LT Iain McConnell

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater

HH-60J copilot

Certified Flight Instructor, airplane single engine

Background94-98 USCG Academy

98-00 USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10)

00-01 Navy Flight School, Pensacola

01-02 Air Station Clearwater

Civil Air Patrol orientation pilot and CFI, Clearwater Composite Squadron

Flight to visit family in Slidell, Louisiana

Archer II -- N8268C

Rented from Clearwater Air ParkMy favorite plane!Two VHF radiosADF (it works sometimes)Endurance Cruise: 650 nm @ 100 ktsDual VOR, ILS, DME, handheld GPSPerformance Cruise: 500 nm @ 115 kts

Preflight planning

Route

Weather

IFR, VFR, or DVFR

FAR compliance

Fault tolerance

Decrease risk

Clearwater to Slidell

396 nm

Route

DistanceSpecial use airspaceAircraft performance (including multi engine)Navigational aidsCommunication “dead zones” Distance to divert fields Notable locations to compute ahead of time: Equal time point (ETP) Point of safe return (PSR)

WeatherSometimes weather is incomplete or inaccurate

offshore. Pay more attention to weather than normal.Destination WX +/- 1hr.Winds.Severe weather (added distance to divert).Forecast altimeter.Visibility and cloud clearance. Horizon may blend with the sky and water. Good visibility needed for making landfall VFR.

IFR, VFR, or DVFR

Why not fly IFR?At least use VFR flight following.ADIZ.DVFR is not hard to do; Just do it right! Read AIM 5-6-1 before you go. File on ground, not in flight. Transponder set to assigned squawk. Penetrate ADIZ +/- 5 minutes and +/- 20 nm over

water. Monitor 121.5 MHz for “Unknown Rider.”

FAR Compliance

14 CFR 91 has no requirements14 CFR 135.165 Extended Overwater Defined as 50nm from shore Redundant radios and nav. systems

14 CFR 135.167 Emergency Equipment Life preservers, rafts, pyrotechnics, ELTs

Fuel reservesCustoms clearance for international flightsDVFR flight plan

Fault Tolerance

How many distractions or imperfections can I handle before changing my plan? Weather deteriorates or headwind strengthens. One anti-collision light is burned out. Copilot’s ICS station doesn’t work. Someone gets sick. I didn’t sleep well last night. My divert field’s AVGAS pump is “inop.” Another renter reports that the transponder may

have a problem “sometimes.” One radio fails.

Decrease Risk

Accept fewer faults when over water than when over land.

I’M SAFE checklist.

Hire a CFI.

Don’t go, or go later.

Go during day, not night.

Choose a route closer to shore.

Ready to go?

Are you gripping your arm rests with fear?

Max range of N8268C!Three family members together.Entire flight over water.No navigation input besides GPS and D.R.Requires DVFR flight plan.Communications dead zones.Warning Areas.Slight headwind increase not tolerable.First-time cross country student. New CFI.I have never pushed N8268C this far before!

Clearwater to Apalachicola

396 nm

159 nm

Breathe a sigh of relief!

This route can be flown mostly on V97.

Furthest point from land reduced.

Stay within the ADIZ.

No fuel reserve concerns.

No communications “dead zones.”

Closer to Air Station Clearwater!

Shorter time between bathroom stops!

Take Off!

In FlightSee and avoid: oil rigs, birds.

Loss of horizon and depth perception.

Keep VFR flight following.

Over-reliance on GPS.

Making landfall through the ADIZ.

Visual landfall is very difficult. Use navaids.

Equal Time Point (ETP)Location where the time required to return to the last suitable airfield is equal to the time required to proceed to the next suitable airfield.

198 nm=half wayNo wind

Distance to ETP = Total distance x GS (return)

GS (return) + GS (cont)

Headwind…

Distance to ETP = 396 nm x 140 kts = 231nm

140 kts + 100 kts

Tailwind…

Distance to ETP = 396 nm x 100 kts = 165 nm

100 kts + 140 kts

Headwind

Tailwind

231 nm

165 nm

wind

wind

Point of Safe Return (PSR)

For figuring out how to max your time offshore. The Coast Guard uses this often. Civilian pilots should not!

Time on route which the aircraft can go and still safely return home, including Holding, Approach, and Landing fuel.

Time to PSR = TGround speed returning from PSR = GSR

Ground speed outbound to PSR = GSO

Total fuel endurance in minutes = F (minus reserve fuel)

T = GSR x F GSO + GSR

Point of Safe Return (PSR)

Ditching!

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Blue WaterInshore 88%

survival

Blue WaterOcean 82%

survival

Lakes 87%survival

Rivers 93%survival

Where Ditchings Occur

Egress Rate vs. Survival Rate

Egress – one or more occupants safely exited the aircraft --- 92%

Survival – all occupants were rescued or swam to shore -- 88%

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Highwingtotal

Highwingfatal

Lowwingtotal

Lowwingfatal

High Wing vs. Low Wing

Will the airplane float long enough for everyone to get out?

Study of ditchings does not provide enough data to determine “typical” float times.

Out of 179 ditchings, there were only 7 instances where occupants didn’t escape.3 of these were high wave conditions in the

open sea.

Multi-engine Ditchings

Multi-engine aircraft ditch at a rate equal to their single engine counterparts. In the study of 179 aircraft ditchings, 29 (16%) involved

multi-engine aircraft. About 15% of the GA fleet is multi-engine.

Increased exposure due to greater over-water flight.

No one is immune!

Pre-ditching Checklist

Ditch near a surface vessel if able. Determine appropriate ditch heading. Review ditching technique. Depressurize aircraft (if applicable). Configure aircraft – gear up, flaps as required. Place survival equipment in accessible location. Fasten seat belts. Unlatch main cabin door. Ensure alternate exits are accessible (if able).

Ditch Heading

Ditch parallel to swell – maximize headwind componentWith strong secondary swell, compromise between pri & sec swells and land on the back side of waveWind 30-50 kts – choose compromise between primary swell and head windWind > 50 kts, land into wind

Approach to Water

Choose power-on ditching if able Set power to maintain 10 kts above stall. Multi-engine w/ power to one side – fly slightly

higher approach speed. Nose-high attitude (flaps may not be advisable).

Power-off ditching Fly higher than normal approach speed.

Touchdown

Reduce power, land slightly above stall speed.

Land parallel or on the backside of the swell.

Touchdown with wings trimmed to surface of the sea – not the horizon.

Remove crab angle.

Ditching at Night, IMC, or on Glassy Water

Set 10 deg nose up attitude

100 fpm descent rate

Ditch wings level

Another Safe Flight

It wasn’t an accident