Since Dr. Reason has been researching and publishing for the better part of 40 years, I recommend this book, “A Life in Error,” as the first book of his that you read. The book does not go into the level of detail to learn the intricacies of each of...

TO: Manager of External Change Your Operation FROM: AAA SUBJECT: Upcoming Airspace and IFR Procedural Changes The rolling stone that constitutes NextGen is picking up additional momentum following the North Texas airspace redo in November. We would have expected a pause to regroup and refresh, but this performer is going...

Data Comm is an important component of the total NextGen system. Elements of it have been in live operational trials at Memphis and Newark since 2011, with the general rollout commencing in June, 2015 at SLC, IAH, and HOU. Another 56 airports are planned to be online by the end...

Here is AAA’s thinking on just this one revision item: Fatigue Risk Management Program Affected Sections: 4 – Organization and Personnel Requirements, 6 – Flight Operations, Appendix B – Implementation Guidance. Section 4.8 has been added to the Standard and to the Protocols, and Recommended Practices have been added to...

This particular conundrum has compliance consequences for you Part 135 and 121 operators out there, but the lines are open and opinions welcome from anyone who wants to chime in. Here is the set up: The Instrument Procedures Handbook (IPH), in Chapter 1, Departure Procedures, states the following: The FAA...

When I downloaded the AC, the first thing I noticed was it did not grow in length. Identical to the original publication, AC 91-79A is still 39 pages long. My assumption based on the same page count was the changes were going to be minimal. A closer attention to detail...

With apologies to all of you who operate out of airports in the North Texas Metroplex, the fact is that your airspace and procedures rollover, scheduled for September 18, will be the second in the series, following Houston’s launch on May 28. Hopefully you can find some comfort in the...

The Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) technology is often a topic in most recent aviation headlines. Just in the last few weeks, ADS-B has been a recurring theme in the AIN publication. See the links below for more information on these updates to ADS-B. Aircraft Tail Blocking Complicated by...

  When was the last time you let perfectly good runway slip by as you searched for that sweet touchdown? Did it occur to you that if you are still flying, then you are not stopping? Consider the certification parameters. The test pilot, in order to produce the data in...

When Raytheon first published wet and contaminated runway performance data for the Beechjet, it was included in an AFM supplement with the subtitle “non-FAA approved.” The data was added to the AFM for operators in other countries that required wet and contaminated to be published for the equivalent of a...

  At the moment the new site is in test mode, so if you are a user (heh heh), the existing www.raimprediction.net is still where you need to go for the prediction service. While you are there, you can also read all about the migration to the new site and...

Would you apply wet runway landing performance numbers in that instance? That is one of the key challenges in determining accurate landing distance data. At 200 knots 10 miles from the airport, how can you accurately assess runway condition at an uncontrolled airport? Sure you could always be conservative and...

  One of my own epiphany moments in the world of instrument procedures occurred when I first understood that individual procedures, as published on the chart I was staring at, have to be devised so that they can be safely flown by everything from a Cessna 150 to a G...

The NTSB’s probable cause of the accident points the responsibility squarely on the pilots. “The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed, which resulted in the airplane touching down too fast on the wet runway with inadequate runway remaining to stop and a subsequent runway overrun. Contributing to the landing overrun...

Are you used to flying mostly within US airspace? Watch out for the meaning of ATC instructions outside of the US. They may not be the same. EuroControl recently issued a safety briefing aimed at US pilots concerning the use of ‘AT PILOTS DISCRETION’ and ‘WHEN READY’ climb and descent clearances....

  What does that mean for the rest of us? Learn from the mistakes of others. Know if your employees are actually in safety sensitive positions. Ensure ALL of your safety-sensitive employees are in the random drug testing pool. Receive verified negative test results for all employees hired or transferred...

What we too often do not know these days is that Climb Via was rolled out on April 3 and what it’s procedures are, that the Houston Metroplex converted over to an all new airspace management plan on May 29 and all the old STARs and SIDs went bye-bye, that...

Early estimates show about a 7 - 15% increase in traffic flow, and that will probably get better as controllers and pilots become more comfortable with the new separation. It takes a little getting used to seeing another airplane clear the runway when you’re on short final, but when the...

Have you ever heard of KCM? If you’re not a Part 121 pilot you probably haven’t. Known Crewmember (KCM) is a risk-based initiative used by Part 121 airlines and the TSA that allows vetted crewmembers to bypass security screening at certain airports. If your company frequently moves you around on...

New Oceanic Entry Points With the removal of the Fish Points and other long-known waypoints, Gander has created a completely new list of Oceanic Entry Points (OEPs). They start at AVPUT in the far north and run down to SUPRY. The image below shows some the OEPs highlighted in yellow....

Consistent with the April rollout of Climb Via Procedures, you should be prepared to get these when departing a Houston area airport, including especially IAH and HOU; most likely in the form of an initial clearance to an intermediate altitude. Traffic conditions will determine this. If you are not yet...

Battery Life A new section has been added to the AC on useful battery life. Useful battery life must be established and documented for your battery-powered EFBs. You must have either (1) an established procedure to recharge the battery from aircraft power during flight operations, (2) useful battery life for...

Advanced Aircrew Academy offers a full complement of OSHA courses, including Hazardous Materials and the new Hazard Communication Standard, CFR 29 1910.1200, which now provides workers with the right to understand information they are provided in the workplace. The next New Hazard Communication Standard mandatory compliance date is June 1,...

For those of you capable of receiving a Predeparture Clearance (PDC), have you noticed a change since the first week of April? The FAA changed the way it issues PDCs. Gone are the days of trying to decide if you got a reroute in the PDC. The FAA recognized there...

When Center controllers serve as Approach controllers, they usually have much less capability to see other traffic down low because their antenna site is just too far away from the airport they are controlling. I was the pilot flying and my partner had been making all the required calls on...