Flight Training - July 2011 - 23

INSIGHTS

By Ralph Butcher

FACING TROUBLE? STOP AND THINK
y first encounter with a large, complicated airplane was as a flight engineer. It was a real education because rapid responses to simulated problems nearly did me in. When a fault light illuminated or a gauge’s needle snapped beyond acceptable limits, I reacted impulsively, which was usually incorrect.
The situation improved once I learned to sit on my hands for 10 seconds when such events occurred. Quick decisions and flailing hands were replaced by intelligent evaluation and appropriate action. This should be taught during general aviation flight training. Aircraft abnormalities are divided into two groups: emergencies and irregularities. An emergency places the flight in jeopardy unless immediate action is taken; an irregularity requires timely action, not immediate action. Evaluation is the first consideration. What do you think happened, and can you prove that assumption? For example, engine oil pressure has dropped to zero. Before declaring an emergency or executing an emergency landing, you should evaluate oil temperature and the oil pressure warning light if one exists. If both are normal, the faulty oil pressure indication is probably a gauge or sensor problem, not an engine problem. Validation is the second consideration. If you move a switch or other control,

SLOW DOWN

EVALUATION IS THE FIRST CONSIDERATION. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED, AND CAN YOU PROVE THAT ASSUMPTION?
Emergency procedures consist of immediate-action elements, which usually are followed by reference-action elements. Immediate actions are performed from memory; reference actions are performed from a checklist. Engine failure, forced landing, fire, and moderate to severe airframe icing are emergencies. Rough engine operation, fuel-flow fluctuations, landing gear system malfunctions, electrical system malfunctions, instrument failure, and doors opening in flight are irregularities. The aircraft flight manual for most light airplanes consists of the pilot's operating handbook (POH), the weight and balance documents, and the required cockpit placards. The POH’s emergency chapter contains both emergency and irregular procedures, although irregular procedures are not identified as such. Some irregular procedures must be derived from aircraft systems knowledge and previous experience.

that action must be validated by a corresponding response. To validate control action, always look or listen for the proper reaction. For example, if you turn on a fuel boost pump, you must look for an increase in fuel pressure. Landing-gear indication problems provide a good example of an irregularity procedure. Many POHs do not discuss this subject, and prudent actions must be derived from a full understanding of the Ralph Butcher is a former airline pilot and chief indicator system. Most airplanes have flight instructor. parallel, independent indicators—the warning horn and the warning lights. If the gear-down light does not work and TEST YOUR EMERGENCY SKILLS swapping light bulbs does not help, proper Real-world emergencies are rare enough that operation of the gear-warning horn can sometimes pilots get complacent. Mental confirm that the gear is down and locked. preparation can make a big difference when Do not, however, assume that unless you things start to go downhill. Put your emerhave reviewed the airplane’s POH or gency procedures knowledge to the test with maintenance manual’s schematics with a this Air Safety Institute quiz ( www.aopa.org/ knowledgeable instructor or technician. asf/asfquiz). If the gear warning horn is a valid indication, caution must still be exercised

because the horn may have failed since it was last tested. To be certain, it must be operating during gear extension. So climb to altitude, retard power until the horn activates—and while it is blaring, extend the landing gear. If the horn shuts off, the gear is down and locked. Instrument training provides an excellent opportunity to illustrate improper switch movement. When flying with partial panel—the vacuum-powered attitude and heading indicators have been covered to simulate failure—your instructor says, “I smell electrical smoke.” You spend time turning off the avionics and other electrical equipment to isolate the smoke problem, and the instructor then says, “Why not turn off the master switch and kill everything with one motion?” So, without thinking, you do that. The instructor then asks, “Now, how long can you continue to fly on instruments?” Do you say, “Until I run out of gas?” If so, the instructor will say, “What’s powering the turn coordinator, the mandatory instrument for continued partial-panel instrument flight?” When students realize that killing the master switch also killed the electric turn coordinator, they will never repeat that error. It’s easy to lead a student down a faulty path by seemingly logical thinking. I hope that your flight instructor trains you in that manner.

JULY 2011 FLIGHT TRAINING

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Flight Training - July 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - July 2011