Contents

SAFETY IN THE DEPARTURE ENVIRONMENT
---Expectation is that every pilot will know and follow the rules
---Expectation is that every pilot will have the proper charts, diagrams, SIDs and ODPs.
---Taxiing in low visibility both for departure and after arrival are accidents waiting to happen

SURFACE MOVEMENT SAFETY
---IFR U.S. Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP)
---Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD)
---Procedures, educational awareness
---National Aeronautical Charting Office (NACO) sketches and diagrams
---http://naco.faa.gov lists airport diagrams

AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY
---Regional booklets gives textual information about all airports
---Airport diagrams same as in the IFR TPP
---Frequencies for weather are on all approach and airport charts.

SURFACE MOVEMENT GUIDANCE CONTROL SYSTEM (SMGCS)
---SEE DIAGRAM FIGURE 2-4
---Low visibility taxi plans for less than ¼ mile visibility
---Stop bar lights at intersections below 600 RVR
---Runway guard lights from taxiways to active runway
---Geographic position (pink circle) markers
---Flight and ground compliance required
---Operators must have low visibility taxi route chart
---Part 91 gets "follow Me" escort service
---SMGCS outage gets NOTAM notice

AIRPORT SIGNAGE/LIGHTING/MARKINGS
---Get ATC help or request progressive taxi

RUNWAY INCURSIONS
---Any occurrence creating a collision hazard or loss of aircraft separation
---Caused by errors of misunderstanding, communication, navigation or positional awareness.
---Careful reading of airport diagram related information is vital.
---See Figure 2-5|
---Get NOTAMs related to airport construction and lighting
---Read back all clearances to insure understanding
---Maintain sterile cockpit while taxiing
---Use rules that minimize distractions when taxiing
---Never hesitate to ask ATC for help
---Follow clearances in timely manner
---Clear bases and finals prior to taking runway so other aircraft can see you as well
---Monitor the radio
---Remain on frequency until change is authorized
---Know your limitations and refuse any clearance you consider unsafe
---Report confusing situations to ATC and NASA
---Be extravagant in your use of lights

RUNWAY HOTSPOTS
---History of airport problems at this place
---Letters to airmen may warn pilots
---
---Hot spots list gives reasons for problems as warning
---Every airport has places of hazardous potential

STANDARDIZED TAXI ROUTES
---High-density airport (airline) ground management
---Coded routes assigned by ATC specialist (ATCS)
---Pilot is responsible to know about coded routes and have charts

RUNWAY SAFETY PROGRAM (RSP)
---200,000 ATC takeoffs and landings daily
---Designed and planed to reduce incursions
---Pilot accountability and responsibility
---Based on four events
---Surface incident
---Runway incident
---ATC operational error
---Pilot deviation
---Vehicle/pedestrian deviation
---Other errors
---Collision situation
---Loss of separation

TAKEOFF MINIMUMS
---Takeoff minimums typically below landing minimums
---My opinion is that you declare an emergency and do whatever it takes.
---Ceiling requirements included only for obstacle avoidance
---Takeoff minimums are for only Part 121 and 135 and not for Part 91
---Zero-zero Part 91 takeoffs are legal but not advised.
---If non-standard minimums apply a black triangle T will be top right of the chart

RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE (RVR)
---RVR is a transmissometer value based on what a pilot would see looking down the runway
---RVR may be touchdown, mid-field RVR or rollout RVR

RUNWAY VISIBILITY VALUE (RVV)
---RVV is the distance down a runway a pilot can see an unlighted object
---RVV is used instead of prevailing visibility to determine specific runway minimums

PREVAILING VISIBILITY
---The horizontal distance over half of the horizon circle where objects or bright lights can be seen
---May be reported as sector visibility in statute miles or fractions of miles

TOWER VISIBILITY
---Visibility as determined from the ATC Tower in statute miles and fractions thereof.
---Specific objects of known distance are used as tower reference

ADEQUATE VISUAL REFERENCE
---A non-Part 91 visibility of RVR 1600 (1/4 mile)

AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEMS AND AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEMS
---Automated weather observing system (AWOS) and automated surface observing systems (ASOS)
---Every one-minute weather transmissions of current weather
---Basic AWOS gives altimeter, wind speed and direction, temperature and dew point
---AWOS-3 adds to basic clouds, ceiling and precipitation type
---A/FD has phone numbers for all AWOS and ASOS

AUTOMATIC TERMINAL INFORMATION SERVICE (ATIS)
---Only available when ATC tower is open.
---Changed at 45-after the hour unless weather has significant change.
---ATIS changes to AWOS when tower closes on same frequency
---Digital ATIS is datalink over Aircraft Communications System (ACARS) into cockpit computer
---Any weather report from the tower overrides all other reports

IFR ALTERNATE MINIMUMS
---Flight plan alternate if weather + one hour of ETA has ceiling and visibility below 2000' and 3 SM.
---Alternate must have weather reporting, monitored navaid and cannot be GPS based
---Standard precision alternate requires 600' and 2 SM visibility
---Standard non-precision alternate requires 800' and 2 SM visibility
---NACO charts do not publish or print standards other than standards are printed in booklet
---Standards always apply unless higher minimums are published
---Triangle A on charts says you are to check NACO listings
---Airport with N/A does not qualify as an alternate on your flight plan

 

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