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How to format a checklist?Am I missing anything in my risk assessment?I have this number of emergency and contingency plans. What else can I add?My operational waiver states that I need duplex communication between the PIC and the VO. What does that mean?
Engine failure (single): fly the plane, and utilize the appropriate airspeed to maintain flight. This is controllable by pitching and rolling into the operative engine and keeping the speed above 30 as a rule of thumb. Land as soon as possible.Engine Failure (dual): maintain airspeed above stall speed, and land in an area with no obstacles. Land into the wind, and do not try to save the aircraft or engines as there is no time. Make a smooth landing and sacrifice the aircraft if there are people in the way.In flight fire: maintain a speed above stall and be sure to try to land away from people. The aircraft will likely be lost, but be sure not to expand the emergency by colliding with other people or objects. Be sure to work on putting out the fire as soon as possible and perhaps dial up the fire department.Loss of connection with controller: trigger the aircraft to remain at the rally point and potentially try to reconnect the controller. Call lafayette tower in the event of a fly away.Loss of GPS: Be sure to use stabilized manual flight and land the aircraft visually. It is not advised to keep flying as the auto function will not work properly.In the event of all emergencies, it is advisable to call 911 if people are at risk of being injured or have been injured including fires. Accidents and incidents will likely need to be reported to dispatch and or the FAA.
Operational Plan
30 Points
Nathan Tyler Rose
Last edited 11 days ago by Jacob Daniel Sieber.
Weekly writing (04/04/2026):
This week, I finished working on my operational plan for the outing where the MFE Believer would be flown. I had a very hard week this week, and I unfortunately had to use all the hours of my late bank to get the work done. I will work to get to bed earlier by doing homework sooner before it is due in the future. Nonetheless, this operational plan is rather thorough, and I completed the attached waiver quiz to 100% completion as well. I am sure it will need to be modified in the future.
Weekly writing (04/11/2026):
This week, some of the other groups in the AT219 class went out to fly their drones for the first time. Group 4 (my group) ended up having a few things unfit to fly for the MFE Believer, so we ended up staying behind to remedy them. We fixed wiring, mode selection on the DATX controller, and many other small software changes were made. We are very close to being ready to fly the aircraft.
Weekly writing (04/18/2026):
This week, we got to fly the Group 4 MFE Believer! Unfortunately, I had a doctor’s appointment near the end of the lab section it was flown in, so I was unable to witness its first flight myself. However, I am told that it went swimmingly, and I look forward to becoming experienced with the platform. In other news, I am continuing working toward a CFI-I checkride, and it should go well.
Weekly writing (04/27/2026):
This week, flight skills were honed in the field for the MFE Believer. I was able to fly the drone personally for the first time, and it came at the cost of a nasty sunburn. I completed several circuits in a left hand traffic pattern, and I was able to hold my ground track, altitude, and speed consistent with what was expected of me. I like to think I eased the stress of my instructor with my skills who was taken aback that I had no flight time. There will be more to come.
Overview
Using the resources below and your experience performing flight operations, complete an operational plan for the flight training missions that we will complete throughout the next 6-7 weeks. The objective is to build a comprehensive operational plan document outlining the training exercise. You may use AI to help you complete this assignment, but you may not copy-paste text directly.
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Resources
Operation ASREC
Objectives
The objective of these operations is to gain experience between novice remote pilots in the realm of unmanned flight. These operations are going to be used to allow members of the AT219 class to practice unmanned flight with the fixed wing MFE Believer. This will be the next step in the line of operating them, as they have been built and practiced with in the simulator earlier. These aircraft will be flown in a series of traffic patterns depending on wind direction in order to gain experience in doing so.
Orientation understanding will be critical for students to understand in these missions, and it is imperative that checklist usage is practiced and maintained. These flights are the final polishing of operator skills for the students, and each skill learned will culminate in one set of actions come the day of the flights. Each task must be completed smoothly and blend seemlessly with the next.
After completing these missions, students should understand how to prepare for, initiate, fly, and return the MFE Believer aircraft, and these aircraft will serve as a down-scaled trainer aircraft for the Windracers Ultra. In theory, if students can fly these, then they will be able to fly the Ultra in a very similar fashion, especially because they use the same controller. Building the basics of fixed wing unmanned flight will be the key goal of educators and students here.
Roles and Responsibilities
There are several roles required for these operations, and each has specialized responsibilities.
Pilot in Command (PIC): This person will be flying the aircraft, and they will be watching the aircraft and paying attention to their SPAS information at the same time. They are the pilot.
Visual Observer (VO): This person will be in charge of maintaining visual contact with the aircraft at all times and alerting the PIC of any changes or problems relating to it. They will also watch out for obstacles and traffic.
Instructor: This person will be in charge of overseeing the flight training in these operations, and they will potentially be able to take controls with a buddy box system if things go awry. They will oversee the operation.
GCS Operator: This person will operate and maintain the ground control station, and they will work with the PIC to make sure the aircraft is flying how it should. They will coordinate mode switches and work the autopilot, making sure the correct point is selected each leg of the pattern.
Operational Area
The operational area will be based around the Eastern side of the ASREC (Animal Sciences Research and Education Center) Purdue Facility. This area consists of a few fields located approximately 6nm Northwest of West Lafayette, Indiana, and it is Relatively devoid of human congestion. Images of the study area can be seen below in Figure 1 with a VFR sectional chart in the top left, an IFR (low) navigational chart in the lower left, and satellite imagery to the right.
Figure 1: Study Area
The above image includes the GPS coordinates of the study area boundaries, and these coordinates are the edges of the airspace file below in this document. The right side of Figure 1 in particular shows the red outline of the area being planned to fly in, and these borders shall not be infringed. This area is included as an amendment to the Part 107 altitude waiver applied for by Clayton Brown. Furthermore, navigational aids near the study area can be seen on the left side of the above figure, and the nearest points include the BVT VOR as well as a host of GPS waypoints.
The study area can be accessed from Purdue University by Driving North on US 52, taking a right onto US 213 at Montmorenci, another right onto W 500 N, and then turning left at the gravel lot. There are no bathrooms here, so such arrangements will have to be made beforehand by visiting parties. There are electrical outlets on the left side of the gravel path which is a part of the red outline of the study area in the airspace on the right in Figure 1. There is also no internet, running water, or places to obtain food, so prior coordination between parties will have to be made.
Checklists
Below, there are three checklists related to the operation of the MFE Believer. First, there is the official Believer checklist, and this is the document with the basics of flight for the aircraft. It should be noted that this, like all checklists, is not perfect and may be subject to change soon. Second, there is the predeparture checklist, and this will highlight all the actions one should take before leaving to the study area. Last, there is the return checklist, and this will highlight all the actions one should take upon returning from operations at the study area. All checklists are important, and close adherence to them will minimize errors in planning, operation, and tear down.
Believer Checklist:
SCALED PLATFORM TRAINING CHECKLIST- DRAFT 2024-08-13 02_32_31.pdf
85.7 KB
Figure 2: Believer Checklist 1
Figure 3: Believer Checklist 2
Pre-departure Checklist
Action
Status
Aircraft
Secured
Aircraft consumable parts
Secured
Aircraft battery
Secured, charged
DATX controller
Secured
DATX battery
Secured, charged
GCS equipment
Secured, charged
Aircraft settings/firmware
Confirmed
Communication equipment
Secured, charged
Operational documents
Secured
Pilot documents
Secured
Safety vest
Secured
Eye/hand protection
Secured
Water/food/bathroom needs
Taken care of
Transportation plans
Groups and routes confirmed
NOTAMS
Checked/released
Weather
Within limits
FRAT
Completed
Operational plan
Go/no go
There are no rows in this table
Return Checklist
Action
Status
Involved parties
Ensure successful travels
Post flight check of aircraft
Complete
Post flight check of controller
Complete
Aircraft battery
Charge
DATX controller battery
Charge
GCS computer
Charge
Flight equipment
Stow properly
Personal/communication device
Charge
Safety vest, gloves, eye protection
Return
Mission data
Secure
Maintenance logs
Record if applicable
Equipment
Check in if applicable
Mission summary
Conduct
There are no rows in this table
Operation Guide
In this section, the checklist headings will be expanded and further detail will be provided. This is in a way the advisory circular to the regulations (checklists headings). Sometimes checklists can be difficult to read and understand, but in this section, these items will be simplified. First, the standard checklist will be expanded, and in particular, the preflight box will be detailed.
Standard Checklist
The preflight box of the standard checklist essentially holds that the operator should ensure that the aircraft’s body, control surfaces, and propellors are in safe condition to fly, and this is accomplished by running the hands over each surface and manipulating moving parts and surfaces. If cracks or damage are found, the aircraft should not be flown. Furthermore, the pitot tube, wiring, and avionics should all be checked for continuity and stable condition with no blocks to performance. The battery checker should be set to a reasonable 3.6 volts, the audible warnings should chime, and the DATX should be placed in safe state.
The power should be turned on to the controller first, and conditions of functions as well as models and modes should be confirmed. Proper communication between components and proper parameters and software should be ensured, and the flight controls should be manipulated to full scale deflection to ensure proper use. Finally, screens should be generally set as desired in flight, and the health status should be monitored before takeoff (with proper BARO setting).
The starting and takeoff sequences ensure that the area is clear for a takeoff, the equipment is sound enough for a takeoff, and the actions of the aircraft do not surprise the crew. Once proper function and configuration settings are ensured, the aircraft may takeoff with the person launching it performing a dual arm overhead throw at 20 degrees. Full throttle and full aft elevator shall be used.
Arrival and return is accomplished by ensuring clearance first, and then the proper modes and flight configuration are ensured before landing. Land start must be made current if in stabilized mode so that go arounds are predictable. Furthermore, a soft landing into the wind should be made for minimum energy on touchdown. Shutdown procedures essentially include the disarming of the aircraft and the removal of the battery to ensure no injury from moving propellors.
Pre-departure Checklist
Essentially, the beginning of the pre-departure checklist holds that the operator needs to collect and ensure the charge of aircraft, controller, and GCS equipment, and it ensures that nothing is left behind. Other operational items such as firmware, parameters, documents, personal protective equipment, and communication equipment are also described. All these items must be brought along, and initial flight planning must take place. After reviewing weather and NOTAMs, flight crews must take the FRAT and discuss operational and transportational plans. Can it be done?
Return Checklist
The return checklist is considerably easier to manage than the others, as it requires less action overall. It basically includes that the crew should return aircraft, controller, and GCS equipment properly, being sure to charge all associated batteries. Post flight inspections of the equipment must also be completed, and this is generally done in order to ensure good operation of the equipment for the next mission. All personal protective equipment and specialty equipment must be maintained or returned, and some of it may have to be returned to dispatch. If any accidents or discrepancies occur, these must also be reconciled. Finally, maintenance logs and mission logs must be recorded, and the day shall continue.
Risk Assessment
The below table is a flight risk assessment matrix (FRAT), and it is essential a risk identification and mitigation diagnostic tool. How it works is that each flight risk source has a question, and each question has a series of risk categories. Each question shall be answered individually, and each answer can sway the tide of the decision to fly or not. Low risk answers will allow the flight to continue, medium risk answers will require a discussion with the flight director or professor on duty, and high risk answers will ground the flight.
This flight risk assessment tool (FRAT) was designed based on the simplistic tool Purdue Aviation uses. Some FRATs get into the weeds and muddy the waters with complex points systems in order to understand risk. This table allows operators to think about the big picture more, and it encourages further discussions to occur whenoperations may be on the border of being a good idea to conduct. It uses AC 107-2 and aims to mitigate flight risks.
Flight Risk Assessment Tool
Risk Source
Low Risk Condition
Medium Risk Condition
High Risk Condition
NOTAMS
N/A
Impede flight
Precipitation
None
Light
Heavy
Winds
Within limits
Near limits
Out of limits
Other weather info.
Within limits
Near limits
Out of limits
Study Area
Clear of obstacles and traffic
Some obstacles and/or traffic
Impedence of operations
Currency
Current
Not current
Proficiency
Proficient
Self doubt
Not proficient
Illness
Healthy
Recovering from sickness
Ill
Medication
None
Unable to fly
Stress
None
Manageable stress
Unmanageable stress
Alcohol
Sober
Hung over
Intoxicated
Fatigue
None
Drowsy/tired
Too fatigued
Emotions
None
Unstable
Flight hindrance
Nutrition
Satisfied
Hungry
Malnourished
Aircraft health
Serviceable
Poor
Terrible
External factors
None
Stressors
Hindrance
Mental clarity/preparedness
Great
Good
Poor
There are no rows in this table
Emergency and Contingency Procedures
There are many emergencies and contingencies which may occur, and they are listed with appropriate remedies below.
Compliance and Approvals
Waiver:
Altitude Part 107 Waiver Clayton Brown.pdf
1.2 MB
Figure 4: Altitude Waiver
The above waiver shows the altitude waiver Clayton Brown has applied for and would be active with this mission set. A few points should be noted, the first of which being that the area in which this plan intends to fly in is currently awaiting the approval of an amendment, and this would allow a wider area of flight than the originally planned area. Secondly, this waiver includes much information relating to the legality of the allowed operations, and this includes the fact that Clayton Brown is ultimately responsible for the goings on in this area. Also, he does not have to be there every time a flight occurs. Lastly, it should be noted that this waiver allows flight to 650 feet AGL, but not currently in the airspace outlined previously. It can not be combined with any other waiver.
Part 107 credentials:
Figure 5: Part 107 Certificate Front
Figure 6: Part 107 Certificate Back
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