Being Cool Can Be Carried Too Far
by Bob Merrick
In much of modern life, being cool is "where it’s at," but too much coolness in your aviation life could be life threatening.
Aviation has come a long way since pioneering Canadian aviators wrapped themselves in bunny bags, daubed themselves with whale grease and set out in their open-cockpit planes to help build a country. Back then, engine reliability was a somewhat fanciful dream, navigation was an occult art, and aviators embarking on long flights fully expected to spend time in the bush before arriving at their destination. Thus, they went prepared.
Much of the aircraft’s payload was given over to survival gear. Using the stuff they brought along, early aviators could build a house, then machine the various parts needed to restore their HS-2L to serviceability. They knew that if they went down, rescue would be a long time coming.
Not so these days. Now, the emphasis has shifted to prompt extraction of distressed aviators from their involuntary campsites. As well, modern aircraft and modern navigation systems have greatly reduced the incidence of unexpected camp-outs. Thus, most aviators and their passengers give little thought to the consequences of engine failure or navigational shortcomings. They know that search and rescue (SAR) or the Civil Aviation Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) will be along soon. In summer, such an attitude is not necessarily excusable, but perhaps understandable. In winter, such a cavalier attitude can be fatal.
Winter is upon us and now is the time to review a personal survival kit, just in case a flight terminates at a point many miles from anywhere. After a simple forced landing, the first act should be to turn on the emergency locator transmitter (ELT). Unless you are a skilled woodsperson, a wintertime forced landing is an emergency, and that’s what the ELT is there for. So get it beeping now.
In most of Canada, most of the time, you would want to have mitts, tuques, snow boots and scarves at hand if the aircraft goes down. Cargo pants are currently trendy and cool, and they have pockets for stowing such items. Waterproof containers of windflamer matches are also essential, and there is no way of having too many of them.
If your camp-out results from something more vigorous than a mere forced landing, first aid to the injured will loom large in your list of first things to do. Again though, you should manually flip the ELT function switch to the "on" position. Yes, the impact should do it, but it doesn’t hurt to turn the switch on. Leave it on until a SAR TECH turns it off. Then do your best with the first aid; remember that those with injuries will likely feel the cold more than you will.
Attracting attention to your campsite is urgent. The ELT will summon help, but the help may have trouble seeing you. Plumes of smoke will help advertise your presence, and the oil from your engine, or some pine boughs, will help you make a dandy smudge on the horizon. A signaling mirror is also useful when the winter sun bursts through the clouds.
SAR aspires to provide same-day service to all distressed aviators, but, even under the best of circumstances, they are often thwarted by weather. Staying warm is essential; tuques, mitts, scarves and warm boots should be worn or in your pockets for all winter flying. It can get excruciatingly cold in the interval between the end of the crash or forced landing and the first crackle of the fire that you plan to start with those windflamer matches. You can also get hungry, so a couple of granola bars or similar nourishment will help prevent major league tummy rumbles.
Statistically, most pilots are unlikely ever to find themselves in a position where they need SAR’s service. But that should not preclude taking minimum precautions. What survival gear do you routinely keep close at hand while experiencing the joys of winter flying? What survival gear should you routinely keep on hand? Are the two answers the same? If not, perhaps you are working too hard at being cool. If you’re out in the cold, "cool" may be deadly. Check your survival kit today.
Declaring an Emergency
Reprinted from the UK Flight Safety Committee’s Focus on Commercial Aviation Safety, Autumn 1999 Issue, with permission. Although nearly identical to Canadian procedures, the following information reflects procedures in the UK. For the specific Canadian application, read your A.I.P. section COM 5.10.
There has always been a reluctance by many pilots to declare an emergency, in spite of the clear advice to do so if the situation warrants. This attitude may have filtered down from the airlines who shun what they see as adverse (and increasingly sensational) publicity when, for example, a "local-standby phase" is declared by ATC. In other cases, pilots can be reluctant to "make a fuss", displaying perhaps a macho attitude in believing they can handle the situation. The thought of having to go through a reporting procedure may also deter some.
When something goes wrong, sometimes our pilot mindset can be such that we believe circumstances do not warrant any outside assistance. A light twin-engine aircraft, for example, is certificated for single-engine performance, and in an engine failure situation it is often hoped that flight can be sustained without incident. However, this and any other type of emergency or reduced performance situation (such as icing) should be advised to ATC so that they understand your predicament and can plan assistance accordingly.
Failure to clearly state the nature of a problem not only prevents ATC from providing assistance, but also (in the worst case) may deprive accident investigators of any leads to explain what led to the burnt-out wreck before them. Remember that there are two levels of communication, distress and urgency.
Distress is defined as being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and requiring immediate assistance (use MAYDAY, pronounced three times in Canada).
Urgency is defined as a condition concerning the safety of an aircraft, or of some person on board or within sight, but which does not require immediate assistance (use PAN, pronounced three times in Canada).
The urgency situation is probably the one which is not advised as often as it should be. If you declare an urgency situation, it is possible that the problem may be resolved (or alleviated) before it becomes a distress situation. If the problem is resolved or a safe landing made, don’t forget to cancel the MAYDAY or PAN.
Flight Planning
Dead Editor,
I am a flight service specialist working at the London Flight Service Station (FSS) and I would like to submit a solution to a problem that, I'm sure, affects all FSSs. When an aircraft is overdue on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan/itinerary, one of the first steps FSS must take is to check the destination airport. At remote airports, and/or at night, this can be a fairly complex undertaking that often involves sending the police to the airport in question.
To minimize this problem, pilots should include a contact phone number that is most likely to allow FSS to reach them directly in their flight plan or itinerary. This could be a home phone number of the friends/relatives visited, the hotel where they will be staying, or even a cell phone. This would allow us to establish more quickly the pilots’ whereabouts, and the search could be terminated before more drastic search and rescue (SAR) actions are taken.
Back to Basics
by Mike Doiron, Regional Aviation Safety Officer, Atlantic Region
A Cessna 152 aircraft had just returned from a local training flight at Waterville, Nova Scotia. The following pilot, who had 175 hrs total flying time, planned to conduct a local solo training flight from the right seat for instructor practice. The walk-around showed no problems and the run-up was uneventful.
After takeoff, at 200-300 ft., the pilot experienced a rapid loss of engine RPM. He did a quick check of mixture and throttle to ensure they had not backed off. When all showed normal settings, the pilot realized that it was time to switch to the emergency plan.
The pilot showed self-discipline and composure in resisting the urge to return to the airport at such a low altitude. A suitable landing area was identified, the pilot pulled back on the power and concentrated on the task ahead. He managed to get the aircraft on the ground, but bounced in the rough field, which caused the aircraft to veer to the left and strike a tree, resulting in major damage to the left side of the aircraft. There was no post-accident fire and the pilot escaped with minor injuries.
Lesson learned: It can happen to anyone. The pilot was in the habit of practising mentally for emergencies at each takeoff and reacted appropriately. He appreciated the reduced reaction time for engine malfunctions at low altitude. The pilot had trained at removing the fire extinguisher from its holding bracket while in flight. The pilot made the transition from the cockpit to the landing area and focused on flying the aircraft without being preoccupied with the cause of emergency. The use of the shoulder harness likely reduced the extent of the injuries. It may not be possible to eliminate all aviation risks, but experience and training can help reduce the severity of an occurrence.
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We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada for this initiative through the Search and Rescue New Initiative Fund (SAR NIF).