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Pilots need to establish oversight into every aspect of aircraft servicing. If someone screws something up on the ground, we are the ones who pay for it. A high- performance aircraft can be confused with a turbine. A small turbine can be confused with a piston. Do not take it for granted that the fueler will know whether you were asking for Kerosine or 100LL. Pounds versus gallons can be an issue as well. The prevalence of different units of
ground handling, which sets the stage h, taxiing, parking and tying down...
t as what you do in the air.”
measurement (particularly when flying internationally) also represents a risk. Each one of these scenarios has caused crashes. Even before you have started the engines, there are a half-dozen different categories of aircraft mis- haps lying in wait. An established, reliable and familiar preflight process is the easiest solution to getting off on the right foot. A comprehensive app/subscription (e.g., ForeFlight) is a good step in the right direction. As with all technological aids, the app universe requires profi- ciency. The toughest part of current tech is the fact that updates constantly tinker with the user interface. While these updates seek to establish better processes, it also requires users to continually adapt.
Weather
Units of measurement can be a problem with weather as well. On a recent flight to Puerto Rico, the Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) deteriorated for our alternate of Punta Cana (located in the Dominican Republic). Approach minimums were depicted in kilometers. The TAF reported visibility in thousands of...feet? Meters? We honestly did not know. The regional manual for the airport was no help. It stated that either feet, kilometers or meters could be used. The units in use made the difference between a legal alternate
or the need for something else. Our Jeppesen app came to the rescue. Utilizing the “plain language” function, we were able to determine that visibility was forecast in meters (the 6000 on the TAF was converted to 3SM). Once we knew it was meters, figuring out the rest was easy.
Weather is obviously important in the air, but it can also be critical during movement on the ground. Traction is reduced when operating at an airport with standing water, slush, snow or ice. Poor braking action generated by these surfaces can easily triple the required landing distance. Contamination increases the takeoff run as well. Crosswinds on slick surfaces have caught more than one pilot unaware. Aircraft weathervane more aggressively when tire grip is limited, and nose-wheel steering on these surfaces is less effective. Slick surfaces call for slower taxi speeds and may also require an adapted sequence of preflight activities. Safe ground handling begins with reviewing cold weather procedures prior to “firing them up.” If specific limitations are not published for your aircraft, consider reducing crosswind limits in half for operations with medium braking action. Cut it in half again if it is poor. While manufacturer cold weather data reigns supreme, guidance can also be found via the FAA, AOPA and aircraft-specific owners’ groups.
Taxiing
You cannot discuss ground safety without talking about taxiing. What you do prior to movement has a profound impact here as well. It is good to familiarize yourself with the expected taxi route prior to contacting ground. It is also a good idea to have the proper frequencies in the ac- tive and standby radios for the progression from ground to tower to departure. Any published hot spots that you might encounter should be reviewed. Be wary of runway- taxiway intersections. You need to be solely focused on the outside world when operating in these locations. Vitally important (and easy to overlook) is maintaining fluency in airport signs, markings and lighting. Do you know what a double solid and dashed yellow line means? Which side of this marking is the runway, and which side is the taxiway? How about an ILS-protected area? When do you need clearance to cross the boundary? (Techni- cally, only when ATC has instructed you to hold short of the protected area. This may occur with a ceiling of less than 800 feet or visibility of less than 2 miles). When ap- proaching a direction sign for a crossing taxiway, is the sign before or after the indicated taxiway? (It is before it).
Though a mere 85 percent on an ATP written may not be a big deal, being only 85 percent on airport markings and lighting is. A few years ago, I was performing a recurrent check ride on a crew. The captain was a line check airman (another instructor). The first officer was a line pilot. The scenario in the simulator began with a nighttime taxi at Boston Logan airport. At this airport, taxiway Alpha curves at a 70-degree angle when approaching runway 15R. The captain straddled the blue taxi lights in the turn. The problem, of course, is that blue lights delineate the edge of the taxiway. Green lights are the center. The entire
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