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Old 29th Apr 2020, 21:31
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BalusKaptan
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Brisbane
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I'm unaware of where this is published but it most likely is somewhere.
With regards to the terms 'Startle' and 'Response', these for practical use are two separate events. It can best be seen in a simulator session. An example, you have 3 abnormals programmed, an engine failure somewhere, a hydraulic failure and an electrical failure. Crews know these are coming, it's part of the continuous 3-year cycle of licence renewal, but not the specific failure nor the order of occurrence and so have an overall level of preparedness and foresight. If the Checker then goes off-script and throws in, for example, an explosive decompression you get the Startle factor (that's the What The F**k moment) which is then followed by the reaction (that's the time for the brain to engage the correct recall response prior to activating it).
Though my example is a bit crude we have come to understand over many years that this is about as close as you can come to simulating the real thing as possible. Startle factor can be quite significant in real life, line flying, as everything and anything is possible and you cannot be keyed up for an (unknown) event permanently. Aircraft annunciators, warnings, cautions etc are designed to rapidly concentrate the crew on the actual problem to reduce this Startle factor as much as possible so as to get to the Response phase.
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