Flight Emergencies

Flight Emergencies Distress – condition threatened by serious and/or imminent danger, requiring immediate assistance. Includes fire, mechanical failure, structural damage Urgency – safety concern, requires timely but not immediate assistance. Doubtful about position, fuel endurance, weather or any other condition that could adversely affect the safety of flight Overview of airspace: The following are general descriptions and dimensions. The markings are standardized but the size and shape of the airspace is varied according to the need for that particular area. Airspace dimensions are as depicted on the current sectional, world and/or terminal charts.

Flight Emergencies Transponder: 7700 – distress or urgency condition 7500 – aircraft being highjacked 7600 – two-way communications radio failure. Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Flight Emergencies Action to be taken: VFR – continue the flight in VFR conditions and land as soon as possible. IFR (comm out) Route: Assigned, Expected, Filed Altitude: Assigned, MEA, Expected Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Flight Emergencies Clearance Limit Fix: The clearance limit is a fix on an approach Descend as close as possible to the EFC Altitude: Assigned, MEA, Expected The clearance limit is NOT a fix on an approach Leave the fix at the EFC If no EFC, start approach as close as possible at the ETA (filed/amended) Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Flight Emergencies Near Mid-Air: an occurrence possibility of collision; aircraft w/in 500 ft of each other Minimum Fuel: advisory where a pilot cannot accept any undue delays Safety Alert (ATC): Aircraft’s altitude will put it in unsafe proximity to ground or an obstacle Aircraft in unsafe proximity to another aircraft not in control of controller Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Wake Turbulence Primary component is wing-tip vortices Vortex is a by-product of lift Most intense produced by heavy, slow with gear and flaps retracted Can be altered by changing configuration Slowly sink below flight path and dissipate by the time they descend 1,000 ft or normal rate of movement about 5 knots Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Wake Turbulence Vortex flow Vortex moves 5 knots Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line. Vortex flow Vortex moves 5 knots Affected by crosswinds

Wake Turbulence Minimize affect: Takeoff behind large airplane: Try to rotate prior to that airplane’s point of rotation Climb out above and upwind side of airplane’s flight path If behind landing aircraft, plan lift-off beyond the point where the airplane touched down Landing behind large airplane: Stay above flight path Land beyond touchdown point of airplane Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Flight Physiology

Flight Physiology Alcohol has an adverse affect on reaction and judgement. No one may serve as a crewmember on a civil aircraft: Within 8 hours of alcohol consumption While having blood alcohol level of 0.04% or higher (one beer can be detected for as long as 3 hours) Prescribed/over the counter drugs can also seriously degrade pilot performance Special Use Airspace: Prohibited Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Restricted Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Warning Areas are denoted as a blue comb line. Alert Areas are also denoted as a blue comb line. Military operations areas (MOA) are denoted as a magenta comb line.

Flight Physiology Runway width illusion (Atmospheric Ht): A narrower runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is higher than it really is Cause a pilot to descend too low on approach Cause a hard landing A wider runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is lower than it really is Cause a pilot to climb and longer landing distance Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Featureless terrain (Atmospheric Dist): An absence of ground feature, as landing over water, darkened features, snow covered Create the illusion that the aircraft is higher than it really is Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Autokinesis: Effective Scanning: In the dark a static light will appear to move when stared at for a period of time Effective Scanning: 2/3 to ¾ of a pilot’s time outside aircraft Outside 15 seconds, inside 5 seconds Most acute vision is off-center, peripheral Slowly scan to allow off-center viewing Hardest to see aircraft on the horizon Biggest concern: target on the horizon with no lateral/vertical movement increasing in size Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Spatial Disorientation: Occurs when body sensations are used to interpret flight attitudes without visual references to the horizon Only reliable way to overcome is to rely on flight instruments Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology The leans: Coriolos Illusion: Abrupt correction of a banked angle can create the illusion of banking in opposite direction Coriolos Illusion: Abrupt head movement during constant rate turn can create the illusion of rotation in an entirely different axis Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Inversion Illusion: Somatogravic Illusion: Abrupt change from climb to straight and level can create illusion of tumbling backwards Somatogravic Illusion: A rapid acceleration during takeoff can create illusion of being in a nose up attitude Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Hypoxia: Caused by insufficient oxygen to the brain, similar to carbon monoxide poisoning Loss of cabin pressurization decreases oxygen partial pressure Symptoms include: dizziness, tingling of hands and legs/feet, loss of higher thought process and unconsciousness Insidious, slowly degrades mental faculties Effects: Impaired Judgment, confusion, blurred vision, dizziness, euphoria, anger Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Hypoxia: Time of Useful Consciousness Altitude TUC FL 180 20-30 minutes FL 250 3-5 minutes FL 300 1-2 minutes FL 350 30-60 seconds FL 400 15-20 seconds FL 430 9-12 seconds >FL 500 9-12 seconds Rapid Decompression – may reduce time of useful consciousness by 50% Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Flight Physiology Hyperventilation: Caused by reduction of carbon dioxide in the blood due to rapid breathing in stressful situations Symptons similar to Hypoxia but recovery rapid once rate of breathing is brought under control Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Crew Resource Management The application of team management in the flight deck environment. Refers to effective use of all available resources: human, hardware, information Affected by cultural differences and should be addressed in training. Three components: Initial indoctrination awareness, recurrent practices continual reinforcement. Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

Crew Resource Management Error Management: Error Prevention Error detection Recovery from error Each crewmember must carefully monitor the aircraft’s flight path – SA Automatic Decision-Making – reflexive type decision making Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.

ADM Aeronautical Decision Making relies on: Situational Awareness Problem recognition Good judgment Problem detection is the first step in decision making Detection Error incorrectly detects the problem to begin with Prohibited Areas: There are established for national security. No flight operations are allowed within them.