Sunday, July 7, 2019

Ground lesson 18 (6) - Airports, airspace and sources of flight information

Airport environment

  • Runway markings 
    • Runway numbers 
      • Magnetic heading
      • Last digit excluded 
      • Rounded to nearest 10ยบ
      • Based on most common wind condition
    • Threshold line
      • Where the runway starts
    • Threshold marker 
      • Number of parallel lines that represent runway width (AIM 2-3-3)
    • Displaced threshold 
      • Takeoffs and taxi is ok, NO LANDINGS
    • Touchdown zone marker 
      • 500 feet from the threshold line
      • 1,2 or 3 parallel lines
    • Aiming zone marker 
      • Two white rectangular stripes 1000 feet from the threshold
    • Blast Pad/over run area  
      • Used for jet wash
      • No takeoff,taxi,or landing
      • Emergency use only
  • Taxiway markings 
    • Holdshort line 
      • Not allowed to cross solid lines without clearance
      • Cross dashed line  after landing, then stop if not instructed otherwise
    • ILS holdshort 
      • Prevents interference with ILS signal
    • Non-movement area line
      • Marks the border between movement area and non movement area 
      • Movement area is the part of the airport where aircrafts takeoff/land
  • Airport signs 
    • Mandatory instruction signs
      • Red background with white letters 
      • Runway entrance
      • Critical area 
      • Area prohibited for aircrafts
    • Locations signs 
      • Black background with yellow text
      • Identifies your location
    • Direction signs
      • Yellow background with black text
      • Always contains arrows
      • Direction to taxiway or runway
    • Destination signs
      • Yellow background with black text
      • Always contains arrows 
      • Directions to location 
      • Terminal, cargo, fuel, parking
    • Runway distance signs 
      • Black background with white numbers
      • Posted along the runway
      • Remaining runway distance in thousands of feet

  • Runway incursion avoidance 
    • When an aircraft, vehicle, person, or equipment is on the runway without clearance
    • No part of the aircraft can cross the solid line of the holdshort line 
    • Do not enter or cross the runway unless cleared 
    • If in unfamiliar airport
      • Hard to see where you are going
      • Ask for progressive taxi
  • Land and holdshort operations  - LAHSO
    • The PIC has to determine if this is possible or not
    • PIC is expected to decline his operation if it will compromise safety
    • If you accept a LAHSO you should land and exit the runway at the first convenient taxiway
    • If go around necessary, maintain separation and notify ATC
  • Approach lighting system 
    • See TPP’s for different types 
    • Dot means running rabbit
      • Black means pilot controlled lighting
    • See regulations 91.175 takeoff and landings under IFR
      • Red terminating bars
  • Runway lighting
    • Threshold lights
      • Bidirectional
      • Green at beginning of runway, Red at end of runway
    • Runway edge lights 
      • High, medium, low intensity lights → HIRL, MIRL, LIRL
      • You can usually change intensity by pilot controlled lighting
    • Runway centerline lights
      • Only instrument precision approaches
      • White in the beginning, alternating white/red last 3000 feet, red last 1000 feet
    • Runway end identifier lights  - REIL
      • Provides rapid and positive identification of the approach end

  • Airport beacon and obstruction lights 
    • Operational from dusk til dawn and during IFR
    • Civil airport → white/green
    • Military airport → white white green
    • Heliport → white green yellow
    • Seaplane → white yellow

Airspace

  • Controlled airspace
    • You need a clearance and file a flightplan
    • You fly the altitude which ATC assigns you
    • If cleared for vfr-on-top follow vfr cruising altitude
  • Uncontrolled airspace
    • Might be a lot of non transponder vfr traffic
    • No separation 
    • You don't need clearance or file a flightplan 
    • You fly altitudes that are appropriate to 91.179
  • Aircraft speed limits - FAR 91,117
    • Below 10,000ft: 250 kias (includ. class B)
    • Class C, class D, within 4 nm of the primary airport at or below 2,500 agl: 200 kias
    • Airspace underlying class B: 200 kias
  • Special use airspaces - MC WRAPN
    • Military area
      • IFR traffic may not go through unless cleared by ATC
      • If not cleared, ATC will reroute nonparticipating IFR traffic
    • Controlled firing area
      • Activities are suspended immediately when an aircraft is in the area
      • Not on the chart
    • Warning area
      • 3 nm outward from the coast of the US
      • Contains activities that may be hazardous to nonparticipating aircrafts
    • Restricted area
      • If “cold”, ATC will allow IFR traffic without clearance 
      • If “hot”, ATC will issue clearances which assures the aircraft avoids the area
    • Alert area
      • High volume of aircrafts
      • Be alert
    • Prohibited area
      • Flight for aircraft is prohibited
    • NSA area
      • Locations where increased security for ground facilities is required
      • Pilots are requested to avoid the area
      • NSA can make area prohibited
  • Other airspaces
    • Military training routes 
      • IFR/VFR (IR/VR)
      • MTR’s with no segment above 1500 agl will be identified by 4 numbers
      • MTR’s with one or more segments above 1500 agl will have 3 numbers
    • Temporary flight restrictions (TFR’s) - FAR 91.137
      • TFRs are established to protect persons and property in the air or on the surface, aircrafts are prohibited to fly through
      • A NOTAM will be issued designating an area within which TFR’s apply and specify the hazard of conditions requiring their imposition
Flight information
  • Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
    • Basic flight info and ATC procedures
  • Chart directory
    • Shows airport information including 
      • Terminal Procedures Publication
      • Airport sketches
      • Runway info 
      • NAVAIDs
      • Communications data
      • Weather data sources
      • Airspace, special notices
      • VFR waypoints
      • Airport Diagrams and operational procedures
  • Electronic flight publications
  • Government printing office
    • Responsible for printing and distributing information products and services for the executive branch, Congress, and the federal judiciary
  • Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs)
    • General
      • Information that could affect the pilots go/no-go decision 
      • Contains info like
        • Runway closure
        • Hazardous activity 
        • Obstacles 
        • Nav aid status
        • Landing operations 
      • Valid for 28 days unless canceled earlier
    • Four types 
      • Notam (D)
      • Notam (FDC)
      • Notam (Pointer)
      • Notam (SAA)
      • Notam (military)
  • Flight Data Center
    • Part of the FAA's Aeronautical Information Services group
  • International Flight Information Manual
    • Publishes as a preflight and planning guide for use by U.S. nonscheduled operators, business, and private aviators flying outside of the United States
    • Updated annually
  • Advisory Circulars (ACs)
    • General
      • Issued by the faa as a systematic way to deliver non regulatory material of interest such as wake turbulence
      • Also endorsements
    •  Numbering system
      • 20 - aircraft
      • 60 - airmen
      • 70 - airspace
      • 90 - air traffic

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