grammar help needed - hand flying/airmanship

[FlightDetent]

Dear all,

An external audit discovered a non-existing policy on automation use on flightdeck within our company. While the issue is being addressed, as a very lowly F/O I endeavour to suggest a word on manual aircraft handling to be included. As you can already clearly see, my command of English language is quite far from being superb (I wonder whoever drives Skoda Superbs;) ?). May I ask the knowledgable prooners to please help me brush up on the following sentence?

If deemed suitable yet strictly within commander's authority and responsibility, it is advisable that (observing any applicable limitations and under favourable circumstances) pilots do promote hand-flying as a means of self proficiency excercise and basic airmanship keeping.

I shall believe the idea itself is very much shared across these forums. Still, my mothertongue is rather keen on long wordings and I do understeand that simplicity is the key to usefulness. All and any suggestions are sincerily welcome.

Yours,
FD
(the un-real)

[Old Smokey]

At the Commander's discretion, pilots are encouraged to practice hand-flying under favourable circumstances.

(Posted by an Australian of Irish/Scottish extraction, and resident in Singapore. The use of the English language may therefore be somewhat questionable).

Regards,

Auld Smokey

[zerozero]

I like it Old Smokey but this American with an Italian heritage thinks "favourable" should be spelled "favorable."

:8

[A37575]

From all that nonsense it appears that hand flying is considered by the operator as terribly risky stuff and only to be conducted under the most stringent conditions of the sun at 12 O'Clock with not a cloud on the horizon, with one's hand over the cockpit area microphone and shoulder harnesses pulled tight. Oh my Gawd - the bastard has switched off the FD and we are all going to die.

[Engineer]

This was obviously written by some one from the engineering profession. :ok:

The interpretation means "in all cases put the autopilot on it does a better job But if you have to hand fly do so only as a last resort " :O

[Gufo]

From all that nonsense it appears that hand flying is considered by the operator as terribly risky stuff and only to be conducted under the most stringent conditions of the sun at 12 O'Clock with not a cloud on the horizon, with one's hand over the cockpit area microphone and shoulder harnesses pulled tight. Oh my Gawd - the bastard has switched off the FD and we are all going to die.

LOLLOLOLOL :}

[Farmer 1]

If deemed suitable yet strictly within commander's authority and responsibility, it is advisable that (observing any applicable limitations and under favourable circumstances) pilots do promote hand-flying as a means of self proficiency excercise and basic airmanship keeping.
What's wrong with that? OK, a couple of "notwithstanding"s and "insofar as"s, and perhaps a "thereby" here and there might possibly go to making it possibly just that little bit of a better way in order to make it just that bit even more so. Or perhaps not.

[keithl]

Surely all those "if suitable"s, "under favourable circumstances" and "observing all limitations" can be removed and the phrase "at the discretion of the commander" used instead. After all, he's already paid to consider all the limitations and restrictions before deciding on anything.

What do I know about it? Well, I write or draft parts of my company's Ops Manual.

[FlightDetent]

My point exactly!


The culture within is quite normal, but they're putting somthing on paper. I guess it just has to be done these days. Along the lines that autopilots are very elaborate and expensive systems built to help you, so please think and use them whenever possible. I try to add, then think again and make sure you do not forget to fly.

O.Smokey: THANK YOU.

[Ignition Override]

Flight Detent, Engineer and Gang: Can a civil/mechanical engineer, who loses electrical power on his computer, or when something crashed, do his calculations using other "raw data" such as a slide rule, if a formula is provided?

There is an article in a very recent "Flight International" about a British Airways A-319 which lost all flight displays, at night from what I recall.

If pilots, whether quite inexperienced or with many years of flying don't at least try some hand flying (not just when climbing to 15,000'), possibly manually tuning in VOR frequencies :eek: while enroute, using 'heading select' to steer the ship, even try the 'VOR HSI' mode :uhoh: when joining an ILS approach in IMC (no visible horizon), then how will he/she be able to fly when it is a total surprise? What if your are dispatched in an Airbus (probably not possible in MEL) or Boeing with no autothrottles? Would you refuse the aircraft?

[flufdriver]

ok, no too certain about the grammar, but this may be "wordy" enough for you:

"In the interest of promoting and preserving basic flying skill and airmanship, Pilots are encouraged to practice manually flying the aircraft during various phases of flight.

This should be done at the Captains discretion and so as not to negatively affect overall workload sharing, especially in a high density traffic environment."

[Genghis the Engineer]

When the Captain considers it safe and expedient to do so, it is important that crews regularly practice manually flying their aircraft. This is to maintain proficiency in basic handling and airmanship skills.

(That's the basic sentence, but if you'll accept a suggestion - also include a requirement to note it in logbooks, and a recommendation that crews practice hand-flying a certain number of hours per month - then you have something a bit firmer than a general recommendation).

G

[NigelOnDraft]

Hand Fly whenever you want, but don't scr*w up :)

[Crash and Burn]

If deemed suitable yet strictly within commander's authority and responsibility, it is advisable that (observing any applicable limitations and under favourable circumstances) pilots do promote hand-flying as a means of self proficiency excercise and basic airmanship keeping

Could be reduced to:

In the interests of pilot proficiency, pilots are encouraged to hand-fly aircraft in accordance with normal aviation practices.

Normal aviation practices could mean your SOPs or failing that, something that could be defended using common sense (a minefield of subjective arguement).