S/E take-off safety brief?
Join Date: Sep 2006
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I reckon this thread should be re-named the "using a sledgehammer to crack a nut" thread.
The stuff you do in a single when the engine stops, should be instinctive. Certainly, it takes a few hours to get to the point where it is instinctive, but that is what you should be aiming for. The idea that you slavishly rehearse every possible emergency before departure, comes from those instructors who are a little too eager to fly airline-level kit. Of course, when they actually get to the airlines, they discover that the takeoff brief is not quite what they thought it was...
In the airline world we have memory items for some emergencies, the rest being checklist-based. The memory items need to be instinctive, just as the stuff a single driver needs should be. If you have to think too hard about it, you'll probably forget it all in the heat of battle anyway.
And as for "rotate speed" and "takeoff safety speed" in a single... don't fill your mind with such nonsense. Those are multi-engined aircraft concepts (where it actually matters - they relate to Vmca). The only things you really need to know in a single is best ROC and best glide speed (usually more or less the same speed), and how big a bit of real estate you need to land in if it all goes wrong...
The stuff you do in a single when the engine stops, should be instinctive. Certainly, it takes a few hours to get to the point where it is instinctive, but that is what you should be aiming for. The idea that you slavishly rehearse every possible emergency before departure, comes from those instructors who are a little too eager to fly airline-level kit. Of course, when they actually get to the airlines, they discover that the takeoff brief is not quite what they thought it was...
In the airline world we have memory items for some emergencies, the rest being checklist-based. The memory items need to be instinctive, just as the stuff a single driver needs should be. If you have to think too hard about it, you'll probably forget it all in the heat of battle anyway.
And as for "rotate speed" and "takeoff safety speed" in a single... don't fill your mind with such nonsense. Those are multi-engined aircraft concepts (where it actually matters - they relate to Vmca). The only things you really need to know in a single is best ROC and best glide speed (usually more or less the same speed), and how big a bit of real estate you need to land in if it all goes wrong...
Join Date: Jan 2003
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What about nominating a safe abort point? Up here in PNG that could make all the difference. If you pull the power because of some problem before the nominated safe abort point ie partial engine failiure you will hopefully stop before the end of the strip. If you pull it after the safe abort point at best you will stack it into the trees at the end and at worst drop off down a 5000 foot cliff with about 10 knots.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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I've been taught by ex RAAF guys to brief everything....
Any malfunction before rotate - abort. Engine failure with sufficient RWY remaining, land on the RWY. If insufficient RWY remaining, land in a field/paddock etc to the left/right/ahead. Any malfunction requiring an immediate landing, return to RWY xx.
The PC9 has an ejection seat requiring the addition of "not below" heights for ejection and turn-back etc.
IMHO a take-off emergency brief only needs to cover the worst case i.e. engine failure during take-off, where time is critical. However I can't get too wound up if someone wants to add other eventualities in. Whatever works for you.
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Chief pilots, when your doing a check flight with a prospective employee for an entry level position, what sort of brief, if any, do you like to hear?
Instructors, does your school require you to teach a take off safety brief? what does it include? It seems that most schools require one, some are more relevant and useful than others.
I actually went for a check flight the other day and got a demo of an absolute ripper take off safety brief. SOME of the details I can remember include - wind strength and velocity, runway in use, length of said runway, Vr, Vtoss, actions for engine failure on/near the ground, actions for engine failure with no runway remaining, altitude to retract flap, altitude to commence turn, direction of turn, altitude to climb to. This was for a circuit in a Aerobat.
Instructors, does your school require you to teach a take off safety brief? what does it include? It seems that most schools require one, some are more relevant and useful than others.
I actually went for a check flight the other day and got a demo of an absolute ripper take off safety brief. SOME of the details I can remember include - wind strength and velocity, runway in use, length of said runway, Vr, Vtoss, actions for engine failure on/near the ground, actions for engine failure with no runway remaining, altitude to retract flap, altitude to commence turn, direction of turn, altitude to climb to. This was for a circuit in a Aerobat.
