Flight Training - July 2021 - 16

PREFLIGHT FLIGHT LESSON
BY DAVE HOUGHTON
SCENIC DIVERSION
RUNNING DRY IN VEGAS
WHAT HAPPENED
" As I entered the
bank for final,
the Lycoming
coughed and sputtered,
a sound I had never heard in any
airplane while airborne and hope
to never hear again. "
ously inaccurate, and we had no fuel flow
meter. We were past three hours of flight
time and still some 70 nm from Vegas. As
I began our descent, the fuel needles hovered
near zero. August said, " Is that OK? "
My response was a quick, " Those gauges
don't really tell the story-we should have
plenty of gas. " But I was a bit worried.
Boulder City Airport, 13 nm east of
Henderson, was 5 minutes closer, but off
course. I weighed the option of landing,
fueling, and then taking off for a 7-minute
flight to Vegas. It didn't seem like things
were that dire, so I soldiered on.
Almost there. I checked in with HenFALL
IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO FLY IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
Summer thunderstorms have moved on, the air is clear and cool,
and aspen trees splash electric gold across the landscape. My
business partner, August, and I were scheduled to attend an engineering
conference in Las Vegas, so we planned on flying there
from Gunnison, Colorado, in my Cessna 182 RG Turbo.
At the time of this flight in September 2007, Sierra Fox had
analog gauges and a King 89B GPS with a tiny orange dot-matrix
screen. I had just more than 400 hours total time, and although I
was VFR-only, I had more than 300 hours of flying in and around
the mountains and canyons of Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. I
plotted a straight-line course to Henderson Executive (HND) but
figured we might wander a bit to get a good view of the Grand
Canyon, a dozen or so miles off-route to the south.
My standard preflight included fuel to the " bottom of the
necks, " which gave me about 75 gallons usable based on the
dipstick. The direct route added up to about 425 nautical miles,
which would require 2 hours 45 minutes at 155 knots, and 47 gallons
of avgas. (Although the pilot's operating handbook said the
airplane should cruise at about 15 gph, it actually burned more
than 17.) This added up to nearly two hours of extra fuel, plenty
to handle some scenic diversion and a bit of wind on the nose.
I could tell from our GPS ground speed that we had a headwind-not
unusual for that flight direction. We tracked along the
north rim of the canyon, making sweeping turns to take in the
scenery, eventually resuming a direct course to Henderson. The
headwind had been persistent, and our ground speed had stayed
around 140 knots or lower. The fuel gauges on the 182 are notori16
FLIGHT
TRAINING JULY 2021
FUEL MANAGEMENT
KNOW HOW MUCH
IS IN YOUR TANKS
To help prevent fuel
exhaustion accidents,
the AOPA Air Safety
Institute recommends
tracking available fuel
in hours and minutes
instead of gallons and
pounds, recalculating
range and endurance
hourly to maintain
adequate fuel
reserves, and landing
with at least one hour
of fuel.
Don't be afraid
to declare a fuel
emergency if
needed to get
priority handling
from ATC.
airsafetyinstitute.
org/spotlight/
fuelmanagement
derson Tower and got my instruction to
enter a long left base leg for Runway 17 R.
Coming up to the turn from base to final, I
was uncomfortably distant from the numbers.
I had not informed tower of our fuel
situation, which still did not seem to qualify
as an emergency. As I banked to turn
final, the Lycoming coughed and sputtered,
a sound I had never heard in any
airplane while airborne and hope to never
hear again. The engine sputtered through
the turn, then as I leveled out for final it
came back to life. A minute later the tires
squeaked onto pavement and I taxied to
the FBO and a long drink of 100LL.
When we finally refueled, the airplane
took on nearly 70 gallons to our
usual fill level. Lessons learned: Bottom
of the necks is less than 75 gallons of
usable-dipsticks are sketchy; Top off for
a long flight. I could have put another 45
minutes' worth in those tanks when we
departed, with no worries about weight;
Headwinds and diversions can add up to
more fuel use than you think; Banking the
airplane can starve the engine; Better to
spend an extra half hour for a fuel stop
than run dry; Apply caution in inverse
proportion to the accuracy of your fuel
measurement devices.
TOP LEFT: SARAH HANSON; ABOVE: STEVE KARP
http://airsafetyinstitute.org/spotlight/fuelmanagement http://airsafetyinstitute.org/spotlight/fuelmanagement http://airsafetyinstitute.org/spotlight/fuelmanagement

Flight Training - July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - July 2021

Contents
Flight Training - July 2021 - Intro
Flight Training - July 2021 - Cover1
Flight Training - July 2021 - Cover2
Flight Training - July 2021 - Contents
Flight Training - July 2021 - 2
Flight Training - July 2021 - 3
Flight Training - July 2021 - 4
Flight Training - July 2021 - 5
Flight Training - July 2021 - 6
Flight Training - July 2021 - 7
Flight Training - July 2021 - 8
Flight Training - July 2021 - 9
Flight Training - July 2021 - 10
Flight Training - July 2021 - 11
Flight Training - July 2021 - 12
Flight Training - July 2021 - 13
Flight Training - July 2021 - 14
Flight Training - July 2021 - 15
Flight Training - July 2021 - 16
Flight Training - July 2021 - 17
Flight Training - July 2021 - 18
Flight Training - July 2021 - 19
Flight Training - July 2021 - 20
Flight Training - July 2021 - 21
Flight Training - July 2021 - 22
Flight Training - July 2021 - 23
Flight Training - July 2021 - 24
Flight Training - July 2021 - 25
Flight Training - July 2021 - 26
Flight Training - July 2021 - 27
Flight Training - July 2021 - 28
Flight Training - July 2021 - 29
Flight Training - July 2021 - 30
Flight Training - July 2021 - 31
Flight Training - July 2021 - 32
Flight Training - July 2021 - 33
Flight Training - July 2021 - 34
Flight Training - July 2021 - 35
Flight Training - July 2021 - 36
Flight Training - July 2021 - 37
Flight Training - July 2021 - 38
Flight Training - July 2021 - 39
Flight Training - July 2021 - 40
Flight Training - July 2021 - 41
Flight Training - July 2021 - 42
Flight Training - July 2021 - 43
Flight Training - July 2021 - 44
Flight Training - July 2021 - 45
Flight Training - July 2021 - 46
Flight Training - July 2021 - 47
Flight Training - July 2021 - 48
Flight Training - July 2021 - 49
Flight Training - July 2021 - 50
Flight Training - July 2021 - 51
Flight Training - July 2021 - 52
Flight Training - July 2021 - 53
Flight Training - July 2021 - 54
Flight Training - July 2021 - 55
Flight Training - July 2021 - 56
Flight Training - July 2021 - Cover3
Flight Training - July 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_20250102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/ft_201103
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com