In this series of video tutorials, PPL/IR’s Flight Operations & Competence Working Group gives insight and guidance on instrument flying and IFR in Europe. Although these videos are primarily aimed at new and aspiring Instrument Pilots, Timothy has valuable tips and strategies for even seasoned instrument pilots.
Note: The videos are arranged in reverse date order so the latest videos produced are at the top of the page and earlier ones towards the bottom.
Lost Comms
Are you comfortable in the event of losing comms? Some pilots are but many are not. PPL/IR Europe’s Operations & Competence Working Group have produced this video in which Timothy Nathan explains how to safely manage a lost comms event. The TDODAR video mentioned in this video can be found here.
Slots
In this video PPL/IR Europe’s Flight Operations and Competence Working Group address the topic of ‘slots’. This covers airport slots, apron slots, Prior Permission/Notice Required (PPR/PNR) and airways slots (Calculated Take Off Time / CTOT)
Getting In and Out
This video demystifies the procedures associated with departing from different airfields from those inside controlled airspace connected to the airways system to small farm strips where ‘getting in and out’ of controlled airspace can sometimes be a challenge!
Situational Awareness – An Evidence Based Approach
This evidence-based approach was originally developed by Dr Mica Endlsey, former Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force and is presented by Paul Sherry
Briefing the Approach
How and when to brief for the approach are skills that perish very easily after the initial skills test and in between annual IR revalidations. This video reminds all pilots operating under IFR the importance of what to brief and when.
Use of Windy.com for European IFR Pilots
Windy.com is a free-to-use online forecasting website and app. There are some premium features which are very useful for IFR flight planning.
Note: PPL/IR Europe has no commercial relationship with Windy.com and offers no warranties. Some members are, individually, simply satisfied users.
Workload Management for the IFR Single Pilot
This video is the next in the PPL/IR series to help European pilots improve IFR competencies. It covers how to manage workload and gives some worked scenarios.
Cockpit Connectivity
In this video, about cockpit connectivity in light aircraft, PPL/IR Europe’s Timothy Nathan focusses on IFR applications in Europe, covering:
1. Loading the avionics databases;
2. Loading the flightplan into the avionics;
3. Sharing data between the avionics and your tablet;
4. Fuel burn;
5. Traffic;
6. Getting air data for conversions;
7. Uploading weather;
8. Messaging in flight;
9. Telephony;
10. Flight tracking.
Setting Personal Minima
In this video, Timothy Nathan of PPL/IR Europe discusses setting personal minima higher than those mandated, when operating single-pilot GA aircraft under IFR in Europe.
TDODAR
In this video, Timothy Nathan of PPL/IR introduces one way of handling emergency and abnormal situations calmly and effectively.
Let’s Get Real
In this video, Timothy Nathan of PPL/IR talks through the reality of IFR planning and flying in Europe.
Overlay Approaches
A short introduction to using the now EASA and UK approved RNAV overlays to conventional approaches.
An Introduction to PBN
This video introduces Performance-Based Navigation, or PBN. Timothy Nathan of PPL/IR explains the fundamental concepts, introduces the acronym soup associated with PBN, and talks through how to fly PBN procedures.
ADF Automatic Direction Finder - the onboard receiver of NDB signals
AIRAC Aeronautical Information Regulation And Control - the monthly update system for navigation data
APR Approach Mode - the original RNP approach, now called LNAV
Baro-VNAV Barometric Vertical Navigation - the use of barometry to synthesise and display a glidepath
BeiDou The Chinese GNSS system
CDI Course Deviation Indicator - shows a left-right indicator on the screen, in an HSI or OBS instrument. Also the button to select what information - VOR/Localiser or GPS is shown by the CDI indicator.
DME Distance Measurement Equipment
EFATO Engine Failure After Take-Off
EGNOS European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service - the European SBAS
FPL Flightplan
FSD Full Scale Deflection
G1000 Garmin integrated flight management system
G175 Garmin GNSS navigator
Galileo European GNSS
GLONASS Russian GNSS
GNS430 Early Garmin navigator without SBAS capability
GNS430W Obsolescent Garmin navigator with SBAS capability
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GPS US GNSS
GPSS Aircraft steering based on GNSS Navigator guidance
GTN Modern Garmin Navigator
IAF Initial Approach Fix - the start of an instrument procedure.
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation - Administers and governs Civil Aviation Internationally
IFD Modern Avidyne Navigator
ILS Instrument Landing System
INS Inertial Navigation System
INTEG Integrity warning
IRU Intertial Reference Unit
ISA International Standard Atmosphere
L/VNAV Annunciation of LNAV/VNAV
LNAV Approach providing lateral guidance only
LNAV/VNAV Approach providing certified vertical guidance in addition to LNAV
LNAV+V Approach providing uncertified advisory vertical guidance in addition to LNAV
LOI Loss of Integrity
LPV Approach providing ILS precision
MSG Message
NDB Non-Directional Beacon - a conventional Radio Beacon
Overlay Conventional procedure coded into GNSS navigator. Not approved in Europe.
PBN Performance Based Navigation
RAIM Receiver autonomous integrity monitoring - Checks GNSS integrity with no external support
RIMS EGNOS Ranging and Integrity Monitoring Stations
RNAV Area Navigation
RNP Required Navigational Performance - RNAV with fault awareness and reporting
RNP AR Approach which can only be flown with special authorisation
Roll Steering Aircraft steering based on GNSS Navigator guidance
RVR Runway Visual Range
SBAS Satellite-based Augmentation System
SID Standard Instrument Departure
STAR Standard Arrival Procedure
SUSP Suspend Mode
VOR VHF Omnidirectional Range - a conventional Radio Beacon
WAAS US SBAS
Autopilots in Light GA Aircraft (Deutsch, français, español)
This video offers a very quick run-through of the autopilots we find in light aircraft.
What model of autopilot is it? Are the instructions in the POH?
• What methods exist to disconnect it?
• Where is the circuit breaker?
• Is it highlighted?
Does it have electric trim?
• What methods exist to disconnect it?
• Where is the breaker?
• Is it highlighted?
What is the primary input source (attitude or rate of turn)?
• What are its failure modes?
• How can it be monitored?
Under what circumstances will the autopilot disengage itself?
What pre-flight checks are required?
What limitations does the autopilot have?
• Minimum height?
• Speed envelope?
• Icing?
Does it have Control Wheel Steering?
• What happens if you press the control wheel steering when the autopilot is off?
• What modes will CWS place the autopilot into after use?
• If the aircraft is in an unusual attitude when CWS is released, what will the autopilot do?
Does it have a flight director?
• How do you engage it?
• How do you disengage it?
• How do you go from flight director to full autopilot and back again?
Does it have any kind of envelope protection?
• Does it protect against pitch angles or airspeed excursions (or both)?
• Is that protection active when the autopilot is off?
• Can that protection be overridden?
Does it have a yaw damper
• What are its limitations?
• Are there any circumstances when it is required, recommended or prohibited?
How can the autopilot be engaged?
• What mode will it be in after being engaged?
Does it have a level button?
• If not, how do you quickly enable wings level and altitude hold modes?
What modes does it have?
• Can horizontal modes be engaged independently of vertical ones?
• Are approach and nav mode armed or entered directly?
• How do you maintain current heading whilst intercepting a nav or approach course?
• Does approach mode glideslope capture require a certain amount of time with the localiser captured?
Final Approaches
In this video, Timothy Nathan of PPL/IR explains how to fly a final approach (whether precision or non-precision) calmly, accurately and safely.
Holding
This video, prepared by Timothy Nathan, is a short introduction to flying holds in light aircraft. It’s aimed at those preparing for their instrument rating flight test, and for more experienced GA IFR qualified pilots looking for some revision.
Intercepting and tracking
An introduction to IFR tracking of NDB, VOR and GNSS on RBI, RMI, OBS, HSI and eHSI by Timothy Nathan.
Basic Instrument Flying
In this video, Timothy Nathan of PPL/IR explores the fundamentals of instrument flight, including the basic instrument scan and how reliably to fly with accuracy, precision and ease.