post the aviation thing you learned today

GeorgeC

Administrator
Management Council Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
5,500
Display Name

Display name:
GeorgeC
TIL: TFRs in ForeFlight turn red *8 hours before* they are active, which of course happens when you're in the middle of a VIP TFR.
 
Last edited:
ForeFlight will select your default aircraft when filing a flight plan, unless you choose a different one.

KMKC has terrible cell service.

Related: ATC can change the tail number on your flight plan and give you a clearance if you have filed it under the wrong tail number and can’t get a cell connection to file a new one from the runup area.
 
ForeFlight will select your default aircraft when filing a flight plan, unless you choose a different one.

KMKC has terrible cell service.

Related: ATC can change the tail number on your flight plan and give you a clearance if you have filed it under the wrong tail number and can’t get a cell connection to file a new one from the runup area.
I got burned by that when reserving a rental, and the the selected aircraft was much faster than the one I was using. Fortunately, I caught it before the flight so I didn't have the wrong fuel burn (less fuel gph, but longer flight made it a wash). I was able to amend the reservation for the longer time and do the flight.
 
Related: ATC can change the tail number on your flight plan and give you a clearance if you have filed it under the wrong tail number and can’t get a cell connection to file a new one from the runup area.
They can also change a departure point and/or destination if you just shotgunned out flight plans because you didn’t know where you’d be going.
 
Not today, but things I recently learned:
  • If you activate a leg on a Garmin GPS (GNS or GTN), it acts similarly to OBS or VTF mode, and you can intercept an extension of the leg before its starting waypoint.
  • In moderate turbulence, my S-TEC 20 does a better job tracking a straight-line course in non-GPSS mode than GPSS mode.
  • Everyone who simulates a KAP 140 (consumer sims or RedBird) gets major features wrong, at least vis-a-vis the KAP 140 Pilot's Guide.
  • A double dashed purple line in a (Canadian) GFA means an upper-level trough.
  • A new, more-powerful sealed Concorde battery triggers issues with an alternator field wire and/or voltage regulator that were hidden with my old Gill G35.
  • Watching traffic on the ADS-B can distract from actually seeing traffic out the window.
  • Sometimes airshows publish absurd NOTAMs that take 20 minutes to work out on a map.
 
So far that 8 hour TFR thing. The concord battery thing. The STEC-20 and KAP 140 thing. And what TIL and ELI5 mean. But the day is young.
 
TIL Smoketown has UL94.
 
That you only need 3 take off's and landings to get an SIC rating in a Citation.
A little bit more to it than that, but ya, it has substantially fewer requirements than one might expect.
 
The VFR approach option on the GPS 175 is actually pretty handy when flying into an unfamiliar airport.
 
The VFR approach option on the GPS 175 is actually pretty handy when flying into an unfamiliar airport.
Turning on the "DIS/BRG APT" field (i.e. straight line distance to destination) also helps with the initial radio call to tower/CTAF. Only thing is that you'll need to use the reciprocal of the bearing, but that's just a matter of finding it on the DG and looking at the opposite side.
 
Minnesota football is circling the drain.

Thing I verify every Saturday, Gary Danielson on CBS is a Buffoon.

Cheers
 
I have been flying out of KRNO for 10 years as my home base. At the south end, taxiway P only exists on the west side of the runways, and on the east side it is just part of taxiway C. I fly out of the west side so don't do down there that much but was given instructions (while repositioning from the east side to west side) to taxi via C and hold short 16L (at the south end). In my head I was thinking that that made no sense since it should be C, P, then hold short.

You learn something every day even after being here for 10 years.

Screen Shot 2021-09-25 at 9.09.39 PM.png
 
Last edited:
Today was the first time I used my Foreflight checklist tab prior to takeoff in my 182.. I had my iPad on my lap & found checking off each item as I completed it very satisfying. I was flying to an EAA pancake breakfast & had our chapter president as my passenger so I thought since I'm a full-time CFI I should use a checklist to be a good example. I'm thinking I'm going to incorporate this in my training of my students. I'm old school so you young pilots will have to excuse my excitement about this.
 
Don't try to slip a 1966 Cessna 172 with 40° flaps...that nose down sudden pitch they mention in the manual ain't no joke! (and yes, I was high and should have just gone around) :(
 
Don't try to slip a 1966 Cessna 172 with 40° flaps...that nose down sudden pitch they mention in the manual ain't no joke! (and yes, I was high and should have just gone around) :(
I’ve done this with a CFI as a maneuver. I’ve definitely felt the oscillations in the elevator as mentioned in the POH, but never had the pitch down (elevator stall?). Mine was in an early 70s M model.
 
I’ve done this with a CFI as a maneuver. I’ve definitely felt the oscillations in the elevator as mentioned in the POH, but never had the pitch down (elevator stall?). Mine was in an early 70s M model.

It came as a shock to me at ~400ft on final. Pucker factor was an 11 LOL. I slip at 30° from time to time no problem so I was a little skeptical an extra 10° would make that much difference...I was wrong.
 
R(ecently)IL that flying into a presidential TFR is perfectly acceptable as long as you meet all the requirements. It was pretty cool to hear Air Force 2 coming up with Departure as I was headed in with Approach. (To be clear, Approach was taking me to an airport in the outer ring, and AF2 was departing from the center of the inner ring). Was a VFR flight for a $100 burrito with my wife (KAOO has a great Mexican restaurant on the field)
 
I’ve done this with a CFI as a maneuver. I’ve definitely felt the oscillations in the elevator as mentioned in the POH, but never had the pitch down (elevator stall?). Mine was in an early 70s M model.
I’ve done this with a CFI as a maneuver. I’ve definitely felt the oscillations in the elevator as mentioned in the POH, but never had the pitch down (elevator stall?). Mine was in an early 70s M model.
The dorsal fin in the L model got rid of the worst of the pitch down thing in 71.
 
Last edited:
Once assigned by ATC, you can't change your squawk code back to VFR unless explicitly told to do so - even if they cancel flight following / radar services.
 
Once assigned by ATC, you can't change your squawk code back to VFR unless explicitly told to do so - even if they cancel flight following / radar services.
Is that true even for VFR in class E/G? Just curious — I do always keep my assigned code after the termination of radar services, but I hadn't realized there was a rule about it.
 
One more: when you're getting VFR flight following, altitude is at your discretion, but at the same time you must advise ATC before you change altitude
 
One more: when you're getting VFR flight following, altitude is at your discretion, but at the same time you must advise ATC before you change altitude
I always try to report when I do, but the only time I've been asked explicitly was when I was crossing over ORD’s arrival corridor over Lake Michigan at 12.5. They told me multiple times.
 
One more: when you're getting VFR flight following, altitude is at your discretion, but at the same time you must advise ATC before you change altitude
Where is that rule written down? It's news to me. I like learning. :)
 
when you're getting VFR flight following, altitude is at your discretion, but at the same time you must advise ATC before you change altitude
That’s not a rule. It’s a courteous thing to do, but it’s not required - unless they ask you to of course.
 
Skydivers also have cloud clearance requirements. Two sets even, for above and below 10,000'. After seeing so many videos of people jumping through them I always assumed it didn't apply.
 
2009 fiberglass Skeeter bay boats use a small amount of termite attracting wood that, although not structural, is inversely proportional to the frustration it causes. And, they cannot fly.
 
Back
Top