AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 92

DOGFIGHT | SAY IT RIGHT
Editor at Large Tom Horne and Senior Editor Dave Hirschman have a lot of things in common: lots of ratings, lots of experience in lots of airplane models—and lots of opinions (as well as similar haircuts). We last turned them loose on the topic of engine management (see “Dogfight: Running Lean of Peak?” May 2011 AOPA Pilot) and the response to two different schools of thought on this topic garnered some of our most interesting opinions from a large number of readers (see “Letters: Dogfight,” page 22). So we launch them into another “Dogfight”—we hope you’ll enjoy these two takes on a topic, and keep those cards and letters coming. —Ed.

Say what you mean!
Say “fife,” and try not to think of Barney
BY THOMAS A. HORNE >
’m all for standardized phraseology. Really, I am. For example, when we made the switch from those “old school” surface reports (SAs) and terminal forecasts (TFs) to today’s METAR and TAF formats. Beautiful. Anywhere in the world, any pilot from any nation can read an airport’s current and forecast conditions—and understand them. Now that’s the spirit and practice of standardization. Ditto the switch from statute miles per hour to knots. But while aviation authorities may pray at the altar of standardization in terms of weather and speed terminology, they fall flat on their faces when it comes to other areas. And maybe that’s a good thing. Why? Carried overboard, standardization can wreck both common sense and long-established practice in the process, and in some cases, potentially compromise safety. Different cultures and nations still exert tremendous influence on the way we fly and think about measures, volumes, and weights. Go ahead, ignore that in the name of standardization and see what happens. Want some examples where “nonstandard” practices are in successful full swing? Here goes. Ever fly to Quebec or France? English may be the “official” language of aviation, but to make absolutely sure French-speakers understand ATC clearances and other vital information, certain frequencies are established for using French in Quebec. Do you want someone with rusty English flying in the airspace system—especially under IFR? I don’t think so. That’s why Quebec has discrete frequencies for both French and
AOPA PILOT •

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English. The result? Everyone understands what’s going on in that exemplary bilingual province of Canada. In France, you can certainly fly using English (and are supposed to). But call up a controller in French, and you’ll be answered in French. Speak English, and the controller will do likewise, but you may have to put up with an accent. (Side note: Germans are just the opposite. They follow rules! German ATC speaks English only, by God. I’ve even seen native-speaking Germans speak only English with each other—especially if that conversation takes place outside Europe.) Then there are altimeter settings in inches of mercury (inHg) and millibars (also called hectopascals). In the United States, inHg rules, but elsewhere, millibars rule. You got a problem? Better have a dual-window altimeter, one that shows both inHg and millibars. That, or carry a conversion chart. Either way, nonstandard can work. Don’t forget gallons versus liters, pounds versus kilograms, and feet versus meters. Fly in foreign airspace and you’d better familiarize yourself—but making those conversions isn’t rocket science. Just make sure you do them correctly. In July 1983 an Air Canada Boeing 767 airliner ran out of fuel and made a deadstick landing on a drag strip in Gimli, Manitoba. It had been fueled using liters and kilograms as measures—a new procedure at the time—and the result was that the crew shortchanged themselves at the pump. So maybe we should standardize on fuel measures. The examples go on—the world can’t agree on a single type of electrical plug; there are 120-volt and 220-volt electrical

power systems; there’s Fahrenheit and Celsius (although Celsius is gaining the upper hand); and still we seem to survive quite nicely. But this recent push for standard phraseology sets a new low when it comes to bureaucratic foolishness. Now we’re supposed to say “tree” when we mean “three,” “fife” when we want to say “five,” and “niner” when we mean “nine.” OK, “nine” can sound like “five,” so I’ll go along with “niner.” But “tree” and “fife”? Gimme a break. A tree is something that grows in the forest. And in my mind the only “fife” in the world—hands down—is Barney, Mayberry’s deputy sheriff and Andy Griffith’s hapless sidekick. The striving, nervous wreck who’s made to carry an empty pistol and keep his only round in his shirt pocket. That’s your “fife.” To say “tree” and “fife” is to sound odd without making yourself clear. Maybe that’s why most pilots and controllers simply don’t use those words. Make a bad rule and no one will follow it. Well, maybe Hirschman will. He’s a real “niner to fife” kind of guy. Email the author at tom.horne@aopa.org.

92 • JULY 2011



AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011

AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011
Contents
President’s Position
Hangar Talk
AOPA Media
AOPA Action
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Pilot Briefing
Rally GA: Walking the Walk
Crossover Classic Sweepstakes: The Ultimate Skylane
There’s No Place Like Home
Field of Dreams
Fleeting Beauty
Affair of the Heart
Timeshare for Aircraft Owners
Dogfight: Say It Right
Avionics: Reality Show
Pilot Products: Heavy Tugs, Cool Air
Never Again
Fly-Outs
Fly by wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Hangar Talk
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - AOPA Media
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Pilot Briefing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Rally GA: Walking the Walk
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Crossover Classic Sweepstakes: The Ultimate Skylane
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - There’s No Place Like Home
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Field of Dreams
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Fleeting Beauty
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Affair of the Heart
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Timeshare for Aircraft Owners
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Dogfight: Say It Right
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Avionics: Reality Show
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - I1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - I2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Pilot Products: Heavy Tugs, Cool Air
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Fly by wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2011 - Cover4
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