Rod Machado’s “In-Flight Emergencies” no sample

Rod explains why he created this course and shares one of the most important lessons you will ever learn about handling in-flight emergencies.

Rod reveals the structural strength of a typical GA airplane (doors, wings and propellers) and also explores airframe fatigue…a real concern with our aging GA fleet.

Split flaps can be a serious issue if it catches you unaware. While it is more common in home-built airplanes, it can happen in certificated airplanes as well and pilots should be familiar with this condition and how to handle it.

Aerodynamic flutter is a risk at higher airspeeds, especially divergent flutter which can be extremely dangerous. Rod explains the types of flutter, causes, and their relationship to Vne.

Can you fly an airplane with ailerons that are frozen in place or locked up partially deflected? The answer is yes, but only if you know exactly what to do…and that’s what Rod demonstrates in this video.

If your rudder fails in flight, can you still fly? Rod says yes…in fact his students try to do it all the time. While most pilots do fine without a rudder, he describes one condition where a rudder failure can be a real and serious threat.

This might be the scariest of all control surface failures, but good news…there are 6 ways you can change the pitch of an airplane without using elevator. Rod reviews each of them along with an in-cockpit demonstration.

There is one symptom that will alert you to a propeller blade failure. Learn what to do if it happens in-flight, and how to recognize potential issues during the preflight inspection.

Rod shares a simple preflight check that can alert you to potential problems with a constant speed propeller. He explains the different ways a constant speed propeller can fail and what you should do in each case.

With the exception of a few airplanes, an open door is not damaging. Distraction is the real danger here. The best procedure for an open door in flight might surprise you, but Rod validates it with real-world examples.

Learn why sleeker, faster, retractable-gear airplanes are more likely to experience in-flight structural failure as opposed to their more bulbous, strutted and slower moving counterparts.

Rod explains the ONE BIG THING you should do if you lose control of your airspeed. You’ll learn how an airliner used this technique to recover from losing 34,000 feet of altitude in just sixty-three seconds.

Fact: ninety-nine percent of the time an airplane comes apart in flight, it’s in IMC conditions. Rod explains the perils of spatial disorientation and the three things you must do if you experience vertigo in IMC.

How dangerous is clear air turbulence? Rod provides facts and statistics that will put your mind at ease. However, there is one type of “clear air” turbulence that can bring an airplane out of the sky and must be avoided.

Experiencing Avgas fumes in an airplane is serious business. It is abnormal and should be treated as such. Rod tells you what to check for in this situation and what you should never, ever do.

Engine fires during start-up are also a serious problem, and this tends to be more common on cold days. Learn which noise can tip you off that there are flames under your airplane and what to do if this happens.

Nine out of ten in-flight fires are electrical, and the toxicity of the fumes represents the greatest danger. The good news…you are almost guaranteed a safe outcome by doing one thing, which Rod covers in this video.

Rod explains a four-step procedure that can put out an engine fire and get you on the ground as quickly as possible. Includes a short training segment followed by a brief in-cockpit demonstration.

What do you do when the alternator puts out too much electrical energy? Learn why this is a dangerous situation and what steps you should take to correct it (hint: it’s different in VFR and IFR conditions).

In this case, your alternator is not putting out enough electrical energy. This condition can be difficult to detect. Rod gives you tips to diagnose this problem early, and concrete steps to take if encountered in-flight.

Rod addresses the two main categories of autopilot emergencies. The first is when a pilot doesn’t understand how the autopilot works. The second is when the electric trim and autopilot are not working together.

Discover an important fact about carb ice that most pilots don’t know…and how it can lead to trouble. Rod explains why it’s important to use carb heat as both an anti-ice and de-ice device, and when and how to do it.

Many pilots fly airplanes having a fuel injection system. These airplanes don’t have carburetors, so they can’t get carburetor ice. But they can get induction system icing which Rod explains in this video.

Fact one: only 4.8 percent of emergency landings result in fatalities. Fact two: 25 percent of these fatal accidents occur following engine failure on takeoff. Rod provides more interesting statistics.

Rod shares his three golden rules for an off-field landing. They are easily committed to memory and can be a real life-saver.

Rod demonstrates a simple trick that can get you to best glide speed without looking at the airspeed indicator. He also discusses an airspeed that will keep you aloft for the maximum amount of time.

Rod discusses his process for evaluating fields, roads, forests, bodies of water and other off-field landing options. He cites statistics that can help you in choosing the safest landing site, as well as pros and cons of each option.

Once you are committed to an off-field landing, there are six things you must always do to prepare the cockpit before touching down. There is also one thing you should NEVER do which Rod will explain.

Landing a wheeled airplane on water is highly survivable, provided you put it down on the right spot in the right configuration, and do a few critical things after landing. Rod reviews the “orient, move and locate” technique.

Airplane cockpits are required to handle a 9G load limit before they seriously deform. In an emergency, if you can land and decelerate without pulling more than 9Gs, then you and your cockpit should remain intact. Rod explains how.

The greater the distance used to stop the airplane, the less the damage to the airplane and its contents. At 50 knots, if we stop in no less than 12.3 feet, we will experience no more than 9Gs. Rod walks through several examples like this that are highly useful.

What do you do if you put the gear handle down, and one or more gear won’t extend? Rod walks you through the four steps you should use in this situation to land safely and minimize damage to your aircraft.