So one takeaway from this accident is to concentrate on deliberate, smooth application of throttle — of any lever, dial, or knob on the flight deck, for that matter. We really don’t have anything in our play book that needs to be done at the speed of light and the strength of Superman.
Human Factors: Safety in numbers?
The big takeaway from this accident is clearly that flying as a crew requires good communication and a clear discussion of who is responsible for each aspect of the flight. If we really want to take a page from airline crew resource management, duties should be divided up, rather than duplicated.
Questions from the Cockpit: Reno reboot
Question from pretty much every pilot I know, in pretty much every state: What did you think of the National Championship Air Races in its new location?
Questions from the Cockpit: Night and day
Mack, a student pilot in Florida, writes: I just learned that there are three different definitions of night in the regulations! What’s the deal with all these overlapping definitions? Is the FAA just trying to make it harder on students than it needs to be?
Human Factors: It’s not really a checklist
When something unexpected happens in flight we’ve all been taught to Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. But pilots need to realize that’s not a checklist, but a cycle to be repeated over and over again until the situation is resolved.
Questions From The Cockpit: The top 10 causes of GA accidents
The list of the top 10 causes of GA accidents is shocking in that all of the items are basic pilot skills. Shouldn’t anyone with a pilot certificate have a handle on all of these?
Human Factors: A pilot’s last words
What can we learn from a sightseeing flight that proved fatal for a young pilot and his girlfriend’s brother?
Questions from the Cockpit: Ercoupe claustrophobia
My friend Tom called the other night and startled me with a question: “Hey, have you ever heard of anyone having an attack of claustrophobia in an Ercoupe?”
Human Factors: A tragic celebration
A flight to celebrate a dad earning his private pilot certificate ends tragically. What can we learn from it?