By Howard Deevers
Today you cannot become a pilot of any kind without knowing at least the basic Federal Aviation Rules and regulations, better known as the “FAR.” There are test questions on your written test about the FARs. The Code of Federal Regulations part 91 tells us all the rules that we must abide by to fly an airplane.
I like to show my new students one of the first entries in Part 91: “91.103 Preflight Actions
Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight.” There it is in one sentence. The FAA puts the entire responsibility for knowing everything on the pilot in command (PIC). If the government had never written any other regulation this would be everything in one sentence. But, of course, the government can't be that brief about anything. The paragraph goes on to say “This information must include:” then there are 4 more paragraphs describing the information.
Regulations are written by lawyers. I am not a lawyer. Trying to cram ALL AVAILABLE information into 4 paragraphs is kind of funny. When we think about all of the things that we had to learn to become pilots and all of the information that is available to us via so many sources like the internet, flight service, local ATC, cross country ATC, four paragraphs are just not enough. Not that I want them to try to list everything that I must know in one regulation, it just seems strange that it is worded this way.
When we are learning to fly, our instructor must break down all of the things that we are going to need to know into bite sized pieces, one lesson at a time. Then, as we get better, the instructor adds other things, like weather, chart reading, fuel requirements, navigation and NAV aids. The more ratings you get, the more complicated “All Available Information” becomes. Airline pilots make it look easy, but when you think about how much information there is for each flight, you know that all of that training is a good thing.
Your weather forecast for a cross country flight could easily take two printed pages. Your planned route could cross some special use airspace, so planning the route is very important. As our airspace has changed over the years, technology has also changed. Radar was not in common use until the mid to late '50's. Now we have Transponders and ADS-B requirements in many airspace locations. It would pay us to know what regulations are going to affect this flight; is VFR or IFR? The back half of the FAR/AIM is the Airman’s Information Manual. It is longer than the novel “WAR and PEACE.” But certainly, worth reading. So, the term “ALL AVAILABLE” gets more complicated each year.
Now that I have told you that, don't let that stop you from becoming a pilot. You can do it. It might take awhile and seem like a college course at times, but if you break it down into pieces, and use the helper acronyms your instructor told you about, such as P-A-V-E, and many more, you will become a very good and safe pilot. All of these regulations are intended to keep us safe. Regulations alone are not enough to keep us safe; we need to stay proficient and keep learning for as long as we continue to fly.
An easy way to stay current is to join the Wings Program, sponsored by the FAASafety program and supported by your ARIZONA PILOTS ASSOCIATION. The seminars are free, and the on-line programs are free as well. Earning a phase of the WINGS serves as a Flight Review. A Flight Review is required (by regulations) each 2 years, but you do not have to wait that long to be in the WINGS program. Check the website for a seminar location near you. And don't forget to “Bring your wingman.”