Elite Aviation Safety Seminar Addresses Winter Weather Flying

By Carmelo Turdo

Elite Aviation held the second Speaker Series event at their Spirit of St. Louis Airport facility Thursday evening. The program, Winter Weather Flying, was timely as the Midwest begins to enter the winter weather flying season after an extended period of above average temperatures. But soon the winter weather will arrive, and so it was just the right time for a refresher course on the elements of winter weather, cold weather aircraft operations and basic winter survival techniques. The seminar was well-attended, and Elite Aviation provided a warm hangar, free pizza and a festive atmosphere.

The Winter Weather Flying program was part of the FAA's series of safety seminars that count toward the Wings Pilot Proficiency Program recurrent training credit. The presenters for this session were Phil Dixon and Fred Harms, current and previous FAA Safety Team Program Managers, respectively. Phil Dixon provided a thorough review of the winter weather characteristics, the effect of icing on the aircraft, and the dangers of unintentional flying to IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) conditions. One poignant demonstration, the real-time, one-minute, 180-degree turn out of IFR conditions, illustrated how that one-minute period can seem much longer when there is a heightened sense of uncertainty and stress while seeking an opening in the clouds.     

Fred Harms took over the next portion of the program with some practical winter weather survival training that drew from his military and civilian flight experiences. He addressed the physical and psychological preparations necessary for winter weather survival, and used actual case studies to illustrate their applications. Much of the discussion centered around post-accident survival, and how preparations made before the flight dramatically increase the chances of being recovered in good health. Some important advice includes: have a survival plan, notify others of your flight and expected ETA, keep key survival tools with you at all times and keep dry if at all possible. Winter weather maintenance tips were also provided by Elite Aviation's service staff.