Mixed Instrument Flying Notes

Before you ever go flying in formation, you need to be sure that you…

take a professional formation flying course—otherwise you are just a gaggle

What should you always add to your initial expect vectors for the RNAV/ILS/VOR approach call?

Always also say “and maintain heading” so that you can activate the approach (since that is a vector)

Above 14,000MSL, hold legs go from 1 minute to…

1.5 minutes long

Does an AO2 precip discriminator detect hail?

No, just wet vs. frozen rain

Can radar in aircraft distinguish between snow/ice and liquid precip?

Not really—but it can calculate it based off of known freezing levels and temperature

Will ATC always reliably direct you around storms?

No! People have died because ATC has directed them into storms. Never be afraid to ask for a deviation

How should you ask ATC for deviations around a storm?

Emphasize the importance to deviate, and give them ACTUAL GPS WAYPOINTS as opposed to compass headings

What does an anemometer show?

Wind speed and direction

What is one reason that a localizer or glideslope may not be active inside the plane?

Tower may have forgotten to flick the switch to the other side of the runway

KADS holds the record for what?

According to visitplano.com, The highest number of operations with single runway in North America.

Hard to confirm otherwise

What is an MTA?

Minimum turning altitude, around mountains

Can you fly with an expired sectional?

Only if you document every single update

Do you need a medical to be a sport pilot?

No, just a driver’s license can sub a medical, provided you haven’t had your medical suspended or revoked

should you ever hand over your medical cert or pilot’s cert to an FAA officer or the FSDO?

Never!! Even if they causally ask. That counts as surrendering it. Tell them explicitly that they can hold it but they can’t have it

Hold E of TTT departing from KADS is almost always what kind of entry?

Parallel!

T/F: it is perfectly acceptable to fly unpublished holds as only parallel or direct entries

Yes! No teardrop needed

If they tell you to do direct JIPUK for an ILS, then you fly what data?

pink GPS to JIPUK, then green inbound on ILS

On a procedure turn barb on a plate, what is the direction of the turn, generally?

Turn AWAY from the barb (ex. left turn if triangle is on right side)

How do you fly a procedure turn when coming in backwards?

Fly inverse of inbound radial for 1 min past the FAF, then fly out following the barb for 1 min, then turn in following the barb radial and line yourself up, and make sure APPCH is armed

T/F: for a DA, you should enter your absolute minimums, but for an MDA, you can enter your mins slightly higher

True

How do you fly an MDA, and what are the standards?

-0/+100, give yourself a 30 or 40 foot buffer

What should you do as you takeoff in IMC or IFR?

Always start the timer!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you shoot a VOR-a approach using GPS data?

Yes! But make sure bearing pointer is showing in PFD settings, or keep it all green (legally needs to show ground data)

How do you approach to land with a VOR-A?

always circle to land at -0/+100 of the MDA and DO NOT start your circle until you are within 1.3nm of the airport

When circling, does it matter what traffic pattern you’re flying?

No, go whichever direction is more convenient, but make sure you announce it if it is untowered

How can you use DME to determine if the entry is direct or parallel?

If the DME is going down towards station, it’s direct

If DME is going away from station, it’s parallel

What should you do flying a SID or ODP before takeoff?

ALWAYS load VORs in NAV1 and NAV2 as a backup in case of a GPS failure

In the sim, be sure that what is active when flying the LOC?

The correct frequency! It doesn’t switch over

What is one major mistake that you can make when flying a VOR-A approach?

You often forget to load in the RADIAL on the chart and fly it

What is the 5-2-1nm rule for approaches?

5nm from FAF—descent checklist

2nm from FAF—verify approach mins are accurate and loaded

1nm from FAF—configure, 90kts and 1 flap

What is full deflection on the glideslope or localizer?

¾ scale deflection (between 2 dots)

Glideslope vs glidepath?

glideslope is for ILS, glidepath is generic and often RNAV

How many nm is a standard GPS hold?

4nm

If the GP diamond is low, then you should put the nose higher or lower?

low. Put the nose on the diamond

WIREDCC

Weather, information, radio, environment briefing/plate, checklist, configure

Kinds of corrections for flying radials

time and wind (triple wind correction on outbound)

When are you established on a hold?

When wings level or when you reach the DME, whichever comes later

What should you do when you have lost coms?

immediately use lost coms checklist

What does “climb via SID except maintain 5000” mean?

climb all the way up, following minimum altitudes, but when approaching max. altitude, maintain 5000 instead of what is on chart

If the FAA says you are an OPSEC SIC but the plane normally doesn’t require 2 pilots, can you log it?

Yes you can—only if it is in the OPSECs

Why is going up to the FL410 club dangerous?

At that altitude, both engines can freeze and will be unable to be restarted

If you lose your engines, do you lose your pressurization?

yes—because you lose bleed air as well

Are kit helicopters usually stable and heavy?

not at all! they tend to be light and very unstable relative to other helicopters. Was recommended not to fly them

How do you vector someone onto an approach?

Say “expect vectors for the RNAV 36 circle 18 into McKinney”

Then WIREDCC and make coms if it is untowered

Then enter CIRCLING minimums not RNAV minimums in this case

Then vector them parallel to course opposite direction. Activate vector to final to see track! When they are 5-6nm from FAF and 3-4nm to the side of the course, turn them towards course with EXACTLY a 30° angle from FAF course and give them the PTAC call (position, turn, altitude, clearance)

For circle to land, always pull up first number, and land the second number. You can circle when you are within 1.3nm AND visual, maintaining -0/+100 circling altitudes. Make your coms calls if untowered. Circle opposite direction of normal traffic (so go right in most cases, except at right traffic places, then go left)

Explain WIREDCC. When do you begin it?

Begin it immediately once you get an “expect the RNAV” call.

Weather — load it and listen to it

Information — load in your approach

Radios—have tower/CTAF ready. If it’s untowered, make coms 2-5-10 miles away

Data—verify your minimums, verify green or pink data

Checklist— 5nm away FROM FAF! Do descent before landing checklist

Configure—1-2nm away from FAF, go 90kts and 1 notch of flaps. -10/+10 knots before FAF, but -0/+10 knots after

How to teach CRAFTV checklist?

Use it to copy down clearances.

Cleared to

Route (use D with arrow through it symbol)

Altitude (use flight level short hand), ex. 20(10)40 for 2000 then 10 mins after dept. 4000

Frequency

Talking squawk

V—enter VOR backups for most standard instrument departures

When teaching holds, what should you discuss first? What else, in order?

How to tell if it’s direct or parallel (unpublished)

Steps for entry to be memorized

How to enter a published GPS hold in G1000

When to start timer

Wind correction (triple on outbound leg to account for turns)

Imagine you’re flying an approach back into Addison during the checkride, you get there, and the DPE doesn’t say anything to you at minimums. What do you do?

That means you are still in the clouds. Go missed immediately!!!

What are the 5 Cs in order to go missed?

Cram—full power

Climb—climb away towards missed instructions. Always go towards runway because it’s a protected area

Clean—put flaps up

Click—click TOGA (takeoff/go around)

Communicate—“Tower, TH555 RNAV 18 going missed”

Where should you generally tend to go when going missed on an approach?

Always go towards runway, because it is protected area (1 in, 1 out for IFR runways)

When do you give the PTAC call?

When you are 2nm crosstrack (XT) from course. DO NOT WAIT! Do it ASAP! Turn them in 30° exactly off course to intercept with this call

What should be a regular part of your takeoff briefing?

Saying exactly where we will land in the event of an emergency above or below 1000AGL,

What does Wally the DPE hate?

The “activate vector to final” button, so don’t press it! Just activate the approach

Activate vector to final removes the approach so you then have to reprogram everything if ATC changes their mind and sends you to another point. Activate vector to final works in an archer but won’t work if you’re moving much faster

What small thing do people often miss when teaching IRA in the archer with our G1000s?

Teaching how to use the knobs

Why do we not bother with teardrop entries for unpublished holds?

It’s too difficult to triangulate your position

In lost coms, where do you begin your approach?

At the initial approach fix, and hold there until you are within 5-10 mins of your filed time of arrival

What’s the difference between hitting NAV and APR when cleared for the approach

Nav is lateral guidance only

APR arms vertical and lateral guidance

When doing the IFR instrument cockpit check, do you verify that the attitude of the nose is +-5 of straight and level, or +-5 of known attitude?

+-5 of known. The front strut could be jacking up the plane, for example

If WAAS fails, can we still legally fly an LNav/Vnav approach?

Yes! You only legally need WAAS for LPV, and we have a Baro-aided GPS

What’s the difference between an AHRS and ADAHRS failure?

AHRS is going to take out your attitude indicator, heading, rate of turn, and slipskid. You still have GPS, backups like the G5, and pitot static instruments (airspeed, VSI, altimeter)

ADAHRS puts Xs over just about everything

What should you do if you’re loading a SID and it takes you out of your way to the TTT VOR?

Activate leg for the next part of your flight plan because the SID probably says something like “will get radar vectors to course”

What 3 things should you be careful of when giving a student holding instructions

Traffic around you

Local airports

Altitudes—don’t climb them into a Bravo!

T/F: when vectoring your student on to the final approach course, you should bring them down to the published altitudes on the instrument approach chart (the plate)?

True. At the beginning, make it easy. Ex. “Th555 descend and maintain 2000”

When making the PTAC call, the aircraft should be where?

On its “base” leg (ex. A 90° turn from parallel to the course to towards the course), with a cross track of 1-2nm (preferably 2) from the final approach course. Make that call and give them a heading within 30° of FAF

When flying holds, do you fly the needle or the wind diamond?

Always do wind correction and fly the wind diamond

For holds, you should start the timer when you are ___ or ____, whichever comes (sooner/later)

At the DME or wings level, whichever comes later

Explain direct entry holding instructions

Use DME to figure out where aircraft is relative to hold

Direct entry is: once at DME, make 180 turn immediately in correct direction. Then start timer 1 min. After 1min, turn again normal direction onto the inbound course. Once wings level and DME, report established

How do you draw out holds?ex. Thrust555 hold east of the 050 radial of the maverick VOR, left turns

Draw out radial line going generally 050 direction, then on that line draw an arrow opposite of whatever cardinal heading is given (in this case our arrow would point west). The arrow always points towards the fix and is the direction the plane is flying for the inbound leg. Draw out left or right turn based on the arrow

How and when do you make untowered coms when on an approach?

10-5-2nm away, say something like

“Terrel traffic th555 is 10nm to the North inbound practice RNAV 18, will be going missed”

“Terrel traffic th555 5nm North inbound practice RNAV 18, will be going missed”

“Terrel traffic th555 2nm final practice RNAV 18 will be going missed”

Explain parallel entry holding instructions

Use DME to figure out where aircraft is relative to hold

Parallel entry is: P1min210op (time a minute once at DME, then make 210 turn opposite direction), then once you are re-established and lined up on the radial, wait for DME and then make the call that you are established in the hold

What’s something small about your navigation that could ruin an entire GPS hold?

Not flying pink data!!!

Is the enhanced centerline always 150ft from runway

No not always. It can be UP TO but not exceeding 150ft from runway

What should you discuss on taxi during your CFI-I checkride?

Airport environment and taxi in low visibility—go slowly, difference between centerline taxiway and runway, lights colors (green and blue vs. white), runway guard lights (wigwags) and elevated runway guard lights, enhanced centerline