FAA Facts

Stalls

Occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack

Center of Gravity (CG) Limits

Supposed to be defined in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook or UAS Flight Manual, but those don’t exist for drones

Angle of attack

Determines when the craft stalls

Load Factor

Increases during any maneuver

Remote PIC

This is the answer to any question about who is responsible

Left

Aircraft always turn left when circling a runway, because drivers sit on the left side of the car in the US, and pilots sit on the left of the plane, too -- It’s easier for them to look out the left window to see the tower

Maintenance schedule

You’re supposed to have one, even though most drones can’t be user-repaired and don’t provide a schedule

Risk Management

Helps to prevent an accident chain

Machismo

Taking risks to impress others

Impulsivity

Doing something without thinking about it

Invulnerability

Thinking accidents won’t happen to you

Resignation

What’s the use? They don’t control their destiny

Anti-authority

Nobody can tell me what to do

Crew Resource Management (CRM)

It’s how you manage your “crew” and you should integrate it into all phases of the operation

Systematically focus on different segments of the sky for short intervals

That’s how you should scan for traffic–let your eyes rest in different areas for a while, rather than continuously scanning

Latitude

Like climbing a ladder (north-south)

Longitude

The long way around the planet (the Earth is fat cuz it spins)

Standard briefing

Contains the weather forecast

AWOS

Weather

CTAF

For pilots to talk to each other when there’s no tower

UNICOM

A base station that broadcasts to pilots when there’s no tower

MULTICOM

Used as the CTAF when there’s no CTAF (122.9 or 122.95).