By John Evans
AOPA fly-ins provide a great opportunity to catch-up with fellow aviators and to explore new places… but safety is key.
If you’ve had the chance to participate in fly-ins over the years, you may have noticed that a lot goes on in the background – and there will probably have been details and considerations of which you’re not aware. When you’ve registered for a fly-in, you’ll have read the disclaimers before you checked the box. We facilitate gatherings, with pilots operating under Part 91, but we do not own your risk.
What are the important elements concerning a fly-in? Put simply: a plan, communication, registration, committee catch-ups, briefs, contingencies, places to go and, most importantly, good airmanship. Let’s dive a little deeper into those elements.
At a fly-in, there is likely to be more going on (traffic, new people/places, human factors) than when you’re flying on your own or with some of your mates. I wrote about ‘Being Heard not Herd’ in the winter issue of Approach, and much of that is relevant here. A key benefit of an organised fly-in, however, is that your experience, potentially of new environments, is supported and enhanced by the sharing of knowledge and experience of other members, both during briefings and casually.
Plan. We communicate with our members as early as possible regarding our intention to run a fly-in, including details of the main venue, date and a general overview so you can register online, pencil it in and book accommodation.
Communication. Leading up to the date, there are prompts about booking accommodation, registration, and the Fly-in App being live. Close to kick-off time, a call will be made regarding weather suitability as the pertinent weather systems become clear. Sometimes this can lead to a cancellation. During the lead-up week, details of places to land are confirmed through our members and contacts; as with weather, this can be a little fluid as circumstances change. We do our best to manage this unpredictability with the likes of caterers and accommodation providers, but it is not always easy. The week leading up to the event is also the time to get the waypoints on your Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) application up to date.
Detailed registration. We like to gauge who is coming in advance to ensure we can best accommodate everyone’s needs (transport, catering, accommodation, intentions, currency, etc). We also ask for information about your key contacts, whether you would like to participate in a Fly-in group chat (via WhatsApp), and links to satellite tracking services, if you are willing to share them. We don’t hold this information, it is merely for your support on the day.
Briefings. We have a standardised briefing template that group leaders can refer to. It is important to listen to the briefings even if you’ve previously been to the planned destinations, because there will be additional considerations for joining, local requirements, up-to-date conditions, parking space and so on. There will also be information about which radio frequency should be used, etiquette when flying in a group, and contingencies. Like everyone else, group leaders don’t know everything. As a fly-in participant, you might have an important nugget of information that hasn’t been considered, so your participation at briefing time is vital, both listening and contributing. Finally, and most importantly, you should never land somewhere unless you are totally comfortable doing so. Alternatives that will work for you – and allow you to meet back up with everyone else – will be discussed and noted.
Contingencies. Emergency contingencies and plans have been a focus of the AOPA Executive and what material we have is freely available for any groups. Please reach out. We do not offer wrap-around services, but in the case of an accident/emergency, we have plans, all within our recreational capacity as volunteers supporting us doing what we love.
Concessions. We cannot access the landing areas on conservation land under the Recreational Back Country Pilots concession as it precludes fly-ins. Fortunately, we have a concession through AOPA for certain areas on public conservation land. The details are important to understand and these are discussed in briefings.
Private permissions. Leading up to the event, owners of private land are contacted. Conditions and requirements vary over time, for example, they might be impacted by farming activities, changes in fences/ground conditions, or simply being unavailable, for example, at lambing time or during grazing. The permissions we have only apply for the fly-in. Our access relies on our respect for the private property we obtain permission to visit. In the past, we have lost access to airstrips because pilots have visited, subsequent to a fly-in, without permission. This is unacceptable and has significant consequences for everyone else.
General flying etiquette. Fly-ins require etiquette that goes beyond our individual flying pursuits, particularly in the absence of promulgated AIP airfield detail and joining procedures. Firstly, we are all aviators who want to enjoy aviation, but foremost is the social camaraderie. Keep that in mind. There may be delays in fuelling up – so go have a yarn. There may be folk who take more time than you to start up, taxi and roll, or who do extended circuits. Keeping an order is key. Many fly-ins will group similar capability/speed aircraft. But if it means slowing down, just do it.
Standard conventions apply in the absence of other factors: right side of valleys, left-hand circuits and the give way rules. This alleviates excessive radio chat. When it is your time to join, take what time you need to do inspections/overshoots, communicate what you are doing and never forgo your right to a go around, up until your decision point of course. Those flying behind need to anticipate that and leave ample room for those in front, even if that means orbiting well overhead before entering the circuit/approach. Communicate if there is any uncertainty around others holding/backtracking. If you are the ‘tail end Charlie’ at the back, let those ahead know you’re airborne and make sure no one gets behind you.
Your preparation
• Get current! A day of flying in new places/environments is not the day to get current. Some circuits at your local airfield prior to the event are encouraged if you haven’t flown in a while. This also increases your familiarity with your aircraft (including instruments and EFB). At the fly-in, with other aircraft and people around and lots of information to digest, your attention is best focused outside the aircraft. You can’t afford to be behind your plane at a fly-in, fiddling with gadgets and getting airspeed/power settings/engine cooling under control.
• Review plates and the airspace you are going to be operating within ahead of time.
• Get familiar with your EFB and how to upload waypoints and display traffic. Get some help in advance if you need it.
• IMSAFE: We all know the drill. Do not come if you are sick/ not up to it. But also, while flying is a great escape from the hustle of life, it is not sympathetic if there is a lot on your plate or you are negotiating weather and/or a tight schedule to make the fly-in and get home.
• Insurance: you are required to have a minimum of $1 million Public Liability insurance to attend a fly-in.
• Read the information we provide in the lead up and be prepared to listen throughout the fly-in.
• Take equipment suitable for you destination(s). This includes warm clothing and rigid footwear; you may be flying around the mountains and landing in remote areas, even though our aircraft are typically toasty warm inside. You could end up going down anywhere you fly over. Tie downs always go with the plane so they are not a hazard left in the ground, and so your aircraft can be secured wherever it ends up.
• Take a handheld radio if you have one.
• Consider your fuel load. Full fuel load will obviously reduce your performance margin, so take what you need depending on where you’re going. Fuel stops are generally worked into the day, but fuel loading is principally a PIC responsibility and, while some may have ample fuel for an intended route, others may not. Regularly check your fuel, as you can’t rely on your usual enroute cruise burn rate if you’re doing a lot of short legs.
• Brief your passengers and utilise them for traffic lookout and ground movements. Make sure they know how the doors shut and lock, the emergency equipment, the ELT/PLB, where it is appropriate to push/pull when ground handling, and the propeller (or rotor) hazards presented. Passengers who fly with you frequently may be better able to raise your attention to things going on that look out of place.
Fly-ins can be a fantastic experience, and will remain so if everyone remains focussed on staying safe.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2022 edition of Approach Magazine, the dedicated magazine of AOPA NZ, which is published quarterly.