Midwest Flyer Magazine

Flight Training
on base, so allowances may be made in
judging when to turn onto final. If the
turn onto final results in the need for an
extreme turn to the centerline, it is time
to go around and live to try again.
On final, the pilot can begin to
make an accurate assessment of where
the touchdown point will be. This is
also the time to begin any corrections
needed to compensate for crosswinds.
Since we look for that point in the
windshield that does not move up or
down, it is important that the pitch be
held as constant as possible during final.
By beginning these corrections early,
the pilot will have an opportunity to
place the aircraft in the proper position
for a crosswind landing, whether the
technique is crab and kick or slip to
landing.
In summary, this approach uses
ground reference maneuvers which
provide for a series of discrete stages in
the landing pattern using maneuvers,
which the student has learned already.
These help the pilot develop a sense
of where the airplane is, what the
wind is, and a priority for performing
those maneuvers. Once the procedure
becomes second nature, the pilot
will automatically pick out targets
at unfamiliar airports without even
thinking about it. When the tower says,
“Extend downwind, I’ll call base,” the
pilot automatically selects a new target
and flies accordingly. Of course this
is not a cure-all, but it does provide a
possible tool for learning and teaching
landings.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Harold Green is a
Certified Instrument Flight Instructor at
Morey Airplane Company in Middleton,
Wisconsin (C29). Email questions or
comments to: harlgren@aol.com or
call 608-836-1711 (www.MoreyAirport.
com).
q
High On Health
Gotcha! (Round 2)
by Dr. John Beasley, M.D.
A
couple of
issues ago, I
wrote about
some of the things
that get pilots in
trouble with the
medical certification
system. The dreaded
“Gotchas.” I pointed
out that really (really!) those folks in
OK City are not out to “do a gotcha”
to you, but there are things that can get
you in trouble with certification. Here,
in no particular order, are a few more to
16 JUNE/JULY 2013 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE
add to the four I listed last time.
Gotcha #5. Lying. I had this guy
who had had serious heart problems
and didn’t disclose that when I
examined him and issued a certificate.
(“I didn’t think it was important.” Yeah,
right!). I found this out incidentally
before the next examination and refused
to do it. The FAA (and I) take a dim
view of folks who lie on the form. Not
only are there legal consequences (read
the fine print), but the FAA can and in
some cases has, revoked all certificates
when an applicant falsifies information
for the exam. Oh, and you might really
be a hazard to yourself and others…
more important than the legal stuff!
If you do lie, you are more likely
to get caught than you used to be. I’m
really not comfortable with many of
the changes that have taken place since
the implementation of the Electronic
Health Record (EHR), and the
dissemination of medical information
is one of them. There is a lot of stuff
that’s in the EHR – some of which
may be outdated or just plain wrong.
Nonetheless, I can’t see anybody in my
clinic without opening up the EHR.
And, if I see things there, I don’t feel I
can ignore them.
Gotcha # 6. Not reporting a DUI
(Driving Under the Influence) or
substance-related legal issue to the
right people. Had a DUI or other
drug related legal problem Just
reporting to your AME does not meet
requirements for the drug or alcohol
reporting regulations. You must report
any “administrative” action (arrest,
judgment, required education) to the
FAA Security Division within 60 days.
If there was a single DUI, you need to
report it and you should bring all police
and court records with you, including
the blood alcohol level, when you
see your AME. If you refuse alcohol
testing, it will be presumed that you
were positive and the FAA will require a
full substance abuse evaluation.
Been drinking Don’t drive. Taxi fare
is a lot cheaper. By the way, if you have