Aero-Tips!
A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard
this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer
statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of
"there are no old, bold pilots.")
Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner,
master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us
-- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you
may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be
something we might never have considered before, or something that
didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized
it for the practical test.
Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you
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Aero-Tips 10.27.06
Here's a question I was asked on my
most recent Flight Review: At a tower-controlled airport, the
airport beacon is running during the day. What does this mean?
Possible answers:
- Someone forgot to turn off the rotating beacon
- The rotating beacon's daylight sensor and shutoff switch are
broken
- The airport is reporting Instrument Meteorological Conditions
(IMC)
- Air Traffic Controllers are on duty and the tower is open
- All of the above
Answer: Most likely (3): The airport is
reporting Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). But the
answer may really be (5): All of the above.
Sayeth the Aeronautical Information Manual
(AIM):
In Class B, C, D and Class E [at the] surface areas, operation
of the airport beacon during daylight often indicates visibility
less than 3 miles and/or ceiling less than 1,000 feet. Air Traffic
Control (ATC) clearance is required for landing, takeoff and flight
in the traffic pattern.
However, pilots should not rely solely on the airport beacon to
indicate if weather conditions are IMC or VMC (Visual
Meteorological Conditions). At some locations with operating
control towers, ATC personnel turn the beacon on or off when
controllers are in the tower regardless of conditions. At many
airports the airport beacon is turned on by a photoelectric cell or
time clocks and ATC personnel cannot control them. There is no
regulatory requirement for beacon operation in daylight, and it is
the pilot's responsibility to comply with proper weather-related
preflight planning.
Aero-tip of the day: If the airport beacon at a
controlled airport is operating during the day, ask controllers if
the weather is marginal but not obviously IMC. It may indicate you
need an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) or Special VFR clearance to
take off, land or fly in the traffic pattern.