Trajectory Ownership - Dogfight Or Guiding Principle?

Few elements of the SESAR Concept of Operations (CONOPS) have generated more controversy than the idea of trajectory ownership did. Regrettably, the controversy still boils. Some experts dismiss the whole thing as a "political dogfight", others conduct lengthy debates on how trajectory ownership will work (or not work) in daily operations. They are both on the wrong track, revealing a fundamental misunderstanding of what the CONOPS is trying to say. It is time we put the matter out of its misery and recognize trajectory ownership for what it was always meant to be: a strategic guiding principle with a fundamental impact on future air traffic management.

First and foremost, we must realize that, except for the smallest and lightest aircraft, almost all flying machines are in fact business tools of differing sophistication. From rented aircraft to the most modern airliners, they fulfill a mission and are meant to generate revenue for their operators. The Sunday leisure flyers apart, this is true of business jets, crop sprayers, airline transports and even the military.

Yes, even the military, all claims to the contrary. Their business is war or the prevention of war, protection of peace or disaster relief, but they too have a budget in time as well as money and while they are not expected to make a profit, they may not waste funds either. Recognizing aircraft as business tools is the first vital step on the strategic level towards understanding the importance of trajectory ownership.

In the days past, a pilot plotted the track to be flown and then flew along it, following railway lines and roads, then flaming oil cans and eventually radio beacons. There was a trajectory of sorts and it was owned by the pilot... of course, as there was nobody else who would claim ownership. This is the case even to-day for aircraft flying VFR in uncontrolled airspace.

Things changed in a big way when air traffic control came along, making previously unimaginable traffic densities in all types of weather possible. Air routes were introduced to make things manageable for the controllers. Ground based trajectory predictors of various accuracies were implemented and the gap between what would be the ideal trajectory for the aircraft and what the ground could manage grew larger and larger. This airspace based paradigm of moving traffic was safe but not terribly efficient. The ground, understandably claimed ownership of all trajectories in exchange for a promise to do their best to keep everybody happy.

The effort was gargantuan, the results impressive but variable here and there. Most importantly, it was becoming clear that the limits of the existing air traffic management paradigm would be reached sooner rather than later.

While this evolution was taking place on the ground, aircraft and their operators evolved even faster. Air transportation grew up and became one of the most competitive business environments in the world. Few things facilitate progress more than does competitive pressure. The days when the Lockheed L-1011 was called the best three engine plane in the world (she actually had four engines but almost never made the ocean crossing with all of them still operating when making landfall) were soon forgotten with the jet engine revolutionizing air transport and the way airlines had to be run.

It was at this point that aircraft became sophisticated business tools that needed to be operated as such on the one hand and needed an environment that made this possible on the other.

Modern on board technology gave the flight crew previously unheard of accuracy in terms of current and future position awareness and the execution of maneuvers. Long gone were the days when sentences like "While being vectored by radar, flight crew are often unable to determine their exact position" in ATC manuals had some truth to them. This was backed up by sophisticated airline ground facilities (the Airline Operations Control centers or AOC) that prepared and fine tuned each flight's trajectory which air traffic control never saw as the flight plan submitted was nothing more than a faint reflection of the real article.

What the plane flew in the end was usually an approximation where coincidence with the ideal trajectory was more the exception than the rule. Not that controllers did not do their best. It was just that the system slapped limitations on what could be achieved.

Civil aviation has an outstanding safety record and this is due in no small part to the exemplary safety level of air traffic management. When I was an officer of one of the air traffic controller associations in Europe, we even coined a slogan for us which said: Air traffic control - your safety in the air. I still believe that this is true. But it is not true to say that the primary business of air traffic management is to ensure safety.

Air traffic management must ensure that those sophisticated business tools can operate efficiently in an environment optimized for their mission and that this is done safely. In the more traditional view, where safety is a purpose, safety arguments are often abused to prevent change from happening (even where the change would in fact result in a safer system!). If however we see safety as a requirement, evolution and change are no longer limited by false safety premises. Change can take place safely, full stop. In this light, ATC facilitating a business environment is no longer an anachronism and safety is not an issue.

So, what is the status of the trajectory developed by an aircraft operator? It is the expression of its business intent, the best they can come up with considering the known limitations before air traffic management issues are factored in. It is no accident that this trajectory is called a Business Trajectory in SESAR (mission trajectory for the military, but as we have seen, it is the same thing).

We must also remember that, conceptually, an airline does not operate aircraft... they operate a network and this network is in fact represented dynamically by the trajectories they develop for the individual flights. The "product" of an airline is the seats they sell... and it is one of the most perishable products on Earth. Once the doors of the aircraft are closed, empty seats are like rotten melons. They represent a loss for that flight's financial balance sheet.

There is a clear connection between the trajectories and the number of filled seats. If the trajectory (as part of the airline's network) exists in time and place in a way that fits with customer demand (connecting possibilities, arrival times, etc.), most seats will be filled. Otherwise, lots of rotten melons on push-back.

Clearly, the business trajectory is an important resource to an aircraft operator, the best and only means of communicating their requirements for a given flight at a given moment.

You will also note that we show the trajectory as part of the airline's network. This is an important development and impacts the pilot's role in the future air traffic management system. While the flight crew remains at all times responsible for the safety of the aircraft, he is the boss over the trajectory only in so far as safety related modifications are concerned. The most efficient operation of the aircraft itself and the aircraft as part of the airline's network has been and is being figured out in the back office, the AOC. The pilot, as the manager of that sophisticated business tool, must and will abide by the instructions encapsulated in the business trajectory.

Note: Clearly, some of the above does not apply to very small operators. However, the principles of trajectory ownership are the same also for them.

This brings us back to the question: who is then the owner of the business trajectory and why is this important?

When airspace users claim ownership of the trajectory, they are sending a powerful message to the designers of SESAR and NextGen. Create us a system that can handle trajectories recognized as part of our networks with all the business sensitivity this entails; treat the trajectories as client resources handed over to air traffic management for safekeeping with minimum distortion; create a business environment in which the sophisticated business tools can be operated to maximum effect safely...

Clearly, a debate about how trajectory ownership would be handled in daily operations misses the point. In a properly constructed system for trajectory based operations (TBO), the effects of trajectory ownership become part of the system itself and are not things to be struggled with on a flight by flight, operator by operator basis. Where the need to negotiate trajectories is properly supported by information management (SWIM), the "there is no time" argument also loses its meaning.

Of course, ownership conveys obligations as well as rights. When airspace users claim ownership of the business trajectory, they must realize that as owners, they will have obligations to implement information management, integrate with the air traffic management network and play by the rules. This paradigm change will not come for free but all indications are that the benefits outweigh the costs.

Trajectory ownership by the airspace users must be one of the most important guiding principles of future system design. It is not a political dogfight but it can bite everyone if not implemented properly.

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How to Sleep Better on Airplanes-comfortable on an airplane

Getting comfortable on an airplane can be a real hassle, especially for people who are tall, or who have chronic conditions like joint pain or back soreness. Clearly, the airlines are not on our side with this issue, as it seems like the per-person spaces on airplanes only get smaller and more confining. Obviously, we're on our own with this issue, so if you want to learn how to sleep on an airplane, you're going to have learn the secrets.

And that's the hard part. We've all seen those people who seem to have no difficulty falling asleep on airplanes-who sit down and immediately drift into dreamland, and remain that way throughout that flight. At first, this ability is baffling, but if you actually ask these people how they do it, you might find that they have some very clever systems that help them sleep on airplanes.

But what is it that they do? Let's look at a few tips that make the rounds in veteran traveler circles.

Window seats: Reserve a window seat. This way, you won't have people climbing over you, and you'll have a nice wall to lean against. You'll also feel less exposed-like your space is more personal and private.

Prevent bathroom breaks: Be sure to hit the bathroom right before you board the plane, and don't drink too much for a few hours before your flight. Of course, on long flights you'll want to drink water eventually in order to stay hydrated, but save that for later in the flight. For now, sleep is the top priority.

Cushion: Many airport shops sell neck pillows, which are a great investment, but you may need more. If you have a window seat, you may want a pillow to go between your head and the wall. And that's not all: When you have a window seat, the bony part of your knee might start to get sore from leaning up against the wall, so bring something soft for your knee.

Eat beforehand: If you want to sleep better, give yourself a nice meal 2-3 hours before your flight. Make it big enough so that you'll still be full for a few hours after liftoff. Having a full belly will make you sleepier, and it will allow you to ignore all the in-flight meal ruckus.

Medicine: Take a sleep-inducing over-the-counter drug like Benadryl or Tylenol PM. These are strong enough to knock you out, but they're not so powerful that they'll prevent you from being alert if called upon. Especially if you're taking a long flight, prescription sleep aids can be even better. They have fewer hangover effects, they work more quickly, and they give you better quality sleep.

Block sensory stimuli: Earplugs are essentially, especially if there are kids sitting around you, and it's also great to have an eye-mask to block out any obnoxious light.

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FAA Medical Certificate First - Problems With Waiting

This article is for future pilots that have not started training or have just begun. There are three different types of medical certificates; first class, second class and third class. I will explain what each of those mean in a minute. The exam is pretty much a basic physical that you would have to get for any sport. Pee in a cup, take your temperature check your eyes and of course drop your pant, turn your head and cough.

If you plan to become a professional pilot and fly for the airlines you want to make sure you can qualify for a first class medical certificate. Imagine how much that would suck if you spent around 25 k on all of your training to find out it was all for nothing and all you are left with is a private pilot license, and now you need to find another profession.

If you just want to get your pilots license and just do it as an amazing hobby then you only need to qualify for a third class medical certificate. If you can not qualify for that you are not completely out of luck with your dreams of flying. You can also get a sport pilot certificate, which is a little restrictive of your privileges but still allows you to enjoy the freedom to go almost anywhere.

A second class medical allows you to fly commercially, but basically all you need to know is if you can qualify for a first class FAA medical certificate. If you can not then I would still recommend getting your sport pilot license because learning to fly was the best decision I have ever made.

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Private Pilot License - Start Flying Today

Three years ago when I was 19 years old I packed my bags and moved to Colorado to start training to become a pilot. 70 hours of flying later I got my private pilots license and it was the best day of my life. It took a lot of studying and hard work to become a pilot, but I can safely say anyone can do it. Imagine how you will feel to invite a friend or family member to take to the skies with you.

The very first thing I would do is make sure you are healthy enough to fly. You will need a medical certificate to be able to apply for a private pilot license. You technically do not need one until before you get your license, but trust me you do not want to put all that time and money into something to find out later you cannot even do it.

The second step is to find a good flight school, I went to Western Air Flight Academy in Broomfield Colorado, but there are hundreds of great schools with professional flight instructors. Every school does what they call a discovery flight to see if it is indeed something you will love. My guess is you will be hooked as soon as you sit in that little Cessna.

Training is on your time, the instructor works for you, so if you want to come in 1 or 2 times a week for an hour of flying, or 4 or 5 times a week it does not matter (it usually comes down to how much money you are willing to spend a week because it is quite expensive). I recommend going at least 2 times a week to keep your skills sharp.

Before you know it, it will be time for your first solo, usually only about 13 hours of flying into it, pretty much when you learn to land by yourself you are ready to solo. That was by far the most exciting day of my life, and really could not believe I was doing it. There is still a lot of work to do before you get your private pilot license though. The average amount of hours it takes a student is about 65 to 75 hours.

Bottom line is aviation is thrilling! From the different maneuvers that will make your stomach drop, to the smooth night time air and the lights of the city. Nothing beats it; you owe it to yourself to start getting your wings today.

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Becoming an Airplane Pilot-your own Cessna has always been a dream

If soaring above the clouds in your own Cessna has always been a dream of yours, what are you waiting for? Whether you want to fly solo as a hobby or use your skills to transport friends and family to various exciting destinations, it all starts with obtaining your pilot's license. Here are some steps to follow.

--Do some research to determine if you've got what it takes: If you haven't spent a lot of time in small aircraft, now is the time to figure out if your dream is for real or if your goals are just wishful thinking. If you have friends who fly, go along on several flights; if you don't, there are flight schools near you who will probably offer complimentary trial flights. You'd hate to invest money in lessons, only to discover that you have a chronic problem with air sickness.

--Find a reputable flight school near you: There are plenty of online aviation directories and other resources available to help you find a training program that will exactly fit your needs. Some schools are better than others, so be sure to visit each of your options in person before making a decision. Visit with school officials to pinpoint your goals and choose the right program to get the kind of pilot's license you'll need to fulfill your dreams.

--Make a commitment and follow through: Dragging out your flight training over too lengthy a period of time is counterproductive to becoming a good pilot. You will need up to 50 hours of flight training altogether depending on whether you are getting your recreational or private pilot's license, so it's quite a commitment.

--If your dream is to own your own plane once you are licensed, look online to find a great aircraft vendor near you.

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Get a Pilots Licence to Fly an Aircraft?

This question poses another; 'What Plane?' is being referred to. To fly a glider and obtain a glider pilots licence you need to join a gliding club or attend a gliding school. There are no set hours to be flown and the licence is available after sufficient experience and passing some flying tests.

Balloons and hang gliders are not normally referred to as planes. However, Touring motor gliders (TMG) do require a licence. Two main routes are available, a gliding club that operates with both types of gliders or some flying clubs. Alternatively one can obtain the licence by qualifying for a National Pilots Licence at an ordinary flying club then doing a conversion to the TMG.

National Private Pilots Licence (NPPL)

This licence is obtained by flying a minimum total of 30 hours which includes passing the theory examinations and the flight test. This is done at the local flying club. The PPL is then an extension of experience requiring a minimum of 45 hours total flying experience. Limitations apply to these licences. The NPPL carries the privileges for UK only and is further limited to the carriage of only one passenger.

Private Pilots Licence (PPL)

This licence carries the privileges of flying across borders and a maximum of 3 passengers. The PPL also allows the holder to fly as pilot assistant but, unpaid. A note of warning. From June of 2009 the European Aviation Safety Agency became the new regulatory body for Europe. National bodies such as the UK CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) will act on behalf of EASA but licencing requirements may change.

Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL)

This licenceis commonly referred to as the CPL.This licence is the minimum required by anyone who wishes to be paid for flying as a pilot. There are two main routes to obtain a CPL. The integrated route and the modular route. The integrated route is a full time residential course lasting between 24 to 36 months and the modular route is a form of stages taken at intervals to suit the individual. The integrated route gives you a CPL with a frozen Air Transport Pilots Licence and Multi-crew Co-operation Licence.

Air Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL)

This enables the holder to act as first officer on an airline on a specific airplane. In order to become a caption with an airline, an Air Transport Pilots Licence is a must. Once the holder has acquired 1500 command hours he can apply for the full ATPL. The modular route is for those who for personal reasons cannot spend the time or money for the integrated course.

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Common Between SUVs and Business Jets?

Nothing you will say. But wait a second. These are not normal times...

Some of the people with the environment close to their hearts take to the streets every now and then and stab the tires of big, ugly and expensive SUVs. They are sending a message to the owners of the offending vehicles to improve their ways. Exchange them for bicycles... Never mind that some of those SUVs generate less green-house stuff than a host of smaller cars, they are a great object to turn their hate towards. Stabbing the tires does more damage to the environment than leaving them alone, but that is beside the point.

In aviation, business jets have suddenly become the SUV. Latent hate must have been there for a long time... anyone crammed into seat 59A who has seen a G650 taxi by must have felt the bile rise in his or her stomach. Those big, ugly, expensive business jets and the rich people riding in them... nothing short of a scandal.

Of course, it was the auto guys who finally ruined everything when they flew to Washington in their business jets to pick up a few billions in taxpayer money doled out by the US government. Who would think of driving their SUV to the social security office to pick up their unemployment check?

When politicians lambasted the auto guys about their choice of transport, the press was quick to pick this up and people from seat 59A (as well as their neighbors) were quick to follow.

The business jet, like the SUV before it, became the object of hate, the symbol of everything that is wrong with the banks and the auto industry. Luckily nobody has connected them also to the environmental agenda... yet.

The net result is horrendous. The market for business jets collapsed and thousands found themselves on the street in an industry that was not only profitable only a few months earlier, but was also a technology leader in most aspects of making aircraft, including environmental sensitivity. Scores of customers walked from their orders, abandoning their deposits even and the reasons were clear: the scarcity of credit AND the image problem of owning a corporate jet.

It is always a bad idea to project one's anger and frustration on an object that may appear to be related to the causes of the frustration but which one does not really understand very well. The result can be pretty unexpected and the cause is not being served at all.

A few SUVs on low profile tires that make you wonder how they negotiate cobble stones or a few misguided auto execs that still need to discover the pleasures of coach travel are certainly not the ultimate cause of rising temperatures or excessive risk taking by the banks.

But concentrating on the irrelevant does take the focus away from the real stuff and makes even more people lose their jobs.

We must do better than that!

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Native American tribes are beginning to purchase aircraft

Native American tribes are beginning to purchase aircraft. This may be because tribal officials and leaders are involved in more travels out of area for meetings and conferences. Tribes have also taken to lobbying which may necessitate frequent trips to Washington, DC. Then add to those needs that most tribes reside a good distance from a major airport, and simply boarding a flight may add up to half a day (or more) in additional travel time to just getting to and from the airport. A tribe possessing its own airplane or jet can take travelers to a gathering a great deal faster. Naturally, the biggest issue is the politics. Even corporate CEO's are under fire for flying in private jets.

Some tribes are trying to make air travel more accessible to everyone. Rural airports serve tribes located in rural areas. In rural airports there might not be sufficient travelers to warrant routine commercial service. However, tribes using their Bureau of Indian Affairs transportation money for aviation and leveraging Congressional help for rural airport projects have been able to establish some form of regular commercial service in their area.

An example of a tribe that both owns private aircraft and working for a regional airport is the Chickasaw Nation based in Ada, Oklahoma. The tribe has owned private aircraft for a while and is leveraging that usage with the Ada Municipal Airport. Recently, the airport commission added two seats for Ada's airport most frequent users, which were the Chickasaws, and the other seat was for Pre-Paid Legal Services.

This appointment has been no mere honorary appointment. The Chickasaw Nation is having an impact in who operates the airport as its fleet of jets uses Jet-A fuel. They want to make sure the operator carries Jet-A fuel (fuel for jets) in addition to 100 low lead fuel or Avgas (fuel for airplanes). It is this form of impact that tribal aviation can have on a regional airport. By carrying jet fuel the Ada airport can serve more aircraft and support regular commercial service. Without the Chickasaw Nation and Pre-Paid Legal jets, the airport would only need to carry fuel for airplanes, relegating the airport to another small town airstrip.

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Private Jet As a Status Creator-When choosing private jet

The clothes we wear and the things we use create and maintain a person`s status in society. You might think it is simplistic to form an opinion about someone according to his (or her) clothes or the things he (or she) can afford. In many countries it is normal for quite wealthy people to buy clothes or use services that would not be classified as luxury purchases.

But in other countries it is still important to use prestigious goods and suitable things to gain the best opinion of the society or business partners. As business is becoming more and more global, it is important to take into consideration the variety of traditions in different countries. So if you understand that the private jet will create the right impression, don`t hesitate - call a charter company. Besides giving you the ultimate status symbol, a private charter will give many advantages for traveler - a nice personal service during the flight, more possibilities to work in the aircraft, fewer people at the special business terminals in the airports.

But as a private jet passenger, should you be worried that it could create the impression of showing off and conspicuous consumption? If that is a concern, you can avoid the risk by carefully choosing the type of private aircraft. There are many planes - some could fly for a long distance and accommodate a group of 10-12 or even more passengers; and some are assigned for fewer people and fly to closer destinations.

When choosing private jet, the passenger is also choosing the interior. There are more possibilities to create a real luxury plane from a large aircraft than from a smaller one. So for trips in which the great status of the visitor should be emphasized, the bigger plane may be the best choice. The midsize planes could be less luxurious so they are good for the trips where the need is to create an impression of success but not excessive cost. The smaller size of the aircraft and less ostentatious interior don`t mean that the flight will be less comfortable. The chairs in this plane could be bigger and the distance between them are greater than in the premium-classes of commercial planes. As there are fewer passengers in the business charter they are served during the trip faster so there can have more time for working or rest.

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Common Causes of Aviation Accidents Include

Fear of flying, also known as aerophobia, can be a very debilitating phobia that limits the ability to travel for the individual. When aviation accidents occur they can solidify the fears those with aerophobia have or instill new fears of flying in those affected. But what causes airplane crashes? With so much technology and support going into the aviation process, what can possibly go wrong?

An aviation accident is defined as an incident associated with an aircraft that has the intention of flight where either a person is hurt or killed, or the aircraft sustains structural damage or failure or part of the aircraft structure goes missing. So what causes these incidents?

Common Causes of Aviation Accidents Include:

· Faulty equipment
· Piloting errors
· Faulty design or structure
· Negligence
· Errors with fueling
· FAA regulation violation
· Air traffic control negligence or error

The Federal Aviation Administration

The FAA, also known as the Federal Aviation Administration, is the governing body that oversees and regulates the actions of pilots, the manufacturing of aircrafts and monitors flight operations. The standards they set are the minimum but when even this minimum is not met, tragic accidents can occur. This federal oversight applies to most aircrafts and when adhered to they provide security for the aircraft and everyone in it.

You will notice that weather is not in the list of common causes of aviation accidents. This is because the weather is carefully monitored by aircraft pilots and air traffic control and if they adhere to the safety regulations set in place by the FAA they will be able to avoid or navigate most unpleasant weather. Therefore when an airplane crash happens due to bad weather there is also usually a personnel error that occurred.

To combat this lack of compliance the FAA punishes violations of regulations with fines. This is important because not only can noncompliance lead to plan crashes, but faulty security can also make for generally unsafe airports. Ever since 9-11, day of the most fatal plane crashes in American history, airport security has been of vital importance and the FAA works to uphold this priority.

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Safety Device For Antique Aircraft

If you have ever experienced a sudden power loss due to carburetor icing this technique will improve your chances of landing safely with power.

Lycoming and Continental engines in conventional carburetor equipped aircraft experience carburetor icing. The carburetor can cool below the freezing point of water quickly. The use of carburetor heat and idling the engine can keep the temperature of the carburetor system above 32 degrees F. On take off, when power is applied, the amount of fuel vaporized is increased and that vaporization absorbs heat from the carburetor and lowers its temperature.

Humidity plays a important part whether the moisture in the air can freeze the water onto the surface of the venturi of the carburetor. Greater the humidity the greater the chance for the moisture in the air to form ice.

This is directly related to the dewpoint of the air at the time of your flight. The dewpoint is that temperature where the water in the air begins to form water droplets! (like fog and clouds, for example) If the dew point is 68 degrees F on a nice clear summer day where the ground temperature is 90 degrees F you would not think of icing on a day like that!

THe adiabatic lapse rate for air is 4.5 degrees F per 1000 feet of altitude. This means if the aircraft reaches an altitude of approximately 5000 feet the temperature is 68 degrees F. The plane can begin to form ice in the carburetor at this altitude. Who would have thunk it!

I spent some time in a normally aspirated Cessna 182. Several times a year it would develop ice in the carburetor! I would try the normal procedures for melting the ice but an effective technique is to reduce power and lean out the mixture. The engine will back-fire and blow out the ice formed in the carburetor. Not real scientific but effective!

In flight when the Throttle is reduced too rapidly the fuel/air mixture goes with it, but the fuel valve does not react as fast as the air reduction. Therefore the fuel left behind explodes.

For it to be heard it must be done in one of the cylinders exhaust stroke. There is no spark at the exhaust stroke so the little fuel or carbon deposit is heated to its flash point from the hot cylinders. Its ignited by the severe heat when the fuel is reduced (the fuel keeps the cylinder head temperature cool, reducing it makes less fuel so less mass to be superheated in a very short time). Overall the fuel did not finish its complete burn before the exhaust and comes out as a "pop of flames".

On the ground this "Back fire" will also happen if the fuel/air is reduced to rapidly and fuel is left to reach its flash point.

During the run-up the leaner the mixture the more backfire you will have. This is also because the fuel is too lean for the air mixture making it burn at very high temperatures. This increases the CHT, EGT, OIL Temp to where the fuel can also get to its lash point and explode uncontrollably.

The freezing that occurs in fuel-injected engines is when ice forms on the intake screen of the air source for the fuel before it enters the engine. That will be a subject for a future article.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Edward_Spencer

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Basics to Flying a Model Airplane-Model planes are full-flight capable

Model planes are full-flight capable, micro versions of real or fictional aircraft. They are often reduced-sized versions of traditional aircraft, made of lightweight materials such as fiberglass, balsa wood and polystyrene. Models rage from basic glider models, to accurate, and generally larger, scale models. Models capable of flight are powered by some kind of internal power-plant, used to drive the aircraft through the air similar to how an actual plane is powered. The most common propulsion systems are that of internally electronically powered models and those powered by a rubber band system.

Flying a model plane is not limited to flight enthusiasts, the process of building a model aircraft capable of flight is very rewarding and the actual flight itself is an extremely satisfying experience. While flying a model plane is a great deal of fun, it does require a degree of patience and seriousness. Electronically powered planes can be flown without experience, but much experience is required for the larger models.

A glider is generally the best way to begin your experience in flying a model plane. They are built solidly, inexpensive and easy to fly. However, if it powered flight you are after, then an electronic model is your best bet. Electronic flight is clean and also inexpensive as most electronic planes run off rechargeable batteries. There are however some issues with electronic fight that you would not find with a glider; you will need battery packs and often the duration of flight achievable from a single charge is not satisfying enough. For those serious about flying a model plane, you should look towards a powered model that uses fuel to propel the model through the air. The model does not need to be as light as an electronic model or glider and the fuel will let you fly for longer. You may however have to practice flight with a powered model in a field or somewhere away from populated areas if you want to legally practice flying a model plane of this nature.

Whatever you do, steer clear from fast scale flying models, while they fly fast and look impressive, these are the last qualities you want from a model plane if you are new to the recreation. The faster they fly, the less control you will have over them and the more expensive the guaranteed repairs will be. Remember to find an instructor or join a club, as often times reading the instruction manual may not suffice in terms of a lesion. Ask around, look for support and at least ask the guy at your local model flight shop for a recommendation of a first model. Flying a model plane is such a rewarding experience, especially if you plan on building your own, just ask around for the best deals and invest in a lesson or two to help you learn the basics.

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Why Many Pilots Fail Physicals

Approximately one percent of the individuals applying are denied certification. Over fifty six percent of pilots denied have less than forty hours of flying time. It could be assumed that less than one-half percent of the licensed pilots applying for renewal are denied. Of the total denials ninety one percent of the people are involved in non-aeronautical occupations. The aeronautical occupation most often denied is the air traffic controller. Next come airline pilots, commercial pilots, executive pilots and flight instructors, in that order.

The biggest cause for denial is a problem with the cardiovascular system. Next comes a miscellaneous category that includes diabetes, alcohol, drug problems and general systemic problems. This is followed by nervous and mental problems. Eye problems are pretty far down the line. Vision accounts for about ten percent of the Class I failures and about eight percent of the Class II and Class III failures.

What happens if the aviation medical examiner detects what he feels, form the examination, is a disqualifying flaw? The physician doesn't issue the medical certificate and sends his report to the Regional Flight Surgeon or to the Aero-Medical Certification Branch of the FAA in Oklahoma City. Before issuing or denying a certificate the above offices may want additional information about why the person was denied.

If the decision to issue an adverse decision there are avenues of appeal. The most frequent appeal has to do with cardiovascular problems. The regulations state that a heart attack is disqualifying but it is the FAA's policy to reconsider an airman for certification two years after the attack, if he is in good shape. They make no exceptions on diabetes unless the airman is able to control it with diet alone, no insulin or oral drugs.

What seems to be a conclusion from the study is the fact of very little voluntary attrition because of a known medical condition and a knowledge of the requirements. In other words we only go to see physician when we need our certificates periodically renewed.

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Aircraft Can Be Dangerous Even on the Ground

Aircraft are not toys, well some aircraft are toys or made for pleasure and sport, but they are not anything to take lightly. You must respect aircraft at all times, never take your mind off of their operations and you must stay heads up even when you are on the ground. This goes for those working around or handling their private aircraft on the ramp as much as naval military personnel working with flight operations on an aircraft carrier. Let me tell you a little story that happened long ago.

You see, I was at the airport, a little general aviation airport, and a guy in a Beechcraft Musketeer with a problem with his battery starts his aircraft by hand propping it. No big deal right? He also set the nose gear chock then goes back into the aircraft to run it up to 1500 RPM to charge the battery.

After doing this and sitting in the aircraft for a while, he decides to get something out of his car, so he gets out and when he steps on the step the CG of the aircraft changed slightly and the nose gear hopped over the wheel chock. As his feet hit the ground the aircraft started forward at 1500 RPM and ran into a bunch of aircraft in front of him.

Indeed, I was with a small crew cleaning aircraft nearby, didn't think anything of it until I saw him chasing the aircraft across the ramp towards other aircraft. Moral of the story, never take your mind off what you are doing, always think safety first at the airport, and aircraft can be dangerous even when they are on the ground. Please consider all this.

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Pilot Error Will Cease to Exist

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs will one day have such incredible artificially intelligent software that they will fly autonomously, and they will learn from their mistakes, downloading all the information to all the other units that have a similar brain. That means that these electronically run aircraft will be smarter than our current pilots and there will be very little if any pilot error, or glitches with the software which could possibly cause a crash.

If we consider how fallible humans can be, or if we look at the NTBS reports after aviation crashes, we see that in 90% of the instances, pilot error was a large contributing factor. Those types of crashes will cease to exist, and Aviation will be much safer. As a pilot myself, this really bothers me, and I don't trust software not to crash my computer much less the airplane that I am flying in. But still this is what will happen in the future.

Even more interesting will be the fact that this artificial intelligence software will learn, when it makes a mistake, it will be better next time, and not only will that particular aircraft learn, but all that information will be downloaded. Indeed, all of our airplanes will get consistently smarter over time. Just like pilots get more experienced over time, and therefore, they become safer.

Only in this case the exponential increase of intelligence, observation, and experiences in flying will be well beyond anything a human pilot could ever hope to achieve. In the future our UAVs that are used in the military will not have robotic pilots sitting in a room flying them; they will fly all by themselves autonomously, and use artificial intelligence software to pick their own targets.

That may scare a lot of people now, and it may bring visions of the Hollywood movie; "Terminator" but that will be the future. Please consider all this.

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Airplane Traders - Trading

There are so many traders and business channels in the world but only few of them are in the type of business that is having the lower volume of transaction and still huge amount of money involved. Airplane Traders are some of them. They deal with one of the most expensive products of the world and the nature of business also deals with the lower quantity.

Traders have different themes of business according to the nature of article they deal in. But in general, the trading business is narrated as the business having ample of volume of quality with comparatively lesser amount of margin. Traders generally deal in the wholesale style of business, after them the chain of retailers comes into existence and they deal in single pieces.

But, the airplane traders are having the reverse of nature of business. They deal in fewer quantities with a good margin as the rates per planes are gigantically higher. Generally airplanes are affordable to the airlines companies or maximum to the milliners who have ample of money. General people can just afford to have a journey or maximum they can hire for the purposes. So, the area of clientele is also quite restricted. So, they can never afford to miss even a single client as well.

So, it is really difficult to have the airplane trader job as it requires special skill, technically good background and most importantly the contacts with all the possible buyers. They need to have that talent that can convert the prospective buyers into actual buyers. So, so many things are merged with the jobs of airplane traders. The day to day contact and continuous touch with the running world is the high quality feature of the airplane traders.

Airplane Traders are scattered everywhere. Even if you search online, you will find them at almost each and every big junctions and cities. They have their networks and channels to get approached easily. These traders are highly benefited with the online business.

Online business has given them wings to fly and also they are now able to sell at any corner of the world just by sitting in the home town. So, internet has not only scattered their area of covering but also the scope is being creped up highly. Online payment is also one of the factors that have made this line quite smoother and smarter. People are becoming more and choosier towards dealing online. Online traders are also increasing day by day and henceforth the airplane trading business is jumping to new areas and new destinations.

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Flight Simulator Demo

Flight simulators in today's world

Flight simulation refers to the activity where a person is flying an actual aircraft without ever leaving the ground. This is a fun, safe and exciting activity that one can perform.

How real is a flight simulator?

This all depends on the type and degree of technology which it is used for the flight simulator. It also depends on what the situation is. Let me explain further. It is very different flying a fighter plane than it is to fly a tourist plane. In the early days of flight simulation, fighter pilots used to make use of flight simulation in order to improve their accuracy when it came to aiming a machine gun at ground objects whist flying in mid air. Of course this was all done without them ever leaving the ground.

Why use a flight simulator?

If a replica model is built up carefully and accurately, then the results of careful training would be very good. Also using a flight simulator over a real life flight experience would provide a decreased cost whilst increasing the safety and security of the pilot himself. This also means that any maneuver can be performed over and over without having to risk resources and lives.

Other uses of flight simulation

The gaming industry has caught up in recent decades and over the past thirty years games have been coming up each and every year, always improving and making flight experience more realistic and closer to a real-life situation. As more years go by the experience of playing a flight simulator will become second to none because it would be better than anything else available in this regards.

What types of environments are available for flight simulation?

Basically, anything that your mind can imagine can be created using a flight simulator. Nowadays one can design cockpits, runways and terrains. These can all be customized and changed according to one's personal needs. In the case of the military and other aviation industries, the weather may also be adjusted and changed according to their needs. This means that due to such improvement in flight simulation, a real-life situation is so much closer to what one experiences during a flight simulation. This ensures that when the pilot is actually called for real flight duty, he is well aware of what to expect and knows how to deal with anything that comes up.

Flight simulation is a technology which is improving all the time, and this it will ensure that in a couple of years time most of the people would be able to say that they have experienced flying an aircraft. This will be done without them ever leaving the comfort of their own home. Who would have thought about that a hundred years ago?

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Expanding the Civilian UAV Market

Many people decry the research and development expenditures that go into building our nation's war toys, technologies which will eventually help protect our national defense. However, it appears to me that this is completely shortsighted, because much of the research and technology that comes from DOD research eventually ends up as transfer technologies that can be used in the private sector. And when it does it creates new job opportunities, new companies, and brings things to our society and civilization which make us run more efficiently, often solving some of the tough challenges we face.

Let's take the incredible advances in unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV systems. Consider if you will all the civilian applications for UAVs, or other purposes that the government can use to protect the American people. Surely, no one has a problem using UAVs to track drug dealers, or to use UAVs to give more information to fire fighters while they fight wildfires out in California. And I am sure everyone wants us to use unmanned aerial vehicles for tracking hurricanes which might hit our coasts.

But have you ever considered that UAVs are also used to take air pollution samples from the atmosphere, or to keep track of endangered species, or bird and whale migrations? How about using these technologies to search for mineral deposits, or oil? Those are all good purposes for unmanned aerial vehicles.

It also makes sense for UAVs to help patrol our freeways, and to keep Americans safe. Having such reliable eyes in the sky is a wonderful thing, especially considering the complex flows of our civilization.

Personally, I am all for expanding the civilian unmanned aerial vehicle market, and I am glad that our government and Department of Defense has brought forth these technologies, which can make our civilization which more efficient future. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

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an Aircraft Cleaning Service in 2010

It is just incredible how much the general aviation industry got hammered during the global recession. And unfortunately the general aviation industry hadn't even recovered fully from 2001 after 9/11, when all the restrictions by the Department of Homeland Security were placed onto all the airports. To make matters worse, after the financial meltdown in late 2008, Congress gave the executives of General Motors and Chrysler a hard time for flying to Washington DC in their corporate jets to discuss with them a bailout package for the auto industry.

Even the President of the United States made a big deal about it. This hurt corporate jet sales, which had already been slaughtered due to the credit crisis. This caused huge layoffs in Wichita Kansas, and in South Carolina where Gulfstream Jets build aircraft. Luckily, the recession has ended, and soon credit will start to loosen up a little.

Already there are exceptional tax breaks for those people who wish to buy an aircraft and use an accelerated depreciation schedule. Apparently, the government realizes its mistake, and is trying to help the sinking general aviation sector recover from the stall.

Now then, many folks in aviation have been laid off, and if you have a lot of aviation experience and you wish to run your company, you might consider starting an aircraft cleaning service in 2010. Washing airplanes is extremely hard work, but it is a good high paying job, and when the economy is cooking along, and the general aviation sector is doing well, there is money to be made.

Personally, I don't believe now is a good time to start aircraft cleaning service, but if you were thinking about doing something like this, you should get ready and make your move by the end of the first quarter in 2010. I hope you will please consider this.

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Best Aircraft Maintenance

Aircraft overhaul is crucial as the lifetime use of each individual plane varies significantly. Some airlines only use craft that are fairly new, while other airlines are forced, for long-term finance lease reasons, to operate much older aircraft. Aircraft maintenance and overhaul services sometimes operate as an accident damage center to repair damage from small repairs to major renovation.

Aircraft maintenance is critically important with quality service companies focusing on either particular aircraft or several models depending upon the size of the company. As part of aircraft maintenance services and overhaul, parts are individually assessed at regular intervals to make sure that craft comply with aviation rules and regulations. Deterioration and age-prevention programs are fundamental to the longevity of the aircraft and they help to prevent dangerous circumstances arising.

Airworthiness standards are set by government terms. And certification is required for aircraft to remain insured and more importantly to the passenger or cargo safety.

Conversion of aircraft is a regular change of use for olderaircraft - planes which may have begun life passenger craft and have later been used as cargo carriers. Passenger airlines often alter their seating numbers - this is to either attract more people to the higher-class services, or to create higher seating capacities per flight to cut passenger costs.
Yearly maintenance outlay for aircraft varies from 10% to 20% of the annual operating costs. In general a maintenance service agent will charge around $75 per hour.

In today's financially turbulent times, the battle of engine cost verses performance often comes to the fore when teams are working with operational aircraft. Teams responsible for repairing, maintaining or overhauling engines need to serve the customers requirements, so customizing the service is essential. The difference between an airline renting an aircraft for three years or 15 years means that each operator makes different decisions about maximizing engine life and usage. Airlines may think more about short term rather than long term planning and cash flow plays an imperative part in making cost versus performance decisions. Material costs and choices become more pertinent. Aircraft maintenance companies need to get an aircraft out of their workshops at optimum balance between effectiveness and the cost to the maintenance company itself. This will affect planning for aircraft maintenance services and overhaul.

Effective and professional aircraft maintenance services and overhaul are mandatory to ensuring passenger safety. Sophisticated technology and apparatus are necessary for carrying out complex procedures. A base maintenance profile is set for all aircraft. This requires the aircraft to be serviced at regular intervals along guiding principles formulated by both government bodies and aircraft manufacturers.

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