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.---o< Mil-NEWS >o---.
JUNE 2003 EDITION
Considering the prevailing situation, Mil-Air has reduced its operations until further notice.
We deeply regret the inconvenience caused. We hope that you will understand the requirement for this decision. We will closely monitor the developments and let you know when full MA Ops are active again.
Mil-Air Ops.
Mil-Air completed five years of operations
Mil-Air has completed its 5th year of operations in 4th February 2003. Whole web site has been fully refurbished to provide all information rapidly and accurately. Four separate web sites are available now to speed up your access and to avoid off line breakdowns of service providers. We advice you to bookmark all four web sites.
LJ-45 deployed in AWAT Kosovo humanitarian missions has crashed on finals (VFR) to Timisoara (Giarmata), Romania. Both pilots survived with injuries. This is the first major accident involving a Mil-Air aircraft and investigations have revealed crew fatigue as the main cause. The crew has completed 8 Kosovo missions within 48 hours before the accident. The aircraft, third to join Mil-Air fleet, has completed over 400 cycles in 550 hours.
Mil-Air has re-ranked its 'Flying Squad' (Refer 'Policy Manual') because number of pilots are reaching the upper limit of old ranking system. With just 5 ratings, old system was unable to indicate the correct seniority of the pilots. New ranking system corrects those limits. Pilots who have already type rated for higher ranked aircraft types are authorized to operate them.
New aircraft Commander Check flight (CCF) has been intoduced to upgrade Copilots to Commander rating.
With the establishment of "Global Command' pilots can operate missions to any where in the world. With many unmatched features, Mil-Air has gained a prime place in virtual military flying. We are planing to offer many more unique features to our pilots in the near future.
Many new aircraft types have joined our fleet during the previous year. Latest are from Airbus and Boeing. As you have noticed we have to keep some old and special purpose aircraft in our hangars due to the nature of our operations. Some of these aircraft have unusual flying characteristics, and demand your close attention while flying. We have collected data on problems faced by our pilots and if requested we can advice you. We are regularly evaluating many new and special purpose aircraft. They will be put into active missions as required. With a range of different aircraft, Mil-Air can offer varying flying opportunities for its pilots.
We have already provided you with easy access to current world, defence and aerospace news through our web sites. To enhance your aviation knowledge further we hope to create our own pages giving details on aviation history, records, developments, accidents, etc. We wish to hear from you on subjects so it will contain what you required.
Mil-Air 'Check Flight Command' has been established in COF base. 'Advanced Check Flight' (ACF) program is active now, so our pilots can carry out check flights as in the real world pilots. ACF will be optional to our current 'Standard Check Flight' (SCF) as it requires thorough understanding in flying controls and instruments, with number of new parameters getting checked. New aircraft Commander Check flight (CCF) has been intoduced to upgrade Copilots to Commander rating.
Mil-Air has established its archives record 'Chronicle' in February 2000. To appreciate their dedicated service, all pilots who have flown over 100 hours for Mil-Air will earn a permanent place in this page. Their ratings, aircraft types, etc. will remain in this record even if they resign from active duty of Mil-Air.
PROMOTED TO...
Senior Captain II - MA008 Brian Gomes, MA041 Stephen C. Mahan
Captain III - MA063 Maxan H. Boyd, MA011 Wilf P. Thomas
Captain II - MA026 Nicolaj Løfquist, MA071 Tenny G. Hughes, MA019 Carlo Frances, MA082 Jerry Kellner, MA087 Geoff Papanburg
Captain I - MA050 Tian Yodice, MA081 Hideko Ghosn, MA033 Norm Sicotte, MA090 Norman Paine
Senior First Officer - MA091 Craig Adwan
First Officer - MMA039 Steven Klosz
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Answer to Mil-Quiz 28
Answer to Mil-Quiz 27
Answer to Mil-Quiz 26
Answer to Mil-Quiz 25
Winners: MA024 Chuck Santos, MA056 Evan Hariri, MA090 Norman Paine
Answer to Mil-Quiz 24
Winners: MA039 Steven Klosz, (MA024 Chuck Santos-2)
Answer to Mil-Quiz 23
Winners: None (MA010 Rick Haywood-2)
Answer to Mil-Quiz 22
Winners: MA051 Marwin 'Kik' Freitag, MA063 Maxan H. Boyd, MA016 Pat Brenson
Answer to Mil-Quiz 21
Winners: MA061 Kevin McDonald, MA071 Tenny G. Hughes, MA087 Geoff Papanburg
Answer to Mil-Quiz 20
Winners: MA038 Anne Scotwood (2)
Answer to Mil-Quiz 19
Winners: MA012 Jack O'Donell (2), MA025 Dean Hayden (2)
Answer to Mil-Quiz 18
A group of aircraft is based on an island. The tank of each aircraft holds just enough fuel to take it halfway around the world. Any desired amount of fuel can be transferred from the tank of one aircraft to the tank of another while aircraft are in flight. The only source of fuel is on the island. [ Assume no time is lost for refueling either in the land or on the air.]
What is the minimum number of aircraft required to send one aircraft around the world on a great circle, assuming that the aircraft have same constant ground speed and fuel consumption rate and that all aircraft return safely to their island base?
Three aircraft. There are many ways this can be done but following is the most efficient. It uses only 5 tanks of fuel.
Winners: MA046 Joss Clayton, MA038 Anne Scotwood, MA075 Gregg DeVito
Answers to Mil-Quiz 17
Winners: MA032 Arun Machado, MA063 Maxan H. Boyd
Answers to Mil-Quiz 16
Winner: Sorry, no all-correct answers received.
Answers to Mil-Quiz 15
Winner: Sorry, no all-correct answers received. (MA051 Mervin Freitag -2)
Answers to Mil-Quiz 14
Winner: MA010 Rick Haywood, MA019 Carlo Frances
Answers to Mil-Quiz 13
Winner: MA021 Ranty Alphonso
Answers to Mil-Quiz 12
Winner: MA081 Pat Brenson
Answers to Mil-Quiz 11
Winner: MA054 Jack O'Donell
Answers to Mil-Quiz 10
Winner: MA029 Kriss Harvy
Answers to Mil-Quiz 9
Winner: MA078 Leon G. Ticchy
Answers to Mil-Quiz 8
Winner: Sorry, no all-correct answers received.
Answers to Mil-Quiz 7
Winner: MA046 Joss Clayton
Answers to Mil-Quiz 6
Winner: Sorry, no all-correct answers received. (MA046 Joss Clayton -2)
Answers to Mil-Quiz 5
Winner: MA038 Anne Scotwood
Answers to Mil-Quiz 4
Winner: Sorry, no all-correct answers received.
Answers to Mil-Quiz 3
Winner: MA035 Bob Raypark (MA031 Chris Snyder 2/3)
Answers to Mil-Quiz 2
Winner: MA041 Sly Garner
Answers to Mil-Quiz 1
Sorry, no all-correct answers received.
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Frequent flyer? Travel by air for vacations? Pilot, or wannabe? * Every takeoff is optional. Every landing is mandatory. * If you push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. If you pull the stick back, they get smaller. That is, unless you keep pulling the stick all the way back, then they get bigger again. * Flying isn't dangerous. Crashing is what's dangerous. * It's always better to be down here wishing you were up there than up there wishing you were down here. * The ONLY time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire. * The propeller is just a big fan in front of the plane used to keep the pilot cool. When it stops, you can actually watch the pilot start sweating. * When in doubt, hold on to your altitude. No one has ever collided with the sky. * A 'good' landing is one from which you can walk away. A 'great' landing is one after which they can use the plane again. * Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself. * You know you've landed with the wheels up if it takes full power to taxi to the ramp. * The probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of arrival. Large angle of arrival, small probability of survival and vice versa. * Never let an aircraft take you somewhere your brain didn't get to five minutes earlier. * Stay out of clouds. The silver lining everyone keeps talking about might be another airplane going in the opposite direction. Reliable sources also report that mountains have been known to hide out in clouds. * Always try to keep the number of landings you make equal to the number of take offs you've made. * There are three simple rules for making a smooth landing. Unfortunately no one knows what they are. * You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck. * Helicopters can't fly; they're just so ugly the earth repels them. * If all you can see out of the window is ground that's going round and round and all you can hear is commotion coming from the passenger compartment, things are not at all as they should be. * In the ongoing battle between objects made of aluminum going hundreds of miles per hour and the ground going zero miles per hour, the ground has yet to lose. * Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, the experience usually comes from bad judgment. * It's always a good idea to keep the pointy end going forward as much as possible. * Keep looking around. There's always something you've missed. * Remember, gravity is not just a good idea. It's the law. And it's not subject to repeal. * The three most useless things to a pilot are the altitude above you, runway behind you, and a tenth of a second ago. |
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Being a pilot isn't all seat-of-the-pants flying and glory. It's self-discipline, practice, study, analysis and preparation. It's precision. If you can't keep the gauges where you want them when everything is free and easy, how can you keep them there when everything goes wrong?
The work of a pilot could easily become more dangerous than that of a modern-day-test pilot.
The pilots of the Aloha Airlines 737 that lost a 20' section of cabin roof on 28-Apr-88 undoubtedly did a fine job in putting that aeroplane down in one piece. Likewise, the crew of the Piedmont Airlines 737 that literally lost an engine during take-off made an outstanding contribution to asymmetric aviation.
Then the case of the United 747 that lost a cargo door while climbing through 23000'. This 68 in. by 104 in. door tore out of the fuselage side as high as the upper row of windows, and the resulting decompression blew out nine passengers, eight seats and baggage from cargo hold. Debris badly damaged the #3 engine, which had to be shut down almost immediately. Remarkably, a suitcase was ejected with sufficient lateral velocity to reach #4 engine. This too was closed down, after the 2nd officer (surveying the damaged from the main cabin) reported flames coming from both jet pipe and inlet. The starboard slats and flaps were also damaged, and the asymmetric condition of the aircraft restricted flap-setting to 10 degrees. Landing heavy without thrust reversal, 6 tyres blew out and the brakes seized. Interestingly, emergency oxygen was not available, because of a fractured line in the cargo hold. All 10 exits and slides were used for the evacuation.
Another difficult piloting task faced the crew of the United DC-10 that on 19-Jul-88 evidently suffered a failure in the fan section of its #2 CF6-6 engine. Parts from the disintegrating engine severed all 3 hydraulic systems, resulting in a total loss of fluid, although some slight elevator and aileron control was retained. The crew diverted, largely relying on thrust variation on the remaining 2 engines for pitch and yaw control. Unfortunately, lateral control was lost just before the touchdown, and the aircraft cart wheeled and fire balled. Nonetheless 174 out of 293 were saved.
Need for airmanship of a high standard can arise in any category of aircraft. On 6-Aug-88, the president of Botswana was being flown in a BAe 125-800 from his capital to a heads-of-state meeting in capital of Angola, when aircraft was intercepted by an Angolan Mig-21 at 35000'. In a remarkable demonstration of the accuracy provided by IR homing, the first missile (an AA-2 or AA-8) blew the right engine off the aircraft, and the second hit it as it fell away. Those inside the 125 heard a loud bang, sensed an explosive decompression, and saw a shower of Garrett TFE731-5 fan blades passing ahead of the aircraft. Aside from the rear cabin being holed, the right wing and flaps were badly damaged and 2000 lb of fuel was lost from that wing. The aircraft control was regained at 28500' and landed at the nearest airfield. The presidential party continued to the capital in another aircraft. (What was said to the Mig-21 pilot has not been published.)
Of course military pilots are less likely to announce their white-knuckle situations since they would consider such events as day to day thrills and excitement, than what normal pilot would regard as life-shortening experiences.
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Actual Airplane Maintenance Log Book Entries
"Squawks" are problem listings that pilots generally leave for maintenance crews to fix before the next flight. Here are some squawks submitted by US Air Force pilots and the replies from the maintenance crews.
(P) = Problem
(S) = Solution
(P) Left inside main tire almost needs replacement
(S) Almost replaced left inside main tire
(P) Test flight OK, except autoland very rough
(S) Autoland not installed on this aircraft
(P) #2 Propeller seeping prop fluid
(S) #2 Propeller seepage normal - #1 #3 and #4 propellers lack normal seepage
(P) Something loose in cockpit
(S) Something tightened in cockpit
(P) Evidence of leak on right main landing gear
(S) Evidence removed
(P) DME volume unbelievably loud
(S) Volume set to more believable level
(P) Dead bugs on windshield
(S) Live bugs on order
(P) Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent
(S) Cannot reproduce problem on ground
(P) IFF inoperative
(S) IFF always inoperative in OFF mode (IFF-Identification Friend or Foe)
(P) Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick
(S) That's what they're there for
(P) Number three engine missing
(S) Engine found on right wing after brief search
(P) Aircraft handles funny
(S) Aircraft warned to straighten up, "fly right" and be serious
(P) Target Radar hums
(S) Reprogrammed Target Radar with the lyrics
You might be a freight dog if...
- Your aircraft was getting old when you were born
- You have not done a daytime landing in the past six months
- ATC advises you of smoother air at a different altitude, but you don't care
- ATC asks you to"keep the chickens down" so they can hear you
- Your aircraft has over 75000 cycles
- Your ops manager myteriously increases your max takeoff weight during the peak season
- You mark every ramp with engine oil
- Everything you own is in your flight bag and suitcase
- You know you are flying a Cessna when you have a bird strike and it's from behind
- I'd like to die in my sleep like my father did, not screaming terror, like his passengers
- Progress in airline flying: now a flight attendant can get a pilot pregnant
- We have a perfect record in aviation: we never left one up there
- Flying the aircraft is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding it
- The 3 most comman expressions in aviation are, 'why is it doing it?', 'where are we?' and 'Shit'
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MODIFIED LANDING CHECKLIST
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Brakes - Off |
Slippers - On |
Feet - Up |
Mixture - Richer the better |
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Port - Decanted |
Fire - Burning merrily |
Turkey - Stuffed & eaten |
Harness - Loose as possible |
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Lights - On trees |
Palm Pilot - Stowed |
De-icing - On cake |
Partner - Set to standby |
Note: We always welcome your feedback. For the benefit of other pilots please send your ideas, unusual flying experiences, advice, etc. We will publish them in future Mil-News editions.
Mil-Air always looks for new challenges. We want quality, not the quantity.
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