Rusty Pilot and BFR Notes

General

• Establish your own personal VFR minimums.
• Defensive VFR Flight Plan - Required in order to cross ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone) line.
• Night:
  • For currency: Defined as 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise.
  • For logging: Beginning of civil twilight until the end of civil twilight.
• Pilots are required to have ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION concerning a flight before taking off.
• NASA ASRS
  • NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System
  • 14 CFR 91.25 - Self-reported items cannot be used against the pilot.
• Navigation lights determine the right-of-way:
  • Red - Yield.
  • Green - Right-of-way.
• METAR
  • Current observations.
  • Issued every hour.
• TAF
  • Forecast.
  • Issued every 6 hours.
• Look for trends in weather forecasts.
• Request flight following when ready to taxi.
• For non-towered airports:
  • Enter the pattern on a 45° angle on the mid-field downwind leg.
  • Exit the pattern on either a straight out on the runway or a 45° angle.
  • Contact on CTAF at 10 miles out.
• For towered airports:
  • Contact the tower at 10 miles out, unless noted on the charts.
• 122.75: Air-to-Air contact.
• Complex Aircraft - An aircraft with retractable gear, flaps and a constant speed propeller.
• High Performance Aircraft - An aircraft that has an engine with more than 200 horsepower.
• Order of right-of-way:

1. Aircraft in distress.
2. Balloons.
3. Gliders.
4. Refueling aircraft (towing aircraft).
5. Airship.
6. Airplanes.
7. Rotorcraft.

• Pressure Altitude = ((29.92 - Barometric Pressure) * 100) + Field Altitude

Acronyms

• AHRS - Attitude Heading Reference System (G1000)
• ADC - Air Data Computer (G1000)
• VASI - Visual Approach Slope Indicator
• PAPI - Precision Approach Path Indicator
• TRSA - Terminal Radar Service Area
• MOA - Military Operations Area
• AGL - Above Ground Level
• MSL - Mean Sea Level

Squawk Codes

• 1200 - VFR
• 7500 - Hijack
• 7600 - Loss of Communications
• 7700 - Emergency (Mayday)

Light Gun Signals

On Ground

• Steady Green - Cleared for takeoff
• Flashing Green - Cleared to taxi
• Steady Red - Stop
• Flashing Red - Taxi clear of runway
• Flashing White - Return to starting point on airport
• Alternating Red and Green - Exercise extreme caution

In Flight

• Steady Green - Cleared to land
• Flashing Green - Return to land
• Steady Red - Give way to other aircraft
• Flashing Red - Airport unsafe, do not land
• Alternating Red and Green - Exercise extreme caution

NOTAM Types

• D - Distant: Physical type
• FDC - Flight Data Center: Procedural types

Airmet Types

• Sierra - Mountain obscuration, visibility, IFR conditions
• Tango - Moderate turbulence
• Zulu - Moderate icing

Hypoxia Types

• Hypoxic - Altitude sickness
• Hypermic - Carbon Monoxide poisoning
• Histotoxic - Alcohol
• Stagnent - Block blood flow

Oxygen Requirements

• Above 12,500' MSL for greater than 3 minutes - Crew.
• Above 14,000' MSL - Crew.
• Above 15,000' MSL - Must be available to passengers.
• Above 5,000' MSL at night - Recommended for crew, but not required.

Pilot Evaluation

IMSAFE

• I - Illness
• M - Medication
• S - Stress
• A - Alcohol
• F - Fatigue
• E - Emotions (or Eating)

Information Needed Before Pre-Flight

• NOTAMS
• Weather
• Known ATC Delays
• Runway Lengths
• Alternates
• Fuel
• Takeoff and Landing Distances

VFR Equipment Requirements

TOMATO FLAMES

• T - Tachometer for each engine
• O - Oil temperature for each air-cooled engine
• M - Magnetic compass with deviation card
• A - Airspeed indicator
• T - Temperature gauge
• O - Oil pressure gauge
• F - Fuel gauge for each tank
• L - Landing gear position indicator
• A - Altimeter
• M - Manifold pressure gauge
• E - ELT
• S - Safety belts

Alternative (Day)

• Compass
• Altimeter
• Airspeed Indicator
• Anti-Collision Lights
• Fuel Indicator
• Flotation Device
• Oil Temperature Gauge
• Oil Pressure Gauge
• Tachometer
• Manifold Pressure Gauge
• ELT
• Gear Position Lights
• Seat Belts

Alternative (Night)

• Fuses
• Landing Light
• Anti-Collision Lights
• Position Lights
• Source of Electricity

Required Pilot Documents

• Endorsed Logbook
• Government Issued ID
• Medical
• Pilot Certificate

Medicals

• First Class (ATP): 12 calendar months (6 if over 40)
• Second Class (Commercial): 12 calendar months
• Second Class (Private): 60 calendar months (24 if over 40)
• Third Class (Private): 60 calendar months (24 if over 40)

Required Aircraft Documents

ARROW

• A - Airworthiness Certificate
• R - Radio Station License
• R - Registration Certificate
• O - Operating Limitations
• W - Weight and Balance

Required Aircraft Maintenance

AV1GATE

• A - Annual
• V - VOR (30 days)
• 1 - 100-hour inspection (required if aircraft is used for hire or flight instruction for hire - 91.409(b))
• G - GPS (28 days)
• A - Altimeter (24 calendar months)
• T - Transponder (24 calendar months)
• E - ELT (12 calendar months, or 1/2 battery life, or after 1 hour of cumulative use)

Required Reporting

• Flight control system malfunction or failure.
• Inability of any required crew member to perform normal flight duties as a result of injury or illness.
• In-flight fire.
• Aircraft collision in flight.
• Damage to property other than the aircraft estimated to exceed $25,000.
• Release of all or a portion of the blade from an aircraft excluding release only by ground contact.

Airspaces

Entry Requirements

• A - ATC Clearance
• B - ATC Clearance
• C - 2-way radio communication prior to entry
• D - 2-way radio communication prior to entry

Equipment Requirements =

• A - IFR
• B - 2-way radio and transponder (ADS-B in 2020)
• C - 2-way radio and transponder (ADS-B in 2020)
• D - 2-way radio

VFR Minimums

Class G Airspace

• Under 1,200' AGL (day): 1sm visibility and clear of clouds.
• Under 1,200' AGL (night): 3sm visibility, 500' below, 1,000' above, 2,000' horizontal
• 1,200' AGL up to 10,000' MSL (day): 1sm visibility, 500' below, 1,000' above, 2,000' horizontal
• 1,200' AGO up to 10,000' MSL (night): 3sm visibility, 500' below, 1,000' above, 2,000' horizontal

Class E Airspace

• Below FL010 MSL: 3sm visibility, 500' below, 1,000' above, 2,000' horizontal
• FL010 and above: 5sm visibility, 1,000' below, 1,000' above, 1sm horizontal

Class C & D Airspace

• 3sm visibility, 500' below, 1,000' above, 2,000' horizontal

Class B Airspace

• 3sm visibility, clear of clouds

V-Speeds

Cessna 172SP w/G1000 (Paragon)

• V_S0 - 40
• V_S1 - 48
• V_R - 55
• V_BG - 68
• V_X - 62
• V_Y - 74
• V_FE - 110 (10°), 85 (20°+)
• V_A - 90-105
• V_NO - 129
• V_NE - 163

Cessna 172SP (RexAir)

• V_S0 - 42
• V_S1 - 48
• V_R - 55
• V_BG - 68
• V_X - 62
• V_Y - 74
• V_FE - 110 (10°), 85 (20°+)
• V_A - 99
• V_NO - 129
• V_NE - 163

Piper Arrow (RexAir)

• V_S0 - 56
• V_S1 - 62
• V_R - 56
• V_BG - 81-91
• V_X - 83
• V_Y - 87
• V_FE - 109
• V_A - 101-114
• V_NO - 148
• V_NE - 186
• V_LE - 130
• V_LR - 109

Biennial Flight Review

Duration of Medical Certificate (FAR 61.23)

• First Class (ATP): 12 calendar months (6 if over 40)
• Second Class (Commercial): 12 calendar months
• Second Class (Private): 60 calendar months (24 if over 40)
• Third Class (Private): 60 calendar months (24 if over 40)

Recent Flight Experience (FAR 61.57)

• In order to carry passengers, PIC must have three takeoffs and landings, in the same category, class and type of aircraft, within the preceding 90 days.
• Takeoffs and landings may be done in an FAA approved flight simulator or flight training device (ATD).
• For daytime currency, takeoffs and landings may be full-stop or touch-and-go.
• For nighttime currency, the landings MUST be full-stop.

Careless or Reckless Operation (FAR 91.13)

• Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.
• Aircraft operations other than for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft, other than for the purpose of air navigation, on any part of the surface of an airport used by aircraft for air commerce (including areas used by those aircraft for receiving or discharging persons or cargo), in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.