The Pilot's Handbook

Welcome to Updates & Changes

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:39:08 +0000

This is where you’ll find corrections, clarifications and updates to the content of The Pilot’s Handbook. If you have a suggestion, my email address is on the first page of the introduction.

METAR and TAF wind direction

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:38:30 +0000

Pages 68, 69, and 74: Wind direction for METARS and TAFS are incorrectly defined as magnetic. All print wind directions are TRUE. Spoken wind directions (e.g. on ATIS or as given by ATC) are magnetic.

“Position and hold” is now “Line up and wait”

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:37:35 +0000

Page 95: Air traffic controllers no longer say, “Position and hold.” Since edition one was published, American ATC has converted to the ICAO standard of saying, “Line up and wait.” The meaning is the same: drive on to the beginning … Continue reading →

Do not cross runways unless specifically told

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:37:12 +0000

Page 95: Taxiing pilots used to be able to cross unused runways when on their way to the runway in use. Since the publication of the first edition, this rule has changed. ATC must specifically clear you to cross or … Continue reading →

VOTs point north

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:36:26 +0000

Page 8: When checking a VOR using a VOT, the needle should point within 4 degrees of north with a FROM indication, and 4 degrees of south with a TO indication.

Class A airspace starts at 18000 MSL, not “above FL180″

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:35:12 +0000

Page 43: While the definition given in Chapter 3 is simple to understand, it’s not technically correct. Class A airspace starts at 18,000 feet MSL. [Note: This is why FL180 is sometimes unavailable. "Flight level" refers to what the altimeter reads (in hundreds of feet) when set to standard pressure (29.92). When ambient air pressure is lower than this, flight level 180 goes below 18,000 feet, thereby not providing 500-foot separation from VFR aircraft flying at 17,500.]

But that airplane needs to turn right!

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:34:46 +0000

Page 141: In the illustration, departure control incorrectly tells the pilot to turn left to a heading of 130. He should say, “Turn right.” It would be way easier.

Typo and Poor Arithmetic

scott — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:35:36 +0000

Page 171: The text currently reads, “”If the arrival aircraft is going 180 knots ground speed, and needs to descend to 8,000 feet at 500 feet per minute, that will require 16 minutes and 42 nautical miles of distance.” It should say that the aircraft is descending 8,000 feet (not TO 8,000) and will require 48 miles of distance, because [8000/500] x 3 is 48 where I went to school.