Flight Training - May 2011 - 19

& QA:

SEND YOUR LEGAL QUESTIONS TO » legal@aopa.org

Spot airport hot spots quickly
Know where runway incursions are common with ASI’s diagrams
WITH WARMER WEATHER taking hold

ASI NEWS

BY KATHY YODICE

Legal Briefing

Q: I’m working on my night training and can preflight our aircraft outside the FBO where there is good lighting, so I don’t need to use a flashlight. I don’t think I need a flashlight but is it required that I carry one? A: For private flight operations, there is no specific legal requirement to carry a flashlight, although the absence of a flashlight may be used in an enforcement case if the flashlight would have helped avoid the violation. If you needed a flashlight to check the fuel level and then you ran out of fuel, or if you missed a cowl plug during your walkaround in the dark, the FAA may argue that you failed to conduct a proper preflight by not carrying a flashlight. It is a good idea to have a working flashlight during night operations. FAA publications set out that at least one reliable flashlight is recommended as standard equipment on all night flights, as well as a spare set of fresh batteries. The FAA suggests a flashlight with a bulb-switching mechanism to select white light or red light, easier to manage than carrying two flashlights—one with white light and one with red light. The white light can be used for preflight activities but its use will diminish your night vision. The red light is for cockpit operations and won’t interfere with your night vision. The CFI practical test standards require a CFI applicant to demonstrate instructional knowledge of the elements of night operations, including the importance of having a flashlight with a red lens.
Kathy Yodice is an attorney with Yodice Associ-

ates in Washington, D.C. providing legal counsel to AOPA administering AOPA’s legal services plan. She is an instrument-rated private pilot.

in many U.S. regions, pilots are getting ready once again to venture out to nearby airports. But, runway layouts change from time to time, and complex taxiway and runway intersections at busy airports can be confusing and even dangerous to someone unfamiliar with the airport layout. The statistics speak for themselves: Hundreds of runway incursions occur every year. But runway incursions and collisions on the ground are avoidable. The AOPA Air Safety Institute, in conjunction with the FAA Runway Safety Program Office, has provided some 600 airport taxi diagrams for the busiest U.S. towered airports (www.airsafetyinstitute. org/taxi) to help pilots safely navigate them. But, in addition to having complex layouts, several airports are notorious for having “hot spot” areas. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines a hot spot as “a location on an aerodrome movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion, and where heightened attention by pilots and drivers is necessary.” With that in mind, ASI and the FAA Runway Safety Program Office have also made available additional hot spot diagrams for airports currently on the “hot spot” list. These special diagrams vividly depict the areas and describe the potential problems associated with the trouble spots. Check before each flight to be sure you have the most current layout (www.airsafetyinstitute.org/taxi), take the opportunity to study the diagram before you arrive and depart, and be aware of your position while moving on ramps and taxiways—especially at the more complex towered airports where you’ll be mixing with large aircraft and ground vehicles moving in close proximity. You may also want to review ASI’s Runway Safety course (www.airsafetyinstitute. org/runwaysafety).

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http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/fircs http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/taxi http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/taxi http://www.cfirenewalonline.com http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/fircs http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/taxi http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/fircs http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/runwaysafety http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/runwaysafety

Flight Training - May 2011

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