Flight Training - July 2013 - 35

checklist to use, and you assured the safety of your flight in the
process. You acted as pilot in command—and that is exactly what
your examiner expects to see on your practical test.

program a flight simulator to allow for
a takeoff from a mountain airport with
a high density altitude, the pilot will see
why it is important to lean the mixture to
get maximum power from the engine. He
or she will recognize the benefit of using
flaps and gain a real respect for the challenge a 50-foot tree at the departure end of
the runway can present during a high density altitude takeoff from a short runway.
When viewed this way, scenario-based
training is neither intimidating nor mysterious. “It is a training aid,” says Crump.
“It’s a teaching tool by which we conduct
our overall mission.” The use of scenarios
in flight training allows students and experienced pilots to expand their knowledge
base from simple rote learning right up
through the understanding, application,
and correlation levels of the education
process. Fortunately, it’s easy to introduce
into any training program, requires no
additional cost for equipment or materials, yet it offers a bang-for-the-buck return
to your flight training experience that is
hard to beat.

ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TAKEOFF. There may be no worse
problem for the pilot of a single-engine airplane than an engine
failure shortly after takeoff. The situation is made more challenging if the airplane is far enough into the takeoff that the runway is
behind the airplane, yet there is no flat, obstacle-free landing spot
ahead. Training for that scenario in real life is inadvisable—at
least, not while in close proximity to the ground. However, it is
important that we recognize the reality of what a pilot’s options
are, and how best to implement a course of action leading to a
safe outcome. Accident statistics tell us that many pilots faced
with this situation attempt to turn around and land on the runway from which they launched, often with sad results.
This scenario suggests that every pilot should know how much
altitude is needed in order to successfully make the turn, line
up on the runway, and land safely. A flight instructor can use
scenario-based training to introduce a good facsimile of this situation and still provide for a level of safety and comfort that will
allow the student to learn an important lesson.
While in cruise in the practice area, the instructor can establish
straight-and-level flight over a road or other straight reference
feature at an altitude of 1,000 feet agl, slow the airplane to rotation speed, and simulate a takeoff. The reference feature serves as
an indicator of the runway location. The student is observing this
scenario with the understanding he or she will be performing the Jamie Beckett is a writer and flight instructor living
same task when the instructor completes the demonstration.
in Winter Haven, Florida.
When the airplane reaches rotation speed, the instructor
advances the throttle to full power, pitches for VY, and continues
with a normal takeoff until the airplane reaches 1,500 feet agl. At
this point the CFI simulates an engine failure. The CFI pitches
for best glide speed, trims the airplane, and initiates a turn back
SCENARIO-BASED
to the runway.
TRAINING AIDS
The scenario requires more than a 180-degree turn. It requires
Numerous resources are available to help
the pilot to get the airplane turned around, lined up with the
students and instructors learn more, including
runway, and positioned for landing before reaching 1,000 feet agl.
how to create scenarios.
That altitude is the hard deck, the virtual Earth. If the pilot is successful, he or she knows the turn back would have worked and an
FAA FITS—The FAA-Industry Training
emergency landing could have been made. On the other hand, if
Standards (FITS) program relies heavily
the airplane is at 850 feet agl when it finally gets lined up with the
on scenario-based training.
www.faa.gov/training_testing/training/fits
“runway” in a position to land, the pilot has learned why turning
back can be such a poor choice when at low altitude.
Scenario-based training can be adapted to virtually any aircraft
FAAST—Another corner of the FAA’s
website dedicated to the FAA Safety Team
and any task. It works for VFR training as well as for IFR lessons.
Using scenario-based training exercises can help us learn to
(FAAST) includes many pieces of guidance.
make better decisions when planning a flight, while en route, and
www.faasafety.gov
even give us insight into situations where we would be better off
diverting or using an alternate airport rather than slavishly lockTrain Like You Fly: Guide to Scenario-Based
ing ourselves into a flight plan that no longer works as well as we
Training—Arlynn McMahon’s book and
companion syllabus manual are fantastic
had hoped it would.
As an example, the challenges associated with high density
resources for any pilot or instructor.
altitude flying often are a mystery to general aviation pilots who
www.asa2fly.com
fly exclusively from airports located near sea level. But if you

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http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/training/fits http://www.faasafety.gov http://www.asa2fly.com

Flight Training - July 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - July 2013