NORAD’s Santa Tracker website launches each year on December 1, and in 2023 it offers plenty of activities leading up to Santa’s trip. Visitors can explore world traditions at the North Pole’s library, listen to classics like “Here Comes Santa Claus” playing on the music stage, and play a new game every day (as well as the ones from the previous days) at the arcade. You can also find a blueprint of Santa’s sleigh, which, if you’re curious, measures 75 cc (candy canes) or 150 lp (lollipops) by 40 cc (80 lp).

The site also offers plenty of information about NORAD’s tracking abilities. They use radar, satellites, and jet fighters, such as Canadian CF-18s and American F-22s, that escort Santa across North America (see this video and the image below).

According to the website, Rudolph’s nose gives off a signature similar to a rocket launch, and their satellites detect it with “no problem.” Santa’s trip starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west visiting the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After he finishes his stops in the Australian outback, he travels to Japan, over Asia, across to Africa, then on to Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America.

Started in 1955 when a phone number mix-up caused children to call the Continental Air Defense Command asking for Santa, the tracking tradition celebrates its 68^th year in 2023 (it was taken on by NORAD in 1958). On December 24^th, trackers worldwide can call 1-877-HI-NORAD from 6 a.m. to midnight MST or visit the website from 4 a.m. to midnight MST to follow Santa’s flight around the world.

When asked about the existence of Santa, NORAD replies, “Mountains of historical data and NORAD tracking information lead us to believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of people throughout the world.”

If Santa is in your heart or in the heart of someone close to you, the NORAD Santa Tracker will provide hours of joy (and new videos of Santa every hour). On behalf of ASA, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.

The post NORAD Has the Watch: Santa Tracker first appeared on Learn To Fly.

Propeller Principles
The aircraft propeller consists of two or more blades and a central hub to which the blades are attached. Each blade of an aircraft propeller is essentially a rotating wing. As a result of their construction, the propeller blades produce forces that create thrust to pull or push the airplane through the air.

The power needed to rotate the propeller blades is furnished by the engine. The propeller is mounted on a shaft. which may be an extension of the crankshaft on low-horsepower engines; on high-horsepower engines, it is mounted on a propeller shaft which is geared to the engine crankshaft. In either case. the engine rotates the airfoils of the blades through the air at high speeds, and the propeller transforms the rotary motion (power) of the engine into thrust.

The engine supplies brake horsepower through a rotating shaft. and the propeller converts it into thrust horsepower. In this conversion, some power is wasted. For maximum efficiency, the propeller must be designed to keep this waste as small as possible. Since the efficiency of any machine is the ratio of the useful power output to the power input, propeller efficiency is the ratio of thrust horsepower to brake horsepower. The usual symbol for propeller efficiency is the Greek letter η (eta). Propeller efficiency varies from 50% to 87%, depending on how much the propeller “slips.”

THP = BHP × Propeller Efficiency

Propeller slip is the difference between the geometric pitch of the propeller and its effective pitch (see figure 1). Geometric pitch is the distance a propeller should advance in one revolution; effective pitch is the distance it actually advances. Thus, geometric or theoretical pitch is based on no slippage, but actual, or effective pitch, recognizes propeller slippage in the air.

The typical propeller blade can be described as a twisted airfoil of irregular planform. Two views of a propeller blade are shown in figure 2. For purposes of analysis, a blade can be divided into segments, which are located by station numbers in inches from the center of the blade hub. The cross sections of each 6-in. blade segment are shown as airfoils in the right-hand side of figure 2. Also identified in figure 2 are the blade shank and the blade butt. The blade shank is the thick, rounded portion of the propeller blade near the hub, which is designed to give strength to the blade. The blade butt, also called the blade base or root, is the end of the blade that fits in the propeller hub. The blade tip is that part of the propeller blade farthest from the hub, generally defined as the last 6 in. of the blade.

A cross section of a typical propeller blade is shown in figure 3. This section or blade element is an airfoil comparable to a cross section of an aircraft wing. The blade back is the cambered or curved side of the blade, similar to the upper surface of an aircraft wing. The blade face is the flat side of the propeller blade (“facing” the pilot, if the propeller is up front in the tractor position). The chord line is an imaginary line drawn through the blade from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The leading edge is the thick edge of the blade that meets the air as the propeller rotates.

Blade angle, usually measured in degrees, is the angle between the chord line of the blade and the plane of rotation (figure 4). The chord of the propeller blade is determined in about the same manner as the chord of an airfoil. In fact, a propeller blade can be considered as being made up of an infinite number of thin blade elements, each of which is a miniature airfoil section whose chord is the width of the propeller blade at that section. Because most propellers have a flat blade face, pitch is easily measured by finding the angle between a line drawn along the face of the propeller blade and a line scribed by the plane of rotation. Pitch is not the same as blade angle, but, because pitch is largely determined by blade angle, the two terms are often used interchangeably. An increase or decrease in one is usually associated with an increase or decrease in the other.

Forces Acting On The Propeller
A rotating propeller is acted upon by centrifugal, twisting, and bending forces. The principal forces acting on a rotating propeller are illustrated in figure 5.

Centrifugal force (A of figure 5) is a physical force that tends to throw the rotating propeller blades away from the hub. Torque bending force (B of figure 5), in the form of air resistance, tends to bend the propeller blades opposite to the direction of rotation. Thrust bending force (C of figure 5) is the thrust load that tends to bend propeller blades forward as the aircraft is pulled through the air. Aerodynamic twisting force (D of figure 5) creates a rotational force (twisting moment) about the center of pressure, causing the blade to tend to pitch to a lower blade angle (streamline).

At high angles of attack this twisting moment is reduced as the center of lift moves forward. At very high blade angles of attack, the blades may exhibit a weak tendency to pitch toward a greater blade angle.

Centrifugal twisting force also twists the blade to flat pitch (unless the blade is counterweighted so its center of mass is behind the center of rotation). This is a strong force at normal propeller speeds. Imagine a string tied to your finger and to a small weight (see figure 6). If the weight is spinning about your finger, the weight will align itself directly in line with the point on your finger where it is tied (reference the plane scribed by the spinning weight). This same force causes the center of mass of the propeller to align itself with the center of rotation on the spin-plane, causing a strong pitch tendency toward minimum blade pitch angle.

A propeller must be capable of withstanding severe stresses, which are greater near the hub, caused by centrifugal force and thrust. The stresses increase in proportion to the RPM. The blade face is also subjected to tension from the centrifugal force and additional tension from the bending. For these reasons, nicks or scratches on the blade may cause very serious consequences.

A propeller must also be rigid enough to prevent fluttering, a type of vibration in which the ends of the blade twist back and forth at high frequency around an axis perpendicular to the engine crankshaft. Fluttering is accompanied by a distinctive noise often mistaken for exhaust noise. The constant vibration tends to weaken the blade and eventually causes failure.

The post Aircraft Systems: Propeller Principles first appeared on Learn To Fly.

May be used during FAA and Canadian Knowledge Exams. The CX-3 complies with FAA Order 8080.6 and Advisory Circular (AC) 60-11, “Test Aids and Materials that May be Used by Airman Knowledge Testing Applicants”; therefore you may bring the CX-3 with you to the testing centers for all pilot, mechanic, and dispatcher FAA exams.

Numerous aviation functions. You can calculate everything from true airspeed and Mach number, fuel burn, holding patterns, to headwind/crosswind components, center of gravity (CG), and everything in between. The menu structure provides easy entry, review, and editing within each function. Multiple problems can be solved within one function.

User-friendly. The color LCD screen displays a menu of functions and the inputs and outputs of a selected function, for easy-to-read menus and data displays. The inputs and outputs of each function are separated on the display screen so it’s clear which numbers were entered and which were calculated, along with their corresponding units of measurement. The menu organization reflects how a flight is normally planned and executed. The result is a natural flow from one function to the next with a minimum of keystrokes. To plan a flight, simply work from the menus in sequential order as you fill in your flight plan form.

Non-volatile memory. All settings including aircraft profile, weight and balance data, trip plan data, values entered by the user, and calculations performed by the device will be retained until the batteries are removed or the user performs a memory reset. Aircraft profiles for multiple aircraft can be created and saved, and imported from or exported to a computer via a micro-usb port.

Ergonomic design. The CX-3 features a simple keyboard and slim design. The non-slip cover will protect your computer inside the flight bag and it fits on the backside of the unit for easy storage while in use.

Unit conversions. The CX-3 has 12 unit conversions: Distance, Speed, Duration, Temperature, Pressure, Volume, Rate, Weight, Rate of Climb/Descent, Angle of Climb/Descent, Torque, and Angle. These 12 conversion categories contain 38 different conversion units for over 100 functions. Unit conversions can be performed during any step in a calculation.

Timers and clocks. The CX-3 has two timers: a stopwatch that counts up and a countdown timer. The stopwatch can be used to keep track of elapsed time or to determine the time required to fly a known distance. The countdown timer can be used as a reminder to switch fuel tanks, or to determine the missed approach point on a non-precision instrument approach. An internal clock continues running even when the flight computer is turned off. UTC and local time can be displayed, and the time can be set with UTC, destination or local time.

Interactive functions. The CX-3 is designed so the functions can be used together. You can perform “chain” calculations where the answer to a preceding problem is automatically entered in subsequent problems. Standard mathematical calculations and conversions can be performed within each aviation function.

Up to date. Check often for new CX-3 updates online at www.asa2fly.com/CX3. Firmware updates and user-data backups are made easy with a micro-usb port to connect the CX-3 to computer.

The CX-3 will begin shipping in November. Check in with your local FBO, favorite online retailer, or ASA for availability. On Thursday, our CFI will share some sample calculations and tips on using the CX-3.

The post Introducing the New CX-3 Flight Computer first appeared on Learn To Fly.

One of the responsibilities of a good flight instructor is maintaining a high level of professionalism, which relates directly to the instructor’s public image. Characteristics of an instructor’s professionalism include:

1. Sincerity. Any facade of instructor pretentiousness, whether it be real or mistakenly assumed by the student, will immediately cause the student to lose confidence in the instructor, and little learning will be accomplished. Anything less than sincere performance destroys the effectiveness of the professional instructor.

2. Acceptance of the student. The professional relationship between the instructor and the student should be based on a mutual acknowledgment that both the student and the instructor are important to each other, and both are working toward the same objectives. Under no circumstances should an instructor do anything which implies degradation of the student.

3. Personal appearance and habits. A flight instructor who is rude, thoughtless, and inattentive cannot hold the respect of the students, regardless of his/her piloting ability.

4. Demeanor. The instructor should avoid erratic movements, distracting speech habits, and capricious changes in mood.

5. Safety practices and accident prevention. A flight instructor must meticulously observe all regulations and recognized safety practices during all flight operations.

6. Proper language. The use of profanity and obscene language leads to distrust, or at best, to a lack of complete confidence.

7. Self-improvement. Professional flight instructors must never become complacent or satisfied with their own qualifications and ability.

As a flight instructor you will want to strive daily to practice the items in the “Instructor Do’s” list , and do your best to stay away from the “Instructor Don’ts” list. From the Aviation Instructors Handbook (FAA-H-8083-9A):

One “don’t” to make mention of; personal hygiene goes both ways. Nothing’s worse then a couple people stuck in a small plane who haven’t showered!

An aviation instructor must also be self-aware of numerous responsibilities. There are five main responsibilities of an aviation instructor.

1. Helping students learn.
2. Providing adequate instruction.
3. Demanding adequate standards of performance.
4. Emphasizing the positive.
5. Ensuring aviation safety.

To be an effective instructor you will need to maintain a high level of student motivation by making each lesson a pleasurable experience. It’s important to realize that people are not always attracted to something because it is easy. Most will put forth the required effort to produce rewards such as self-enhancement and personal satisfaction.

As an instructor you should make learning to fly interesting by keeping the students apprised of the course and lesson objectives. Not knowing the objectives leads the student to confusion, disinterest, and uneasiness. Instead instructors should guide their students in exploration and experimentation, to help them develop their own capabilities and self-confidence.

For instruction to produce the desired results, instructors must carefully and correctly analyze the personality, thinking, and ability of each student. Students who have been incorrectly analyzed as slow thinkers may actually be quick thinkers, but act slowly or at the wrong time because of lack of confidence. Slow students can often be helped by assigning sub goals which are more easily attainable than the normal learning goals. This allows the student to practice elements of the task as confidence and ability grows.

Apt students also create problems. Because they make less mistakes, they may assume that the correction of errors is unimportant. Such overconfidence results in faulty performance. A good instructor will constantly raise the standard of performance demanded of apt students and will demand greater effort.

Flight instructors fail to provide competent instruction when they permit their students to get by with a substandard performance, or without learning thoroughly some item of knowledge pertinent to safe piloting. The positive approach to flight instruction points out to the student the pleasurable features of aviation before the unpleasant possibilities are discussed. One example of a positive approach is to include a normal round-trip flight to a nearby airport on the first instructional flight.

Anxiety, or fear, is probably the most significant psychological factor affecting flight instruction. The responses to anxiety vary greatly, ranging from hesitancy to act, to the impulse “to do something even if it’s wrong.” Some students may freeze in place and do nothing, while others may do unusual things without rational thought or reason. Normal reaction to anxiety can be countered by reinforcing the student’s enjoyment of flying, and by teaching them to treat fear as a normal reaction rather than ignoring it. Normal individuals react to stress by responding rapidly and exactly, within the limits of their experience and training. Abnormal reactions to stress are evidenced by:

• Autonomic responses, such as sweating, rapid heart rate, paleness, etc.
• Inappropriate reactions, such as extreme overcooperation, painstaking self-control; inappropriate laughter or singing, very rapid changes in emotions, and motion sickness under stress
• Marked changes in mood on different lessons, such as excellent morale followed by deep depressio
• Severe anger at the flight instructor, service personnel, or others.

So you think you have what it takes to take the next step in your flying career? Instructing can be an extremely fun and rewarding experience for any aviator. The majority of the information discussed above is all available in the Aviation Instructors Handbook (FAA-H-8083-9). The information contained in this book will be required knowledge for anyone wishing to obtain a flight or ground instructor certificate. I would also encourage you to check out The Flight Instructor Survival Guide by Arlynn McMahon. It’s an insightful, funny at times and enjoyable read. Also a great present for your instructor (hint, hint)!

The post CFI Brief: Would I be a good flight instructor? first appeared on Learn To Fly.

This requires a different pitch attitude and a different power setting. To slow the airplane, the pilot reduces power and gradually raises the pitch attitude to maintain altitude; to increase airspeed, the pilot increases power, and gradually lowers the pitch attitude to maintain altitude.

Once the desired airspeed is achieved, the pilot adjusts the power to maintain it. The precise power required for steady flight will depend upon the amount of total drag, which, in level flight, varies with angle of attack and airspeed. Higher power will be required for:

• high speed cruise (when total drag is high mainly due to parasite drag); and
• low speed cruise (when total drag is high mainly due to induced drag).

Medium power is required for normal cruise. The ASI confirms whether or not correct power is set. The ASI is the primary performance guide to power requirements during level flight if you fly a particular airspeed.

Practicing airspeed changes in cruise is excellent instrument flying practice since pitch, bank (and balance) and power changes must all be coordinated to maintain constant altitude and heading. When the pilot changes power, a single-engined propeller- driven airplane will tend to move around all three axes of movement. If the propeller rotates clockwise as seen from the cockpit (the usual case), adding power will cause the nose to pitch up and yaw left, with a tendency for the airplane to roll left.

The pilot can counteract this by applying forward elevator pressure to prevent the nose pitching up, with right rudder and right aileron pressure to overcome the tendency to yaw and roll left. The converse applies when reducing power, hold the nose up and apply left rudder pressure. Refer to the AI to keep the wings level and hold the pitch attitude, and keep the ball centered.

Some hints on changing cruising speed follow:

• The attitude indicator gives a direct picture of pitch and bank attitudes.
• The ball gives a direct indication of coordination.
• Useful performance instruments are the altimeter and VSI—they ensure altitude is being maintained, and the heading indicator to ensure heading is being maintained.
• The airspeed indicator indicates the power requirements. If too slow, add more power; if too fast, reduce power.

The pilot’s scan rate of the flight instruments during any power change needs to be reasonably fast to counteract the pitch/yaw effects smoothly and accurately. For this reason, it is good to develop the skill of judging power changes by throttle movement and engine sound, rather than only by observation of the power indicator. This allows the pilot to concentrate on the flight instruments until after the power change has been made, at which time a quick glance at the power indicator for fine adjustment suffices.

When you memorize the approximate power settings necessary to maintain the various cruise speeds, then power handling and airspeed changes become simpler to manage.

Small airspeed changes (say five knots either way) can generally be handled by a single small power change, then allowing the airplane to gradually slow down or accelerate to the desired speed. Large airspeed changes, however, are most efficiently achieved within a few seconds by underpowering on the initial power change for a speed decrease, or overpowering on the initial power change for a speed increase. This allows more rapid deceleration or acceleration to the desired speed, at which time the necessary power to maintain that airspeed is set.

Once the desired airspeed is achieved and suitable power is set, the ASI will indicate if further fine adjustment of power to maintain airspeed is required. In level flight, the ASI is the primary guide to power requirements.

The post Aircraft Performance: Changing Airspeed in Straight-and-Level Flight first appeared on Learn To Fly.

On Monday, July 24th (tonight!), ASA will be hosting the Collegiate Tailgate Party in Aviation Gateway Park from 5:00-6:30 PM. We had a great time hanging out last year and are looking forward to doing it again. There will be food, music, games, and prizes, so come on out and join us!

The post We’re here at EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2017! first appeared on Learn To Fly.

In this article we will explore whether or not you can become a pilot if you have diabetes. We will look at piloting for a commercial airline with diabetes and piloting for a private company with diabetes. We will also look at other jobs centered on aviation, such as being a flight instructor, or flying gliders and other small aircraft.

We will look at whether or not you can pilot an aircraft if you have Type 1, Type 2, or pre-diabetes. We will look at whether or not it matters if you are taking insulin, other injections for diabetes, oral medications, or are diet and exercise controlled.

We have already been looking at some promising careers that we can have with diabetes that is well-controlled.

We have looked at being a long-distance truck driver, an EMS/Paramedic, a Firefighter, an air traffic controller, and a law enforcement officer. We have looked at whether or not you can be in the military with diabetes. Now we take on the most difficult career to date.

So what’s up? Let’s look…

You can read the article in it’s entirety by clicking on the image below.

The post CFI Brief: Can you be a pilot with Diabetes? first appeared on Learn To Fly.

Now for a public service announcement from the FAA!

June 30– As people travel, purchase fireworks and fly drones over the Independence Day holiday, the FAA reminds them to know and follow the aviation safety rules.

Here are general guidelines for people flying drones:

• Don’t fly your drone in or near fireworks
• Don’t fly over people
• Don’t fly near airports

To learn more about what you can and can’t do with your drone go to faa.gov/uas or download the B4UFLY app for free in the Apple and Google Play store. Also, check out the FAA’s July 4th No Drone Zone PSA video.
There are also strict rules prohibiting airline passengers from packing or carrying fireworks on domestic or international flights. Remember these simple rules:

• Don’t pack fireworks in your carry-on bags
• Don’t pack fireworks in your checked luggage
• Don’t send fireworks through the mail or parcel services

Passengers violating the rules can face fines or criminal prosecution. When in Doubt…Leave it out!

For more information on the passenger rules for fireworks and other hazardous materials, please go to www.faa.gov/go/packsafe/.  Leave the fireworks at home–Fireworks Don’t Fly (PDF) (Poster)

As FAA works to ensure that passengers arrive at their destinations safely, it is important that you follow the rules while enjoying your drones as well as celebrating the July 4th holiday.

The post CFI Brief: Fireworks, Drones and Airplanes Don’t Mix first appeared on Learn To Fly.

The FAA has released updated Airman Certification Standards for both Private Pilot Airplane (FAA-S-ACS-6A) and Instrument Pilot Airplane (FAA-S-ACS-8A) effective June 2017. Additionally, the Commercial Pilot Airplane ACS was released, replacing the Practical Test Standards (8081-12). These are now available for purchase through the ASA website and can be found following the two links below, out with the old in with the new!

Private Pilot Airplane (ACS-6A)
Instrument Pilot Airplane (ACS-8A)
Commercial Pilot Airplane (ACS-7)

Getting ready to take the Instrument Knowledge Exam? Be aware the FAA has released the new Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Instrument Rating (FAA-CT-8080-3F) now in effect at all testing centers. This supplement includes several new and updated figures and is available for purchase through the ASA website. This new supplement will be included in the 2018 Instrument Pilot Test Prep books and Prepware software and apps, available late July.

Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Instrument Pilot (FAA-CT-8080-3F)

In terms of the Airman Knowledge Exams, the FAA is reporting no substantial changes with respect to topics covered in pilot certificate/rating test banks for this June test roll cycle. We are getting a lot of calls asking if the FAA has begun testing on the new BasicMed rules and the answer is no. The FAA expects to develop test questions on the new BasicMed regulation in the future. Third-Class Medical questions will remain, since BasicMed is an addition to the medical certification structure, not a replacement of the Third-Class Medical Certificate.

The following topics have been removed from FAA Knowledge Tests (effective June 12, 2017):

• 4-panel prog charts
• Weather depiction chart
• Area forecasts
• Aerobatic flight

June 2017 ASA Test Prep Question Updates are now available! Check the link below.

www.asa2fly.com/testupdate

The post CFI Brief: June 2017 Test Roll first appeared on Learn To Fly.

Runway Hotspots
ICAO defines runway hotspots as a location on an aerodrome movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion and where heightened attention by pilots and drivers is necessary. Hotspots alert pilots to complex or potentially confusing taxiway geometry that could make surface navigation challenging. Whatever the reason, pilots need to be aware that these hazardous intersections exist, and they should be increasingly vigilant when approaching and taxiing through these intersections. These hotspots are depicted on some airport charts as circled areas. [Figure 1-6] The FAA Office of Runway Safety has links to the FAA regions that maintain a complete list of airports with runway hotspots at http://www.faa.gov/airports/runway_safety/.

Standardized Taxi Routes
Standard taxi routes improve ground management at high-density airports, namely those that have airline service. At these airports, typical taxiway traffic patterns used to move aircraft between gate and runway are laid out and coded. The ATC specialist (ATCS) can reduce radio communication time and eliminate taxi instruction misinterpretation by simply clearing the pilot to taxi via a specific, named route. An example of this would be Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), where North Route is used to transition to Runway 24L. [Figure 1-7] These routes are issued by ground control, and if unable to comply, pilots must advise ground control on initial contact. If for any reason the pilot becomes uncertain as to the correct taxi route, a request should be made for progressive taxi instructions. These step-by-step routing directions are also issued if the controller deems it necessary due to traffic, closed taxiways, airport construction, etc. It is the pilot’s responsibility to know if a particular airport has preplanned taxi routes, to be familiar with them, and to have the taxi descriptions in their possession. Specific information about airports that use coded taxiway routes is included in the Notices to Airmen Publication (NTAP).

The best way you as a pilot can prevent a runway incursions is by being familiar with your surroundings and understanding the airport environment and standardized procedures that are in place. The FAA Safety Team has put together an excellent video and taxi test that will test your knowledge of procedures and operations on the airport movement area. I encourage you to spend 60 minutes and take the course.

The FAA Taxi Test

The post CFI Brief: FAA Taxi Test first appeared on Learn To Fly.