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)