Coming up.
Can you do a zero zero approach
with just synthetic vision?
A setback for the Cirrus Vision Jet.
And learning to fly in formation.
And a visit to the other air and space museum.
AOPA Live this week starts in just a moment.
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(soft rock piano)
This is AOPA Live this week
with Tom Haines and Melissa Rudinger.
It's happened again.
Another jet is grounded with problems
with angle-of-attack sensing system.
On April 18 the FAA issued an emergency
airworthiness directive grounding
all Cirrus SF50 vision jets,
until a faulty angle-of-attack sensor is replaced.
Now Cirrus itself reported
the three incidents to the FAA
and earlier in the week the company
issued a service bulletin.
In one case the faulty angle of attack sensor
caused the aircraft to pitch down.
Now the pilot followed book procedures to recover.
The problem is a manufacturing defect
in the Aerosonic AOA sensor.
Aerosonic is shipping new sensors now
and Cirrus is working to get all
SF50s back in service as quickly as possible.
So Tom I know you've flown the SF50,
so how does that sensor tie
into all the systems on the jet?
Right, yeah.
Well the angle-of-attack system
is driven by a vein on the side of the fuselage
that moves and provides information to the system
that is tied into the flight management system
and also to the flight control system.
And in the case of the Cirrus,
that's all part of the G3000 cockpit
that we know so well.
And it provides input on the attitude of the airplane
and in the case of the Cirrus,
it will provide guidance to the flight control system
and particularly the ESP,
the electronic stability and protection system,
that will kick in even if the autopilot isn't on
it will pitch the airplane up if you're in a descent
and near an over speed situation.
Or pitch the airplane over
or soften the roll and provide guidance
back on the roll.
And it's all designed to keep the airplane safe
and inside its envelope protection.
In the case of a stall,
it can help prevent a stall,
it can help activate the stick shaker
in the Cirrus jet.
And so as we found out in this case,
this was a sensor problem from the manufacturer
and Cirrus reacted pretty quickly
to get that fixed.
So at first blush,
it looked kind of like the same situation
with the Boeing 737 Max
but I know for one thing
the angle-of-attack sensors are made
by a different company
and there's some other differences, too, right?
Yeah.
The Boeing situation appears to be a software problem
and to a certain extent maybe a training problem.
In the case of Cirrus,
it's a hardware problem in that they actually
had a sensor problem that they discovered.
And quickly to action to fix that.
And they also communicated very well
and the pilots who experienced the one or two
couple of situations where it
actually kicked in inappropriately,
they actually followed standard procedure
that they're trained for,
quickly disconnected the autopilot
and the override the stability protection system.
And everything was fine and they landed
and it all worked as it was supposed to.
Yeah, Cirrus really is to be commended
for jumping right on top of this immediately.
Right.
It's a much simpler system to disconnect.
It's very normal sort of training,
where apparently in the Boeing system,
you also have to reach over and turn off
these switches that are in the center console
and that cause some confusion.
And so again, it seems like somewhat
of a training problem as well as a software problem
on the Boeing side.
Yeah.
Well, hey.
It's a remarkable story.
Last week three people walked away
from a Cessna 172 after a crash near
JFK airport in New York.
Local media reports say that the pilot
attempted six, count 'em, six instrument approaches
in dense fog before the airplane ran out of fuel.
After clipping a roof,
the 172 ended up suspended by power lines
just a few feet above the ground.
Visibility at the time was just an eighth of a mile.
Now incidents like this make you wonder
would synthetic vision in the cockpit
help in a situation like this?
Could you land just by looking at the screen
without any outside references?
Well, AOPA pilot editor-at-large
Dave Hirschman did a test to find out.
Any lawyer would call this a terrible idea.
No avionics firm would encourage it either.
But pilots who fly with GPS-derived synthetic vision
can help but wonder,
if you faced an aerial emergency
in which you absolutely had to land
without the ability to see beyond the instrument panel,
could you do it using synthetic vision alone?
To find out,
I papered over the canopy of this TB-30 Epsilon
when owner Mike Filucci strapped in
and closed the lid,
his world got really small.
A 10-inch Garmin G3X was his only means
of aviating and navigating.
I taxied from the backseat,
lined up with the runway,
and handed the controls over to Mike
for a simulated zero zero take off.
K, I have the airplane
and everything is go.
Here we go.
(airplane starting)
We flew to Martinsburg, West Virginia
where a massive 8800 foot runway
gave us a huge target.
Mike used synthetic vision to line up
with runway two six
and descended to about 50 feet above the ground.
When he started to round out, however,
things got dicey.
(talks over radio)
We flew back out for another try
and this time Mike tuned the ILS
and flew through the green highway in the sky
boxes that provided vertical guidance.
This time the transition went better.
He flew all the way to the runway surface
and touched down long and left of center.
It wasn't pretty, but he managed to keep
the airplane on the 150 foot wide runway.
A third and final effort
had almost exactly the same result.
It was time to release Mike from his cave
and let him land normally.
The take away from all this,
synthetic vision is a wonderful safety tool
that vastly expands pilot situational awareness
but it's no substitute for actually
being able to see the runway.
As good as synthetic vision is,
it's not enough to rely on for landings.
Not yet, anyway.
Dave Hirschman, AOPA Live.
So the lawyers say,
"Don't try this at home."
Yeah, do not do this at home.
And we spared no expense to paper over that canopy.
Yes, absolutely.
Yes, that was all good stuff.
Old posters.
Have you ever done a zero zero landing?
I have not.
You know, back in the Jurassic age
when I was learning instrument flying,
I did do a coupe zero zero
without the benefit of synthetic vision.
It's possible, but boy you sure
wouldn't wanna do it unless you had no other choice.
Yeah, really.
But there are situations like maybe that
172 in New York
if he'd just said, "I'm going for it"
and set up the right attitude
and that sort of thing
in a nice gentle-- set up the right
Right attitude, nice gentle descent
and just wait for it to touch down.
And at JFK they have very long runways, so.
Maybe it woulda worked out,
but hey as it ends if they're hanging from a wire,
they survived and everybody's okay.
But (pew voice), what a test.
Yeah.
Well, so synthetic vision could save your life,
and here's something else that could, ADS-B.
A recent study shows a significant reduction
in the chance of an accident when the aircraft
is equipped with ADS-B.
The study looked at five years of data.
And so this follow along study
was exciting because it not only validated
the durational assumptions and statistics benefits,
but it also showed actually an increase
of those benefits specifically when it comes to safety.
A huge improvement in safety.
A 53% reduction in weather-related accidents,
such as Controlled Flight Into Terrain,
and mid-air collisions for aircraft equipped with ADS-B.
And an almost 90% reduction in fatal accidents.
Now that makes the business case
where FAA to expand the system and install
more ground stations, particularly in Alaska.
So AOPA has been working with FAA
for quite awhile to leverage the information
we get from our members in rural locations
like Alaska and pacific Northwest
to show where aircraft are flying that might
be outside of radar coverage,
though the FAA doesn't really know the benefits,
the number of aircraft affected if were
to expand ADS-B in those areas.
Right?
To increase ADS-B in coverage
as well as air traffic surveillance coverage.
So we continue to work with the FAA.
And I think this new study furthers
that argument benefits case.
And speaking of safety,
data link weather in the cockpit
is a great aid.
And if you have an older satellite weather receiver
on your airplane,
you can save $300 if you upgrade to a newer model.
But you have until just the end of April to act.
SiriusXM has a trade-in deal.
Trade in a working receiver
for a new Garmin GDL 51 or 52 receiver.
And Sirius will give you a $100 credit
and a $200 rebate.
Now both Garmins work with tablet apps
like the Garmin Pilot and ForeFlight.
Go to Aircraft Spruce's website
and search Sirius XM trade-in
to get the details.
And speaking of Garmin they are going supersonic,
the company is celebrating the maiden flight
of a G3000 Integrated Flight Deck in a F-5 Fighter.
Talk about old meets new.
The Navy uses the F-5 as an aggressor aircraft
for training fighter pilots and using COTS,
commercial off-the-shelf technology,
like the G3000.
It speeds up the development time
and its cheaper for the taxpayer.
And it makes the F-5 more capable.
Ever wanted to learn to fly formation?
Well, there'll be an opportunity to learn
at AOPA's Fly-in to Frederick, Maryland
on May 10th and 11th.
The clinics are taught by Mike Filucci,
the former FAST team president.
FAST stands for Formation and Safety Team.
And Mike Ginter,
the former North American Trainer Association president,
and myself, Richards McSpadden,
former commander flight leader of the
Air Force Thunderbirds,
and executive director of the Air Safety Institute.
So come out and improve your flying skills.
Learn a little bit about formation.
Have an awful lot of fun.
We hope to see you there.
That's some teaching staff.
The formation workshop will be just one of many
offered at the fly-in.
You can learn about upside recovery,
backcountry flying,
and a whole lot more.
And on top of learning new skills,
the sessions count as loggable ground school.
To come to any of the workshops,
you can buy a workshop pass for just $99,
if you buy it in advance.
And it takes a lot of people power
to put on our fly-in events.
So we are looking for more volunteers
to help at the Frederick Fly-in.
Now, volunteering is a great way to connect
with AOPA staff and fellow pilots.
You also get a free t-shirt and a hat
as part of the deal.
You can sign up to volunteer on the AOPA Fly-in website.
And, you know Tom I've talked to a lot
of volunteers through the years at our fly-ins
and every one of them tell me
they have a really great time
and they meet really interesting people.
So it's really worth doing.
It is.
It's really peek behind the curtain
about what it takes to put one of these things on.
And we really need the volunteers.
We couldn't do it without the help
so thanks to anybody who come out and help us.
Absolutely.
We come back the FAA
certificates the US's smallest air carrier.
And a visit to a national treasure that's
not on the Washington Mall.
There are many things to consider before
purchasing an aircraft.
Let the experts at Aero-Space Reports
help guide you through the process.
We combine expert knowledge
with our long-standing commitment
to personalized customer service to perfect
your transaction.
Learn more at aerospacereports.com.
Welcome back.
There's a new certificated air carrier in the US
and it flies drones.
The FAA just certificated Wing to deliver packages
by drone, a first in the US.
Wing is part of the Google Alphabet World Domination
conglomerate that we all rely on every day.
And there gonna be testing the package delivery system
in two Virginia communities.
The FAA looked at data from Wing's test
and deliveries in Australia.
Wing launched commercial drone to home delivery
service in select neighborhoods
in Canberra, Australia earlier this month,
and said it will begin a similar service
in Finland in December.
We note the passing of a ground-breaking female aviator,
Geraldyn Jerrie Cobb died in Florida at age 88.
She was in the group of skilled female pilots
know as First Lady Astronaut Trainees or FLAT.
She went through the rigorous
astronaut selection process for the Mercury program,
but ultimately the women weren't allowed to fly into space.
It just wasn't the right time.
She turned her considerable flying skills
to humanitarian and missionary work.
You can read much more about the remarkable
Jerri Cobb on our website.
It's the most complained about airport
in our FBO surveys.
Heber Valley Airport serving the swanky Deer Valley
and Park City Resorts in Utah,
and we thought we were making progress
in getting some competition there on the field
to challenge the monopoly wielded by OK3, the FBO.
But the city council earlier this month
passed two resolutions that effectively
blocked a second FBO and the possibility of self-fueling.
But the city manager told AOPA that the city
was still concerned about fuel prices
and urged patience while it resolved
some perceived issues with FAA.
AOPA general council Ken Mead accuses
the city of pulling back
because OK3 has sued the city
to maintain its monopoly position.
And the city is trying to mitigate the damages.
Mead has indicated the AOPA wants
to work with the city to expedite competition there.
If you're coming to the area for the Frederick Fly-in,
there's an abundant of things to do in the region.
There sure are, Tom.
And one of the gems is
the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center
next to Dulles Airport.
AOPA Live Josh Cochran gives us a glimpse
of what you can see if you visit.
You can't help but have a sense of awe
when you walk through the doors
of the Udvar-Hazy Center.
You look down on the SR-71,
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
And then behind it,
the Space Shuttle Discovery.
So it's a real iconic viewing station there.
And the SR-71 and space shuttle are
just the beginning.
We collect everything from private
all the way up to the really important military.
And some planes may not have their own
really big history, but they're an iconic
type of design like the King Air that we have.
And it just shows the value of a great design
And how it's still the most popular turbo prop
aircraft of today.
One of the airplanes that you may recognize
is R.A. Bob Hoover's legendary Shrike Commander.
Bob delivered the airplane to the museum
in typical Bob Hoover fashion.
When he arrived here,
he asked the tower if he could do
just a short fly by of the Dulles Airport
and our specific tower here, the Engen Tower,
and he did a just a smooth beautiful flight.
And he taxied up to the north door of the hangar.
And Bob just decided I'm gonna deliver this airplane
and I will deliver it in style.
And taxied it right into the north end of the building.
And then turned everything off,
stepped out and said, "Here's your plane."
It was just one of those moments that you really enjoy
working at the museum when you are able to deal with
someone like that with
such extraordinary personality and skill.
Visitors to the museum can get a glimpse
of the process of restoring the airplanes for display.
This B-26 is one of the major restoration projects
going on now.
Something that's definitely got a huge
history to it is in back of me is Flak-Bait,
the Martin Marauder that is in various pieces
as you can see back there.
And this is a very storied aircraft from
World War II that flew more bombing missions
than any other aircraft, 207.
And it's called Flak-Bait
because it attracted a lot of flak.
Somehow it lumbered back through all of these missions.
Made it time after time.
And so has a real reputation as one of the
really star aircraft.
And so on the exterior, though,
we've done cleaning done very, very carefully.
We don't wanna lose those flak holes.
That is obviously a huge part of the history
of this aircraft.
The Udvar-Hazy Center gives visitors a chance
to look back at the history of aviation
while also introducing future aviators
to the world of flight.
And with all the incredible experiences here,
it's worth a trip.
Josh Cochran, AOPA Live.
Now the official AOPA excursion to Udvar-Hazy
is sold out but you're welcome to visit on your own.
And you know, Tom speaking of selling out,
the tickets to some of other flying events
are going pretty fast, too.
So you really need to get in.
And there's gonna be some fun stuff
like the cook-out on the flight line,
the stall competition.
Particularly the flight line cookout
we need you to get tickets cause we got to buy
the food in advance.
We need to know how many are coming.
So you're definitely need a ticket for that.
But it's gonna be a great show.
Udvar-Hazy is a wonderful facility.
Oh yeah.
So if you're flying in for the fly-in.
Plan on spending another day
and getting over to Dulles.
Absolutely.
Well and that's it for this week.
We're so glad that you can give us a bit of your time.
And remember, we love hearing from you.
Our email address is aopalive@aopa.org.
Let us know what you think.
'Til next Thursday.
Fly safe.
(soft rock band)