Originally Posted by
411A
...may well have never been even remotely aware of the consequences of using the powered rudder aggresively at higher speeds.
They positively know NOW.
Was the concerned pilot in error?
Most certainly.
But, even more importantly, so was the concerned aircarrier, American Airlines (aka, the Sky Gods) for developing an advanced maneuvering program involving abrubt full rudder movements at high(er) speeds, and the FAA inspectors for approving it.
Abrupt full rudder movements repeated at high speeds are absolutely to be avoided, least you want to have an even longer career flying heavy jet transports.
The older guys were taught...now clearly, the younger guys now know, especially at AA.
Well, what you allege here is not accurate. If you look at the AA "Advanced Maneuver Training" package you will find that references to the use of the rudder never advocate alternating rudder input and always reflect the premise that rudder inputs should be smooth and coordinated; never do they call for “abrupt full rudder movement,” particularly at high airspeeds. So, other than the fact that they DO discuss the use of rudder in this program (and the rudder
is an important and an effective aerodynamic control fixture), on the surface, at least, there would be no real reason to be critical of the program as written. That being said, what would you condemn about the FAA review and approval of such a program? On the other hand, and where only AA instructor and line pilot personnel are truly knowledgeable, the question clearly becomes, “what are the pilots trained to do when actually alone in the simulator?”
On the other side of the coin, there are major airline training programs that advocate the use of aileron only as the initial control input (in response to the yaw-induced roll) when experiencing an asymmetrical thrust situation; i.e., an engine failure on takeoff. In one program at least, while not in the text of the program, it is explicitly discussed in flight training that use of the rudder should be delayed, and the application of rudder should be made toward the “down side” of the control wheel (to ensure the correct rudder is applied), and to use only enough rudder to allow the wheel to “center.” Clearly, this is taking an extreme
opposite position on the use of rudder controls – and in the mind of many – is still not addressing the reason that a rudder is on an airplane in the first place … that being to maintain coordinated flight.