PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING


Yes, that really is a bird's nest


two nautical miles horizontally and 200ft vertically from controlled airspace) is sound, but in some cases it might be prudent to allow even more to minimise distracting warnings from your moving map, leaving you to get on with flying.


‘WHAT ABOUT PRE-FLIGHTING ME?’ If you don't normally use a checklist, give it an outing


‘LET ME GUESS… CHECK NOTAM?’ Good guess… the first thing I do after the paperwork even for short ‘local’ flights. It’s relatively simple nowadays, especially via the free graphical products for UK airspace; for example, SkyDemon light with some Windows browsers or as an App on i-devices. But even if you’re used to checking the Notam, there are a few elephant traps around after a lay-off and some little safety-nets that can help. Using the official Notam (non- graphical) free website ais.org.uk, can need a bit of practice, so planning a fictitious flight or two helps before doing it for real on the day. As for safety nets, just in case you missed a Notam temporary airspace upgrade or restriction of flying, you can dial the free number 0808-5354802 early on the flight day. But remember, it isn’t a substitute for a proper check as there are many safety issues (eg: parachuting) that would only be found in the Notam.


As for elephant traps, due to lockdown there are various bits of airspace Notam’d as non-operational at times, but remember these times will be UTC and British Summer Time starts on March 28, the day before flying restarts. Don’t forget to connect your moving map to the internet for Notam updates close to the flight, and set ‘time of flight’ in it properly. Speaking of updates, don’t forget that


there's a new paper chart out now with regular updates on the AIS website.


“SO, WE’RE TALKING AIRSPACE?” Well yes, and whether you’re an owner or renter, don’t challenge yourself unnecessarily on the first few flights back. Yes, you must pre-plan and know where not to go, but it’s equally important to minimise ‘cockpit distractions’ and avoid keeping your eyes inside for too long, so why not plan to keep well clear of airspace boundaries. As a general rule of thumb, the 'Take Two' advice (keep a boundary of


Use the mnemonic, I’M SAFE (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Eating). Much of it is self-explanatory but some elements are worth further discussion. Take stress for example, this doesn't fall into the illness category. The stress most of us associate with flying can be created by things such as time pressure, personal distraction or unfamiliarity with the task. It’s important to be aware of such pressures and manage them as part of pre-flight planning. Combine such stress with missed meals or a changed diet and there’s an increased likelihood that you won’t be thoroughly ready to fly.


‘WHAT ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT?’ Well, three main things – checklist, checklist and checklist; however familiar you are with the aircraft, don’t do it from memory. Walk-arounds must be even more thoughtful and thorough right now, especially as you might not have seen the aircraft regularly for a while – take some time; seeing is important and there’s a world of difference between ‘looking’ and actually ’seeing’. Talking of not seeing things for a while, chances are someone you haven’t seen


Give the fuel a thorough check. Are you sure it is fuel and not water? Are you sure it is the correct fuel? Is it contaminated with water or other nasties? At what point would you report it to maintenance?


SPRING 2021 CLUED UP 9


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24