Flying the aircraft is the least challenging task in the cockpit?
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Flying the aircraft is the least challenging task in the cockpit?
Business and Commercial Aviation magazine (February 2016) has an article written by Fred George called "Crunch Time in the Cockpit Tests CRM."
It is a well written article about Qantas Flight 32 an A380 from Singapore to Sydney on 4 November 2010. No 2 engine suffered a catastrophic failure causing functional problems with the remaining three engines which severely compromised multiple systems.
Much has been written about the excellent CRM displayed by the captain and his crew which resulted in a safe though harrowing landing.
However there was one particular statement by the author of the article that seemed rather odd. The captain was quoted as saying:
"if the pilot in command is the pilot flying, control of the aircraft should be transferred to the second in command when coping with abnormalities or emergencies. However there are times when the command pilot may have to fly the aircraft because it is the least challenging task in the cockpit."
An extraordinary statement indeed. And all these years I thought that physically handling the aircraft in an emergency was the most challenging task in the cockpit...
It is a well written article about Qantas Flight 32 an A380 from Singapore to Sydney on 4 November 2010. No 2 engine suffered a catastrophic failure causing functional problems with the remaining three engines which severely compromised multiple systems.
Much has been written about the excellent CRM displayed by the captain and his crew which resulted in a safe though harrowing landing.
However there was one particular statement by the author of the article that seemed rather odd. The captain was quoted as saying:
"if the pilot in command is the pilot flying, control of the aircraft should be transferred to the second in command when coping with abnormalities or emergencies. However there are times when the command pilot may have to fly the aircraft because it is the least challenging task in the cockpit."
An extraordinary statement indeed. And all these years I thought that physically handling the aircraft in an emergency was the most challenging task in the cockpit...
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If you think it through, this statement makes complete sense.
Some emergencies, once handled, are not that challenging to fly. An engine out scenario is relatively simple once the aircraft is trimmed out - especially if the aircraft is approved to fly on autopilot.
The QRH procedure that follows the emergency, however, may be so complex and task saturating that having the Captain complete it would remove any sense of situational awareness, therefore degrading the command ability of said Captain.
In most cases I agree that the First Officer should fly the aircraft while the Captain runs the checklist, calls company and ATC, talks to the passengers, etc. That removes any possibility that the message is diluted or changed when sent through the First Officer.
However, if the QRH is so complex (as it was in this case) that the Captain would be heads down for a long period of time, then it is better that the Captain flies and the First Officer complete the checklist. That way the Captain can monitor the First Officer while making command decisions necessary for aircraft safety.
Some emergencies, once handled, are not that challenging to fly. An engine out scenario is relatively simple once the aircraft is trimmed out - especially if the aircraft is approved to fly on autopilot.
The QRH procedure that follows the emergency, however, may be so complex and task saturating that having the Captain complete it would remove any sense of situational awareness, therefore degrading the command ability of said Captain.
In most cases I agree that the First Officer should fly the aircraft while the Captain runs the checklist, calls company and ATC, talks to the passengers, etc. That removes any possibility that the message is diluted or changed when sent through the First Officer.
However, if the QRH is so complex (as it was in this case) that the Captain would be heads down for a long period of time, then it is better that the Captain flies and the First Officer complete the checklist. That way the Captain can monitor the First Officer while making command decisions necessary for aircraft safety.
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I agree. Flying an aeroplane is simple. The difficult but is putting your brain ahead of the aircraft and when things go wrong, remaining ahead of the aircraft, the failure, its repercussions. And then there's the ability/youth trade off. Most FOs are younger than the captain and as a result have faster reflexes. They are also capable of flying the aircraft just as accurately (or even more so) as their colleagues. So getting them to fly when things are going badly makes a great deal of sense.
PM
PM
Most FOs are younger than the captain and as a result have faster reflexes. They are also capable of flying the aircraft just as accurately (or even more so) as their colleagues. So getting them to fly when things are going badly makes a great deal of sense.
PM
PM
From all the bumpf I have been reading about manual flying skills degradation (automation addiction) it appears that most pilots (captains and first officers alike) are in the same boat.
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Originally Posted by Centaurus
Meaning that F/O's have faster reflexes when heads down on autopilot pushing buttons. From all the bumpf I have been reading about manual flying skills degradation (automation addiction) it appears that most pilots (captains and first officers alike) are in the same boat.
It might make sense to review, yet again, that the oft-referred-to-phrase, “practice makes perfect,” has always been used to convey the fact that regular exercise of an activity or skill is the way to become proficient in it … especially when encouraging someone to persist in it. And it should be particularly noted that the concept of knowing “what button to push and what knob should be turned … and how far that particular knob should be turned…” can ONLY be related to ‘manual flying skills’ to the extent that the hoped-for end product of each will be equally successful ... and SAFE.
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Hi All,
The most challenging task in the cockpit, at any given moment, is managing the risk presented to the crew. It is as simple as that. The Qantas skipper did exactly that and as a result was able to maintain safe oversight of what was happening.
The rule of: Fly, Navigate, Communicate (in that order) will help to mitigate some of the threats. Above all else it puts the basic priorities in the correct sequence. Indeed, this is what Airbus's failure management model is based on.
For an example of another well handled emergency, look up the Swiss A340 out of ZRH with an oil over-temp. This highlights all the good things we try to instill in our crews, including the realisation that no-one is actually flying the aircraft. The FO (who is PF) demonstrates this admirably and gets herself back in the groove when she feels herself getting suckered in.
It is also a great example of the complexity of language that pilots whose first language is not English face. I have a new found respect for my foreign colleagues after watching it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEf35NtlBLg
Hope that helps.
BS
The most challenging task in the cockpit, at any given moment, is managing the risk presented to the crew. It is as simple as that. The Qantas skipper did exactly that and as a result was able to maintain safe oversight of what was happening.
The rule of: Fly, Navigate, Communicate (in that order) will help to mitigate some of the threats. Above all else it puts the basic priorities in the correct sequence. Indeed, this is what Airbus's failure management model is based on.
For an example of another well handled emergency, look up the Swiss A340 out of ZRH with an oil over-temp. This highlights all the good things we try to instill in our crews, including the realisation that no-one is actually flying the aircraft. The FO (who is PF) demonstrates this admirably and gets herself back in the groove when she feels herself getting suckered in.
It is also a great example of the complexity of language that pilots whose first language is not English face. I have a new found respect for my foreign colleagues after watching it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEf35NtlBLg
Hope that helps.
BS
