T minus 4 days

In 4 days I'll be on my way to San Diego.

Almost everything is set. Passport with visa, I-20, etc. The only problem is that the mexican civil aviation authorities haven't answered the FAA verfication mail for my PPL conversion. I sent an e-mail to the FAA asking them if they already got an answer from Mexico City for the verification of my private pilot license. The answer:

Daniel,

We contacted Mexico on February 6, 2012 and then again on March 14, 2012. We are waiting for their response.

Thank you,
Foreign Verification Department, AFS760

As soon as I read the reply, I called the licensing personnel in Mexico City. The secretary told me that supposedly the FAA won't recognize any license with a revalidation annex. I revalidated my PPL on the 16th of February 2011 and they gave me an annex. They are only recognizing plastic licenses.

That's odd, because a friend of mine sent the documents to the FAA for the PPL conversion with his revalidation annex two times and on both requests, he got the letter from the FAA with the verification!
It's also very strange that "the FAA isn't recognizing the annexes" and in fact, many airline or independant crewmembers fly to and from the US with the revalidation annexes.
What I also find quite difficult to understand is: Why is the FAA still waiting for their response, if supposedly they don't recognize the annexes? They would have told me something like: "Your license can not be verified because of this and this..." instead of saying they are still waiting for the response.

Anyway, I have to fly to San Diego because of the entry date written on my I-20 form. I can't enter the US after that date. I hope I can solve this problem there. Maybe a Designated Pilot Examiner can tell me what I can do. What about passing the written and practical test for the PPL?

Once more, this is a testament of the inefficiency and stupidity of the mexican civil aviation authorities. Why give them a responsability and too much work when they can't do anything right and everything can be more efficient and decentralized? They only make aviation more complicated and bureaucratic. They kill the dreams of every persons desire to become a good pilot and stop the further learning and training of someone who has tons of potential.

With that rubbish covered, I also have something good to tell you: About two months ago, I developed a logbook for my future career. I went to a printing office downtown to get it binded. It's basically a professional pilot's logbook in english and spanish. It contains pages for personal information, a record of certificates and ratings, flight proficiency and medical certificate hisotry, pilot record, aircraft record by make and model, flight records and a groundschool record. This will allow me to have everything well organized. It also facilitates checking the amount of time flown in different airplanes and if it was as PIC or SIC, in actual or simulated instrument flight, number of approaches flown and checking if you're current to fly as Pilot in Command in IMC, at night, with passengers, etc.

Let's see what happens in the near future. The flight to San Diego will be in a made-with-pride-in-Hamburg Airbus A319. It'll be 3 hours long.

I'll write again when I'm there. Bye!

Flight Briefings

Briefings help pilots review and comment operational procedures and factors, that will be performed in the flight, and exterior factors that influence and may affect different phases of the flight. That way the pilot or flight crew is more aware of the flight conditions, so that he or she can make a decision of what to do in case of an abnormal or emergency situation. Briefings are done in sports, races, in the military, etc. The team basically discusses and reviews the overall outlook of what will be done. In aviation, it improves safety by enhancing situational awareness.

If you want to read more about briefings and other topics visit smartcockpit.com/flightops.

Airbus has published many articles and notes about operational and human factors. The one I read about flight crew briefings is this note.

I recently developed a briefing checklist for my future flights. I checked some briefing checklists and excerpts from Flight Crew Training Manuals and Operating Manuals to get an idea of the sequence a briefing checklist should have. I made a 'beta' briefing checklist and then I changed the sequence of the items giving it a more efficient and inteligent arrangement of the items. The weather should be discussed at first, then the terrain, the charts and resources that will be used in the flight deck, the airplane configuration, speeds and fuel, what to do 'in case of', operational considerations and questions and/or comments. The sequence is arranged so that the first items are taken into consideration in the following items. For example: You can't determine the departure runway if you don't know the wind direction. The external factors (weather/terrain) are taken into consideration for the internal actions.

I divided the checklist into 3 parts: Departure Briefing, Cruise Briefing and Arrival Briefing.


I would do the departure briefing after starting up the engine, copying the ATIS and receiving the ATC clearance. After taxi and the runup checklist, I would repeat the takeoff and departure procedure as instructed by ATC.
When flying at the cruise altitude, I would perform the cruise briefing. 10 minutes before the top of descent, the arrival briefing. I would plan the top of descent at a comfortable and flexible point so that I level off at the published altitude of the Initial Approach Fix with a constant descent and so that if I get radar vectors and altitude instructions, I wouldn't get to the approach too high. That way I can perform my arrival briefing with time and not in a hurry or already in the descent.

An example of a departure briefing in an IFR flight with a Piper Warrior would be as follows:

"The prevailing conditions are IMC. The ATIS reported no thunderstorms nor windshear in the area, light rain so there could be some runway contamination; the temperature is 15 Celsius, dewpoint 13; altimeter 29.97; visibility 2.5 miles, overcast at 800 feet, broken at 2000 feet and the wind is 290 at 6.
Most of the elevetad terrain is at the east with the highest obstruction at 5200 feet. The MSA for our departure sector is 4400 feet and the airport elevation is 427 feet.
It will be a departure from runway 28L. Radar vectors to the airway with an initial heading of 360, climbing to 2000ft. Mission Bay VOR has been entered in the NAV2 and identified, NAV1 set with Homeland VOR and NAV1 standby with the ILS28R in case we must return to land.
Seeing the airport diagram, we will taxi from 'here' via Golf and Hotel to runway 28L. There's a hotspot at the crossing point of Golf and Hotel.
It will be a normal takeoff; my controls and communications.
Flaps 0 takeoff, rotate at 60 knots, Vx 63, Vy 79 and cruise climb 87. We have 40 gallons of fuel and the takeoff weight is 2200 pounds.
In case of an abnormality or engine roughness on takeoff roll, I'll abort the takeoff. In case of an engine failure below 1000 feet, secure the airplane and land at the most suitable area. Above 1000 feet, glide speed to the most suitable area, perform engine failure checklist and in case the engine doesn't start, declare emergency. In case of an electrical and/or communicacionts failure, we will proceed as cleared and we will continue the route.
The NOTAMs at Montgomery: Taxiway C is closed. Sterile flight deck below 3000 feet.
Questions or comments?"

When completing the before takeoff checklist I would repeat and confirm the takeoff and departure procedures:

"Flaps 0, trim set, rotate at 60 knots, maintain 63, then 79 Vy crossing 500 feet. Climb to 2000 feet and fly heading 360"

Some may think briefings for small aircraft flights are not that important nor necessary. I developed this briefing checklist to get accustomed with airline procedures and operations. Also, because the commercial aviation safety level is greater than the general aviation one. I'd use airline operating methods and habits to enhance the safety of my flights. This may give a general aviation pilot good confidence and safety for any flight.

The briefings may give the pilot more workload, but it is a matter of practice, flight deck resource management and discipline that will enable the pilot to effectively execute all the procedures and tasks of a flight.

Almost there...

Moin moin

Not many news I can share to you... I already got my student visa and I'm just searching for cheap tickets to San Diego. Volaris has a direct flight to San Diego; the problem is, they only have flights for the 21st, 29th, 30th and 31st of march. I prefer to fly in the 29th so that I won't have to pay the march housing rent. The flights for the 29th and 30th have the expensivest rate Volaris offers. I'm hoping they'll give discounts in the 13th of march as they always do.

I've been studying with the Instrument Flying Handbook lately. I've learned and still learning many things I didn't know about instrument flying and it is great! That way I'll know many things when I begin my groundschool and simulator sessions of the instrument rating. It's also a good way to reduce the instructor time needed ($) to learn and 'digest' something new.

Human factors in instrument flying is very important. You must understand that the workload and procedures in instrument flying are very demanding. The handbook introduces you to single pilot resource management. It's basically to keep everything organized and manage the information available for the flight in a way that it won't affect the pilot's performance during the flight.
The handbook also gives you tons of information about icing and how it affects the performance of the airplane. A pilot must understand the weather basics very well and interpret the weather reports and services so that he or she does a thorough planning of the flight.
I'm currently learning about basic instrument flying and maneuvers. Instrument flying is awesome. It's a new way to gain more experience and proficiency. It also demands a better understanding and discipline.

I'll write more about instrument flying when going through the instrument rating phase of the flight training.

Bye for now...

First step: Complete

So, here I am, again.

This post will be the starting point of a good and exciting series of stories about my commercial pilot course; that I'll be starting in the next month or so. It's one of the most, if not "The Most", important stages of a professional pilot's career. I consider it that way, because it's the stage where the professional abilities and knowledge are founded for an entire life and career as a professional pilot.

I am 21 now. There are many factors that determine the ways to start and that influence the development of this career, but the way I see it, this career starts naturally in the mid teens by joining a small flight club or by getting flying lessons with an acquaintance that is a pilot. That way you begin to develop good abilities and senses for flying. Sadly, in the country where I was born, there's no way you can begin your career this way all by yourself. There's not enough aviation culture so that a 15 year old can go to an airfield and ask if he can learn to fly.

Of course, there are other factors like money, nationality and other career path considerations, but eventually, the way will head you to that seat in the airliner. Whatever the age a person is. 18 is a good age to start with this career. It allows you to work to earn money at the same time you study. You can also start with your flight training overseas, which enables you to live and experience another culture and learn another language. It also enables you to live by yourself and gain maturity.

As far as my story goes, I got my PPL in Mexico, stayed in Germany for two years and joined a glider club. It was one of the most astonishing experiences of my life and I'll be back in Hamburg some time to finally get that Glider Pilot License.
In Germany, I began to consider USA as a career path option. It's the number one country in general aviation and flight training. I think it's the best country in terms of airplane availability and cost, student resources and services and number of aviation personnel. I did some research and made a list of flight schools. I had to consider the license conversion process in Mexico, money, time of stay (money as well) and the flight school caracteristics such as location, fleet, fees, student housing and so on.

In my situation, in which I will have to get a mexican commercial pilot license to fly in Mexico, initially, I chose to take the CPL course in USA, because of the high training standards, and then convert the license in Mexico.

I chose the flight school that had a good reputation (a friend studied there), had a well maintained variety of airplanes (mostly Piper Aircraft) and that had a good location regarding to FAA offices, pilot shop, housing and supplies such as food and clothing. That way, I will not spend a lot in a flight academy like Aerosim, ATP or American Flyers. In this school, I'll try to adjust the practical part of the course to meet both FAA and DGAC commercial pilot requirements.

That way I will have the flight experience required by the DGAC to go through the license conversion process more easily and avoid doing extra flights in a mexican flight school.
I hope I can prove to the licensing and certification person in the DGAC that I don't need extra flight hours. Because the flight school I chose runs under FAA Part 141 requirements, I need 120 hours of theory (300h for Part 61 flight schools) in a mexican flight school to validate my studies and pass the professional degree exam. Mexico is the only country that I know of that a pilots professional degree is required to get a CPL or ATPL. I recently found out that 11 flight hours are required to convert the license. Totally absurd. 6 hours of VFR flights, 2h of IFR flights, 2h of multi-engine flight and 1 hour for the practical exam in a multi-engine airplane. Why not pass a CPL written test and a practical test in a twin to convert the license? Pure mexican aviation rubbish. They excel in stupidity and inefficiency.

And now, after many days, mails, questions and answers by the flight school, I got my I-20 form for the student visa. What I need to do now is to get all the documents needed for the paperwork and make an appointment at the US Consulate.

The first step is complete, now I have to go through the student visa process and then, through one of the most exciting parts of my career: Flight training. I think the steps I've taken have been good. At this age and experience I can make a sound decision on what next step to take. One that allows me to go though the most important stage of my professional career with success and joy.

¿Escasez de pilotos y falta de infraestructura en México en los próximos 2-5 años?

Al haber leído las recientes noticias de la compra de 40+ A320 y A320Neo por parte de Volaris, la compra de 15+5 Sukhoi Superjet y los demás A320s por parte de Interjet; las demás entregas de 737s para VivaAerobús que tendrá en un futuro y los 200-300 pilotos que Aeroméxico planea contratar del 2012 al 2013; sumándole las jubilaciones durante ese tiempo: ¿Habrá escasez de pilotos o se podrá cubrir la demanda con el número de pilotos comerciales que salen de las escuelas de vuelo?

¿Las escuelas de vuelo en México tendrán los suficientes recursos y nivel de capacitación para formar la cantidad de pilotos comerciales que se requerirán en los próximos años?

Puede que un buen porcentaje de esos pilotos se forme en Estados Unidos o se retire de la FAM, como sucede actualmente, pero parece que las escuelas de vuelo no tienen la suficiente infraestructura (flota, instructores, material de estudio y vuelo) para darles el nivel de capacitación que se requiere para volar en una aerolínea. ¿Podrán brindarles una buena capacitación sin abusar económicamente del alumno como se hace comúnmente? Pocos aviones disponibles para los alumnos y en malas condiciones, pocos instructores profesionales, recursos y material de estudio inexistente o difícil de obtener. Además, no hay organizaciones que apoyen pedagógica y económicamente al piloto estudiante.

La otra parte de la pregunta es la infraestructura aeroportuaria y servicios de navegación, además de su personal. ¿México está preparado para un crecimiento (boom) en el sector de transporte aeronáutico de esa magnitud?
Puede que se necesiten más aeropuertos en el país que satisfagan las necesidades de la aviación comercial, ejecutiva y privada. Hace falta una política aeronáutica que facilite el crecimiento del mercado y sector aeronáutico del país; que eleve los estándares y haga más eficiente la capacitación y servicios de información y control para la navegación.

Es posible que la aviación en México se estanque debido a la mala planeación y desarrollo en décadas anteriores en cuanto a infraestructura aeronáutica. Esperemos que la nueva política aeronáutica impulse el desarrollo y que la administración del sexenio entrante se preocupe por la industria aeronáutica, la cual es primordial para el turismo y desarrollo social y económico del país.

The Project

Since I returned from Germany, I've been thinking about a way to change the current situation of the aviation culture in Mexico.

It isn't going to be by joining an aviation organization or by asking the government to change or reform aviation rules and standards. That can always help, of course, but there has to be a better way to change everything. That is, as I've always thought and said, with education. You have to solve something from the bottom of the problem. The problem in mexican aviation is the poor training, poor knowledge and the lack of student pilot and training resources. When that changes, there will be changes. Sounds obvious, doesn't it? It's a slow process, but it has to start somewhere, sometime.

Let me tell you a story. When I started flight training in Guadalajara, the flight school told me I had to buy the supplies from them. They were: The Jeppesen Student Flight Bag, the Jeppesen Private Pilot Textbook, a navigation plotter, a 1970s World Aeronautical Chart and a E6-B Flight Computer. I told them I was going to buy everything directly from the Jeppesen pilot store. Besides, If I had bought those things in Mexico, it would have costed as twice as much. You can't buy mexican-made supplies. Simply because there aren't any.
So, that's one of the problems I want to address: The lack of student pilot resources. With these resources you gain more knowledge (of how training must be done, the mexican aviation structure, regulations, etc) and help with being more proficient in the practical part of flight training. That way you change things from the beginning. From education. If the aeronautical personnel is well trained and qualified at the educational institutions, you get the foundation of a great aviation culture.

What I've done so far is writing the chapters for a pilot's textbook. I won't get into details, but it's something that hasn't been done in 40 years. I just finished designing a pilot's logbook that is more complex, has more types of entries and content than the one used and sold in Mexico. I think if it's used nationwide, it might help reduce the false entries the majority of pilots are known to do. It's not a problem of the logbook design used today, of course, but the culture and education itself.

I'm now thinking if I should better start writing a basic student pilot's flight manual to be used during the practical part of the private pilot training, instead of a basic to advanced aeronautical knowledge textbook. The student pilot's manual should contain basic information like an introduction, a bit of aerodynamics and aircraft systems, how to get weather information for any flight, preflight actions, flight operations and maneuvers, aircraft performance, documentation and manuals, air transit and basic meteorology and navigation.

Anything that I decide to write and do will help the cause. Perhaps in the future I could plan a Startup company. Everything can be added to the project that will help improving mexican aviation in general.

Convertirse en Piloto

En este post copiaré una parte del capítulo de “Introducción a la Aviación” que redacté para el libro de texto que estoy elaborando. Contiene información acerca del proceso de entrenamiento para convertirse en piloto y el contenido de una lección de vuelo.

Al comenzar con la formación, el piloto estudiante debe obtener todo el material de estudio y vuelo necesario para cumplir con todo el proceso de formación con éxito.

La parte teórica de la formación se obtiene a través de manuales, libros de texto y otras fuentes que ayuden al buen estudio y aprendizaje de las materias. En las clases teóricas se aprenden y comentan, de forma didáctica, todas las materias necesarias para el curso.
El instructor también puede utilizar material comercial como fuente de estudio, especialmente para otras categorías de aeronaves donde el material proporcionado por la DGAC es muy limitado. Es recomendable que el piloto estudiante siga un plan de estudios teórico. Esto ayudará a tener un buen desempeño en exámenes escritos. Igualmente, se deben evitar los hábitos de estudio al azar o desorganizado.

Además del aprendizaje teórico, tales como los principios del vuelo, sistemas, entre otros, el piloto estudiante también debe dominar las diferentes prácticas y maniobras de vuelo. La categoría y clase seleccionada de aeronave determina el tipo de habilidades de vuelo y el número de horas de vuelo que se deban lograr. Hay cuatro pasos en el aprendizaje de una maniobra de vuelo:

1. El instructor introduce y demuestra una maniobra de vuelo al estudiante.
2. El instructor comenta la maniobra durante su ejecución.
3. El piloto estudiante practica la maniobra bajo la supervisión del instructor.
4. El instructor autoriza al estudiante a efectuar la maniobra solo.

Una vez que el piloto estudiante haya demostrado su competencia en las áreas de conocimiento necesario, maniobras de vuelo y que haya acumulado la cantidad necesaria de horas de vuelo, el instructor de vuelo puede permitir al estudiante a volar solo. Volar solo no solo es un gran logro para el piloto estudiante, sino le permite obtener confianza en sí mismo para que alcance un nivel alto de competencia en cualquier parte de la operación del avión y el vuelo.

La Secuencia de Formación

El programa de formación de piloto privado se divide generalmente en 3 fases: Fase previa al solo, vuelos de ruta y preparación para la evaluación práctica.

Fase previa al solo
Durante la fase previa al solo, el entrenamiento progresa desde la lección inicial de vuelo con el instructor, hasta el primer vuelo solo. La instrucción de vuelo incluye operaciones y maniobras como la inspección visual previa al vuelo del avión, operación de instrumentos y sistemas del avión, rodaje, procedimientos de emergencia, despegues y aterrizajes, así como maniobras fuera del área del aeropuerto como ascensos, descensos y virajes. Durante las clases teóricas se debe aprender cómo obtener información meteorológica, así como estudiar los procedimientos y características del avión que se vaya a usar en la formación. Igualmente, se deben revisar los reglamentos relevantes al vuelo.

Primer solo
Antes de que el instructor apruebe el vuelo solo de un piloto estudiante, el instructor debe asegurarse que el estudiante sea lo suficientemente competente para efectuar las operaciones de vuelo con seguridad. Normalmente, se completan varios despegues y aterrizajes mientras que el instructor supervisa el vuelo desde el suelo. En vuelos solo posteriores, el instructor asigna maniobras específicas para que el estudiante las practique en un área determinada cerca del aeropuerto.

Vuelos de ruta
En la fase de los vuelos de ruta, el piloto estudiante aprenderá a planear vuelos a diferentes aeródromos y/o aeropuertos fuera del área local. El estudiante adquirirá la habilidad de navegar usando cartas de navegación visual, interpretando la información meteorológica, calculando el rendimiento del avión y determinando el peso y balance del avión (lo cual se debe hacer en cualquier vuelo). Se debe volar a varios aeródromos con instructor a bordo para adquirir las habilidades y conocimientos necesarios, para que después el piloto estudiante efectúe vuelos de ruta solo. El instructor verificará la planeación y preparación del estudiante para el vuelo de ruta, para determinar si el vuelo puede ser efectuado con seguridad.

Preparación para la evaluación práctica
La fase final de la formación incluye una revisión por parte del instructor de todas las maniobras y procedimientos de vuelo que se han cubierto durante el proceso de entrenamiento. También se controla el conocimiento teórico que se ha adquirido en las clases. Así, el piloto estudiante podrá efectuar el vuelo de evaluación practica con un instructor o inspector designado.

Lecciones de Vuelo

Una lección de vuelo (excluyendo los vuelos de ruta) dura aproximadamente 2 horas. Una hora o una hora y media se dedica al vuelo. El resto del tiempo, aproximadamente 30 minutos, se dedica a las discusiones y sesiones (briefings) previas y posteriores al vuelo.

1. La lección de vuelo comienza con una verificación del clima. El instructor le enseña al piloto estudiante cómo obtener información meteorológica para determinar si las condiciones son buenas para el vuelo. Después, se acude a la comandancia y oficina de información de vuelo (SENEAM) del aeropuerto para llenar, entregar y recibir una autorización del plan de vuelo.

2. Durante la discusión previa al vuelo con el instructor, se comentan todas las prácticas que se vayan a efectuar en el vuelo; las cuales se estudiaron en preparación para el vuelo.

3. Usando la lista de verificación (checklist), se verifica visualmente del avión para asegurar que está en buenas condiciones para efectuar el vuelo.

4. Durante el vuelo, se practicarán los procedimientos y maniobras que se cubrieron en el vuelo anterior, y las maniobras nuevas para el estudiante serán demostradas por el instructor. Mientras que se practican los procedimientos y maniobras, el instructor comentará y criticará el rendimiento del estudiante y ofrecerá una guía para ayudar a que el estudiante ejecute todas las maniobras y prácticas satisfactoriamente.

5. Después del vuelo, la lección es evaluada y la bitácora es llenada con una entrada aprobada por el instructor con la maniobra o procedimiento efectuado en el vuelo. El instructor comentará lo que se realizó correctamente en el vuelo y ofrecerá críticas constructivas y sugerencias para mejorar el rendimiento en próximos vuelos. El estudiante también puede comentar cómo se sintió durante el vuelo y preguntar cosas referentes al vuelo. Finalmente, se discutirá lo que se hará en la siguiente lección para que el estudiante estudie y se prepare.

Evaluación de Conocimiento y Habilidad

Evaluación de Conocimiento

Al final de cada tema que se tome en clase, se deberá aprobar un examen teórico proporcionado por la escuela de vuelo autorizada. La cantidad de pruebas dependen del plan de estudios aprobado por la autoridad aeronáutica. Al final del curso, se debe entregar un certificado que compruebe la conclusión y aprobación de las clases teóricas.

Evaluación Práctica

La autoridad aeronáutica realiza la evaluación práctica a través de inspectores de vuelo designados (puede ser un instructor de vuelo o un piloto inspector designado de la DGAC). En el examen práctico se evalúan diferentes maniobras que deberán ser efectuadas de acuerdo a las listas de verificación (checklists) y manual de vuelo de la aeronave. Se califica la elaboración del plan de vuelo, el uso adecuado de fraseología, procedimientos de operación de vuelo, maniobras, procedimientos de emergencia y aterrizaje.

¿Quien Administra la Evaluación Práctica?

La Subdirección de Verificación de Vuelo implementó el programa de inspección de vuelo en ruta a las líneas aéreas, aviación comercial y escuelas de aviación (mediante la aplicación de exámenes para obtener capacidades y licencias), el cual se realiza por un inspector de vuelo designado, con la finalidad de que los pilotos cuenten con la certificación para garantizar una adecuada operación de las aeronaves.