Pilot reponses in extremis---lessons from Sim Instructors
 

I was interested in comments made in recent postings on AF447 about crews’ performances in simulators when presented with difficult unexpected problems. How performances varied and how instructors had “seen it all” from the point of errors.
What kinds of responses to these situations had they seen? Were there any common characteristics / approaches amongst crews / individuals that coped well? And also those that didn’t? Are there any general tips they can pass on?
I fly single pilot GA for pleasure, nothing exotic, and am not sure how I would cope in flight with a serious unexpected problem. Any general tips you could give would be gratefully received? (Or good sources of information I could pursue.)


(not sure what is the appropriate forum if this isn’t please move...or delete as required)

A sim won't kill you but a real aircraft will! This is why some
sim exercises are done by some as textbook and if the same
emergency occurs in the real aircraft it could all turn to custard.

Bottom line - sim and real - sit on your hands first, and work
out what the hell is going on. Then you RESPOND to what the
situation requires, not REACT.

What I detest the most are those bloody checkies who'll keep
screaming "Hurry up hurry up we don't have much time!" The
older experienced jocks will tell 'em to get stuffed, but junior
sprogs might be intimidated and a) screw it all up and/or b)
come away from the sesh learning essentially nothing.

When I did some checking years ago I couldn't care less how
long it took to complete an exercise as long as it was all done
correctly. If the syllabus could not be completed then tough
titties - we finish it another day.

“sit on your hands first, and work
out what the hell is going on.”
Yes and I suspect when things are really going bad one of the hardest things to do.
I think for me acronyms maybe a friend in extremis. I read in a book about CRM principles aimed at single pilot GA (yes I know that’s a bit of a contradiction in terms) about the acronyms “DECIDE” and “DIE”(slightly unfortunate choice but it gets the attention.) In dire straits with an adrenalin soaked brain (difficult to truly replicate in a sim) that having a drill / acronym to act as a basic skeleton to focus the brain into a more ordered decision process may help; especially when the alternative is the ”Headless Chicken Routine”.

TIM

Rans I had my fair share of emergencies when I was in GA,
first being a charter with an engine failure over the mulga at
2,000ft after TO in an A36 in 40C+ heat. After sitting on my
hands I did the EF drill and recovered the engine (failed eng
fuel pump though I originally thought it was cavitation). The
things I thought at the time were -

- If I panic I'm dead.

- If I'm going to plough in then I'm going to plough in doing
it right.

One will not know how one reacts till one has a real emerg on
his hands. Fortunately for me I found I'm too bloody terrified
of panicking.

Isn't it weird. Cars are supposed to be safer (ground-borne at least, and not as fast), yet if something serious happens you'll seldom have time to work out anything much. I've done a nice carousel with an SUV in sleet, stopped at the brink of a not-so-very-deep slope (just 2-3 m, but still...), almost on the road with the front (I even thought I might be the weight making the difference, and should I get out at all), and the two things I thought were - how could it happen so FAST (speed maybe only 45 km/h or so, the weather and road were real youknowwhat) and it wasn't anything about MY skills that stopped me where I did.
Afterwards we tried to analyse it and I must have missed the last jerk with the steering wheel to stabilise the back or it must have been too late.
And it was only a car.

That is to say I really liked the

but......

cars aren't safer!