The VOR/DME approach was even more difficult to fly than the previous precision approach. The more practiced you are the more second-nature this task will be. While constantly trying to correct my heading I always had this feeling that time was running out, ground was too close and that I should go missed not for an instrument indication that went over limits but just for the bad feeling I had. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. This means that anything other than an external adjustment of an instrumentincluding installing a compass repair kitis not authorized. Inaccurate readings from just these two instrumentsairspeed and tachometercan have a very definite impact on performance and overall safety, as the aircraft will not achieve published performance numbers. Our instrument scan is something we tend not to give much thought to once it is mastered, but lets take a closer look at what we are actually doing during the scan. That would be scary to say the least in a real aeroplane with a failed vacuum pump. Josh told me to fly towards Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport for a ILS approach. That venturi tube will be affected by the airspeed and the propeller slip stream, so you will first see it generating suction during the engine runup, when there is plenty of airflow from the propeller. Any aircraft owner knows that aircraft are expensive to maintain and there is no indication that costs will come down. Mistakes can be costly; check the schematic diagrams for the proper wiring, refer to the parts manual for the compatible component, and physically check that the item is what is actually installed in the aircraft you are working on. Check the other instruments. We called Joe (not the same Joe I was flying with when we had the pitot static system failure) "NightFlyer" because he worked as a carpenter all day and usually came out in the evenings to fly. Avoid Sensory Overload, AirVenture Spotlight: Samaritan Aviation Launches Campaign To Expand Operations In Papua, Copilot Exits Aircraft Before Emergency Landing, FAA Admits Lax Oversight Of Southwest Airlines, AirVenture 2022: Redbird Mixed Reality Flight Simulator, Rolls-Royce UltraFan Reaches Final Build Phase, Pratt & Whitney Begins GTF Advantage Certification Testing, O2 Bottle Refills: Regulations, Logistics. And by the way, his vow never to complain again was soon broken.). UNOS, undershoot north overshoot south, which means that the compass will read about 330 when you truly pass through 360. A savvy passenger in the right seat can read checklists and charts and help you with your scan. Also consider the effect of modifications to your aircraft, as these may impact the static system and overall instrument accuracy. About a half hour after he left, I noticed Joe taxiing back to the tie-down area. Or Is It Just Bluster?, Losing Lead Doesnt Drive Fuel Development, Preserving The Status Quo Does, PS Engineering Offers Less is More Pricing On New Intercom Option, RAF Pilot Invents Technology Enabling Paraplegics To Fly Helicopters, AirVenture 2022: Dealing With Supply Chain Issues, Too Much Avionics? FAR 91.205 specifies required instruments for VFR flight for the most basic aircraft. DO get training in no-gyro approaches. Leakage must not be tolerated, as the accuracy of all the instruments in that system is compromised. Anything electrical is subject to the effects of vibration, corrosion and broken (open) connections; remember this in your troubleshooting routine. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Although Joe was grateful for the training he received, the kudos go to him for properly and promptly recognizing the problem and then dealing with it before it put him into a life-threatening situation. If you thoroughly think through all possible failures ahead of time, youll be in a far better position to recognize and deal with them when the time comes. For airplanes that have TWO vacuum pumps on ONE system, we just dont simulate that, just like we dont simulate both the tire and innertube inside it we only simulate the actual outgoing force that you see. While the latest models of aircraft have electrically powered instrumentation, the majority of General Aviation aircraft still retain the self-powered instruments as a matter of reliability and economics. I barely made it to the runway and when I popped out of cloud at minimums I circled to land in the opposite direction. It is up to the pilot in command to determine that the required instruments are operational before flight, and that the instruments are certified for the operation intended. Do some checking around to see ifyou can find a shop that does repair older instruments. Youll receive about one email a month, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Air Parts of Lock Havenairpartsoflockhaven.com, Further readingFAR 91.205Powered civil aircraft with standard category U.S. airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements, FAR 91.411Altimeter system and altitude reporting equipment tests and inspections, Appendix E to FAR Part 43Altimeter System Test and Inspection, 14CFR 65.81General Privileges and Limitations, All of the above documents are available at the FAA website:rgl.faa.gov, In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies. I went back to the student I was with and we continued to discuss his cross-country planning until Joe burst in the door and rushed over to give me a big hug. Russia Will Withdraw From the International Space Station, Ampaire Gets Firm Order For Hybrid Caravans, Will Russia Really Leave The ISS? A word to the wise: if you are buying an instrument at a flea market or on eBay, not only ensure that it can be repaired and certified, but make certain that it is appropriate to your aircraft. I am just doing my job." Now I need 31.9 hours simulated instrument time to meet all requirements for the test. (I rather suspect that since Joe is now an instructor that a fair measure of his students receive partial panel checks. He felt totally prepared for the emergency and swore he would never complain about my being hard on him again! I carry instrument covers in my flight kit all the time. Good preventive maintenance practicessuch as keeping moisture off of connections, proper routing and attachment of wiring, and reducing airframe vibrationcan go a long way in avoiding premature instrument and electrical failures. But a manufacturer adding something "just because we can" might ramp up the price with 2022 Aviation Publishing Group. The next approach was for the same airport but non-precision, which means there is no vertical guidance and the descent is made in steps when reaching certain distances. Non-recognition of the problem is the major cause of the accidents. After todays flight it is all repetition until my oral and practical test. One Saturday afternoon Joe was on the schedule for a rare daytime flight and scheduled with me for an instrument competency check. Consider the vacuum system that powers most General Aviation gyroscopic instruments such as an artificial horizon (AH) and gyroscopic heading indicator (DG). Aircraft Instrument Systems: A Brief Guide. There are some, such as Air Parts of Lock Haven, that specialize in older aircraft instruments and in fact have repair station authority to do extensive repairs. Well, Ive had students greet me in various ways, but this was not the usual so I asked Joe what was up. Yeah, I wrote schnaps. Once you determine the bad guy, get it out of your scan. After some time it is probably similar as a go-around decision. Aside from a vacuum pump failure, the most common ways you will see problems with your vacuum system and/or gyro instruments are the all-too-common directional gyro that precesses excessively or the attitude indicator that shows a constant slight bank when the wings are actually level. On September 24, 1929, he proved that it was possible to fly solely by reference to instruments using a Sperry gyro-horizon and a directional gyro. An instrument accuracy check revealed a 900-foot error in the actual altitude versus indicated altitude. As a pilot and aircraft owner, it is important to understand not only how aircraft instruments work, but also to be knowledgeable of the systems that they interface with. The fluid in there is at least similar to alcohol. It is all Jimmy Doolittles fault! If you have no copilot instruments, then no problem: The second vacuum system goes unused, like it is not even there. Since I was busy enough to keep the airplane in a non-aerobatic attitude there wasnt much brain left to think of which errors I should have expected while passing certain headings. DO develop a comprehensive understanding of how all the flight instruments operate and their most common failure modes. But before flying that approach I had to fly a hold at an intersection, no problem, if the instruments would have worked. He would just have told me that if he knew he was going to have a vacuum failure actual IFR, he wouldnt take off. Also significant in any electrical instrument installation is that individual components of a system are in most cases not interchangeable. The approach in the video is very nicely flown, I think. The sending unit attached to the fuel tank can fail mechanically or electrically, or provide inaccurate readings as both parts can wear or age. We have to change the way we train instrument pilots and PCATDs may be an answer to the problem. By default, the suction is generated by pumps driven by the engine, so it is dependent on your engine RPM. (I dont consider this a choice. Aircraft instruments have been a part of aviation since the first flight of the Wright Flyer, which was equipped with a stopwatch, an anemometer (to measure wind speed) and a tachometer. This went on for the whole time we were airborne and for most of the taxi back to the tie down and postflight. In addition, hes a turbo jet flight engineer, an A&P/IA mechanic, airplane owner and 121 air carrier captain. When the directional gyro (DG, bottom middle) fails there is a lot more workload. Almost all of it can be done with another student so a flight hour in a C172 costs me $60 instead of $120. So, for the dual-vacuum pump planes that have two pumps on one system, simply fail the vacuum pump in the failure list to take out BOTH pumps, since that will remove the pumping pressure from the system. He wants to trick you with: I had trouble to integrate the magnetic compass in my instrument scan. Please select all the ways you would like to hear from AVIATION GROUP LTD: You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Electrical components do wear out and/or deteriorate over time and malfunction, even if the item is rarely used. As a pilot or aircraft owner/operator it is very important that you properly maintain aircraft instruments and associated systems as well as seek repairs or replacement at the first sign of any deficiency. That kind of training requires a flight-training device. Several fatal accidents have occurred over the years for just this reason, and a low vacuum warning can be a lifesaver. DONT forget your prime responsibility control of the airplane. I found it difficult enough to remain straight and level and now I had to follow a glide slope towards a runway. If the correct answer is not determined quickly, the success of the outcome will be seriously in doubt. (Well, at least most of us do.) Michael Berry, a former aircraft repair shop owner, is a multi-engine rated ATP (757/727). Learn how your comment data is processed. The precision-balanced rotor is suspended by a shaft and supported by tiny bearings which are lubricated when the instrument is assembled. Unfortunately, the training required is not readily available to many pilots and it doesnt take place in an airplane. Few shops are equipped to handle this material and will refuse the shipment. Until that time, dont put off practicing your own "what if" scenarios. There are two vacuum systems: One for the pilot instruments, one for the copilot instruments. Although youre going to want to get to VFR weather if possible, you may have to land in instrument conditions and practice with no-gyro vectors will come in handy. And he would have been right, so I just kept this little tidbit of information to myself. At which point he immediately thought of all the partial panel work we had recently done. Do these "what if" exercises while they are still exercises! In fact, the gyros remain rigid in space and the airplane rotates around them. Well, how about trying a slight pitch up. These systems deliver a very slight pressure to the instruments that they serve, and instrument accuracy is impacted by even slight variations. All different approaches I learned would have worked the first time I tried them, no issues there. Just dont ask during rush hour at OHare or JFK! Berry has 15,000-plus pilot hours. He did this regularly and he was usually more than competent so it was always a challenge for me to find a challenge for him. Of course, I didnt alert Joe to this before takeoff. Instead of visually correcting the heading with a DG, I had to think: Desired heading 293, present heading 273, 20 right turn, 20 divided by 3/sec equals about 7 seconds. The rules of requiring approved technical data covering repairs and overhauls, approved parts sourcing and proper repair and test equipment are alive and well in the aircraft instrument arena. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Deviation, caused by magnetic disturbance created by the alternator and its systems, Acceleration error, compass reading is false during change of speed. Vacuum pumps are replaced after about 500 hours for a reason, I heard. DO develop a plan for sorting out a failure. Or, is it the attitude indicator? If the heading indicator is drifting off our desired 120 heading, whats wrong? Any instrument that requires shipment to a repair shop must be packaged properlyas if you were shipping eggsand the package should be marked as fragile and insured. But fail a system in the plane and it all goes pear-shaped. Sometimes everything indicates youre fine but there is this feeling that makes you push the power back in and try again. The main issue was, I think, that I am not very familiar with the compass errors during turns. Or has the heading indicator failed? Magnetic dip, caused by the magnetic lines that point more towards the earth than to actual north. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Most pilots I have observed undergoing this type of training have lost control of the aircraft at least once before the situation was properly diagnosed and dealt with. You will probably find ATC happy to help you practice this since they need practice also to remain proficient. I had no idea in which direction I was pointing and held the yoke way too tight so I started to overcorrect for every indication my few working instruments delivered. When replacing a vacuum pump due to a failure, ensure that all hoses, filters and fittings are checked for contamination from foreign material as not only is the newly-installed pump at risk of failure, the instruments may also fail due to foreign material contamination. Errors such as this are rare, but can happen, so be especially vigilant when multiple modifications are made to an aircraft. (LogOut/ If, however, the attitude indicator doesnt move but the altimeter, airspeed, and VSI respond appropriately, slap that sticky on the AI! If the attitude indicator shows wings level, what does the turn coordinator show? If your heading is drifting, it may be a bad heading indicator, or it may be the fault of an attitude indicator that is either at a perpetual bank in level flight or in the process of failing or it may be a failure of the vacuum system itself.
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cessna 172 vacuum system failure