Category: Aviation knowledge and operations

C7 Strategy for Enhancing Verbal Communication: Aviation

Anil Goyal

Verbal communication is a vital part of aviation operation, despite increased use of hand held and integrated data-link communication and computer interfaces that use non-verbal inputs. The verbal communication is not just between air traffic controllers and pilots, but between a complex team of players including ramp workers, ground-handlers, cabin crew, aerodrome operators, construction workers, airline staff, security, other specialists and members of the public.

Is Muscle Memory for Real?

Anil Goyal

Unlike octopuses, we don’t have brains in our limbs. So we can’t really “memorize” anything in our arms and legs. But it’s true that once you learn how to do something physical—whether it be riding a bike or swimming – it becomes easier and easier to do it without thinking. It sure feels like your muscles remembers how to do it. But the reality is that the activity is happening in our brains.

Why Spin and Recovery is mandatory in Military Aviation?

Anil Goyal

A spin is a yaw aggravated stall which results in rotation about the spin axis. The aircraft follows a steep, “corkscrew” like, downward path. Spins can be entered, either intentionally or unintentionally, from any flight attitude and at practically any airspeed. If a stalled aircraft is subjected to a sufficient yaw rate, it will enter a spin. The yaw can be induced by improper use of the rudder or can be a result of the wing drop characteristics of the aircraft in question. In a spin, both wings are in a stalled condition but one wing will be in a deeper stall than the other. The drag is greater on the more deeply stalled wing causing the aircraft to autorotate (yaw) toward that wing. Spins are characterised by high angle of attack, low airspeed and high rate of descent.

Where does Outer Space begin?

Anil Goyal

The United Nations has historically accepted the Kármán line as the boundary of space. And while the U.S. government has been reticent to agree to a specific height, people who fly above an altitude of 60 miles (100 km) typically earn astronaut wings from the Federal Aviation Administration. Even the Ansari X-prize chose the Kármán line as the benchmark height required to win its $10 million prize, which was claimed when Burt Rutan’s SpaceShipOne became the first privately-built spacecraft to carry a crew back in 2004.

How are slots allotted to airlines for operation form an Airport?

Anil Goyal

With the increase in air traffic at the major airports in the country, the capacity of many airports has been constrained. Therefore to ensure most efficient use use of airport infrastructure and in order to maximise the benefits to the greatest number of airport users, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has a policy for allocation of constrained or limited airport capacity to airlines and other aircraft operators, through a transparent and equitable mechanism so as to ensure viable airport and air transport operations.

Search for Supersonic Transport and its Challenges

Anil Goyal

In October 1947 Chuck Yeager took the rocket-powered Bell X-1 through the sound barrier. After that humans have not looked back and any new fighter aircraft is naturally assumed to be able to sustanin supersonic speeds. However to date only two supersonic transport aircraft Concorde and Tupolev-144 have seen regular service. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde’s last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation. Following the permanent cessation of flying by Concorde, there are no remaining SSTs in commercial service.

Thunderstorms

Anil Goyal

Thunderstorms are one of the most beautiful atmospheric phenomenon. As a pilot, however, thunderstorms are one of the most hazardous conditions you can encounter. Thunderstorms can produce severe turbulence, low level wind shear, low ceilings and visibilities, hail and lightning. Each of these hazards can be difficult to cope with; if all these conditions arrive at once, it can be disastrous. Understanding basic thunderstorm formation and structure can help you make safe decisions.

Contrails: White crayons on Blue canvas

Anil Goyal

On a clear sky, one time or other you would have seen white contrails streaking across the sky. As if sky blue is canvas for these aircrafts or as if they are announcing true love, up high where our dreams meet. They look beautiful to one and all except for military pilots for they point like signposts. On some occasion they disappear in seconds on other they persist for very long after aircraft has passed. What are these white contrails and how are they formed?