No Fuel Pump = No Fly

Today’s fight was cancelled due to lack of plane… The plane was in for a 100 hour inspection and it was found that the fuel pump was INOP. It was the electric pump – not the engine-driven pump. I’m glad that they fount that problem during the inspection rather than when I was on short final needing to do a go-around.

Scott and I instead spent a couple of hours doing ground instruction and hangar flying. Mostly the latter. He presented a few mnemonics for me to learn. Aviation is full of these and I probably wouldn't have passed the written or oral for my Private Pilot without them…

mne·mon·ic (neh-MAHN-ik)

adj.
Relating to, assisting, or intended to assist the memory.
n.
A device, such as a formula or rhyme, used as an aid in remembering.

TTTTT – Crossing a Fix/Approach

T turn to proper heading
T time hold or approach
T twist OBS knob to inbound course
T throttle adjustments, as required
T talk - procedure turn inbound, entering the hold, etc.

WIRETAP – Near Destination

W Weather (AWOS, ATIS, ASOS, etc.)
I instruments set
R radios tuned
E elevation (check final approach fix altitude)
T talk to ATC
A altitudes for decision height or minimum descent altitude
P procedure for missed approach

Another that I shouldn’t publish – it is a family blog.

We talked about the three different entries into a hold: Parallel, Direct, and Teardrop. This is what we were going to fly today – VOR intercepts, holds, and approaches. I am supposed to fly tomorrow so I can practice these procedures without the hood (JeppShades). It was a good lesson in ground. Scott has a good teaching style so that it is easy to understand the information he is presenting. He also does a good job relating the information to material in the book and the FAR/AIM.

All in all, a good day. I just wish I was flying…