Additional Event Information & Acknowledgement of Industry Sponsor(s):
Aircraft accidents are often tragic events, especially when there is a loss of life. By reviewing this recent fatal accident, we gain some insight into circumstances that may have contributed to yet another senseless, and avoidable, catastrophe.
Additional Seminar Information:
What went horribly wrong -- wrong enough to take the lives of a young family?
- How did it happen?
- Why did it happen?
- Could it have been avoided?
- Could this have happened to YOU?
In the first part of this program, we will explore the scenario using the limited information available from the NTSB report and re-enact the events that occurred just outside of Phoenix, AZ on Thanksgiving eve 2011.
The second part of this program will be a discussion forum.
You will be given all the parameters of this tragic incident to prepare a Flight Plan from FFZ to SAD under the exact same conditions.
This exercise will require you to call upon all of your education, experience, skills, judgment and your version of the AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING process to plan this trip SAFELY!!!
You don't need any Night, Multi-engine, Turbine or Mountain experience to meet this challenge.
What you do need is the desire to face this challenge head-on, give it your best shot and open your mind to learning something new about flight planning.
This exercise is an opportunity for you to make a PRACTICAL APPLICATION of your passion for flight.
You have spent thousands of dollars to indulge your passion and here is an opportunity to play with it right from the comfort and convenience of your computer.
During this discussion you will learn about and explore the utility of SkyVector.com
Your Mission: Plan a VFR trip at NIGHT in PERFECT VFR conditions from FFZ to SAD
There is no one right way to plan this trip so your version will be a contribution to the exchange of ideas for the collective benefit of everyone. We will all learn from each other!!!
The following contains all the details you will need:
NTSB reports:
This and various other video links can be found on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzl0eKnXoi0
SkyVector.com
This link will give you a 5 minute how-to-use briefing:
http://skyvector.com/content/video-tutorial
Flight Conditions:
VFR: (it's YOUR turn to plan this trip as a VFR flight)
NIGHT: 1hr AFTER sunset, 3% waning crescent moon (in effect: NO useful moonlight)
- Wind: 350 @ 5
- Vis: 40 miles
- Temp: 23c (73f)
- Dewpoint: -1c
- Take-off from: FFZ rwy 4R
- Land on: SAD rwy 12
Traffic:
- ATC (tracon & center) are very busy with IFR traffic in and out of Phoenix the night before Thanksgiving.
- VFR Flight Following service and a BRAVO Clearance are NOT AVAILABLE !!!
Most Critical: >>> MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN is INVISIBLE at night !!! <<<
Performance:
- Airplane: Twin-engine, TurboProp, Pressurized
- Cruise: 250 kts
- Rate of Climb: 1500 ft/min
- Panel: Dual NavComms, ADF, DME, GPS
No Radar Altimeter available!!!
No NOTAMs for navaid outages
---
Consider the following questions when planning your trip:
- How do I best route myself to put the Phoenix Class B airspace behind me?
- Will I be talking to any neighboring Class D airspace towers along my chosen route?
- How do I route myself for terrain? Obviously FFZ DIRECT SAD via GPS does NOT WORK !!!
- How many waypoints will I create in the total routing of this trip?
- Chart them on SkyVector.
- What altitudes do I fly at between my chosen waypoints?
- How do I configure my panel for this trip?
- Where do I position myself for a smooth transition from enroute to decent into SAD?
- What SPECIFIC charts, publications, resources etc. (all available on SkyVector) will I make use of in the planning of EACH PHASE of this flight.
- (FAR 91.103 "...ALL available information...")
Bring your completed Flight Plan and your laptop to the meeting.
If you have any questions concerning this mission or how to use SkyVector.com, please call Bob Katz (discussion moderator) at 972-980-4127.
(If you get my voicemail...START TALKING...If I'm here, I should hear it. I use voice mail to filter unrecognizable incoming calls. Otherwise, leave a message and I will call you back.)
Those of us who fail to learn from the mistakes of the our past (and others) are destined to repeat them !!!
