Warning Horns

[Ghost-Rider]

WARNING HORN
On most general aviation aircraft the only warning horn is the Stall Warning. Experimental aircraft differ in that the warning horn is often integrated into several systems. Canopy, Temperature, Nose Gear, Alternator, Throttle and so on.  Safety is always an issue and I know some builders are going to disagree with my next statement, but I don’t care for warning horns. I have been in EZ’s that have a Canopy – Throttle combo. If you accelerate with the canopy open the warning horn goes off, prompting you to ensure the canopy is closed prior to takeoff. While this can be viewed as a safety feature, try taxiing down a long taxiway on a hot day trying to get ADIS information, or better yet has anyone ever been at an airport they are unfamiliar with and had to request a progressive taxi? Try doing that with the warning horn going off. I look at it this way, Like most people, I learned to fly in a General Aviation aircraft that didn’t have a warning horn for the doors should they accidentally open in flight, besides do you think the canopy could be opened without you knowing it, I think not. And as far as the Nose Gear and Takeoff goes, if you do what the FAA suggest you should do and follow a check list, these problems can be greatly reduced. I will argue with anyone, landing with the nose wheel up baring a malfunction is Pilot Error.

As Always comments and opinions are always welcome and productive.

Ghost.

[Waiter]

YES, I AGREE WITH YOU 100%.

When you start putting every thing on the same warning horn, the tendancy is to ignore it, trivialize it, or start troubleshooting the different things that can make this horn sound. DON'T DO THIS.

In the art and science of alarm management,
1) prioritize, the most important alarm raises the flag the highest, makes the loudest noise, etc.
2) don't trivialize alarms If its worth an alarm, give the operator the ability to quickly identify the source. I like the MASTER CAUTION and the ALARM PANEL found in most military aircraft
3) do not false alarm, EVER
4) give the operator a way out (reset or mute)

It doesn't make sense to put the stall warning and the gear warning on the same horn. After 100 times of hearing the stall warning horn just before touchdown, I bet on time 101 when its the gear that produced the alarm, it will be ignored, just as it was the first 100 times.

On every retractable aircraft I've flown, (small singles to 4 engine jets) the gear warning horn is stand alone, it is not shared by other alarms, it is so load and obnotous (did I misspell that again?), that you cannot talk on the radio, you cannot converse with passangers, you cannot hear other alarms, and in several cases (L39 jet with a klaxon horn 2 ft from your helmet) you can't even think.

Normally, every person on the aircraft can hear it, and know that somethings up.

This is as it should be.

When the horn goes off, you will not ignore it. This now becomes your Number one priority.  At this moment in time, the engine fire, or the  passanger thats having a heart attack, and your trying to get on the ground ASAP, now become secondary.

At this point one of two things have happened;

1) You forgot to put the gear down (ops). In this case, I put the gear down and promply appologize  to my passangers for not informing them that this horn was going to go off momentarly. (You think I'm going to tell them I forgot??)

or

2) You have decided not put the gear down for some reason, and everyone has been briefed that the horn is going to go off. In this case you hit the mute button but have assigned someone to nag the hell out of you to remember to put the gear down.

If you don't carry other crew members, The Mute should have some kind of timer or reset that if the gear has not been lowered within a period of time, the horn blows again.

With all this said,  I would love it everyone reading this forum would make this a top priority.  I have a lot of flight time, most of it in complex aircraft. Having a reliable gear warning system provides me with a very valuable option.

Waiter

[Charles Davis]

My idea is to have the auto gear extension (AEX) module that comes with the Wilhelmson nose lift, and not have that circuit on a horn.

The horn will only be used when the throttle is advanced past 80% with the canopy latch not secure.

I think the difference with a EZ airplane is that an open canopy can be a serious safety of flight issue, whereas an open door on a Cessna is a nuisance that is not.

[Drew]

<snip>I think the difference with a EZ airplane is that an open canopy can be a serious safety of flight issue, whereas an open door on a Cessna is a nuisance that is not.<snip>

I have already checked that block---and will never check that block again (even though I have no warning system).  When I added power for takeoff at Chino airport, it sounded different in the cockpit but I could not quite put my finger on it (with the canopy latched, it actually muffles the sound quite a bit more than with it down and not latched).  After getting 50 or so feet in the air, the canopy lifted up to the saftey catch.  I immediately slowed to min flight speed (I usually accel to 120 mph for climb speed).  My wife grabbed the canopy brace and helped me shut it with no further issues.  The reason it will never happen to me again is that I only taxi with the canopy in two positions----down and latched, or open.  What bit me on this particular flight was taxiing with the canopy closed and not latched-----don't do this.

[Charles Davis]

Drew, thanks for the great advice... very smart.

[Dan Patch]

[code]

WARNING HORN
On most general aviation aircraft the only warning horn is the Stall Warning...

Assuming that they are fixed gear, but that's not relevant to EZs with a retractable gear.  All of the GA retractables I've flown have had a warning horn on the gear.    


Safety is always an issue and I know some builders are going to disagree with my next statement, but I don’t care for warning horns....

Count me in the 'don't agree' group.  Actually, on second thought, I suppose that I don't care for warning horns either, in the sense that you are not supposed to "care for warning horns"!  You are supposed to HATE them and do whatever it takes to be sure that you never have to hear them (short of not having one at all!).  I like Waiter's approach to designing warning systems in general, and to warning horns in particular - on board, armed, and LOUD!  Our planes are somewhat unique in that the most critical warning is for an open canopy rather than a gear-up warning since open canopies have definitely killed EZ pilots, and gear-up landings have not, at least to my knowledge.  


I have been in EZ’s that have a Canopy – Throttle combo. If you accelerate with the canopy open the warning horn goes off, prompting you to ensure the canopy is closed prior to takeoff. While this can be viewed as a safety feature, try taxiing down a long taxiway on a hot day trying to get ADIS information, or better yet has anyone ever been at an airport they are unfamiliar with and had to request a progressive taxi? Try doing that with the warning horn going off....

The warning system limits were incorrectly set on these aircraft or the tires were flat.  The horn should never go off under the low power needed to taxi - mine certainly doesn't.  Should not be an issue.  


....besides do you think the canopy could be opened without you knowing it, I think not...

Absolutely wrong, as demonstrated by a number of canardians that are no longer with us - they were killed in canopy-opening accidents.  If in doubt, do an accident search in back issues of the Canard Pusher - it's available online for your searching pleasure.  Please, lets not kill any more this way!
 

And as far as the Nose Gear and Takeoff goes, if you do what the FAA suggest you should do and follow a check list, these problems can be greatly reduced. I will argue with anyone, landing with the nose wheel up baring a malfunction is Pilot Error....

Yeah, that's the "l always, ALWAYS use the check list so I'll never make that dumb mistake" argument.  I hear it all the time.  Reminds me of two canardians that I personally knew very well.  Thousands of hours, multi-engine, instrument rated, ex-military, and CFIIs.  Flew by the book.  Always used checklists.  Both told me very emphatically that there was NO WAY they would ever land gear up because only beginner pilots with their heads up 'you know where' would ever do something as dumb as not use a checklist and then land gear up.  Neither one installed a warning system.  BOTH of them had a gear up landing less than six months after their first flights in their EZs.  After repairing the damage, they both installed warning systems.  I wouldn't argue that landing with the wheels up or having the canopy open in mid-air is not pilot error; but that's pretty thin consolation at your funeral and particularly the funeral of your passenger.  Check the accidents for EZs and let's not rediscover the same old preventable mistakes.  

Please excuse me for being so strident - it's definitely not my style; but I've been in the EZ community a long time (24+ years) and have lost some really good friends, some for no good reason whatsoever.  That's when it really, really hurts!  And after a while, the waste of it also makes you a little angry.        

Blue skies!

[Ghost-Rider]

The really great think about these types of discussions are the varied points of view. I should point out that as a first time Canard builder ( I have build other aircraft ) I don’t know everything about them. As I stated in my first post, I welcome comments, opinions and concurring/opposing points of view. I believe these types of interactions benefit the entire flying community because a tragedy in the canard community is also a tragedy in the aviation community. Maybe the fact that there are so many variations out there makes it difficult to decide what a builder should or shouldn’t incorporate in their homebuilt.

I will continue to ask questions and take polls on issues I am unclear on and hopefully this insight will help me build a safe aircraft.

As far as the warning horn goes, I’ve learned the following:

1)   Don’t integrate it with other systems
2)   An Open Canopy can Kill, A retracted gear will damage
3)   Configured properly it will go off only when you need it to.

In conclusion, I am going to re-evaluate my position on not installing a warning horn.

To the EZ community, I thank you.

Ghost

[Anonymous]

[c!
 

And as far as the Nose Gear and Takeoff goes, if you do what the FAA suggest you should do and follow a check list, these problems can be greatly reduced. I will argue with anyone, landing with the nose wheel up baring a malfunction is Pilot Error....

Yeah, that's the "l always, ALWAYS use the check list so I'll never make that dumb mistake" argument.  I hear it all the time.

I use my checklists and have a gear/canopy horn.  I also use a last chance mental checklist  prior to takeoff and landing.  Ensure mixture and carb heat are firewalled,  boost pump on, and nose gear down.

My takeoff checklist has expanded.  On a stopover flight,  I would sometimes forget to input the proper heading on my horizontal gyro.

Flying is always double checking your systems and keeping your SA going.

Jack

[Drew]

In addition to warning systems, another thing to think about is your aircraft trying to talk to you.  Before taking off on the flight where my canopy lifted, my plane was trying to talk to me----and I ignored it----listen to your airplane.  

On two occasions, I rolled in the groove with my gear still up (I was distracted in the cockpit by something else).  On both occasions the plane was "talking" to me (speed, pwr setting, descent rate, general "feel" of the airplane was not right).  On both occasions, I listened and found the gear to be still up---solved the problem in plenty of time-----but not happy.

The point is----pay attention to what your plane is trying to tell you.  Configuration, engine health, cracked pipes, cracked engine mount, etc.  It is rare (thankfully) that something catestrophic happens to an EZ.  The plane is usually nagging at you for a while (for landing---the nag time is just not very long----but there nonetheless).  Warning systems are good---but don't rely on them for your only source of information.  I have known people to land aircraft gear up with the warning horn blaring.  I have know people to push the defeat button ----only to be bitten by it later.  I have known people to be careless since they think the warning system is protecting them (even though they can fail).

For the canopy, you can greatly reduce risk by only accepting 2 positions----down and locked-----and up.  Then put on a warning system----but I would change your habit first.

Always brief your passenger on aircraft configuration changes and let them know that they are part of the crew.  My passenger should always hear that the gear and board is down------if they did not, it isn't---speak up.  They should also hear that I am putting the gear up on takeoff.

Warning systems, good habits, crew concept (if flying with a passenger)-----don't rely on just one----use them all.

[Dan Patch]

In addition to warning systems, another thing to think about is your aircraft trying to talk to you....snip....  Warning systems, good habits, crew concept (if flying with a passenger)-----don't rely on just one----use them all.

Nicely stated, Drew.  I agree completely.  Listen to the plane and use every available resource!  I try to use what I call the 'Plan C' concept in whatever I'm doing when flying.  Plan A is the active plan, Plan B is the backup that's thought out well in advance and ready to go, and Plan C is for when things aren't going at all like you expected.  If I don't have at least a Plan C in mind, then I'm not going to be a happy camper.  'Plan A only' MO is a sure route to an accident - sooner or later.  

Yeah Jack, my checklist has expanded too.    
Visually check the gas caps (again) and check that the landing brake is retracted (again) before hitting the throttle made my list the usual way - "Oops, now how did I do that!"  Not making mistakes is not human, but not learning from mistakes (your own or much better, those of others) at some point becomes not smart.  I continue to struggle to try to 'be smart', with varying degrees of success, to be sure.

[Waiter]

You mentioned about Canopy procedures;
EXCELLENT -  Like you, this is one I picked up in the military and also apply it to my EZ.   I operate my canopy in one of three positions;

1) Completely open

2) Closed,  BUT resting on top of the locks (1 inck gap all the way around

3) Completely closed AND locked.

NEVER CLOSE THE CANOPY WITHOUT LOCKING IT - Although I do have a canopy warning horn installed, I've never heard it go off,  except for the occational test while in the parking spot. I don't attribute this to great airmanship, just my policy about canopy closure.

If your getting false alarms on your canopy warning system, It might be your sensing switch configuration.

I have two switches on the throttle, one senses full IDLE (good for landing gear) and the other senses FULL throttle (good for canopy)

I'll get a couple photos of the switches this week end and post them on my web site.  www.iflyez.com

Waiter

[Anonymous]

In addition to warning systems, another thing to think about is your aircraft trying to talk to you....snip....  Warning systems, good habits, crew concept (if flying with a passenger)-----don't rely on just one----use them all.

.

Head on a swivel, scanning your gauges and having gameplan.  I brief the speedbreak noise and still can freak out newbies.

I have been doing some CG and other small changes.  One thing that these have changed is the cruise and landing attitude. Basically it's more nose down with the added speed gained. Still kinda of weird at first.

My takeoff and landing checklists are taped right to my dash. I also carry a fairly extensive kneeboard checklists.

When you have just done some work or added something. Tis something to be watching or listening for inflight. Since most owner/builders perform their own Mx work solo. You really want to double if not triple check those  safety of flight repairs. A plug popping out of a hole and you just lost 25% of your power.

I also have a rear view mirror mounted by my head. Works out pretty well for checking my pax and motor. I also carry a bigger mirror to check the cowl and prop for problems.  On a long cross country, will hang the bigger mirror off a suction cup hook off the canopy.

EZs are pretty KISS and just need some TLC.

Stay safe;

Jack