We train V1 cuts, missed approaches from the minima and other 'canned' manoeuvres until the cows come home. Perhaps it's about time airline training regimes started to incorporate some of the other, less traditional, 'events' that are likely to catch people out?
I fly the B744 and in my airline we used to do a lot of checking of those 'canned' manoeuvres and very little training of more likely 'events'. To be fair to the airline though, it's hands were tied by our government regulator. Thankfully reason has prevailed and we have now moved to an 'Evidence Based Training' (EBT) philosophy where there is still some essential checking, but a lot more realistic training based upon topical events. Of particular note my last simulator session included the following training sequence:
Low Level Go-Around:
- To commence from the flare manoeuvre.
As proficiency develops:
- Go-Around after touch-down and before reverse thrust selected, and
- Engine failure with thrust increase.
Since this is one of the first of our EBT sequences, that suggests that this is an area that is causing some issues. I suspect following the EK accident we will be revisiting this training sequence.