I am conducting a research project on Common Frequency Areas such as but not limited to 122.9, 123.02, 122.92. I am mostly doing the study for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The study is about the hazards that could be associated with Common Frequency Areas. Such hazards in uncontrolled airspace can be extended to operation within uncontrolled aerodromes.
I have put out a short 10 question survey which would take less than 5 minutes. I would appreciate it if you were to take a short period of your time to help with this research project. My goal for this research is to identify and confirm the hazards and to help increase safety by making an awareness of such hazards.
The survey can be found here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PY6673Q
Any information given is de-identified and will be used solely for the purpose of the research and nothing else.
Any questions and/or comments can be directed to ramzel14@gmail.com.
Thank you for your time.
Showing posts with label Airplanes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airplanes. Show all posts
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Polar Navigation and POW
Today started just as any other normal day. I got to school for an 8AM annual mandatory winter operations briefing. Apparently it is mandatory by Transport Canada for each Air Operator, including our school to have ground instruction or refreshers on Winter Operations every year. Or so I think/heard.
After that, we had Aircraft Design class where we handed in our fuselage design.
Our fuselage was a long range aircraft capable of 365 passengers in 22 First Class, 70 Business Class, and 273 Economy class seating configuration.
After that, I was about to kick and complain about the upcoming French class when I remembered that it wasn't class today but instead, we had two war veterans come in to talk to us while our Professor baked us a cake shaped in an airplane...more or less.
First was a WW1 Royal Canadian Air Force veteran that worked as a gunner in the Halifax and Lancaster for some time. He told us about a story in 1943 where he had been on a bombing mission somewhere over Germany and was shot down by the left wing of the airplane. 5 of the 7 occupants of the aircraft safely jumped with parachutes into German territory where they were eventually captured. He then talked about his time over at the German prison camp where "The Great Escape" had occurred and how he helped create the tunnels and how secretive everything was. He said he was fortunate that he wasn't chosen as one of the 200 to go out that night, which only 76 successfully escaped but 50 of which had been caught later on and killed.
A second slightly younger, RCAF navigator whom flew in the Korean and Vietnam wars talked to us afterwards. He was talking amongst pilots so he was allowed to use jargons, most of which we understood. One question he asked actually surprised me. He mentioned that he had done a lot of flying around the North Pole and asked us this:
What would your track be if you were to fly from the North Pole to Vancouver, and the class gladly said...well south! 180 degrees.
He said yes that's right, how about if you want to go to Halifax...and slightly confused we answered SOUTH?
And that was the problem...over the north pole...all directions was SOUTH! And so it required a completely different grid system for navigation. They have used a lot of "ancient" navigation ways, since they didn't have the convenience of the GPS back then. They actually used a grid system which used the Prime Meridian and parallel lines to it, and used that as a north and they flew grid tracks instead of true/magnetic tracks.
He also told us about his time flying in the C130 Hercules, where he was...if it wasn't for chance...would've been shot down by a SAM fired by someone which actually killed the airplane that had taken off 30 seconds before them.
After that, we had Aircraft Design class where we handed in our fuselage design.
Our fuselage was a long range aircraft capable of 365 passengers in 22 First Class, 70 Business Class, and 273 Economy class seating configuration.
After that, I was about to kick and complain about the upcoming French class when I remembered that it wasn't class today but instead, we had two war veterans come in to talk to us while our Professor baked us a cake shaped in an airplane...more or less.
First was a WW1 Royal Canadian Air Force veteran that worked as a gunner in the Halifax and Lancaster for some time. He told us about a story in 1943 where he had been on a bombing mission somewhere over Germany and was shot down by the left wing of the airplane. 5 of the 7 occupants of the aircraft safely jumped with parachutes into German territory where they were eventually captured. He then talked about his time over at the German prison camp where "The Great Escape" had occurred and how he helped create the tunnels and how secretive everything was. He said he was fortunate that he wasn't chosen as one of the 200 to go out that night, which only 76 successfully escaped but 50 of which had been caught later on and killed.
A second slightly younger, RCAF navigator whom flew in the Korean and Vietnam wars talked to us afterwards. He was talking amongst pilots so he was allowed to use jargons, most of which we understood. One question he asked actually surprised me. He mentioned that he had done a lot of flying around the North Pole and asked us this:
What would your track be if you were to fly from the North Pole to Vancouver, and the class gladly said...well south! 180 degrees.
He said yes that's right, how about if you want to go to Halifax...and slightly confused we answered SOUTH?
And that was the problem...over the north pole...all directions was SOUTH! And so it required a completely different grid system for navigation. They have used a lot of "ancient" navigation ways, since they didn't have the convenience of the GPS back then. They actually used a grid system which used the Prime Meridian and parallel lines to it, and used that as a north and they flew grid tracks instead of true/magnetic tracks.
He also told us about his time flying in the C130 Hercules, where he was...if it wasn't for chance...would've been shot down by a SAM fired by someone which actually killed the airplane that had taken off 30 seconds before them.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
One year anniversary
SEE POST ON ENGINE FAILURE A YEAR AGO
One year anniversary since our airplane C-GSCZ a Beechcraft Bonanza (BE36) has had an engine failure and landed on a new york highway while enroute to Burlington, VT.
I personally have done this flight and I must say, there were a lot of trees, and lakes around...not a lot of good fields. Still amazed by their performance that day..
I've also flown the exact same airplane C-GSCZ today enroute to Montreal and well, supersitious or not, ever since that incident, I've paid more close attention to engine and all of its components.
In march actually, another similar type of engine failure occured on another one of our airplanes but was safely and fortunately high enough to land at Billy Bishop Airport near Owen Sound.
This goes to show, your training goes a long way!!
One year anniversary since our airplane C-GSCZ a Beechcraft Bonanza (BE36) has had an engine failure and landed on a new york highway while enroute to Burlington, VT.
I personally have done this flight and I must say, there were a lot of trees, and lakes around...not a lot of good fields. Still amazed by their performance that day..
I've also flown the exact same airplane C-GSCZ today enroute to Montreal and well, supersitious or not, ever since that incident, I've paid more close attention to engine and all of its components.
In march actually, another similar type of engine failure occured on another one of our airplanes but was safely and fortunately high enough to land at Billy Bishop Airport near Owen Sound.
This goes to show, your training goes a long way!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Checked out and licence in
So today I finally finished my Bonanza Checkout and so I'm good to go for circuits and then cross countries. The adrenaline that goes with flying with an engine that you don't fully trust due to the engine failures in the past is amazing. It's good in a way that, now I am more watchful and careful with engine management than before...and keep me on my toes with those forced approach practices.
In a way, the past engine failures has helped SOME people become better pilots.
Anyways yesterday I finally received the long awaited blue "aviation document" from Transport Canada after waiting for almost two months when I first submitted it. I like it because the medical and licence/ratings are all in one package. Plus it's harder to lose it because the blue just stands out very easily.
I also have fallen into the temptation of getting a BlackBerry. But it was a good move on my part because my old phone is like a C150 while this BlackBerry is like a PC-12....relative comparison of course...I've got nothing against 150s ..but absolutely loves PC-12s!
In a way, the past engine failures has helped SOME people become better pilots.
Anyways yesterday I finally received the long awaited blue "aviation document" from Transport Canada after waiting for almost two months when I first submitted it. I like it because the medical and licence/ratings are all in one package. Plus it's harder to lose it because the blue just stands out very easily.
I also have fallen into the temptation of getting a BlackBerry. But it was a good move on my part because my old phone is like a C150 while this BlackBerry is like a PC-12....relative comparison of course...I've got nothing against 150s ..but absolutely loves PC-12s!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Eventful June
It's been a good month since the last post so there's bound to be something to write about and its about to start now.
The month of June was filled with events and flying for the most part. I have gone to a conference, camping, and an "art and film festival" by my youth group that donated all profits to a charity. It was pretty good, I wish I had printed and brought some of my photos to just showcase like everyone else.
I have also been flying quite a lot for the past few weeks. I was at the airport everyday and each day lasting almost as least 8-12 hours each for the past couple of weeks. It was good because I had finished all my flights and instrument simulator lessons before the Bonanza checkout. Had cross countries to Goderich, almost North Bay, and St. Catharines...some parts of it were uneventful but i'd rather call it relaxing but there were few times where it build some experience and taught me some lessons that for sure I'd carry on with me.
This past Monday was my first flight in the Beechcraft Bonanza airplanes that we have. We currently have 3 out of the 5 on line and it's being fairly shuffled between 2nd, 3rd and some 4th years. One that's in maintenance already has a new engine strapped on and should come online very soon. And they are currently working on another engine to be put in the second one in maintenance.
The Bonanza is quite a beast compare to a C172. It flies faster, I thought it was easier to control because it was a little bit more heavy. It has a constant speed prop and a retractable landing gear and so it is a little bit more complex than the Cessna.
First flight was almost like re-learning how to fly all over again; attitudes and movements, climbs and descents, turns and steep turns. We spent the last 30 minutes in the circuit...trying to get accustomed to new circuit configurations and speeds and how the landing is a little bit different.
I actually liked the landings I made on the first flight because again the controls felt heavier and so when its time to flare..its a good pull of the controls and there's less chance of ballooning because I can feel how much pull I need more than the Cessna.
My next flight should be tomorrow since all of Ontario has been under a Quasistationary Low the whole week which created pop-up and isolated to scattered thunderstorm cells...sometimes low ceilings as well.
The flight is all about the airwork and getting used to flying a constant speed prop plane with a landing gear...during the airwork. After that a couple of more checkout flights to go before I can be fully checked out on the airplane and start flying mutual circuits and then on to the cross countries.
The month of June was filled with events and flying for the most part. I have gone to a conference, camping, and an "art and film festival" by my youth group that donated all profits to a charity. It was pretty good, I wish I had printed and brought some of my photos to just showcase like everyone else.
I have also been flying quite a lot for the past few weeks. I was at the airport everyday and each day lasting almost as least 8-12 hours each for the past couple of weeks. It was good because I had finished all my flights and instrument simulator lessons before the Bonanza checkout. Had cross countries to Goderich, almost North Bay, and St. Catharines...some parts of it were uneventful but i'd rather call it relaxing but there were few times where it build some experience and taught me some lessons that for sure I'd carry on with me.
This past Monday was my first flight in the Beechcraft Bonanza airplanes that we have. We currently have 3 out of the 5 on line and it's being fairly shuffled between 2nd, 3rd and some 4th years. One that's in maintenance already has a new engine strapped on and should come online very soon. And they are currently working on another engine to be put in the second one in maintenance.
The Bonanza is quite a beast compare to a C172. It flies faster, I thought it was easier to control because it was a little bit more heavy. It has a constant speed prop and a retractable landing gear and so it is a little bit more complex than the Cessna.
First flight was almost like re-learning how to fly all over again; attitudes and movements, climbs and descents, turns and steep turns. We spent the last 30 minutes in the circuit...trying to get accustomed to new circuit configurations and speeds and how the landing is a little bit different.
I actually liked the landings I made on the first flight because again the controls felt heavier and so when its time to flare..its a good pull of the controls and there's less chance of ballooning because I can feel how much pull I need more than the Cessna.
My next flight should be tomorrow since all of Ontario has been under a Quasistationary Low the whole week which created pop-up and isolated to scattered thunderstorm cells...sometimes low ceilings as well.
The flight is all about the airwork and getting used to flying a constant speed prop plane with a landing gear...during the airwork. After that a couple of more checkout flights to go before I can be fully checked out on the airplane and start flying mutual circuits and then on to the cross countries.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Titanic of the sky
Emirates A380...we were on the move so its not a great shotMy friends and I were only a few out of the many, at least a couple hundred spectators of the long awaited first arrival of the A380 to YYZ, Pearson International. Emirates sure have a lot of money buying Airbus' vision of world travel in the A380. I heard somewhere that the Emirates A380 only serviced 4 international cities in the world. One of which was New York City in JFK before but now switched it to Toronto's YYZ...one of the best in the world.
The travel to YYZ was hectic, and taking the 401 wasn't the best idea we made that day...if you know Toronto, you would know how the 401 is even early afternoon it's still one of the busiest commute out there. However, after the almost constant 40-60 kph (25-35 mph) on the 401, we end up missing the appropriate exit and it actually rewarded us because it was almost bumper to bumper at that exit. We took a detour to another intersecting freeway, a U-turn and on to another exit which was probably the only reason we got a glimpse of the giant that was about to smack Pearsons recently reinforced tarmac.
So on to my friends car we went, and drove down the street, immediately stopping at a nearby Burger King as we see the SHIP slowly sailing down the approach path of 06R. It was huge, and surprisingly quiet. And I can safely say that the bigger the airplane on approach, the more it seems to be floating in mid-air stationary in its position as it goes short final for the runway.
Air Transat A310
After the whole ordeal, we took pictures and plane spotted a few other airplanes...but none had the same impression as the first A380 in YYZ. Then we met up with another friend who had airside of the whole event because he was part of Airport Watch, a bunch of aviation enthusiasts and pilots alike who volunteer to keep an eye out for Pearson whenever they pass by, and report anything that seem suspicious. To their undivided efforts, they get rewarded to witness the whole spectacle of the A380 landing and water salute from Pearsons finest as it taxi to the gate.An hour after Tower decided to go back to using runway 24s and 23. They sure had fun teasing those people that waited near the approach path for these runways. O well, we then spotted more airplanes, looking for good spots to SPOT and take some pictures.
After all of it, it was time to go home, and the drive home was well...we drove back on the 401 at evening rush hour...
And so our journey and the whole day's worth of events came to an end. The long awaited ship has come and gone, and even though it may be compared to as the Titanic of the sky, I hope to never hear about an iceberg making it sink to the depths of the Atlantic...which was the unfortunate fate of an A330 in the form of Air France 447.
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