Flying by the seat of a computer’s pants
I saw the genesis of this problem first hand but I didn’t realize it at the time, nor could I have since I wasn’t a pilot.
Basically, airline owners and investors started asking circa 1980: “what do I get for all this money I am spending on new aircraft with automation, INS, Omega, glass cockpits, etc., etc.?
The answer, for a while, was increased operating efficiencies, fuel, maintenance, etc.
But ultimately the answer had to be smart aircraft = cheap (dumb, inexperienced) pilots.
We are now experiencing the costs associated with that philosophy - Colgan perhaps was the first wake up call.
Basically, airline owners and investors started asking circa 1980: “what do I get for all this money I am spending on new aircraft with automation, INS, Omega, glass cockpits, etc., etc.?
The answer, for a while, was increased operating efficiencies, fuel, maintenance, etc.
But ultimately the answer had to be smart aircraft = cheap (dumb, inexperienced) pilots.
We are now experiencing the costs associated with that philosophy - Colgan perhaps was the first wake up call.
Join Date: Jul 2010
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"Flying by the seat of a computer’s pants"
Know a guy who lost his medical from rectal cancer.
Tried to convince CAsA he didn't need his arse to fly an airplane, he just sat on it.
Didn't work, so I guess you do need a seat of the pants to fly.
Not sure about computers though, do they have arses?
Know a guy who lost his medical from rectal cancer.
Tried to convince CAsA he didn't need his arse to fly an airplane, he just sat on it.
Didn't work, so I guess you do need a seat of the pants to fly.
Not sure about computers though, do they have arses?
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Melbourne
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How right you are. I recall a simulator session in a 737 where a F/O with 250 hours from north of the equator (sorry but political correctness guru's scan these pages) was practicing for his IPC. For the sake of the exercise he was told to turn off the flight director for the take off. He refused, saying he had never flown without a FD. During the take off run the PM called "80 knots" but omitted to call V1 and VR for some reason.
The PF kept going until right at the end of the runway with the 737 at V2 plus 30 knots and still on the runway, the PF turned to the PM and said accusingly "You forgot to call V1 and VR." By then the aircraft would have gone through the localiser aerials beyond the end of the runway. This, and numerous other items gave grave cause to doubt his ability to fly an aeroplane; let alone undertake an IPC.
Yet his licence showed he had a command instrument rating on a Seminole issued at an Australian flying school 12 months earlier. In the meantime he had been issued with a 737 type rating at an approved FAA facility in the USA..
The PF kept going until right at the end of the runway with the 737 at V2 plus 30 knots and still on the runway, the PF turned to the PM and said accusingly "You forgot to call V1 and VR." By then the aircraft would have gone through the localiser aerials beyond the end of the runway. This, and numerous other items gave grave cause to doubt his ability to fly an aeroplane; let alone undertake an IPC.
Yet his licence showed he had a command instrument rating on a Seminole issued at an Australian flying school 12 months earlier. In the meantime he had been issued with a 737 type rating at an approved FAA facility in the USA..
I recall some years ago doing a type endo in the states & my Sim buddy was from lets say a country that wasn't known to have a safe aviation record (corruption ring a bell?) & he was hopeless! Was so far behind the jet that I doubt he could handle a C172 IFR & he was a Capt in his country on a HondaJet! V1 cut at night in VMC & went 100 degs off Rwy Trk before the Sim instructor stopped the session despite me saying heading a million times! I got out of that partnership quick smart!
