Handy tips, tricks and memory aids

jaybee

jaybee

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jaybee
I thought maybe we could all share handy tips, tricks and memory aids we've learned. I'm not talking about stuff like tomato flames that pretty much every body learned unless it was something that made it easier to learn.

Example -
I was taught 5 Ts for instrument; turn, tune.... I was going to list them but still cant remember them to this day, just draw a mental block on it. However, I learned FACTS from a friend and that sticks easily. Frequency, Altitude, Course, Time, Supplemental.

Another recent one -
The questions from the tests where they ask you which AC is for Airmen or something similar. Instead of rote memorization and I never realized before someone said it - the Advisory Circulars are coded to match the FAR; i.e. Part 61 is what we train under, AC 60 is for Airmen.
 
Cones or rods???

"The rod comes out at night"
 
75 - Taken Alive
76 - Get er fixed
77 - Goin to heaven
 
Clark1961 said:
I thought it was:

Hi Jack, can't talk right now, got an emergency
7500 7600 7700
Click to expand...

I've never heard that before. I like that a lot.

These may or may not help:
  • On an aircraft where you manually switch tanks - left side of the clock, left tank and vice versa.
  • Don't bring the propeller control to low pitch/high rpm until the engine is reduced to a power setting where it can no longer maintain the commanded rpm. This allows you to make the adjustment smoothly and with no additional noise.
  • Set your cruise power for the specific mission. One setting does not fit all missions.
  • Rolling on to the runway, run through a "killer items" checklist. Make your own consisting of things that, if forgotten, will kill you. Mine includes these: flight controls, takeoff configuration, trims, fuel selector, fuel pump, and mixture.
  • There is no need to bring the throttle 1/4" off of the stop when starting. It's too much. Leave the throttle in the idle position and crank it. If you have to move it, make it so much that it just comes off the stop. This tip doesn't apply to Cirrus pilot. You all can just leave it at full power.
  • Don't put your headset on until after you have started the engine. You can prepare and organize everything as the engine and oil temps are warming up.

I listened to some idiot start a cold 172 yesterday and have it run up to 1,800 rpm. He left it there as he ran through the rest of his checklist. He then taxied with the engine still at 1,800 rpm, riding the brakes the entire way.

If there was anything that made my BP rise that day, that moron would be it.
 
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When turning left base in a high wing, use the DG and roll out with the runway number on the far left (pointing to the runway) and you are on a perfect left base less wind correction. Same thing when turning crosswind except the opposite runway number. No metal landing calculator needed!
 
True course +/- Variation = Magnetic course +/- Deviation = Compass Course
T +/- V = M +/- D = C

"True Virgins Make Dull Company"

or in reverse, "Can Ducks Make Vertical Turns" or "Can Dead Men Vote Twice"

In this age of GPS does anybody still have to figure magnetic courses? I learned to fly on "East is least, west is best," to know whether to add or subtract magnetic variation.

And very long ago, before VHF Simplex channels, when all FSS stations received on 122.1, and all towers received on 122.5, it was "One for the run and Five for the hive."

I was taught 5 Ts for instrument; turn, tune.... I was going to list them but still cant remember them to this day
Click to expand...
The way I learned it was "Time, Turn, Throttle, Tune, Talk".
 
Pilawt said:
True course +/- Variation = Magnetic course +/- Deviation = Compass Course
T +/- V = M +/- D = C

"True Virgins Make Dull Company"

or in reverse, "Can Ducks Make Vertical Turns" or "Can Dead Men Vote Twice"
Click to expand...

True to Compass add west. No real fancy acronym, just pounded into my skull by an E6 USN Chief Navigator.
 
Fold your sectional before you get in the air. Trying to find the right fold/orientation in a little 152 cockpit while flying is a real struggle.
 
Used to teach a great one for the now defunct SA reports... Of course useless now...

Can Vera Make Tom Dance Without Any Pants

Ceiling, Visibility, Millibars, Temp, Dew, Winds, Alttimeter, Pertinent remarks
 
ATOMATOFFLAMES (Required equipment for VFR flight)

Add FLAPS for night flight

Add GRABCARDD for IFR flight.

OSUN overshoot south undershoot north when using the magnetic compass.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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RalphInCA said:
ATOMATOFFLAMES (Required equipment for VFR flight)

Add FLAPS for night flight

Add GRABCARDD for IFR flight.

OSUN overshoot salve undershoot north when using the magnetic compass.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

ANDS

Accelerate north, decelerate south regarding the mag compass in level turns.
 
The only one I use I got from Richard Collins years ago. Just before takeoff, after all checklist items done, it's "I Can Fly This Thing"---Instruments, Controls, Flaps, Trim, Transponder.
 
"FATS"... Can mean different things for different situations.
Mine was Flaps, altitude, trim, speed brakes.
 
RAFTM (pronounced raft 'em)

Rudders UP
Area CLEAR
Flaps FULL
Trim BACK
Mixture SET

Its a pre takeoff checklist for my Seaplane
 
Stingray Don said:
When turning left base in a high wing, use the DG and roll out with the runway number on the far left (pointing to the runway) and you are on a perfect left base less wind correction. Same thing when turning crosswind except the opposite runway number. No metal landing calculator needed!
Click to expand...


"Stingray don"

i am a private pilot in training. and I want to clarify this. do you mean, having just started to turn left base, and as you complete the turn, look at the gyro, and execute the turn so that the compass heading(that matches the runway number)points directly....."sideways and parallel to the runway"?
 
Hemispherical rules= Neodd and sweven. North and all of east odd thousands, south and all of west even thousands.
 
Easy thing for pattern work: downwind has Runway No at the bottom of the DG; on base, the Runway No is at the hash mark on the left (for Right Traffic, it will be at the hash mark on the right). Then do wind correction.

When doing holds, set Inbound on the VOR head and outbound on the DG. On the inbound leg, the course is at the hash mark on bottom of the DG. Then do wind corrections.
 
at the Final Approach Fix:

Time Down
Gear Down
Get Down
Lights Up (airplane and runway)
Speak Up
 
I like to think that aviation doesn't make any sense.
I mean come on, east headings should be EVEN right? E with e? Nope....
And the RIGHT nav light should be RED? Yah, not happening.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 
farmerbrake said:
I like to think that aviation doesn't make any sense.
I mean come on, east headings should be EVEN right? E with e? Nope....
And the RIGHT nav light should be RED? Yah, not happening.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


If you ever compare the right of way rules to the Nav lights, you'll notice green means you're okay to pass on that side, and red means you're not. (Which came from a nautical background...)
 
FastEddieB said:
Still like, "If the shadows don't touch, the wings (or whatever) won't touch."

Use that one A LOT!
Click to expand...
This was great in the caravan for the right wing due to vision obstruction of the wing tip since radar was on that side.
 
classicrock said:
"Stingray don"

i am a private pilot in training. and I want to clarify this. do you mean, having just started to turn left base, and as you complete the turn, look at the gyro, and execute the turn so that the compass heading(that matches the runway number)points directly....."sideways and parallel to the runway"?
Click to expand...

On downwind your runway number will be at the bottom of the gyro. As you make your turn to left base roll out of the turn with the runway number on the far left of the DG. So your runway number on the DG points left and the runway will be on your left. You will be perpendicular to the extended runway line (minus any wind correction).

As a student pilot I would just guess at the roll out point or try and use ground references. Never worked very well and my patterns were pretty sloppy. Use the DG and you will be more precise and you won't be flopping around trying to get a visual on the runway when your wing is blocking your view. Works for rolling out on crosswind too but you have to use the opposite runway number on the far left of the DG.

In the example below you would be on a left base for 27.
 

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I use SLIM at Shut down

Switches, Lean, Ignition, Master

And of course GUMPS, unless I am in a Piper. Then BGUMPS.

I had a CFI that would use Lights, Camera (transponder), Action right before take off.
 
If you have a heading bug on your DG, it helps to set it to the direction of the wind reported by nearest AWOS cross country in case the fan quits. In that case I would just turn and line up with the bug and start looking for the crash site. ;)

Sometimes I'll set it to the active runway heading if I'm landing at an unfamiliar airport. It helps fly the pattern.
 
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txflyer said:
If you have a heading bug on your DG, it helps to set it to the direction of the wind reported by nearest AWOS cross country in case the fan quits. In that case I would just turn and line up with the bug and start looking for the crash site. ;)

Sometimes I'll set it to the active runway heading if I'm landing at an unfamiliar airport. It helps fly the pattern.
Click to expand...

Might be a bad habit if you ever get in a plane with an autopilot...
 
CIGAR for taxi-backs and stop-n-goes

Controls free
Instruments set
Gas
Attitude - flaps and trim set
Radio - talk if ya need to
 
Clark1961 said:
Might be a bad habit if you ever get in a plane with an autopilot...
Click to expand...



I understand that logic. Mine has GPSS so the bug is just an ornament when in that mode.

I turn the master autopilot switch off for take off and landing.
 
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