Issue 2
LICENCE TO LEARN
SAFETY IN A CHANGING WORLD W
elcome to our summer edition of Licence to Learn. We received overwhelming positive support for our first edition of this publication, so are planning on producing it on a more regular basis. As everyone knows, safety is part of the core of what makes RAAus so valuable to our members. We continue to produce resources that help everyone, from our instructors and maintainers to our mainstream members. The resources are also valuable tools for budding aviators, students and anyone with an interest in aviation. More than half a decade has passed since I was appointed CEO and in that time RAAus has seen significant change. We are now a company limited by guarantee, we have 13% more members than in 2015 and our safety record has vastly improved. Change comes in a number of ways and is often precipitated by a causal factor. The same can be said for safety. Take for example the recent bushfires and second-hand smoke that has enveloped various cities, Canberra and Melbourne included. To deal with the smoke a lot of people began to wear breathing masks. A change as a result of an event or safety concern. RAAus has taken a similar attitude. As we have gained more and more intelligence from our Occurrence Management System, we have been able to understand more about the risks our members experience. Once we are more aware of these risks we can communicate them to members in publications such as this one and assist with changes to processes or behaviours. Sometimes people say they don’t like change, but I think today, we live in a world of constant change. Technology and human learning are growing at such a rate that finding new ways to do things is almost an everyday occurrence. We take that attitude at RAAus. We have a small but dedicated team who focus on innovation and improvement. This publication is an idea of theirs. We have a host of interesting articles for you to read, consider and explore how you can incorporate changes that could improve safety in your everyday aviation activities. Sit back and enjoy what we’ve prepared or you. We’ve learned - will you?
Michael Linke CEO Recreational Aviation Australia
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OUR FOCUS ON SAFETY W
elcome to our second edition of Licence to Learn, our safety publication for RAAus members. Safety lies at the heart of RAAus and is considered throughout everything we do, however it is a priority in 2020 to improve how we communicate safety statistics and information to you, our membership. This edition includes a range of topics relevant to members based on data received within our occurrence management system (OMS), including information on the importance of occurrence reporting by RAAus members. Without this information we are unable to collect important data which assists in scoping RAAus safety promotions. As part of the focus to improve safety correspondence, we have also revamped the safety space within the RAAus website to reflect current areas of focus based on data and trends. Keep an eye on this space over the coming months for updates on current safety information. One current area of focus for the Safety Team is on operations around the recent bushfire tragedies across Australia and the smoke these fires have produced, creating a number of hazards for pilots including increased water-bombing aircraft activity and decreased visibility. RAAus has had a number of occurrences reported in relation to current conditions and reminds members to carefully consider local conditions prior to flying. We must also send our condolences to anyone who has been affected by the fires and thank the incredible efforts by emergency services personnel across the country. Finally, I would like to hear from you to understand what safety correspondence you would like to see going forward. Perhaps you have had an experience you would like to share that others could learn from, or have feedback on the type of safety information you would like to see more of in the future – your feedback is important to us, and we would love to know your thoughts. Please email us at safety@raaus.com.au Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable 2020, filled with blue skies and tailwinds.
Cody Calder Assistant Safety Manager Recreational Aviation Australia
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CONTENTS Safety in a changing world......................... 1 Our focus on safety..................................... 2 2019 Safety Review...................................... 4 Reporting with RAAus................................. 7 Farming Operations....................................11 Hot but handled......................................... 13 Engine cooling hoses................................ 16 See something, say something................ 18
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
2019 Safety review A
s we welcome the start of 2020 and the new decade, it is an opportunity to reflect on 2019, review our safety statistics, and focus on our safety objectives for 2020. With the RAAus Occurrence Management System (OMS) now 4 years old, a focus for 2020 is to look at improving how we manage our data in order to offer you, our members, more visibility of RAAus safety information, occurrence types and safety focuses. This should also give members insight into how RAAus collates, analyses and utilises your reports to distribute information to members.
Accident & Incident Breakdown Nearly half of our accident and incident reports can be categorised as operational occurrences, many of which are due to aircraft control management issues, runway events, communications, flight preparation / navigation and fuel related occurrences.
So let’s take a look at the data RAAus members lodged 299 reports through our OMS throughout 2019, which consisted of:
Report Type Accident Incident Hazard Defect Complaint Total
Number of Reports 58 170 5 24 42 299
Injuries RAAus had a total of 5 fatal reports throughout the 2019 calendar year, 2 more than 2018. We also had 3 occurrences resulting in serious injury, and 16 occurrences involving minor injury.
Injury Type Fatal Serious Minor Nil
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Number of Occurrences 5 3 16 203
Damage to Aircraft Throughout 2019 we had 15 occurrences reporting an aircraft being destroyed, 38 occurrences resulting in substantial aircraft damage, and 53 occurrences resulting in minor damage.
Damage to Aircraft Destroyed Substantial Minor Nil Unknown
Number of Occurrences 15 38 53 106 16
Breakdown of occurrence types
RAAus will continue to provide L1 maintenance training throughout 2020 to better equip owner maintainers with the basic knowledge and skills required to safely maintain their own aircraft. Keep an eye out for E-News correspondence related to upcoming L1 Maintenance courses near you! Flight Operations
From the data gathered within 2019, we are able to identify commonly occurring accident types. These can be split between our two primary departments, Flight Operations and Airworthiness and Maintenance. Airworthiness & Maintenance
Occurrence Category Engine Failure or malfunction Landing gear issues Flight control issues Brake malfunction or failure
schedules are modified based on reports of failures or other issues, hence the importance of reporting. RAAus forwards relevant reports to manufacturers, as does the ATSB and international equivalents. Recent examples include advice from a manufacturer to reduce the number of hours between replacement of parts due to reported failures.
Number of Reports 35 13 6 4
Our most common technical related report received throughout 2019 was due to engine failure or malfunction, with many submissions reporting partial or full loss of power, or engine vibrations. Other common technical related occurrences include landing gear, flight control and brake issues. This reinforces the importance of members ensuring maintenance schedules are carried out as per the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. The manufacturer maintenance
Occurrence Category Loss of separation, loss of separation assurance, or near miss Runway loss of control or runway excursion Hard landing or ground strike Loss of control Aircraft preparation Airspace infringement
Number of Reports 21 20 18 14 6 7
Loss of Separation and Near Miss Events One area of increasing concern is the number of loss of separation related or near miss events being reported by RAAus members. It is important that members remain vigilant when it comes to keeping your eyes outside the cockpit and maintaining good lookout practices. This is particularly relevant with current smoke conditions in the atmosphere from the ongoing bushfire tragedies. RAAus has received reports from pilots advising of loss of VMC, including in the circuit at aerodromes. Loss of separation in the circuit is potentially the most serious of events and members should be proactive in
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maintaining an active lookout, and avoid operating in potentially low visibility conditions. This data also enforces the importance of making regular radio calls and maintaining a good listening watch when flying. Members should not rely solely on radio communications as means of confirming the location of other nearby airspace users as there are a number of reasons why other aircraft may not hear your transmission. Runway Events Runway events, including runway loss of control, runway excursions or hard landings make up a large number of RAAus occurrences, many of which may have been unavoidable with improved situational decision making. Ensuring pilots establish and maintain a stabilised approach on final will be an important factor in achieving a good landing. Remember regardless of how long you have been flying, refreshing some skills with a local instructor can be a valuable way to improve knowledge and safety. When was the last time you went out and simply practiced circuits, setting targets like maintaining height +/- 50 or 100 feet, airspeed to within 5 knots, applying discipline to your checklists and reviewing your decision point as to when you will commence a go around, or even practicing a goaround! This can be one of the most challenging parts of a flight, applying power when the trim is set for glide approach, flaps are set for landing and dealing with the resulting yaw and pitch from the power application requires pilots to be on top of their game. Conducting a go-around is always less embarrassing than running off the side of the runway, or worse! We should be handing out awards to pilots who elect to conduct a go-around, as a nod to their superior decision making and aircraft handling skills.
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Loss of Control Events Loss of control events are the single largest cause of fatal accidents not only for RAAus, but also in light aircraft around the world. It is vital that members understand their aircraft, including required speeds, handling requirements, and characteristics. Members should also be familiar with the symptoms of a stall and regularly practice these skills. Remember that increased angle of bank increases stall speed which may require an increase in power. A stall may be initially quite benign in your aircraft, but by observing the Vertical Speed Indicator, a sneaky indicator of a stalled condition will be present in the form of a increasing rate of descent. The first step in an engine failure situation for pilots in low inertia aircraft like the majority of RAAus aircraft must be to lower the nose in order to maintain airspeed. These skills should be instinctive for all pilots and reviewing these skills may just save your life - Perhaps consider adding a reminder to lower the nose in the event of engine failure as part of your pre-takeoff checklist emergency brief. Another focus for 2020 is to try and share more member flying experiences involving close calls, incidents or accidents, or stories of when pilots got things wrong. If you have an experience you believe could help others, please send a copy to safety@raaus.com.au. Many of our OMS outcomes and reports mirror those received internationally, making these issues not just a RAAus problem. Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility. If you see something that isn’t right, say something, or report it to RAAus so that we can work with members to improve safety for everyone.
REPORTING WITH RAAUS
DO YOU KNOW YOUR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS? F
our years have passed since RAAus implemented our Occurrence Management System (OMS) and it is important that we continue to discuss the importance of reporting, and how this can improve aviation safety for all members. Over the past four years of operation, the OMS has allowed RAAus to identify a number of critical safety outcomes and build important data to assist in shaping our safety messaging, all of which could not have been achieved without our membership actively reporting. We must however, continue to improve our reporting culture. Regardless of how big or small occurrences may seem, it is important that these are reported – If you are unsure whether something should be reported then our Safety team will be more than happy to offer further advice by contacting them via phone or emailing safety@raaus.com.au What can I report within the OMS? Did you know that the RAAus OMS allows you to report more than incidents and accidents? It also allows you to report hazards, defects, or to lodge a confidential complaint. This information is extremely important as it allows RAAus to act on behalf of our members and notify relevant parties in the event that we identify something that has the potential to negatively impact the safety of others. Do I have to submit a report to RAAus? Pilots, aircraft owners, flight instructors, witnesses and maintainers have a legal obligation to report occurrences under the Transport Safety Investigation Act. The RAAus OMS makes it easy for members to fulfil their reporting obligations, as reports submitted to RAAus also complete their reporting requirements under the Act. Occurrence types can be broken down into two categories, an Immediately reportable matter (IRM) or a routinely reportable matter (RRM): Immediately reportable matter (IRM) IRMs are accidents or serious incidents that affect the safety of aircraft. These may include occurrences that result in injury or damage to an aircraft or other property.
IRMs may include: –– Runway overshoot or undershoot –– Loss of control event –– Landing gear failure IRMs must be reported to RAAus by telephone as soon as practical, and a written report must be submitted within 72 hours. Routinely reportable matter (RRM) RRMs are occurrences that have, or could have, affected safety. RRMs may include: –– Runway incursion, excursion or ground loop, resulting in no damage –– A flat tyre –– Taxiing collision –– Bird strike –– Go-around due to another aircraft –– Near miss RRMs often do not result in any damage, and a written report must be submitted within 72 hours. I am an L1, L2 or L4 Maintainer, what are my maintenance reporting requirements? Aircraft maintainers, including owner maintainers and higher maintenance approval holders, have an obligation to report all known defects. The RAAus Technical Manual outlines maintenance reporting requirements and defines a defect as any fault in the design, function or qualitative characteristic of an item fitted to an aircraft which differs from the specification, the drawing, or recognised standard of good workmanship for that item other than that classified as fair wear and tear within manufacturer’s limits. Maintainers also have the requirement to report where a maintenance schedule or flight manual is considered to be deficient. An example of this may include identifying that a wheel rim on an aircraft is cracked. Though this may be the first time you have witnessed this issue, you should still submit a defect report. Nationally there may be a problem that we are
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Accidents Ad for Safety Month.pdf
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20/6/17
4:00 pm
ACCIDENTS C
M
Routine Reportable Matter
Immediately Reportable Matter
IRM
Y
CM
RRM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Call ATSB within 24 hrs
1800 011 034 Call RAAus within 24 hrs
02 6280 4700
You have 72 hours to submit a written report to the RAAus OMS/ATSB
able to identify through multiple receipts of similar reports, however if this issue is simply fixed without reporting to RAAus then we are unable to communicate the issue to other members. Instead, we may only become aware of it when on another aircraft the part fails on landing, resulting in an accident and potential injury. RAAus communicates known defects to aircraft manufacturers, and where required may issue an airworthiness notice to aircraft owners / operators and other interested persons, advising them of a known defect or deficiency and rectification action. What does RAAus do when we receive a submission within our OMS? Every submission received by RAAus is manually processed by our team who complete a risk assessment and review the reported information. Following the initial assessment, the occurrence is then delegated to the appropriate department for review and follow-up. If the occurrence is identified as being high risk or has the potential to seriously impact the safety of other members, the occurrence is reviewed by our management team for any immediate action needed to ensure
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You have 72 hours to submit a written report to the RAAus OMS/ATSB
member safety. If the occurrence does not have serious safety implications and is specific to the member(s) involved, then this will be reviewed to ensure the member or aircraft is able to continue operating safely. What action does RAAus take on pilots who submit a report? RAAus maintains a just and fair reporting culture, sometimes referred to as a just culture - But what does this mean for our membership? Essentially, it means that we do not use reporting as a tool to punish members, but as a tool to educate and improve safety for everyone. Without members feeling comfortable to report we would be unable to collect important data and maintain a positive safety culture within RAAus.
As humans, RAAus accepts that everyone makes mistakes – This means that members should not be disciplined for making a genuine mistake, rather we ensure that member safety is not compromised.
The main priority when reviewing an occurrence report is to understand the reasons or contributing factors for why an event occurred and where possible attempt to prevent this from happening again. This may be as simple as identifying that an occurrence occurred due to factors outside of the control of the pilot, or understanding that the pilot has subsequently put measures in place to prevent this from reoccurring. However, if there are concerns raised relating to the ongoing safety of a pilot or a member has a history of unsafe operation or RAAus has received a number of similar reports then additional requirements such as development or improvement of training processes or remedial training for a pilot with a local instructor may be required. This is not a regular occurrence with a majority of occurrences requiring little or no additional effort. RAAus must take action in relation to members who have been identified as actively and wilfully breaking the rules. Deliberate violations of RAAus or CASA rules may result in some form of restriction being placed on a member privileges
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or in more serious cases the suspension or removal of privileges. These outcomes are achieved by following the process outlined within the RAAus Occurrence Complaint and Disciplinary manual available in the Members Portal at https://members.raa.asn.au/governance/ corporate-documents/policy/. Ultimately, safety reporting allows RAAus to generate valuable data for prioritisation of safety promotion and communication. One minor occurrence may not have large safety implications, but awareness of many small occurrences may allow RAAus to generate safety information to improve the safety for everyone. Think you know the answers? Go online to the safety section of the RAAus members portal, click on Reporting of Occurrences and take our short quiz to test your reporting knowledge!
FARMING OPERATIONS CAN BE
DANGEROUS
FARM WORK | MUSTERING | SPOTTING | LOW FLYING
KNOW THE FACTS SAFETY.RAAUS.COM.AU 1
FARM FLYING OPERATIONS
KNOW THE DANGERS! T
hroughout the past few years RAAus members have had a number of serious and fatal accidents whilst carrying out low level or utility flying. Utility operations do not necessarily involve low flying and can include mustering operations, farm flying, including water trough and fence line inspections and stock spotting operations. All of these activities may be carried out above 500’ Above Ground Level (AGL) yet still require pilots to be trained in specialised skills for safe operations. RAAus continues to focus on working with industry as well as local communities to educate pastoralists and farmers of the risks involved in these operations, and urge any member carrying out these types of flights to research additional training and skills to complete these operations safely. Safety is everyone’s responsibility and if you know of someone else conducting these operations then a friendly reminder that additional training is available may also improve their safety – These operations are often very unforgiving due to the altitude, micrometeorology, low airspeeds and distractions present whilst conducting these operations. Why are farm flying, mustering or spotting (Utility) operations dangerous? Utility operations require specialised skills and additional training in order to be completed safely. The very nature of these operations often involves flying an aircraft at slow speeds, focused on a location on the ground, at a height of 1500’ AGL or less and often in a turn. These factors, or small changes in local weather conditions, make it easy for the pilot to become distracted. This may result in changes in aircraft pitch or roll which may go unnoticed, leaving the aircraft potentially slow and/ or unbalanced. Combine this situation with an increased stall speed from operating the aircraft in a turn, and pilots can often be caught out, resulting in a stall/spin event with insufficient altitude to recover. What additional training is available to keep me and others safe? RAAus has a number of training elements available to members to improve safety when operating within a pastoral, farming or low level environment. The Utility endorsement has been
developed to equip pilots with the necessary skills for farm operations, including trough or stock inspections, stock spotting and mustering, even if the flights are to be conducted above 500’ AGL. Additional training available includes stall recovery, slow flight, and constant radius turns, all which may be essential when carrying out farm flying operations. This training is commenced at a safe altitude to prove to the instructor you can manage the aircraft safely, then move progressively lower. The lower you go, the less time you have to identify a potentially dangerous condition, and then recover!
If you intend on carrying out any type of farm flying operation or low level flying, please talk to a local instructor about some additional training to understand the risks involved - It may just save your life! Can I legally conduct mustering or farm work in an RAAus aircraft? An RAAus aircraft may only be permitted to be used for non-hire or reward operations and may only be operated below 500’ AGL if the pilot holds the appropriate endorsements (Low Level & Utility) and has land owner permission. RAAus strongly recommends that all pilots conducting any form of farm flying carry out additional training with an instructor, even if the flights are to be carried out more than 500’ AGL. The most common accident in farm flying are stall/spin accidents which may require more than 1500’ AGL in altitude for recovery. An RAAus aircraft must not be used for hire or reward in any circumstances, including by farm workers utilising an aircraft within their farming role. Essentially, if payment or reward of any form is taking place then an RAAus aircraft must not be used in completion of the job.
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10 steps to conducting safe Utility operations After carrying out additional training with your local instructor, there are a number of additional steps that can be taken to improve the safety of yourself, and others. Some of these include: 1.
Avoid all distractions: Including devices such as mobile phones which may distract pilot attention.
2.
Never carry a passenger while operating at Low Level: Utility operations pose additional risk to your passenger and they may also increase distraction or inadvertently interfere with controls.
3.
Understand your aircraft: Know your aircraft including the stall symptoms and characteristics, important operating speeds, flap configurations and emergency procedures. Make sure the aircraft is maintained carefully, working in a rural environment includes increased dust levels, which is very hard on equipment. Control systems also have to work much harder, wearing out parts quicker, including pulleys and cables.
4.
Always fly the aircraft first: Remember: Aviate, Navigate, then Communicate.
5.
Carry out a thorough pre-flight briefing: Know the terrain where you will be operating, including trees, wires and other obstacles and what you are looking for, as well as understanding the weather and effects on performance based on local conditions.
6.
Ensure you and your aircraft are equipped with additional safety tools: These may include a stall warning system, water and food, PLB, emergency kit, 4 point seat belt, and pilot helmet.
7.
Manage dehydration and fatigue: Take regular breaks, avoid operating during the hottest part of the day, do not skip meals and stay well hydrated.
8.
Monitor your fuel contents: Know when you need to stop and refuel. Be aware that in some aircraft, operating out of balance may result in fuel “unporting” from the pick-up point, or cross-flowing from one tank to another, resulting in fuel starvation or less fuel in one tank than expected.
9.
Secure the cockpit: Ensure the cockpit is secure from loose objects and the passenger seat seatbelt is tightened to prevent it from becoming tangled in the controls. Ensure all tools, equipment and loose items in the baggage compartment or on the seat next to you are secured.
10. Maintain discipline and avoid complacency until the aircraft is back on the ground: Just because the work is over, never operate lower or slower than necessary, and avoid the temptation of a “beat-up” over the ground crew or homestead. Maintain a low angle of bank in turns and constantly monitor airspeed, particularly when turning or climbing. Know your personal limitations! 12
HOT BUT HANDLED
BUSHFIRES, SMOKE AND TURBULENCE I
n recent months, serious or fatal accidents have occurred to a number of pilots operating not only RAAus aircraft but a range of light aircraft. A common factor in many of these accidents appears to involve pilots struggling to control their aircraft due to un-forecast or more challenging conditions than expected. At this time of year, during spring, throughout summer and even into autumn, a range of weather issues are relevant. These include increased thermal activity, strong winds resulting in turbulence on the lee side of mountains, fire activity resulting in significant smoke and dust storms due to the drought. These issues create significant visibility challenges. We wrote about many of the weather issues in a recent member eNews “Spring Fever�. So why are we revisiting this now? Because these weather related decision making challenges are not going to go away and in fact will probably become even more challenging during the next few months. It also appears pilots will be dealing with significant smoke from the tragic bush fires
in many states in Australia. Residual smoke haze and smog will be hanging around and will significantly reduce visibility in the circuit and away from airports, potentially increasing the risk of near misses, collisions and loss of Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). Pilots also must carefully plan when operating near bushfires as extensive use of drones, water dropping aircraft flying at low level and fire spotting assessment aircraft in poor visibility and turbulent conditions increase the challenges. There are ongoing Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) advising pilots of the increased activity levels in the vicinity of any fire. These NOTAMs are buried deep in the area briefing for both Melbourne and Brisbane Flight Information Regions (FIR). Careful flight planning to avoid these areas is another additional consideration to factor in before flying in the next few months. NOTAMs confirm there will be intense activity (aircraft, drones, unusual low level flights, etc.) within 5 nm and up to 3000 FT Above Ground Level (AGL) of an observed fire. As there is generally lots of smoke in these areas, the
Photo courtesy of Tim Howes. Please note that this flight was conducted with the express permission of the NSW RFS. Do not attempt to fly in the vicinity of an active fire ground.
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specific fire location can be difficult to determine by pilots, so avoidance of a larger area is wise. Coordination of these firefighting aircraft is through the relevant state fire authority, so ATC may not be aware of specific aircraft types and their operational intentions, making this an even greater challenge.
In real terms, smoke can suddenly envelop your aircraft, resulting in what was manageable conditions deteriorating extremely rapidly into non-VMC. Consider also if your aircraft is operating in or around these environments there will be maintenance considerations regarding potential blockage of air filters, engine wear and damage due to ash, smoke and debris. So what do pilots need to do? How can pilots help themselves in these stressful situations? Pilots finding themselves in any difficulty during any flight should consider a range of resources or actions which are available to them. These include: •
Alternative area and aerodrome radio frequencies in your plan
•
Declaring a PAN on the local CTAF or if relevant, Area frequency
•
If close to controlled airspace, requesting assistance from ATC
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•
If operationally necessary to ensure the safety of the flight, decide early to divert to a controlled airspace aerodrome and land to wait out the conditions
•
Call other pilots to confirm visibility at locations
•
Be prepared to turn around 180° to exit an area when a sudden change in visibility occurs
•
Use any lighting available on your aircraft to make your aircraft more visible
•
Activate Personal Locating Beacons (PLBs) while still in flight to alert resources about a stressful situation if you find yourself in smoke or serious non-VMC
•
In summary, ask for help
Regardless of the action, the key message for this article is for pilots to consider and plan what their responses or actions may be, as an action plan well before finding themselves in a difficult situation. It is hard enough to dial up alternate radio frequencies while experiencing turbulence, but to try to reference En-Route Supplement Australia (ERSA) in flight to find out what frequency is needed presents an extra degree of difficulty. Placing pre-prepared actions in the front of mind will help pilots’ workload considerably if they find themselves in challenging conditions. RAAus was recently invited to provide a presentation to a RAAF Aviation Safety Officer conference in Williamtown. While interacting with RAAF personnel we were pleased to have controllers confirm our understanding that they
would prefer pilots contact them for assistance when experiencing the sorts of in-flight flight conditions noted above, even if they are not qualified to operate into controlled airspace. One officer noted, “we would rather get the pilot down safely and deal with non-compliances later, than hear about a pilot being injured or worse because they wouldn’t talk to us�. RAAus was informed about two recent examples, not always related to RAAus pilots. One pilot was obviously struggling with turbulence inflight, to the extent he could not manage to change frequencies when requested by the tower to contact approach and the other was from a pilot who was operating over cloud, became unsure of his position and contacted ATC. They coordinated with a local military airfield who provided guidance to the airfield. The pilots were able to safely complete their flights and resume their respective journeys once conditions had improved. A far better outcome than a loss of control due to flight in cloud or severe turbulence!
From RAAus perspective it is far better for pilots in difficulty to safely arrive at an aerodrome, with assistance from controllers as required, than worry about not entering controlled airspace. The pilot may subsequently receive some phone calls to explain their planning actions but at least they will be alive to do so! Of course, pilots should not view this as blanket permission to stroll into controlled airspace, but rather remember this is a flight option available to them if wind, thermal activity, smoke, fog, dust or other issues result in a potential loss of control of the aircraft. The final word should be as recreational pilots, sometimes the best strategy to remove the need to make any of these difficult inflight decisions, is to make the decision not to fly at all. Tomorrow is another day and it is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground. The Ops Team.
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DAILY INSPECTION ENGINE COOLING HOSES O
wners/Operators, Pilots and Maintenance personnel should make themselves aware that It is a requirement under RAAus Airworthiness Notice AN270810-1 that all engine cooling hoses are inspected at each daily inspection. If this means taking the cowls off to perform this inspection then please do so. Loss of coolant whilst in-flight can be a hazard to flight safety. RAAus Airworthiness Notices are MANDATORY and are available on-line via the Members Portal under the “Maintenance� menu. We encourage everyone to review them all to determine if they affect you, your aircraft or your operation. Recently, during the 3rd Pre-flight inspection of the day, a student identified a coolant leak from
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the #4 Cylinder head, upper coolant hose mating inlet fitting. The o-ring was replaced and an EGR carried out with no leak evident. Following a short test flight, the fitting was again inspected and found to be weeping. The seat of the cylinder head that houses the o-ring was inspected with a magnifier and a crack was found on the inner shoulder. The aircraft was removed from service and a serviceable cylinder head assembly was obtained from Bert Flood Imports. Cylinder Head replaced IAW the Rotax Maintenance manual and test flown serviceable. So what went wrong?? Hard to say but possibly in the history of this aircraft, we think that someone may have removed the o-ring with a screwdriver or some
other metal device which could have scored the shoulder and then over time the crack has appeared. What can we do to prevent things like this in the future? Always use plastic or some other soft tooling when working with mating faces. The flight school operating the aircraft has now adopted a standard practice that the cowlings are to be removed adequately to inspect the cooling system component prior to EACH FLIGHT. Remember, the aircraft was inspected prior to the first flight of the day as required by the RAAus AN, but the defect was detected prior to the 3rd flight of the day. The school had scheduled another 3 flights following the discovery which could have continued unnoticed. Worst case was complete loss of coolant and possible engine failure. Most cowls are designed for easy removal so be safe and take the time to ensure all systems are functioning correctly before each and every flight. FLY SAFE - HAVE FUN Article supplied by Paul Strike – Flight Safety Solutions
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SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING A
ll too often, RAAus investigates a serious or fatal accident only to be informed by locals that the pilots were known to regularly operate outside the rules, have a reputation for operating recklessly, or have been involved in accidents or incidents that have gone unreported. This highlights the concern that people are failing to meet their reporting obligations under the TSI Act, but also, that others may be turning a blind eye to members who are not adhering to the rules. So why do matters go unreported? Often it is assumed by third parties that those involved have fulfilled their reporting requirements, however this may not always be the case. RAAus encourages all members to report anything they see, even if they are not directly involved. If an occurrence has already been reported by the responsible person then RAAus can link reports received from third parties, however, if they have not yet been reported it allows RAAus to follow up with the members involved. If you have witnessed an occurrence you can always contact RAAus via phone or email to notify them in case this has not yet been reported, or submit a report online within the RAAus Occurrence Management System (OMS). The occurrence had nothing to do with me, why should I report it? At the end of the day, safety is everyone’s responsibility. We all operate within the same airspace and we are only as safe as the weakest link operating within our airspace. This does not mean that RAAus wants reports to punish members, however if we are made aware of an incident or accident or of pilot conducting unsafe operations, it allows follow up with the member involved, ultimately improving safety for everyone.
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What is an example of something I should report? Reporting requirements are outlined clearly within the RAAus website, however if you see or become aware of any of the following events, then this should be reported: ––
Accident or incident
––
Runway loss of control or ground-loop
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Pilot who avoids making necessary radio calls
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Unauthorised low flying
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Reckless behaviour
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Operation of an unregistered aircraft
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Pilot operating without a current membership
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Near miss event
RAAus can ensure that your details remain confidential if reporting an event that you have witnessed, however we can only act on the information we know. Unfortunately, we occasionally become aware of additional information only after an accident has already occurred. So remember - See something, say something, and help improve the safety culture for everyone.
In 2020 RAAus would like to share more member flying experiences involving close calls, incidents or accidents, or stories of when pilots got things wrong. If you have an experience you believe could help others, please send a copy to safety@raaus.com.au
Future editions of Licence To Learn will be delivered to RAAus subscribers digitally as part of our regular safety updates. To make sure you don’t miss out, visit our website to subscribe to our newsletters today.
RAAUS.COM.AU Additional Aviation Safety Resources: members.raa.asn.au/safety/ www.airservicesaustralia.com/publications/safety-publications/ www.casa.gov.au/publications-and-resources www.defence.gov.au/DASP/Media/DASAPublications.asp airports.asn.au/airport-safety-week-resources/ www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute
QBE MATT HALL
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