Page 39 - Volume 16 Number 5

a back-up trim means the pilot’s arms and legs become the only redundant feature of these airplanes’ trim system.And for the Twin & Turbine instructors out there:Consistent with airplane equipment, recurrent instruction should include fully coupled flight, flight director-guided hand-flying, and raw data hand-flying. Autopilot failure modes, instrument failures and the effect each instrument, if inoperable, has on autopilot function needs to be part of initial qualification training, and regularly included in recurrent flight training.The wise instructor in airplanes with all-electric trim will safely simulate (in visual conditions) trim failure and out-of-trim maneuvering from takeoff and/or cruise through approach and landing. The instructor must be extremely careful to control this demonstration, and ready topermit use of the electric trim in a pre-briefed go-around procedure should conditions reach the edge of pilot capability.The wise pilot will remain proficient in hand-flying all maneuvers in case of automation failure, including practice flying with degraded systems and an out- of-trim airplane if the aircraft does not have a manual back-up system for controlling trim.Never let the autopilot take you anywhere you cannot immediately take over and complete by hand, even with the possibility (in all- electric trim designs) of a radically out-of-trim airplane.Should anyone feel this makes me an aeronautical Luddite, note that my approach to flying an autopilot/ flight director-equipped Beech Baron for several years was to use the autopilot during mixture leaning, approach briefing and cockpit set-up, most times in cruise, and when given a complex clearance change en route. Beyond that, I alternated between coupled, flight director and raw data flying, so that roughly one- third of my flying was done using each technique.Pilots of Twin & Turbine-typeairplanes pride themselves on theirsystems redundancy. Regardless ofthe complexity of your airplane,however, you are the ultimate back-up should airplane systems fail. Neverput yourself (or your passengers)in a position where a little hand-to make a safe landing. T&T •flying prevents you from being ableMAY 2012TWIN & TURBINE • 37Thomas P. Turner is an ATP/ CFII/MEI, holds a Masters De- gree in Aviation Safety, and was the 2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year. Subscribe to Tom’s free FLYING LESSONS Weekly e-newsletter at www.mastery-flight-training.com.