Equipment use autopilot systems. In a single pilot environment, an autopilot system can
greatly reduce workload prefer to Figure seventeen Dash twenty. As a result, the
pilot is free to focus his or her attention on other flight deck duties.
This can improve situational awareness and reduce the possibility of a sea fit accident.
While the addition of an autopilot may certainly be considered a risk control measure,
the real challenge comes in determining the impact of an inoperative unit. If the
autopilot is known to be inoperative prior to departure, this may factor into the
evaluation of other risks. For example, the pilot may be planning for a
VHF omnidirectional range ther approach down to minimums on a dark night into an unfamiliar
airport. In such a case, the pilot may have been relying heavily on
a functioning autopilot capable of flying a coupled approach. This would free the pilot
to monitor aircraft performance. A malfunctioning autopilot could be the single factor that takes
this from a medium to a serious risk. At this point, an alternative
needs to be considered. On the other hand, if the autopilot were to
fail at a critical, high workload portion of this same flight, the pilot
must be prepared to take action instead of simply being an inconvenience. This could
quickly turn into an emergency if not properly handled. The best way to ensure
a pilot is prepared for such an event is to carefully study the issue prior
to departure and determine well in advance how an autopilot failure is to be handled.
Familiarity. As previously discussed, pilot familiarity with all equipment is critical in
optimizing both safety and efficiency. If a pilot is unfamiliar with any aircraft systems,
this will add to the workload and may contribute to a loss of situational
where This level of proficiency is critical and should be looked upon as a requirement,
not unlike carrying an adequate supply of fuel. As a result, pilot
should not look upon unfamiliarity with the aircraft in its systems as a risk control
measure, but instead as a hazard with a high risk potential. Discipline is
key to success. Respect for onboard systems. Automation can assist the pilot in
many ways, but a thorough understanding of the system or systems in use is
essential to gaining the benefits it can offer. Understanding leads to respect, which
is achieved through discipline and the mastery of the onboard systems. It is important
to fly the airplane using minimal information from the primary flight display PFD. This
includes turns, climbs, descents, and being able to fly approaches. Reinforcement
of onboard suites. The use of an electronic flight display may not seem intuitive,
but competency becomes better with understanding and practice. Computer based software and incremental
training help the pilot become comfortable with the onboard suites. Then the pilot needs
to practice what was learned in order to gain experience. Reinforcement not only yields
dividends in the use of automation, it also reduces workloads significantly. Getting beyond
ROTE workmanship. The key to working effectively with automation is getting beyond the sequential
process of executing an action. If a pilot has to analyze what key to
push next, or always uses the same sequence of keystrokes when others are available,
he or she may be trapped in a ROTE process. This mechanical process
indicates a shallow understanding of the system. Again, the desire is to become
competent and know what to do without having to think about what keystroke is next.
Operating the system with potency and comprehension benefits a pilot when situations become more
diverse and tasks increase, understanding the platform. Contrary to popular belief, flight
in aircraft equipped with different electronic management suites requires the same attention as aircraft equipped
with analog instrumentation and a conventional suite of avionics. The pilot should review and
understand the different ways in which the EFD are used in a particular aircraft.
Refer to Figure seventeen twenty one two simple rules for use of an ef D.
Be able to fly the aircraft to the standards in the pts. Although
this may seem insignificant, knowing how to fly the aircraft to a standard makes
a pilot's airmanship smoother and allows him or her more time to attend to the
system instead of managing multiple tasks. Read and understand the installed electronic flight systems
manuals to include the use of the autopilot and other onboard electronic management tools.
Managing aircraft automation. Before any pilot can master aircraft automation, he or she
must first know how to fly the aircraft. Maneuver's training remains an important component
of flight training because almost forty percent of all general aviation accidents take place in
the landing phase, one realm of flight that still does not involve programming a
computer to execute. Another fifteen percent of all general aviation accidents occurs during takeoff
an initial climb. An advanced avionic safety issue identified by the FAA concerns pilots
who apparently develop an unwarranted overreliance in their avionics and the aircraft, believing that
the equipment will compensate for pilot shortcomings. Related to the overreliance is the role
of ADM, which is probably the most significant factor in the general aviation accident
record. Of high formance aircraft used for cross country flight. The FAA Advanced
Avionics Aircraft's Safety Study found that poor decision making seems to afflict new advanced avionics
pilots at a rate higher than that of general aviation as a whole. The
review of advanced avionics accidents cited in this study shows the majority are not caused
by something directly related to the aircraft, but by the pilot's lack of experience
and a chain of poor decisions. One consistent theme in many of the fatal
accidents is continued VFR flight into IMC. Thus, pilot skills for normal and
emergency operations hinge not only on mechanical manipulation of the stick and rudder, but
also include the mental mastery of the EFD. Three key flight management skills are
needed to fly the advanced avionics safely. Information automation, and risk nation management.
For the newly transitioning pilot, the PFD, MFD and GPS SLANT BHF
navigator screens seem to offer too much information presented in colorful menus and sub menus.
In fact, the pilot may be drowning in information but unable to find
a specific piece of information. It might be helpful to remember these systems are
similar to computers, which store some folders on a desktop and some within a
hierarchy. The first critical information management skill for flying with advanced avionics is to
understand the system at a conceptual level. Remembering how the system is organized helps
the pilot manage the available information. It is important to understanding that learning knob
and dial procedures is not enough. Learning more about how advanced avionics systems work
leads to better memory for procedures and allows pilots to solve problems they have not
seen before. There are also limits to understanding. It is generally impossible to
understand all of the behaviors of a complex avionics system. Knowing to expect surprises
and to continually learn new things is more effective than attempting to memorize mechanical manipulation
of the knobs. Simulation software and books on the specific system used are of
great value. The second critical information management skill is to stop look and read.
Pilots new to advanced avionics often become fixated on the knobs and try to
memorize each and every sequence of button pushes, pulls, and turns. A
far better strategy for accessing and managing the information available in advanced avionics computers is
to stop look and read. Reading before pushing, pulling, or twisting can
often save a pilot some trouble. Once behind the display screens on an advanced
avionics aircraft, the pilot's goal is to meet, manage, and prioritize the
information flow to accomplish specific tasks. Certificated flight instructors cfis, as well as
pilots transitioning to advanced avionics, will find it helpful to corral the information flow.
This is possible through such tactics as configuring the aspects of the PFD and
MFD screens according to personal preferences. For example, most systems offer map orientation
options that include north up, track up, DTK, desired track up,
and heading up. Another tactic is to decide, when possible, how much
or how little information to display. Pilots can tailor the information displayed to suit
the needs of a specific flight. Information flow can also be managed for a
specific operation. The pilot has the ability to prioritize information for a timely display
of exactly the information needed for any given flight operation. Examples of managing information
display for specific operation include program map scale settings for en route versus terminal area
operation. Utilize the terrain awareness page on the MFD for a night or IMC
flight in or near the mountains. Use the nearest airports in set on the
PFD at night or over inhospitable terrain. Program the weather data link set to
show echoes and met our status flags. Enhanced situational awareness. An advanced avionics
aircraft offers increased safety with enhanced situational awareness. Although aircraft Flight manuals AFM explicitly
prohibit using the moving map, topography to rain awareness, traffic and weather data
link displays as the primary data source, these tools nonetheless give the pilot unprecedented
information for ann situational awareness without a well planned information management strategy. These tools
also make it easy for an unwary pilot to slide into the complacent role of
passenger in command. Consider the pilot whose navigational information management strategy consists solely of
following the magenta line on the moving map. He or she can easily fly
into geographic or regulatory disaster if the straight line GPS course goes through high terrain
or prohibited airspace, or if the moving map display fails. A good strategy
for maintaining situational awareness information management should include practices that help ensure that awareness is
enhanced by the use of automation, not diminished. Two basic procedures are to
always double check the system and verbal call outs at a minimum ensure the presentation
makes sense. Was the correct destination fed into the navigation system call outs,
even for single pilot operations, are an excellent way to maintain situational awareness as
well as manage information. Other ways to maintain situational awareness include perform verification check
of all programming before departure. Check all information programmed while on the ground.
Check the flight routing before departure. Ensure all routing matches the planned flight route.
Enter the planned route and legs to include headings and leg length on a
paper log. Use this log to evaluate what has been programmed. If the
two do not match, do not assume the computer data is correct. Double
check the computer entry. Verify waypoints. Make use of all onboard navigation equipment.
For example, use VR to back up GPS and vice versa. Match
the use of the automated system with pilot proficiency. Stay with personal limitations.
Plan a realistic flight route to maintain situational awareness. For example, although the
onboard equipment allows a direct flight from Denver, Colorado to Destin, Florida,
the likelihood of rerouting around Egglin Air Force Bases airspace is high. Be ready
to verify computer data entries. For example, incorrect keystrokes could lead to loss
of situational awareness because the pilot may not recognize errors made during a high workload
period. Automation management Advanced avionics offer multiple levels of automation, from strictly manual
flight to highly automated flight. No one level of automation is appropriate for all
flight situations, but in order to avoid potentially dangerous situations when flying with advanced
avionics, the pilot must know how to manage the Course Deviation Indicator CDI,
the navigation source, and the autopilot. It is important for a pilot to
know the peculiarities of the particular automated system being used. This ensures the pilot
knows what to expect, how to monitor for proper operation, and promptly take
appropriate action if the system does not perform as expected. For example, at
the most basic level, managing the autopilot means knowing at all times which modes
are engaged and which modes are armed. To engage, the pilot needs to
verify that armed functions, for example, navigation tracking or altitude capture engage at
the appropriate time. Automation management is another good place to practice the call out
technique, especially after arming the system to make a changing course or altitude.
In advanced avionics, aircraft. Proper automation management also requires a thorough understanding of
how the autopilot interacts with other systems. For example, with some autopilots changing
the navigation source on the EHSI from GPS to LC or VR while the autopilot
is engaged in NAV, the course tracking mode will cause the autopilot's NAV mode
to disengage. The autopilot's lateral control will default to rol wing level until the
pilot takes action to re engage the NAV mode to track the desired navigation source.
Risk management. Risk management is the last of the three management skills needed
for mastery of the glass flight deck aircraft. The enhanced situational awareness and automation
capabilities offered by a glass flight deck airplane vastly expand its safety and utility,
especially for personal transportation use. At the same time, there is some risk
that lighter workloads could lead to complacency. Humans are characteristically poor monitors of automated
systems. When asked to passively monitor an automated system for faults, abnormalities,
or other infrequent events, humans perform poorly. The more reliable the system,
the poorer the human performance. For example, the pilot only monitors a backup
alert system, rather than the situation that the alert system is designed to safeguard.
It is a paradox of automation that technically advanced davionics can both increase and
decrease pilot awareness. It is important to remember that electronic flight displays do not
replace basic flight knowledge and skills. They are a tool for improving flight safety.
Risk increases when the pilot believes the gadgets will compensate for lack of skill
and knowledge. It is especially important to recognize there are limits to what the
electronic systems in any light general aviation aircraft. Do. Being pic requires sound
adm which sometimes means saying no to a flight. Risk is also increased when
the pilot fails to monitor the systems. By failing to monitor the systems and
failing to check the results of the processes, the pilot becomes detached from the
aircraft operation and slides into the complacent role of passenger in command. Complacency led
to tragedy in a nineteen ninety nine aircraft accident in Columbia, a multi engine
aircraft crewed with two pilots struck the face of the Andes Mountains. Examination of
their FMS revealed they entered a waypoint into the FMS incorrectly by one degree,
resulting in a flight path taking them to a point sixty nautical miles off their
intended course. The pilots were equipped with the proper charts, their route was
posted on the charts, and they had a paper navigation log indicating the direction
of each leg. They had all the tools to manage and monitor their flight,
but instead allowed the automation to fly and manage itself. The system did
exactly what it was programmed to do. It flew on a programmed course into
a mountain, resulting in multiple deaths. The pilots simply failed to manage the
system and inherently created their own hazard. Although this hazard was self induced,
what is notable is the risk the pilots created through their own inattention by failing
to evaluate each turn made at the direction of automation, the pilot's maximized risk
instead of minimizing it. In this case, a totally avoidable accident became a
tragedy through simple pilot error and complacency. For the general aviation pilot transitioning to
automated systems, it is helpful to note that all human activity involving technical devices
entails some element of risk. Knowledge, experience, and mission require ernaments tilt
the odds in favor of safe and successful flights. The advanced avionics aircraft offers
many new capabilities and simplifies the basic flying tasks, but only if the pilot
is properly trained and all the equipment is working as advertised. Chapter Summary.
This chapter focuses on helping the pilot improve his or her ADM skills, with
the goal of mitigating the risk factors associated with flight in both classic and automated
aircraft. In the end, the discussion is not so much about aircraft,
but about the people who fly them. End of Part seven of Chapter seventeen.