Loss of control in IMC

[cnoe]

I must confess. I've been absent from MS for multiple hours; I just finished reading a 23 page thread on BT regarding the recent loss of 3 souls in a V-tail Bo following what appears to be a vacuum system failure (and possibly more) in IMC.

I bring this up as I ponder much of what I read there (lots of strong opinions).

From a redundancy plan for IFR flight my plan(e) includes the following:

1. Vacuum primary AI and DG (sadly controls my AP as well).

2. Standby electric vacuum system/pump (hopefully restores all the above).

3. Standby electric backup AI in place of original TC.

4. Yoke mounted iPad with Stratus 2 driven AHRS/AI.

5. Mounted iPhone utilizing same Stratus 2 driven AHRS/AI.

Even with all this gadgetry it appears that the challenge is in recognizing a gradual loss of the vacuum instruments, identifying the failed instruments, and then making a successful transition to the appropriate backup. Because of this I intend to be more diligent in including my recently installed vacuum gauge as part of my regular scan while flying in IMC. I also carry sticky instrument covers in my seat pocket to block a failed instrument as needed.

So you ask "where is this going". Nowhere really other than to ask for your opinions on how I might stack the odds further in my favor without spending a bunch of cash on more panel candy.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

 

[neilpilot]

Handheld com (use batteries, not nicad recharge pack), with PTT and outside com antenna cables.

[carusoam]

CNOE,

I believe you may be referring to this one...

- equipment that is available

- training that is recurrent

- serious nature of the situation

Clouds are incredibly dangerous when you don't have the equipment working, proper back-up for when they aren't, and recency of training to use it properly.

Know that an unchecked roll rate of 1 degree per second will be un-noticeable without references and unflyable within a minute.  From 6,000' agl, the ground isn't that far away.

Best regards,

-a-

 

[kortopates]

Practice partial panel approaches!! Know how to use your panel mounted IFR GPS data to maintain heading in the form of DTK vs TRK instead of just relying on the compass with lead, lag and acceleration errors. It makes it easy to fly partial panel to ATP standards with some practice.

Terribly sad that the Bonanza pilot was ATP rated, past CFI etc yet managed to over stress the airframe so quickly. Practice Partial Panel!!!

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[Gone]

48 minutes ago, neilpilot said:

Handheld com (use batteries, not nicad recharge pack), with PTT and outside com antenna cables.

+1.  I have an ICOM A6 with two packs, the headset connection and an external antenna linked via the coax that was connected to the Marker Beacon.  Clarence hates it.  He calls that antenna the "eye poker" and fears for his guys injuring themselves when under the belly of C-FSWR during annual.

Long story on why I came up with this solution.  

[cnoe]

The supplemental antenna is one thing I lack. I carry the handheld radio along with headset connection and remote PTT, but nothing more than the whip antenna at this time. Can one "T" into an existing antenna run or does it have to be independent?

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[carusoam]

"2. Standby electric vacuum system/pump (hopefully restores all the above)." - CNOE

Hope is not a very good flight plan.

Engineering school has taught a few hard lessons.  'Hope' and 'wish' are two words that indicate I can do better.

I hope my back-up system works... (There is ways to turn this into I know my bu system works)

I wish I bought more 100LL at that last stop.

Oddly enough, this is the thought process around my house.  Two kids growing up in a house with an IR'd PP.

The magic of wishing and hoping for good things to happen is reserved for when preparation has failed and the only thing left is prayer.

Tough thoughts... But good news.  We are here on MS to discuss the issues. This doesn't have to happen.  There is a way to prepare for this.  It dosen't have to cost your life savings to get there.

Best regards,

-a-

 

[Gone]

cnoe:

I put an antenna on the belly because the TX strength of an ICOM is only about 4 watts PEP.  Anything you can do to improve the signal strength of your handheld will be useful.  Note that Piloto is also very well versed in propagation and uses that old chestnut of HF when he does transatlantic crossing.  Propagation criteria for HF are far more sensitive than VHF so he may be able to help here too.  Our normal aviation radios do not cause us to worry about LUF and MUF or the time of day to get the range we need (well not much anyway).

As for your proposed solution, T junctions in coax are notorious for robbing emitted power, but that setup will undoubtedly be better than a whip trying to get through the skin of your aircraft.  

[Gone]

1 minute ago, carusoam said:

The magic of wishing and hoping for good things to happen is reserved for when preparation has failed and the only thing left is prayer.

+ 1.  As a corollary, Luck is defined as our preparedness meeting an opportunity.  

[cnoe]

"2. Standby electric vacuum system/pump (hopefully restores all the above)." - CNOE

Hope is not a very good flight plan.

Engineering school has taught a few hard lessons.  'Hope' and 'wish' are two words that indicate I can do better.

I hope my back-up system works... (There is ways to turn this into I know my bu system works)

I wish I bought more 100LL at that last stop.

Oddly enough, this is the thought process around my house.  Two kids growing up in a house with an IR'd PP.

The magic of wishing and hoping for good things to happen is reserved for when preparation has failed and the only thing left is prayer.

Tough thoughts... But good news.  We are here on MS to discuss the issues. This doesn't have to happen.  There is a way to prepare for this.  It dosen't have to cost your life savings to get there.

Best regards,

-a-

 

I agree wholeheartedly, that's the reason for items 3 and 4. But I still value opinions and seek further info. Training and practice are good. And amazingly I can still fly the plane without the AP (even on an approach).

I've yet to experience vacuum loss in IMC but I've had the good fortune to experience it during a dark night flight (in another plane). Lights on the ground made it easy enough to deal with so its a far cry from IMC.

Keep the comments coming.

[cnoe]

6 minutes ago, Ned Gravel said:

cnoe:

I put and antenna on the belly because the TX strength of an ICOM is only about 4 watts PEP.  Anything you can do to improve the signal strength of your handheld will be useful.  Note that Piloto is also very well versed in propagation and uses that old chestnut of HF when he does transatlantic crossing.  Propagation criteria for HF are far more sensitive than VHF so he may be able to help here too.  Our normal aviation radios do not cause us to worry about LUF and MUF or the time of day to get the range we need (well not much anyway).

As for your proposed solution, T junctions in coax are notorious for robbing emitted power, but that setup will undoubtedly be better than a whip trying to get through the skin of your aircraft.  

I've got an eye-poker as well (and know first hand why Clarence has concerns). I wonder if one could "t" into that without frying the beacon receiver. That would be an easy connection with easy access, and no effect on my comms. I may ask my avionics guy when he does my pitot/static checks in October. Anybody on here already know the answer? Like you say, anything would be better than the attached whip (which I figured would require sticking out the pilot window in a pinch to be useful).

[N201MKTurbo]

Just two weeks ago my flight instructor gave me an incredibly complex flight plan to fly that included many turns, climbs, descents and speed changes. It was all done with no GPS, AI or DG. It took almost an hour to fly the whole thing and we finished up with a localizer approach with a hold. It got kind of easy after about 1/2 hour, but in an emergency you have to be good at it immediately.

I think I'm going to do this every 6 months as long as I'm flying IFR.

[Guest]

You could do what one of my clients did to his Acclaim.

Clarence

[kortopates]

I personally wouldn't worry about the lost com scenario. Sure it's a real possibility and it's happens. In fact it's happened to me twice in my 26 yrs flying. First was my fault for not recognizing the alternator was not charging in a rental - till the battery discharged. Very stupid and very embarrassing on my part; especially since this was a night time IFR flight and everything went black instantly. But I did have the handheld at the ready and used it to return for landing and I was lucky enough to still be VMC before loosing all power. Second time I was VMC daytime and no big deal - squawk 7600 and look for a light signal for landing. Of course that wasn't a com loss due to power loss but an intercom failure (that supposedly has a fail safe mode). Anyway, what I am leading up too is the following comment or opinion - it's nice to have the handheld and ability to plug my headset into it. But it's way down on my priority list. If I've also lost instruments, or my AP and not VMC I am not going to reach for the radio, but I will squawk 7600, if I can, and fly the plane. I know they'll clear traffic out of the way for me and my #1 job is to fly the plane till we're down safely. I am not too worried about ATC or even tower - and even less so if I am confident they know I lost comm; from squawking 7600 or from being on an IFR flight plan.

My first plane had a splitter installed on one of the nav/com antennas which allowed me to hook my handheld into the ships antenna. It makes a big difference but if I need to fly the plane I am most likely not going to bother with it unless I have help on board. I never needed it. Anyway, just my thoughts on why lost comm is pretty low on my list if I also need to be flying the plane. To put it another way M201ktTurbo has his priorities exactly right by practicing and maintains his Partial Panel skills

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