Brigitte Ouellet System Safety Low Level Flying Transport CanadaTransports Canada Quebec RegionRégion du Québec Civil AviationAviation civile

Content D Recency training requirements D Altitudes and minimum distances D Birdstrikes D Illusions and disorientation D VFR flights in adverse weather conditions

3 safety seminar given by Transport Canada Aviation 3 questionnaire published in Aviation Safety Newsletter 3 obtaining a rating, a permit or a license Recency Requirements

Altitudes and Minimum Distances

Where Am I ? 2 000' or less 500' or less Over a Built-Up Area

What500’ 2 000’ 1 000' to do ?

less than 500’ AGL

Did you know... 3 Only known objects extending 300 feet or more will be depicted on VFR chart. 3 Alert TC if there are such objects not depicted on VFR chart. 3 Make sure you will not enter an MF or ATF Zone.

Birdstrikes E = MV 2

M E = V 2 V2V2 E = =E

To minimize the risks 3 NOTAM et ATIS 3 Strobe lights and landing lights 3 Windshield heating 3 Avoid low level flying 3 Report bird activity and birdstrikes or

Illusions and disorientation Vestibular apparatus and loss of visual references

Runway length and width

Runway and terrain on a slope Down slope Perceived height above the runway Actual height above the runway IllusionResult Too lowapproach too high

Runway and terrain on a slope Up slope Perceived height above the runway Actual height above the runway IllusionResult Too highapproach too low

What else ? D Black Hole “effect” When : At night Illusion : Too high Result : Approach too low

How to fight illusions 3 Planning and pre-landing checks 3 Verify runway length, width and slope 3 Know the field elevation 3 Do not “cut corners” on the approach 3 Prop pitch and power settings

Disorientation D Contributory Factors –Stress –Health condition –Alcoholic drink –Drugs –Sky obscured by fog or clouds

Vestibular Apparatus D Opposite turn illusion D Coriolis illusion Lateral Canal Posterior Canal Anterior Canal

Semi-circular canals Cupula Filaments of hair cells Endolymph fluid

No turns What happens ?

Accelerating turn Liquid

What happens ? Prolonged constant turn

What happens ? Liquid Decelerating turn

Opposite Turning Illusion D When will it happen ? –Coming out of a turn or a spin –Loss of visual reference points –Brain is sending/receiving erroneous information

Coriolis Illusion D When will it happen ? –Coming out of a turn or a spin –Loss of visual reference points –When leaning or raising your head –Brain is sending/receiving erroneous messages

To reduce the risks 4 Fly healthy 4 Learn to recognize the situations leading to disorientation 4 Recognize when you are a victim of disorientation 4 Learn to control disorientation 4 Trust your flight instruments

VFR flight in adverse weather conditions

TSB Recommendation The Department of Transport evaluate the adequacy of the margin of safety afforded by current VFR and SVFR regulations. TSB A96-10

CFIT What is Controlled Flight into Terrain? When the aircraft collide with an obstacle before the pilot can react and avoid it.

Safety of VFR Flight 3 Human factors assessment related to flying  Aircraft performance * obstacle avoidance manoeuvres 3 Understanding the process leading to CFIT –identify unsafe act(s) and conditions –determine error type (slip, lapse, mistake)

VFR flight into IMC 3 49 accidents (largest group) 3 Inexperienced pilots 3 Weather worst than forecast 3 Happened while a/c was turning around 3 Failed to delay or land

Violations 3 22 accidents - 36 lives 3 knowingly flew into below minima weather 3 for most of the pilots, was common practice

Analysis 3 Almost no one crashed « legally » 3 Relatively few « willful violations » 3 Perceptual issue : What does 2 miles look like ? 3 Decision difficulty - selection of action 3 Use available resources

Human Performance 3 Navigation âget lost 3 Control of the aircraft âLoss of control 3 Obstacle avoidance âCFIT

Navigation D How does it work –mental model * map or knowledge D Decrease in visibility !!!.... –do not recognize landmark LOST –misidentify landmark do NOT KNOW that we are LOST

Control of the aircraft D How does it work ? –attitude, altitude and heading * horizon or landmarks D Decrease in visibility !!!.... –disorientation D At night

To Prevent CFIT Detect the obstacle * identify hazard Select and implement evasive action D TIME (critical element) –identify the obstacle as a hazard –select the appropriate action –make control inputs –aircraft response time

D Decrease in visibility !!!... –decrease in capability to evaluate distance –need more time for decision making

Countermeasures 3 Acquire bad weather flying techniques 3 Learn to turn back / alternate plans 3 Overcome normal human decision making tendencies « traps » 3 Better weather interpretation and weather related decision making skills 3 Make PIREPS 3 Use available liveware

Aircraft Performances ( How much airspeed will you lose if you slam your aircraft into a 45 o bank turn ? ( How much space will you need to do a 180 o turn ? ( How much more space will you need with a 20 knot wind behind you half way round the turn ? ( If you have to pull up quickly straight ahead, what airspeed will you have after 300 feet of climb ?

Put the odds on your side 3 Have a current VFR map of the area you plan to fly over. 3 Do not rely only on your GPS. 3 Beware of power lines. 3 Get a complete weather briefing prior to the flight. LANDLAND

1 000 ASL ASL ASL 300 AGL Portland 1251Z OVC005 3SM FG St-Hubert 1200Z VFR Sherbrooke (20nm N) 1100Z SCT007 OVC012 6SM -DZFG Radar Plots Flew around the thunderstorm cells Portland (forecast) OVC020 2SM FG... SCT 020 OVC100 5SM

REVIEW F Respect your limits and capabilities F Make room for change of plan F Weather does not cause accidents, WE DO Regulations may well have protected these people, had they been observed