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Cardinal Aviation Founder: Ryan Van Haren

Airline Transport Pilot, Air Traffic Controller, Coach, Consultant, Community Advocate.

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5/13/2020

Safety Report : Flying a Missed Approach From A Circling Procedure (Please Distribute)

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Dear Pilots, 
Please review this report that we have written surrounding best practices for flying a missed approach once a circling procedure has been commenced. Spoiler alert! The ultimate recommendation is to avoid flying a circling procedure if the ceiling is below the final approach (FAF) fix crossing altitude.

This report is centred around the pilot's interaction with a Garmin Panel but contains some universally useful information that pilots should be aware of should they find themselves needing to go missed while circling. There are a few things in here that might surprise you, specifically pertaining to the behaviour of the avionics. We aim to give some useful tips and observations to assist pilots in maintaining situational awareness and control of their aircraft during this high workload and complex manoeuvre. 

Respectfully,
Ryan Van Haren
Cardinal Aviation
Cardinal Aviation: Missed Approach From A Circling Procedure Report
File Size: 710 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

3/3/2020

Fascinating Aviators With Fascinating Ideas That You Should Follow

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Recently I was thinking of the power of the internet and social media and how it has changed the communication landscape. This is true in every industry including aviation. The Internet gives us an outlet to share our thoughts, ideas and opinions and for those that are open to learning, a place to consume the ideas and absorb the experience of others.

Over the past several years I have had the privilege to get to know and work professionally with some fascinating aviators that are dedicated to sharing their passion and ideas with those who are interested and hungry for knowledge, a dose of reality and perhaps a little entertainment. 

In the intrest of continued learning, here are a few intriguing aviators that I follow and I think you should too.

Jason Miller

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Jason Miller is a career flight instructor, the kind that truly dedicates their life to mastering the art of teaching while still always learn and improve. Several years ago, Jason began a podcast titled "The Finer Points of Flying". In his podcast Jason interviews aviation personalities and shares tips an tricks that have an application across all pilots and all experience levels. Jason is a fierce advocate for flight safety and standardizing the way we operate our aircraft. 
Day Job: Flight Instructor
​Nationality: American
Website: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com
Instagram: ​@learnthefinerpoints
Linkedin: Click Here
Podcast: Learn The Finer Points
YouTube Channel:  The Finer Points

Steve Thorne

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Can you even call yourself a pilot if you haven't watched a Flight Chops video? Steve Thorne began his aviation journey over a decade ago and after taking some time away from flying decided to get back into the seat. He began documenting his re-entry into aviation and sharing his blunders and learning moments. In the following years Steve has curated a library of over 150 episodes of learning filled flying in everything from a Phenom Jet to a World War 2 Harvard. What makes Steve such a great role model is his willingness to share mistakes for the benefit of his viewers. 
Day Job: Film Maker
Nationality: Canadian

Website: https://flightchops.com
Instagram: Click Here
YouTube Channel: Flight Chops

James Marasa

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James began his career as a flight instructor where he learned some very valuable lessons (for more on that check out his webpage). He then became an air traffic controller where he remains involved in the changing aviation landscape and publishes regular blogs on aviation and technology. James is a talented presenter and consummate aviation professional.
Day Job: Air Traffic Controller
Nationality: Canadian

Website: https://jamesmarasa.com
Linkedin: ​Click Here
Twitter: @jamesmarasa

Chris Clearfield

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While Chris is a certified flight instructor his real passion rests in the study of risk and how complex systems contribute to error chains and accidents. Chris can be heard at speaking engagements and on many podcasts. If you get the chance to read his book you wont regret it. His easy going nature and devotion to constant learning makes Chris someone that everyone should follow. 
Day Job: Risk Management Consultant
Nationality: ​American
Website: http://www.system-logic.com
Linkedin: Click Here
Book: Meltdown (Why Our Systems Fail and What we Can Do about It)

Jodi Rueger

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There are few people more passionate about aviation than Jodi. Beginning as a flight instructor Jodi has found a niche in the aerobatics world. I first met Jodi at an aviation event where she told me that she wanted to be a Redbull Air Racer. Unfortunately that series has come to an end however she is on the rise as an airline pilot and airshow performer. You can catch her at airshows across the western half of the continent this summer. Jodi is also a Cardinal Aviation Coach and is a great mentor and instructor for aerobatics, tailwheel and IFR flying. 
Day Job: Airline Pilot / Airshow Pilot
Nationality: ​Canadian
Website: Click Here
Instagram: @quotafiller
Linkedin: Click Here 
YouTubeChannel: Jodi Rueger

Roger Precious

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Roger is a certified flight instructor and Air Traffic Controller. While he doesn't have a big online presence, you really shouldn't pass up an opportunity to hear him speak or teach. His use of anecdotes and humour in his presentations makes for a great learning environment. Roger is also known as the founder of Big Fat Simulations, the creator of many aviation apps on mobile devices, more specifically a long lineage of Air Traffic Control Simulation games. 
Day Job: Air Traffic Controller
Nationality: ​Canadian
Instagram: @precious_vectors
Linkedin: Click Here

Warwick Patterson

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Warwick is a film maker based in Squamish BC. He is currently pursuing his commercial pilot license. Warwick and his comrades have worked magic int he Sea to Sky corridor bu building a very vibrant and active aviation community. Warwick is also a BC General Aviation Association Director and is currently launching a series called Flying BC. This is a series of podcasts and videos that will alternate bi-weekly featuring aviation and aviators with a focus on British Columbia. I am honoured to have been asked to act as a co-host on the podcast along with Kate Klassen. Please follow Flying BC and post your comments.
Day Job: Film Maker / Producer
Nationality: ​Canadian
Website: www.flyingbc.com  /  www.formulaphoto.com
Instagram: @flyingbritishcolumbia
Linkedin: ​Click Here
Podcast: Flying BC
YouTube Channel: Flying BC

Kate Klassen

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Kate is a certified flight instructor and is currently paving the way in the drone world. She helped found Coastal Drone, a company that provides Drone consulting and Transport Canada approved Drone training. She is also one of the newest Directors of the Canadian Owner and Pilot's Association and is a formidable and passionate advocate for all things aviation. Kate is also a guest host on Warwick's Flying BC podcast series. 
Day Job: Drone Instructor & Consultant
Nationality: ​Canadian
Website: Coastal Drone Co.
Instagram: ​@coastal.kate
Linkedin: ​Click Here
Podcast: The Coastal Drone Podcast   /    Flying BC
YouTube Channel: Coastal Drone

Ryan Van Haren 

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This is my blog so I'll shamelessly plug myself. Please check out the Cardinal Aviation Audio Blog where I plan to share mini sessions on a variety of aircraft handling topics with a focus on IFR flying and advanced systems management. While you're online also check out the BC General Aviation Association and have a look at what we are up to. Fun fact: I find it really hard to relate to people that aren't in aviation. It is something that I'm working on. 
 Day Job: Air Traffic Control / Pilot
Nationality: ​Canadian
Website: www.cardinalaviation.ca  /  www.bcaviation.ca
Instagram: @ryan_v_h
Linkedin: ​Click Here
Podcast: Cardinal Aviation Audio Briefings   /   Flying BC
YouTube Channel: Click Here

1/31/2020

IFR Tips - Energy Management, Reaction Delay & Stabilized Constant Descent Angle (SCDA)

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We share this video thanks to a client that we recently worked with in the simulator. He agreed to share this video in hopes that it may bring attention to a critical phase of flight and create awareness so that others may learn.

In this video the pilot is flying a non-precision localizer approach. The pilot is new to modern glass panels and autopilot use hence the simulator training. This pilot also had not flown IFR since Stabilized Constant Descent Angles were introduced several years ago. In this video the pilot has the autopilot engaged and had just levelled off at the last approach step-down altitude prior to the final approach fix. Being a high workload situation with new to him avionics, he does not increase power when the aircraft levels. While the autopilot maintains altitude the airspeed begins bleeding off until the stall warning activates. What is more interesting is the nine second reaction time to the stall horn. A SCDA on this approach would have avoided the level off and need to add power. 

This delayed reaction time is something that is very common when faced with an unexpected audible warning or emergency. One of the contributing factors to this may be the pilot's unfamiliarity with the various audible tones that this particular avionics suite gives off. Altitude  alerts, system warnings, stall warning and autopilot disconnect tones, all sound slightly different but also very similar. It is understandable why an unexpected stall horn may go unnoticed.  Scenarios such as this give a prime example of why recurrent training is essential to maintaining proficiency and the value of flight simulation. It also goes to show why policies and procedures change over time with respect to how pilots operate.

​In recent years there has been a push toward the use of Stabilized Constant Descent Angle Angle (SCDA) on non-precision IFR approaches. A SCDA approach is associated with approaches that do not employ the vertical guidance associated with ILS and LPV approaches. Traditionally, Localizer, NDB approaches involved multiple step-downs which necessitated multiple engine power changes with each descent and level off. 

Stabilized constant descents mean that the aircraft begins its final descent and a specified point on the approach at a predetermined vertical speed based on that aircraft’s groundspeed. A stabilized constant descent enhances safety by eliminating multiple power changes and reducing pilot workload in addition to a higher likelihood of arriving at approach minimums configured and in a position to execute a safe and stable landing. 

Taken one step further, the use of a SCDA allows the pilot to treat the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) much like a Decision Height (DH). While the MDA is still an altitude that is not to be descended below, it means that rather than levelling at MDA several miles from the missed approach point, a pilot using an SCDA may opt to execute the missed approach upon reaching the MDA, regardless of mileage remaining to the runway. This change in execution creates procedural similarities between approaches with vertical guidance and those non-precision approaches without vertical guidance which simplifies pilot workload and creates commonalities between the most venerable time in any approach procedure, the missed approach.

Additional input on the topic from airline pilot and flight instructor, Scott Jackson

It takes much longer to create a complete mental picture of the current state of everything when using a PFD, as it displays energy in a manner that requires consciously comparing it to a desired value and that takes mental processing power. Much quicker and easier to glance at a steam gauge and just know that it’s no longer at the desired three-o’clock position and also instantly recognizing whether we are fast/ slow and what the trend is by only a moment’s monitoring of the needle movement. Personally, transitioning to glass after 10,000 hours of chasing and corralling a panel of steam gauges, it gave me a headache and wasn’t at all intuitive

The SCDA should in theory allow a lower MDA and that may happen in the future. Where it’s not as easy as suggested is when the groundspeed changes during the final descent and-if in cloud-it nearly always does as we drop out of the cloud base. Therefore, it requires cross checking our crossing altitudes at each of those final-descent checkpoints and making minor changes in power in an attempt to reacquire the desired SCDA and hope that it’s enough to cross the next one at the right altitude and then figure out what power setting might work thereafter.

There is another issue which has to do with getting ground contact sooner on a “dive and drive” approach which helps with a ragged ceiling but this has its own problems.

There’s no question that SCDA approaches are safer and it’s the Stabilized that makes it so. I merely wish to point out that they are rarely as stabilized as following a VPath of Glideslope beam
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Transportation Safety Board: RECOMMENDATION A12-02 Stabilized Constant Descent Angle (SCDA)

Written By: Ryan Van Haren (Cardinal Aviation Coach)

10/8/2019

Cessna Icing Encounter - Lessons Learned In Freezing Rain

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Living, flying and training in a busy metropolitan airspace surrounded by mountains and ocean can make for some beautiful and challenging flying conditions. Unfortunately, one of the by products of the geography around Vancouver is the fact that it limits pilots to flying and conducting IFR training to only a handful of airports. The biggest limiting factor is the unforgiving IFR flight conditions over and around the mountains combined with the fact that most GA aircraft are of the single engine variety that rarely have onboard de-icing equipment.

What ends up happening quite often is that an instrument rating earned in the Vancouver area gives pilots the legal right to fly IFR anywhere even if they have really only ever been exposed to a hand full of airports in the local area and they tend to stay in that theatre of operation. Eventually pilots gain the confidence to expand their area of operations and when they do is when the real learning begins.

The Pilot
This afternoon I received a call from a client. He is a safe and conscientious pilot who invests in recurrent training and has a very well equipped Cessna 210. He is not reckless, nor is he a cowboy. He regularly makes flights over the mountains but typically conducts these flights IFR either on VMC days or well on top of overcast layers. He knows his airplane but his flight experience in adverse conditions is somewhat limited. This client had called his coach in the past to discuss go/no-go decisions to get a second opinion.

Scenario
This client planned to fly his usual route today at 13,000ft and called FSS for a weather briefing. The briefer advised him that the freezing level was at 5000' ASL and that there was no forecast icing enroute. The pilot departed in VFR conditions with an IFR clearance. He entered cloud at 7000ft and no ice was detected. In the climb out of 9000ft he started experiencing what he described as heavy rain that made the sound of rain hitting a tin roof. The OAT was -10. Ice began accumulating on the windshield and upon inspection of the wings significant icing had built up on the leading edge of the wing as well as on the surfaces aft of the leading edge.

The pilot knew that he was near the tops of the cloud layer and continued his climb. He managed to get on top and continued his flight to his destination and filed a PIREP with ATC. The ice slowly sublimated off the windscreen but remained on the wings for the duration of the flight. Compounding matters, upon reaching 13,000ft the pilot realised that his oxygen bottle had been left on after the last flight and was depleted.

The Breakdown
The pilot encountered freezing rain, it wasn't forecast and based on the information from the briefer he did not expect any icing en-route. Having never experienced these conditions he did not have the tools or experience necessary to assist his decision making but one thing that he did do correctly was continue flying the airplane.

Advice From The Coach
When this client sent me the photos of his encounter I told him that he was lucky to be alive! There is one thing that every experienced pilot will tell you whether they fly a Cessna or a Boeing and that is "FREEZING RAIN KILLS!" It is to be avoided at all costs and in the event of an inadvertent encounter keep your airspeed and GET OUT!!!

LESSON #1 (The Dangers of Freezing Rain)
The danger of freezing rain is that it does not freeze on initial contact with the airframe. Instead, super cooled water droplets flow along the surface and freeze aft of the leading edges which greatly alter the characteristics of the wing. Even in aircraft with de-icing boots, or hot wings freezing rain will freeze aft of the protective surfaces creating dangerous ridges that alter the shape of the wing. The presence of ice on the wing, especially in this quantity can easily cause the aircraft to be unable to maintain altitude and increase the stall speed by dozens of knots and decrease the critical angle of attack by a significant margin. You are now a test pilot!

LESSON #2 (WX Briefings are Great But Your Eyes Are Better!)
The pilot did all the right things in getting a weather briefing. Yes the briefer advised that there was no forecast icing enroute. The key here is word forecast. We all know that a forecast is an educated guess at best. Here is a very simple formula that every pilot should commit to memory.
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Clouds=Visible Moisture
Visible Moisture + Below Freezing Temperatures = ICE
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Regardless of what any briefing says if you observe an OAT of temperatures below zero and are entering cloud or are flying through rain you will pick up ICE. Of all icing types, freezing rain is by far the most lethal. Trust what you are seeing out the window over what you heard on the phone.

LESSON #3 (Most Controllers Are Not Pilots)
Contrary to what they might tell you, Air Traffic Controllers do not know everything. They are not psychic and the majority are not pilots. In this scenario the pilot filed a PIREP. To the controller this is appreciated, nice to know information that will be passed on to other pilots. The problem is that most controllers do not know whether or not a Cessna 210 has de-icing boots or what the implications of ice on each type of aircraft are. It is up to the pilot to speak up and inform the controller what is happening and what they need.

LESSON#4 MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY (This is an Emergency!)
Emergencies are not limited to engine failures and fires. In the case of this pilot, I would without a doubt say that he is lucky to be alive. If faced with this situation the correct response is to immediately declare an emergency (MAYDAY) and get out of the icing conditions while maintaining a higher than normal airspeed. Controllers have tools and lower altitudes available to them that are only useable in an emergency.

LESSON #5 Swiss Cheese
Slice #1 - Inadvertent Icing Encounter
Slice#2 - Out of Oxygen
Slice#3 - Fortunately did not come out to play.

CONCLUSION
Icing is to be avoided at all costs in aircraft that are not equipped for it. As pilots it is important that we expand our level of experience by pushing our comfort zones and using the privilege of our licenses and ratings to experience new things. In doing so we are bound to learn lessons, sometimes the hard way. The important thing is that we share these lessons with others so that they avoid bad situations and know what to do should they encounter them.

Written By: Ryan Van Haren (Cardinal Aviation Coach)

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    The Cardinal Aviation Blog is a compilation of stories, tips, tricks and experiences from our Clients and Coaches. Some entries have a valuable learning lesson in them and some are to share some of what we are fortunate enough to experience when we fly. 

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