Pro-Tips
We share a pro-tip from one of our Cirrus Training Instructors here at Mike Goulian Aviation every month in our newsletter. We have compiled a list of all pro-tips so they are easily accessible to read and download again.
If you wish to sign up and receive monthly emails from Mike Goulian Aviation, you can do so here!
Have you every given much thought to what is happening and at what altitudes during the initial Climb in a Perspective+ SR2X? Here’s a quick look at what the avionics are doing during this all-important segment of your flight.
Emergency procedures can be challenging and stressful for pilots of all experience levels. Regular study and practice can help reduce anxiety and help maintain familiarity. Additionally, effective use of automation can allow the pilot to focus more energy on assessment of the situation and completion of appropriate checklists.
With any aircraft emergency, we want to adhere to these four basic actions:
- Maintain Aircraft Control
- Analyze the Situation
- Take Appropriate Action
- Land as soon as Conditions Permit
A few clicks of aft trim before roundout and flare should be helpful to counteract the forward trim applied during traffic pattern configuration changes. 3-4 clicks should keep your landings slick!
Easier said than done, right? We’ve all struggled our way through rough landings, leaving us frustrated and wanting to do one more to end our flight on a good note.
There sure is a lot of value in taking our shiny birds out on a calm wind day and practicing a few landings in the pattern to keep proficient. But how many of us are using incorrect techniques over and over again, then turning them into…. bad habits?
Read Prassuna’s full break-down on how adding 3-4 clicks can set you up for success!
Whether you are departing a busy Class B airspace or an uncontrolled Class G, you will be using the radio in your Cirrus at some point during the flight. Effective communication over the radio will help to increase the safety of your flight. Plus, sounding cool and professional on the radio never hurts. Here are a few tips to make you sound like the awesome pilot you are and to make sure you are effectively communicating with ATC.
Read Shelby’s full guide to sounding professional on the radio!
Technically Advanced Aircraft have brought an amazing amount of sophisticated technology into the cockpits of our Cirrus airplanes. There’s an incredible amount of capability in our Garmin G1000 systems but it does take some effort to stay proficient. One topic that seems to create some confusion is how to properly sequence an instrument approach in a flight plan, and how to program the autopilot and flight director command bars. In this tip, we’re going to explore the proper way to sequence your avionics and hopefully develop more consistency in how to fly instrument approaches!
As a pilot, we are rarely taught how to be a great pilot in command, nor do we get to fly with many other pilots in command leading up to our licensure. I speak the truth when I say that a flight is no safer than its pilot. So, let’s explore a few ways we can stay true to the awesome responsibility of being pilot in command.
Did you ever think that the clothes we wear while flying can be considered safety gear? If not, please spend a few minutes reading about what would be considered smart attire while traveling in your Cirrus.
One simple way we can increase our situational awareness and be more professional in our flying is by making a habit of performing a pre-arrival briefing, very similar to our takeoff briefing. Many of us likely already do a form of this, especially instrument pilots, but even VFR pilots should incorporate this briefing into every flight.
READ NOW >
The best part of flying a Cirrus is the capability of the airplane to fly in many types of weather with great situational awareness, high speed, and long range. Your Cirrus can take you to many exciting places, and the automation on board can make these trips more enjoyable and safer.
READ NOW >
The FAA defines situational awareness as the accurate perception and understanding of all the factors and conditions within the four fundamental risk elements that affect safety before, during, and after the flight. To maintain situational awareness, a pilot needs to understand the relative significance of these factors and their future impact on the flight.
READ NOW >
Not everyone uses the HDG and ALT bug efficiently enough to boost situational awareness, and that is one resource wasted in the flight deck. Here’s how we can change that!
One of the most challenging aspects of flying a Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA), like the Cirrus, is managing workload to minimize heads down time. Here are a few tips to reduce the amount of time spent heads down looking at the displays inside the cockpit.
Flying Defensively is a topic that is not talked about much in aviation. However, it plays a vital role in the Aeronautical Decision-Making process. Developing the habit of defensive flying will add to your sense of confidence and make you a safer pilot.
You’ve probably heard a private pilot certificate being called a “license to learn.” While that’s true, the need to continue learning and growing as a pilot doesn’t stop at your private certificate.
Being in conversation with your wing, and understanding how hard the wing is working and how much harder it could work will enhance your ability to control the airplane safely and efficiently.
READ NOW >
Mental fitness for flight may be one of the key factors to having a successful flight, but so often it is overlooked by other factors. Being both mentally prepared for the flight ahead and having the proper mindset as you step out to the aircraft for a flight can make all the difference between a successful flight and one that does not measure up to standards.
READ NOW >
Hear why a stabilized approach is the most effective way to treat your Cirrus aircraft with TLC – tender loving care!
Let’s dig in and cover a few important topics regarding this one specific piece of the Garmin Perspective+ avionics suite installed in the SR2X.
In lieu of a “Pro-Tip,” Jim offers you today a ‘True Confession.’ True Confessions are when aircrew tell of issues they’ve experienced including those which derived from their own mistakes highlighting the consequences of ill action and then any remedial actions taken to subsequently safely recover.
The benefits of a ‘true confession’ from instructors is a great tool for students and experienced pilots alike. If it can happen to them, it could happen to you!
The G1000 Perspective+ system (the “System”) in Cirrus aircraft can keep you busier than a vacuum cleaner in a dirt factory during key phases of flight. When you are busy, it’s easy to forget or simply overlook the small but useful capabilities of the System that can help you fly more precisely.
As the weather is getting nicer, it’s natural we’ll be flying more. With that, we’ll experience a type of flying we haven’t seen for several months.
In this month’s pro tip, we’ll refresh ourselves on these factors and some mitigation strategies when it comes to summertime flying.
In March, Jim wrote to you with his True Confession and its associated admonition to Respect the Helicopter. Here is his Part II on Loss of Directional Control. This follows as a “So There We Were” story regarding what happened after.
Read Jim’s True Confession Pt. II here!
Learning to fly is no easy feat, and neither is learning to fly with intention. Check out Ann’s pro-tip here! READ NOW >
The fall is time to consider cold weather conditions and the decision making we do during this time of year. Read about proper engine management for cold weather ops. READ NOW >
As we fly deeper into the colder weather season, it’s important to remember to take extra care of your airplane. This includes applying proper starting techniques on the cold starts. READ NOW >
Are you a “Child of the magenta”? This phrase comes from a very popular video you can find on youtube about Automation Dependency. The video is from a 1997 American Airlines training class taught by well-know American Airlines, Captain Warren Vanderburgh. In today’s world of TAA, we can all become over reliant on automation to the point that if we are not deliberate in our approach to hand flying in IFR occasions with some regularity, our skills can erode to the point where we use automation more as a crutch than a safety aid. This video should become part of every recurrent training event we do as a pilots of Cirrus Aircraft. MGAV Owner, Michael Goulian watches this video every so often as a reminder on how to better manage our interaction with aircraft automation. We hope you love the video. Let us know what you think after you watch it. READ NOW >
ForeFlight has a checklist section that is something we feel you should integrate into each and every flight. This is especially beneficial for your pre-flight check while you are still outside of the cockpit and your passenger briefing which can be competed before you start the aircraft. This tip will review how to add these checklists on your personal devices (iPad or iPhone). READ NOW >
CFII Lex Crosett explores the importance of how to handle “NORDO” – known as the loss of two-way communications – by sharing his story and explaining in detail about the design of the radio in Cirrus G6. READ NOW >
Cirrus Training Center Instructor, Gordon Landale, Shares insights on navigating PTAC: a crucial IFR clearance for pilots, READ NOW>
Cirrus Training Center Instructor, Brian Dubois, shares his insights on communicating with Air Traffic Control. READ NOW>
Cirrus Training Center Instructor, David Cruz-Merino, shares his insights on Summer Flying and focusing on proper take off distances. READ NOW>