Tag: aviation safety

How pilots can assist controllers during a procedural approach control to save time and fuel?

Anil Goyal

What is a Procedural Approach Control? Procedural approach control is a form of non-radar air traffic control conducted from the Tower to separate arriving, departing, and overflying aircraft within a designated area around an aerodrome. The procedural approach is used in areas with little or no radar coverage, where traffic density is relatively low. The procedural approach controller may utilize a variety of (non-radar) separation standards to achieve separation between aircraft i.e. vertical, longitudinal, lateral, geographical, or visual separation. Without an accurate radar picture to aid situational awareness the procedural approach…

What pilots should know about circuit breakers and the risk of resetting tripped CB?

Anil Goyal

I was recently asked to re-cycle PA system CB on ground by the engineering staff as the system was not working. Without giving it a second thought I did that and the system was working again. Subsequently this made me think. Is this normal? But then what about tripped CBs? What are circuit breakers? The single most “proliferated” item of the electrical system in a modern cockpit is the circuit breaker. These round black heads line the cockpit’s walls and ceiling. AC or DC, ganged, multi- or single-pole, they control,…

What pilots should know about lightning and its effect?

Anil Goyal

Recently I was operating to Colombo. ATIS reported thunderstorm activity around aerodrome and heavy rain. Subsequently, the Director reported Aerodrome lightning warning. After we landed, we realized that all ground movement has been suspended due to lightning warning, and passengers had to wait for 45 minutes before de-boarding. Airplanes get struck by lightning frequently. Fortunately, they’re built to handle it. The average commercial airliner gets hit by lightning a little more than once a year according to Lightning Technologies Inc., a Massachusetts-based company that manufactures lightning protection for aircraft. The last confirmed commercial plane crash directly attributed to…