Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Commercial pilot - multi engine


Today was a great day!! An amazing day.. probably the best day in my life so far.. today I passed my commercial multi checkride. And I am extremely excited. I got the license I was looking for since I was a kid.. now I gotta build the hours to build the dream..
After the cross country phase, everything starts to go pretty fast. I started the ATP Self paced Airline Pilot Career Program on December 28th.. It is now June 13th and I am almost done with it.I am a commercial pilot with almost 100 hours of multiengine time.
It has really worked pretty well.. I have been able to keep my full time job, even though it involves a lot of international travelling; I have kept up with my family, and I am 5 months ahead on the program already.
So this was phase 4.. Next is phase 5 and final.. CFI school. Where I will have to devote 14 days of full training and study in order to get my CFI, CFII, MEI and single engine commercial. For the rest of the month, I will try to get my CFI and FOI writtens done and then I'll call ops and see what are my options regarding CFI school.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Runway Markings

The past few days I've been studying hard for my multi commercial checkride.. I have more than 200 hours of which 94 hours are multiengine. The weather in Atlanta has not been the best lately and I have my checkride schedules for June 13th. The day after tomorrow. If the weather clears tomorrow, I will be practicing multiengine maneuvers and then I will work on my cross country plan for this checkride.

Here is some interesting stuff about runway markings.. Now that you are becoming a commercial pilot, you will be visiting new airports further away and you will need to become more professional and knowledgeable in everything.
There are three types of marking for runways; visual, nonprecision instrument, and precision instrument. The following table identifies the marking elements for each type of runway.


Marking Element


Visual Runway


Nonprecision Instrument Runway


Precision Instrument Runway


Designation


X


X


X


Centerline


X


X


X


Threshold




X


X


Aiming Point




X


X


Touchdown Zone


X


Side Stripes


X

¹On runways used, or intended to be used, by international commercial transports.
²On runways 4,000 feet (1200m) or longer used by jet aircraft.

Precision Instrument Runway Markings

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-Runway Designators.  Runway numbers and letter are determined from the approach direction. The runway number is the whole number nearest one-tenth the magnetic azimuth of the centerline of the runway, measured clockwise from the magnetic north. The letters, different, differentiate between left (L), right (R), or center (C), parallel runways, as applicable.

i. For two parallel runways "L""R".
ii. For three parallel runways "L""C""R".

-Runway Centerline Marking. The runway centerline identifies the center of the runway and provides alignment guidance during takeoff and landings. The centerline consists of a line of uniformly spaced stripes and gaps. 

-Runway Aiming Point Marking. (Thousand Footers) These two rectangular markings consist of a broad white stripe located on each side of the runway centerline and approximately 1,000 feet from the landing threshold.

-Runway Touchdown Zone Markers. These markings consist of groups of one, two, and three rectangular bars symmetrically arranged in pairs about the runway centerline. They are coded to provide distance information in 500 ft increments.

Nonprecision Instrument Runway and Visual Runway Markings

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-Runway Side Stripe Marking. Delineate the edges of the runway. Consist of continuous white stripes located on each side of the runway,

-Runway Shoulder Marking. May be used to supplement runway side stripes to identify pavement areas contiguous to the runway sides that are not intended for use by aircraft. 


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-Runway Threshold Markings. They either consist of eight longitudinal stripes of uniform dimension disposed symmetrically about the runway centerline, or the number of stripes is related to the runway width. A threshold marking helps identify the beginning of the runway that is available for landing. It may be relocated or displaced in some instances.


-Relocation of a Threshold. Sometimes construction, maintenance, or other activities require the threshold to be relocated towards the rollout end of the runway. When a threshold is relocated, it closes not only a set portion of the approach end of a runway, but also shortens the length of the opposite direction runway. In these cases a NOTAM should be issuedidentifying the portion of the runway that is closed.


-Displaced Threshold. Located at a point on the runway other than the designated beginning of the runway. It reduces the length of runway available for landings. The portion behind a displaced threshold is available for takeoffs in either direction and landings from the opposite directiom. White arrows are located along the centerline in the area between the beginning of the runway and displaced threshold.

-Demarcation Bar. Delineates a runway with a displaced threshold form a blast pad, stopway or taxiway that precedes the runway. It is 3 feet wide and yellow, since it is not located on the runway.

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-Chevrons. They are used to show pavement areas aligned with the runway that are unusable for landing, takeoff, and taxiing. Chevrons are yellow.