San Jose Senior Squadron 80
Safety Shorts for January 97

This collection of safety briefings is intended to provide a selection of safety related topics suitable for review at the beginning of each squadron meeting. I have tried to keep things entertaining as well as informative. Please select a topic from the list, review it at the beginning of the squadron meeting and initial that it has been discussed. The completed sheet will be filed along with the quarterly safety report at group.

Thanks

1. Static electricity problems during fueling. A rash of injuries have occurred to pick-up truck owners filling metal gas cans which were sitting on the bedliner. It seems that the gasoline spontaneously ignites due to a static electricity buildup caused by the plastic bedliner. The insulating effect of the bedliners prevent the static charge, generated by the flowing fuel, from going to ground. As this charge builds, it can create a static spark between the can and the gas nozzle. To avoid this situation, place the gas can on the ground while filling it with gasoline.

   Source CAP Safety Newsletter, October 96

2. Margin of safety mishap.A PA-32 was doing a touch and go landing on an unpaved runway when it departed the runway edge and struck its right gear on one of the rocks which outlined the runway. The gear broke, but remained hanging by a hydraulic line. The pilot continued the takeoff and once airborne, heard the broken gear striking the underside of the aircraft. The pilolt elected to full-stop at the same airfield. During landing, the aircraft ground- looped off the runway and damaged the right wing. This is a typical "margin of safety+ mishap - reduced margin of safety means greater mishap potential. For a CAP crew to use a particular runway, it should be listed in a government airport and facility guide. When you practice landings, use a runway that offers a wide margin of safety. We all try for the centerline, but sometimes we stray. It's much better to have more runway to the side than to have "runway boundary rocks"!

   Source CAP Safety Newsletter, October 96

3. Know when to stop. ! A CAP mini van stopped behind a motorcycle at an intersection. Thinking the motorcycle was proceeding into the traffic flow, the van pulled forward and struck the motorcycle. The driver's reaction to the collision was to back-up, causing a collision with the vehicle behind him. Reaction to this collision was to again pull forward where he hit the motorcycle a second time. No one was injured, but all three vehicles were damaged. The lesson learned here is that once a mishap occurs, just stop, turn off the vehicle and while considering your own safety, help any other people involved.

   Source CAP Safety Newsletter, October 96

4. Mountain Wave and Speed-To-Fly. Mountain wave is an atmospheric phenomenon in which an obstruction (typically a mountain ridge) excites air currents into a standing wave pattern of up and down verticle flow. Waves typically form when winds across mountain peaks exceed 25 knots within 30 degrees of perpendicular to the line of the mountain ridge. While Mountain wave can occur anytime, winter is the most prevalent for the sierra. Here are some rules of thumb in dealing with mountain wave:

   - If you are flying into a headwind and you are at Vy, and YOU ARE GOING DOWN FASTER THAN YOU SHOULD BE GOING UP, SPEED UP TO CRUISE SPEED.

   - If you are flying with a tailwind and you are at Vy, and YOU ARE GOING DOWN THREE TIMES AS FAST AS YOU SHOULD BE GOING UP, SPEED UP TO CRUISE SPEED.

   Source AIAA-95-3446, Steve Philipson