Editorial - BSV no.56
Health!!!!
The festive season is over, with its feasts and indulgence of every kind. Now is the time to make good resolutions about healthy living, so that you can approach your next flight in the best possible shape.
Indeed, as we have often explained, flying safely means being aware of the limits of your microlight but also of your physical and physiological limits on the day. It is stating the obvious to say that you do not perform the same in flight when you are taking certain medication, when you start a flight tired, or when you fly in the afternoon in the middle of digesting a copious meal... but it is important to remind you, because in microlighting we are always judge and jury of our own decisions, and it is therefore particularly difficult to make a good self-assessment of our performance and resources.
That is why, in this editorial, we offer you a simple guide to answer a simple question that we should ask ourselves every time we want to go flying:
Am I fit to fly today???
To do this, in the manner of our aircraft checklists, here is a pilot's medical checklist in the form of a mnemonic guide M.A.F.O.R.M.E. (source www.medsyn.fr/perso/g.perrin/aero/pratique/safe-checklist.htm).
|
M |
Medication | Have I taken any medication recently? Does this medication affect my alertness (see leaflets)? Also beware of over-the-counter medicines, some of which are not free of side effects! |
|---|---|---|
|
A |
Alcohol | Have I drunk alcohol in the last 8 hours? The last 24 H? |
|
F |
Fatigue | Do I feel tired? Have I rested well? |
|
O |
Operational | Am I in good physical shape? Do I suffer from an intercurrent illness or partial incapacity? |
|
R |
Meal | Have I eaten properly? Have I drunk enough before the flight? |
|
M |
Morale | Do I really want to make this flight? Am I doing it for pleasure or out of obligation? |
|
E |
Excitement |
Am I under stress? Am I worried about financial, work or personal problems? |
So, if one or more items produce answers that could jeopardise the safety of your flight, you must give it up or postpone it.
Once again, show good airmanship and never overestimate your abilities!!
Another great year 2019 full of unforgettable and safe flights!
Eric Galvagno
Head of the Flight Safety Committee
Training Corner
And my 2018 resolutions… how am I doing?
Remember: this year, I will take care not to let the administrative documents for my machine go out of date. This year, I will make a point of removing the cowling for the engine pre-flight. This year, I will no longer refuel in the hangar. This year, I will keep an eye on the age of my fuel, noting the date of my last fill-up in a logbook...
The Analyst's analysis
On 27 August 2016, late in the afternoon with favourable weather conditions, a microlight pilot carried out engine tests on the runway.
Source/BEA/aero: Take-off during take-off roll tests, loss of control in flight, collision with the ground
After an acceleration phase, the microlight takes off and, after a few seconds of flight, ground-loops. The aircraft is destroyed and the pilot dies.
Safety in Figures
The table below summarises the accident statistics recorded from 1 January to the end of December 2018, ranking victims by severity and distinguishing purely material-damage accidents. The second table shows accidents involving French-registered microlights that took place abroad with foreign crews.
What about doing a REV? > video guide
A question about the REV programme? > see our dedicated FAQ
