Page 43 - Volume 15 Number 10

to be hoisted onto a flatbed trailer (confidently in one big, airplane- shaped piece) and hauled out of the way so the rest of us can land later. You may have damaged the runway itself or some lighting as well.Fortunately most facilities include ARFF in their annual budgets so they spend the same for them rather they’re used or not. If an extreme event occurs they will send the bill to the feds through city and state agencies. ARFF is one of the expenses for which your aviation fuel tax is supposed to be used. The FAA pays around 90 percent (from the fuel tax) and the state and airport about 5 percent each.My insurance agent says ARFF expense isn’t specifically covered – they look at it on a case-by-case basis. If your emergency incurs a damage claim, the adjuster will likely allow all ARFF expenses if you have any. If you request assistance as a precaution and things turn out OK with no damage claim, well then, there is no insurance claim to file and the cost of ARFF should be born by the airports budget or the feds, the city and the state.Always That PossibilityObviously, the expense of using ARFF should be irrelevant in your decision-making process during an emergency. All good pilots will ask for assistance if the possibility of danger exists during the landing (I hear you jesting: There’s always that possibility when I land!) Let ATC know about your need for ARFF as far in advance of your arrival as possible, on center frequency if able and if not, approach control. ATC won’t ask if you are insured but they will ask the standard questions: the nature of the emergency, fuel remaining (in time), souls on board, your intentions and what type of assistance you require.Answer their questions as soon as possible, but not before you have things under control; fly yourairplane first and if necessary, tell ATC to stand by. Sometimes you can get things done more quickly by slowing things down. Additionally, if you have an injury, a fire, or a fuel spill before engine start, you may need to call ARFF from the ramp or hangar. They are available for ground emergencies, too. Use the local tower frequency or CTAF and I’d back it up with a call to 911.The Unknown-Unknown’sIt’s been a long time since my involvement with primary flight training, that is persons whom start with little knowledge of flying. While the respect we have for law enforcement and firefighters is well deserved, we need to realize many have an understanding level and some of the same misperceptions about “little” airplanes as that of the average citizen. Yet still others are military or civilian pilots. But before GA training, some firefighters have about the same knowledge as we did before our first intro flight. Former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld might say that they “didn’t know what they didn’t know” (that is: the unknown- unknown’s).Things you and I would consider to be second nature are unknown to most non-pilots: how to stop an aircraft with both toes instead of a brake pedal, steer with a tiller or rudder pedals, and how to shut down an engine with a lever vs. anignition key. We have knowledge of systems that simply do not exist on most ground vehicles. Things like removing all electrical power with a single switch, a left and right electrical system, multiple fuel tanks and valves and a plethora of door and window latching methods. We understand airport layout, lighting, and right of way rules as well as a radio language unique to aviation – a lingo different from law enforcement and firefighting.Many ARFF folks have never seen how busy and stressful it can be from our perspective during a critical situation either, especially when you add darkness and weather to an unfamiliar airport such as you may encounter during an emergency diversion. They are however, familiar with high-stress events, their airport and their equipment, and they receive training in general aircraft systems so they can understand what to expect during aircraft emergencies. For example, they may equate hydraulic problems with brakes and flaps; meaning long landing rolls with possible departures from prepared surfaces. Flight control issues might mean loss of control as you land. They understand brake, wheel and tire fires. In-flight fires mean you may land off-airport and if you do, an immediate response is critical.They are trained to understand locations of passengers, crew and cargo compartments, multiple engines and fuel cells, and how to locate and interpret placards about doors, aircraft batteries, ELT’s, and oxygen tank locations. They know about things we carry that could catch fire: fuel, hydraulic fluid (H-5606 that is; Skydrol is fire resistant), rubber tires, greases and lubricants as well as things that support combustion nicely like our cylinders of O2.Firewood, Fireworks & FirearmsThey might not however, know the details of your airplane. YouOCTOBER 2011 TWIN & TURBINE • 41