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 through the Aero-News Network.

Aero-Tips 12.22.06

What's the total capacity of each tank in my airplane's fuel system? Is the fuel flow gauge electrical, or does it sense pressure through a fuel line that comes into the panel? What conditions cause the landing gear warning horn to sound? How can I maximize cabin heater output?

These are all questions that can be answered by looking at the Systems Description section of the Pilots Operating Handbook.

GAMA format

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) prescribes a standardized format for Pilots Operating Handbooks (POHs), and almost all aircraft manufacturers adhere to this standard. In the GAMA format Section 7 of the POH is the Systems Description. Look through this section's table of contents and you'll find virtually all the airplane's systems listed; turn to any one portion of the Systems Description and you'll discover a textural description of the associated system or component.

EXAMPLE: LANDING GEAR CONTROL SWITCH (Beech Bonanza F33A/F33C POH for serial number CE-674 and after and CJ-129 and after):

The landing gear is controlled by a two-position switch on the right side of the subpanel. The switch handle must be pulled out of the safety detent before it can be moved to the opposite position. On serial number CE-1301, CE-1307 and after, and CJ-180 and after, the landing gear will not retract unless the throttle is in a position corresponding to approximately 17 inches of manifold pressure or above.

Want to know the little details that make your airplane unique? Need to know how things work as part of your transition to a new airplane? Want to teach the type-specific intricacies of an aircraft that might make the difference for a pilot in an emergency? Study Section 7, Systems Description, of the POH.

Aero-tip of the day: Regularly review the POH for each airplane you fly.

FMI: Aero-Tips