After commuting to ORD from COS, we arrived to 3/4 mile visibility and light snow. Personally, I was surprised that we got in. We did have to hold for about 10 minutes though before doing the approach.

After landing, the funny thing was they parked us at gate F1C which is out on the ramp without a jetbridge which required the passengers to walk, through the snow, to the terminal. Four other jetbridges were wide open but I’m “sure” they were going to be used for “other” airplanes.

Here is a picture of what it looked like when we landed.

Now, my four-day trip was due to start at 12:40 pm and I was again surprised to find that the airplane we were taking was on-time and at the gate.

No APU and Snow

This is when the fun really began.

When I got the flight release, I discovered that our Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), which provides electrical power and air conditioning to the airplane, as well as helps start the engines on the ground, was broken. It is never a fun situation. In this situation, ground personnel provide an “Air Cart” that will take the place of the APU. It usually takes coordination with ground personnel to get the Air Cart in the first place, then coordination to get the engine started. Sometimes this can take a very long time.

What an Air Cart does is it pushes air through some manifolds that are directed to the engine and gets the engine spinning. When you have enough rotation on the engine, you can start the START cycle. Once the engine reaches a certain speed and is burning jet fuel, it is now self-sustaining. The APU usually provides enough pneumatic air to do this but like I said, this one was broken.

The process of doing an air start isn’t difficult but it can be confusing for new captains. It gets easier to manage the situation the more you do it, but one of the biggest collateral problems is that there is no heat because there is no air conditioning, so the passengers are practically freezing.

No pilot likes to have their APU broken. It is a huge inconvenience, and the fact that the APU is broken on this flight, it will cause more problems before takeoff. So read on. Today’s adventure isn’t over.

The Long Taxi to Runway 32R

Now, one of the problems with snow days is that usually there is wind as well. Not always but usually. In this case, ORD was taking off only on 32R and 32L because of wind and once we rounded the corner heading to the runway, we saw that there was a long line of airplanes waiting for 32R. Not too bad really. We figured it would take about 15 to 20 minutes to work ourselves through the line for takeoff.

In such a situation as this, one thing captains have to be aware of after getting de-iced is how long their de-icing fluid will be effective. Because of the light snow and temperature and with help from our hold-over-time (HOT) charts, we determined that if all things stayed the way they were, we could figure we could safely stay on the taxiway for one hour before we had to head back and get de-iced again.

As it turned out, we came in way under that time and once we checked the wings right before takeoff, we confirmed that they were clear of snow and that the de-icing fluid was still working.

As a side note, once we start our takeoff role, the de-icing fluid shears off and is not a factor. It sole purpose is to absorb the snow while on the ground.

More Work on Takeoff Because No APU

As mentioned earlier, by not having an APU and besides the fact we had no electrical power on the ground, or air conditioning on the ground, or any engine starting capabilities on the ground, we were going to have another issue to deal with on takeoff because we didn’t have an APU. Another quick note: Once the engines are running they do everything mentioned above.

Now the CRJ200 does not have enough bleed air from the engines to provide both air conditioning and wing and cowl anti-ice (when needed) for takeoff.

So, normally, in a snow day condition, you would let the APU continue to provide the air conditioning which would leave the engine bleed air to provide the anti-ice. But…since the APU was MEL’d, we would have to work this issue by taking off unpressurized. That means that the air conditioning packs would have to be turned off and the RAM AIR opened for takeoff. Again, not a big deal, it is just that this is outside the normal operations of flying this airplane and creates a higher workload in an already stressful environment. Once you reach 1,500 feet above ground level (agl) after takeoff, you close the RAM AIR valve, open the 10th stage bleed air valves and turn on the air conditioning packs and continue. Easy…right?!

Two More Annoying Problems: Low Cabin Pressure and No FMS

To add to an already workload filled day, two more things were going to pop-up on the next flight. First, we got a “LOW OXY PRESS” caution message. Not a big deal. It was just telling us that the canister that holds the pilot and co-pilot’s oxygen that we would use in an emergency had dropped below 1410 psi. Easy fix…called Maintenance in Denver and they rushed out an filled it up.

Second, on that same flight, we lost our Flight Management System, the FMS. It just went blank. We had no more GPS navigational data and subsequently had to go back to navigating the old fashion way, from VOR to VOR.

It was actually kind of fun and if nothing else a good lesson on how to do it…again. Basically, instead of letting the autopilot follow the programmed GPS route, you now have to be more involved. The autopilot would still maintain control of the airplane, it is just that you now have to program the VOR frequencies and dial-in the correct radials for the airplane to follow. When the FMS is working correctly, once you have programmed the FMS, albeit “correctly,” the airplane on autopilot will follow the programmed route. Anyway, after landing in Denver, we “rebooted” the airplane and it worked fine the rest of the day. A full explanation of the FMS is a topic for another day.

So you can see, a lot went on today! Some days are ordinary and some days challenges are presented that with experience you learn to handle efficiently and safely. It’s good for these things to happen because otherwise you become complacent and when things really go wrong you have nothing to compare it to. So enjoy the small hiccups when they happen and put them away for later use.

Anyway, I hope you have today’s entry from “Flying the Line.” If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my RSS feed or email updates.

To Your Flying Success…

Jeffrey

Here are few cool weather related products that I think you will be interested in:

• Bushnell FX5 Weather Station – 5 Day Forecast- Featuring reliable, real-time weather forecasts for over 150 cities provided by the most accurate weather service, AccuWeather.
• Garmin GPSMAP 696 (Americas) – Featuring a large screen, detailed electronic charts and real-time weather, the 696 is your own personal avionics system.
• Jeppesen Aviation Weather Textbook 3rd Edition – This award-winning, 480-page hardcover textbook is extensively updated with the latest METAR, TAF, and Graphic Weather Products.

There are two very small AC power functions on the CRJ200 you should know about. I’ve combined them here because they basically compliment each other.

When you pull into the gate or arrive at the airplane from an overnight or airplane swap, in order to save some jet fuel, consider having External Power connected, if it isn’t already. You will save hundreds of dollars in jet fuel, decrease the wear on the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), and reduce noise associated with the APU, which can be very loud!

In my experience, I have seen two different ground power sources:

1) ground power from the terminal via an electrical cable
2) an engine-driven ground power unit (GPU)

CRJ200 Electrical Power Service Panel

Now, if you arrive at the airplane and one of these is hooked up, you will see a green AVAIL light on the Electrical Power Services panel over AC. This indicates that the electricity being provided is the correct FREQUENCY, PHASE, and VOLTAGE, and that it is safe to use.

Beware though! There have been many times when I’ve stepped into the airplane and it was already powered up but the Master Switch was not selected to ON.

Maintenance or more likely ground personnel had moved the airplane from its overnight location to the gate, attached the ground power and pressed the AC AVAIL pushbutton and never turned the Master Switch ON. For reasons I’ll explain in another entry, this could cause the Air Driven Generator (ADG) to deploy on the ground and then you have a real mess on your hands.

AC External Power

CRJ200 - AC Synoptic - AC External

The proper use of the AC External Power is to have ground personnel connect the cable. Check that the BATTERY MASTER switch is selected ON. Check the AC Synoptic Page and insure you have the correct voltage and frequency. Next, check the ELECTRICAL POWER SERVICES panel and insure that the green AC “AVAIL” light is illuminated. Press the AC “AVAIL” pushbutton in and now you have all the electrical power you need to pre-flight the airplane.

A few problems that I’ve had with ground power is that the external plug will occasionally fall out or be too loose to stay connected or the power itself will trip offline. You will see power trip off most often when you check the hydraulics because the hydraulic motors use a lot of electricity and sometimes the ground power just can not handle the electrical load.

If this happens, then it might be time to start thinking about using the APU.

AC Service Config

CRJ200 - AC Synoptic - Service Configuration

This configuration will most often be used by ground personnel when they clean the airplane on an overnight.

With ground power hooked up, and the SERVICE CONFIG button pressed on the AC Service Panel on the right side of the nose of the airplane, the interior lights and cargo lights will have power but basically nothing else. Only UTIL BUS 1 and UTIL BUS 2 are powered. Also, note the “SERVICE CONFIGURATION” in the top left-hand corner of the synoptic page.

If after you power down the airplane, the rampers complain that they have no lights in the cargo bay but ground power is hooked up and working (you will know because of the green AVAIL light is illuminated), the problem is usually that the SERVICE CONFIG button is not pressed in.

As a side note, during SERVICE CONFIG operations, there is no AC cooling going on but that is fine because the main displays (MFD1(2), PFD1(2), and ED1(2)) are not powered.

Anyway, there you have it, two minor systems of the CRJ200 that are essential to ground operations. The next time you are in the airplane. Have a look at the panels that I’ve mentioned as well as the synoptic pages. It will tell a story!

Be safe…

Jeffrey

P.S. If you like what I’ve been writing, please sign up for the RSS feed or email updates.

Want the whole complete story on the CRJ200? Then pick up your copy of the CRJ200 QUICKNOTES STUDY GUIDE here!

Forums worth visiting:

• Airliners.net - Nice picture of the flight deck on the CRJ-200.
• AirlinePilotForums.com – Good source of information for aspiring pilots.
• AirlinePilotCentral.com - One of the best sources for information anywhere.

Here is the scenario…You have just spent the last two years, maybe more, on getting all your bachelor’s degree and all your aviation ratings:

• Private Pilot: Single- and Multi-Engine
• Commercial Pilot: Single- and Multi-Engine
• Instrument Rating
• Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) Rating
• Certificated Flight Instructor-Instrument (CFI-I) Rating
• Certificated Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) Rating

You have spent a bundle of money!

So much money that you are thinking that with the state of the economy, your money would have been better spent getting a Master’s Degree in Underwater Basket Weaving.

I know where you are coming from. I left a lucrative programmers job to follow my dream and then immediately got furloughed when I achieved it.

But, now you have the hours. You’ve been flying freight for the last year in airplanes and weather that would scare the hell out of Chuck Yeager. Or, alternatively, you’ve been living just as dangerous of a life as a flight instructor, teaching neophytes how to control a Cessna 152. Either way, you’ve put in your time, and now you want to move on and get that airline job.

But what do you do next?

Well, no doubt your resume and logbook are up to date. You’ve reached that coveted 1000 hour total time mark and you have your 100 hours multi-engine time. You have done your research on the airlines you want to fly for and have sent them your resume… but each and every airline has sent you back that “company” letter thanking you for your interest in their airline, “but in light of the present economic recession they currently aren’t hiring but they will keep your resume on file” letter.

I know…it’s frustrating, but hang in there.

Now, though I am no Nostradamus, I have seen this before…and I am confident that it will pick up again. And when it does pick up, then you will be interviewing like crazy, and all the anxiousness about wanting the airline job will be replaced with the nervousness of attending ground school.

Interviewing for the CRJ or Other Regional Airline Jet Job

Which brings me to my point. You may be feeling like you need to do “something” to improve your chances of getting hired. What I’m going to tell you is…don’t spend any more money on flight training! Especially flight training on an airplane that you ”think” you will be flying! If you have bought into the whole Jet University and PanAm Academy and Gulfstream Training Academy propaganda, you will just be wasting your time and money.

These companies promote such things as:

• 12 hours of CRJ systems
• 28 hours of CRJ-200 FTD
• Glass Cockpit and Flight Management Systems (FMS) Training
• Job Placement
• And much, MUCH more…

Don’t believe it! Here’s why!

No flight school training company can get you hired! Do not believe it when they say that they “GUARANTEE” you an airline job! They can’t! And don’t believe them that you won’t get hired if you don’t go through their program! It’s just not true!

Here is the reality. Each airline has their own way of hiring. When they call you in for an interview, they want to know a few things:

1. Do you have your logbookand is it up to date?
2. Do you have your Pilot Certificate(s)?
3. Do you have a current First Class Medical certificate?
4. Do you have a current and valid passport?
5. Do you have your driver’s license?
6. Do you have copies of your resume?
7. Do you have your Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit?

BIG NOTE HERE: Have at least three copies of everything mentioned above with you!

The rest of the interview is all about do they like you, did you come prepared, did you wear a suit, what have you been flying before and do you know your Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). They want to know about your life experiences.

Occasionally, they will want you to fly a simulator, but you don’t need to have spend hundreds of dollarson learning to fly the CRJ. Usually the simulator or Flight Training Device (FTD) used for the evaluation is of the type that almost every flight school these days has. Buy some time with an instructor you trust, running you through a few ILS’s, holds, and go-arounds will benefit you way for than wasting time on expensive CRJ training.

It is not going to impress them that you attended a CRJ Transition Course. Save your money and invest in yourself in other ways while you are waiting for the interview.

The Reality of the CRJ Training

Like I said before, if you go to one of these schools that “teaches” you about the CRJ and it’s procedures, you are wasting your time and money. That is because, when you get your airline job, the company that hires you is going to train you THEIR way and therefore you are going to have to relearn everything you just learned.

SkyWest will spend nearly $30,000 to train you to their standards. Whatever airline you hire on with, you will be attending one of the most comprehensive, fast-paced ground school and simulator training programs that you have ever seen. Believe me…it is both exciting and exhaustive. Furthermore, depending on when you did that non-airline CRJ training, chances are you aren’t going to remember most of what you learned anyway.

When I was going through captain upgrade, my first officer was a new hire who had been the stud flight instructor at his school. He was because he told me so. Anyway, he spent hundreds of dollars to go through a CRJ Transition Program before he came to SkyWest. Did it help him? Nope! Not at all. He still struggled all the way through training partly because he had preconceived knowledge of what was suppose to happen in the airplane that conflicted with what he was now learning. It caused more confusion than helping him. Would this be the case with you? Hard to say. Everyone different.

What You Can Do To Prepare for Training

Now if you are like me, you can’t just sit back and wait. You need to feel like you are making progress towards something…anything. So here is what I recommend.

First, study for and take your Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Part 121 written. It will benefit you immensely during the regulation portion of your interview.

I recommend that you pick up one of these study aids:

+ ASA Airline Transport Pilot Test Prep Book – Includes ATP Part 121 and 135 Airplane, Helicopter, Add-On Ratings tests, and Aircraft Dispatcher tests.

+ Gleim Airline Transport Pilot Written Exam Guide – The easiest, fastest, and least expensive means of passing the FAA Airline Transport Pilot (Part 121 or 135) knowledge tests

+ ASA ATP / Flight Engineer Prepware – Comprehensive preparation and study software for the Airline Transport Pilot, Dispatcher, and Flight Engineer FAA Knowledge Exams.

+ Gleim ATP Test Prep Software – CD-ROM- Gleim ATP Test Prep Software – CD-ROM

+ Oral Exam Guide – Airline Transport Pilot – Contains the most frequently asked questions by FAA examiners and the appropriate responses.

Then go find a place to take the ATP written, click here to find a CAT testing facility near you.

Now, it that is not enough, and you know what you are going to fly, pick up some books and/or videos on turbine airplanes or specifically the airplane you are going to fly.

Here are my recommendations:

+ The Turbine Pilot’s Flight Manual – Everything a pilot is expected to know when transitioning to turbine-powered aircraft. Includes bonus CD-ROM.

+ Advanced Aircraft Systems- This book explains the theory, components, and practical applications of systems in turboprop, turbojet, and turbofan aircraft.

+ Jeppesen Aircraft Gas Turbine Powerplants- Newly revised to include the most up-to-date information on aircraft gas turbine powerplants and updated coverage of jet engine technology.

+ Jeppesen Transport Category Aircraft Systems – A system-by-system approach to understanding jet transports.

+ Turbojet Systems Made Easy DVD – If you’re preparing for airline interviewing and testing and haven’t flown “heavy iron” lately, you really need this course!

Finally, prepare for the technical interview portion of the ATP by picking up one of these books:

+ Airline Pilot Technical Interviews- Ron McElroy’s study guide for the pilot’s technical interview.

+ FAR Flashcards for ATP (Parts 121)- ASA Flashcards keep cockpit skills sharp and help pilots prepare for that important test, checkride, or interview!

These will keep you going for awhile. Remember to keep your logbook up-to-date and fly safe. That airline job will find you eventually, but you have to keep working at it. Just don’t spend your precious money on Jet Transition courses that you are not going to need.

Be safe and get that airline job…

Jeffrey

Two forums you should be following:

• Thirty Thousand Feet Aviation Directory
• Airline Pilot Central Forums

Now I’ve been a captain for almost three years and one of the reasons I enjoy being a captain so much is because of all the things that need to get done to get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B.’

There are decisions, judgments, and inter-personal factors that have to be evaluated, acted on, and committed to even before you push back from the gate. I’m not even including the flying skills here. Being a captain is a continuous exercise in decision making and implementation that happen quickly and from which you can see the results immediately. Some are good; some are bad.

Factors Involved In Being a Good Captain

If you were a captain, or even if you aren’t, what are some of the factors you think are important to good decision making?

I can think of a few. Let me know if you have any others suggestions.

1. An accurate and honest self-assessment of one’s skill level and knowledge base is necessary.

How often do you review the systems on your airplane? A lot of pilots don’t review their airplane systems until right before their recurrent simulator training. Do you think that this has an effect on one’s decision making capability? Read the rest of this entry »

Now, I’m a positive person. When things get rough financially or otherwise, I like to believe that everything will turn around for the better. I constantly bombard myself with inspirational messages and read books on selling, managing, flying, and business.

When I walk/run my dog every morning, I have my mp3 player, like the Apple iPod Classic, loaded up with something that I want to listen to, that I didn’t have time to listen to while I was at home.

A few podcasts I like are any audios done by Yaro Starak of entrepreneurs-journey.com or by Jeff Blout at www.SalesGravy.com for quick motivation. I also like anything by Zig Ziglar (www.zigziglar.com). The man is hilarious!

When I drive my car, I always have something in the CD that is educational, whether it is business-oriented or flying-oriented.

Currently I’m listening to the “The E-Myth Revisited CD: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What To Do About It”.

Finally, in my flying lunch bag (the one I take on trips), I always have a book or two stuffed in the top. One book on business or personal growth and something fun.

Right now I’m reading “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill and “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe.

But I wasn’t always that way…

My Past Isn’t Pretty

If you have read my “About” page, you will know that back in 2001 I was furloughed from ExpressJet and I was devastated. However, I had enough money to live comfortably so I wasn’t shocked into having to find a way to make money, which, in hindsight was a bad thing. If I had immediately gone into dire straits, i.e., broke, I might have learned my lesson and had some way of making money that didn’t require working for someone else but brought in income. But I didn’t. I looked to the future with the mindset that the furlough won’t be for ever… and eventually I would be working as a pilot again soon.

But, in the Fall of 2006, the airlines hit another serious skid and flight hours were cut back drastically. I was in financial straits AGAIN, but this time I did learn my lesson. (OK, I never said I was a fast learner.)

What happened was we had moved to Colorado Springs and I was transferred there in April 2006 after doing a stint of commuting to Chicago and then Denver. SkyWest was short on captains, I was on reserve, and I was making 100 hour months without trying! Then, in October 2006, it came to a screeching halt. No flying anywhere. One month, I flew a total of 30 hours. Ouch!

Now, the SkyWest contract guarantees us 75 hours of pay per month whether we fly or not. But if you don’t break the 75 hour ceiling, you don’t get per diem, so your paycheck is even smaller than if you did break 75 hours.

Suddenly, financially speaking, I was stealing from Peter to pay Paul as a result of the smaller paychecks. (Or is it stealing from Paul to pay Peter?) Anyway, it wasn’t a pleasant situation. I resolved to find a new cash flow that I controlled.

Keep Moving Forward

So after a failed attempt of starting a business finding seller financed notes through the Russ Dalbey Institute, “Winning in the Cash Flow Business” program, in which I learned a lot but never really took off. I looked for other ways of making money.

Then one day I saw some guys cleaning windows and thought that I could do that. So, I bought a book, “The Window Cleaning Business”by John Baxter from Amazon.com. I read it and bought some supplies. I wrote a few advertisements and got some cards through VistaPrint.com…and lo and behold, it took off!

I was shocked!

My wife was even more shocked. 

I was cleaning residential houses and nicely supplementing my flying income.

About this time, I also started blogging. The product of what you are reading now.

In a lot of ways, blogging is writing about something you enjoy! I enjoy being a captain at a regional airline and I enjoy teaching and this was the perfect venue. I can educate pilots and future pilots about being a professional pilot and teach pilots about the CRJ200 and make money doing it.

So What’s Your Point Jeff?

Glad you asked.

My point is that as a professional pilot, or any profession for that matter, you are putting yourself at financial risk if you aren’t finding other ways of making money to supplement your income.

As we all know, no job, flying or otherwise, is ever “safe.” Furlough, reduced flying hours, bankruptcy are the buzz words of the aviation community.

And, if you are new to aviation, you probably have a lot of debt that you need to pay down…F-A-S-T!

I flew with one first officer that had, between him and his wife, at the age of 25, over $80,000 in debt. Whew! I just want to get my car loan paid off.

So, the simple truth: You have to find a way to make money outside of flying!

My Just Get Started Little Solution

Now, I found window cleaning but window cleaning is what Robert Allen, author of “Multiple Streams of Internet Income: How Ordinary People Make Extraordinary Money Online,”calls “linear income.” This means that one hour of work equals one hour of pay. But irregardless, it is still money…and I enjoy doing it.

Alternatively, I enjoy blogging, which is starting to make money for me as well.

I’ve got a plan now, which is more than I had back in 2006.

So here is what I suggest if you want to move forward and protect yourself financially:

1. Read these Books – Pick up the book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki.It will change you life. Then pick up the book The Richest Man in Babylon” by George A. Clason.I guarantee, you will never look at money the same way again. These books will help get you in the mindset for what is to come next.
   
2. Find Something…Anything – delivering pizzas if need be, but have something to supplement your income, cushion the down months, and help pay down your bills.
   
3. Have a Plan – Start developing something long term that will also supplement your income. I do window cleaning and blogging, both of which I enjoy tremendously and supplement my income. If you think blogging might be your forte, check out BecomeABlogger.com or BlogMastermind.com to get ideas and then sign up for their Premier programs. Don’t want to commit that much too it yet, the get “Blogging to Bank” here. Don’t rule out multi-level marketing (www.mlm.com) programs either. There is a way to make money out there that suits everyone!
   
4. Get Rid of Your Debt - Do you realize that if you finance a car for $20,000 on a five year loan at 6%, over the life of the loan, you are actually paying $23,000 for the loan? Pay it off faster and you will save yourself over $3000 (source: www.bankrate.com) and improve your credit score along the way.
   
5. Don’t wait! – The longer you wait, the deeper you get. Take action today to find ways that will help you get out of debt and become financially independent. To think for a moment, that the airline you fly for will survive or that you can’t lose your job tomorrow, is a form of denial. It’s happened to me, it’s happened to my wife, and it’s happened to our best friends. Stop waiting and take action.

So there you have it. A couple things to do if you are a pilot and want to become more financially independent and less reliant on the company you work for. Basically, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, like flying. Find something else you enjoy and try to make money from that. But the most important thing is to not wait. Please…start today and find something that you really enjoy outside of flying and find a way to make money doing it.

OK…kind of a long article for me, but I hope I’ve made my point.

As always, if your read this article and it helped you, leave a comment or share it with a friend!

Be safe and prosper…

Jeffrey

P.S. If you think you might be interested in blogging, you have to check out these links:

• 10 Easy To Follow Videos Showing You How To Create Your Blog From Scratch!
• F.REE: Discover The Time Tested And Proven Roadmap To Blogging Success…
• Click here to download a f.ree copy of the “Blog Profits Blueprint“