THE PATRICIAN
March 2016
The Victoria Flying Club ~ Aviation Excellence Since 1946
69TH WINGS BANQUET
INTERESTED IN IFR?
Learn about the successes
of the graduates; read
articles from our guest
speakers on industry
prospects and the Victorian
contribution to global
aviation safety
Get involved in the new
social forum starting on
March 12th!
WATER, MOUNTAINS,
LAND
Which will you conquer
this year? Check out the
Commercial Ground School
Schedule, with Sea School
and Mountain training
THE PATRICIAN
March 2016
Monthly Newsletter of The Victoria Flying Club - Aviation Excellence Since 1946
“To promote flying and aviation in general, and to
teach and train persons in the art and science of flying
and navigating and operating all
manner of heavier-than-air aircraft.”
(Victoria Flying Club Incorporation Bylaws, 1946)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT Ramona Reynolds
president@flyvfc.com
VICE PRESIDENT Howard Peng
SECRETARY Colin Williamson
TREASURER Rob Shemilt
DIRECTORS Steve Demy
Vernon Fischer
Rolf Hopkinson
John Litherland
GENERAL MANAGER Gerry Mants
CHIEF FLYING Graham Palmer
INSTRUCTOR
In This Issue
2
News Around the Club
4
69th Annual Wings Banquet
5
6
VFC Achievements
8
Women in Aviation News
9
A Victorian Voice for Aviation
11
IFR Forum
VFC Celebrates 70 Years!
Alumni Profile - Captain Sean Croft
13
CRM - Crew Resource Management
1852 Canso Road
Sidney, BC V8L 5V5
15
FleetCaptain Corner
www.flyvfc.com
info@flyvfc.com
16
Fly-Out Bug
Phone: 250-656-2833
17
PPL and CPL Ground School Editor: Katy Earl
flyvfcmarketing@gmail.com
The Patrician accepts unsolicited submissions.
This publication may be reproduced in whole or
in part, with prior permission of the publisher or
author. The opinions expressed are strictly those
of the authors.
Front cover photo credit: Hugh Archer, overlooking
the beaches around Cape Scott
Connect with us and share your aviation stories!
VFC News
News Around the Club
February has been an eventful month for the
Victoria Flying Club in the community and around
the club. Long-awaited-for new carpet has arrived
through the resourcefulness and determination of
Marcel Poland. Several people have been involved
with its installation; a huge thank you goes out to
Marcel and Josh Poland, Ralph Reynolds, Kyle Dagleish, and Alex Olson and others for their efforts
in making this come together.
From the Maintenance Department: Randy
has built a room that will provide a clean and
streamlined area for more efficient engine
overhauls. The new room has been in the
making for over a year and is now complete. The
flexibility and savings this facility will generate
are significant. Thank you, Randy, for getting this
valuable innovation off the ground!
The VFC team has also experienced change,
welcoming new employees Alex Lansfield,
Sheridan McGrory, Dave Manchip, and Justin
Pond.
Image: IO-360-L2A Lycoming engine in maintenance
Image: The new engine maintenance room, built by
Randy
Image: Marcel and Josh Poland look over the new
carpet
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
2
March 2016
VFC News
News Around the Club (cont.)
is committed to a culture of safety! In line with
ICAO and Transport Canada recommendations
for a positive safety culture, check out the
‘Member Tools’ -> ‘Flight Safety’ page of the VFC
website on a regular basis to submit incidents.
“Safety is how we do things around here!”
Also from Maintenance, Gary van der Leer
reports that the magneto stand has recently been
modified to handle maintenance and overhaul of
Bendix mags.
Even in this winter season, VFC has been actively
promoting aviation in the community. On
February 7th and 8th, VFC participated in the
Sidney Family Day Weekend LEGO Festival, and
on February 20th, the Aviation Career Day at the
BC Aviation Museum. It was inspiring to meet
many, young and old, and introduce them to the
possibility of flying or hear their stories of when
their interest in aviation started.
EVENTS
Image: Gerry Mants encourages a prospective
student to enter a draw for a Discovery Flight at the
LEGO Festival, in the Mary Winspear Centre
The income tax deadline is quickly approaching.
If you need a copy of the 2015 form, please refer
to the February issue of The Patrician, or contact
Gerry or Kathy at the office (250-656-2833) for
more information.
If you are looking to rent aircraft, VFC has some
of the lowest rental rates in Canada! Check out
http://flyvfc.com/vfc-rental-rates or call the office
for availability and pricing.
VFC office hours now run from
08:00 - 20:00
COPA Flight 6 meeting at 7 pm
MAR 3
VFC AGM starting at 7 pm, with
wine and cheese at 6 pm
MAR 5
Nanaimo Flying Club Fly-In
Brunch, starting at 9:30 am
MAR 7-13
IWOAW (International Women of
Aviation Week)
MAR 12
1st IMC Round Table at 1:30 pm in
the upstairs classroom at VFC
MAR 31
Anderson Family Scholarship
deadline (BCAC)
APR 4
Deadline to submit your COPA
election vote
APR 5
COPA Flight 6 meeting at 7 pm
featuring Darlene George, Nav
Canada Manager, and Randy
MacKenzie from Victoria Harbour
FSS
APR 8
**CPL GROUND SCHOOL starts.
Call to register!
APR 17
Sea School
Mountain Ground School
APR 24
Laura Van Buskirk leads the VFC
team in the TC 10K
APR 25-27
BC Airports Workshop and BCAC
AGM, Nanaimo
MAY 14
VFC Open House
Is your aviation related event not listed?
Let us know at news@flyvfc.com.
We are proud to belong to a community that
March 2016
MAR 1
3
www.flyvfc.com
VFC Achievements
69th Annual Wings Banquet
Image: VFC students celebrate their successes at the 69th Annual Wings Banquet
On Friday, January 29th, 2016, over 100 pilots,
family, and friends came to the Naden Wardroom
to celebrate the accomplishments of VFC’s
student pilots during 2015. Two guest speakers,
Sean Croft (A380 Emirates Captain and family
member of VFC founding members) and Stephen
Eady (the voice behind the Victoria International
Airport ATIS; see article on page 9), provided an
encouraging outlook on the career prospects in
aviation. After individually congratulating each
student who earned PPL, CPL, and Instructor
Rating certifications, Graham Palmer, CFI,
presented the following awards:
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
Top Written Test
Top Flight Test
Joel Laurin
Top Pilot
Kevin McManus
Wadsworth
Scholarship
Crystal Sommer
Butler Flying Award
Cooper-Slipper
Bursary
Smedley Memorial
4
Peter Hollemans
Silvia Zilker
Janson Chapman
Matthew Hughson
March 2016
VFC Achievements
First Solos
Connor Russell
Instructor: Colin Brown
Ilke Altindis
Instructor: Colin Brown
Paul Willis
Instructor: Jessica Rabideau
Peter Savage
Instructor: Sean Tyrrell
“Without disruption of air traffic, these
fearless, forthright, indomitable and
courageous individuals did venture
into the wild blue yonder in flying
machines. Furthermore, these skillful
individuals did safely land said flying
machines at Victoria International
Airport, incurring no significant
damage to self or machine, thus
completing first solo flights.”
Ryan Varchol
Instructor: Colin Brown
March 2016
5
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VFC Achievements
VFC Member Achievements
New Members
Adam Duncan
Alex Salie
Emmannuel Odonkor
Iain Bell
Iliya Pavlovic
James McNulty
Jesse Bertucci
Joelson Popoff
Kollan House
Landon Hunter
Laurel Schneider
Liam McGowan
Lucas Robertson
Nathan Dutnell
Parvesh Bhinder
Paul Suter
Pierce Newman
Sean Addie
Shaun Balfe
Tristan Steven
First Solo
Connor Russell
Ilke Altindis
Paul Willis
Peter Savage
Ryan Varchol
PPL Written Exam
Mitch Warren
PPL Flight Test
Fred Burgess
PPL Licence
Mitch Warren
CPL Flight Test
Brett Wingerter
Ethan Bugden
Glenn Golonka
Liam Aloni
Richard Davey
CPL Licence
Adan Thornton
Ethan Bugden
Glenn Golonka
Liam Aloni
Lynn Flandera
Night Rating
Braeden Clark
Calem Brassard
Janson Chapman
Peter Hollemans
Seaplane Rating
Braeden Clark
Crystal Sommer
Duncan Cochrane
Gary Sorge
Geoff Goldie
Nathan Goebel
Nathan Dutnell
Group 1 IFR Rating
Alethia Forsberg
Multi Rating
Paul Kroeker
Class III Instructor
Jessica Rabideau
VFC Celebrates 70 Years!
Alumni Profile - Captain Sean Croft
The Victoria Flying Club is celebrating 70 years of incorporation this year! As part
of the celebration, we will share stories from our community and history with you.
In this month’s feature, we share part of the dialogue from Captain Sean Croft’s
speech that was presented at the Wings Banquet, highlighting this VFC alumnus’
career advancement.
Since the incorporation of VFC in 1946, members of Captain Croft’s family have
been actively involved with the Club; for example, Leah, Captain Croft’s wife, is
the granddaughter of Joe Howroyd, one of the Club’s founding members, and
Nick and Patrick Croft, Captain Croft’s sons, are also members and former staff of
VFC.
We hope you enjoy and are inspired by Captain Croft’s experience. If you also
have a story to share as a VFC graduate, please share with us (see page one for
how to share)! - Katy Earl, Editor
(continued on next page)
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
6
March 2016
VFC Achievements
(VFC Celebrates 70 Years! Alumni Profile,
Captain Sean Croft cont.)
2008, I had my 2000 hours, and they asked me
when I could start my 330 and 340 course in Dubai.
By March, my bags were packed, and we were
moving to Dubai.
Sean Croft, A380 Emirates Captain
4th Generation VFC Member
Email: seanjetstream@gmail.com
When I joined Emirates Airline, the time to upgrade
from First Officer to Captain on the Boeing fleet was
about three years, and a little bit longer on the Airbus
fleet. However, in 2010, Emirates changed the rules;
the upgrade requirements were 4000 hours above
55 tonnes. I had zero hours above 55 tonnes. Once
again, I had to build hours. Once I had 2500 hours
at Emirates, I transfered to the 380 fleet, as the
330s and 340s were shortly to be retired. Emirates
requirements for upgrade to Captain on the 380
were 2500 hours, so once again I was building time.
Captain Croft’s career to date:
1988-89
Flight Training (PPL, ME/IFR)
1989
Flight Training QFI at VFC
1990-1995
Class IV, CFI at VFC
1995-1998
FO/Captain Voyageur Airways
(King Air 100/200), involved
med-evacs in Ontario
1998-2008
FO/Captain for Jazz Airlines
(Dash 8, CRJ), based in Victoria
Last year, I was finally approaching the 2500 hour
mark when I was invited for an upgrade interview.
I was successful in the interview, and I started my
Captain course last March.
Seven years at Emirates to Captain.
As you can see there were many obstacles along the
way, but I remained persistent and committed to my
goals.
2008-present FO/Captain for Emirates Air
(A330, A340, A380), based in
Dubai
These numbers are from a recent CNN article I
looked up. They reported that over the next 18 years,
541,000 new pilots will be needed! The Chinese
airlines are desperate to fill positions right now.
Some Chinese carriers are offering $20,000 USD
per month for direct entry captains. There has never
been a better time; I have never seen numbers like
this before.
For VFC’s 69th Annual Wings Banquet, Captain
Sean Croft congratulated VFC’s graduates and
shared through a video his experience and
advice for building a career as a pilot. Part of the
conversation, highlighting Sean’s career path in
becoming a Captain, follows:
“In 2008, Emirates Airline in Dubai was on a massive
hiring spree. They needed 600 pilots to meet their
rapidly expanding network around the world.
I often tell anyone who is interested in aviation, this
career is like a big game of Snakes and Ladders. New
graduates are in the bottom left-hand corner, and
your objective is the top right-hand corner. As you
roll the dice in your career choices, you will come
across some ladders that will propel you faster than
your classmates, and at other times, you might
land on a snake that drops you down a few levels.
Snakes are such things as the world economy,
The requirements were 4500 hours total time, which
I easily met, but they also needed 2000 hours of jet
time, which I was currently working on.
In January of 2008, they invited me to Dubai for
an interview, which I was successful in. In February
March 2016
7
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Women in Aviation
bankrupcies, lay-offs, hour requirements, etc.
Unfortunately, most of the time, these aren’t
in your control. The ladders are luck. Being at
the right place at the right time.
WOMEN IN
AVIATION
You have just heard about some of the snakes
and ladders that I’ve landed on throughout
my career. Hardships and sacrifices. It
certainly is not an easy life, but somehow
when you love what you do, it makes it all
worthwhile.”
VANCOUVER ISLAND
CHAPTER
Captain Croft welcomes VFC students and
alumni to connect with him through email.
https://www.facebook.com/wia.
vichapter
All of us at the Victoria Flying Club wish
to congratulate the young ladies of the 1st
Sooke Girl Guides who attended ground
school, toured the club and fleet, and flew
the RedBird FX Simulator at the Victoria
Flying Club on Saturday, February 27 in
order to earn their Aeronautics badge.
Special thanks to instructors, Jessica
Rabideau​and Sean Tyrrell​.
Image: Captain Croft likened a career in
aviation to a game of Snakes and Ladders
Image: From his ‘office,’ Captain Sean Croft,
a VFC alumni and family member of the
Howroyds (Founding Members of VFC), offers
sage advice and congratulations to VFC
graduates celebrating at the 69th Annual
Wings Banquet
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
Image: Girls from the 1st Sooke Girl Guides work
towards earning their Aeronautics badge
8
March 2016
Feature Article
A Victorian Voice for Aviation
Contributed by Stephen J. Eady, STR-Speech Tech Ltd.
Guest Speaker at the 69th Wings Banquet
Take a minute to imagine the following scenarios:
• You are flying your Cessna 172 on a training
flight near Victoria International Airport, and
you need to find out the wind direction and
speed, altimeter and runways in use, before
you contact the control tower to request
clearance for landing. So you tune your radio
to the ATIS frequency to listen to Information
Bravo. Then you contact Victoria Tower to
inform ATC that you have Information Bravo.
• You are flying a U.S. Navy E-2D Hawkeye
surveillance aircraft out of Norfolk Naval Base
in eastern Virginia, and you want to practice
touch-and-go landings at the nearby NASA
Wallops Flight Facility Airport. But first, you
need to find out if any Flight Advisories have
been issued for range rocket exercises at
this NASA facility. So, you tune your radio
to listen to the ATIS broadcast at Wallops
Flight Facility Airport. You hear that Restricted
Area 6604 Bravo is “hot” from the surface to
10000 feet. So, you change your heading to
avoid that area.
• You are flying a Piper Navajo en route to
Anaktuvuk Pass in Northern Alaska, and you
want to find out if the pass is still open. So
you tune your radio to the frequency for
the Fairbanks TWEB (Transcribed Weather
Broadcast), to find out if there has been any
change in the weather forecast since you
left Fairbanks. Then, you hear that an Airmet
for IFR conditions has just been issued with
occasional ceilings below 1000 feet and
visibility below 3 miles. You also hear that the
Pass Forecast for Anaktuvuk is now calling for
IFR conditions, and that several Pilot Reports
indicate that single-engine aircraft like yours
have had to “return due to weather.” So, you
decide that the safest option is to return to
March 2016
Fairbanks.
In all of the above situations, you have been
listening to an automated aviation broadcast
system that was provided by a local company
in Victoria, called STR-SpeechTech Ltd. STR has
been supplying these systems to Air Navigation
Service Providers (Nav Canada, FAA, U.S. Military,
and others) for over 20 years.
STR-SpeechTech Ltd. started out as a research
centre at the University of Victoria in the
1980s. In 1989, the centre became a private
company and moved off campus. Since that
time, STR has been developing automated
text-to-speech systems that provide very highquality voice output. These systems are used for
the automated broadcast of aviation weather
information, and they have been deployed at
many sites around the world.
A recent count of STR systems deployed in North
America (Canada and U.S.A.) shows that these
produce over 350 different aviation weather
broadcasts. These broadcasts are produced on a
continuous basis (24/7/365), and they provide
important information for aircraft in flight and on
the ground.
Here is a list of the different automated aviation
broadcasts that STR’s systems are providing for
pilots in North America:
• Nav Canada ATIS – at all major airports across
Canada
• Nav Canada AWOS (Automated Weather
Observation System) – at over 90 sites in
Canada
• FAA Alaska TWEB (Transcribed Weather
9
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Feature Article
Broadcast) – 9 different broadcasts
throughout the state of Alaska
• FAA HIWAS (Hazardous In-Flight
Weather Advisory Service ) – 120
different broadcasts of hazardous weather
information across the Lower 48 states.
Each broadcast contains information about
hazardous weather within a 150 NM radius
of the radio transmitter site
• U.S. Military ATIS – at over 90 different air
bases of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S.
Coast Guard and one new system at NASA
Wallops Flight Facility Airport
• HF VOLMET – broadcast of weather
information for aircraft crossing the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans. STR’s HF VOLMET
systems are deployed at the following sites:
• New York and Honolulu (for U.S. FAA)
• Gander, Newfoundland (for Nav
Canada)
• CFB Trenton (for Canadian Department
of National Defence)
In addition to these systems in North America,
STR has also provided ATIS and VOLMET
systems in over 30 other countries around the
world, from Chile to Mozambique to Vietnam.
the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Airport in
Virginia (operated by the Goddard Space Flight
Center as a rocket launch site for NASA and
other federal agencies). The airport there is
also used by U.S. Navy aircraft to simulate
carrier landings, with one of the runways even
configured to look like the flight deck of an
aircraft carrier. Before the installation of the
ATIS system, that airport did not have an ATIS.
That meant that all information about nearby
range rocket exercises had to be provided by
air traffic controllers. Now, pilots can get this
information from the ATIS broadcasts. These
broadcasts are available even at night when the
control tower is closed and no ATC personnel
are on duty.
This is just one example of the aviation
broadcast systems that have been provided by
STR. Members of the Victoria Flying Club will
be familiar with the voice behind another STR
system installed at the Victoria International
control tower.
So, the next time you are flying into or out of
YYJ, when you tune in to the ATIS frequency
to listen to Information Bravo, remember that
the voice you hear is a local one, and that same
Victorian voice provides aviation information
to pilots all over North America and at airports
around the world.
All of these aviation broadcast systems are
designed to provide information to pilots, and
all of the broadcasts use standard terminology
and a standard voice that happens to have a
Canadian accent. STR is known for following
and advising on ICAO recommendations so
that the systems will be easily understood by
pilots, regardless of their nationality or native
language.
The STR team often hears about the positive
impacts the broadcast systems bring to pilots
and ATC personnel. As a recent example,
STR recently installed an ATIS system at
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
Image: FAA Flight Service Station in Fairbanks
Alaska, which provides TWEB Broadcasts for
aircraft in the northern part of the state
10
March 2016
Feature Article
IFR Forum
Contributed by John Ainsworth and Don Devenney
Are you an IFR rated pilot, or do you have an
interest in getting an instrument rating? In
either case, you know that it requires a certain
amount of time and effort to achieve and retain
competency.
open for informal discussion. Sessions will be
held once a month.
Anyone can propose and present a topic for
discussion. For example, if you have a particular
area of expertise (such as a particular flight
application), or you have experienced an event
that others can learn from, these would be
beneficial topics to share with the group.
To many, the challenge of achieving and
maintaining an instrument rating can be
daunting. There are ways, however, to make the
challenge an enjoyable learning experience.
Additional topics that may be discussed by guest
speakers include the following:
It is proposed to initiate a social forum where
instrument rated pilots, as well as those aspiring
to get an instrument rating, can get together in a
community setting to learn, exchange knowledge,
and have fun whilst achieving a satisfactory
level of competency. The proposed forum will be
called, “The IMC Round Table” (IMC stands for
“instrument meteorological conditions” and is an
aviation flight category that describes weather
conditions that require flying under instrument
flight rules (IFR)).
• New rules on keeping an IR current, such as
the number of IMC hours needed and what
qualifies for IMC time (e.g. does simulator
time count?)
• Terminal procedures, such as LNAV, LNAV
/ VNAV, and LPV and what their similarities
and differences are
• CYVR/CYYJ airspace
OBJECTIVE
• ICAO flight plans and how to file them using
tools such as ForeFlight
The goal of having a social forum, where training
seminars and simulator scenarios are presented,
is to assist pilots with an instrument rating to
stay current. This will be especially beneficial
for those interested in obtaining an instrument
rating to have an opportunity to learn from
others. The primary objective is to make learning
and maintaining an instrument rating enjoyable.
• IFR in the U.S.A. and Canada, including eAPIS,
different IFR phraseology, and more
• Electronic flight bags and the effective use of
the different EFB types in the cockpit (guests
who use different devices would be invited
to bring them to discuss the benefits and
deficits)
HOW
1. Provide topics for discussion.
• Icing and how to anticipate it, recognize the
types and severity, and get out of it. Video
recommendations are welcome
The IMC Round Table sessions are proposed to
have a duration of two hours. The first hour will
be in a seminar format; the second hour will be
March 2016
• TSB accident reports, such as the Boeing 737
11
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Feature Article
controlled flight into terrain at Resolute Bay
Departure time is 0700Z.
The aircraft you have been assigned has a non
WAAS GPS receiver.
Weather at CYPQ: AUTO 13070 26515G20 KT
2 -SN OVC 3 M35/M36
Weather at CYOO:130700 26515G20 KT 2 -SN
OVC 6 M35/M36
Weather at CYTZ: 130700 26515G20 KT 2 -SN
OVC 6 M35/M36
We shall assume your alternate is CYYZ and
meets alternate minima.
2. Engage in simulation sessions.
The objective here would be to set up a
simulation rota where pilots can use the Redbird
at the VFC to improve their skills. Scenarios can
be developed which would define a specific
airport to airport route, emergencies that would
be expected, and suggested weather settings.
Two pilots can alternate between the left and
right seat. The pilot in the left seat can fly the
route as per the scenario, while the pilot in the
right seat can act as ATC, apply the weather
settings, and implement the emergency scenario.
Left and right seat can interchange and repeat
the exercise.
Because of the unavailability of WAAS, low
temperature, and surface wind, the flight is not
that straight forward.
The first session of the IMC Round Table will be
held on Saturday 12 March, 2016 at 13:30.
The introductory session agenda will include:
•
•
•
•
Introduction to the IMC Round Table
Simulator partnering – single/twin
Questions and answers
ICAO flight plan filing and format
We look forward to seeing you there.
Image: The Redbird Simulator housed at the
Victoria Flying Club
For more information, please contact John at
ainsworthj@airnavigation.com.
At the next meeting, we can discuss and critique
what went right or wrong and what was learned
from the exercise.
The exercises are not anticipated to exceed 45
minutes and will include a destination with a
minimum of en-route flying. The following is an
example of a scenario:
You have been scheduled to fly from
Peterborough, ON (CYPQ) to Oshawa, ON
(CYOO) to pick up a passenger, then on to
Toronto/Billy Bishop (CYTZ), which is your
destination.
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
12
March 2016
Feature Article
CRM - Crew Resource Management
What it is, how it works, and its importance in the cockpit
Contributed by Jeff Lightheart, former VFC Instructor; UPFRONT AVIATION
The last couple of decades have
seen drastic improvements
in safety within the aviation
industry, thanks in part to CRM.
At the heart of CRM is a
concept that we are all familiar
with - Teamwork! Teamwork
happens when people work
together to achieve a common
goal, and in our case it will
be two pilots in the cockpit.
CRM is a process of managing
the available recourses in an
effective manner, such that
workload and stress is kept to
a manageable level during all
phases of flight.
Clear communication, using
standard phrases, words,
and procedures, allows flight
crews to accomplish tasks with
amazing efficiency, even in the
event of an emergency. This
efficiency is achieved through
practice and understanding of
what resources are available.
fairly simple but it takes some
practice.
A quick Google search of CRM
will reveal that these processes
are not unique to aviation.
These processes can be seen
in hospitals, rally cars, police
Transitioning from studying
flight to being responsible for an cars, fire trucks, and even your
local Starbucks. People working
aircraft that requires two pilots
effectively together using
can be challenging. Throughout
standardized tools and language
all that flight training, the
student is taught to fly the plane makes for a safer and more
efficient workplace regardless of
solo, but when the training is
where it may be.
complete, all of a sudden you
are expected to share the duties
A big part of CRM is knowing
of the cockpit? How is this
what resources are available
achieved, and where is the line
to you at any given time. This
drawn? To keep it simple, one
is a skill that will improve over
pilot will fly the aircraft and the
other will operate radios and set time as you gain experience. An
example of CRM could go like
up all the avionics. This sounds
this: An emergency situation
arises in the cockpit. The pilots
work together as one flies
the plane, managing airspeed,
attitude, power settings, and
landing gear/flap configuration,
while the other pilot reads
through the emergency checklist
and performs the necessary
tasks.
Once that checklist is completed
and the situation is under
control, the crew needs to make
some decisions based on the
nature of the emergency. This
is where CRM shines. While
one pilot flies the plane, the
other is in contact with the
March 2016
13
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Feature Article
maintenance team, emergency
response team, dispatch, and
ATC, or he/she is consulting the
onboard document reference
library contained in the flight
deck tablets. The tools available
to the pilots in today’s aviation
systems are fantastic and
help to make the teamwork
processes of CRM even more
seamless!
When CRM is implemented
effectively, it allows opportunity
for suggestions and discussion
from all crew members involved,
and usually leads to a positive
and effective solution. If the
outcome doesn’t work, the crew
will re-evaluate and further
discuss options that will lead to
a better outcome.
A solid commitment to proper
CRM procedures and company
SOPs allows you to safely fly
with any other pilot in the
company, even if you have
never met that person until
you showed up for the flight,
or you have a personality vastly
different from them. If all pilots
on a multi-crew flight are using
CRM properly, then everyone
knows what they are supposed
to do. CRM removes the
guesswork and confusion from
almost any scenario.
Some of you may never or rarely
fly in a two crew or multi-crew
environment. But the basic
concept of CRM still applies
to recreational pilots. I know
what you’re thinking. CRM
in the cockpit of the Cessna
172? Yes, absolutely. You are
not alone up there. Remember
that ATC is there to help you
in the event of an emergency.
Also, your cellular phone may
be a great tool in the event of
a communication failure. Be
resourceful and look up vital
phone numbers in the CFS, such
as your local IFR control centre.
Also, don’t forget your friend
and co-pilot in the right seat.
They are a valuable resource on
your way to Chilliwack for that
piece of pie!
At UPFRONT AVIATION we are
currently developing a half-day
CRM seminar, where we will
explore this topic in greater
detail and talk through real-life
CRM scenarios that you will
encounter in your career as an
airline pilot. The Chief Pilot of a
cargo/medevac company here in
B.C. has let us know that CRM
training is one thing he wished
more of his rookie pilots had
under their belts. You are going
to want this seminar on your
resume!
Stay connected with us on
Facebook for dates and details
of upcoming seminars, or email
us directly with questions,
feedback, or even just a friendly
hello.
Jeff Lightheart
UPFRONT AVIATION
E: upfrontaviation@gmail.com
W: facebook.com/upfrontaviation
P: 250.893.5661
About UPFRONT AVIATION
Jeff Lightheart is a former VFC
student and instructor. After several years flying for cargo operators and as a Captain for a small
regional airline, he now proudly
flies for Canada’s second largest
airline. Jeff founded UPFRONT
AVIATION as a way to carry on his
love of teaching and as a means of
helping other pilots bridge the gap
between their Commercial training and landing their dream job.
VFC smile cards
Pick up your smile card today at the VFC office, and 5% of your grocery purchase will go
towards creating scholarships and awards for VFC members.
Thank-you Thrifty Foods!
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
14
March 2016
Feature Article
FleetCaptain Corner
FleetCaptain
Managing night-time dispatches
We are lucky here at the Victoria Flying Club to have some of the best dispatchers in the business.
They ensure that pilots quickly get an airplane that safely matches each mission. This month,
dispatchers identiÞed a problem: ÒSometimes FleetCaptain selects a plane but we have to choose a
different one because the aircraft is snagged for night ßightÓ É
So a new solution is born: The Þrst step is to
determine when day and night periods ofÞcially
begin for aviations purposes. The system
calculates and displays that each day.
The second step is to determine if any part of a
proposed dispatch occurs during ofÞcial night
time. If there is overlap, FleetCaptain
designates the ßight as a night ßight.
The third step is to determine if there is any
reason why an aircraft should not be selected for
night ßights. In the example on the left, an aircraft
has a compass light defect which restricts it to
daytime operations. The tick box at the bottom of
the defect form tells the system not to select this
aircraft for night ßights.
With that information, FleetCaptain makes its
selection. The dispatchers are no longer
burdened by having to check whether a nightßight restriction invalidates an aircraft selection the checks are done automatically now.
Another operational challenge raised, discussed
and solved - making VFC a little bit stronger.
Steve Demy
ATPL, ATP (multi), B. Eng. (Electrical)
Victoria Flying Club - Director
Columbia 300 driver
FleetCaptain - Developer
sndaviation.com
March 2016
15
www.flyvfc.com
COPA Quadrant
Written by: Eleanor Eastick, Katy Earl
The COPA Flight 6 Board consists of:
Flight Captain (President)
Rob Shemilt
Co-Captain (Vice President) Allan Rempel
The April 5th meeting will feature Darlene
George, Nav Canada manager for both the
Victoria Control Tower and Victoria Harbour
FSS, along with Randy MacKenzie from Victoria
Harbour FSS. The presentation will be on Victoria
airspace for both YYJ and YWH. Don’t miss this
important event! We can all learn more about our
complicated local airspace.
Bring a friend if you wish; you don’t need to be a
COPA member to attend. For more information,
contact copaflight6@gmail.com.
Navigator (Treasurer)
Art Reitsma
The Groundhog Day meeting of COPA Flight 6
was lots of fun - hangar flying, exchanging ideas,
telling funny stories and looking for advice. About
eighteen people came for a nice chance to gasbag
with fellow members. A good time was had by all,
as they say!
The next meeting was on March 1st and featured
Captain Derek Clarke, an Air Canada Captain
who flies a B777 on the cross Atlantic long haul
route. With over 35 years of experience in the
field, Captain Clarke’s presentation was both
informative and entertaining, talking about
cultural differences he has encountered around
the world and four ways to become a better pilot
(e.g. keep a log book of your own errors and
review them often; be ‘Clutch!’).
In addition to Captain Clarke’s presentation, Tim
Cole, our local COPA representative, updated the
group on the election to fill the vacant B.C. and
Y.T. COPA Director position.
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
Image: Captain Derek Clarke kindly brought an
assortment of gifts for the attendees from his travels
Image: Captain Clarke shares a methodology for
becoming a better pilot, including reviewing your own
errors on a regular basis
16
March 2016
VICTORIA FLYING CLUB
VFC Ground School
Leaders in Flight Training since 1946
Ground School Schedules
#101 – 1852 CANSO ROAD
NORTH SAANICH, B.C.
V8L 5V5
PH: (250) 656-2833
www.flyvfc.com
Spring 2016 Private Pilot Schedule
2016 PRIVATE PILOT GROUND SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Classes Monday and Wednesday from 19:00 – 22:00
DATE
TOPIC
INSTRUCTOR
February 24
Canadian Aviation Regulations & Licencing
BRETT
February 29
Canadian Aviation Regulations & Licencing
BRETT
March 2
Aerodynamics & Theory of Flight
IAIN
March 7
Airframes & Engines
DAVE
March 9
Systems & Flight Instruments
DAVE
March 14
Human Factors & Pilot Decision Making
BRETT
March 16
Meteorology
SEAN
March 21
Meteorology
SEAN
March 23
Meteorology
SEAN
March 28
No Class – Easter Monday
n/a
March 30
Meteorology
SEAN
April 4
Meteorology
SEAN
April 6
Meteorology
SEAN
April 11
Flight Operations
COLIN
April 13
Flight Operations
COLIN
April 18
Navigation
BRENDAN
April 20
Navigation
BRENDAN
April 25
Navigation
BRENDAN
April 27
Radio & Electronic Theory
BRADY
May 2
ATC
COLIN
May 4
Review
COLIN
Ground School Course - $350
Ground School Kit - $275
CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE TO REGISTER FOR GROUND SCHOOL
TODAY.
March 2016
ENQUIRE ABOUT OUR PROMOTIONAL
OFFERS!
17
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VFC Ground School
VICTORIA FLYING
CLUB
Leaders in Flight Training since 1946
Ground School Schedules (cont.)
#101 – 1852 CANSO ROAD
NORTH SAANICH, B.C.
V8L 5V5
PH: (250) 656-2833
www.flyvfc.com
Spring 2016 Commercial Pilot Schedule
2016 COMMERCIAL PILOT GROUND SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Classes Friday from 17:00 – 21:00 and Saturday, Sunday from 08:00 - 17:00
DATE
TIME
TOPIC
INSTRUCTOR
April 8
17:00 - 21:00
Airframes & Engines
DAVE
April 9
08:00 - 12:00
Systems & Flight Instruments
DAVE
April 9
13:00 - 17:00
Theory of Flight & Aerodynamics
IAIN
April 10
08:00 - 12:00
Radio & Electronic Theory
BRADY
April 10
13:00 - 17:00
GPS
GRAHAM
April 15
17:00 - 21:00
Flight Operations
COLIN
April 16
08:00 - 17:00
Navigation
BRADY
April 17
08:00 - 10:00
Navigation
BRADY
April 17
10:00 - 12:00
Sea School
KRISTEN
April 17
13:00 - 17:00
Mountain Ground School
GRAHAM
April 22
17:00 - 21:00
Meteorology
SEAN
April 23
08:00 - 17:00
Meteorology
SEAN
April 24
08:00 - 17:00
Meteorology
SEAN
April 29
17:00 - 21:00
CARs and Licensing Requirements
BRETT
April 30
08:00 - 10:00
Human Factors & PDM
BRETT
April 30
10:00 - 17:00
Crew Resources Management (CRM)
BRENDAN M
May 1
08:00 - 17:00
Crew Resources Management (CRM)
BRENDAN M
Ground School Course - $495
Ground School Repeat Classes (4 hours) $15
(up to a maximum of $100)
CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE TO REGISTER FOR GROUND
SCHOOL TODAY.
Aviation Excellence Since 1946
18
March 2016
Dream. Discover. Experience. Explore.
Take the first step at VFC!
Call us today to get started! 250-656-2833
www.flyvfc.com
February 2016
19
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