Heads Down when Low Level ?
Thread Starter
Heads Down when Low Level ?
I made the mistake of putting my moving map display (mobile phone) between my legs while navigating an unfamiliar part of Phoenix this morning and suddenly became the idiot who had to test his brakes when switching from heads down to heads up. This put me in mind of the challenges faced by Jaguar pilots (among others) who surely faced a similar problem only with much less room for error at 200 feet AGL and 500 knots over the Pennines.
So was there a technique involved for a single seater pilot when switching from the MMD to the outside world, or was heads down navigation forbidden below certain altitudes to avoid any chance of CFIT ?
So was there a technique involved for a single seater pilot when switching from the MMD to the outside world, or was heads down navigation forbidden below certain altitudes to avoid any chance of CFIT ?
Technique?
Nope - just:
1. High quality pilots.
2. High quality training.
3. Knowledge of risk.
But why were you tarting about with your iToy when you should have been keeping your eyes on the road?
Nope - just:
1. High quality pilots.
2. High quality training.
3. Knowledge of risk.
But why were you tarting about with your iToy when you should have been keeping your eyes on the road?
It's all about your work cycle and SA. You don't need to be heads in very often or for very long if you are ahead of the jet. If you do need to look then think what it is you want to look at beforehand, clear your flight path and look quickly. If you need to stare for a longer period then ease up. When you've been hoovering around at 100' it's amazing how slow it feels up at 2-300'.
It was the same for switches and radios. Older jets had many switches in stupid places and a similar technique was necessary. With newer jets that have advanced HOTAS and upfront controllers you can do 99% of tasks while still looking in the general direction of the HUD.
As for your iGadget just hold it up on the wheel. The Feds might see you but you're more likely to see them if you're looking out. Besides if a police car sees you staring down at your crotch they'll work out what you're up to anyway. Or assume something far worse.
That's three posts on pprune for me in one day. I need to give it a rest now. Some might say one from me is more than enough!
BV
It was the same for switches and radios. Older jets had many switches in stupid places and a similar technique was necessary. With newer jets that have advanced HOTAS and upfront controllers you can do 99% of tasks while still looking in the general direction of the HUD.
As for your iGadget just hold it up on the wheel. The Feds might see you but you're more likely to see them if you're looking out. Besides if a police car sees you staring down at your crotch they'll work out what you're up to anyway. Or assume something far worse.
That's three posts on pprune for me in one day. I need to give it a rest now. Some might say one from me is more than enough!
BV
Thread Starter
Actually, in the earlier days of the Jag we had some important switches in some very awkward places and use of them lost us a life and an aircraft on at least one occasion! Situational Awareness was the call of the day!
Oh and Beags you forgot to mention young steely eyed pilots!
Oh and Beags you forgot to mention young steely eyed pilots!
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Only today was I explaining to MrsT7 about navigating the route with thumb on map and position so a quick glance in could easily reference eyes to position on map, than I went past the turnoff to Polzeath at high speed followed by feeble excuses about 'not actually navigating' but explaining the technique.... etc etc 'so you admit youre wrong then?' etc etc. Time for the pub.
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Downunder here in the land of the hopping marsupials, it will cost you AU$500 plus 3 driver demerit points, to be even spotted with a mobile (cell) phone switched on, within reach of your arm.
Using mobile phones when driving is a sure-fire recipe for a crash, and the local Monarchs hammer this message mercilessly - and even send out police on motorcycles armed with head-mount cameras, to catch the devious drivers.
Woman distracted using mobile phone whilst driving, did not even notice police officer trying pull her over
I could well imagine the result of a Jaguar pilot being distracted for multiple seconds by something inside the cockpit, whilst travelling at ballistic speed at low level.
Using mobile phones when driving is a sure-fire recipe for a crash, and the local Monarchs hammer this message mercilessly - and even send out police on motorcycles armed with head-mount cameras, to catch the devious drivers.
Woman distracted using mobile phone whilst driving, did not even notice police officer trying pull her over
I could well imagine the result of a Jaguar pilot being distracted for multiple seconds by something inside the cockpit, whilst travelling at ballistic speed at low level.
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'onetrack' when you were 19 (we are same age) I was being taught low level navigation at c.500 feet in a dual seat RAAF Vampire over the (it seemed) mostly sheep paddocks west & north of RAAF Pearce 1968. As initially taught low level in the Winjeel we made two strip maps from paper contour maps (one for instructor). We memorized the route using obvious ground waypoints to aid our memory and notes on a kneepad. We looked at the strip map very briefly, holding it in our face, just to refresh our memory but of course relied on looking ahead and to the side if required for navigation and/or birds (wedge tail eagles only give up an attack at the last seconds). We would take off five minutes apart and know we were on track (or at least on the same track) when the sheep were in the same corner of the paddock - driven there by previous fly overs.
Same strip map techniques used in the A4G but with a much more cramped cockpit so memory of route - with obvious waypoints, was standard - except when over the sea, the albatross could be a problem if we were wave skimming.
My longest A4G flight c.19710 was high level air refueling over RAAF East Sale from a partner TA4G tanker (we had departed NAS Nowra together with my wingman - TA4G returned to Nowra). Then descent west of Melbourne to the border of SA/Vic, on the coast, to turn north for a long low level leg, skimming the sand dunes to Broken Hill, where we climbed out to 40,000 feet for return to NAS. That low level leg was just a matter of holding speed and heading as there was nothing to see, except eventually, the outline of the city and steel works etc at Broken Hill.
Same strip map techniques used in the A4G but with a much more cramped cockpit so memory of route - with obvious waypoints, was standard - except when over the sea, the albatross could be a problem if we were wave skimming.
My longest A4G flight c.19710 was high level air refueling over RAAF East Sale from a partner TA4G tanker (we had departed NAS Nowra together with my wingman - TA4G returned to Nowra). Then descent west of Melbourne to the border of SA/Vic, on the coast, to turn north for a long low level leg, skimming the sand dunes to Broken Hill, where we climbed out to 40,000 feet for return to NAS. That low level leg was just a matter of holding speed and heading as there was nothing to see, except eventually, the outline of the city and steel works etc at Broken Hill.
As BV says above, it's a workcycle hammered into trainee pilots so it's become a routine when they are in charge & by themselves: Head's out, and if you need to look in, keep it brief. When navigating, hold the map up above the coaming so your peripheral vision will still work, never look in whilst turning.
It's what I was taught 30-odd years ago and it's what we teach now.
It's what I was taught 30-odd years ago and it's what we teach now.
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Committing key features of the low level Nav route and target runs to memory saved a huge amount of faff, and helped you stay ahead of the cockpit work cycle. It minimised the requirement to be heads in. But, if you had to, it was always do it in small chunks (known as cross check time in US parlance)
Oh, and as others have said, don't be the douche that kills others on our roads because you're playing with a phone. Activity monitors now allow police to check after accidents and modern phones can sense sudden impacts (I.e. The moment of the crash).
Oh, and as others have said, don't be the douche that kills others on our roads because you're playing with a phone. Activity monitors now allow police to check after accidents and modern phones can sense sudden impacts (I.e. The moment of the crash).
Thread Starter
Note to self - next time use a different analogy and say you were "adjusting the heater controls" 
Last edited by Fonsini; 20th Jan 2017 at 16:56.
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I was once fortunate enough to get a back seat trip in a 226 Jag once. After sinking the isle of Man we were transiting up the Firth of Clyde when the Navwass dropped out. My driver went head down to do whatever had to be done to reset said piece of equipment. However there was a large piece og granite ahead which, to my untrained eye, looked like it might get in the way. As it got bigger in the canopy I thought I'd better say something, so I had a small cough and said "Ailsa Craig". As you can see, I'm still here.
I am reading "The Buccaneer Boys" at the moment and the story by David Whilby mentions this. Buccaneer crews were cleared down to 100 feet and the pilot had to warn the navigator to look ahead if he was going to look inside the cockpit. He mentions a crew at Nellis nearly went in when they forgot this, and it was only them striking a telegraph wire at 37 feet which got their attention and saved them from disaster. As an aside, it seems everybody had bags of fun flying the Buccaneer.
Pick something waaay in the distance and then concentrate on not hitting trees, wires and livestock (and finding the most fun, err, tactical way of getting to your next TP) If you get lost, just hover......or read a road sign - simples!
BTW - For those that flew with me I am aware of the irony of me giving any advice about LL Nav....ooh look, that looks interesting...where are we now?
BTW - For those that flew with me I am aware of the irony of me giving any advice about LL Nav....ooh look, that looks interesting...where are we now?
