Tips On Alaska Floatplane Flying
Word Count:
682
Summary:
A life of adventure - doing what you love and getting paid for it – does this sound interesting to you? Maybe if you’re thinking about a career change you should think about heading to Alaska to be a float plane pilot or a bush pilot.
At the very least it’s an excellent summer vacation idea if you can’t manage the career change right now. These pilots live lives that most of us will only dream of. Think of it this way if you have to justify the change to your significant o...
Keywords:
Alaska floatplane flying, flying, adventure flying, flying in Alaska
Article Body:
A life of adventure - doing what you love and getting paid for it – does this sound interesting to you? Maybe if you’re thinking about a career change you should think about heading to Alaska to be a float plane pilot or a bush pilot.
At the very least it’s an excellent summer vacation idea if you can’t manage the career change right now. These pilots live lives that most of us will only dream of. Think of it this way if you have to justify the change to your significant other: when it’s really hot and humid where you live during the summer you are pretty much guaranteed relief from the heat in the form of lower temperatures if you’re in Alaska! That should definitely get you to at least the “I’ll think about it” stage with them (if you’re lucky).
Fast forward to what your life would be like in the winter. Imagine the adrenaline rush of flying over a glacier and then landing on an icy lake with skis on your plane. No brakes here…all you’ve got is your wits and some luck!
Are you looking for some more “subtle” adventure? You could fly charter flights the rest of the year into the wilderness and drop people off for a day of fishing, hiking, nature-watching or the like and then head back at the end of the day to pick them up and take them back to civilization. Talk about the ideal job for a pilot!
There are thousands of lakes in Alaska that you can land on, or if you prefer you can put your tundra tires to work and find a flat spot to land in the wilderness. Bust out “The Claw” and leave your plane to go do some exploring of your own! The cool thing about this particular tiedown is that it’s not only super-portable but the more your plane pulls on it the deeper it pulls into the ground, keeping it safe from those renegade tornadoes that keep threatening to swoop your little investment away!
There is some sort of fancy mathematical equation for how “The Claw” works, and if you want to work it out you can go right ahead. For the rest of us, trust me, this contraption is very cool. It’s easy to take with you because it breaks down and even has its own storage bag.
However, there are always two sides to every story…living in Alaska means that you probably aren’t going to see most of your family as often as you’d like (or if it’s the in-laws that might not be such a bad thing, right?) and every day in your plane isn’t necessarily going to be idyllic.
If you have a job flying you are going to have to be out in all sorts of weather; much of it as far from ideal conditions as you can imagine. You’ll have to have a lot of training and experience as well as the guts to keep going when you know that you really shouldn’t. Not to mention that when you turn a hobby into a job you run the risk of losing the excitement and reward that you get out of it.
If you still are interested at this point and I haven’t dissuaded you then probably you are going to make a go of it “by hook or by crook.” Good for you!
Things that you will need for your trip:
1. Plane
2. Maps
3. Tiedown
4. Willing victim to tag along
5. Warm clothes
6. Camera
7. Floats (weather-permitting)
8. Skis (weather-permitting)
9. A guide who knows where the best places are to check out
Overall, the idea of spending time in Alaska with your family, (or just alone with your plane if you’re that type of person) can be a reality for most anybody. All it takes is some research, a little bit of planning, and before you know it you’re off on an adventure that will be well worth writing home about!
Showing posts with label flying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flying. Show all posts
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Small Aircraft Control Surfaces
Small Aircraft Control Surfaces
Word Count:
427
Summary:
Anyone who has held their hand out of a car into the wind to play airplane already has a fundamental impression of control surfaces on the airplane.
When the heel of the palm went down, the airpressure under the hand pushed the hand up. That's called lift. The airflow over/under the hand changes with the shape of the hand or airfoil. If you had little cut-outs near your wrist, there wouldn't be as much lift.
The tail section contains control surfaces for keeping the pla...
Keywords:
airplane,flight,travel,hobby,flying,pilot,airline
Article Body:
Anyone who has held their hand out of a car into the wind to play airplane already has a fundamental impression of control surfaces on the airplane.
When the heel of the palm went down, the airpressure under the hand pushed the hand up. That's called lift. The airflow over/under the hand changes with the shape of the hand or airfoil. If you had little cut-outs near your wrist, there wouldn't be as much lift.
The tail section contains control surfaces for keeping the plane stable and controllable.
1) Horizontal: The horizontal, non-moving part is called the stabilizer, and it prevents uncontrolled up-and-down motion of the nose. The small hinged sections on each side are called elevators, which work in unison. It is controlled by the cockpit control wheel/stick and increases or decreases lift. When forward pressure is applied on the wheel, the elevators move downward, which increases the length of the tail causing more lift, which forces the tail upward, causing the nose to drop. There is also a small hinged section in the elevator which is controlled by a small vertical wheel on the cockpit console which is used to finetune the elebator trim. Hense the name trim tab.
2) Vertical: The vertical non-moving part which prevents the nose from uncontrolled swinging side to side. The large hinged section is the rudder. The rudder is controlled by the foot pedals in the cockpit, and deflects the tail to the right or left.
The wings generate most of the lift to hold the plane in the air. Different models of aircraft will have wings of different shapes and in different vertical locations. On a Cessna, the wing is high, and on a Piper, it is low. On an F14, the can change from a forward angle to "swept back".
On most small planes, the wings also carry the fuel.
There are many control surfaces on a wing:
1) The aileron is the hinged part of the back of the wing towards the tip which is used to roll the wings from side to side. There is one on each side of the plane and they work opposite of each other. When one moves up, the other moves down.
2) Flaps are the hinged sections on the back of the wing near the fuselage. Flaps are deployed downward on takeoff and landing to increase the lift produced by the wing and allows the plane to fly at slower speeds.
3) Spoilers and Slats are used on high performance/commercial aircraft and also changed the aerodynamics of the wing.
Word Count:
427
Summary:
Anyone who has held their hand out of a car into the wind to play airplane already has a fundamental impression of control surfaces on the airplane.
When the heel of the palm went down, the airpressure under the hand pushed the hand up. That's called lift. The airflow over/under the hand changes with the shape of the hand or airfoil. If you had little cut-outs near your wrist, there wouldn't be as much lift.
The tail section contains control surfaces for keeping the pla...
Keywords:
airplane,flight,travel,hobby,flying,pilot,airline
Article Body:
Anyone who has held their hand out of a car into the wind to play airplane already has a fundamental impression of control surfaces on the airplane.
When the heel of the palm went down, the airpressure under the hand pushed the hand up. That's called lift. The airflow over/under the hand changes with the shape of the hand or airfoil. If you had little cut-outs near your wrist, there wouldn't be as much lift.
The tail section contains control surfaces for keeping the plane stable and controllable.
1) Horizontal: The horizontal, non-moving part is called the stabilizer, and it prevents uncontrolled up-and-down motion of the nose. The small hinged sections on each side are called elevators, which work in unison. It is controlled by the cockpit control wheel/stick and increases or decreases lift. When forward pressure is applied on the wheel, the elevators move downward, which increases the length of the tail causing more lift, which forces the tail upward, causing the nose to drop. There is also a small hinged section in the elevator which is controlled by a small vertical wheel on the cockpit console which is used to finetune the elebator trim. Hense the name trim tab.
2) Vertical: The vertical non-moving part which prevents the nose from uncontrolled swinging side to side. The large hinged section is the rudder. The rudder is controlled by the foot pedals in the cockpit, and deflects the tail to the right or left.
The wings generate most of the lift to hold the plane in the air. Different models of aircraft will have wings of different shapes and in different vertical locations. On a Cessna, the wing is high, and on a Piper, it is low. On an F14, the can change from a forward angle to "swept back".
On most small planes, the wings also carry the fuel.
There are many control surfaces on a wing:
1) The aileron is the hinged part of the back of the wing towards the tip which is used to roll the wings from side to side. There is one on each side of the plane and they work opposite of each other. When one moves up, the other moves down.
2) Flaps are the hinged sections on the back of the wing near the fuselage. Flaps are deployed downward on takeoff and landing to increase the lift produced by the wing and allows the plane to fly at slower speeds.
3) Spoilers and Slats are used on high performance/commercial aircraft and also changed the aerodynamics of the wing.
Monday, December 27, 2010
How To Have A Grand Time In The Skies
How To Have A Grand Time In The Skies
Word Count:
413
Summary:
Even in the olden times, the problem of motion sickness had been prevalent. In fact, it was even referred to as “camel sickness” in the Bible, where the camel riders experience nausea due to moderate swaying.
With the advent of technology, motion sickness has evolved into many forms such as seasickness, carsickness, space motion sickness, and airsickness; and the reason why more and more people are now traveling by air is because of its capacity to transport people faster...
Keywords:
travel, safety, flying, plane
Article Body:
Even in the olden times, the problem of motion sickness had been prevalent. In fact, it was even referred to as “camel sickness” in the Bible, where the camel riders experience nausea due to moderate swaying.
With the advent of technology, motion sickness has evolved into many forms such as seasickness, carsickness, space motion sickness, and airsickness; and the reason why more and more people are now traveling by air is because of its capacity to transport people faster.
Generally, airsickness refers to that feeling of nausea which was triggered by the motion usually experienced when the aircraft escalates to higher altitudes. Some of the common signs of airsickness are loss of appetite, vertigo, burping, stomach awareness, nausea, and increased swallowing and salivation.
Contrary to most popular beliefs, airsickness is not a disorder. It is just a normal response of the body to an unusual stimulus. Simply put: airsickness is due to the disparity between what people see with their eyes and the data that they get from the “vestibular organs” of the ears. So, it is a matter of the discrepancies between what people see and what they feel. Thus, the end result is a confusion of the brain’s regular processing of sensory awareness.
For pilots, airsickness is their number one concern. Surveys show that 29% of aircraft pilots experience airsickness. This, in turn, disables them to perform their functions well. That is why people have come up with ways how to avoid airsickness. Here’s how:
1. Stress and other forms of anxiety should be stripped out.
Studies show that two of the common causes of airsickness are stress and anxieties. It increases the probability of experiencing airsickness. This is because the body will have more difficulty in coping up with the sudden change of environment. Emotional factors trigger the brain to get more confused.
2. Before traveling, it would be better for a person to eat light meals only. Large meals, especially those that have high salt content are possible causes of airsickness.
3. While on board, it is best for a person to stay put and avoid too much moving within the aircraft. Motion is the number one factor why airsickness occurs.
4. People should accept the condition and try to get accustomed on the situation. This will happen after a few hours of being in the air.
Indeed, airsickness is not a big problem. It is just a matter of adjusting the body’s condition so as to avoid conflict of senses.
Word Count:
413
Summary:
Even in the olden times, the problem of motion sickness had been prevalent. In fact, it was even referred to as “camel sickness” in the Bible, where the camel riders experience nausea due to moderate swaying.
With the advent of technology, motion sickness has evolved into many forms such as seasickness, carsickness, space motion sickness, and airsickness; and the reason why more and more people are now traveling by air is because of its capacity to transport people faster...
Keywords:
travel, safety, flying, plane
Article Body:
Even in the olden times, the problem of motion sickness had been prevalent. In fact, it was even referred to as “camel sickness” in the Bible, where the camel riders experience nausea due to moderate swaying.
With the advent of technology, motion sickness has evolved into many forms such as seasickness, carsickness, space motion sickness, and airsickness; and the reason why more and more people are now traveling by air is because of its capacity to transport people faster.
Generally, airsickness refers to that feeling of nausea which was triggered by the motion usually experienced when the aircraft escalates to higher altitudes. Some of the common signs of airsickness are loss of appetite, vertigo, burping, stomach awareness, nausea, and increased swallowing and salivation.
Contrary to most popular beliefs, airsickness is not a disorder. It is just a normal response of the body to an unusual stimulus. Simply put: airsickness is due to the disparity between what people see with their eyes and the data that they get from the “vestibular organs” of the ears. So, it is a matter of the discrepancies between what people see and what they feel. Thus, the end result is a confusion of the brain’s regular processing of sensory awareness.
For pilots, airsickness is their number one concern. Surveys show that 29% of aircraft pilots experience airsickness. This, in turn, disables them to perform their functions well. That is why people have come up with ways how to avoid airsickness. Here’s how:
1. Stress and other forms of anxiety should be stripped out.
Studies show that two of the common causes of airsickness are stress and anxieties. It increases the probability of experiencing airsickness. This is because the body will have more difficulty in coping up with the sudden change of environment. Emotional factors trigger the brain to get more confused.
2. Before traveling, it would be better for a person to eat light meals only. Large meals, especially those that have high salt content are possible causes of airsickness.
3. While on board, it is best for a person to stay put and avoid too much moving within the aircraft. Motion is the number one factor why airsickness occurs.
4. People should accept the condition and try to get accustomed on the situation. This will happen after a few hours of being in the air.
Indeed, airsickness is not a big problem. It is just a matter of adjusting the body’s condition so as to avoid conflict of senses.
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