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The causes of accidents are similar across different aircraft types. The primary difference between “low and slow” and “Mach cruise” is the speed at which things happen.
The Training Environment
Very few examiners get on the “gotcha” train because they enjoy writing pink slips. In most cases, the gotchas are introduced in order to see if the applicant’s knowledge can correlate to an out-of-the-box condition. When I was an examiner on the Embraer 170, training data indicated poor performance during recurrent check rides on non-precision approaches (localizers in particular). There were two pos- sible reasons for this. The first was a lack of preparation by pilots prior to the check ride. The second was a lack of recency (LOC approaches – especially at big airports – typically occur only following a failure of the glideslope on an ILS, a relatively rare occurrence). There was debate
within the training department as to the degree to which we should brief the LOC approach prior to an event. If our pilots were simply unprepared, we wanted them to expe- rience discomfort during the check ride. If they couldn’t handle an approach they knew they were going to get in the simulator, how prepared would they be when they encoun- tered it unexpectedly in the air? On the other hand, if they were simply rusty, we wanted to give them pointers to help them out. The localizer approach was already a “gotcha” for our crews. The question was, “How much training should occur during a checking event?” The answer is quite a bit more than you might think.
A successful check ride (particularly one that establishes a new rating) is not the end of learning. Rather, it is the be- ginning of the most dangerous phase of a pilot’s life: gaining experience in an increasingly complex environment with- out a safety net. The paper ticket the examiner gives you conveys the legal ability to operate. It does not mean that you have nothing left to work on or anything left to learn. It simply means that you have obtained the knowledge and skill necessary for a fair shot at surviving the never-ending series of learning experiences that aviation provides.
The training environment is a critical component of safe flight. Not only do the FAA and NTSB recognize this, but so do insurance companies. The statistics are simply too compelling to ignore. Recurrent training is a cure for pilot error much like sleep is a cure for fatigue. The failure to
10 • TWIN & TURBINE / November 2022
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