Brain in Crisis
Jerry
Just recently read your book - very good read. As an A109 driver now I read about your T/R failure with some interest.
As for how the brain works, I regret I can report having landed a Bell-47 following total loss of T/R (having successfully chopped the T/R drive shaft with the main rotor during a wire strike). I had a classic case of temporal distortion - time seemed to slow down so much that I distinctly recall scanning instruments, noting readings (NR still good having entered needles-joined auto, MAP good, 70KIAS decaying) and yet don't recall the sensation of wind in my face (the canopy having been largely shattered). As I started slowly reapplying power it started to wind up so I immediately knew the problem, cracked the throttle and flew a 90 degree EOL into a paddock. Clearly training had a large part to play, but there is no doubt the brain can adapt to provide much-needed assistance in times of crisis.