Rulemaking in Aviation to Avoid Accidents - Case Study Example

RULE MAKING IN AVIATION TO AVOID ACCIDENTS {Insert university’s name} {Insert instructor’s name} {Insert student’s name} April 20, 2012 RULE MAKING IN AVIATION TO AVOID ACCIDENTS Purpose of the project All pilots are aware of the rules pertaining to night flights. However, there is need for them to adapt to the darkness and follow the regulations and rules. People believe that carrying passengers at night require three landings and takeoffs for approximately an hour to the sunset. Night flights are not only different but also risky as compared to day flights. However, the risk associated with night flights can be not only mitigated but also quantified by pilots who are well versed in techniques and cautious. Nonetheless, there exists pitfalls and some of them are not well addressed during training aspect that has continue to claim lives experienced pilots in night flying accidents. There are a number of reasons for flying at night and enhance there is need for night pilots not only to embrace it but also learn more about it. The purpose of this project is to come up with a rule of promoting safety in night flights. Hence to achieve the aforementioned, the project will devise a way of promoting the same rule that is applied in USA pertaining to night flights (Federal Aviation Administration, 2010). The proposed solution The best way to avoid or reduce night flights is to attain advanced rating. According to Paul Craig who is the author of the killing zone in his research pointed out that a pilot with commercial certificate or instrument rating had fewer or no night accidents as compared to one without any. The aforementioned relationship is held regardless of the total flight time the pilot had made. Hence, based on statistics any pilots who spend a considerable amount of time in gaining additional ratings has lesser accidents compared to their counterparts who spend similar amount of time/hours flying to get $100 hamburgers. Some nations need more than the FAA proposed minimum of 3 hours of night training. In Canada, the requirements are different. Pilots are required to have a minimum of 10 hours training during the night as well as training for five hours solely. U.S Commercial Certificate interestingly requires the same amount of time of night solo as well as night dual cross country training. Even if pilots do not have advanced ratings for carrying out night flights, it is important for them to conduct night flights in the same manner one would conduct IFR flights in order to enhance safety. Additionally, it is important for night pilots to be aware of minimum safe altitudes for the routes and ensure that they are above them. The pilots should constantly make use of the VFR sectional chart to ensure that they accurately identify the minimum elevation figure. Therefore, the project recommends importance of pilots attaining advanced rating. Critical or important issues related to the project In drafting the rule, the project highlight some of the common types of flight night accidents with an aim of coming up with a rule of avoiding the same. Preflight Pilots conducting night flights should carry our preflight and ensure that that all the lights that are legally required are working well and there is sufficiently bright light for the purpose of preflight inspection. Additionally, night pilots should inspect the cockpit lighting prior to take off. More specifically, this project emphasizes the importance of night pilots learning the necessity of adapting their eyes to the darkness and the period required to do the same (Federal Aviation Administration, 2010). . Taxi or Standing Phase Most night accidents are due to taxi or standing phase. This is numerous pilots all over the world are poorly lit. Therefore, pilots need to be trained to be careful while taxiing as they are likely to strike an object on the ground that can prompt an accident. It is challenging to see spinning propellers during the day and much more difficult during the night. Pilots should be trained the importance of not letting one inside the plane when the engine is running. Takeoff or Climbing Phase Pilots taking off in a ground that is not well lit may be dangerous and likely to cause night accidents. This may happen to even highly experienced pilots. Statistically, many night accidents were as a result of pilots descending the ground just a mile from the airport ground. The mentioned is caused by somatogravic illusion which is taught in instrument training classes but not mentioned in night training classes especially for private pilots. Drawing from the FAA instrument flying handbook, rapid acceleration which is experienced during takeoffs, results into stimulating of the otolith organs in a similar way like backward tilting of the head. The mentioned action results into a somatogravic illusion of one being in a nose-up attitude, particularly in circumstances where there is no good visual references (Federal Aviation Administration, 2010). This will make the pilot who is already disoriented to push the aircraft into dive attitude or nose low. Cruise Phase This is the safest phase of the flight nonetheless illusion such as false horizon can make the pilot to be deceived. This happens particularly when there is sloping cloud formation, geometric patterns of ground lights, and obscured horizon can make pilots to misperceive true horizons and thus put the aircraft into dangerous attitude (Federal Aviation Administration, 2012). Approach & Landing Most pilots are either aware or have heard of black holes whereby an aircraft crashes before reaching the airport especially when approaching the land as a result of an illusion which is created due to lack of few lights on the ground between the airport and the aircraft. However night accidents associated with approach and landing are as a result of pilots flying below the standard and thus crash before hitting the runway (Dillingham, 2009). Alternatives to rulemaking you have considered Alternative is that even if the pilot lacks advanced rating, they should conduct night flights in the same way one does with IFR flights so has to enhance safety. . Apart from the pilots attaining advanced rating, the following should be considered too as alternative rule making in flying night flights. In preventing a night flights accidents during Takeoff or Climbing Phase, the pilots should be trained on rapid deceleration and its effects. A night pilot will experience the aircrafts acceleration and thus climb and release yoke pressure an aspect that allows it to descend into a terrain. However, the mentioned is likely to occur with the instrument pilots especially when they reach the missed approach point and decide to add full power so as to go underground. Therefore, pilots should be taught not taught not to perceive the acceleration as a climb but instead pitch and trim for the climb at Vy (Dillingham, 2009). In order to curb accidents at the cruise Phase, pilots should be trained on the importance of flying with reference to instruments if flying in night or hazy conditions. This is because it is impossible for pilots to view the horizon, it is challenging for them to keep the aircraft level and straight without the instruments. Studies have shown that private pilots may lack additional training on instruments for years despite being allowed legally to fly t night. It is important for the aviation to note that safe and legal are two distinct concepts, so additional training is always important despite attaining being legally allowed to operate night flights. More, it is important for the pilots to be trained on the importance of choosing a non direct route so as to enhance their safety in case of emergency and they require landing. Furthermore, it is important for the aviation industry to plot route over the airports so that safety is enhanced incase of unthinkable situations (Dillingham, 2009). In order to avoid night flight accidents related to approach and landing, GPS should be made widely available so that pilots are in a position to approximate their own three-degree slope. This is because a three-degree slope enables them to descend 318 feet for every nautical mile they travel. The pilots should be taught the importance of staying above the at least a mile every mile before the runway. Additionally, they should be enlightened on the importance of avoiding not only long but also straight in approaches in night flights and especially if there is no glideslope guideline (Dillingham, 2009). Whether the solution is suitable for drafting as a performance-based rule The mentioned solution is suitable for drafting as previous studies have proven that pilots who have advanced rating or who conduct IFR flights have experienced less night accidents or no accidents at all (Dillingham, 2009). Furthermore, pilots flying night aircrafts should be further instructed on cruise phase, Approach & Landing, standing phase, climbing phase and preflight in order to reduce night flight accidents. Factors affecting the priority we should give the rulemaking The project has put into consideration various factors affecting the priority needed in aviation rule making. However some of the factors were ensuring that the adapted rules do not conflict with FAA missions. Additionally, the factor was to ensure that it complies with special flight rules existing in USA How the project aligns with FAA’s mission; This project ensures that night flights do not use PEDs in night flights just as FAA regulations recommends. Drawing from the FAA missions, the project will adapt a number of regulations from the body. On the Pilot requirements as per FAA’s mission: FAR 61.57- the pilots will be forbidden to act as pilot in command if carrying passengers one hour before sunrise and one before sunset unless the pilot have three landings and takeoffs in similar category. The mentioned is a minimum requirement however; all pilots flying night flights should have additional training or practice to attain proficiency (Federal Aviation Administration, 2012). On the Aircraft equipment as per FAA’s mission: FAR 91.205- apart from the requirements of the day flights, all night aircrafts should have anti-collision lights, position lights and landing lights especially if it is operated on hire as well as sufficient electrical energy for operating the spare fuses and required equipment. Flight operations: FAR 91.151- it is essential for pilots to carry enough gas for the first intended landing as well as additional gas sufficient for 45 minutes at aircraft normal cruising speed. However, pilots should carry more than the minimum required so as to be in a position to accommodate any potential problems. FAR 91.155— additionally the requirement on the VFR visibility especially in class G airspace should be increased from 1 mile during the day to three times during the night. an exception only exists in a half a mile of the runway whereby VFR pilots are able to operate within I mile visibility and ensure that they stay clear of clouds. However, despite the fact that the mentioned being legal, it doesn’t turn out to be safe. Hence, it is important for all pilots set higher weather minimum particularly for VFR night flights. Drawing from FAR 91.157 for pilots to have special VFR clearance for night flights it is important for them to have instrument rating, 1 mile visibility, an aircraft that is instrument equipped and special VFR clearance particularly from the air traffic control. Lastly, FAR 91.209 it is important for pilots to be in a position to successfully use anti-collision and position lights before sunrise and sunset however the rule has n exception whereby pilots can turn off the lights while flying in precipitation (Federal Aviation Administration, 2011). Whether the project should be considered “significant;” The project is significant in the USA aviation industry as it comes up with a rule that eliminate or reduce night flight accidents. The rule is in compliant with FAA regulations and pilots are involved in the process. Apart from the rules, the project has included a number of suggestions that pilots flying night aircraft should put into consideration. Furthermore the issue of safety has been a major concern for NTSB and FAA as a result of night accidents data thus making the project to be of great importance (Federal Aviation Administration, 2012). References Dillingham, G. (2009). Aviation safety: better data and targeted FAA efforts needed to identify and address safety issues of small air cargo carriers. New York: Diane publishing. Federal Aviation Administration (2012). Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM.) New York: Diane publishing. Federal Aviation Administration (2011).Instrument Flying Handbook. London: Skyhorse Publishing. Federal Aviation Administration (2010).Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. New York: Pentagon Publishing. Read More