What would you like to practice in the simulator
Those readers that have undergone type rating training in simulators know that the majority of the sequences taught have received regulatory approval and are mandated as part of zero flight time licencing.
Due to restrictions on simulator time and the expense involved, it is usually impractical to adequately cover all the QRH Non-Normals. Some of these may be covered however over a three-year cyclic programme. Once the candidate gets into the real aeroplane it becomes very much a case of learning on the job and it may take six months or more of regular line flying before the pilot feels quite at home with flying the aircraft.
In fact if the captain becomes incapacitated the new pilot may be catapulted into a potentially bewildering position of responsibility for the continued safety of the flight
Since the vast majority of jet transport line flying is on automatic pilot and automatic navigation, it sometimes becomes quite a shock to a new pilot if for some reason he has to revert to basics. For example, radio aid navigation, flight without the aid of a flight director and autothrottle and of course, manual flying other than take off and last few seconds of the approach and landing.
I believe there is a pressing need for simulator instructors to be permitted to use their own experiences of the past to ensure type rating candidates can cope with the unexpected. Within the constraints of simulator time, the following short list should be considered as a starting point for hands on raw data practice:
Profile descent from cruise altitude to touch-down using a DME v Altitude profile in varying winds. This is done by hand flying on instruments without automatics.
Manual handling practice at landing with strong crosswinds until competent at touching down with no drift applied. Autothrottle off.
Manual handling of landing on performance limiting runway length and that to include all flaps up approach.
High altitude (30,000 ft and above) stall recovery to safe level flight and low altitude stall recovery in landing configuration below 1000 ft AGL.
Loss of all engines culminating in a forced landing to a runway. Best known as a `dead-stick` landing.
Readers are invited to add their own ideas. Constructive criticism welcome. And remember that the purpose of these sequences is to improve basic flying flying skills without the crutch of automatics.