Radio instruments

The jet log form has been updated to reflect the Dec 06 TW-5 version (correcting previous errors).

If you are still having trouble with setup consider again the Terasse Gouge.

If you haven't done so yet, get a FAR/AIM (cheapest at commissary) Make sure you get the one with the 'asa' wings on top, there is another version that is dated 2010 but is missing a lot of the 2010 changes, many of which you will brief.



RIOT trainer.

For the RI flights here is an updated kneeboard card: [[Media:RI_kneeboard_lafleur.pdf| RI_kneeboard_card]]. It has the 4T's on the bottom next to the Transponder code to minimize code errors on takeoff. Additionally, a small checklist in the center to remind you to file, pick up a dash-1, etc. while planning your approaches

Instructions on the approach matrix:

Plan each approach horizontally (e.g. TCN004 pg 213 / Ch1 (300-1/2) / NSE 70X / D-> KNSE / 004 / 124.85 / Ch 4)

Read down the matrix when tuning your NAV1/NAV2 initially (e.g.you would read down the NAV1 column and dial in 70X / 115.9 / 110.55)

Read across when setting up for the approach in flight

Note: Treat your instrument departure as your first approach on the matrix (e.g. Baldy-One / Ch1 / NSE 70X / OBS CEW / 135 / 124.85 / Ch 4)

Note: mark either the NAV1 / NAV2 with an asterisk(*) to remind you which one you want selected

Remember, a genius can screw up these flights by trying to do the approaches on the fly and a moron can rock them with good planning and a system. Odds are you are somewhere in the middle

You may need more printouts of the [[media:Jet_Log_and_DD-175_Form_12-06.pdf| Updated Jet log form. ]]

I got tired of trying to puzzle out the poorly-printed CEW kiddie plates, so I scanned them and cleaned them up. I do not know of any errors on them, but I make no guarantees; as with everything else, final responsibility lies with the PIC. If you find an error, note it here and I'll fix it ASAP. NDB-A/TACAN 9R, TACAN 18L and 36R, COPTER VOR 9L They look best if you change the printer paper type to "Photo" and max out ink coverage/"intensity."

=Simulator Events=
 * For each simulator event in this block, SNAs will fly one event as the PIC and one event as the copilot. The copilot event shall be documented on a separate ATF that has the event number followed by a "C." Copilot events shall not count toward the SNA's total number of graded items; however, unsats shall trigger he IPC/FPC process.
 * SNAs shall fly both station and non-station side holding.
 * SNAs shall fly approaches both with and without DME.
 * SNAs shall fly a minimum of three GPS Approaches with at least one being a full procedure approach.

RI and AIRNAV Simulator MPTS

 * [[media:RI MPTS 001.jpg|Radio Instruments MPTS Sheet]]
 * [[media:AIRNAV MPTS 001.jpg|Air Navigation MPTS Sheet]]

First Block

 * I3101 - Emergency Procedures
 * I3201 - TACAN Intercepts/Holding/Approach
 * I3202 - VOR Holding/Approach(es)
 * I3203 - NDB Intercepts/Holding/Approach
 * I3204 - GPS Procedures/Approach(es)

Second Block
Same copilot requirements as above. SNA should fly at least one approach via radar vectors to final. These flights start with partial panel and then move to ground controlled approaches.
 * I3301 - TACAN (Failed Card) Procedures/Approaches
 * I3302 - ADF (Failed Card) Procedures/Approaches
 * I3303 - GCA Approaches (PAR/ASR/No Gyro GCAs)
 * I3304 - ILS and Localizer Procedures/Approaches
 * I3305 - RI Review (TACAN/VOR/ADF/GCA/ILS/LOC)

AIRNAV Simulator

 * N3001 - The air navigation sim will be flown with your RI partner immediately following your last RI sim. Back-up everything that you're doing with the GPS.

There have been some horror stories about this hop recently (MAR-APR 2010). Every instructor is different, but here's an idea of what to expect:
 * 1) Be prepared for any EP and to fly any approach at your destination. Lost comms and no radar contact are very popular; review the PTAPTP and DRAFT reports.
 * 2) You'll have a few minutes to plan how you're going to get there once your instructor tells you where you're going in the brief.
 * 3) Use the prep time wisely: highlight your route on your maps, and look up some of the airports along your route to see which ones have usable approaches as emergency alternates. Also look at both your destination and alternate: do they have other approaches with lower mins than the approach your instructor told you to initially request?  Does it have an ILS or GCA available?  Keep these in mind for later.
 * 4) They probably won't tell you the weather at the destination until you're airborne in order to test your ability to select and request approaches on-the-fly.
 * 5) Most instructors will have you do an ITO, so review those procedures.
 * 6) You will probably do all the normal procedures associated with taking off from NDZ (call base, get ATIS, call clearance, ground, tower, do an ITO, fly the departure, etc.) Note: Be prepared to get BAD WEATHER in the ATIS (meaning you should check the approach plate mins for where you are and see if you can actually takeoff).
 * 7) After all that jazz, they'll have you intercept and track on an airway for awhile...maybe some holding or no radar position reports.
 * 8) Then they'll give you an EP to see if your head explodes and if you'll try to request vectors to a civilian field with no published approach procedures.
 * 9) Then they'll zap you to about 5 minutes prior to your destination and see if you get your WRNTB done in time.
 * 10) If you don't get an EP, you probably won't break out on your first approach. At that point either DRAFT to your alternate, or just request a different approach that you think might give you a better chance at getting down.  ILS and GCAs are good choices here.
 * 11) They'll probably give you an EP right as you're about to intercept the FAC inbound on an ILS and see if you blow through it.
 * 12) After you get the EP handled, they may magically move the clouds around to see if you continue on the approach to the runway or if you really do 'Land As Soon As Possible' when they 'break' you out of the clouds--if you're still a few miles to the runway, a field may be a good choice. If you're more like 500' from the runway, you might as well try to make the runway.
 * 13) Alternately, if you are in a 'Land As Soon As Possible' situation and you don't break out, they want to see you make a good choice. If you're on an ILS approach, it may be acceptable to disregard the DH and stay on the glideslope all the way to the deck: ILS approaches are the best you can possibly get as far as accurately getting you down, and give you accurate guidance to ~20-50' off the deck; your EP may not give you the time you'd need to divert to an alternate or try another approach.

=Flight Events=

First Block
You will fly C4701 prior to I4301 as a "back in the saddle" sort of flight if you didn't already have it during BI's.

Please note that as per the HT-8 SOP of January 2007 you must contact your instructor the night before all flights and do a jetlog/ DD175 (not just 44xx block). If you have a Monday flight, don't wait until the last minute on Sunday night to call unless you want to flag yourself to the IP as a procrastinator. This is not the case in HT-18/28; there is no need to call your instructor the night before.


 * I4301 - Tacan/NDB/VOR (3), Point to Point, Intersection Holding
 * I4302 - ILS (2), Loc Approach (1), PAR (1)
 * I4303 - Failed Tacan (1), Failed VOR (1), RVFAC Non-Precision (1), No Gyro
 * I4304 - GPS Approach (3 Mandatory, one being full PT), ASR

Second Block
Note that MPTS says you "SHALL" call your instructor the night before the flight for all second block RI flights. CALL THE INSTRUCTOR. Don't talk to the SDO or another IP, don't let the other student call, don't worry about the instructors crew rest (unless HT-28), just call. Even if the other student calls and relays the plan to you, that does not meet the requirement from MPTS for you to call your instructor. Save yourself the trouble of a ready room unsat (it's a crappy way to get a RRU, believe me). HT-28 SOP (HT-28INST 3710.2B 06 APR 10) Page 1-2: "SNAs should not interrupt IP crew rest for the sake of graded flight planning requirements. If the SNA needs to plan a route for their next scheduled event, the SNA shall ask the Operations Duty Officer (ODO) for a route and approaches to plan." The briefs for the second block of flights are LONG. Start studying for them early as it is too much information to memorize overnight.
 * C4702 - General VFR Procedures and EPs
 * I4401 - TACAN/VOR/NDB Approach (1), GPS Approach (1), ILS Approach (1)
 * I4402 - TACAN/VOR/NDB Approach (1), GPS Approach (1), PAR/ILS Approach (2)
 * I4403 - Same As I4402
 * I4404 - Pre Check!!. Same As I4402-I4403

Charlie Checkride

 * C4990 - "C" Checkride. This flight is flown before your RI checkflight.

Instrument Checkride

 * I4590 - NATOPS Instrument Checkride (Being slowly updated to the new OPNAV. If you have a 3710.7U, whip it out and do some magic on this page; there are some key differences that instructors like to ask about and most of the chapters are organized differently than the Tango.)

General RI Flight Gouge

 * Compartmentalize, don't let the fact that you screwed up the last thing you tried to do, screw up the next thing you do.
 * Take a second and think. - walk through the approach or whatever in your head before you execute.
 * Silence is bad- if nobody is talking it should make you nervous. Review your gauges and procedures, your instructor is probably waiting for you to catch something. If you really aren't gooned up then maybe this is a good time to prepare the next approach, or three.
 * A good mnemonic for those quiet moments is Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. Aviate: am I on parameters? Navigate: do I know exactly where I am, can I put a dot on my plate? Communicate: what do I expect the next call to be? Communicate includes briefing, don't give a brief until you are satisfied with the instructors aviating, and you know where you are.
 * Pass the controls early and often- Approaches are graded from the IAF to the MAP, once you have gotten to the T of your PAST gas, pass the controls check your gas and gauges and begin to set up for the next approach.
 * Orient yourself on the plate - if you can, before you take the controls back, put a dot on your plate where you think you are.
 * Back up your NAVAIDs - maybe you don't need the GPS or NDB for this approach, but if you set it up anyway (just direct to the airport unless there is an approach to the same runway, if so, load that) you won't be lost if you lose the gear you need for the approach you are shooting. The IP is going to fail whatever nav instrument you have bought into most.  If you're backed up x3 on the approach, you make his job A LOT harder, and yours A LOT easier.  Do as much of this on the deck as possible!
 * Preset your comms-you are going to be switched to tower, get their frequency in your back up position. Listen to the comms for other folks... when you hear the freq you're going to be switching to next, have the IP preset it...
 * When you give the Approach brief
 * Give exactly AND ONLY the six required items, in order. The whole thing should take 10 seconds. You know the approaches you are going to shoot the next day, so practice the brief.
 * 10 seconds means 10 seconds. A good approach brief doesn't mean you need to brief all the altitudes and turns you need to make. Your CP should pimp you on headings and stepdowns. A good brief should sound like this:
 * "Alright sir, we're going to be shooting the Copter TACAN 004 on page 404 of the Vol-19 plates. Weather is a go (or no-go but we're not shooting it to land and this is not our destination or alternate - per OPNAV). FAF is NELOE, 5 DME on the 184 radial. MDA will be 540'. MAP is 2.2 DME and we'll read those instructions if necessary. Terminal instructions: we'll be coming in from the south to the approach end of RWY 05. The centerline (assuming RWY 5 is duty) will be a 45 degree turn to the right. The tower and beacon will be north of both runways. We will request Spot 1 for our line. Any questions? Good, I have the controls..."
 * Try to give the brief between calls so the instructor can actually hear it.
 * If you always want the instructor to call you 100' before your altitudes and 10° before your radial brief that during the NATOPS brief. If you just want it for this approach (or you forgot) ask him to do that AFTER you give the 10 second approach brief.
 * After the IAF you should never again look at your plate. Instead use your instructor:
 * What's my lead radial?
 * What's my next step down?
 * Don't be afraid to ask for the same information multiple times if you have forgotten.
 * Above all, now is the time to start thinking for yourself. You need to figure out the difference between the TECHNIQUES in the FTI and the PROCEDURES listed in 'real' publications.  Ever notice that the Primary FTI has each approach type spelled out; the advanced FTI does not.  Nor does it ever reference the Primary FTI.  Look in the FAR/AIM and read what you are required to do for a teardrop vs procedure turn approach.  There are some big differences between what some instructors/old sim bastards think is a required procedure and what you are actually required to perform.
 * Along the same note, are the 6T's wicked awesome? Yes. Are they a PROCEDURE that must be followed? No. If you're holding some place that has 50kts of direct crosswind, don't wait until your 3rd orbit to start crabbing! The point of holding is to safely delay you in the air while the cause of the delay is fixed. "Safely" delay means being where you are supposed to be... on the protected side of the fix.  It doesn't mean you mindlessly adhere to the 6T's while flying all sorts of jacked-up figure-8's in the sky because you're too stupid to adjust your heading until your third turn in holding.