Return to flying after COVID

by Bernard Pichette, Transport Canada, General Flight Standards Inspector (retired)

Summer is at our door… and so is FLYING on and off beautiful lakes and scenic rivers. Don’t we all want to get out of the house and taste the magical freedom of flying again? There’s no better way than on a pair of floats or in an amphibious aircraft, flying over our magnificent northern regions. Whether it’s for preparing the lake camp for the summer, organizing great fishing expeditions, setting up the hunting camp for the fall, or just navigating some of our numerous, jaw-dropping views—no matter what the reasons are to get all excited about float flying, you got stung, and you have the urge to get out there to embrace it all. Let’s make sure you do it safely, for you and your loved ones to fully enjoy this privilege for a whole season.

The last two years were not like most. This year is the year we resurface from COVID lockdowns. There were a lot of short-notice and irregular confinement periods throughout the country. They differed in duration and severity and by provincial regulations, and they affected some of our privileges and our way of life. This summer, one area of great concern to Transport Canada (TC) and the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), as well as to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and most worldwide authorities where Covid restrictions were abruptly and irregularly applied, is the real status of your aircraft, as well as the real status of its pilot.

It has been very difficult for many people to regularly access their airplane (and sometimes aircraft maintenance engineer [AME] support) to adequately perform the short- or long-term storage procedures required by aircraft and engine manufacturers. Today, many pilots and owners are faced with similar difficulties in trying to apply the “return to service” maintenance inspections that are required by those same manufacturers. AMEs and technicians are saturated with work, parts might not be easy to access, and everyone is trying to get back to the skies simultaneously to enjoy what they cherish most. It can’t all happen at once, and it’s not a race. Take the time required to make sure your aircraft and your engine are adequately verified and serviced.

There have been many opportunities for corrosion to take hold in your engine and in the tubular frame sections, and possibly in your fuel system as well, if water gradually accumulated in the tanks and fuel lines all those months. Some manufacturers published special COVID maintenance documentation, with an emphasis on the negative effects the COVID period brought us and the extra verifications to be made. Carry out extra-vigilant inspections. Plastic tubing and wiring could suffer from long-term storage. Make sure to check every bundle and connection for flexibility, damage and wear. Test all your electronic equipment. Verify if your aircraft is listed on airworthiness directives (ADs) and service bulletins (SBs) that were published over the last few months and last year. If so, advise your AME early. Remember, the owner is responsible for all the maintenance to be performed. The AME signs for the job he or she does and is not validating the certificate of airworthiness (CoA). That’s the owner’s responsibility.

If you fly a Cessna 206 and are not already aware, you might be happy to know there is a new approved supplemental type certificate (STC) for the Canadian-developed “split forward cargo door window.” With this modification, the forward cargo door can be opened regardless of the flap settings. It is a valuable timesaver that greatly reduces complications in the unfortunate event of an underwater egress. While on the subject, there are a few providers across the country offering the underwater egress course. While we understand that it might be difficult for some pilots to reach the location of the practical training portion, we strongly recommend that, minimally, you complete the online ground school.

Now that your aircraft is again safe and sound for flight, it’s time to see if the pilot is also fully ready. You most likely renewed your medical using Transport Canada online documentation, or through a video with your physician. Are you really fit to fly? If you smoked, ingested or took any form of cannabis in the last 28 days, you are NOT. If it’s been a while since you have flown your aircraft, maybe this is a good opportunity to review its performance. How about normal and emergency procedures? Checklists? Do you feel comfortable handling any situation, at any time? For sure, arms and feet should work as expected, but is your mind reacting as sharply as it did before? Did you lose a little of this “ease and comfort” you developed while flying in turbulence, lower ceilings and crosswinds? Are your eyes still sharp enough for navigating using the VFR Navigation Chart (VNC)? Are your documents and software up to date?

Do you still master a well-organized way of preparing your flight from A to B, keeping C and D in your pocket for unexpected malfunctions or issues? Do you always establish and follow a preset personal protective limit for winds, ceilings, visibility, daylight, extra fuel, etc., limits that might change over time, but NEVER during your flight? Those limits allow you to take the best corrective action before you end up in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), or before you get stuck so low that your floats are skimming the tree-tops, or before getting in areas where you cannot turn around or land anymore, and before you get so low on fuel that you unconsciously risk anything and/or make bad decisions. Not making it to destination is not a failure if it is because you successfully followed your contingency plan when things turned sour. It takes a strong and capable mindset and good leadership to proceed with your safety plan when any of your preset safety limits are reached. Don’t be shy to share those limits with your passengers before you go. It helps.

While airborne, always be aware of your surroundings. Approaching destination, take the extra minutes to perform a good scan of your landing area. Are there new towers, cables? Did the trees grow enough that they are a concern on approach, go-around or takeoff? What is the best path for landing and for takeoff? Should I expect crosswinds or turbulence during this approach or climb-out? How about downdrafts? Can I stay clear of those? If the wind changes before I take off again, what will be my best path? Will it provide me with the safety margin required? Is the water level lower than usual? Can I see rocks or underwater obstacles on this pass? How about floating debris?

Flying off water surfaces is one of the most exciting and fun experience possible, providing an unparalleled feeling of freedom when done safely and in respect of nature and others. Enjoy your summer.