Reporting Procedures and CADORS

Last night we went through a number of different topics including:

• Emergency Communications (light signals/interceptions)
• Required equipment, maintenance, documents
• Transportation Safety Board (reporting occurrences, accidents and incidents)
• ATS/FSS
• NOTAMS
• VFR Enroute Procedures
• Wake Turbulence

and a bunch of other things.  There’s a lot of information to know as we get closer to the PSTAR test.

We ended up discussing several different things in more depth including Wake Turbulence avoidance and the reporting procedures for accidents/incidents.

One thing I didn’t know was that Transport Canada keeps a database of occurrences that is used to track trends related to safety with anything from an air operator or flight training unit, aerodromes, security (bomb threats or strike actions), environment (fuel spills) or even private aircraft.  The system, called CADORS (Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System) is designed to collect information and watch for anything out of the ordinary.  It’s not primarily a fault-finding system but more for gathering information to increase safety.   Very cool.   Thanks to Steve in our class for the information.

Clear skies

Medical

I had hoped to update this blog more frequently but it’s really difficult for me to keep up.  I had a staff retreat this week and couldn’t attend the ground school class and have been trying to cover all the material for the last class and read ahead for next week.   There is really a lot to know!

In order to get a Student Pilot Permit, there are two main requirements.   You must take and pass the PSTAR test and obtain a Category 1 or 3 medical.  Here’s a link to a chart with comparisons of the categories http://bit.ly/19jBAp More on the PSTAR when we write it.

Since the medical is required, I figured I should get the exam done sooner rather than later so that if I could determine if I qualify or not.  Aside from carrying a bit too much weight,  I couldn’t think of any reason I wouldn’t get the medical but if for some reason I was denied, it would change the kind of license I might pursue.

Only doctors who are certified by Transport Canada can issue or renew an aviation medical – Civil Aviation Medical Examiner.  My family doctor isn’t a CAME so I went to the doctor recommended by our instructor.  He’s an older man.  A former pilot with a waiting room full of old aviation magazines and EAA Sport Aviation journals.  When I asked if he still flew he said that he wouldn’t trust himself anymore.  But with the Pilatus calendar, airplane photos and other decorations (in fact there wasn’t anything but), it was fairly evident that he still loves aviation.

The medical was pretty straightforward:  Questions about general health, personal and family history, eye tests, urine test (he had a propeller propped up outside the bathroom) blood pressure and, because I’m over 40, an ECG.  While he was hooking me up for the ECG, we were chatting and I was telling him how long I’d been waiting for this opportunity and that one of my goals is to one day be confident enough to be able to fly into Oshkosh.  After he ran the ECG machine, he said “That settles it.  You’ve got to fly now”.

Well, I guess that means he didn’t find anything wrong.  One more requirement to go before applying for the Student Pilot Certificate.  And a lot of studying.

Clear Skies

Interesting Article from AVweb

AVweb is one of the sources of aviation news that I follow both on the web and on Twitter.  Today they tweeted a link to a cool video by a Canadian military test pilot Desmond Brophy explaining the differences in aerodynamics between a simple GA aircraft and fighters such as the F-16.

An F-16 is designed differently than a Cessna 172! Great aerodynamics lesson from an Air Force test pilot: http://bit.ly/N2rp3

We haven’t gotten to covering the forces of flight or aerodynamics in ground school yet but I thought this was kind of cool and very educational!

Clear Skies

Entering an Aircraft In Flight

While it seems funny the rule I mentioned about requiring permission of the PIC before entering or leaving an aircraft in flight has a reason for being:

602.25 (1) No person shall enter or leave an aircraft in flight except with the permission of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft.

(2) No pilot-in-command of an aircraft shall permit a person to enter or leave the aircraft during flight unless

(b) the entering or leaving is permitted under section 702.19

Here’s what it says in CAR 702.19 (italics mine)

702.19 For the purposes of paragraph 602.25 (2)(b), the pilot-in-command of a helicopter may permit a person to enter or leave the helicopter in flight

In case it seemed like a pointless or silly rule, helicopters can hover low to the ground.  Maybe there was a crime spree of people stowing away aboard air ambulances!

Nevertheless, it’s usually a good thing for the pilot in command to know and approve of people getting on board!

Clear Skies