I am not a flight instructor:
Having had the experience first hand, is one I will never forget, even now after quite some years: Even after a very significant period of time, it can still cause me some restlessness:
I agree that training is the best tool, in our case, the check list was not used, neither where the pax briefed, there just was not the time, they saw it for them selves anyway. (fire in the cockpit):
A passenger from the back was standing between us in the cockpit door way,(no door) using the extinguisher when the wheels hit the tarmac!
With training in mind, I believe it gave me the ability to use my discretion, which in our case was getting it on the ground in one piece, max reverse and max braking, fuel levers off, battery & master off and I bailed, the F/o and pax beat me out of the aircraft and I did not dawdle or second guess anything.
I came a distant second/third to 20 passengers & a F/o.
So from experience, I say training most definitely, but you dont know what type of emergency, or its severity/ or even when/ it is going to happen, it is a very fluid situation, and is dependent on many many variables:
In our case the situational timing and airborne positioning couldn't have been better:
Our choices was the Pacific Ocean beneath or the Airport 3.5 miles behind the right wing in the 4.30 position!
In summery:
YOU do not know what YOU will do, only what you HOPE you will do, to me it is
do no harm to my passengers, if this means taking a short cut and using my discretion in something that has confronted me as the above did! then I agree with ????'s sentiment above, I will not be recovered with a burnt checklist in my blackened hand.
Touch wood! heres to becoming an OLD PILOT:
Chr's
H/Snort.
