minus wind correction as needed to stay on course). If the course shows that you have to fly 273° to get there, then you should be heading the same general direction toward the west.
Tip number two: if you want to fly to a VOR and you KNOW the VOR is somewhere Southwest of you, then you also know to fly to it you will be flying Southwest. If you know you will be flying Southwest and that the general direction of the course indicated above the VOR should be the same, then you can expect the needle to center somewhere between South and West. If you know it will center between South and West, then spin the dial quickly to get it to South or West and then turn it slowly from there to center it. The TO indication will be automatic.
What about for those of you that don’t have a clue how to use a VOR? You’ve read books, received instruction with the same explanations as the books leaving you just as confused. You’ve heard the terms TO and FROM, Reverse Sensing, Intercepting and Tracking, etc. and you just don’t get it.
We have the perfect thing for you; an e-lesson in pdf format with detailed, plain english explanations, written in an easy to understand format, eliminating all the confusing terms to help you understand once and for all. It includes diagrams and simple explanations for better visualization. Knowing how to use VOR’s will make things easy for you and will be required if you ever want to get an instrument rating. For the price of about 10 minutes with an instructor, it’s well worth it!
VOR NAVIGATION – Detailed, easy to visualize explanations and diagrams to eliminate confusion. Intercepting and tracking and more. Just a couple of simple things to remember to avoid confusion.
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Simple Explanations for Using the VOR
Testimonial
Hi Joe,
I read through the VOR lesson today from your website. THANK YOU!
Before getting your VOR lesson, I read both the test prep and handbook sections on VOR’s from other books and could follow what they were saying but not apply it. I would take practice tests and get several of the questions wrong.
After I read your booklet, I went straight to the Gleim and ASA test prep questions. The only one I missed was because I estimated a length (NM on a chart) incorrectly. So it works! I had to go back and reread my textbook to see why I was so confused in the first place because it seemed straight forward after your description.
I think the reason I understood your method better was you described and then applied each portion of a difficult topic individually. The difference seemed to be you took each part; Radial, CDI and to/from, explained it and then immediately demonstrated how to apply it. Like–you’ve got to learn to hold altitude in level flight before you start practicing stalls with minimum altitude loss. I’m still working on that one.
Have a good week.
Lindy
by Joseph Standley | Jun 14, 2012 | All Pilots
I was really disturbed by what happened today. I was out flying with a student about 15 miles from 3ck (my home airport) when I heard someone on the radio announcing their position on downwind at 3ck for for runway 18. I thought that I probably heard it wrong or it was a mistake on his part. Then a short time later, I heard it again ” Lake in the Hills, Cessna 12345 on base for runway 18.”
There it was again, I knew I heard it right! I spoke up this time, “Cessna 12345, which runway are you using at Lake in the Hills?” He responded, “Runway 18.” Of course, I had to say something now! “Cessna 12345, Lake in the Hills has and East / West runway, runways 26 and 8″
He Replied ” OK, thanks! Cessna 12345 departing the pattern.”
I want to know WHAT imaginary runway he was lining up for? Would he have landed on a road? What was he looking at? There is an airport on the same frequency about 15 minutes north called Burlington, which doesn’t sound anything like Lake in the Hills and it’s more then 30 miles away. If it was Lake in the Hills he wanted to go but somehow ended up there, then how did he not notice the 30 mile difference? Did he look at the Airport Facility Directory to see what runways we had before he left for his trip and if so, where did he come up with a runway that didn’t exist?
This is a perfect example of why you should have all available information about your trip. If you’re going to fly somewhere, make sure you know what you’re doing and where you are going. I see stuff like this all the time. It’s scary how many pilots are slipping through the cracks and getting their license when they shouldn’t have them. This is the reason I decided to start this website. It has to stop before someone gets hurt. Instructors need to care more and stop pushing people through when they aren’t ready. It should be about safety and doing things right, not how many students you can push through.
Whatever the reason was, let it be a wake up call for all students and pilots. You need to stay up to speed on things. If you don’t know something, then swallow your pride and get with an instructor and learn it. Keep learning, keep asking questions and keep reading. Your life and the life of others is in your hands. It’s better to be safe than sorry. This situation could have ended differently and I’m just glad that nobdy was hurt.
by Joseph Standley | Jun 8, 2012 | All Pilots
This is a subject I’ve seen posted several times with many comments from people arguing their point of view. The FAA recommends entering the traffic pattern at a 45° angle to the downwind. Many people I have noticed argue against this but I am one that believes it is the best way and I will explain why. First, let me make it clear, that it is a recommended entry and I do not always enter on the 45. There are times I feel it’s necessary and other times I don’t.
The main reason I feel people should use the 45° entry is to fit into the pattern when it’s busy. I’ve literally watched planes cross directly in front of someone climbing out after take off. I’ve seen people flying at pattern altitude directly over the top of the runway and make a 90° turn onto the downwind right in front of someone already in the pattern on the downwind only 2000′ away! These people are cutting people off who are already in the pattern. How is that any different than cutting somone off on the road and why do people think that’s ok?
When you’re in the pattern and it’s busy, you have to keep track of what is going on around you and where people are in the pattern. If people use the 45 for their entry, then everyone will know what to expect and keep their eyes and ears open for people entering from the 45. It’s hard enough to keep track of what’s going on as it is but to then have people coming at you from all angles at your same altitude, it poses much more risk of a collision!
If you’re coming in to an airport when nobody is flying, and you happen to be lined up to enter straight in, or on a base leg, then there is no reason you can’t enter any way you want. You’re not cutting anyone off. When people are already established in the pattern then it is up to you to fit in. If everyone entered the same way, then there would be no confusion.
Entering on the 45, you will be about 2.5 – 3 miles out. This will give you a good view of the traffic pattern and it will give you time to listen to where people are and decide whether your timing will be right to fit in. If you’re on the 45 and someone is turning crosswind, then your spacing isn’t going to work. The person turrning crosswind is lower, slower and less maneuverable, therefore you as the person trying to fit in should give way. The easiest way is to do a 360° turn on the 45 for spacing. Announce what you are doing and by the time you complete your circle, then the crosswind traffic will already be on downwind and won’t be a factor. You are still far enough out and well outside the pattern so it’s a non issue. If someone is behind you on the 45 and someone is turning crosswind, the exit the 45 and come back in. It’s not worth the risk.
If you’re coming from the non traffic pattern side of the runway, it’s best not to cross the departure end of the runway on your way to the 45 entery. Fly well above the traffic pattern over the top of the runways to avoid people already in the pattern. When you crossing over the top you can see clearly where your 45 entry point will be and you can watch for traffic entering there. After you have cleared the traffic pattern area, then start your descent while turning to get onto the 45. Don’t fly outbound on the 45 because then you will set yourself up to fly head to head with another plane. Keep the 45 in sight to your side and when it’s clear, and you are past the pattern, then turn on to it.
I fly almost daily, and I’ve had way more chances to think about this stuff then a pilot who doesn’t fly that often. I’ve been flying long enough and frequent enough to see advantages and disadvantages to many things. Just because it’s a recommended entry procedure and you can enter any way you want, doesn’t mean that you should always enter any way you want. Listen to what is going on and if you are going to cut in front of anyone, then don’t do it! If it works out that you can go straight in or enter on a crosswind, then that’s great. The point I’m making, is to be safe and think of others, not just yourself. If I haven’t addressed any concerns here, then feel free to contact me and I will be happy to clarify anything.
