TC 3-04.4 (FM 3-04.203) Fundamentals of Flight, 2016 (1)

Fixed-Wing Night Flight

SECTION V – NIGHT EMERGENCIES

9-42. An aviator’s greatest concern about night flight is the possibility of an emergency and the subsequent
landing. This is a legitimate concern, even though continuing flight into adverse weather and poor aviator
judgment account for most serious accidents.

9-43. If an emergency occurs at night, keep the following important procedures and considerations to keep
in mind:

 Focus on flying. If an aviator gets distracted by the emergency, a flyable aircraft could crash.
 Dual engine failure or unable to maintain single engine flight. Maintain positive control of the

airplane and establish the best glide configuration and airspeed. Turn the airplane toward an airport
or away from congested areas. If possible, maintain orientation with the wind to avoid a downwind
landing.
 Check to determine the cause of malfunction, such as position of fuel selectors, switch, or circuit
breaker. If possible, the cause of malfunction must be corrected immediately.
 Announce the emergency situation to ATC or universal integrated communication. If already in
radio contact with a facility, do not change frequencies, unless instructed.
 Forced landing. If the condition of the nearby terrain is known turn towards an unlighted portion
of the area. Plan an emergency approach to an unlighted portion.
 Consider an emergency landing area close to public access if possible. This may facilitate rescue
or help, if needed.
 Complete the before-landing checklist. Check landing lights for operation at altitude and turn on
in sufficient time to illuminate terrain or obstacles along the flight path. Complete the landing in
the normal landing attitude at the slowest possible airspeed. If landing lights are unusable and
outside visual references are not available, the airplane must be held in level-landing attitude until
ground is contacted.

22 December 2016 TC 3-04.4 9-9

This page intentionally left blank.

β Glossary Glossary-1
ρ
AAA beta – sideslip angle
AATF rho - density of the air
AATFC antiaircraft artillery
ABC air assault task force
ACL air assault task force commander
ACO automatic brightness control
ACP allowable cargo load
ADA airspace control order
AFM air control point
AGL air defense artillery
AH aircraft flight manual
AHO above ground level
AIM attack helicopter
AIRMET above highest obstacle
AKO Aeronautical Information Manual
ALSE airman's meteorological information
AMC Army Knowledge Online
AMPS aviation life support equipment
ANVIS air mission commander
AO aviation mission planning system
AOA aviator’s night vision imaging system
APART area of operations
AR angle of attack
ASE annual proficiency and readiness test
ATA Army regulation
ATC aircraft survivability equipment
ATIS actual time of arrival
ATM air traffic control
AWS automated terminal information service
BCM aircrew training manual
BLC area weapons system
BMCT basic combat manuver
BMNT boundary-layer control
BP begin morning civil twilight
BSP begin morning nautical twilight
C1 battle position
CAS bright source protection
coefficient of the rolling moment
22 December 2016 close air support

TC 3-04.4

Glossary

CASEVAC casualty evacuation
CD coefficient of drag
CG center of gravity
CH cargo helicopter
chart update manual
CHUM coefficient of lift
CL maximum value of the coefficient of lift
coefficient of pitching moment
CL-MAX coefficient of yawing moment
CM continental United States
CN checkpoint
cathode ray tube
CONUS Department of the Army
CP direct current
Department of Defense
CRT design eye point
DA Department of Defense
DC data transfer system
DD end evening civil twilight
end evening nautical twight
DEP engine pressure ratio
DOD estimated time of arrival
DTS estimated time en route
EECT effective translational lift
EENT Federal Aviation Administration
EPR Federal Aviation Regulation
ETA forward arming and refueling point
ETE Flight Information Publication
ETL forward-looking infrared
FAA field manual
FAR foreign object damage
FARP field of view
FLIP feet per minute
FLIR flight service station
Fixed-wing
FM gravitational
FOD global positioning system
FOV high altitude aviation training site
FPM helmet display unit
FSS Mercury
heads-up display
FW
G TC 3-04.4

GPS
HAATS

HDU
Hg

HUD

Glossary-2 22 December 2016

Glossary

I2 image intensifier
IATA International Air Transport Association
ICTS ice-contaminated tailplane stall
instrument flight rules
IFR in ground effect
IGE inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions
IIMC instrument meteorological conditions
IMC instructor pilot
infrared
IP instrument takeoff
IR joint common data base
ITO joint operations graphic
JCDB joint publication
JOG knots indicated airspeed
JP lift over drag
KIAS minimum drag speed
L/D lightweight computer unit
L/DMAX light emitting diode
LCU lighting conditions
LED line-of-sight
LITECON landing zone
LOS mean aerodynamic chord
LZ microchannel plate
MAC mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available,
MCP time available, civil considerations
METT-TC miles per hour
modernized pilot night vision system
MPH minimum resolvable temperature
MPNVS mean sea level
modernized target acquisition device system
MRT mountain obscuration
MSL maximum torque rate attenuator
MTADS north
MTOS North Atlantic Treaty Organization
MTRA navigational aid
nonrated crewmember
N nautical miles
NATO nap-of-the-earth
NAVAID National Transportation Safety Board
night vision device
NCM night vision goggle
NM night vision system

NOE TC 3-04.4 Glossary-3
NTSB
NVD
NVG

NVS

22 December 2016

Glossary

NWS National Weather Service
OAT outside air temperature
OGE out of ground effect
observation helicopter
OH operations order
OPORD operations security
OPSEC pilot not on the controls
pilot on the controls
P pressure altitude
P* pilot in command
PA propeller factor
PC pilot’s operating handbook
P-factor performance planning card
POH pickup zone
PPC runway condition reading
PZ release point
RCR revolutions per minute
RP situational awareness
RPM sea level standard (+15 degrees C and 0 feet PA)
SA standing operating procedures
SLS start point
SOP standardization agreement
SP thrust available
STANAG total aerodynamic force
TA true airspeed
TAF training circular
TAS technical manual
TC tactical pilotage chart
TM torque
TPC tactics, techniques, and procedures
TR United States
TTP utility helicopter
U.S. United States Navy
UH universal transverse mercator
USN takeoff decision speed (same as VR)
UTM takeoff safety speed
V1 visual approach slope indicator
V2 maximum flap extended speed
VASI visual flight rules
VFE final segment climb speed
VFR maximum landing gear extended speed
VFS
VLE

Glossary-4 TC 3-04.4 22 December 2016

VLO Glossary
VLOF
VMC maximum landing gear operating speed
VMC lift-off speed (VR + 3 knots)
visual meterological conditions
VR minimum control speed with the critical engine inoperative
VS rotation speed
stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed at which the
VSI airplane is controllable
VX verticle speed indicator
VXSE speed for best angle of climb
VYSE speed for best single engine angle of climb
speed for best single engine rate of climb

22 December 2016 TC 3-04.4 Glossary-5

This page intentionally left blank.

References

REQUIRED PUBLICATIONS

These documents must be available to intended users of this publication.

ADRP 1-02. Terms and Military Symbols. 16 November 2016.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 15 October 2016.

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

ARMY PUBLICATIONS

Most Army publications are available online at http://www.apd.army.mil/.

AR 50-6. Nuclear and Chemical Weapons and Materiel Chemical Supply. 28 July 2008.
AR 95-1. Flight Regulations. 11 March 2014.
AR 95-2. Air Traffic Control, Airfield/Heliport, and Airspace Operations. 31 March 2016.
AR 95-27. Operational Procedures for Aircraft Carrying Hazardous Materials. 11 November 1994. AR

700-68. Storage and Handling Of Liquefied and Gaseous Compressed Gasses and Their Full
and Empty Cylinders. 16 June 2000.
ATP 4-35.1. Techniques for Munitions Handlers. 31 May 2013.
FM 1-564. Shipboard Operations. 29 June 1997.
FM 3-04. Army Aviation. 29 July 2015.
TC 3-04.11. Commander’s Aviation Training and Standardization Program. 03 August 2016.
TC 3-04.93. Aero Medical Training for Flight Personnel. 31 August 2009.
TC 4-13.17. Cargo Specialist’s Handbook. 12 May 2011.
TM 4-48.09. Multiservice Helicopter Sling Load: Basic Operations and Equipment. 23 July 2012.
TM 38-701. Packaging of Material Packing. 27 October 2015.

AIR FORCE PUBLICATIONS

The following publication is available online at http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/.
AFMAN 24-204. Preparing Hazardous Materials for Military Air Shipments. 03 December 2012.

NATIONAL AGREEMENT TREATY ORGANIZATION PUBLICATIONS

The following publication is available online at NSO.NATO.INT/NSO/

STANAG 3854 (Edition 3). Policies and Procedures Governing the Air Transportation of Dangerous
Cargo. 13 May 2008.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

The following publication is available online at www.ecfr.gov.
Electronic Code of Federal Regulation (CFR), Title 14. Aeronautics and Space, Chapter 1-Federal

Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation (Continued), Subchapter G-Air Carriers
and Operators for Compensation or Hire: Certification and Operations, Part 121-Operating
Requirements: Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental Operations. 16 November 2016.

PRESCRIBED FORMS

None

22 December 2016 TC 3-04.4 References-1

References

REFERENCED FORMS

These documents must be available to the intended users of this publication. Unless otherwise indicated, DA
Forms are available on the Army Publishing Directorate (APD) web site: www.apd.army.mil. DD Forms are
available on the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) web site:
http://www/dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/index.html.
DA Form 2028. Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms.
DD Form 175-1. Flight Weather Briefing.
DD Form 365-3. Weight and Balance Record, Chart C-Basic.
DD Form 365-4. Weight and Balance Clearance Form F-Transport/Tactical.

References-2 TC 3-04.4 22 December 2016

Index

Entries are by paragraph number unless indicated otherwise

A climb, 7-30 bank angle, 1-50, 4-18, 6-8, 7-
critical, 1-61 35, 7-59
absolute ceiling, 7-31, 7-32, 7- dihedral, 7-12
34, 7-62 moon, 4-9 Bernoulli’s Principle, 1-2
of attack, 1-7, 1-11, 1-14, 1-
acceleration, 1-31, 1-32, 7-41, blade
7-62, 7-65 40 actions, 1-12, 1-13
of bank, 1-52, 7-59 pitch, 1-40, 7-55
action-reaction, 1-3 of climb, 1-59, 7-31, 7-32, span, 1-7
speed, 1-12
adverse yaw, 7-14, 7-38, 7-49 7-57 twist, 1-8
of descent, 1-60, 7-40
aerodynamic of incidence, 1-7, 1-10, 7-25 C
angle, 1-10 offset, 4-24
balance, 7-50, 7-51 sideslip, 7-9, 7-11, 7-12, 7- centrifugal
braking, 7-40, 7-42 force, 1-22
center, 1-7, 1-69, 7-4, 7-5, 13
7-6, 7-7, 7-8, 7-10, 7-45 climbing, 7-30, 7-32
force, 1-2, 1-3, 1-6, 1-7, 1- angular acceleration, 1-52 flight, 7-29
10, 1-11, 1-28, 1-44, 7-30 performance, 7-29, 7-32
load, 2-22 antitorque rotor, 1-30 stall speed, 7-31
properties, 1-6
stall, 7-10, 7-22, 7-24 approach climbs, 1-55, 3-33, 6-11, 7-29,
twist, 7-25 from a hover, 3-9, 3-18 9-5
icing, 8-13 single-engine, 7-60
ailerons, 7-14, 7-45, 7-49, 8-4 mountain, 3-39
paths, 3-38 coefficient
aircraft, 1-17 procedure, 2-23 of drag, 1-27, 8-3
component, 3-11, 3-19, 3- single engine, 7-62 of lift, 1-26, 7-5, 7-13, 7-16,
24, 7-10 terrain flight, 3-44 7-17, 7-47, 8-2
design, 4-2 to a T, 4-33 of rolling moment, 7-12
equipment, 8-7 to a Y, 4-32 yawing moment, 7-9
lighting, 4-19, 4-27, 9-1 to the ground, 3-9, 3-18
reaction, 1-17 collective, 1-11, 1-12, 1-17, 1-
station, 2-3 arm, 2-3, 2-4, 2-24, 7-58 33, 1-46, 1-48, 1-51, 1-62, 1-
towing, 3-12 65, 3-8
asymmetric
airflow, 1-1, 1-3, 1-8, 1-11, 1- loading, 7-15 compressibility, 1-67, 1-68, 1-
33, 1-36, 1-43, 1-59, 1-66, 1- thrust, 7-57, 7-58 69, 7-55
68, 3-28, 7-24, 8-2
attitude coning, 1-28, 1-50
airfoil fuselage, 1-22, 1-23
airflow, 1-3 indicator, 3-11, 9-4 conservation
characteristics, 1-6 landing, 7-48 of angular momentum, 1-
terminology, 1-6 shift, 1-25 15, 1-52
types, 1-7, 7-25 takeoff, 7-40 of energy, 1-2

airspeed, 1-59 autorotation, 1-43, 1-44 control, 1-16, 1-17, 1-18, 1-20,
best angle of climb, 7-31, 7- blade regions, 1-43 1-24, 1-30, 1-61, 3-12, 3-20,
57 phases, 1-46 4-21, 6-31, 7-37, 7-38, 7-43,
best rate of climb/maximum spin, 7-26 7-45, 7-46, 7-47, 7-49, 7-50,
endurance, 1-50 7-51, 7-52, 7-53, 7-54, 7-59
bucket, 1-50 B
differential, 1-12 Coriolis, 1-15, 1-52
drag relationship, 1-27 balance, 2-1, 2-2
forward, 1-37 angular, 1-66 crest, 3-26, 8-18
calculation, 2-6
ambient, 3-6, 4-2, 4-3, 4-11, 5- definitions, 2-3 critical
1, 5-14 lateral, 2-2 engine, 7-56, 7-57
of forces, 1-31 mach, 1-68
angle point, 2-14 rate, 1-60
anhedral, 7-12, 7-13 tab, 7-52 time, 7-63
approach, 4-32, 4-33, 6-8
balanced field length, 7-65 crossover, 4-22, 4-25, 6-14
22 December 2016
TC 3-04.4 Index-1

Index frise ailerons, 7-14 equation, 1-26
fuselage, 1-24, 7-7, 7-8, 7-10 force, 7-17
crosswind, 3-35, 3-38, 6-31, 7- pattern, 1-64
44 G linear, 5-7, 7-5
g load factor, 7-4, 7-28, 7-35
crown, 3-32 longitudinal, 1-23, 1-24, 2-2, 7-
cyclic, 1-13 force, 1-54, 2-18 1, 7-4, 7-7
load, 7-35 control, 7-47
feathering, 1-39 loading, 1-52
pitch, 1-19 maneuver, 1-51 M
glide, 7-39, 9-9 maneuvering, 1-50, 1-55, 6-7,
D go-around, 1-63, 3-10, 3-40, 3-
damping, 7-3, 7-53 44, 6-8 6-18, 7-35, 7-37
deceleration, 1-47 ground effect, 1-33, 1-34, 7-41, map, 5-8, 5-9, 5-10
demarcation, 3-26, 3-39 7-48 mass, 1-52, 1-67, 7-52
density, 1-55, 1-56, 2-24, 8-16 gyroscopic precession, 1-16, 1- maximum
descent, 7-38, 8-12 20
endurance, 1-50
rate, 1-48 H glide, 1-48
dihedral, 7-12, 7-13 heading control, 1-30 mean
dissymmetry of lift, 1-13, 1-38, high-lift, 7-16, 7-19, 7-43 camber line, 1-7
hinge, 1-13, 7-49 mean aerodynamic chord, 7-47
1-39, 1-40 horn, 7-50, 8-7 minimum
divergence, 7-15 control speed, 7-31, 7-37,
downwash, 1-9, 1-41, 1-51, 7- pitch-change, 1-20
hovering, 1-11, 1-33, 1-40, 1- 7-56
48 drag speed, 7-38
drag, 1-25, 1-26, 1-46, 7-38, 7- 58, 3-8 resolvable temperature, 4-
humidity, 1-56, 3-22, 8-16
60 hydroplaning, 7-44 20
driven region, 1-43 turn radius, 7-36
driving region, 1-43 I moment, 2-3, 2-5, 7-1, 7-4, 7-
Dutch roll, 7-15 induced 12, 7-15
dynamic
drag, 1-26, 7-14, 7-36 N
pressure, 1-3, 7-53 flow, 1-7, 1-9, 1-33, 1-34, 1- no-lift, 1-37, 1-64
rollover, 1-61 nonoscillatory, 7-2
stability, 7-2, 7-4 39, 1-59 nonsymmetrical, 1-8
roll, 6-31
E inertia, 1-1 O
effective translational lift, 1-42 in-ground effect, 1-34 obstacle
elevator, 1-14, 1-24, 7-28, 7- inverted, 4-32
clearance, 4-25
35, 7-46 J detection ability, 5-15
emergency, 2-23, 3-40, 4-35, join-up, 6-12 obstructions, 4-18, 9-2
operations
7-64, 9-5 K external load, 2-9
engine failure, 1-46, 7-49, 7-64 kinetic energy, 1-43, 7-29, 7-42 slope, 1-61
equilibrium, 7-1, 7-3, 7-30 oscillatory, 7-3
L out-of-ground effect, 1-34, 7-48
F landing, 3-9, 3-10, 3-18, 3-24, overcontrolling, 1-24
feathering, 1-12, 7-55, 7-63
flapping, 1-13, 1-14, 1-39 3-39, 4-32, 7-22, 7-42, 8-13, P
flaps, 7-19, 7-21, 8-13 9-5 parallelogram method, 1-4
flow, 1-2, 1-3 formation, 6-8 parasite drag, 1-27, 1-32, 7-40,
gear, 7-54
compressible, 1-67 light, 4-28, 4-30 7-41
incompressible, 1-67 velocity, 7-43 pendular action, 1-24
supersonic, 1-68 water, 8-20 performance, 1-55, 1-58, 7-32,
transonic, 1-68 lateral, 1-62, 2-2, 7-11, 7-13
fog, 3-3, 3-26, 4-9, 4-19, 4-23, lead and lag, 1-14 7-44, 7-56
5-5, 9-5 leading-edge, 1-7, 7-21 charts, 1-58
force, 7-49, 7-52 lift, 1-31, 6-30 climb, 1-58, 7-29, 7-57
centrifugal, 1-28, 7-27
centripetal, 7-35 TC 3-04.4 22 December 2016
damping, 7-4
friction, 7-41, 7-43

Index-2

FLIR, 4-22 retreating blade stall, 1-64 Index
hovering, 1-58
limits, 7-35 reverse flow, 1-37 warning, 7-24, 7-26, 8-7
planning, 2-22 static
slow flight, 7-38 ridge, 3-29, 3-30, 3-34, 3-41, 5-
terrain flight, 5-15 7, 8-16 electricity, 2-9
turns, 7-34 eletricity, 3-6
weight, 2-2 roll equilibrium, 2-5
control, 8-4 leaks, 3-12
P-factor, 7-16, 7-57, 7-58 landing, 7-42 port, 8-6
rate, 7-49 pressure, 1-67
phase lag, 1-20 stability, 7-11 rollover angle, 1-61
takeoff, 7-41 stability, 7-2
photocathode, 4-15 upsets, 8-14 steady-state
climb, 7-29
pinnacle, 3-32, 3-39 rolling descent, 1-47
friction, 7-41 strain, 7-28
pitch motion, 1-61 structural
angle, 1-7, 1-9, 1-22, 1-35, components, 2-10
1-40 rotational failure, 1-65, 1-69
change, 1-19 relative wind, 1-9 icing, 8-1
control, 1-17, 1-22 supersonic, 1-67
cyclic, 1-19 rotor switch, 7-26, 7-54, 8-8
stability, 7-3 blade actions, 1-11 symmetrical, 1-7, 7-7, 7-25
variation, 1-22 blade angles, 1-10
clouds, 3-29 T
polar diagram, 7-32 head control, 1-17 tab, 7-51
streaming, 3-29 tail, 1-30, 1-39
polygon method, 1-4 system, 1-28, 1-36 takeoff, 1-58, 1-62, 2-2, 2-23,

positive rotor efficiency, 1-34 3-8, 3-17, 3-33, 3-41, 4-30,
cambered, 7-7 6-7, 6-34, 7-31, 7-40, 7-48,
dynamic stability, 7-3 roundout, 9-7 7-61, 9-3
lift, 1-37 taxiing, 3-7, 3-17, 3-23, 4-36,
stall, 1-37 route, 3-5, 3-34, 3-41, 5-6, 5-7, 9-3
static stability, 7-2 5-8, 5-10, 5-11, 8-16 terrain, 3-5, 3-10, 3-15, 3-22, 3-
30, 4-10
pressure rudder, 7-16, 7-35, 7-49 flight, 3-8, 3-18, 3-23, 3-40,
altitude, 1-55
atmospheric, 1-56 runway, 4-32, 6-32, 7-41, 7-42, 4-25, 5-1
center of, 1-7 7-43, 7-44, 7-64, 9-3 interpretation, 4-5
contact, 2-11 thrust, 1-31, 1-35, 7-8, 7-49, 7-
differential, 1-25, 6-30, 7- S 56, 7-58
17, 7-23 torque, 1-30, 1-50, 1-51, 1-54,
formulas, 2-12 safety, 2-2, 2-23, 2-26, 2-27, 3- 1-55
18, 4-35, 5-17, 6-29, 7-64 total aerodynamic force, 1-25,
propeller, 7-54 1-43, 1-53, 1-54
factor, 7-57 scalars, 1-4 traffic, 3-39, 6-34, 9-3, 9-6
feathering, 7-55, 7-63 trailing, 1-69, 6-7, 6-31, 7-19,
icing, 8-6 settling with power, 1-59 7-20, 7-24
region, 1-43 translating, 1-22, 1-35
shoring, 2-9, 2-11 translational, 1-40, 1-42, 1-58,
proverse roll, 7-14 6-7
sideslip, 7-9, 7-60 transverse, 1-41
R trim, 1-55, 7-4, 7-5, 7-52
single-engine trunnion, 1-23
rate climb, 7-60 turbulence, 1-40, 3-28, 3-34, 3-
of accumulation, 8-2 flight, 7-62 44, 6-7, 6-30, 8-16, 8-22, 8-
of climb, 7-32 operation, 7-57 25
of closure, 3-39, 4-31, 6-8 turns, 1-55, 7-34
of sublimation, 8-2 skidding, 7-60
Index-3
reconnaissance, 3-3, 3-36, 3- sling, 2-22, 2-23
39
slipstream, 7-15, 7-38
relative wind, 1-7, 1-8, 1-39, 7-
9, 7-14 spin, 7-26, 7-49

resonance, 1-65 stability, 7-1
augmenter, 7-53
restraint, 2-9, 2-18, 2-19
stall, 1-8, 1-51, 1-65, 7-22, 7-
resultant relative wind, 1-7, 1- 23, 7-28, 7-37, 8-4, 8-5
10 negative, 1-37
recovery, 7-26
22 December 2016 region, 1-44
speed, 7-17
strip, 7-25
tailplane, 8-13

TC 3-04.4

Index Venturi, 1-2, 1-3, 3-30 W

formation, 6-8 vertical, 1-19, 1-43, 1-44, 6-5, weight, 1-57, 2-1, 2-3, 2-5, 2-
tactical, 6-23 6-14, 6-27, 7-9, 7-10 11, 4-16, 7-30, 7-31, 7-41, 7-
twist, 7-25 44
visual, 1-63, 3-7, 3-9, 3-35, 3-
U 40, 4-1, 4-4, 4-5, 4-9, 4-25, windmilling, 7-40, 7-55, 7-59,
unbalanced 4-32, 4-35, 6-13 7-63

forces, 7-34 vortex, 1-33, 1-34, 1-59, 6-30, wires, 3-42, 4-18, 5-7, 5-14, 8-
V 6-31, 6-32, 7-18 8

vector, 1-4, 1-5, 7-30 Y
velocity, 1-7, 1-36, 1-52, 7-42
yaw, 7-27

Index-4 TC 3-04.4 22 December 2016

TC 3-04.4

22 December 2016

By Order of the Secretary of the Army: MARK A. MILLEY
Official:
General, United States Army

Chief of Staff

GERALD B. O’KEEFE

Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army
1634701

DISTRIBUTION:

Active Army, Army National Guard, and United States Army Reserve: Distributed in electronic media
only (EMO).

PIN: 201153-000