Tips from CSIP's: Staying Proficient - All Comments

re: EAPIS: Working Pretty Well, Actually

John Fiscus — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:05:37 GMT

Hi Tommy

I'm not Luke but I can answer your question. Customs won't make a big deal out of it at all if you have the receipt but no decal - they're well aware of how long it takes to turn these things around. Going further, it's actually ok to arrive with no decal purchased! You can buy one on the spot when you show up in the US and it'll only take 4 or 5 minutes to fill out the paperwork. I have done this with many clients and it's completely a non event.

That said, we just ordered our 2012 decals and had them about 10 days after I placed the order. Yours may show up a lot sooner than they estimate.

Safe flying,

-John

re: EAPIS: Working Pretty Well, Actually

Tommy Daniel — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:18:14 GMT

Luke,

When you return to the U.S. does customs make a big deal about your decal? I have ordered a new current one and have the receipt but as anything goes with the government they tell me it may take 4-6 wks. to receive. I did call customs in West Palm Beach and they told me if I have the receipt I should be okay. Any thoughts?

re: CFI Renewal - Gleim Online

Larry Reinstein — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:32:30 GMT

How does the GLEIM compare with the AOPA JEPP online CFI renewal?

re: You don't see many approaches like this...

Jeffrey Willwerth — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:46:50 GMT

Check out the approach into LSZA (Lugano, Switzerland). The GS is 6.65 degrees! If you follow the GS on down, you'll lose almost 2000' in just 2.7nm!

re: An interesting TAF

Scott Dennstaedt — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:23:11 GMT

As I said, it is probably the most misunderstood forecast in aviation. Sort of like when pilots don't want to run their airplane LOP because they believe it'll hurt the engine. In fact, I've written a couple of articles about non-convective LLWS and developed a couple of workshops so pilots can really understand what it is and not to be afraid of it.

In general I've had quite the opposite experience with this forecast. Most of the time the air is glassy smooth. So I am quite happy to see it. Ever fly at night when the air is clear and winds at the surface are calm? I can almost guarantee you that you will fly through non-convective LLWS when you land or depart and don't even know it. That's all courtesy of a nocturnal temperature inversion.

re: An interesting TAF

John Fiscus — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:01:46 GMT

Hm. Ok, well it may not be an explicit forecast for turbulence, but every time I've been in the air and this has been forecast as it appears above, I've been beat up until I get well below the noted level. This has happened to me not quite a dozen times, but close and it's consistent in the Pacific Northwest.

I have talked to a lot of pilots who don't understand the difference between the different kinds of shear. This one, of course, isn't the same shear as you'd get in convective weather. And that stuff REALLY sucks. I've only been in the air near a strong convective shear once and that was enough to learn not to do it again.

In any case, I'll still give a warning of "let the flyer beware" if they're in mountainous or even moderately hilly terrain and they see this in the forecast. While it might turn out to be harmless, my experience has always been that it makes for some interesting bumps.

re: An interesting TAF

Scott Dennstaedt — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:49:08 GMT

John,

The turbulence you experienced wasn't due to this non-convective LLWS. In most cases the air is glassy smooth. It is often present on clear, calm nights and you may not know it is even there unless you take notice of your ground speeds as you land. It's not typically forecast in this situation, but I've seen it dozens of times at night. My point is that non-convective LLWS as it appears in a TAF is NOT a forecast for turbulence. And, it is not the same wind shear as you might experience with convective activity. But unfortunately, pilots just don't understand that.

re: An interesting TAF

John Fiscus — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:11:09 GMT

I'm surprised that most instructors don't understand what it means, Scott!

It may be harmless in other places, but every time I've been in the air in the Seattle area and we've had this kind of shear, it kicks our butts! It happens here fairly frequently in the winter time. I actually went up on that afternoon and ... oof. I had to disconnect the autopilot because it couldn't keep up (the Garmin AP no less) and slow below maneuvering speed due to the turbulence.

re: An interesting TAF

Scott Dennstaedt — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:50:25 GMT

John,

This is called non-convective low level wind shear and is harmless most of the time. It's a form of vertical speed shear and isn't associated with convection and is not a forecast for turbulence. It's probably the most misunderstood weather forecast in aviation - most of the instructors that I've spoken with over the years don't understand it either.

re: You don't see many approaches like this...

Christian Goetze — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:59:13 GMT

I think I remember someone telling me that you are permitted to fly the depicted circle VFR, and if you can spot the airport while flying the circle, you're OK. Otherwise, continue the circle, rejoin the localizer and climb.

re: An interesting TAF

Robert Hancock — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:49:34 GMT

Wind shear as expected wouldn't be for the faint of heart. Presure gradients as shown gives additional clues as to what find of flight one might expect.

re: You don't see many approaches like this...

Larry Miranda — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:52:39 GMT

You can fly that approach in microsoft flight sim. Its a fun approach to fly.

re: Perspective Update: Make Sure You Turn This On!

Matt Dickens — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:29:44 GMT

Thanks John!

Thanks Steve!

Good info!

re: You don't see many approaches like this...

Andrew Barnard — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:41:46 GMT

That is some serious terrain. Basically a "structured" VFR approach. My question is, with the MDA past the airport, what would you be able to see that would allow you to continue the approach (by circling back to the airport) instead of going missed? Do you get to use that special rear view mirror?

re: You don't see many approaches like this...

Shane Reynolds — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:14:07 GMT

Austria eh? Well then, Goo'day Mate!