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FAASTeam
FAASTeam Notice
Type: General Information
Notice Date: Thursday, November 6, 2014
Notice Number: NOTC5709
FAAST Blast
This notice expired on
Saturday, December 6, 2014
FAAST Blast — Week of Nov 03 – 09, 2014
Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update 

 Get It Straight: Got WX? Campaign Focuses on Crosswind Landings
            The Got Weather? campaign aims to help general aviation pilots prepare for potential weather challenges they may encounter during the 2014 flying season. For November, the campaign is focused on crosswinds. Check out a new video featuring FAA Administrator Michael Huerta discussing crosswinds with pilot Ty Chaudhry. There is also an assortment of helpful resources available on FAA’s Got WX web page at: www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/got_weather/.
            One such resource you might find especially helpful is the Personal and Weather Risk Assessment Guide (http://go.usa.gov/7hj3). The guide will assist you in developing your own standardized procedures for accomplishing the dispatch and pilot in command responsibilities of your flight department (you) and with making better pre-flight and in-flight weather decisions. It contains several checklists that will assess your experience in certain scenarios (e.g., gusty landings, crosswinds, etc.) and help you determine a personal risk factor score before your flight.
 
New SAIB Issued on Heading Information Errors
            According to a new Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) issued this week by the FAA, there continues to be a growing number of reported heading errors and anomalies in heading reference systems due to standard maintenance practices and the use of standard tools while maintaining these systems. The problem stems from the sensitive nature of these heading sensors which can be substantially affected by ferrous materials, including the improper use of magnetic tools (like magnetic screwdrivers) in close proximity.
            The FAA recommends that you follow all manufacturer installation/maintenance instructions, warnings, and troubleshooting procedures per their instructions for continued airworthiness or maintenance manuals. A simple test for possible magnetic interference is to use a magnetic compass and slowly move around the area of the sensor looking for any deflections of the compass needle. Excessive needle movement can be evidence of ferrous material or sources of magnetic interference like flap motors or flight control system components.
            For more information on how to identify sources of magnetic interference that might affect heading sensor operations, see the SAIB at: http://go.usa.gov/7hEH. 
 
“Chill Out” with the New FAA Safety Briefing
             The November/December 2014 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on winter operations. Articles cover some of the exciting opportunities that the winter flying season offers as well as provide a review of several important cold weather safety strategies. Among those strategies are some reminders on how you can recognize and keep the adverse consequences of cold stress at bay. In her article “Chilled to the Bone,” author Sabrina Woods looks at how cold can affect both body and mind which can negatively affect your decision-making ability.
            You can read the article here: http://1.usa.gov/FAA_ASB.

Produced by the FAA Safety Briefing editors, http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/
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