The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 1 - Delta Virtual Airlines

The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 1

This Month’s Features:
Monthly Articles
Program News........................3
Recent Promotions ..................3
Mad Dogs In The News ............4
Featured Articles
Flight Deck Visits ....................7
Training Info From The Pro.......9
When Engines Go Bad .............10
Flight Spotlight (CVG to YYZ)....15
Taxi and Takeoff Overview .......18
Photo Credits:
• Nathan Rasch
• David Scott
• Craig Davidson
• Mike Evans
April / May 2006
Volume #2 – Issue #3
On the Cover:
MD-88 Flight deck photo from Mike Evans
Newsletter Editor:
Larry Foltran (DVA1679) delta1679@sbcglobal.net
Program Chief Pilot:
Larry Foltran (DVA1679) delta1679@sbcglobal.net
Program Asst. Chief Pilot:
Tyrone Weston (DVA085) dmain3v3nt@aol.com
Delta Virtual Airlines (DVA) is in no way affiliated with Delta Air
Lines or any of its subsidiaries. The information contained in this
document is for flight simulation use only. This document is
freeware only.
All Rights Reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, in
part or its entirety, without the expressed permission of DVA and
the Editor. Images used are copyrighted by their respective
owners.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 2

MD88/90 Program News
New MD-88/90 Manual Revision
A revision of the DVA MD-88/90 Manual is currently
in the works. Actually, it has been for quite some
time and is (hopefully) close to completion. It will
feature an in-depth history of the aircraft series,
detailed specs and plenty of flying tips & guidelines.
Keep an eye out for it!
* * *
Guest Writers Welcome!
Do you have an idea for an article topic? Would
you like to submit an article for the next issue of
the Mad Dog Newsletter? Please contact Larry
Foltran (delta1679@sbcglobal.net) to submit your
idea. You will of course be credited for any
information you send in.
Recent Promotions
Every month, we like to acknowledge our Mad Dog
pilots who have completed all of the requirements
necessary to wear the extra stripe. Congratulations
to all on your promotion.
Andrew Dube (DVA2170) – Captain (Apr)
Richard Williams (DVA3025) – Captain (Apr)
Kenneth Davis (DVA3017) – Captain (Apr)
Brian Myers (DVA339) – Captain (Apr)
Jack Hendricks (DVA2936) – Captain (Apr)
Adam Brown (DVA1354) – Captain (Apr)
Michael Schlabowske (DVA3050) – Captain (Apr)
Zachary Fleming (DVA3038) – Captain (Apr)
Joel Wright (DVA2939) – Captain (Apr)
David Taylor (DVA3076) – Captain (Apr)
Mark Celestine (DVA2309) – Captain (Apr)
Scott James (DVA2790) – Captain (Apr)
Rob Berry (DVA2870) – Captain (Apr)
* * *
Wanted – Mad Dog Screenshots!
We’re always looking for excellent and unique
screenshots or photos. If you have one that we can
use in the newsletter, please send it in.
(delta1679@sbcglobal.net) All submissions must
be your original work. Please do not submit
screenshots you have not taken or photos from
online aviation photo sites.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 3

Mad Dogs In The News
Shuttle Bus Hits Plane at Metro
Airport
By Anu Prakash
Web produced by Sarah Morgan
April 7, 2006
An employee shuttle bus clipped the wing of a
Northwest DC 9 airplane that was parked at a gate,
Friday at Metro Airport.
Airplane business heads into California
sunset
Final Boeing 717 rolls out of factory; future
uncertain for C-17 cargo carrier
The Associated Press
Updated: 5:57 p.m. ET April 23, 2006
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The last Boeing 717 has left
the factory.
The slender airliner, trailed by dozens of the workers
who built it, was rolled out before dawn last week
and towed across a boulevard to Long Beach
Airport.
Its delivery to AirTran Airways next month will mark
the end of seven decades of commercial airplane
production in Southern California.
At another sprawling complex nearby, thousands of
workers still produce the Boeing C-17 military cargo
plane. However, there are no new orders for the
aircraft in the proposed Defense Department budget.
Investigators said, the plane was at the gate and
passengers were boarding the plane, which was
headed to Syracuse, New York. The plane moved
slightly, but no one on board was injured.
Investigators said the plane was slightly damaged.
Metro Airport spokesman Mike Conway said, "The
bus sustained a little bit more damage; had a
smashed up windshield. There were six people on
the bus that wanted [medical attention]. From my
understanding, almost all of them have been cleared
to return to work. Just basically bumps and bruises."
Investigators are not sure if the bus driver had a
medical condition or if speed was a factor.
The passengers on the plane were transferred to
another aircraft and have left for Syracuse. The
plane will be tested to make sure it is structurally
sound.
If congressional efforts to restore the program fail,
the last of those flying warehouses will be delivered
in 2008, and all airplane production would end in
California — once the center of commercial and
military airplane construction in the nation.
“More aviation history has been made in Southern
California than in any other place in the world,” said
Bill Schoneberger, author of “California Wings,” a
history of aviation in the state.
“But we’ve evolved. The aeronautics industry has
moved from an airplane business into a systems
business,” he said.
Indeed, as corporate consolidation and defense cuts
sent airplane production to Seattle, St. Louis and
other regions, Southern California has moved from
metal bending to aerospace research and
development.
Today’s workers build satellites, helicopters and
unmanned surveillance drones while developing
rockets and military jets that are made elsewhere.
Southern California aviation history dates to the
early 1900s and features pioneers such as Howard
Hughes, Jack Northrop and Donald Douglas, whose
Douglas Aircraft built the DC-1 in 1933, one of the
first commercial passenger planes.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 4

Only 180 more C-17 planes remain on order in
California. The planes cost about $154 million each.
Ron Marcotte, Boeing vice president of global
mobility systems, said it could take billions of dollars
and several years to restart the program if it shuts
down.
“It’s the suppliers and the learning of this work force
which would go away overnight,” he said.
With weather that accommodated year-round flying,
the region drew companies that produced bombers
and fighter planes during World War II. Later came
jetliners such as the DC-8, DC-9, DC-10, MD-80,
MD-90, MD-11 and L-1011 TriStar, and space
vehicles that included the Apollo capsule and space
shuttle. Boeing Co. acquired the Long Beach plant in
August 1997 when it bought McDonnell-Douglas
Corp.
As the nation’s defense priorities shifted, Northrop
Grumman Corp. went from building B-2 stealth
bombers and other planes in the region to providing
electronic warfare systems, including the Global
Hawk unmanned surveillance plane, built in San
Diego.
Boeing builds satellites in El Segundo. And at a
research facility in Palmdale, Lockheed Martin Corp.
is developing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the next
generation warplane.
California’s congressional delegation believes the
high-wing, four-engine C-17 still has a place in that
arsenal.
“We live in a time of uncertainty. No one knows how
many C-17s we will need,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein,
D-Calif., said during a recent tour of the factory in
Long Beach that employs 6,000 people.
No effort is in the works to save the Boeing 717, a
mid-size, twin-jet passenger plane that struggled to
find its market.
Boeing has sold 155 of the planes since the first
delivery in 1999. Many of the unionized workers on
the assembly line have transferred to the C-17
program or been placed in jobs at other aerospace
companies.
The last Boeing 717 is now parked on the airport
ramp, awaiting the start of flight testing. The names
of the 800 workers who built it have been scrawled
on the inside skin of its fuselage and covered by
metal paneling.
Many have worked on airplanes for a quartercentury
or more.
The cargo plane has been used since 1991 to airlift
heavy equipment and transport troops. Supporters
say its ability to land on short dirt runways has
helped take the load off supply trucks that come
under heavy fire in Iraq and Afghanistan.
To replace the C-17, the Defense Department will
consider acquiring a proposed new tanker aircraft
and modernizing another transport plane, the larger
C-5.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 5

Boeing employee Kelly Jenson spent 21 years
building passenger planes before shifting to the C-
17, where his fate is uncertain.
“We spend a minimum of eight hours a day here,
sometimes 10 or 12,” Jenson said. “We’re with each
other more than we’re with our family. This is our
family.”
Article from:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12452483/
Photos from:http://www.freerepublic.com
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 6

Flight Deck Visits
By: Larry Foltran
For an aviation enthusiast, a visit to the cockpit is a
great and memorable experience. I’ve been
fortunate enough to have several such visits under
my belt. The fact that 90% of my family lives in Brazil
and we used to make frequent trips to visit them,
provided me the opportunity to earn more flight
hours before the age of 18 than many people
accumulate in their life time. I still have very vivid
memories of the short hops from DTW to LGA
aboard the sleek American Airlines Super-80s and
the long, overnight flights aboard the giant Pan Am
747s.
One especially vivid memory comes from many
years back during one of our Rio to JFK legs. I
remember being awakened by my Dad and seeing a
smiling flight attendant standing in the aisle way. We
were lead from the deep recesses of coach, towards
the nose of the plane and finally up the spiral stairs. I
remember being amazed by the legroom provided in
the elite level of the jumbo jet as our small
procession continued. Still trying to wake up, my
Dad and I were shown into the flight deck. I
remember the sun just sneaking over the horizon
and the illuminated instruments spread before me.
The Captain invited me to come closer to the throttle
pedestal as he sipped his morning coffee. I’m sure
my Dad was equally as excited about being granted
entry onto the flight deck. Having me along as some
leverage helped and there’s nothing wrong with that
in my book.
My next visit came
years later. As I
grew older, I
developed an
inner-ear condition
that made flying
somewhat
uncomfortable.
That condition
ended up turning
into a fear of flying.
People who knew
of my love of
airplanes always
gave me a strange
look when I told
them that I had a
fear of flying. My
response was
always, “I love everything about planes, except for
being in them.” In 2000, my wife and I (she was
there for support) attended a fear of flying program
offered by Northwest Airlines. Part of this program
included a hanger visit at Detroit Metro Airport
(DTW). During this visit, we had a free ticket to walk
around and inside a NWA DC-9. What an
opportunity that was. Trust me, I took plenty of
pictures.
During the 3-day program, I talked quite a bit to a
Northwest 757 Captain who was there as part of the
“instructor” panel. Having an airline pilot available to
answer every question I had bouncing in my head
was a dream come true. The program concluded
with a “graduation flight” from Metro Airport to Grand
Rapids aboard an A319. My new “pilot friend”, as my
wife referred to him as, sat directly behind me and
we discussed what was going on in the cockpit
throughout the flight. He was also nice enough to
arrange a cockpit visit for me during our brief layover
in Grand Rapids. The pilots were extremely friendly
and provided me the first opportunity to take the FO
seat in an Airbus. I know opinions vary about these
aircraft, but you have to admit that they give pilots
plenty of leg room.
A few months later, after a conversation with the
First Officer prior to boarding, I was invited to the
cockpit of a NWA 757 for a very brief visit before
departing to Orlando (MCO). Not wanting to
interrupt their preflight procedures, I made my visit a
quick one. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take any
pictures on this occasion.
My most recent cockpit visit came during a trip to
Denver for a job interview. I had promised my kids
that I would bring home some pilot wings when I
returned. Upon reaching the gate in the Mile High
City, my attempt to claim this prize disappeared as I
saw the pilots leaving the plane before I had a
chance ask them. The next evening, as I boarded a
United Airlines 737 for the return trip, I decided to
take advantage of a traffic jam in first class and
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 7

asked the attendant if she had any plastic wings for
my kids. She promptly leaned into the cockpit and
asked the Captain. He was more than happy to
reach into his bag and retrieve some wings. While
doing so he asked with a smile, “Are these really for
your kids or for you?”
I replied, “These are actually for my kids, but I’m an
aviation enthusiast as well.” He smiled broadly and
waved me up to the currently vacant First Officer’s
seat. The Flight Attendant happily put my carry on
bag in the galley area as I made my way into the
seat.
Remember to always be polite and courteous.
Keep in mind that a cockpit visit is a privilege and
not something “they” owe you because you hold a
boarding pass for that flight.
Express the fact that you are an aviation enthusiast
and have a deep interest in commercial aviation.
Sometimes it’s as simple as striking up a friendly
conversation with one of the pilots as he waits at the
gate. That’s actually what happened before the
Orlando flight I mentioned earlier. The First Officer
was reviewing the weather report at the gate area. I
politely introduced myself and asked him about his
predictions on the smoothness of the upcoming flight.
Always keep in mind that they are “on the job”. I’ve
never met a pilot that was rude or didn’t want to
simply say hello. But make sure you aren’t getting in
the way of him performing his job responsibilities.
Sometimes a simple, “would you mind if I took a
quick peek at the flight deck” works. If you get an
unfavorable response, simply thank the pilot anyway
and wish him a good flight. Don’t be a pest and
begging does not help your cause. You never know,
he may not be able to offer a quick look prior to the
flight, be he may allow it once you arrive at your
destination.
The Captain seemed equally as excited about me
being up there as I was. Once he discovered that my
aircraft knowledge was a little greater than the
average passenger, he was eager to discuss some
of the more technical aspects of the 737 and went
over the planned route which included a souvenir
print out of the flight plan for the evening. We began
discussing the world of VAs and FS when the First
Officer returned with his dinner carry-out bag in hand.
The conversation continued and the FO informed me
that he was a former Delta MD-88 pilot. Needless to
say, I was quite excited by this revelation and would
have liked to spend more time chatting with him as
well. Unfortunately, it was time for me to head back
to my seat…way back to my seat. From the absolute
first row of seats to the last row of seats. But not
before the FO filled in as photographer for the
evening and snapped a memorable shot.
Finally, use your kids as an excuse if you have them
with you. ☺
Regardless of whether or not you were granted
access to the “front office”, always be sure to thank
the flight crew for safely getting you from point ‘A’ to
point ‘B’. Not being a pilot, I really don’t have a first
hand experience as to the daily life of a commercial
pilot. Although, through conversations and written
accounts, I have learned that the life of a pilot can
be difficult and grueling. In many cases, it is a
thankless profession. Make sure you show them that
there are many of us who do appreciate what they
do every day…and don’t forget about the cabin crew
too!
Unfortunately, flight deck visits have become a rarity
due to security issues. But, from my point of view,
such visits offer airlines a very positive customer
relations opportunity and one that makes such
airlines my first choice when planning trips.
I’m often asked, “what’s the trick?” I don’t believe
there is a trick, just some common sense guidelines
you should follow if you ever desire to make such a
visit.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 8

Training Info From the Pro
By: Larry Foltran
Terry and I were surprised to receive a very
unexpected e-mail in April (Terry actually received it,
but he forwarded it to me ☺). The note came from
Mr. R. Winston Whitlock Jr, MD-88/90 Flight
Training Procedures Instructor for Delta Air Lines, in
response to a recent Water Cooler Post. After
receiving the go ahead from Terry, I decided to post
Mr. Whitlock’s insight in the newsletter. I’m sure
you’ll find it as educational as I did.
In the Mad Dog, the easiest way to execute a
manual descent, rather than the FMS is to use
vertical speed. When given the new altitude use the
pitch wheel, which is always armed. Slowly pitch the
a/c to about 1500-2000FPM and let the a/c descend
for passenger comfort. You don't want to float them
in the aisles. FMS is great, especially if the area is
busy (NE corridor) but I prefer manual descents.
The FMS always wants to use the most economical
airspeed V/S combo which might not be what ATC
wants. Long cruise descents or crossing restrictions
known in advance, fine but manual descents give
me better control.
The autothrottles will reduce power to maintain the
desired V/S. Then push IAS which will "snapshot"
the current airspeed into the former V/S window.
The throttles should go to CLMP. The a/c will
descend at the current cruise airspeed and with the
throttles in CLMP (computer lockout manual power)
you can then change your rate of descent with the
throttles. Bring the throttles back to idle and watch
the "green banana" on the nav display. Using the
CLMPed throttles, put the banana about 5 miles shy
of the E/D point (end of descent) which will allow you
to get down a little early and then slow down.
Be sure to update your command speed to whatever
speed you want the A/C to assume when it levels off.
As you approach your new altitude (usually about
2000 feet prior) either use IAS to reduce your
airspeed or press V/S and reduce the vertical speed
component. At ALT CAP, the a/c will resume the
command speed selected.
If descending to below 10,000 feet, most pilots will
use IAS and V/S together. If descending in a
manual (not fms) descent at cruise speed (IAS), set
240K in the command window. This gives you a
10K buffer. You can always speed up a bit. At
about 13,000 feet, start slowing the aircraft down
using IAS. ONLY if you might descend below
10,000 at above 250KIAS, then switch to V/S or hit
altitude hold to keep from getting a "write down this
phone number" from ATC.
As you approach the airport, your goal is 10,000
AGL, 30 miles and 250KIAS. Slats can be extended
at 280KIAS as well as FLAPS 11. Spoilers are NOT
authorized with flaps or gear extended.
Most ATC will not let you slow down until you are
within 5 miles downwind. I will extend slats just to
help with the drag as I get within 15 miles and need
to come down and slow down. Once I get below
10,000, then I use V/S only and command speed
bug.
For 130,000lb aircraft, I suggest 210KIAS downwind
(or LONG final) with slats extended. Base leg, flaps
11 and 185, on long final you can, if ATC will let you,
flaps 15 and 165 but I prefer to keep the speed up.
At glide slope alive - Gear down/ flaps 15 and speed
155. 1/2 dot to glide slope, flaps 40, command
speed which is vref+5K if the autothottles are
working. Final will be at about 137 or so.
R. Winston Whitlock, Jr.
Chairman's Club 2004
MD88/90 Flight Training Procedures Instructor
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
I would like to thank Mr. Whitlock once again for
taking the time to write in and offer this very unique
opportunity to learn from a professional Mad Dog
pilot. I sincerely hope he will offer his expertise in the
future. I’m sure I speak for all of us in saying that we
always welcome such insight and are eager to learn
more about how the real pilots fly this amazing
aircraft.
When climbing or descending using IAS, think of the
IAS window as the "going to" airspeed and the
command speed as the "after you get there"
airspeed. Always plan on updating the command
speed.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 9

When Engines Go Bad
By: Larry Foltran
Way back in issue #3 (October 2005), we went over
how to plan ahead in case of a problem during flight.
This month, we will be focusing on a very specific
problem, the dreaded engine failure.
There are numerous things that can change a
routine flight into an emergency situation. Although
most are rare, pilots need to be prepared. Pilot
training not only covers how to react to the situation.
Pilots must be able to accurately diagnose the
problem based on the “symptoms”.
As an example, below is a list of possible
malfunctions and emergency conditions that may
occur followed by some possible symptoms.
Engine condition:
1. Engine separation
2. Severe damage
3. Surge
4. Bird ingestion / FOD
5. Seizure
6. Flameout
7. Fuel control problems
8. Fire
9. Tailpipe fires
10. Hot start
11. Icing
12. Reverser uncommanded deployment
13. Fuel leak
X = Symptom very likely, O = Symptom possible
Engine Condition
Symptoms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Bang O X X O O O
Fire Warning O O O X
Visible Flame O O O O O X O
Vibration X O X O X X
Yaw O O O O O O O X
High EGT X X O O X O X O
N1 Change X X O O X X X X
N2 Change X X O O X X X X
EPR Change X X X O X X X X
FF Change X O O O X O O X
Oil ind Change X O O O X O
Cowl Damage X X O X
Cabin Smoke O O O
For the purpose of this article, we are going to take a
simple walk through an enroute event. I’m sure
everyone understands this, but I’ll add the disclaimer
anyway. I’m not a professional pilot nor have I gone
through any formal training. The information in this
article is based on the information I have gathered in
the past. That being said, this info is strictly for flight
simulation use and not to be used in actual flight.
Away with the legal stuff and on to the
flying…um…virtual flying. ☺
OK, here’s the scene. We’re on initial approach in
Atlanta, level at 5000 feet and waiting to turn on the
base leg. We suddenly notice a fire warning and
there is a noticeable change in our fuel flow rate.
Can we be sure there is an engine fire? Although fire
indications can result from faulty detection systems,
flight crews should always regard any fire warning as
a fire.
During any emergency situation, your order of focus
should be 1) Aviate, 2) Navigate, 3) Investigate, 4)
Communicate, 5) Secure. Putting that into our
hypothetical situation:
1) Aviate – The aircraft is in stable and level
flight.
2) Navigate – Atlanta is our nearest airport and
we will plan to land there.
3) Investigate – Diagnose the problem. We
have received a fire warning in engine #2,
so we will procede with that emergency
checklist.
4) Communicate – We contact ATC and inform
them of our situation.
5) Secure – Follow emergency checklist items.
I think everyone can agree that when a serious
malfunction occurs, getting the aircraft safely on the
ground is the top priority.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 10

To counteract this, you will need to apply equal and
opposite pressure to the rudder. The more power
you add to the good engine, the more the aircraft will
turn.
In the event of a fire warning annunciation, the
emergency checklists and procedures should be put
into action. In this situation, the aircraft is stabilized
and we are at level flight. Based on that, engine
shutdown should be performed immediately by
shutting off fuel to the engine. Following that, all
bleed air, electrical and hydraulics from the injured
engine should be isolated and the fire handle should
be pulled to extinguish the fire. In the event of an
engine fire, an engine restart should not be
attempted unless the engine is critical for continued
safe flight.
The landing phase of the flight is normally the most
critical. Doing so in the midst of an emergency
makes things even more interesting. We will be
hand flying the aircraft for the remainder of the flight
to maintain complete control of the aircraft in this
situation. When flying with one engine out, the
aircraft well tend to turn towards the side of the failed
engine. In this example, our #2 (right side) engine is
out. As a result, the aircraft will try to turn to the left. I
have tried to illustrate this using the airport runway
as a reference in the image below.
As shown in the diagram, only the #1 engine is
powering the aircraft. We push on the left pedal to
apply opposite rudder to maintain straight flight. The
aircraft will tend to drift to the right in this scenario,
so we should line up slightly to the left of the runway.
Winds will also be a factor and should be taken into
account.
Another thing to keep in mind during an engine out
approach is your flap settings. Based on information
I’ve read, the landing should be done at flaps 28.
You will have less lift than normal, but you will be
able to keep your airspeed up. Keep a close eye on
your airspeed during the approach, as it does have
the potential to drop quickly. Be sure to make small
adjustments to power if necessary. In this crippled
state, a sudden or major adjustment to power could
seriously destabilize the aircraft.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 11

Once the aircraft is safely on the runway, make sure
not to activate the thrust reversers. Only the spoilers
and wheel brakes should be used to slow the aircraft.
This will obviously result in a longer rollout than
normal.
Your responsibility as Pilot in Command does not
end once the aircraft has stopped safely on the
runway. You must also secure the aircraft and
ensure that all of your passengers can evacuate the
aircraft safely and quickly. Aside from putting a
plastic play slide next to your PC and sending your
kids or younger siblings down one after another, we
really don’t have to simulate that. I guess our job is
done and our flight is over.
After reading this article, I hope you have learned
that emergencies are not meant to be panic
situations. By maintaining control of the aircraft,
diagnosing the problem and following procedures,
we can get the aircraft down safely. Thankfully, the
mistakes we make during our flights aren’t life
threatening. So use mistakes as an opportunity to
learn instead of getting discouraged. Until the day
comes that you’re on Delta Air Line’s payroll and
entrusted with the safety of actual passengers, keep
learning and have fun.
Real Life Story
Here is a real life pilot account of a major engine
problem aboard a MD-80. This story can also be
read at:
http://www.iac52.com/safetywise/june2001.htm
On Christmas Eve last year I was 50 miles out over
the Gulf of Mexico at 20,000 feet in my MD-80
indicating 330 kts. with 147 folks on board. The time
was 3:25 P.M….the afternoon was clear, no clouds,
no bumps, perfect flying weather. Suddenly I heard
and felt an explosion. It came from the rear of the
aircraft and I saw the windscreen yaw to the right
rapidly. Both throttles slammed back to the stops,
the autothrottles snapped off, the autopilot
disengaged and the alarms started sounding in my
ear as I unfolded from a totally relaxed state to a
posture of focused attention. The aircraft started to
vibrate and decelerate. Like all pilots, it took me a
second or two to comprehend the fact that
something had just gone dreadfully wrong….I didn’t
know what it was yet but it had my full attention. I
glanced at the engine instruments first and noted
that I had two engines at idle when before they had
been at climb power. There was no fire light and no
other indications of a problem on my warning
system. My first thought was that a bomb had gone
off. I knew we had had an explosion because I had
felt it and heard it. I glanced up at the pressurization
gauges and saw that we were holding pressure. I
thought, "okay…it’s not a bomb"…our pressure hull
is still okay. Admittedly, after the glance at the
pressurization gauges and the fact that I had no
other indication of a failure I sat there for a couple of
seconds as the aircraft continued to decelerate and
vibrate and wonder what had just happened to me,
my crew and my passengers. I was fifty miles out
over the Gulf of Mexico heading away from the
Florida coast with no power
It was at that time that training took over. The First
Officer was flying that leg so he had immediately
grabbed the controls when the explosion occurred. I
told him as I waved my right arm, "Turn around and
get the nose down"….he replied, "we don’t have
ATC clearance." Well….he was new as he had only
been at my airline for 3 ½ months….and at the same
time a King Air Pilot was getting a full clearance to
somewhere over the radio effectively blocking any
attempt from us to communicate our intentions. I
forcefully re-stated, "Turn around!!" He did…I was
pointed in the wrong direction with two (2) engines at
idle…ATC clearance or not, I wanted to get the nose
pointed towards land, not the sea. We turned
towards Tampa Florida descending and without
clearance. Only a few seconds went by before JAX
center addressed us asking us what we were doing.
My intentions at that time were to land ASAP
or…..perhaps sooner if I could not get at least one
(1) engine to produce some thrust. They asked me
the usual questions as we descended toward
Tampa…something a Captain never wants to
hear…."How many souls on board, how much fuel,
do you want the emergency equipment?" I always
write down the exact number of passengers on
board before we leave the gate so I looked in front of
me to the control yoke and read off the information
to ATC thinking, "how could this be happening to
me?"…This type of thing always happens to
somebody else.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 12

I was fiddling with the throttles as we turned around
towards the coast of Florida trying to figure out if I
had one engine, two engines, or no engines. For a
couple of seconds the thought crossed my mind that
I might have to ditch this airplane in the Gulf. The
vibrations continued. As we descended I listened as
ATC cleared other aircraft away from our direct line
to Tampa. I brought the left engine throttle gently
forward…..it responded. I took the right throttle in my
hands and brought it forward slowly with no
response. The bottom line is that our right engine
had literally blown up. The n2 (rear) section of the
engine had disintegrated throwing fan blades and
debris over the Gulf of Mexico. There was a flash fire
that covered the tail in black soot but it extinguished
itself almost immediately due to our relatively high
airspeed at the time….or luck. The front section kept
spinning away giving me oil pressure and generator
oil pressure but no thrust. With at least one (1) good
engine at my disposal, my heart rate started to slow
a little. I didn't know if it too was damaged as the
engines are situated fairly close together on the tail
and an explosion in one engine can adversely affect
the other one....but for the time being, it was giving
me the thrust I needed. We went to the checklist, I
made a P.A. to the passengers, and quickly fell into
the routine I had practiced countless times in the
simulator….a single engine approach and landing in
an aircraft that was several thousand pounds over
the maximum landing weight.
As we turned onto final with a minimum touch down
speed of 169 MPH due to our single engine
configuration, checklist completed, aircraft vibrating,
my one good engine at almost full power to maintain
the descent rate, I saw a most welcome sight.....
beautiful fire trucks and emergency equipment with
lights flashing parked on both sides of the runway at
every single intersecting taxiway ready to give us
help if we needed it…It's hard to describe the
overwhelming feeling of gratuity I had for those men
and women who were ready to put their lives on the
line for us if the landing went bad.
The landing was a good one. After stopping on the
runway and getting checked out by the emergency
boss, I elected to taxi to the gate so the passengers
didn't have to do the "rubber slide ride"....frankly, I
didn't want to do it either. The whole experience
turned out to be a non-event although I'm sure that it
was a Christmas Eve that 147 passengers and five
crewmembers will never forget. It wasn't until later
that night that I sat at home alone in the dark,
loosened my tie and said to myself....whew!….It’s
nice to be alive.
Although I will never forget that Christmas Eve flight,
the outcome was successful due to the training the
crew had received. Everybody on that crew had
trained for just such a scenario. When the
unbelievable happened, training took over and by
rote, the mission was accomplished.
Whether I knew it or not, all those hours spent in the
simulator came forward when that engine blew. After
a momentary hesitation with the thought that "this is
not happening to me"….my crew and I reverted to
our training….something we had gone over again
and again and again. That day, my life and the life of
my passengers depended on that training.
No accolades came from my company. The engine
blew and we performed as expected. That is what
they train us for....that is what they expect from us. If
we had screwed up, we would have surely heard
from the "upper echelon". But everything went
according to what they expect their pilots and crew
to do because our company had taken the time to
assure that we were prepared for such an event…an
event that a typical airline pilot can go through an
entire career without experiencing.
When it gets right down to it, my butt was in the
nose cone of that aircraft and if the training I had
received had failed, I would have been the first to
know about it. The thought could be projected that
immediately after that explosion, the yaw, the
vibration….I was in the zone of confusion and denial
for at least a few seconds. Is it any different for any
other pilot in a high performance aircraft when
something unexpected goes wrong? I doubt it
except for the fact that at 20,000 feet, I had much
more time to think about the problem than most of
us do in our aerobatic aircraft. How prepared are we
for the unexpected? Unlike me or any other airline
pilot, nobody in Chapter 52 is forced to go through
any training. Nobody in our Chapter is required to sit
in their cockpit and say to themselves, "okay, the
engine just quit, what do I do, what are my options
and if I decide to bail out, what is the procedure for
me specifically in MY aircraft?" If you pull the canopy
back, is it going to come off? When you pull the
quick release on your harness, is your headset still
connected to the plug in? Is your headset cord
wrapped around your seatbelt or tucked into a
convenient space so it doesn't flop around during
maneuvers? If it is, will you snap your neck as you
exit the aircraft when it catches on something? Has
your parachute been recently inspected? At what
altitude do you bail?…..do you have a definite "cut
off point"?….or is this something you want to decide
at the time? How much training should each of us
put ourselves through to assure that if the
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 13

unbelievable happens to us, we immediately revert
to that training, without thought, without hesitation.
Nobody forces us to go through emergency
procedures except ourselves. The time to figure out
what we will or will not do in a given decision is not
when we are faced with an emergency. Many in
Chapter 52 have "been there done that" and they
would be the first to tell you that their training and
experience perhaps got them through a situation
that might have proven catastrophic to a lesser
trained pilot. I doubt that anybody could argue that
when the unexpected happens, you MUST revert to
the training you have put yourself through. If the
unexpected ever happens to you, I guarantee that
you will sit there for a couple of seconds in
disbelief….and sometimes you just don’t have the
time. Train yourself. Go through your bail out
procedures, establish a minimum altitude to exit the
aircraft, know by rote the exact sequence you will
utilize to exit the aircraft so you don’t hurt yourself.
While flying, always keep yourself in a position
where you have options available if a fuel line
bursts, an oil line comes disconnected or a bird
strike takes out a guide wire. Don’t assume that
every flight you take will be a non event…..it doesn’t
always happen to other guy.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 14

Flight Spotlight – CVG to YYZ
by: Larry Foltran
This time around, our spotlight flight is the Cincinnati
to Toronto route. This route is currently offered by
Comair using a CRJ, but used to be flown using the
MD-88. This flight represents one of the few
international flights that Delta uses or has used the
MD-88 on.
The flight we are focusing on this month is Comair’s
flight #5136. The scheduled departure from CVG is
8:10 am and has us arriving at 9:45 am. Total flight
time is 1 hour and 35 minutes. Our flight will take us
north-east out of the Cincinnati area, over Lake Erie,
and straight into Toronto. Depending on what the
wind will be doing, we may be vectored out over
Lake Ontario for the approach or it could be an easy
shot in.
Toronto/Pearson
International
Airport is situated
about 27 km from
downtown
Toronto. It has 5
main runways and
a total of 30
taxiways. Over 65
different airlines
operate out of
Toronto/Pearson
serving over 29
million
passengers in 2005. Needless to say, CYYZ is a
vital hub for air traffic into the Toronto area and
much of south-eastern Ontario.
Preflight planning provides us with the following:
Passengers: 6 first class, 66 economy – 72 total
ZFW: 97,506 lbs
Fuel load: 16,339 lbs (5,249 wings, 5,901 center)(5,015
reserve – 45 minute)
Total payload: 19,530 lbs
Gross weight: 113,905
Planned route:
KCVG RIKLE YXU YWT V98 CYYZ
Route distance: 412 nm
Cruise Altitude: FL290 (FL370 Optimum)
obtaining the charts necessary for this flight. US
charts are normally pretty easy to find, but Canadian
charts seem to be more difficult. Thanks to the hard
work Luke has put into our DVA site, we don’t have
to stray too far to get the Toronto related charts.
The route and
planned altitude is
based on the
actual CVG to YYZ
flight route.
www.flightaware
.com has been
one of my favorite
stops when
planning a flight. It
allows you to find a specific flight and provides the
flight plan and altitude. Why not use the real data if
it’s available?
Now that our preflight planning is complete, we are
ready to get moving. Our flight will be departing from
Gate C42 this morning. Once on the flight deck, we
find out that our departure will be made without the
aide of ATC. A weather check informs us that the
winds are out of the west at 8 knots. It’s also a cold,
overcast morning, so we’ll definitely be utilizing our
icing prevention equipment.
Loading and preflight is completed on schedule and
we push from the gate right on time. We opt to take
of on runway 27, so our taxi is a short one. With our
checklists complete, I give everything a final look
and move onto the runway. The landing lights are
clicked on and our transponder is switched to mode
‘C’. As we begin our roll, I once again confirm that
our de-ice equipment has been switched on. Our
MD-88 lifts off the runway with plenty of pavement to
spare and we begin our climb out. I begin the turn on
course prior to reaching the ceiling drawing closer.
Our visibility drops to zero as we enter the cloud
layer at about 4,000 feet.
We finally punch out of the clouds and our ride
smoothes out…for now. Our climb continues up to
FL290 where we settle for our cruise. Occasional
light chop continues until we near the Columbus,
Ohio area. The overcast clouds below us disappear
a few minutes later and we look ahead to clear skies.
We’ve got a pretty empty flight this morning, so
weight won’t be an issue. The part we do need to
consider is that this is an international flight and with
that comes a specific set of procedures. Thankfully,
we don’t have to worry about many of those issues
when flying on FS. What we do need to consider is
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 15

I’ll take this opportunity to share an embarrassing
story of mine.
I was a relatively fresh DVA pilot with only a few
months under my belt. My schedule finally permitted
me to take part in one of the DVA Musketeer Fly-in
Events. Many of you still recall how big these events
were. If I remember correctly, the conga line took us
from KSTL to CYYZ. The flight went smoothly, but
things really picked up as the traffic buildup grew at
CYYZ. ATC kept the traffic tight and I ended up a
couple of planes behind Luke Kolin and right in front
of our President, Terry Eshenour. Talk about
pressure.
Cleveland Center comes on line and begins to track
our progress through his airspace. As we approach
his north-eastern border, he clears us down to
FL250 before sending us to UNICOM. With the
approach charts in hand, I prepare for the approach
into the Toronto area. Even though I’ve been
monitoring the weather situation at our destination, I
check the winds information to determine what
direction we can expect to approach from. Our
approach will be an easy one today, as we will be
coming straight in from the south-west. Skies are still
mostly clear and the air temp will be brisk. It should
be a beautiful arrival into Toronto.
We reach our TOD (Top of Descent) point and
initiate the descent via our autopilot. There is no
other traffic in the area, but we’ll still announce our
intentions on UNICOM as we get closer. The
workload really picks up as we make our way into
the Toronto area. We pick up some chop as we
head through 14,000 feet, but it clears into smooth
air relatively quickly.
A quick and final review of the approach information
is made and will hopefully ensure a smooth and
uneventful final. Our flaps are deployed according to
schedule and we slow to our final approach speed.
With runway 6R in view, we drop our gear and
disengage the autopilot. Touchdown is smooth and
we slow to proper taxi speed with plenty of room to
spare. Now the fun begins, finding our way to the
gate.
As Tyrone Weston described
in his article last month, even
the pros get lost at an airport.
For some reason,
Toronto/Pearson always
confuses me and I seem to
always get lost there. I’ll
probably regret this later, but
ATC cleared me for final and I let the autopilot take
care of the approach. ATC cleared me to land on the
runway, but I noticed (a little too late) that I was way
to the right of where the other DVA aircraft were. I
had received my clearance, the tires were down and
the runway was getting bigger. Time to land. After
putting the aircraft down and as I cleared the runway,
ATC informs me that I landed on the wrong
runway…way wrong. We were all coming in on 24R
& 24 L. I must have decided I was too good for those
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 16

unways, because I landed on 23. As you can see
from the facility chart, I was on the complete
opposite side of the field. Needless to say, me and
my red face had a long taxi back to the terminal to
meet up with the other DVA pilots. Oops.
Back to the flight at hand. We finally make our way
to the gate and shut down. Here’s how things
panned out:
Fuel remaining: 8900lbs
Projected Fuel Burn Rate: 8611 lbs/hr
Actual Fuel Burn Rate: 6617 lbs/hr
Total fuel used: 7499 lbs
Remaining flight time left: 1:20
As you can see,
our fuel use was
quite a bit less
than projected. Of
course, the winds
were favorable and
our approach was
a quick one, so
we’ll credit those
factors for the low burn rate. We also flew the entire
route at MACH 0.76, which helped greatly as well.
Welcome to Canada!!! All in all, this was a pretty
routine flight. Not a bad thing, especially when you’re
flying into an unfamiliar field. Thanks for checking
out this latest installment and we’ll see you in the
next issue.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 17

Taxi and T/O Overview – Lago Panel
By: Larry Foltran
Last month, we took a look at the before start and
start up procedures used for the Lago Mad Dog
Panel. This month, we’ll continue from where we left
off and go over what we should be looking at during
taxi and takeoff. Keep in mind that many of the
areas we’ll go over are exclusive to the payware
panels and models out there. The freeware versions
may vary quite a bit. With that said, on with the show.
Because we’re looking at a pretty long area of the
checklist, we’ll be breezing over some areas and
focusing on others.
• Pitot & Static Heaters, “ON (CAPT)” – Your
pitot and static port heaters will ensure that
your these crucial pieces of equipment will
function as they should. If ice accumulates
on either, your airspeed will drop to zero.
The heaters will remain on throughout the
flight.
• AIRFOIL & ENG A/I, “AS RQD” – If icing
conditions exist (Mad Dog Newsletter –
December 2005), you will need to engage
the airfoil and engine anti-icing systems.
Note that engine power will be slightly
reduced if the engine anti-ice system is in
use.
• APU Items – The next few items serve to
shutdown your APU, as it is no longer
needed to power the aircraft.
• Door Cue Lts, “CK OFF” – Confirm that the
door open message does not appear on the
annunciator. If it does, simply use shift+E to
close the main door.
With these items complete, we move from our After
Start checklist to the Taxiing checklist.
• Pushback – Shift+P
• Electrical Sys, “CK / SET” – Confirm that
your generator switches are in the ON
position for both engines. This will ensure
that the engine generators are now
providing power to the aircraft instead of the
APU.
• Galley Power, “ON” – This switch is located
to the left of the APU panel.
• ENG IGN Sel, “OFF” – This should be
moved to the OFF position for now. Just
prior to takeoff, the switch should be at
BOTH in case of an engine out situation.
• HYD Sys, “CK & SET” – Confirm that the
Hydraulic pumps are set to “HI” for takeoff.
These will be switched to “LOW” after
takeoff and once the flaps have been
completely retracted.
• Exterior Lts, “AS RQD” – Your red beacon
and wing navigation lights should already be
on at this point. Upon reaching this checklist
item, confirm that your nose gear lights are
on if conditions call for them.
• FLAPS/SLAT Lever, “SET FOR TO” –
Extend the flaps and slats to the planned
takeoff configuration (11 or 15 normally).
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 18

• Flt Controls, “TEST” - Pilots normally
perform a check of their control yoke to
confirm there is no binding or sticking of the
controls. This is done by turning your yoke
to both extents, followed by full forward and
full back.
• Ail, Rud &Stab Trim, “ZERO, ZERO, CK” –
Confirm that your aileron and rudder trim is
set at zero. Your stabilizer trim should be set
to the proper takeoff setting.
• Fuel Heat, “AS RQD” – In cold weather
operations, you may need to use the fuel
heaters prior to takeoff. This switch is
located below the Start Pump switch in the
overhead panel. Once selected, they will be
activated for a specific amount of time and
will return to the off position after that.
The remaining items in this checklist prompt you
to review the takeoff information such as V
speeds, assigned runway, etc.
The Before Takeoff checklist is a rather short
one, but it serves to confirm that everything is
set to go for takeoff.
• Landing & Exterior Lts, “AS RQD” – Turn on
your Landing Lights (left glare shield) and
your nose gear lights.
• Thrust Levers, “1.4 EPR” – Smoothly push
the thrust levers forward to initiate the
takeoff roll.
• Autothrottle, “ENGAGE” – Engage the
autothrottle by flipping the switch to the on
position. The autopilot system will control
the thrust and airspeed throughout the
takeoff and climb out.
• ENG ING Sel, “CK” – Move the Engine
Ignition selector to the BOTH position.
• Take Imminency, “ANNOUNCE” – Make
sure your cabin crew knows that you will be
taking off shortly. This can be done by
cycling the seat belt signs off and back on.
Short and sweet, that basically covers our
Before Takeoff checklist. On to the Takeoff list.
• Airpl Dir Control, “MAINTAIN” – Control the
aircraft to make sure it remains lined up on
the runway. Always make sure you are lined
up either to the left or right of the center line.
Lining up directly on the line will result in
nose gear “thumping” caused by the
embedded runway lights.
• V Speed, “ANNOUNCE” – Lago has
included a copilot voice with the panel. It will
announce once you reach V1 and VR.
• Airplane Rotation, “ACHIEVE” – Smoothly
pull back on the yoke. The aircraft should
already be trying to lift off the runway. Some
flight deck videos I’ve seen show the pilots
pushing forward on the yoke to keep the
aircraft on the pavement until they reach VR.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 19

• Landing Gear, “RETRACT” – Pull up the
gear handle. Confirm that the lights all go
out. This is also a good time to shutoff the
taxi lights.
• Landing Lights – Honestly, I still don’t
understand this next item as the landing
lights should remain on until we reach
10,000 feet. Of course I simply could be
missing something. I have been
investigating this and will let you know once
I find out.
• Autopilot, “ON” – At this point, you may
choose to let the auto flight system navigate
the aircraft for you. I sometimes hand fly the
aircraft to cruise if traffic is light.
• Flaps & Slats, “RETRACT” – Retract both
the flaps and slats according to your
planned schedule. The aircraft should be
cleaned up as quickly as it can be done
safely.
That basically covers the taxi through takeoff phases
of a normal flight. The Lago panel can be somewhat
intimidating at first. But with some patience on your
part and a little study time, you’ll be an old pro in no
time.
The Mad Dog “Growl” –April / May 2006 Page 20