Not all Service Centers are Created Equal

Just because a service center has a manufacturers endorsement does not mean that the level of service, experience or quality of workmanship is universal across the manufacturers service network.  I wish this were the case, trust me, I’d probably give up an arm to make this happen but I doubt it never well.  Putting everything but model experience aside, owners of the Columbia or Cessna Corvalis will notice this more than owners of a Cirrus. 

Until the Columbia bankruptcy in December of 2007, there was a network of Columbia endorsed service centers (CARMA).  This network was relatively small but they grew up with the airplane.  These old CARMA’s have a tremendous amount of experience with the Columbia/Corvalis.  When Cessna purchased Columbia, some CARMA’s made the transition to Cessna Service Facilities, while many did not.  The good news for aircraft owners was that they now had a much larger service network available to them, Cessna probably has the largest single engine repair network of any company in the world, but the vast majority of Cessna Service Facilities have little to no experience on the Corvalis.  While this may work well for AOG (Aircraft on Ground) situations, it does not mean that all service centers should be allowed by an aircraft owner to perform major maintenance or annual inspections. 

What Experience Do You Want?

When a Service Center or technician says that they have experience on a particular aircraft, what does that mean to you?  This probably depends on the technician, just like anyone, some can exaggerate their experience.  Just because they do oil changes for one on-airport customer, does not mean that I’m going to have them do an annual on my aircraft.  Regardless of how many aircraft they say they work on, there are ways to determine if a particular service center or technician has the experience that you’re looking for.

Ask other owners.  Type clubs such as the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association and Cessna Advanced Aircraft Club are great resources.  Do a search with the service center as the topic.  If nothing is found, make a post and look for feedback.  If the SC is experienced with your model, you’ll get feedback. 

Ask questions.  Discuss your aircraft with the technician.  What are there emphasis areas?  Ask them what the top 5 discrepancies found during an annual inspection on your particular aircraft type are.  Discuss any previous problems or persistent discrepancies with them.  If they know your plane, they should be able to kick out clear answers quickly.  Take these answers back to other owners you know and discuss. 

Get an estimate.  You should always get an estimate before beginning an inspection.  Ask them what is included in the BASE inspection fee.  It should include everything, parts & labor, listed in the inspection checklist outlined in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM).  Compare this with estimates you may have requested from other service centers.  Go back to the other owners and ask if this is reasonable.  Everyone likes a low estimate, but sometimes too low can be a problem.  With some exceptions, generally a really low estimate tells you that the SC doesn’t understand the work and time required to perform the inspection or that you need to be prepared for several hundred (or thousand) dollars in additional charges when you pick up the aircraft.  Neither are acceptable. 

Next month we will discuss how to handle reviews received by other individuals, estimates and communication. 
 

This AD forces compliance with previously published Cirrus SB 2X-71-17 R1. 

The dark days of November and December, looking at reports and budgeting for the next year are done.  It’s time to get after it. 

I feel especially good this year.  We have some amazing things coming together in general aviation.  More young, fresh minds are gathering in GA with new ideas and enthusiasm for creating a better environment.

Just a few things I’m looking forward to in 2012.

• Continued growth of social media and technology – It’s kind of funny.  General Aviation is very quick to adopt a technology in the cockpit to make it safer.  This is great for all of us.   Shoot, it’s been the better part of a decade since the G1000 was introduced and pilots were quick to adopt.  

Where we as an industry have been a little slow is adopting technology to make us a community stronger, especially in the training arena.  Let’s face it, when a person signs up for training the best we can do is a CD-ROM from a CPC and a couple books from the FAA.  I know when I started flying in 2002 I was going crazy searching for other resources that would keep me engaged. 

Flight training professionals have little control over the cost of airplanes and manufacturing.  Yes buying a plane is going to be expensive.  The one thing we can control is the ability to keep people interested.  If interest and excitement is high people will continue to fly, regardless of price.  Heck, for the overall cost and hours I would argue aviation is no more than snow skiing. 

Our problem is we need to make it cool and easy for younger people to be engaged in aviation.   To do that we need to adopt the technology young people use to deliver the message.  Obviously the norms such as YouTube and Twitter are great.  But training organizations creating interesting online content along with videos are amazing.  Having the ability to put people directly in the cockpit with the Nflight Cam as well as getting cool shots on the outside inspire others to do it too.  The sharing of information and video is amazing.  This needs to grow to a broader brush of GA, right down to the people whom are just starting training.   We need to increase mediums to go to when they’re not at their flight school or local airport. 

• More fresh faces and new attitudes:  I don’t know if it’s just me but I’m seeing some fresh faces and fresh attitudes entering general aviation.

Obviously getting more people to enter GA is an uphill battle but it seems people who have a reach are getting involved.  Look what Eclipse has done to reinvent their past.   That is great for GA.  A woman named Amelia Earhart, that’s right, is planning and training to fly around the world retracing her namesakes steps, except this time in a Cirrus.  Barrington Irving recently delivered a Ted Talk inspiring new ideas.   These are just a few examples but they’re new, and moreover they’re getting other people involved. 

Adoption of an INclusionary attitude is essential to the survival of GA, and needs to take a front seat to the somewhat ego driven attitude of the past.  We as a group need to be more inclusionary and less exclusionary.   I don’t know if the attitude I’ve seen in the past is a lack of customer service skills or instructors want to feel good that they know how to fly and you don’t but this attitude needs to change and I feel like good, open, people getting more involved in GA will do just that.

• More Data Available to Pilots:  This kind of ties in to technology and has been going on for a while but our ability to analyze this data is getting better.

Sure we have had access to engine and performance data since the Avidyne Entegra.  Over the last couple years the G1000 has caught up and now software is beginning to analyze that data and pull out important metrics. 

These metrics are something that is going to be very fun to see in the coming year.  I’m not as curious about the engine data as the performance data.  When we can see how a pilot is flying their approaches in regards to speed and stability that is something we can analyze and improve training for.  When an instructor can see this quickly right after a students or clients flight it does two things.  It creates an instant reinforced learning experience regardless of location, which can create confidence in the pilot.  It also increases overall safety and engagement in the flight process.  The multitude of ways this can be used is fantastic!

These are a few of the things I’m excited and optimistic about going into 2012.  In order to survive we need to unite to create new ideas and ways to grow.  Competition is great but in the end working together is going to ensure a future for GA and allow us all to continue doing what we do.  Here’s to a great 2012!

So with the disparity between service centers, how can an aircraft owner determine what maintenance providers will earn their business?  Internally, we look at service centers in various categories and use the results to better support our customers maintenance needs.  Here are some key categories that we look at:

Familiarity Within the Aircraft Type – This is huge.  Using the Cessna Corvalis TT as an example, just because a service center has the coveted Cessna designation, possesses all necessary manuals and has completed the basic required training does not make them familiar with an aircraft.  Generally, SC’s that work do a few annuals a year on a specific type will not score highly.  We like to work with SC’s that do at least one annual a month on a given type.  When working with new service centers, we’ll ask pointed but relatively simple questions that a shop familiar with a specific type should know.

Reviews – This category is thrown in when we haven’t worked with a particular service center in the past.  We always solicit reviews from trusted individuals within the industry.  Although type club websites can be a good source of reviews, they have to be read with reservations.  Generally only the unhappy are vocal, in some cases making the small unhappy minority appear to be the majority. 

Estimates – Service Centers must provide detailed estimates upon request.  You should always request estimates.  We love being provided with a detailed estimate without have to push for one.  Receiving this sets the tone for a great service visit. 

Communication – Whoever said that no news is good news is flat out wrong.  Regular updates as to the status of inspections and repairs are crucial.  Communication also includes never making assumptions and always receiving instructions from the owner or maintenance manager before proceeding with work.  Surprises when the invoice is read at the end of a maintenance visit should not occur.

Facilities – I’m not looking for the Taj Mahal of aircraft service centers.  We’re looking for service centers that have the space to leave aircraft in the hangar for the entire service visit (and usually a day or two on either end), hangars that are clean and organized, all the appropriate tooling needed for the job required and the list goes on…

Quality of Work – Certainly the most important of all of the categories, a service center must do good work.  The work needs to be correct the first time.  The aircraft needs to come out in as good or better condition than it went in. 

Over the next few months, I’ll expand on each of these categories.  Really, a post could be written expanding on each category, and I’ll do that.  Stay tuned for more, in the mean time; don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need help choosing a facility.  

Going directly to the checklist is generally taught by initial and instrument instructors.  But is this really what we should be doing in actual emergency?  Sure it will get you through a check-ride, which most are training for, but will it save your bacon if a situation should arise?

First, I don’t believe there is a formula for every situation that is a one size fits all.  Every scenario and anomaly is different and should be treated as such.  I do believe every pilot needs a solid skill foundation and plan for these scenarios.

Part of that foundation should be a series of flow checks followed by a quick checklist review to ensure everything was hit.  We’ve discussed this before but it begins the overall flow of the flight and is a brick in the foundation of safety.

Most people do have some sort of routine and flow but when asked what they would do in an emergency the pain begins. 
Here’s the initial problem with going straight to the checklist.  The three fundamentals of any emergency are aviate, navigate, communicate.  I may be oversimplifying but how are you supposed to aviate if your head is buried in a checklist.  I believe this is actually dangerous and can distract a pilot from the matter at hand. 

Most instructors I flew with when I first started flight training had never experienced an actual emergency themselves. Yet they were teaching me a rote answer to a complex question to simply get me a license, in the process holding me to PTS standards. 

After my first real emergency, loss of power on takeoff, I realized they didn’t do me any favors.  The checklist was the furthest thing from my mind.  My only concern was keeping speed up and getting on the ground safely. 

That’s what is not taught in initial training.  The mental factor of experiencing an emergency.  Obviously it’s incredibly hard to simulate but training needs to emphasize that stress is going to create a different thought process and train to reflect that.  In these situations with the increased mental pressure the environment needs to be simplified.  Any emergency is considered successfully dealt with if the aircraft is on the ground and the occupants are safe.
Implementing the fundamentals of flows necessary to deal with an emergency are fairly easy to do.  You just have to be committed to them and mentally go through them on a regular basis.

Begin by prioritizing the emergencies that give you the most trouble as well as those that are the most serious as pilot.  Engine failures, engine fires, AHRS failures, etc.  Sit in your cockpit and go through the checklist items, one at a time.  Take those items and put them into a mental flow. 

The big challenge is to commit it to memory.  Put a name to the flow that will mentally queue that for you specifically.

At a recurrent training event I’ve been a part of in the past we taught engine failures in the Columbia as a “round the world flow”.  Basically because the items on the checklist created a circle around the cockpit.  Whether it’s a “round the world” or “donkey kong” if it’s back and forth put a name to it. 

It’s a simple philosophy and easy to implement.  I know some may think this is too simple but really that’s what we’re trying to do.  Most in the GA world don’t have a second in command to assist in an emergency.  You absolutely have to break this down and keep it easy. 

I just heard someone say the other day, “I’m feeling comfortable with the plane but don’t have the emergencies down yet.”  This person had had their plane for three years. 

Emergencies are viewed as a very tough situation, which can be true, they are.  But you have to have a plan of attack and a plan that is easy to stick to. 

Insert flows for the scenarios that scare you most and yes, if time allows and the situation is under control for gosh sakes, hit the checklist but flows should be an immediate reaction plan.

Going outside of the manufacturers support network does have one major drawback; the constant type specific feedback provided to the manufacturer by its’ affiliate network.  A&P mechanics not tied to a manufacturer often identify a problem and fix it, without providing feedback to the manufacturer.  Luckily, the FAA created a method to provide maintenance orientated feedback to them and the manufacturer.  It’s called the Service Difficulty Report (SDR). 

SDR’s can be filed by owners, operators, pilots and mechanics.  There are some events that require notification to the FAA or NTSB, but the bulk of the program relies heavily on volunteer submission.  When unusual and potentially unsafe conditions are found in flight or during inspections; SDR’s provide the aircraft manufacturer and the FAA with essential data needed to address issues across a fleet.  While you might think that these flood the FAA with unneeded data, the SDR system is designed to identify trends across a fleet.  Using this data, manufacturers can send out notifications in the forms of service letters or service bulletins, and the FAA can issue Airworthiness Directives. 

Evolution Aviators’ personnel file SDR’s on behalf of our customers when we feel a condition warrants SDR submittal.  For those not enrolled in our EvoMX program, we suggest becoming familiar with the SDR submittal process and encourage owners to encourage their service centers to submit SDR’s when needed. 

For more information on the SDR process you can read Advisory Circular 20-109A.  You can submit an SDR online http://av-info.faa.gov/sdrx. 

What’s the term about the best way to make a million dollars in aviation? 

There’s no money in it. 

General aviation is a small pool quickly becoming a puddle. 

I’ve heard them all.  Mostly from jaded old souls.  People who have seen the world but sacrificed a lot for their gypsy lifestyle. 

For some reason aviation draws us.  The romance is long gone but every time we see that perfect departure into the sunset those of us that “get it” still get chills down our spine.  Yeah it sounds a little kooky but oh well. 

It’s funny how this passion can draw very smart people into making bad decisions.  Not only in the actual art of piloting but in the business of GA. These bad decisions lead most to believe the system is broken and beyond repair.  A business just can’t thrive in this hostile environment the bureaucracy of the FAA and legal restrictions created by the past.  I think everyone gets this but doesn’t bureaucracy and lawyers exist in other industries that thrive.  So really, why is aviation such a tough sell and bad business.

Now before you blow down to the comments and tell me how off my rocker I am let’s slow down a bit.  First off, I know I’m off my rocker.  I started a business in aviation in August 2008.  Right as the Great Recession was getting under way.  Within a year aircraft sales would drop 90 percent in some cases and our President would continue to blast general aviation time and again.  I get it, it’s not a great time for GA. 

That said, anytime a model is broken doesn’t that create opportunity for someone to fix it?   This archaic industry is doing things the same way it did in the 50s.  The whole service center model is handcuffed and creates incredible costs for consumers alienating most.  Training is flawed in so many ways and so far behind comparable industries it has a dropout rate of nearly 75 percent.  This is not good but you can’t tell me a person who figures out a way to improve on this isn’t going to have a model that works.   The idea that buying a bunch of airplanes and starting a flight school doesn’t work, we have to think outside the box, or at least the box that is GA.

I’m going to move from the negative.  Anyone who has remote experience with our industry can see the flaws.  It is time more of us work together to fix the problems.  And we’re going to have to get creative because things at the FAA aren’t changing nor are the attorneys that pray off every accident.  Luckily some manufacturers are open to change, granted very few, but they are.  Their models need to change to lower costs but in such a time when it’s tough to purchase a plane they have to make something to stay in business.  Unfortunately some of them are more of a bureaucracy than the FAA and more archaic in their thought process than a caveman. 

Here’s a starting point for all of us.  Look at other industries and see how they do it.  Not just how they make their product but how they succeed. 

I recently switched banks moving from a giant (B of A) to a community bank (Umpqua).  Umpqua understands they hold money just like everyone else but they can do one thing better, customer service.  They based their entire customer service model on Nordstrom’s Department Store.  They’re doing things differently than other banks, not necessarily how they can handle your money but how they make you feel. 

Obviously in a time such as ours customer service is going to separate a company.  I’m not saying that is the answer, I’m suggesting we all look at other industries and figure out things that can help.  Look at models that can be implemented in our own industry.  We can make GA more accessible and there are ways to do it.  There are ways to use the information age and ease of communication to teach and keep students engaged. 

We have to change this negative thought processes and culture.  Out with the old and begin making the seismic shift!  It can be done, those of us thinking this way need to be heard.

Sure starting a business in aviation is hard, but what industry is it easy.  Everyday I think about keeping costs down and customers happy.  If we can do that we can make a profit and work in an industry that fulfills me.   With changes come opportunity and things are always changing in GA.  Sometimes you just have to look between the lines to those changes.  

As we continue to make this a series I'll to get into more details and thoughts.  This is just a start and hopefully as we continue these thoughts and feedback will generate positive outcomes.

Instrument Value Flashing Red

First flight of the day, nice cool morning and on takeoff the manifold pressure is flashing red.  Who hasn’t this happened to?

Let’s use the Cessna Corvalis TT for example.  The maximum rated manifold pressure is 35.5.”  Garmin software engineers wrote code to turn the manifold pressure value red when this range is exceeded.  This makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?  So on the first flight of the day, when oil temperature not being up to normal values (more on that another day), is it OK for the manifold pressure to indicate red?  Most of the time, yes it is. 

Manifold Pressure is a tricky subject.  A turbo charged airplane like the Corvalis will be set up to meet rated power, in this case 35.5,” at all times, right?  Wrong.  In a perfect world this should happen, but this depends on what the ambient conditions (temperature and density altitude) were when the aircraft engine was “set-up.”  Furthermore, the manifold pressure should be adjusted to meet 35.5” with the oil temperature at normal operating temperatures.  When one or more of these factors are changed, maximum manifold pressure may vary.  This is a very simplified reason of why manifold pressure changes from flight-to-flight. 

Back to the manifold pressure flashing 35.8 on the MFD.  Is this OK?  Yes it is.  Don’t sweat it.  First, if you were flying a Cessna 210 with a round dial manifold pressure gauge, would you notice a difference between 35.5 and 35.8?  Probably not.  Second, Evolution Aviators teaches pilots on the Corvalis to not reduce manifold pressure in the climb.  Without going into a lengthy description on the fuel system, which I will on another day, reducing the manifold pressure from wide open throttle effectively leans the fuel:air mixture, even with the mixture knob in the full rich position.  By this point all of you understand that leaning the engine in the climb will produce higher cylinder head temperatures. 

What if the manifold pressure is abnormally high?  This may be grounds to reduce the throttle.  If the manifold pressure is too high, you have the possibility of triggering the over boost valve, which will dump all the excessive manifold pressure in order to protect the engine.  As a normal rule of thumb, I ignore the red manifold indications after takeoff if the numbers are in the low 36’s or less.  Your best defense against the manifold pressure going “red” is to ensure you have proper oil temperature before departure.  If your numbers are still (and consistently) high where you normally fly the aircraft, its probably time to start thinking about having the max manifold pressure adjusted. 

What other values indicate red regularly?  Prop RPM and fuel flow come to mind.  Fuel flow follows manifold pressure and prop RPM, so often times by having your max MP and RPM adjusted will bring the fuel flow in range.  Prop RPM is another number linked directly to oil temperature.  The same discussion that we just had on manifold pressure could be applied to RPM.  Prop RPM will vary with oil temperature and also with variations in angle of attack. 

What about engine temperatures?  If oil temperature, oil pressure, cylinder head temperature, turbo inlet temperature and/or exhaust gas temperature have steady yellow or red indications; take action.  The actions that you may take vary between airplanes; it’s always best to consult your POH for further guidance.

Red-X

A “red-X” over a particular indication is the easiest abnormal indication to deal with.  It does not indicate a problem with your engine, but rather a problem with your engine indication.  When this happens, monitor your other engine indications for the remainder of the flight and have the issue corrected upon landing.  Report the failure to your mechanic or Evolution Aircraft Advocate with the following information:
• Affected instrument(s) (CHT 5, Manifold Pressure, etc…)
• Instrument behavior.  Was it a solid “red-X” or was it an erratic “red-x?”  Did it correct itself?
• Phase of flight.
• Were you flying through precipitation?
• Has the aircraft been left out in moisture?

It is common to always blame the probe or transducer for these failures.  While it is true that the probes and transducers could be the problem, always address the wiring and connections before replacing a probe.  Loose, chafing and broken wires are often the culprits.  Moisture can wreck havoc on connections.  If wiring or connections do not solve the problem, tackle the probe.  In the case of cylinder or exhaust temperature probes I like to swap them with another cylinder to see if it follows.  This is especially true for CHT probes on Avidyne Entegra equipped Columbia 350’s and 400’s.  Shotgunning probes is extremely expensive.  If neither wiring nor connections are the culprits, it might be worth investigating the Avidyne Data Acquisition Unit (DAU) or Garmin Engine Airframe Interface (GEA). 

Abnormal Indications

Abnormal indications outside of ones previously discussed can be quite challenging for the pilot to diagnose in flight.  Continued flight can be quite stressful with these abnormal indications.  Understanding engine relationships and systems will help alleviate stress when these situations arise. 

Fluctuating and abnormally high or low indications fall into this category.  Before we go any further discussing these, remember one thing:

No engine parameter/indication can change without affecting some other engine indication or parameter. 

One of the more common fluctuating indications that our Aircraft Advocates hear from customers are fluctuations in manifold pressure and RPM.  Often these are large, manifold pressure changing by over 4 inches and RPM changing by more than 300 RPM.   My first question is “could you feel the change?”  Trust me, cover the instrument panel with a blanket and you will feel changes in manifold pressure and RPM.  If the indications are fluctuating in such a manner and you cannot feel it, refer to the information in the “Red-X” section.

Outside of physically sensing these fluctuations, lets look at a few other relationships:

• Manifold Pressure will not change without affecting fuel flow.
• RPM will not change without affecting fuel flow and manifold pressure.
• Fuel flow will not change without affecting EGT’s or TIT’s.
• EGT changes will normally affect CHT indications (although not as quickly as these other relationships).
• Oil Temperature and Oil Pressure are directly related.
• There are many more…

This is a quick and easy way to diagnose an abnormal indication.  Chances are if no other parameter is fluctuating or has an abnormal indication, you have an indication error.

What if you have an abnormal TIT indication?  The indication is steady but for your typical fuel flow and power setting the indications looks off?  This could be an indication of the engine being out of time, but more likely you could have a probe issue.  These probes tend to wear and indicate lower than normal over time.  When this happens you may be looking at buying a new TIT probe.  This is common and they’re pretty cheap. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that these indications can concern passengers.  Best thing to do is explain to them that it is normal to see instrument indications changing color and/or moving during flight and that these indications do not necessarily mean that there is a problem with the aircraft.  Let them know that you will tell them if there is a problem and if needed, provide instruction on how to help. 

Obviously there are some limitations to these glass cockpits and their engine indications systems (EIS).  Seeing some sort of an abnormal or red indication is not an immediate emergency, some require quick action while others require no action.  When you have abnormal indications, understanding your engine is key.  Take as much information as possible, there is no such thing as too much data.  Your Aircraft Advocate will use that information to troubleshoot the particular issue and get the aircraft fixed!  Either way, fly the aircraft first and deal with the abnormal second. 

As we departed and made the short flight I went through my normal callouts on run-up and departure. Throughout the trip I completed my routines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) on an uneventful, but beautiful evening.

The following day I found myself chatting with the couple we’d gone with the night before.  They both commented on my callouts and methodical approach I take to flying.  I took this compliment and felt really good I was actually practicing what I preach (don’t get me wrong, good instructors are gifted but no matter what anyone says it is easier to teach the best way than to actually practice it day to day). 

In truth I got in the habit of doing callouts for my passenger’s sake, I was never really taught them unless shooting an approach.  I’ve found they enjoy the flight more if they know what it is going on.  I’ve tried to add them to my standard operating procedures as they are a form of self-confirmation for me; I do them when I’m by myself.  I preach them to my students, as the value in safety is ten fold.  Lack of callouts are not the issue I want to discuss, they’re just part of a broader challenge professional instructors face, especially with aircraft owners which is the lack of any real SOPs.

We’ve all learned SOPs are the backbone of a safe operating environment in commercial aviation.  They work, period.  The SOPs we instructors develop are great as are the ones most training organizations embrace.  The problem is getting a pilot, who may fly with an instructor one or two days a year for insurance requirements, to really embrace them and use them, especially if their initial training didn’t utilize them. 

Most aircraft owners are type A personalities, which generally means they have an idea of how they want to do things.   That is excellent, as long as there is a method to the madness.  Each flight should not be a random shoot of memory items.  Truly safe flight requires a more orderly approach.

It just isn’t realistic to expect TAA owners to train for two days a year (as most insurance underwriters require) and have SOPs in line with professional instructors.  It’s impossible to not develop habits.  As long as they are good habits I’m all for it.  So I generally suggest to my students to use our SOPs as a base then hybrid their habits from there.  As long as there is a strong core to their flying.  

The following items should provoke some thought about your foundation for your personal SOPs:

Develop a philosophy:  Airlines have the ability to hire pilots that will conform to their SOPs.  Owners are a different animal.  As an instructor I can provide my thought process but each aircraft owner is free to accept or reject my suggestion.  That is fine as long as each pilot does have their own methodical approach and system to their flying.  If you have a good base, or foundation to build on it will make it much easier to stick to.

My approach begins with “do items” and “flow items” each using the checklist as the basis.  “Do items” are basically read from the checklist such as an engine run-up.  “Flow items” are flow checks in flight, basically memory checks, followed by a quick run through the checklist to make sure I didn’t miss anything.  These approaches are an entire article in themselves that I can expand on in the future. 

Good instructors are a great resource to assist in building a philosophy.  Consult someone you trust as well as someone you would like to emulate as an aviator.

Devise a routine you will stick to:  This is like starting a workout routine.  We all want to be safer pilots but we need to begin with a routine we will stick to.  It is essential to begin using a checklist so you don’t miss any safety of flight issues. 

As I fly with owners for the first time I look for some sort of system, not scatter, in addition to fundamentally good habits.  The fact that they can’t hold altitude while flying straight and level is not as important to me.  If students have a good approach and are fundamentally sound practice will take care of the flying.  If a student is scattered all over the place with no fundamental approach to each flight there will be greater problems, especially in an emergency situation.

So take your philosophy and apply to actual flight fundamentals.  Do your preflight with purpose, setup your avionics with an understanding of where you are in your process.  I get that it’s not going to be exactly the same way every time like the airlines because GA flights change from VFR to IFR etc.   More importantly you have routine for each of these you stick to.

Make your routine uniform throughout all phases of flight:  This combines your philosophy and routine.  Once you have settled on an approach and routine that works for you apply it to all segments of your flying. 

For example I like to go through the same pre-flight routine every time.  I also back it up with a checklist to make sure I hit everything.  I take this same approach to setting up my avionics as well as maneuvers.  SOPs are not just power settings and pattern entries; they apply to all practices of flight.

Sure I rush things sometimes, I’m human too, but I think it’s essential to make this effort and be methodical about all phases from planning to post flight.

Make procedures you will not compromise:  All pilots have experiences that drive them to do things others don’t.  I for example had an engine issue on takeoff once, I am now an absolute fanatic about my run-up and decision making process from there. 

Essentially there are items that must be done for safety of flight reasons.  Do not compromise those.  If you believe in checking something or completing something for some reason that may seem odd to other pilots, so what?  Even if everything is working fine losing confidence can begin a bad chain of events.  Do what you need to do, it creates peace of mind freeing you to deal with what’s happening right now.

Use E&E procedures:  Efficient and effective.  There is enough going on in a cockpit.  Reading through manuals and checklists in flight is absolutely not efficient.  They’re called CHECKlists for a reason.  It’s a check. 

When developing your routine and procedures they should be efficient and effective for you.  As an example I taxi on the less full tank, then switch and confirm in the middle of run-up to the fuller tank.  I now know the fuel is drawing fine from both tanks.  It’s a small move but completes a vital task. 

Again we all think a bit differently, set these up for you own process. 

Set a schedule for recurrent training:  Weather this is at a formal, club event such as a CPPP or CAART, or with your instructor every six months this needs to be a priority.  Organized programs generally have their own SOPs they teach.  So even if you have your own you will find some here that you may find very useful. 

Even if you fly a lot and feel proficient stick to your training schedule, you will always find something beneficial.  Try to set this well in advance, like at the beginning of the year so it is something you can plan for.  I know schedules fill up and gets busy but if it is out there you can plan for it.  It can honestly save your life regardless of proficiency.  Airline pilots fly for a career and they have recurrent training.  The notion that an owner flies a lot and is therefore proficient is not acceptable.

Also as stated before, consult a CFI on creating your own philosophy and procedures.  This can be done in a simple phone call that doesn’t take a ton of time and may be the most valuable phone call you’ve made.

Use a checklist:  I’m not going to harp on this because I know everyone has heard this before but my goodness.  It really is inexcusable to miss items that are on a piece of paper between the seats.  I’m a pretty laid-back, west coast guy but this one can fire me up.  No matter how much total time you have in a platform, shoot you may not miss anything for several flights.  It’s the routine you’re developing that you catch the one thing you miss out of a hundred.

If you would like more details about SOPs we use the standard Cirrus CSIP SOPs and have developed our own for the Columbia 400, or Cessna Corvalis.  Give me a call and we can chat more about them.

My intention is to get pilots to really think about their approach here.  Hopefully this inspires some comments, especially from other CFI’s.  I’m always curious what others think about in their approach.  By hiding our egos a bit and putting this out there it opens us all up to learn. 

One last note, the SOPs I’m discussing here are in normal operations, not emergencies.  Depending on the problem you going to have to think and most deviate from your norms.  Fly safe.

What a great time!  The organzation was absolutley impressive and the Cirrus owners could not have been more fun.  There were a lot of very interesting exhibitors as well as planes.   Lancair had an Evolution on display as did Eclipse, TBM and the new Extra 500.  All very cool airplanes.  

Overall an awesome experience and hopefully we can become more involved with the COPA group.  Their enthusiasm and love for the Cirrus was infectous!

Also thank you to all the volunteers and coordinators that helped make our first experience great.  It makes it fun starting a business when the customers and people in the industry are so cool!

Our booth before we tried to give everything away, I did not want to check anything on the flight home.

Darryl by the Eclipse...

There were actually about four other rows this long of nothing but Cirrus, probably 130 or so on the ramp...

Something is a little different than the others here.  Very cool paint job.

The Cirrus Jet was a top attraction.

Our swag was disappearing...

The Evolution and the Extra 500

We didn't even have to pay these two...