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The Scratching Post

U.S. Navy 2004 / 2005 / 2009 / 2011 / 2016 Pettibone Award Winning Safety Publication

VT-10

Safety System Edition

Fall / Winter 2017

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Inside This Issue:

(1) Words from the Skipper

(2) The XO Snarl

(3) VT-10 Aviation Milestones

Aviation Technology

(4) “Automation”

(8) “The Skinny on Satellite

Navigation”

Here with the Wildcats

(10) “Pigskin Parties”

(12) “Holiday Safety”

(15) VT-10 Safety Pro

CDR Ken “Lurch” Froberg

Commanding Officer

CDR Dustin “Eeyore” Hagy

Executive Officer

LCDR Jonathan “Mog” Mason

Safety Officer

LT Christopher “Piglet”

Parrett

Aviation Safety Officer

Capt Brian “2-String”

Hampton

Ground Safety Officer

& Editor-in-Chief Viewpoints and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily express policy of the DOD, DON, CNATRA or CTW-6. Information contained in any article should not be construed as

incriminating under Article 31, UCMJ.

Special Thanks to:

TRAINING SQUADRON TEN

250 SAN CARLOS ROAD

SUITE H

PENSACOLA, FL 32508

PHONE:

(850) 452-2385

FAX:

(850) 452-2757

We’re on the Web!

See us at:

https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/tw6/vt10/

Questions?

Email the Program Leader

Brian.c.hampton@navy.mil

WILDCATS!

Well, we closed out another fiscal year, flying 14,668.5 flight

hours in FY2017. Along the way we also reported 51 HAZREPS

and 2,098 ASAPs regarding our flight activities. A busy year to

be sure. We signed out the new Squadron Safety Program, as

well as added the Operational Mission Essential Subsystems

Matrix to the Squadron SOP. The intent of this is to empower

you to make decisions in the field, when faced with system

degrades or malfunctions, and manage risk at the appropriate

level. One of the toughest things in our profession is learning to

make decisions when confronted with incomplete information.

Our posture at VT-10 is to use NATOPS, SOP, and ultimately

good headwork as a guide in your decision making process.

This edition highlights some challenges when managing automation, some greater insight into

precision navigation, and food-for-thought as we approach the fall holidays. Several recent fleet

lessons learned continue to highlight the essential quality of mission planning, briefing a plan,

executing the plan, and then critically reflecting in the debrief and assessing our performance

throughout a mission. The capability to critically self-assess is an essential quality in our profession.

Another lesson is learning to master complex systems. While the T-6A is a relatively simple aircraft,

the most software-intense tool you use is the KLN-900. How well do you know your GPS? When was

the last time you rolled through the software pages with the ready room trainer? There are units in the

IP Ready Room, Student Ready Room, Study Lab, and simulator building. Know your systems so you

can prevent mode errors when you are dealt surprises in flight. Remember life is what happens while

you’re making other plans. Which brings me to the holiday season, enjoy it and be smart! We each

must balance our professional obligations with our personal responsibilities. This is part of being

human. We can accomplish peak individual potential when we actively balance these parts of our

identity. Contrary to popular belief, ignoring problems never makes them go away, nor does putting in

18 hours of studying result in Ace of the Base status. Make the time for things than matter in your life;

study, family, and friends. This profession is about championing the very best of our society, you each

represent a unique perspective and part of that family.

Finally, the CNO recently spoke about the value of ownership. It consists of four key elements: the

right level of knowledge (knowing our business), responsibility for executing our mission properly,

accountability for achieving the mission, and the authority to do what we do. It is essential in our

profession that we strive to go beyond the minimal effort. This not to say sometimes the minimum is

the best we can muster, but out profession demands excellence to remain the best. Own your mission

and daily activities, and be the best with honor and integrity!

Fly, Fight, Lead!

WILDCAT ONE SENDS

Words from the Skipper CDR Ken “Lurch” Froberg VT-10 Commanding Officer

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The fall and holiday seasons are undoubtedly my favorite.

They offer fond memories of changing leaves, brisk air,

quality family time, and sometimes distant travel. The

seasons, however, present unique safety concerns. Weather

patterns will begin to shift and roads may become

treacherous in parts of the country. Holiday parties provide

an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and family yet

can be accompanied by consumption of too many libations.

In order to combat some of these tripwires, we must always

be smart and have a plan, followed by a back-up plan. Risk

management is not something we do only in the work

environment. It is imperative we identify hazards throughout

the course of each day and implement the proper controls to

prevent harm to self or others. I’m looking forward to

another enjoyable, safe, and successful holiday season here at VT-10.

This edition of the Scratching Post will touch on several facets of aviation and its ever-changing

technological advances, as well as tailgate and cooking safety. The articles provide a unique

perspective on human error as it relates to memory lapse, satellite navigation and its

applicability in the T-6A, ways to remain safe while playing corn hole, and baking your

Thanksgiving Day turkey.

I wanted to end my “Snarl” by giving a quick shout-out to LT “Show” Haddy, VT-10’s Safety

Pro, for his professional airmanship in the face of adversity. Show was able to diagnose a non-

standard aircraft emergency, formulate a plan, and safely land avoiding harm to the crew and

damage to the aircraft. VT-10 is filled with talented aviators who epitomize excellence and

operate “by the book,” and Show is the perfect example of that. Well Done!

Take care of yourself and look out for one another!

XO

The XO Snarl CDR Dustin “Eeyore” Hagy VT-10 Executive Officer

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The following professional aviation milestones were recently reached:

1000 Total Flight Hours

LT Mann

LT Roberts

LT Sumner

2000 Total Flight Hours

LT Westerman

3000 Total Flight Hours

LCDR Gaston (Res.)

4000 Total Flight Hours

LCDR Marques (Res.)

Congratulations Wildcats; these milestones were accumulated with

tremendous preparation and vigilance that all started on deck!

Well Done!

Safety O Sends

Aviation Milestones

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Everyone occasionally forgets to perform some everyday task such as returning a phone call or depositing a

check. But if the task is a flight-critical function, such as putting down the landing gear, surely no competent,

conscientious pilot would forget, right? Well, no, even if it is a matter of life and death, pilots sometimes forget.

For example, several airline catastrophes have occurred when a cockpit crew attempted to take off, forgetting to

set flaps. Airline accidents have also occurred when cockpit crews forgot to lower the landing gear, turn on pitot

heat, set hydraulic boost pumps to high, etc. The frequency of such oversights in the airline industry is much

higher than the accident rate suggests because in most cases, the oversight is caught by a warning system in

time for the crew to correct the situation.

How should we think of the pilots who have an accident because they forgot to perform some flight-critical

task? Do they lack competence? Were they

not careful or conscientious enough? My

NASA research team and I spent several years

studying prospective memory: remembering—

and sometimes forgetting—to do things we

intend to do but at a later time. We concluded

that all pilots are vulnerable to these memory

lapses as a function of how our brains work

and the specific circumstances of the flight.

Experience and conscientiousness are of

course essential to flight safety but are not, by

themselves, adequate to prevent these memory

lapses. Not surprisingly, accidents caused by

these lapses are more common in personal airplanes, in part because GA pilots typically lack protections such as

takeoff configuration warning systems and co-pilots.

Largely automatic

To explain why even good pilots are vulnerable to these memory lapses, I need to explain how underlying

cognitive processes operate in typical flight tasks. This is only a high-level summary.

Most prospective memory lapses involve routine, fairly simple tasks that we perform on every flight, which is

not surprising since such tasks are the bulk of what we do in flying. When we have performed a task many

times in the same manner, it becomes largely automatic; we do not have to think hard about how to do it or even

when to do it, our body just executes the steps of the task when circumstances become appropriate. However,

even automatic execution of a practiced task typically requires some degree of executive monitoring to make

sure it plays out as expected.

On June 11, 2013, this Cessna 172M crashed off the departure end of a runway in Louisville, Ky. The pilot was

performing the fourth in a series of touch-and-go landings when he forgot to retract the flaps. All four aboard

were seriously injured.

We initiate a task automatically when triggered by conditions requiring the task. A radio call from ATC

prompts us to answer; the ATC call is a cue strongly associated in memory with the appropriate response.

Getting ready to fly our airplane triggers us to perform a preflight inspection, a multi-step task. If this is an

airplane we have flown many times and are current in, we do not have to stop and think which steps to

perform—executing each step automatically triggers us to perform the next step. This is supported by the

physical environment; as we move around the aircraft, we see visual cues reminding us where the next step is to

Automation: How We Forget

-Key Dismukes

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be performed. Thus, automatic processing is heavily cue-driven, which is both its strength and its weakness.

(Note that we should not allow ourselves to conduct a preflight in a purely automatic fashion, but rather should

attend consciously to each item checked. Knowing what to do next is the automatic part.)

Automatic processing allows fluid, efficient performance and normally it is quite reliable, but it is vulnerable

whenever the cueing process is disrupted. We may forget to act when the visual cues that normally trigger us to

initiate a task are absent, when we are interrupted or distracted, when we intend to perform one task step out of

its normal sequence or when we intend to

substitute an atypical step for the habitual

one.

Interruptions

Consider this scenario: You are halfway through your preflight and your passenger arrives, asking where to put

his gear. You help him load up, but now you have increased vulnerability to forgetting to finish the preflight or

to skip a step because the normal cueing process has been disrupted.

Let’s say you had just completed step 3 in the

figure at right when your passenger walks in the

hangar. Normally, completing step 3 would

automatically trigger you to perform step 4,

supported by the visual cues from where you are

standing around the airplane. But after dealing

with your passenger, the stimulus from performing

step 3 is gone and you are no longer standing in a

place to see the visual cues that remind you of

what to do next. Obviously, if you stop to

deliberately think about what you were doing and

what to do next, you will remember, but it’s easy

to move into your next step of a normal flow after

loading the airplane instead of going back to the

unfinished task.

Another scenario: Let’s imagine that most of your

flying is done at non-towered airports, where you

fly a typical VFR traffic pattern. Somewhat

simplistically, we might represent the main steps

of flying the pattern as: turn downwind, adjust

throttle/speed, lower landing gear, set initial flaps,

run downwind checks, turn base, clear for other aircraft on final, turn final, set final flaps and adjust

throttle/speed as necessary. But let’s say that today you are approaching an unfamiliar towered airport and the

controller tells you to make a long straight-in approach and to keep your speed up as much as possible. What

does this do to your habit pattern? The straight-in approach removes the downwind visual cues that help trigger

you to lower the landing gear. Keeping your speed up delays setting flaps, which in turn makes higher than

normal demands on executive processing

to manage speed on short final. In this

situation, you are at increased risk of

forgetting to set flaps or to lower the

landing gear.

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Habit capture can occur when we intend to

substitute an atypical procedural step for the

habitual one but inadvertently revert to the

habitual one under high workload. Let’s say that

you frequently fly a standard instrument departure

from your home airport that has you maintain

runway heading, climb to 1000 feet, turn right to

320, etc. Today your clearance is to maintain

runway heading, climb to 1000 feet, turn left to

090. You read the clearance back correctly, make

your takeoff roll, transition to IMC, climb to 1000

feet, but—out of habit—turn right.

Of course, not all our intended actions are

habitual. Suppose you are climbing out in IMC

and ATC instructs you to report passing through

5000 feet. That won’t happen for several minutes

and although it’s the simplest of tasks, it’s in fact

easy to forget. To explain why, let’s look at how

we do remember to act on this kind of intention

when we actually succeed.

When We Remember

When we form an intention to perform a task at a

later time, we cannot hold that task continuously

in conscious awareness because our executive

processes are busy in this case with hand-flying a

somewhat complicated departure procedure. However, the intention to report at 5000 feet is not lost from our

minds, but is stored in long-term memory (a vast reservoir of knowledge outside of conscious awareness until

retrieved).

Retrieving information from long-term memory (the intention to report) is a cue-based process—we notice

something in the environment associated with that piece of information, triggering retrieval. (Of course, we also

remember information when we conduct a deliberate search of our memory, but we must remember to do so at

the proper time, which is the dilemma of

prospective memory.)

Further, we must notice such a trigger cue at the

moment, which in this example requires us to

interleave monitoring altitude with other flight

tasks. The process is probabilistic: The probability of successful retrieval is proportional to the strength of

association between the cue and the stored information, and to how deeply we attend to the cue. When our

workload is high, we may attend to cues less deeply, not monitor at the critical moment or inadvertently drop

monitoring altogether.

Countermeasures

The first step in reducing vulnerability to these sorts of memory lapses is to recognize that we are all inherently

vulnerable, even when we work hard to be careful. Several specific techniques can help us reduce vulnerability.

When you need to remember to perform a deferred task that is not habitual, create

what is called an implementation plan. Explicitly identify where and when you

intend to perform that task;

mentally identify exactly where

you will be, what you will be

Deferred EPs

EPs

Hollywood Script

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doing, what cues will be in your environment when you intend to perform the task and visualize yourself

performing that task. Research has shown that implementation plans can nearly double the chance of

remembering to perform various kinds of tasks.

Checklists are a crucial defense against memory lapses, but be aware

that checklists themselves are vulnerable to the same lapses as other

tasks. If the cue that normally triggers us to start a checklist is for some

reason absent, you may forget to initiate the checklist. If the checklist is

interrupted, you may forget to resume it or may inadvertently skip an

item.

Whenever you are interrupted—and you will be—pause before

addressing the interruption to form an implementation plan. Create a

reminder cue if practical. For example, if your checklist is interrupted,

hold it in your hand instead of putting it down. Prominent cues are the

most effective. For instance, if you have turned the fuel shutoff valve

off for ground maintenance, tie a large ribbon on it as a reminder.

When multitasking, performing a

procedural step out of sequence, or

substituting an atypical procedural step

for an habitual one, treat the situation

as if it had a red caution flag. Form an

implementation plan and create

reminder cues. If other people are

available, enlist them to help you

remember.

Execute procedural tasks in a

deliberate, systematic manner, which

helps us notice visual cues and

maintain the flow of cues and triggers

that supports habit. Above all, avoid

rushing, regardless of time pressure.

Rushing at best saves a few seconds,

and it increases our vulnerability to

these and other types of errors

enormously.

Recognizing why we are all vulnerable

to these sorts of memory lapses can

help us develop our own reminder

techniques specific to the kinds of aircraft we fly and the kinds of flying we do.

I invite readers to share situations in which they have found themselves most

vulnerable, countermeasures they have used and their perspectives on which

things work best.

Reprinted from: “How we Forgot,” Key Dismukes. Aviation Safety Magazine, August 2017.

VT-10 Example

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Our mighty T-6A is a highly equipped and capable aircraft. It includes a

modern navigation suite that will likely remain unchanged for the

foreseeable future. However, the aviation community at-large is an ever-

evolving domain of technology--and we are not exempt from those changes.

Currently, we see this with the sundown of the TACAN (military use

excepted) and the implementation of the extremely useful ADSB

(Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast). So, how does this present

complications or confusion in the squadron with our current technology and

how do we adapt? One issue that arose and continues to plague Primary 1

Instrument Navigation students is the difference among legal GPS/RNAV approach minimum. With the

advancements of satellite navigation capabilities, there are multiple ways to arrive at your final destination

using global position satellites. The appended Federal Aviation Administration article expounds on the

different legal GPS approaches, and further explains why our VT-10 and KLN-900 users are only able to use

lateral navigation (LNAV MDA) minimums.

Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Approaches (APCH)

The expansion of Global Positioning System (GPS)-based instrument approach procedures (IAP), a key element

of NextGen’s Performance Based Navigation (PBN) initiative, provides benefits for pilots and stakeholders.

This fact sheet will focus on the most common navigation specification called “RNP Approach (RNP APCH)”

and titled Area Navigation (RNAV), “RNAV (GPS) Rwy XX”. These procedures offer several lines of minima

to accommodate varying levels of aircraft equipage and airport environments without requiring additional

navigation equipment at the airport. This promotes airport efficiency and access, pilot flexibility and operational

safety.

Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV)

Pilots can take advantage of the improved accuracy of Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) lateral and

vertical guidance with LPV minimums. Pilots fly to a decision altitude (DA) and the angular guidance provided

increases in sensitivity as the aircraft gets closer to the runway (or point in space for helicopters). To aid pilots

in transferring their ILS flying skills to these vertically guided RNP approaches, lateral and vertical deviations

are nearly identical at similar distances. As of February 2016 there are over 3,600 LPV lines of minima serving

1,762 airports.

Lateral Navigation/Vertical Navigation (LNAV/VNAV)

Horizontal and approved vertical guidance is also available to the LNAV/VNAV line of minima. LNAV/VNAV

utilizes approved vertical guidance offered by WAAS and approach certified baro-VNAV systems. Minimums

are published as a DA. When conducting these operations to a DA, the pilot must adhere to any procedural

temperature limitations unless employing temperature compensation under an authorization from ATC. As of

February 2016 there are over 3,500 LNAV/ VNAV lines of minima serving 1,669 airports.

Localizer Performance without Vertical Guidance (LP) and Lateral Navigation (LNAV)

Pilots may use WAAS-enabled GPS systems for LNAV, but WAAS is not mandatory. WAAS equipment is

mandatory for LP. LP minima are added in locations where terrain or obstructions do not allow publication of

vertically guided LPV minima. Lateral sensitivity increases as an aircraft gets closer to the runway (or point in

space for helicopters). LP is not a fail-down mode for LPV; LP and LPV are independent. LNAV is not a fail-

down mode for LP. LP will not be published with lines of minima that contain approved vertical guidance (i.e.

LNAV/VNAV or LPV).

The Skinny on Satellite Navigation -Capt Brian “2-String” Hampton and the FAA

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Both LP and LNAV lines of minima are Minimum Descent Altitudes (MDA) rather than DAs. It is possible to

have LP and LNAV minima published on the same approach chart. Based on criteria, designers should only

publish LP minima if it provides lower minima than LNAV. As of February 2016 there are over 600 LP lines of

minima at 436 airports and over 6,000 LNAV lines of minima at 2,747 airports. Terms and Concepts

Advisory Vertical Guidance

Depending on the manufacturer, WAAS-enabled GPS units might provide advisory vertical guidance in

association with LP or LNAV minima. The manufacturer should use a notation to distinguish advisory vertical

guidance (e.g. LNAV+V). The system includes an artificially created advisory glide path from the final

approach x to the touchdown point on the runway. The intent is to aid the pilot in flying constant descent to the

MDA. LNAV+V is not the same as LNAV/VNAV or LPV. Pilots must use the barometric altimeter as the

primary altitude reference to meet all altitude restrictions. Advisory vertical guidance is not required and is an

optional capability.

Approved Vertical Guidance

Approved vertical guidance provides operational benefit permitting the use of the LPV, LNAV/VNAV and ILS

lines of minima. WAAS vertical guidance can support LPV minima as low as 200 feet AGL. Approved vertical

guidance is available on LNAV/VNAV minima and existed before the WAAS system was certified. At that

time, only aircraft equipped with a flight management system (FMS) and certified baro-VNAV systems could

use the LNAV/VNAV minimums. Today, LNAV/VNAV minima may be own using approved WAAS

equipment. Pilots must use the barometric altimeter in a similar fashion for ILS, LPV, and LNAV/VNAV

minima.

Barometric Aiding (Baro-Aiding)

Barometric aiding is an integrity augmentation that allows a GPS

system to use a non-satellite input source (e.g. the aircraft pitot-static

system) to provide vertical reference and reduces the number of required satellites from five to four. Baro-

aiding requires four satellites and a barometric altimeter input to detect

an integrity anomaly. The current altimeter setting may need to be

entered into the receiver as described in the operating manual. Baro-

aiding satisfies the Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring

(RAIM) requirement in lieu of a fifth satellite.

Barometric Vertical Navigation (Baro-VNAV)

Baro-VNAV uses barometric altitude information from the aircraft’s

pitot-static system and air data computer to compute vertical guidance

for the pilot. The specified vertical path is typically computed between two waypoints or an angle from a single

way point. When using baro-VNAV guidance, the pilots should check for any published temperature limitations

on the approach chart which may result in approach restrictions.

Reprinted from: “NEXTGEN Satellite-Enabled Approach Procedures,” FAA Advisory.

For more information please refer to the following: Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Paragraphs: 1-1-

17, 1-1-18, 5-1-16, and 5-4-5 / Advisory Circulars AC 90-105, 90-107.

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Fall is indicative of the air becoming a bit more brisk, hurricane season coming to an end, and football season

steaming into full motion. During this time of the year many of us participate in America’s sport by means of

house parties, relentless ESPN tracking, cyclic highlight reviews and the ultimate display of fandom -

tailgating. Like anything in life, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail– this does not exempt tailgating for

football games. This article should help those football followers, die-hard gridiron enthusiasts, and the armchair

quarterbacks remain safe while enjoying

America’s sport to the fullest. Below are some

extremely helpful tips to safely execute your

most beloved football festivities. Whether the

tailgate serves as a chance to grill some food, or

enjoy a cold beverage, it's the perfect pre-game

tradition. 21st Century Insurance has some

tailgating safety tips to keep your family and

friends safe while they're getting ready for the big

game.

Tailgating Party Tips from 21st Century

Insurance

In some parts of the country, tailgating is an art

form. For example, at Louisiana State University,

more than two-thirds of fans spend five hours

tailgating before a game. That art form includes

picking the right vehicle to drive to the game,

bringing some games, and stocking up on the

right supplies. Beyond the all-important food and

beverage choice, here are a few things to

remember before you head off to the big game.

Be sure to put plenty of ice in your cooler,

particularly if you are bringing raw or uncooked

meat. It's important to keep meat cold before

cooking to prevent food poisoning.

Pigskin Parties -Capt Brian Hampton and 21

st Century Insurance

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If you're grilling, make sure to bring

a fire extinguisher.

After your tailgate is finished, throw

away all food that may spoil.

Leftovers may be tempting after the

game, but they may also be

dangerous.

If you're using a charcoal grill, make

sure to cool the coals properly

before putting them in a garbage

container or back in your car.

Make sure you can see properly and

that there are no items in your way,

such as bottle or cans before

starting to drive.

If any guests have been drinking

alcohol, make sure they don't get

behind the wheel. They may think

they're sober after the exhilaration

of the game, but it's more important

to be safe.

The Keys to Hosting a Great Tailgating Party

One essential element to any great party is the food, and a tailgating party is no different. Whether you bring

pizzas or grill burgers, hot dogs or brats, make sure you have plenty of food to enjoy. Another key to the party

is drinks. If you're serving alcohol, make sure people are being safe in how much they drink or play it safe by

not serving alcohol. Music and other entertainment are also important: make sure to bring along some classic

pre-game tunes and a football or two to throw around.

The key to making your party a success is tailgating safety. If you are smart, and follow the above guidelines,

your guests will be healthy and safe, before, during, and after the game.

Reprinted from: “Safety Tips for Your Next Big Tailgate,” 21st Century Insurance, 2017.

<http://www.21st.com>

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I am certain no one desires to have a Griswold Christmas dinner (specifically, the dehydrated turkey dinner).

Personally, I begrudgingly eat turkey prepared by someone other than myself since it’s possible for it to be

dryer than Lafayette County, FL, or that maybe the preparer forgot to remove the innards during its time on the

burner. So instead, I prepare my own. I’ve had some failures, also many successes. Below you will find one of

the finer fried turkey recipes I have come across yet.

Try it out and share the

wealth with your squadron-

mates. But before you do –

practice some well-known

turkey frying safety tips.

FRYING SAFETY TIPS

1. Keep outdoor fryers

off decks, out of garages,

and a safe distance away

from trees and other

structures.

2. Make sure the turkey

is thawed and dry before

cooking. Ice or water that

mixes into the hot oil can

cause flare-ups.

3. Watch the weather.

Never operate a fryer

outdoors in the rain or snow.

4. Place the fryer on a

level surface, and avoid

moving it once it's in use.

5. Leave two feet

between the tank and the

burner when using a

propane-powered fryer.

6. Follow the

manufacturer's instructions

to avoid overfilling. Oil can

ignite when it makes contact

with the burner.

7. Choose a smaller turkey for frying. A bird that's 8 to 10 pounds is best; pass on turkeys over 12 pounds.

8. Never leave fryers unattended.

9. Purchase a fryer with temperature controls, and watch the oil temperature carefully. Cooking oil that is

heated beyond its smoke point can catch fire. If you notice the oil is smoking, turn the fryer off.

It’s Turkey Time -Capt Brian Hampton and State Farm Insurance

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10. Turn off the burner before lowering the turkey into the oil. Once the turkey is submerged, turn the

burner on.

11. Wear goggles to shield your eyes, use oven mitts to protect your hands and arms, and keep a grease-

rated fire extinguisher close by.

12. Skip the stuffing when frying turkey, and avoid water-based marinades.

13. Keep children and pets away from the fryer at all times.

14. Once finished, carefully remove the pot from the burner, place it on a level surface and cover to let the

oil cool overnight before disposing.

15. Opt for oil-less fryer. This uses infrared heat, rather than oil, to cook the turkey.

Reprinted from: “15 Turkey Fryer Safety Tips,” State Farm Insurance, 2017.

<http://www.statefarminsurance.com>

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LT Chris “Show” Haddy

On 4 April 2017, Lieutenant Haddy demonstrated exceptional

initiative, Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures

Standardization (NATOPS) knowledge, and superb airmanship while

experiencing abnormal engine vibrations and a significant degradation

in flight performance of a T-6A.

While conducting a formation flight in Alert Area 292, Lieutenant

Haddy noticed a significant engine vibration occurring when the

power control lever (PCL) was retarded to below 14% torque. He

elected to knock off training after the second in-flight occurrence and

troubleshoot the malfunction. Lieutenant Haddy elected to climb to

6000’ above Jack Edwards Airport (KJKA) for troubleshooting and

determine the options for recovery.

After completing a controllability check and beginning the

Precautionary Emergency Landing (PEL) emergency procedure,

Lieutenant Haddy set 4-6 % torque. Set to verify known indications

for the Emergency Landing Profile (ELP) flight parameters, the crew observed an increase in vibrations and

associated noises from the engine with an increase in the rate of descent. The wing aircraft, led by Lieutenant

Commander David Myers, queried Pensacola approach for a potential priority routing into Naval Air Station

Pensacola and was informed that the Blue Angels were flying for another hour.

Based on this information, Lieutenant Haddy elected to perform a PEL into KJKA with a higher than normal

power setting of approximately 14% (to minimize the engine vibrations). He then selected flaps landing at high

key to help increase drag and slow the plane with the higher power setting. Lieutenant Haddy aimed for a

shallower approach to the runway, initiating flare early to allow transition time below the 14% power setting

and the increased drag profile. Lieutenant Haddy landed uneventfully and taxied clear while the airplane

continued to produce the abnormal noises and vibrations. Following multiple hours of maintenance

troubleshooting and an unsuccessful Functional Check Flight, it was determined that the engine should be

replaced as an internal failed component was suspected and the engine was within 40 hours of high time

replacement.

Lieutenant Haddy’s actions epitomize the talent, dedication, and commitment to professional mission

accomplishment found throughout CNATRA. His calm demeanor, procedural knowledge, and mission

execution drives home the point that strong knowledge of both NATOPS procedures and aircraft systems are

critical to the safety culture and mission accomplishment throughout the Naval Aviation enterprise!

BRAVO ZULU to LT Haddy on a job well done!

VT-10 Safety Pro

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Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the shop

My elves were a fixin’

My sleigh for the Hop.

The weather was checked

And the part A was signed,

I had plenty of crewrest,

And sound states of mind.

The reindeer were ready

All fed and at peace.

I called in the Tower,

“Saint Nick for release.”

They cleared me for takeoff

We shot through the sky.

The weather was nasty

But we gave it a try.

The ceiling was low

Visibility poor.

Just keeping it level

Was often a chore.

We descended through fog

Towards our first destination

To fly in this weather

Required true dedication.

I turned on to base leg

And lowered my skids

So anxious to get all

Those gifts to the kids.

But Tink my copilot

Then said with a frown,

“Indications reveal that

Our skids are not down!”

Tink looked down to see

That our right skid was standing

However our left

Was still up for the landing.

Upset and confused,

Hit the gage with my fist

But settled myself and

Pull out my checklist.

I thumbed the right pages

And loudly I said,

“Check airspeed, pull CB,

Then handcrank the skid!”

Tink cranked and he cranked

But the skid didn’t budge

So before I proceeded

I ate some more fudge.

Rudolph looked worried

And Prancer looked glum

Comet was silent

And dancer was numb.

We spotted the rooftop

So continued our glide

I wanted to land on

The good down-skid side.

I tied down the presents

And donned my O2

We locked tight our harness

My procedures I knew!

Just prior to touchdown

I shifted my weight.

We touched down quite softly

And rolled out quite straight.

The sled stopped its movement

The aircrew was fine

All presents still bundled

Was all a good sign.

I slid down the chimney

With a hearty “ho, ho!”

And when I returned

Tink had something to show.

He repaired the skid

With a twist of his pliers

And taped up a splice of

Electrical wires.

I was happy to see

We were ready to go.

And soon we were not

On that rooftop no mo’.

We finished the evening

With not even a glitch.

But I’d like to conclude

With this relevant pitch.

I knew my procedures

Didn’t break any rules

And those who do otherwise

Are nothing but fools.

Twas the Night Before Christmas -Sandy Clause

WILDCATS

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WILDCAT ETHICS

Safety is realized through thoughtful planning and execution. Do not accept

unnecessary risk, make risk decisions at the right level, and only accept risk

when the benefits outweigh the costs.

Developing and maturing a risk-attuned perspective for work, home, and

recreational activities is essential in our profession. We make the amazing

appear routine through methodical planning and execution, and by not

accepting unnecessary risk. In a training environment we must manage

dynamic situations according to NATOPS, SOP, and good headwork. Good

headwork matures over time with experience and exposure. But even the most

junior Wildcat can see when something is out of norm and step in to stop an

incident from maturing to a mishap. Capture error at the earliest point in the

error troika before it cascades to a mishap. This applies both on and off duty.

The 'blue threat' or 'off-duty mishaps' also represent a high source of mishaps

across the Navy. You all, are an essential resource that I need to maintain

command mission effectiveness. You all, are also Wildcat safety

representatives. Be smart, think critically about what you are about to do, and

don't accept unnecessary risk.

Fly, Fight, Lead!