Confusing Simulator practices at Singapore Airlines
 

I suppose it's one of those things that can be argued both ways. Personally, I found the following practice confusing and dangerous.

In the Singapore Airlines simulator the First Officer does the reject when he is Pilot Flying. This may sound like a good way to make pilots proficient but if it happens in real life it leads to a confusing situation at a critical time. As a FO-PF you are conditioned into rejecting when an event occurs prior to V1 on the take-off roll. Even though it is the Captain's responsibility and he may decide that the event does not warrant a reject or it is simply too dangerous to reject, in those 2-3 intense seconds the FO can have already started applying full braking and the bringing of the Reversers into play.

What do you think?

In this case, Stop?

As I recall, this was the practice at SQ on the B707, many years ago. I always discussed with the F/O...."why would you abort?" Generally they had very good reasons, preferring to continue in most cases. This was my thinking as well, so the process worked rather well. The training was VERY through at that time (I should know, I was involved in sim and base training) so it did not present much of a problem.

Just completed my T/O training the other day. In our company, there is a handover of throttle levers and T/O abort above 80kts. Below that, abortion is made by the F/O (when PF), above by the CMD.
I guess this method has both advantages and disadvantages.

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... cut my wings and I'll die ...

The toughest abort (B744) is on a wet runway below 80 knots, and it is vital that the throttles be closed immediately, and reverse idle selected (Sometimes you can do it without reverse but it stabilises the airplane if it is used). Therefore the captain must have the throttles from the get-go.
Suggest that when the FO pushes TOGA he lifts his hand and the captain takes the throttles at that point. Waiting until 80 knots is risky.

Never having flown the 744, why is an abort tougher at 70-80 kts than one at a faster speed (below V1, of course)??

- In my company the pilot flying (either captain or co-pilot) will do the flying from take-off till landing (except for cat 2/3 landings. So far it has never been a problem as to make a decision on whether or not to abort. The rules in the book state clearly "the rejection of a take-off should be restricted to:
1. Aural warnings
2. Engine failure
3. Control problems affecting safe airplane handling
The rejection of a take-off is initiated by the call "STOP". In the above-mentioned cases both pilots may call "STOP". In all other cases the decision to initiate the rejection of a take-off is restricted to the captain. Once the rejection is initiated, it must be completed. "

- In my opinion there is no difference in a 747-400 when doing an abort above or below 80 kts. In my opinion the abort is most critical:
1. Just after setting T/O power if an engine fails. Trying to keep the beast on the runway!
2. Just before reaching V 1. Boeing has shown that an abort at high speed has a very high chance of creating an accident f.i. Departing the runway!
Fly safe!

Slam dunk