Interesting to come from a New Zealand newspaper but anyway. Australia can generally rely on three things every summer, sudden and destructive storms, lots of bushfires and extreme heat. The New Zealand Herald has reported today on the extreme heatwave that is about to hit our fair land, particular on the eastern side of the country.
Whilst this is not an aviation related story it should ring warning bells for pilots on a number of fronts.
First, hydration. It gets hot in those little aircraft, particularly on the ground. Keep hydrated. Dehydration can cause nausea, muscle cramps, heart palpitations, light headedness and weakness. None of these are particularly beneficial to someone trying to pilot an aircraft. Always take a bottle of water with you, wear a hat and if you start feeling the symptoms then you should think twice about taking off. Remember our human factors training was for a reason.
The second issue with high heat is on aircraft performance. The figures published in your aircraft's flight manual, usually the figures we religiously adhere to, are always related to standard atmosphere at sea level (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Atmosphere#ICAO_Standard_Atmosphere). If we have a hot day, the effect is like altitude, the air is less dense. What this means for a pilot is that the aircraft will require a longer take off roll, will have a poor rate of climb, a faster approach speed and will require more runway to land.
So if you are enjoying longer holidays than I had and are planning to go out for a fly, please be aware of these important factors and have a safe flight. As the saying goes, taking of is optional, landing is mandatory.
