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IMG_0724.JPGDate: 15/06/2008
At: Dec 04 2008 23:00Z
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Tuesday, December 2, 2008 - 11:19:33 ET
Have $3,000,000? Why not buy this Boeing 727-200? It's got a bar, and over 50 "first class" style seats. Avionics look a little rough though:  Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Monday, November 24, 2008 - 15:26:44 ET
My original plan was to fly to Kingston on Sunday. The weather didn't play nice thanks to an approaching warm front. So, I decided to head west instead to London instead. I took along a passenger, Sara, whom I've given a city tour before. This was the first time I've taken her on a X-Country flight. We hopped into a 172SP. It was the first time the aircraft flew today, so I pre-warmed the engine using the portable heaters that are available at the school. I noticed (for the first time) that there was a placard stating that this aircraft was equipped with a Tanis heater and the plug was located on the underside of the cowling. Next time I'm at dispatch, I'm going to inquire about it and see if it is serviceable. The airplane started on the first go! I wasn't expecting that. My flight plan was to take the "south route" around Pearsons Class "C" airspace. That involves flying along the shoreline until Oakville, then heading direct to London. This flight involved a few "firsts" for me: - First time I've missed two calls from a controller, prompting him to ask how I read him. The flight to the airport seemd like to take forever. Looking at the GPS we were only grounding about 80 knots. 10 knots less than what I planned for. Enroute we were told by Toronto Terminal that there was a target, 2 miles orbiting at our altitude and he suggested that we descend 500 feet to 3000' ASL. I complied and the traffic changed direction and passed over us in the descent. I was close enough to read the call-sign underneath his wing. We were handed off to London tower about 15 miles back. There was another aircraft also inbound to London to my 9 o'clock. Tower cleared me to the left base for 15. I didn't have the airport in sight, and let the tower know. He gave me vectors and it wasn't until around 3 miles did I see the big weather radar dome (I think) that is located on the field. I landed and exited on Taxiway Alpha. The taxiway is so wide that I was able to exit while other GA aircraft were waiting to take-off. I asked to get taxi instructions to the terminal building but was denied "due to security reasons". I later found out that it was due to the fact that it was a secure area (being an international airport and such), for which you need a "Red Pass" to access. I was directed to an FBO where I could use the facilities. This is when I realized that the Diamond Aircraft have their factory located here. As well as the "Katana Kafe", which from looking at the menu, is hardly a cafe. Since we arrived at 3pm, the restaurant was closed (it reopened at 5pm for dinner). Dinner entrees were $28 and above. I thought cafe's were supposed to be cheap? In the same building is the "Diamond swag shop". We hopped back in the plane and I watched what looked like a We were given taxi instructions to runway 15 (which was 10 seconds away, on taxiway alpha) and to hold behind 3 other aircraft waiting to depart. But before I could continue, I had to give way to a 737 that was on Golf. You don't hear that everyday (or ever) at Buttonville. The controller told us the remaining runway (which was 4800', plenty for a 172) at Alpha and that we were cleared to take off. One thing I found interesting was that I was given a squawk code but as soon as we were cleared of the control zone was told to squawk 1200. I guess the code I was given was just to keep track of airplanes in the circuit/cz at London? The rest of the flight back was uneventful. This was a good lesson for me, and being the first flight since snowfall, a refresher on how different things look now that contrast has been reduced significantly with everything being white and grey. Although my taxi instructions to the FBO were simple (literally, "straight ahead"), I did come prepared with a full size map of the airport to help me. Paying closer attention to the radio to not miss radio calls wont be a mistake I will make again. I'm glad that the controllers at London were patient with me. They were courteous and helpful the entire way. Another 2.4 hours in the logbook! Comments (4) | Permalink | Category: Training
Saturday, November 22, 2008 - 13:56:25 ET
This is a pretty scary video of a pilot who entered a flat spin (by accident) while trying to do a normal spin. I suspect the engine quit because the forces of the spin caused an imbalenced fuel flow. At the end, the aircraft flipped over because the landing gear snagged some barbwire that the pilot didn't see. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 22:21:12 ET
So after a week of comments and research, it's time to answer the question. This is a unique problem. Mainly because of some of the procedures at Bromont. During glider ops you are not to overfly the airport. So that rules out joining the mid downwind after overflying the airport. Because there was no traffic advisory available, then the control zone was an ATF. Which means there is only one other way to join the circuit, that is via the straight-in downwind. I think this is a knowledge gap during the training process. I've come up with a chart that will help with figuring out when MF and ATF rules and procedures are in place. Please let me know if you find any errors so that I can correct. Comments are welcome. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 12:05:16 ET
I had a reader send in a question about joining the circuit at Bromont airport a little while ago. I'll let him explain it: On my first solo flight after getting my Licence, I decided to go from Montreal CYHU to Bromont CZBM. The soaring activity was using the grass strip (runway 05R) on the upwind side of runway 05L. Take a look at the airport diagram. The only relevant procedures for this airport in the CFS is that runway 05R/23R to use right hand circuits. It also states "Do not over fly airport during glider ops" So, was the pilot correct in joining the circuit this way? If you feel his actions were incorrect, then how do you think he should have joined? I will post the correct answer in a few days. (oh and my post about Runway Surface Condition reports is coming!) Comments (7) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, October 31, 2008 - 13:14:25 ET
Let's take a look at an example METAR with CRFI data in it: CYFB CRFI 17/35 -22 .34 0201190630 In order, the block of data contains:
So the CRFI for runway 17/35 is 0.34. We can use this value now to figure out how much extra runway we may need on landing. Let's take a look at Table 1 in the AIM, Section AIR 1.6.6. You can also find the CRFI charts in the CFS. If your performance calculations indicate that you will need 2000 feet of runway to land, with a CRFI of 0.34, you will in fact need 4170 feet. We used table one because the type of aircraft we're flying does not have discing or thrust reversers. One thing to note. These distances assume that you're wheels do not lock/skid when you apply brakes. It is important to do all your performance calculations first, then use the table to find out the extra distance needed due to the CRFI. It's not recommended that you extrapolate the data in the tables either. You should also round down to the nearest CRFI value. Table three allows you to figure out your maximum allowable crosswind. It's your standard cross-wind chart/calculator with the addition of CFRI values along the top and bottom. Looking at the chart, you can see that the maximum allowable crosswind for a CRFI of 0.34 is approx 12knots. At that speed and above, you may be unable to stay on the runway as the wind will blow your aircraft off to the side as there is insufficient friction on the runway to keep you in place. In my next post, I am going to talk another winter tool that complements the CRFI. It's the runway surface condition report! Stay Tuned. Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Airmanship, Ground School, Training
Thursday, October 30, 2008 - 13:39:11 ET
Back in January of 2007, I breifly talked about the Canadian Runway Friction Index (CRFI). With the recent winter-like weather in Southern Ontario I figured this would be a good time to go into more detail. Most progression in aviation safety is usually prompted by a previous accident or incident. The creation of the CRFI was no exception. A Fokker F-28 slid off the end of the runway at Dryden in March 1989, killing 24 of the 69 persons on board. An inquiry was created and the Dryden Commission stressed the need to come up with a way to measure and apply corrective measures for differing runway surface conditions. Transport Canada teamed up with NASA (along with French and Norwegian authorities) to come up with a way to measure runway conditions. The study was started in 1996 and it's aim was the following:
Tests were performed in North Bay, Ontario, Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Oslo Gardermoen Airport, Munich and at Erding Airbase. Tests were also conducted at Prague Airport in the Czech Republic and at the New Chitose Airport, hosted by the Japanese civil aviation authority. A database was developed and made available that contains test data from over 38,500 runs with 44 devices of 14 different makes. Test surfaces include at least six different ice conditions, packed snow, loose snow from .25 mm to 100 mm, and over 30 wet and dry surfaces. Test temperatures range from -25°C to +10°C. In the end, two standards were created.. The CRFI as well as an international version called IRFI. A survey in 2001 was released to over 3,000 airline transport pilots requesting their input on how they use the CRFI. Here are some of the findings:
Even for light aircraft, the CRFI is still an important part of your flight planning. One thing I've noticed, especially at Buttonville, is the lack of updates to the reported CRFI. In my experience the CRFI has only been updated once, during the morning, and that's it. I'm glad they do it anyways. Tomorrow I will talk about how to apply the CRFI to your flight planning. How to use the available graphs as well as how to calculate any increase in take-off and landing distances. Stay Tuned. References: http://www.tc.gc.ca/TDC/publication/tp13361e/13361e.htm Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Airmanship, Ground School, Training
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 21:07:18 ET
I got the latest edition of the CFS (Nov 20-Jan 15) yesterday by mail and noticed something peculiar. It was much smaller! I would estimate approx 25% smaller when compared to the two editions previous. There are still the same amount of pages, however the paper seemed different. I think they are using a higher grade/weight paper in this edition. It doesn't feel as "newsprinty" as the previous editions. It feels much sturdier too! Also to note is the small addition of RVR information for runways/aerodromes that support operations below 2600RVR. See page A2 of the CFS for more info. I'm going flying on Saturday! Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 12:02:16 ET
Further to my last blog post. I've been able to obtain a copy of Nick's presentation. I've made the original Power Point available. As well as a PDF. You just don't get the cool animations with the PDF. Download Power Point You can also visit Nicks website at aerosafety.ca. Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 13:57:33 ET
Last week I attended this months Transport Canada Aviation Safety Seminar. The topic was winter weather and icing presented by a CBC Meterologist (Nick Czernkovich). I learned quite a few new things thanks to his presentation. Consider the following situation: You're flying above the clouds in non icing conditions. As your making your way to your destination you realize that there is freezing drizzle forecast/occurring for your time of arrival. This was not anticipated. However your alternate is currently experiencing freezing rain. There are other options, however. Another airport is showing hail, while a fourth is showing snow. Essentially what Nick is going to answer is: "Given the type of precipitation falling, can you determine your risk/chance of icing as you descend into the clouds and land at the airport?" The answer is yes. Unfortunately, I didn't take any notes during the presentation so I can't give you any more detail then that. Your best bet is to land at an airport with snow. This type of condition will yield the least amount of icing. One of his pet-peeves are pilots that go straight to the METAR and TAFs for their weather briefing. His philosophy is to take a look at all available resources: GFAs, METARS, Upper Winds, etc.. Don't look at what's happening now, but what happened in the past few hours. Understand the current weather conditions and make your predictions. Correlate what you think is going to happen with the TAF. They should match. If you understand why the weather is going to be a certain way, then you are better prepared for designing exit strategies when you encounter adverse weather. Icing was the main topic of discussion however the focus was more on tailplane icing, rather than wing/airframe icing. Recovering from a tailplane stall is way different than recovering from a wing stall. He suggested that you purchase the NASA Icing package which includes videos, simulations, and data on all of the research NASA has done on icing. The entire package is available for only $10 from Sporty's. I'm going to see if I can get a copy of Nicks presentation. Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Monday, October 13, 2008 - 09:21:05 ET
A friend and I headed up to Parry Sound this past Saturday. I would recommend to everyone (In southern Ontario) to take advantage of this 23°C weather and blue skies to get into the air and enjoy the autumn to it's fullest.  For the first time ever, the airplane I wanted to use was "timed out". That is, there was about only 1 hour left before the necessary 50 hour inspection. There was some discussion at dispatch about getting a 10 hour extension. I decided to err on the safe side and get another (and what ended up being a better) aircraft. I flew the (new to the fleet) 172R C-GKRF. The cool thing about this aircraft is that it has a two axis auto pilot! Heading and Altitude. I took advantage of both throughout the flight. There were some things to note. The Midland VOR isn't your standard "witches hat" style VOR. The Simcoe VOR is a good example of that. Instead it's a really tall antenna. I'm not sure why this is the case, but if anyone can shed light on why this is please let me know. The airplane is equipped with a Garmin GNS430w gps/radio. The map was not displaying class C or D airspace. I couldn't figure out how to display it. I found the manual on Garmins website and now I know for next time! I was able to find Buttonville airport fine coming from the north as 15 was the active and the REILs were flashing away. I was cleared for the straight in approach. Thanks to Marco for keeping me company during the flight and providing such excellent photos. Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 12:48:47 ET
This clip was posted to liveatc.net. Stuck mike during an ILS lesson. Personally I think I would have a hard time learning from this instructor. As always, comments from the peanut gallery after the stuck mike has been identified are hilarious. Comments (4) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, October 3, 2008 - 14:36:06 ET
John Sauder CBC News at Six Manitoba Johanna Wagstaffe CBC News: Weather Centre Nick Czernkovich CBC News: Weather Centre (Not Confirmed) I wonder if that's a pre-requisite to getting hired ;) Although not a meteorologist, Jacquie Perrin of CBC Newsworld is a pilot as well. Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, October 3, 2008 - 13:59:58 ET
This months safety seminar is all about weather. CBC News Meteorologist Nick Czernkovich will cover the ins and outs of the fall and winter weather. Ground operations, fog, and aircraft icing are some of the topics to be discussed. Nick will bring the latest information and research on winter weather, including new technology that will enhance forecasts in Toronto. I plan on attending. If anyone else is, let me know! For more information see the Transport Canada website. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 - 10:29:19 ET
Porter announced today that they will be flying to Chicagos Midway airport starting November 12. Flights starting at $149. I'm sure if Meigs was still around, they'd be using that airport instead. Comments (3) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 22:19:39 ET
I was looking for someone to go flying with me last week. I had booked the 172R (this one, unlike the S model, has over a dozen fuel drains!) for a night flight at 7pm. I couldn't find anyone, so I decided to make the trek to Goderich solo. The forecast was looking great, light winds and clear skies. This particular 172 is IFR rated. So not only does it have the standard equipment, it works too! When I filed my flight plan, I used the equipment suffix of "SG/C". This was the first time I've ever used the "G" suffix. Here's why: I normally bring along my non aviation handheld GPS (its a Garmin eTrex Summit). I use it to double check my position as well as log my flights for later review. The AIM suggests that even with this "VFR" GPS unit, I can use the "G" suffix for my equipment list. I've never done it in the past because I'm not sure how I would be able to handle a request from ATC like "proceed direct to someplace". Well, the aircraft I was flying had an IFR certified GPS (along with up to date databases). I felt more confident being able to handle a request such as "proceed direct to Goderich" with that particular avionic. One of the great things about my route from CYKZ to CYGD was that it was almost exactly due west of the airport. Because I was flying at night, I didn't have to worry about the numerous advisory airspace that dotted the landscape. All of them were parachute drop zones active only during the day.
Once cleared of Buttonvilles Control Zone I called up Toronto Terminal to ask for higher and flight following. I was asked what altitude I wanted and let the controller know that I would like 4500'. He replied with "proceed direct to Goderich, climb to 2500, remain vfr at all times, I will have higher for you later". This was the expected response, as I knew they would allow me to climb as I headed westward and past each concentric ring of Pearsons "upside down wedding cake". This is the first aircraft that I've flown that has an auto pilot. It's just a basic 1 axis (heading) auto pilot, but I decided to use it for the first time anyways. I made sure my heading bug was on the appropriate heading and then engaged the auto pilot. It was hard to tell if it was actually doing anything since the air was so smooth. I decided to turn the heading bug 10° to the right to see if the airplane would turn. It did! Neat-o. With the airplane fully trimmed, and the autopilot keeping me on a heading of 275° I could enjoy the sights. During my planning, one thing did catch my eye. There was a NOTAM for runway 32 which stated that the threshold had been pushed forward 200' because of tall trees protruding through the approach path. I had never been to this airport before so I wasn't sure what to expect. If runway 32 was to be the active then I would do a low pass first (what you'd do for a precautionary landing) to inspect the approach path and to double check the windsock. When I made my initial call on the ATF, there was someone else already at the airport entering the circuit for 28. Hmm.. thats odd. When I got the latest winds from London FSS, they were favoring runway 32. Plus it made more sense for me to use the longer runway (5000' versus 3000'). I decided to stick to 28.
Where I had the sun on the way there, the return leg had me staring at the moon. It was a clear night and visibility was unlimited (as far as I could tell). However I still had a hard time finding Buttonville at night. I could see the 404, and the 407, I knew the airport was there, but couldn't find anything that would positively identify it. The controller gave me a heading to fly for my base leg, and just when you would normally have turned final, I saw the RILs of runway 15. I was too high and too fast. I cut the power and and as soon as the airspeed indicator was in the white arc I put in full flaps. I'm normally used to 40° being full flaps, but this airplane only had 30°. I was able to make it down safely.but had to roll it all the way down to the end of the runway to taxiway Bravo. I was cleared to taxi all the way back to the apron and logged another 2.4 hours (2.1 at night). Comments (8) | Permalink | Category: Training
Friday, September 19, 2008 - 15:29:53 ET
I went on a flight this past week to Goderich, for which I have a post lined up. In the mean time, enjoy these videos!
Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 12:08:51 ET
After the tragic death of the owner of Greenbank Airport in an ultralight accident (CADORS: 2008O1622), his wife is selling the airport. Mickys wife, Dorothy had this to say:
The airport is on 77 acres, located on the greenbelt and is zoned airport. Price Tag: $2 million. If you are interested, or would like more information, contact Dan Farquharson at 905-640-4151 . A information sheet will be made available shortly. Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, September 12, 2008 - 11:17:32 ET
I would just like to "officially" congratulate one of my class mates. I think he was a semester a head of me and he just got a job at Durham College as a flight instructor! Congrats Lu! You'll make a good teacher. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Monday, September 8, 2008 - 12:18:42 ET
Transport Canada has released detailed information about the new licence booklet. In a nutshell, they are treating the paper licenses more like a passport. Your ratings and medicals are stickers that you place into your booklet.  ATPL and CPL pilots are the first to get the new booklets at the end of this year. You can view more details at Transport Canadas website. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Sunday, September 7, 2008 - 16:30:06 ET
There are a lot of online flight planning tools out there. However, none of them (that I've found) focus on Canadian planning. That said, a friend and I have been working on getting something set up (we don't have a name for it yet) for Canadian pilots. One of the features we plan on releasing is an interactive map where you can click your departure, waypoints, and arrival locations on an "aeronautical" aware google map. It's unfortunate that NavCanada doesn't provide geotiff versions of their maps, like the FAA does. Here is a screen shot of what we've come up with so far:  This is a view of Buttonvilles' Control Zone with a few nearby airways. Eventually you will be able to control how cluttered the map is by selectively displaying navaids, airspace, airways, and airports. I am having some trouble with storing more complex airspace definitions, for example CYA512(P). Any PostGIS experts out there that can help me, please drop me a line by leaving a comment or clicking on the "contact" link at the top of the page. Once you pick your route, information such as METAR/TAF and FDs are automatically fetched and used to produce all your necessary flight planning numbers. If there are any features you would like to have in this web application, please let me know! Comments (6) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 - 22:04:49 ET
A C-172 crashed a few days ago near Shelburne, Ontario (57351 8th Line SW, Melancthon, Ontario to be exact) there were three occupants. Two went to hospital and the pilot walked away. After reading media reports (I know, I know..) and the CADORS report I have one comment to make about the situation. All of the reports mentioned that the pilot reported that they crashed "somewhere between Brampton and Collingwood". That's a pretty big area to cover. As a pilot you should be aware of your position at all times. When I'm flying x-country (especially at night) I always make sure I know where I am. That way if a situation does arise, I know what position to give in my mayday call (which the pilot of this incident didn't do). According to the CADORS report (#2008O1950) a York Region Helicopter and a Canadian Forces C-130 aircraft were dispatched to try to find the crash site. The ELT was not activated. The only method of being able to find the crash site was using Rogers and the 911 call to triangulate an area using cell phone towers (old school cellular 911). In the end, a farmer walking his dog found them and told 911 the location of the crash. I am unsure of the time between the crash and the rescue, but even if the ELT failed to activate, an accurate position report by ONE of the THREE pilots on board would have been sufficient to find them quickly. I look forward to seeing the official TSB report. References: Comments (7) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, August 29, 2008 - 15:43:10 ET
AIC 36/08 outlines NavCanadas latest decommissioning project. NAV CANADA, the country's provider of civil air navigation services, recently evaluated the requirement for very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) receiver test facilities (VOT) in Canada. Personally, I've never used one before. Does this mean that they will be removing the VOT related questions from the PPL/CPL written? They are requesting users submit their comments about the decommissioning schedule. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, August 29, 2008 - 11:07:32 ET
I was driving by the airport the other day and noticed that some obstruction lighting on telephone poles near the approach of 33 were burnt out (and have been for months). Does anyone know who I should contact to get that fixed? It's off airport property, so I don't think it would be the Airports responsibility. Transport Canada? Nav Canada? The local utility company? Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 21:15:15 ET
Rating: 4 out of 5. Although I'm already a pilot, I thought it would be interesting to read this book -- just to see if I would learn anything new. Guess what, I did! The book covers all the topics and frequently asked questions people have about being a pilot, specifically for Canadians. It goes over, in detail, things like getting your medical, the PPL exam, and all the other ratings you can get. There is a perfect balance of information. "Both" sides are represented. Reasons TO and reasons TO NOT be a pilot are fully explored. One of the sections that was most interesting to me were the Appendices. This is the *only* location I know of where you can see a sample resume of a pilot. Along with sample interview questions asked by Air Canada and WesJet. Sure you can get these elsewhere, but they usually charge an arm and a leg for them. There is some great advice with regards to your training and what to do and not do. The author also talks about The Webster Trophy, something I have never heard of until now. Tips on how to find your first job were also helpful to me. There is even a few cameo appearances giving advice in the book. All in all I suggest that every wanna-be pilot read this book so that they can get a better feel for what it REALLY is to be a pilot. If you aren't discouraged by what you read here, then you truly are meant to be a pilot. Two things I want to ad: This book as a facebook group, as well as it's own blog. Check them out! Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 20:36:23 ET
There was a recent fire in the Toronto area that was being fed from propane. There was some discussion about the incident at YYZ, on the ground frequency. It's interesting to note that there was no hotel on fire and the military was never called in. Clip provided by liveatc.net. More information about the incident can be found at CBC News. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Monday, August 25, 2008 - 10:29:13 ET
This is a really cool video! Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Monday, August 18, 2008 - 11:40:18 ET
Sorry for the lack of updates everyone. My day job is keeping me busy with the Olympics, plus some events in my personal life have also kept me away from flying. That said, I do plan on having a few updates in the next week or so. So stay tuned for those! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, August 8, 2008 - 15:02:59 ET
We've all heard of CRM. But what about Single Pilot Resource Management? The University of Western Ontario has a course on Single Pilot Resource Management. The course is only $50, and totally online. This would be an excellent course to take for GA pilots as its focus is on cockpit resource management for single pilot operations. Resource management is different when you are alone and there isn't someone else to share the load. This course goes beyond the "aviate, navigate, communicate" method of resource management. For a full review of the course and what it offers, check out this article from COPA. I plan on taking the course and reporting back my experience. Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - 09:46:55 ET
I discovered an air route by accident the other day while taking a close look at my Toronto VNC. I had never heard of an air route before until I dug a little deeper. Air routes differ over airways in that they are in uncontrolled airspace. That is, air routes are not controlled by ATC, unlike airways. They may pass through controlled airspace, but the space on either side of the route is not class E, like an airway is. "Pygmie" on avcanada.ca explains it this way: The designators AR and BR (there might be a couple others) are used to designate air routes and while part of the airway [i think he meant air route] may be within controlled airspace, they do not "create" controlled airspace. You will be able to see them on your charts are are usually designated with names like AR30. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, August 1, 2008 - 19:45:41 ET
I was looking at the Designated Airspace Handbook tonight and noticed something peculiar. The DAH is the legal document that describes Canada's airspace. It defines all airspace from control zones, special use areas, classes A through F as well as low level airways. I noticed this oddity for LF/MF airway A-2 and A-15: A2 Calgary, AB NDB \ to Red Deer, AB NDB \ to Edmonton, AB NDB \ to Whitecourt, AB NDB \ to Grande Prairie, AB NDB \ to Dawson Creek, BC NDB \ to Fort St. John, BC NDB \ to Fort Nelson, BC NDB \ to Liard River, BC NDB \ to Watson Lake, YT NDB \ to Whitehorse, YT NDB . . . Beaver Creek, YT NDB \ to Nabesna, AK USA NDB A15 Banne, BC Intxn \ to Nichols, AK USA NDB . . . Beaver Creek, YT NDB \ to Nabesna, AK USA NDB You will notice that the last segments of each airway overlap each other (Beaver Creek NDB to Nabesna NDB). How does that work? Can the same airway have TWO designations? Is this an error? Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 12:09:04 ET
I came across this interesting document. ICAO Annex 14: International Standards and Recommended Practices Aerodromes. Essentially its the international rules on how to build and maintain an airport. It contains directions on Markings, Obstacle Obstructions, physical characteristics, and more. Its over 300 pages long. Feel free to download a copy, its heavy at over 7mb. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 08:02:46 ET
MillionAir and Toronto Airways announced a multi-million dollar, two level renovation of the current terminal building! It's about time. The new building will include: - A new location for Toronto Airways (dispatch) Druxies and the Prop Shop will remain in their same locations, with a few changes to their storefronts. This is welcoming news as they are trying to attract more people to come and use the airport. I wonder if the location of the new Honda Headquarters just north of Elgin Mills has anything to do with it?! You can read the full press release at aviation.ca Now only if they can fix the broken sign that faces the 404. Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 16:07:14 ET
Does anyone know what a fixed RNAV route is? There are only three defined in Canada: T101: Firon, QC Intxn to Atuko, QC Intxn Are these like victor airways, but using RNAV intersections instead? Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, July 18, 2008 - 11:38:28 ET
With some events happening in my personal life, I've made the tough decision to stop flying in order to save money (mainly for my wedding). That said, I've canceled all my lessons for the rest of the summer. However, that's not to say I can't still be productive. I'm debating about whether I should let my rental currency lapse with the school. I plan on spending my time studying for the CPL written exam as well as for the INRAT. The results of the exams are valid for 2 years after you write them. So although I don't plan on starting my IFR training until after I get my CPL, I'll already have the INRAT written and done. The INRAT consists of 50 multiple choice questions, with a three hour time limit and a pass of 70% or higher. The questions all deal with items related to IFR flying as well as questions based on a simulated IFR flight. Transport Canada has a list of recommended study material. I find it odd that the "Instrument Procedure Manual" is missing from that list. It's a tough document to track down. It is not available online, nor is it available on the Transport Canada website for order. I've only been able to find it at Aviation World. It comes unbound and shrink wrapped. At least it's hole punched so you can put it in a binder. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what other resources I should use for studying the INRAT? Comments (5) | Permalink | Category: Training
Monday, July 14, 2008 - 17:31:26 ET
One of the ways I stay proficient with the rules of flying is by referencing the AIM frequently. In fact it is the only reading material in the bathroom. So every time I need to use the facilities, I open up the AIM to a random page/section and read away. I came across this gem last night: SAR 4.9 is an extract from the Canada Shipping Act: 514. The law, statutory and other, including the provisions of this Part, relating to wrecks and to the salvage of life or property and to the duty or obligation to render assistance to ships or vessels in distress, applies to aircraft on or over the sea or tidal waters and on and over the Great Lakes, as it applies to ships or vessels, and the owner of an aircraft is entitled to a reasonable reward for salvage services rendered by the aircraft to any property or persons in any case where the owner of the aircraft would be so entitled had it been a ship or vessel. My interpretation of this excerpt essentially is: If an aircraft finds a shipwreck it is entitled to the same salvage rights as if a ship or vessel found the wreck. As well, a pilot flying an aircraft has the same duties and obligation as a vessel to render assistance to ships/vessels in distress. I tried looking up this particular excerpt in the Canadian Shipping Act only to find it had been repealed when the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 came into force. I guess the AIM needs to be updated. I guess that also means that there is no legal requirement for aircraft to render assistance to ships/vessels in distress? Update: I contacted the person responsible for the AIM at Transport Canada via e-mail. He said that he would pass my comments on to the DND and NSS for their review. Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 15:21:32 ET
For my American readers, I would like to point you to a new website I discovered a while ago called Ask A CFI. The owner is a flight instructor that encourages it's readers to ask him questions. In turn he will post the answer on his website. Recently he commented on TCAS and an incident that happened in the US where an F-16 pilot intercepted two aircraft without any reason. On a different note, there have been some changes in the works behind the scenes for this website. Upgrades, redesigns, etc.. Stay tuned for more information. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Saturday, July 5, 2008 - 09:25:20 ET
I haven't been flying in a while due to either being sick, or this thing called 'the cottage'. In either case, I was able to make it up last night. I normally like to visit a new airport each time I go up, but tonight it was a trip to Collingwood, which was the second airport I ever visited as a licensed pilot. If you were to fly direct to Collingwood (CNY3) from Buttonville (CYKZ), it would take you right over CYR502. It's airspace that is restricted over the firing range at CFB Bordon. I wonder at what altitude this airspace its restricted to. - I checked in the CFS. Not listed. I wonder why its not in the CFS? In anycase, I planned on flying my route direct Barrie/Springwater which means I will be flying through CYA509(P). I checked the NOTAMs and this airspace was active today. The NOTAM listed the airspace was capped at 4500', which was my planned altitude. I decided this wasn't an issue. In the end my flight plan was the following: CYKZ CNA3 CNY3 (00:10) CNY3 YMS CYKZ This is one of those situations I wish I brought my camera as so many interesting things happened on this flight. As I was dealing with paperwork at dispatch, I saw a column of rising smoke near the departure end of the active runway (today it was 15). I figured it was just a car fire on highway 407. When I departed I took a glance, and it was an actual building that was on fire. Although I wouldn't be flying through the actual column, I could smell the smoke pretty strongly as I made my right turn northbound. I tuned to the Cookstown frequency early to see if there was any activity going on in the drop zone. The NOTAM was saying that it was active, so I was expecting to hear something. Yup, I heard an aircraft that was launching jumpers at 4500'. I called up as a courtesy to let them know that I will be passing by their area to the east (avoiding their zone) at 4500'. The reply I got was a strong reminder that the paradrop zone was active. As I made my way to Collingwood, I decided to call up London FIC to get the latest winds at Bordon. I started planning my approach and I wanted to predict what the active runway at Collingwood would be. The winds at Bordon were coming from 330. Interesting how 40 miles or so, and the wind direction can change by 180°. So I planned for runway 31. I made my necessary calls, overflew the field and double checking the windsock, then joining a mid-left downwind for 31. I turn on final and BAM! Pounded by the setting sun right in my field of vision. Hmm.. this situation could be dangerous. When you combine a slow moving prop (as is the case on final approach) and the sun, you can get into a situation where the sun light is "strobing". It's highly distracting. Combined this with the fact that the windscreen is scratched and you get into a situation with reduced visibility. It was extremely hard to judge height. So I kept a close eye on the altimiter and decided that my approach would be high. The runway length was 5000', which is plenty of room to land longer than normal. My approach was stable, yet still really uncomfortable. I didn't overshoot because I knew I would make the field and that as long as I kept the decent profile the way it is, I would land safely. So my return leg had me going over the Mans VORTAC, then direct to Buttonville. I dialed up the VOR to the proper frequency and tried to ident the station. Nothing. Hmm.. I dialed up the Simcoe VOR and tried to ident. Nothing. Either two very important VORs are broken, or the volume knob on my VOR receiver is busted. I assume the latter and retune the instrument to the Mans VOR and figure out what radial I'm on, ensuring that the "TO" flag is present as I want to fly to the VOR. I track the radial inbound to the station and notice my entry into the cone of confusion. I look down and see the VOR - "Hello Miss Witch! I see your hat is white today!" I say to my self as I wave down at the radio array in the fading light. I'm getting more comfortable dealing with radio navigation. I report over Aurora to Buttonville tower and he tells me to report a 3 mile final for 15. But for whatever reason, I decided to set my self up for a left base for 15 (this is 10 miles out!). Buttonville is one of the hardest airports to find at night. So I was taking a route that I know would guarantee me finding the airport. So when the controller told me that I was too far east of the arrival path for 15 and to start turning South, thats when the light bulb over my head illuminated. Why the hell don't I use the localizer on 15 to line me up with the runway?! Ugh. I dial in the frequency my VOR receiver (which is a convient 111.1 Mhz) and turn the obs knob to 150. Yup, the needle is fully deflected to the right. So I continue flying south, glancing back and forth between the needle and outside trying to get any indication where the airport might be. Specifically, I'm looking for the strobes (or the RILs, Runway Identification Lights). I found the airport before the needle came alive on the localizer. I let ATC know that I have the airport and sight. Although I departed at 8:20pm, I wasn't able to log more than 0.3 hours of night. Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Training
Thursday, June 26, 2008 - 20:51:57 ET
If you havn't seen this bit yet, watch it. Extremely funny. Contains some strong language. Comments (1) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 22:36:17 ET
I first started planning/worrying about my 300nm X-Country flight last September. My original plan was to make the trip to Sherbrooke (CYSC), which is 341nm from Buttonville. My reasoning was as follows: 1. I get to overfly my (now ex) cottage near Magog, Quebec. I've started re-evaluating my decision based on the following: 1. I'm more confident with my flying now, so why not make the trip to the US? So, consider this an open invitation to any pilot out there who would like to share the costs of the 300nm CPL x-country trip with me. Here are some ground rules: 1. We must agree on the destination. I have compiled a list of the closest 25 American and Canadian airports. These have not been vetted for suitability. I hope for this to be a fun and learning experience. If you do not yet have your night rating, but would love to experience night flying this will be a great opportunity as I will be flying the return leg at night. Please email your interest to me by filling out the contact form. Ideally I would like to do this flight before October. If I don't hear from any interested parties by August 1st, I will be doing the trip alone. Comments (2) | Permalink | Category: Training
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 11:57:35 ET
Aviatrix over at Cockpit Conversation has a great idea for IFR students. She Her idea is to set up a database of possible flights that you will be tested on so that you can be better prepared for the flight. I encourage you to send along your most recent flight details to her so that she can start compiling her database (and so that I may use it when it comes time for my IFR ride). On a similar note. A user at liveatc.net has compiled audio files of IFR clearances for students to practice with. Scoot on over there any check out the "audio clips" section in the forum. For fun, listen to this IFR routing from JFK to Point Salinas Airport. Comments (4) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Friday, June 20, 2008 - 14:16:32 ET
A stuck mike at JFK can be a serious thing. You're blocking a really busy frequency. However, when everyone is stuck on the ground due to weather and you make a PA announcement over the ground frequency instead of in the cabin, well.. You're bound to get razzed. The clip starts with a stuck mike. Intertwined in here is an aircraft with a potential engine fire. I love it how everyone is keying their mikes while he's making the PA announcement. Comments (7) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 23:03:12 ET
I get asked quite a few questions about my training. So I decided to put together a time line that outlines specific milestones/events over the course of learning how to fly. The time line extends into the future, with goals/plans for the future. You can access it from this link, or on the left of the website under "by the numbers". Comments (0) | Permalink | Category: Training
Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 11:29:57 ET
This news is a little late. However, AIC 21/08 fills us in: TORONTO/BUTTONVILLE, ONTARIO REDUCTION IN THE CONTROL TOWER HOURS OF OPERATIONS Those tower guys deserve an extra hour of sleep ;) Comments (3) | Permalink | Category: Interesting Things, Training
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 15:38:18 ET
I came across this post on avcanada.ca. I'm posting it here more as a "reminder" for me when it comes time to file my taxes as a full time pilot. I'm going to copy-and-paste it verbatim: From http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=41875 1.Did you have to move for your job? If yes, you can deduct moving expenses. The total goes into line 219. 2. Did you get paid per diems in your job? If no, you can claim up to $51 CDN per day in Canada, but you must have a signed form from your company. Use Form TL2 at the following link. Also keep in mind that if you were paid per diems, but less than $51 per day, you can claim the difference up to $51 per day. For example, your employer pays $30 per diems. You work 200 days in the year. you can claim another $21 per day, or $4200. this then gets cut in half, and your claim will be $2100 entered in the employment expenses part of the income section of the T1. Note that the TL2 has to be signed by your employer. this verifies the amount of per diems they paid you. Same goes for if you were working to the US, claim $51 USD per day. Canada Revenue Agency has an average exchange rate for the year, and for 2007 it was 1.07478127 CAD per 1.0 USD. See this link for the rest of the main currencies. All amounts claimed must be converted to CAD. 3. You can deduct the cost of Charts, Approach Plates, Uniforms, Cost of your Medical Examination, Licen |
Boeing 727-200 For Sale 
I departed Buttonville and headed into the sunset. My flight plan called for flying westbound at 4500', but right now I had an altitude restriction of 2000' because of Pearsons Class C shelf above me.
Title: So You Want To Be A Pilot, Eh?