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Ahart Aviation Topics and Discussions

What it takes to Solo and Airplane

Bill Komanetsky  April 22 2012 03:21:12 PM
As required by FAA regulations (Part 61.87), the following minimum flight skills must be met and proficiency must be high before a flight student is allowed to solo.  Solo flight means thAt the student is able to effectively fly their airplane, avoid problems and be able to handle emergency and near emergency situations an be able to walk away from these situations within a short distance of their home airport. Remember, once you solo and have done your minimum 3 solo landings, you don't need your instructor's permission to solo any time you like (unless otherwise noted on you initial solo endorsement). So, your instructor will want to make absolutely sure you can handle yourself in flight.

Next to each skill below, I have added a 'minimum' time to teach estimate next to each based on national averages and my own personal experiences.

(1) Proper flight preparation procedures, including preflight planning and preparation, powerplant operation, and aircraft systems; (1 hours)

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, including runups; (1 hours)

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including normal and crosswind; (4 hours)

(4) Straight and level flight, and turns in both directions; (.5 hours)

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; (.5 hours)

(6) Airport traffic patterns, including entry and departure procedures; (1.5 hours)

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear avoidance, and wake turbulence avoidance; (.5 hours)

(8) Descents, with and without turns, using high and low drag configurations; (.5 hours)

(9) Flight at various airspeeds from cruise to slow flight; (.5 hours)

(10) Stall entries from various flight attitudes and power combinations with recovery initiated at the first indication of a stall, and recovery from a full stall; (2 hours)

(11) Emergency procedures and equipment malfunctions; (1 hours)

(12) Ground reference maneuvers; (1 hours)

(13) Approaches to a landing area with simulated engine malfunctions; (1 hours)

(14) Slips to a landing (.75 hours)

(15) Go-arounds. (.5 hours)

Based on these skills, and national averages, the absolute minimums to solo for the first time is estimated at nearly 17 hours.

What can in crease the minimum times to solo?
  • Frequency of practicing can both negatively and positively affect your solo time. If you fly once a week, expect solo time to at least double. If three times a week, your minimum solo time should be about 17 if no other factors affect solo time.
  • Age. Unfortunately, the more years one has under their belt, the longer it takes to acquire flight skills. If you are over 30 years of age, assume a 50% increase in solo time. Over 40 years, assume a 75% increase and over 50, double the time.  Why this increase based on age? Many factors including reduction in response time, aversion to some technologies, physical limitations, 'set in one's ways' and reduced learning capabilities with age are all factors. If you doubt this, try learning a new physical skill (rock climbing, skate boarding, roller skating, playing the piano, etc.) or a new mental skill (new type of computer or computer program, a new math or science subject, learning to play the piano, etc).
  •  Personal learning abilities should be obvious to everyone. We all learn at different rates and in different ways. Finding your 'sweet spot' and the right instructor and teaching method can also add some time to the original estimate.  This can be the most difficult item to estimate but can also add the greatest amount of time to your solo time.
  • Physical capabilities are also a factor in learning to fly. You may hear people talking about 'feeling the aircraft'. This is a very important learning concept and one that most people take for granted. For example, in an automobile (unlike an airplane or even a motorcycle), you do not have a third dimension to deal with. You need to be able to 'feel' what the airplane is doing more so than an automobile.  Getting distracted while flying does not mean you can loose control of the aircraft, so you still need to be able to fly safely and accurately even during distractions which often happen during flight. If you are normally not very coordinated, add an additional 20 to 30 percent to you solo time.
  • Ability to stay cool under pressure is something else that may take some time getting used to. During emergency training before solo, if you have a cool head under pressure at work or home, this will not affect your solo time. But if you are challenged in this area, as most of us are, you could add an additional 10% to your solo time estimate. Flying is safe, but if you aren't prepared for problems, Murphy takes over and you could end up having to deal with a situation you cannot handle.

So, let's tally things up here. An adult, aged 42, that is not normally very coordinated, but very smart, and fly's 3 times a week could take a total of 40 hours to solo instead of the minimum 17 hours. You can plug in all kinds of numbers in the listed conditions above to get an idea of where you might be, but be honest with yourself or your personal estimate will not be very accurate.

Everyone wants to solo and get finished with their pilot's license as soon as possible, but everyone is different and flying is not like learning to use a skakte board. We all need to be as realistic with our expectations as possible so as not to put ourselves into an uncomfortable situation. It's also very important to let your instructor know if you believe you are having troubles or difficulties learning from them so a change can be made as soon as possible. Flight instructor and student relationships are very important and both need to be comfortable with each other for a successful transfer of knowledge to take place.  Don't get discouraged either, that just makes things worse. You will be surprised how quickly the rest of your pilot training takes place after solo, and there is a minimum number of hours required anyway, and flying is fun, so it's best to get as good as you can than take a chance with safety.

Fly Safe!!!

Flight Examiners at Ahart

Bill Komanetsky  April 2 2012 12:33:40 PM
Ahart is a very high-quality flight school.  We have examiners that we interview, test and then decide to use or not to use based on their qualifications and their attitude to both flying and to the courtesy to the customer.  Ahart produces quality pilots and not just people that can pass their check ride - unlike some very low-quality flight schools. 

Here is how we decide on examiners:

  • Is the examiner friendly?
  • Do they give a complete exam and not just a quick, unsafe exam?
  • Do they only test what is required by the practical test standards?
  • Are they courteous and fun to work with?
  • Are they safe?
If the examiner meets all of these qualifications, we ask them to do tests for us.  If they do not meet even one of these qualifications, we do not ask them to work with us.

So, we will assign to you an examiner who is available for the time frame which you are requesting a check ride for.  We do not allow you to pick any examiner you wish as they are all friendly and they are all fair when they give tests.

None of our examiners pay Ahart when we send them students to take check rides - this would be illegal.  We do not favor one examiner over another and all are deemed to be high quality. 

It is ONLY rumor when a student says one examiner is better than another - rumor only, especially the examiners that Ahart has chosen for its customers.

Procedures Necessary to Host Flight Students in the United States - Unbelievable!!

Bill Komanetsky  January 30 2012 12:55:44 PM
There are a lot of things that Ahart needs to make sure about before approving a student to fly, take a written test, a stage test and most importantly, a check ride. This document will help to make these processes clear and why they cannot be done immediately upon request by the student. As you will see, there are a lot of things that need to be collected and verified before any of these requests can be processed.

Note that both the owner of Ahart Aviation Services (Bill Komanetsky), the Admissions manager (Zach Schmidt) and your instructor should understand all of the paperwork and documents required and described here. If you have any questions, please send an email to ahart@ahart.com and we will be very happy to answer them. Emails are processed within a day.

Instructor Request/Beginning Training
There are a lot of things that must be completed before a student can be approved to learn to fly at Ahart. The ‘International Students - What’s Next?’ document talks about these things, but they are listed here to show you all of the items that must be complete. Before your training is approved, all of the items below must be 100% accurate and ready or the flight school could loose it’s ability to train international students.
1.        The TSA must approve your training. If you have never had your fingerprints done, this will be required by the TSA. Also, all emails and notification letters must be printed and kept in your file for you to be able to train legally at any flight school in the United States.  Also, your Picture MUST be taken at the flight school and then uploaded to the TSA web site. If not, any flight school could be fined up to $20,000 for these things not being per- formed correctly.
2.        Once TSA allows you to learn to fly, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires you to follow the training course outline which they have approved. Ahart uses the Jeppesen syllabus and you must follow this syllabus just as it is documented in the Jeppesen syllabus document. This means that each ground course must be done in order and each stage test done in order as well. You cannot take your ground tests all at once, instead, you must take them in the order in which they are shown in the Jeppesen syllabus. Any flight school not following this procedures, if caught, could have its Part-141 approvals revoked and the school could possibly be forced out of business.
3.        If you are a U.S. citizen, you still need to provide a Birth Certificate or a Valid/Current Passport before you begin flying.  The TSA requires this, not Ahart Aviation.  The TSA can fine any flight school if they do not colleect one or both of these documents.
4.        All Jeppesen documentation must be filled out by your instructor. If not, the FAA may fine the flight school for not following procedures
5.        SEVIS (the organization which allows you to come into the company) is a branch of the United States government and requires you to be legal while in this country. You as a visitor to this country must be responsible for your own immigration documents. No flight school is notified if these documents expire, and you must keep track of them yourself and let the flight school know as early as possible (at least a month in advance) when any of these documents may expire. To be legal you need:
1.        A legal/valid passport with an expiration date after the current date
2.        A legal/valid visa and I-94 stamp with a date after the current date
3.        A legal/valid/stamped I-20 document with an expiration date after the current date.
4.        A current customer data form must be filled out and in your file. This form must include your current address and contact information so the flight school can contact you.
5.        A current rental agreement and agreement to follow safety policies as defined by the FAA must be signed by you and also part of your customer folder.
6.        A current picture must also be in your folder as the TSA and SEVIS may need this picture to identify you if there are any issues.
Note that you must not begin training until all of these items are approved as per FAA, SEVIS and TSA regulations.
Request for training can be found on the Ahart Web site by clicking Policies and Documents ->Request Training/Flight Instructor or going to the URL below:
http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/flightCourses/cfiRequest.htm

Written Test Requests
FAA written tests follow your Part-141 ground course and all Jeppesen stage tests which are part of your ground course. You are not allowed to take an FAA written test until:
1.        You have completed all Jeppesen ground course items listed in your Jeppesen student folder.  This folder can be found in your customer/Part-141 folder. (Part-141 students only)
2.        You have completed all Jeppesen ground course stage tests. Just as above, these tests must be completed and be in your customer/Part-141 folder. Each test requires a minimum of an 80% score. (Part-141 students only)
3.        A graduation certificate has been printed and signed by the Chief Part-141 instructor. This document can only be processed after you have completed the above items 1 and 2. Note that once you have received your graduation certificate, you are required by United States law to leave the country within 30 days or be enrolled in another course. You cannot be en- rolled in multiple courses, so it is a good idea to graduate from the ground course as close to your check ride date or final stage check date as possible. (Part-141 students only)
4.        Your instructor’s endorsement must also be part of your log book before you are allowed to take your written test. This is an FAA regulation and required of all students taking any FAA written test (other than advanced written tests)
5.        We have at least two forms of picture identification for you. Both the FAA and Lasergrade (the company that does our testing) requires this information for you to be legal. These identifications must also be in your customer/Part-141 folder.  

Note that if you take your written test before all Jeppesen ground lessons and stage checks are complete and a graduation certificate issued to you and all placed in your customer/Part-141 folder, the FAA may fine the flight school for not following approved procedures and may even disallow the flight school from teaching any more Part-141 students.

Note that you can continue to fly and do ground training while waiting for your written test approval to be completed, you do not have to stop your training during this time



Written test requests can be found on the Ahart Web site by clicking Policies and Documents ->
Request a Written Test or going to the URL below:
http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/flightCourses/writtenTestReq.htm




Stage Check Requests
The FAA requires stage checks to be done before a student is allowed to move forward in their training. Private Pilot requires 3 stage checks, Instrument rating requires 3 stage checks, and Commercial Multie-Engine requires 2 stage checks. These stage checks are designed to evaluate your ability to pass your check ride and are crucial to make sure you will be a good pilot. Stage check request are done relatively quickly and require the following information to be collected:
1.        You have completed all Jeppesen lessons for the requested stage check. (Part-141 students only)
2.        Your instructor is in agreement that you are ready for your stage check.

Note that if you fail your final stage check (Private Stage #3, Instrument Stage #3, Commercial Stage #2), you will be required to retake that stage check. The reason for this is that the final stage check is a rehearsal for your check ride and if you cannot pass it at the flight school, you will probably not pass it with the FAA. So to assure that you will pass your check ride, you must pass your final stage check.

Note that you can continue to fly and do ground training while waiting for your written test approval to be completed, you do not have to stop your training during this time



Stage check requests can be found on the Ahart Web site by clicking Policies and Documents ->
Request a Stage Check or going to the URL below:
http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/flightCourses/StageCheckReq.htm




Check Ride Requests
This is the most important request that any student will make and should not be made without the student being 100% ready for their check ride. The FAA monitors the passing rate of any flight school, and if that passing rate goes below 70%, the flight school could loose its ability to train Part-141 students. Also, check rides examiners may not be available at the exact time that a student will be ready for their stage check. Always getting the examiner you may ask for may not be possible because of aircraft, instructor and examiner schedules. The examiner you get shouldn’t make any difference however, because you should be able to perform well enough for any examiner.

The following items must be completed before your check ride is scheduled and all checked for validity in your customer/Part-141 folder:
1.        You have completed all Jeppesen lessons and stage check tests for the requested check ride. (Part-141 students only)
2.        Your have a graduation certificate for the Part-141 course you are enrolled in. (Part-141 students only)
3.        Your Jeppesen student folder has been completed and all graduation dates filled in and signed by the instructor.  (Part-141 students only)
4.        You have a valid and current Passport, Visa, I-94 stamp and I-20 document. (Part-141 students only)
5.        You have a valid TSA approval to train for the requested check ride. (Part-141 students only)
6.        Your TSA record has been marked as complete on the TSA web site for your current training and all pictures are still valid. (Part-141 students only)
7.        You have all of the correct endorsements to fly solo and any others required for the requested check ride.
8.        Your instructor has give you their endorsement for the check ride.
9.        Your instructor and you have filled out your 8710 document using the IACRA system prior to your check ride.
10.        You have passed your final stage check for the check ride you are requesting. If not, you will need to retake your stage check from another stage check instructor in the areas you were deficient in on your previous stage check attempt.

Note that if any of these items are not done correctly, you could easily fail your check ride and the flight school could be reprimanded for not making sure that the student had all required documentation.

Note that you can continue to fly and do ground training while waiting for your written test approval to be completed, you do not have to stop your training during this time



Check Ride requests can be found on the Ahart Web site by clicking Policies and Documents ->
Request a Check Ride or going to the URL below:
http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/flightCourses/checkRideRequest.htm




As you can see, there is a lot of information that must be collected, validated and kept to assure you are legal within the country while you are doing your flight training. Also, the FAA requires that you follow the approved training course outline, if not, your license could be taken away if the FAA finds that procedures and processes approved by them are not followed correctly.

If you have any questions, you can always ask any of our staff, or email us at ahart@ahart.com with your question(s).

The TSA (Transportaion and Safety Administration) and what it means to Flight Schools

Bill Komanetsky  December 31 2011 10:20:41 AM
What is the TSA all about?

The TSA is basically a security arm of the United States Government that is responsible to make sure that another disaster like that which occurred in New York city on 9/11/2001 never happens again.

To this end, the TSA has placed many requirements on flight schools to assure that people do not learn to fly solely for the objective of making the airplane they are flying a weapon.  

If you are an aircraft renter (and a U.S. Citizen) at Ahart Aviation Services, there isn't much you have to do to comply with TSA requirements that flight schools need to abide by.  However, the moment you begin working on a certification, no matter what country you come from, certain things must be done to conform to TSA regulations.

A U.S. Citizen working on a flight certification
  • We will need a copy of two picture ID's.  These two ID's also will be used for your LaserGrade test, when you are ready.  LaserGrade is the company we use to issue FAA exams, and they are under scrutiny by both the FAA and the TSA as well.
  • A copy of either your Birth Certificate or your U.S. issued, and current, Passport.  We must have originals that we make copies of, not copies.

A U.S. Citizen Renting Aircraft
  • Although not 100% required by the TSA, we do require at least one picture ID when renting at Ahart.  We use this so our staff (we have 35) recognize you if you show up on their schedule, as well as if the TSA or FAA request this type of information from us (which has happened in the past).
  • A copy of either your Birth Certificate or your U.S. issued, and current, Passport are not required when just renting aircraft, but they would be advantageous for us to have if you ever plan on working on an additional license.  If you wish not to give us these, that's OK, we'll ask for them before you begin any additional training.
  • Note that Flight Reviews, Instrument Proficiency Checks and Currency flights do not require TSA approvals or U.S. Citizenship identifications to be provided.  Only Dual-Given that will lead to a license require this information.

A non-U.S. Citizen working on a flight certification
  • You will need to apply to TSA for approval to learn to fly here in the United States.  Part of this is to have your finger prints done as well.  If you plan on doing all of your certifications (Private, Instrument, Commercial), you only have to have your fingerprints done once - before your private - and then they will transfer to the other licenses
    • To apply for TSA approval, go to this web site:  https://www.flightschoolcandidates.gov
    • Click on Create New Student account and you will be lead through the process
    • You will get a userid and password that you will use throughout all of your training.  Make sure you keep this ID and password as you will need to log in multiple times during your training.
    • There will be a TSA fee for each license you plan on working on since TSA needs to do a background check to make sure you don't pose a threat.  We have never had anyone coming to Ahart that was noit allowed to train to be a pilot, so I wouldn't be too worried about this
    • You will begin to get emails as your evaluation progresses.  Three emails are important:
      • When you get an email that says waiting for provider approval, please let us know as we will need to log in and approve the fact that you are going to be working on this particular certification
      • When you get an email that says you can now go get your fingerprints done
      • When you get an email that says you can begin training.
    • When you get the fingerprint approval email, you can call the San Francisco airport fingerprint office at 650-821-5231.  The office is open from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday and the process is very easy.  We can even help you get to the airport for your appointment, once you receive one.
    • When you get an email that says you can begin training, you will then fill out a request for training document off of the Ahart web site and we will make sure everything is processed correctly and then assign you a flight instructor
  • Once your TSA approval is complete, we will then need to take your picture and upload it to the TSA site.  We will also need to print it off, place it in our customer folder, and then put it on a shared, secured disk drive.
  • Note that if you DO NOT follow this procedure, you will not be allowed to train at Ahart and possibly, you might receive a $1,500 fine from the TSA if caught and probably deportation.  But, if you do everything correctly, there will not be any problems.
  • You will need to apply to TSA for the following training after you finish any previous training:
    • Private (The TSA knows this as INITIAL)
    • Instrument (INSTR)
    • Commercial Multi-Engine (Multi or CMEL - only required if your private was done in a Single Engine aircraft)
    • Commercial Single-Engine (CSEL - only required if your private was done in a Multi Engine Aircraft)

Certificated Flight Instructor
  • MUST go through initial and annual training to stay current with the TSA.  This training is free, only takes a few minutes, and can be found at: http://download.tsa.dhs.gov/fssa/training/
  • All Ahart CFI's, CFII's and MEI's, office and maintenance employees are required to take this training to stay employed at Ahart Aviation Services

Flight Schools
  • All flight schools must adhere to all of the policies listed in this topic and monitor that all employees are keeping up to date with their TSA training.
  • All flight schools also go through audits by the TSA about twice a year or more.
  • Any issues found can result in very large fines and/or removal from the TSA system of approved flight schools

We hope that this overview of TSA and its requirements helps to clear up what the TSA is all about

Airplanes and the Oil that they Use

Bill Komanetsky  December 30 2011 11:04:03 AM
It has come to many of our attention that oil is not only getting more expensive by the day, but can also be a problem for aircraft if too much or too little is used.


So, this guide will help you understand just how much oil our aircraft really need.

How much is enough?

Most airplanes have a 'sweet spot' when it comes to the amount of oil that they want to use.  For instance,  I have noticed that my personal airplane, N21483, likes it's oil level at about 6.5 quarts.  When this level is added or reached, it will stay at this level for quite some time.  However, if you take the oil to anything over this, the airplane will burn it off very quickly and then keep 6 1/2 quarts in the pan for, again, quite a few hours.  

All airplanes are like this and it's a good idea to understand where their 'sweet spot' is located.


How much does each airplane need/want?

Below is a list of airplanes and their 'sweet spots'
Airplane Model Minimum Oil Maximum Oil 'Sweet Spot' Comments
Cessna 152 4 6 4.5 If you aren't flying very far, then just leave the oil at 4 - 4.5 quarts.  If you plan on flying far, take a quart or two with you and only add it at your destination if it is below 4 quarts after landing and before take off
Cessna 172N 4 6 5 If you aren't flying very far, then just leave the oil at 5 quarts.  If you plan on flying far, take a quart or two with you and only add it at your destination if it is below 5 quarts after landing and before take off
Cessna 172P 5 7 5.5 Same comments as the 172N using the Sweet spot number of 5.5
Cessna 172R/SP 6 8 6.5 These airplanes really only need 6.5 quarts.  Keep a couple of quarts with you on your flight though
Cessna 182T 7 9 7 This airplane seems to like to sit a little bit above 7 quarts.  If you put in 9, it will quickly burn off about 1.5, closer to 2 quarts.
Piper Warrior 4 6 5 Quite a bit like the Cessna 172N, you don't have to drown these airplanes with oil
Piper Arrow 6 8 6.5 Quite a bit like the Cessna 172R/SP models.  Remember, each airplane is different, so the airplane you might be flying may need to take oil after a few hours of flying.  Add it AFTER the airplane needs it and not before.
Piper Seminole 4 6 5 These engines are a lot like the Cessna 172N engines, so their oil consumption is the same as well.  Remember though, there are two engines here, so if you plan on taking oil with you on your trip (which you should), carry twice as much as you would in a Cessna 172N
Piper Seneca 6 8 6.5 Much like the Cessna 172R/SP models in their oil consumption.  Remember, like with the Seminole, there are two engines here, so carry enough oil
Diamond DA42/NG A bit over MIN The beauty of this airplane is that you don't need to know how much oil to put in, just keep the oil between the MIN and MAX markers.  Between these two levels is just 1 quart of oil, so don't add oil unless you can actually see the MIN mark a bit.  Then, only add 1 Quart.  This oil is VERY expensive too, so don't waste it.



Scenario #1

You are going to fly a Cessna 152 for about an hour doing pattern work.  You need to get your landings a big better, so you'll probably be just flying around in the pattern.  You check the oil in the airplane and it is showing exactly 4 quarts.  Do you need oil?  You can check around the ground and see if any oil was leaking to make sure there isn't a problem.  You can even look inside the engine through the oil door (which you should do anyway) and you see everything is clean and oil free.  

So, do you need oil?  No you do not!  Have fun getting your landings cleaned up and enjoy the flight

Scenario #2

You are going to fly a Cessna 172R too Auburn airport to get some breakfast.  When you look at the oil, you see that there is exactly 6.5 quarts in the engine.  

So, do you need oil?  No you do not!  Have a good trip to Auburn, but it might be a good idea, since this is a longer trip, to put a quart or two in the baggage are of the airplane to  make sure you don't run out of oil.  Check the oil level before you leave Auburn to come back to Livermore to make sure that there is enough oil.  If you notice, at Auburn, that there is less than 6.5 quarts, go ahead and add a quart.

Scenario #3

You are going to fly the Twin Diamond (DA42/NG) on a long cross country tip and when checking the oil in the right engine, you cannot see the MIN marker, but you notice the oil is close to the MAX marker.  It is obvious that you DO NOT need oil in the right engine.  However, when looking at the left engine's oil level, you notice that you can see the top of the letter 'M' wheree the MIN marker would be.  

So, do you need oil in the left engine?  If your flight is going to be more than an hour on way, the answer is YES.  Add just one (1) quart, and no more.  If you are just going to be flying around the pattern, then oil may not be necessary.


In Summary?

You don't need to drown the airplane in its own oil, but you do need to keep it lubricated.  Take oil with you on your trip and don't over fill it.  Also remember that each airplane is different and the older an engine gets after last overhaul, the more oil it may use.  Since you don't know exactly how much oil the airplane will use up on your trip, keep some with you and check the level before you begin your return trip back to Livermore.

Another good idea is to check oil levels EVERY time you plan on starting the engine.  If you keep oil with you and you do this, you will NEVER be caught with too much oil or not enough oil.