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You may wish to increase the range of altitudes you use to define an ACA but do not decrease them. Altitude changes can happen rapidly in twin and turbine aircraft. The physical task of changing the phase-of-flight state and trimming the airplane (or monitoring the autopilot closely while it does so), then confirming your actions with the applicable checklist, takes time and requires your attention. The ACA technique helps you budget that time and sharpen that focus.
Using ACAs
Now that we’ve defined ACA airspace, what do you do when you’re in it? The idea is to reduce workload by limiting nonessential tasks when you are in an ACA. The best way to do this is to invoke the Sterile Cockpit Rule.
The Sterile Cockpit Rule is an FAA regulation that applies to multi-pilot crews flying in scheduled airline service (Part 121) and crewed or single-pilot operations in an on-demand air carrier (charter) operation (Part 135). This regulation was enacted after the widespread introduction of Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs) in airlin- ers, which allowed investigators to learn that many air carrier deviations and crashes occur while the cockpit crew is distracted by off-topic conversations or perform- ing extraneous tasks.
14 CFR 135.100 spells out the Sterile Cockpit Rule for charter pilots. I’ve excerpted parts that might describe the way you fly your single-pilot aircraft and added emphasis to the most relevant parts.
No...flight crewmember perform any du- ties during a critical phase of flight except those duties required for the safe operation of the aircraft. Duties such as [radio] calls made for...nonsafety related purposes..., eat- ing meals, engaging in nonessential conver- sations...and reading publications not related to the proper conduct of the flight are not required for the safe operation of the aircraft... critical phases of flight include ground opera- tions involving taxi, takeoff and landing....
Although these regulations do not apply to Part 91 operators, the technique is valid – at least with a lit- tle translation.
Techniques
So how can you glean the advantages of ACAs and the Sterile Cockpit Rule in your single-pilot cockpit?
• Brief your passengers. Let your passengers know there
are certain times when you need to be fully focused on flying the airplane. These times include any time the airplane is moving on the ground, during takeoff and the first few minutes of climb, as you’re level- ing off on the way up and on the way down, and for about the last 15 minutes of your flight as you near the airport – in other words, when in an ACA. If you
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September 2022 / TWIN & TURBINE • 15