If academics would stop trying to re invent the wheel your questions would be of no consequence.
The very fact that you see a need to ask what is wrong tells me that the training system of today is lacking, I have been ridiculed in the past at work within the European system for questioning the NEW JAR/JAA training regarding single engine training, basic handling, including stalling in the turn, steep turns at 60degrees, soft field and stol take offs and landing, landings with no flap.
These listed are some that come to mind that when I ask someone to my right a Q they get that funny is he serious quizzical look.
I was taught to use the ASI as a angle of attack indicator, ahhh! You say!
I was taught to think heading airspeed time distance,
I was taught to always carry a flash lite, (and have needed it twice)
I was taught to carry a prayer wheel at all times.
I was taught to carry the prayer wheel instructional book at all times.
I was taught to fly scanning the instruments on the other side of the cockpit.
I was taught to fly an approach using the instruments on the other side.
I was taught to time Icing.
I was taught to think of more than one way of checking fuel.
I was taught to listen to the NDB/VOR Ident when using such.
I was taught to understand that the most dangerous approach is the circling.
I was taught to never be afraid to give the landing away if unhappy with it.
I was taught to take an aeroplane back to the apron if I had any doubt at all, and screw the company and the engineers that said other wise.
I was taught to think holding patterns and holding at a limit/ radial, N.S.E.W.
I was taught runway in front, airspeed on the clock, sky beneath me, fuel in the tanks.
I was taught safe circling areas.
I was taught safe altitudes.
I was taught to check Engine driven fuel pumps.
I was taught what would you do if????
I was taught to use other things like engines, trims, doors, etc etc to control/steer an aeroplane
I was taught spinning and recovery.
I was taught Aerobatics.
Now you may laugh, and go ahead.
I my era most became flying instructors at 250-300 hours and moved onto a twin job, then a bigger twin or turbo prop, or agg work or float work.
Today it’s driven by training towards the airlines and the airline way of thinking, it makes no allowance for those that may want to fly other avenues.
The basics used to be drummed into us when I started in 1974, today if I spoke to a Trainee, or F/o as my instructor spoke to me back then there would be hell to play.
The amount of poor handlers came about in my opinion with the reduced training hours and the new corporate image of so called flying schools of today.
In my era it was not unusual for the aero club instructors to fail students (this was before foreign students became the bread & butter)
When I flew in the USA circa 1986, the flying handling standards where as good as what I had in NZ and apart from having to do turns around a pylon, and soft field T/o's & Ldgs, all was pretty same same.
I trained under a then extremely good NZ system with some absolutely wonderful and dear men.
I flew with FAA guys like Glen Veale, & my first CP the late Muzz Brown.
In Europe I flew with some equally good men, all of the same elk, PA, MB, EN, and BF, but by 2004 the new way was even getting rid of these men.
In my opinion it all started to change with the corporate flying schools, passing students due to one being the money and two, as an instructor told me, I am only happy he is not going to fly in this country commercially.
So you ask how can you be assured pilots aren’t going to loose control, you cant! Unless you go back to what was taught before.
The one time the devil outstretched his filthy hand towards us was on a dark dark wet night, and not covered in your normal chain of events/scenarios training, but a unseen little problem that when told to engineering prior to the event, they stated they could find nothing wrong, and said I was the only one complaining, no one else had, (ooopps dont want to get a red mark beside my name and piss off the director engineering, do we now!)
The ability to cope when hugely overloaded came from doing aerobatics and hearing at the precise moment, all those years latter my old instructors (BJT) voice and patter on attitude & stalling:
The reason we never stalled was because I was taught to feel it, I did not blindly rely on a stall warning, the stall warning didn’t work anyway, in this case either aurally, nor by illuminated light due to the aerodynamic attitude.
I make no apology for ranting:
Oh yes, and I inquired into becoming a flight instructor recently in NZ, and was told I could not even do simulator instrument instructing because I don’t have an instructor rating.
Experience its not wanted any more, not valued, and not worth anything.
In saying this the enigma of it all I love flying, love it to bits, and I am aiming at one last gig in Northern Australia, God I hope I get it.
As for the Aviation Industry, I loathe it with all my might.
I would sooner share the company of whores, to that of Liars and thieves, to which the aviation industry use to be full of Flying whores, now it seems the latter occupy the various departments and revenue planning offices about the globe.
And you ask how to change it!
Chr's.
H/Snort.
