Page 14 - September21T

Just as with checklist use, use your return to the cockpit to spur making practice and self-evaluation a normal routine no matter how often you fly.
before whatever got you down, what more unique suggestions might you consider?
Seat Time
No matter what you fly, you have easy access to one of the best training devices – the airplane itself. Spend some quality time in the pilot’s seat getting reacquainted. Look around and review where everything is. Close your eyes and point to selected de- vices – the oil temperature gauge, the backup altimeter, the autopilot and electric trim circuit breakers. Touch an item, open your eyes and score your results. This “blindfold cockpit test” is a staple of military pilot train- ing but is not often taught in the civil- ian world.
I had to pass such a test before I was permitted to solo the mighty T-41A Mescalero, the U.S. Air Force Flight Screening Program’s barely- militarized 1965/1967 Cessna 172s. I’ve included this level of familiarity for myself in my civilian flying, evalu- ating myself on it occasionally even now, and encourage you to attain this level of familiarity with your airplane as well. If you’ve been away from the cockpit for a while, this is a good way to get yourself back into the groove.
Take the control wheel in your hand. Grasp the throttles or power levers. Close your eyes and visualize
The Usual Advice
Of course, your recency of experi- ence may require something formal to restore your left-seat privileges. You may need a Flight Review or an Instrument Proficiency Check. If you’re flying Part 135 or 91K you may need even more. Depending on the type of aircraft you fly and the insurance company that financially backs both your airplane and your flying ability, you may have to take recurrent training, maybe even some time in a simulator.
But say you’re not captaining some- thing with a regulatory or insurance- based training mandate, at least not one that expired since the last time you flew. With the right entries in your logbook, you may not need anything more than three new takeoffs and landings before carrying passengers in night IMC. Is that still a good idea?
You might consider bringing an- other pilot along on your first few trips to help out or simply keep an eye on things (i.e., you). Even if it’s only a desktop PC-based recreational device, some time on a simulator or Flight Training Device would cer- tainly help you get back in the game.
The usual advice is still sound. If you’ve been away from the cockpit for a month or more, but not so long that you are required to take some training, it’s still a very good idea to engage a flight instructor and get a quality control check on your work.
Make it a full Flight Review – that’s only two hours of your time, at mini- mum, so it’s a good, low-cost way to ease yourself back into the left seat. If you plan to fly IFR, you can combine this with or add an IPC or at least a few approaches, holds and missed approaches to re-sharpen your skills before turning yourself loose in the system. I’m always going to say that a little f light instruction as quality control will go a long way if you’re a little rusty.
But in preparation for that instruc- tion, as an adjunct to “dual received” benefits, and in general to get you back up to the speed you enjoyed
12 • TWIN & TURBINE / September 2021
You have access to one of the best training devices – the airplane itself. Spend some quality time in the pilot’s seat getting reacquainted.