
Moon

"Pic of the day" sent in by Craig M from Ottawa. He watched flight tracker for days until he got the shot of all shots. It's beautiful.

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Another Dark and Dirty Night
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Wheel Deal

That's why tires are filled with nitrogen to withstand the huge heat build up. Please see my blog:

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Speed tape applied - checked serviceable



Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mickey Mouse layover (MC0 Orlando)


Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Talking the Talk (Doug the Orator)
2009 PRESIDENTS LUNCHEON
to be held at the Oakville Golf Club
Wednesday November 25, 2009
Reception: 12:00 noon Lunch: 12:30 pm
Cost: $36/ person Cash Bar Seating limited to 120
Guest speaker at the luncheon will be:

Air Canada: Captain Doug Morris
“FROM THE FLIGHT DECK”
In his book “From the Flight Deck: Plane Talk and Sky Science”, pilot, meteorologist, and flight-school instructor Doug Morris lets you take the window seat on a trip around the world, giving you the scoop on everything from take-off to landing. He explains what you see looking out the window, what that window is made of, and how the plane is kept in rigorous flying condition. Perfect for informing the aviation enthusiast and calming the fearful flier, From the Flight Deck tells you everything you want to know about commercial airline travel: the physics of flight, how airplanes work and what they’re made of, how pilots are trained, route planning and the importance of the ground crew, turbulence, flying in storms, what the flight crew gets up to on layovers, and much more. With facts, trivia, humour, and illuminating photos throughout, From the Flight Deck is the ultimate flight companion.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
10,000 Visits (From the Flight Deck Book)

VISITS: Total: 9,954
Average Per Day 75
PAGE VIEWS Total: 15,632
Average Per Day
121
Thanks everyone and Happy Thanksgiving weekend for all you Canadians!

Friday, October 9, 2009
Safety is No Secret conference


Sunday, October 4, 2009
Mentoring from Capt. Doug

I regularly get queries from "up start" pilots asking the best road to take in becoming an airline pilot. As everyone may guess that path is not as cut and dried as one would think. There are twists, turns, set backs, forks in the road, potholes with less smooth driving than you think.
But this goes for most career orientated jobs.
Above are two pictures during my Navajo days. One shot is when I flew into YYG (Charlottetown, PEI) during a snowstorm. Air Nova was parked next to me. I thought, wouldn't it be great to be hired by them. We pilots are always looking up...up toward the next bigger airplane. It turned out, I walked my resume into Air Nova and the chief pilot would not give me the time of day. I ended getting hired by Air Atlantic and flew their Dash 8s and Bae 146s.
There is saying, "be nice to the people going up the ladder because it may be the same people you see going down the ladder." That chief pilot at the time is now a line pilot still flying the Dash 8. His pedestal was knocked from underneath him. It's all about decisions and when you make them.
I did get hired by Air Nova six years later. They actually came out to me in the parking lot after the interview to tell me I was hired and come back to get my manuals. Because I did not accrue much seniority with Air Nova the decision to leave was that much easier. Had I been senior, I would have probably stayed back and waited for the merged seniority list with Air Canada and the connectors.. It didn't happen! End of rant...
Here's an email I received yesterday. This person is smart, they are networking and putting out their "feelers" because it's a small business and you would be amazed who knows who in this industry.
Hi Capt. Morris, I recently passed my class 4 flight instructor's ride in Hamilton and am currently instructing students enrolled in the Commercial Aviation Management Program at the University of Western Ontario. Building my time and filling in the gaps on the desk for a little bit of extra income keeps me very busy these days. Working towards becoming a class 2 which will get me on the twin (DA42) for some multi-pic time and then (knock on wood) some multi-turbine time somewhere else before applying to a larger carrier. It's a great feeling to be paid to do something that you love so much. Are you still with Air Canada or did you end up pursuing opportunities overseas? I was looking at various instructing positions in and around Dubai but haven't found anything that I am ready, or qualified, to commit to. A classmate of mine is from there and she is currently seeking opportunities, maybe with a company that is has more than one position to fill! Do you have any advice for a young, eager and inexperienced instructor? I would love to apply any tips you may have for me while increasing my experience and working towards becoming and airline pilot. I'm currently in the process of gathering information on FAA licences and the steps involved in applying for one. So far, the best information I have been able to find has been to contact an FSDO to get the paper work started before writing a conversion exam. Do you have any specific advice for converting to FAA licenses? Hope all is well, safe flying.
Hi. I'm just in from SFO (San Francisco). Congrates on your class IV! I also did my class IV as well and taught air cadets. Because of it, I gained my class III. After amassing about 900 hours total, I queried a cargo/charter company whether they would want a part time pilot. They hired me and the rest is history. I paid for the Navajo endorsement, but it was worth it.
This retirement thing at Air Canada is a contentious issue but both the union and the company want to keep everything as is. This translates into 711 pilots walking out the door at Air Canada in the next five years. I still think things here in Canada will turn around
nicely. Meanwhile you can build the much needed flight time. Having said that, if you have an itch to go abroad that would be neat too.
I know quite a few pilots that went the American route, but most are back here. Ten years ago, I would have given my eye teeth to get hired by a "major" in the U.S. Not anymore. I'll stick with Air Canada, thank you.
You are young and if travelling is in your blood (you must have it or you would not want to be a pilot) then the world is your oyster!
I do realize everyone wants to take the right road in life, and to accumulate hours expeditiously, but it will all work out. Meanwhile, enjoy the ride!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
enRoute's "October" is up


Captain Doug Morris answers your questions about aviation.
Q: How is the cabin air kept fresh? Are filters used? David Clements, Canberra, Australia
Cabin air is continually bled from the engines. This conditioned air is then mixed with a nearly equal amount of highly filtered cabin air. A HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) system filters the air much like filters in hospital surgical rooms. Compared to buildings, however, airliners have even better filtration, a higher air-change rate and a higher proportion of outside air. Cabin air is exchanged every two and a half to three minutes – i.e. flushed 20 to 25 times every hour.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Line of sight query (Room with a View)

Picture compliments of Air Canada's photographer
Brian Losito
I received this query from an anonymous pertaining to my line of site post. I thought it warranted a separate post.
On page 10-11 of the Air Command Weather Manual it states that the distance of the horizon for flat terrain in nautical miles from a height (h) in feet is equal to: 1.14 times the square root of h.
Anonymous. I checked my copy of the ACWM and it certainly says 1.14 times the square root of height in feet. From the Ground Up (page 210) utilizes the formula 1.23 times the square root of height in feet. Their example of 20,000 feet gives a distance of 174 nautical miles. I was told/taught line of sight for radio coverage is the same as distance seen due to the curvature of the earth. I used 1.23 * the square root of height for my ATPL (ATR) exam many moons
ago. I also used it now and again to determine when I would receive the ATIS (Automated Terminal Information System) when flying overseas. Sometimes when flying into London, Heathrow (LHR) from over the "pond" I determined at 37,000 feet I should receive the ATIS about 237 miles back. (For some reason LHR has not gone digital with their ATIS). It worked!
I surfed the web and many sites are using the formula: the square root of both 1.5 times the height in feet. The square root of 1.5 is about 1.23