Emergency Procedures During Flight Training
Some of the most important procedures to practice when you are learning to fly are emergency procedures. I have actually had to make an emergency landing in a field a few years back. It wasn’t the coolest thing that has ever happened to me, but I was prepared for the emergency and my wife and I walked away from it. And we both love to fly now more than ever.
When my students are training with me, I make sure that they know exactly what to do during a particular emergency. I want you to make sure that during your training, your instructor takes time to well prepare you as well. Here are some common mistakes I see when my students are practicing handling emergencies.
- Waiting too long to react
- Not using an emergency checklist
- Not pitching for the best glide speed
- Not heading for a landing area immediately
- Overshooting or undershooting a landing area
- Becoming fixated on one thing and forgetting everything else
- Not remaining calm
If you realize that your aircraft is not flying normally, the FIRST thing to do is pitch for best glide speed. Next, find an emergency place to land. Third (and this is what most people forget) START HEADING THERE. I know it sounds odd, but some people see a great landing area to their left or right and say ‘There’s a great place to land,’ and keep flying in a straight line. Start heading there, if you don’t you might not be able to glide there.
Then you should continue your emergency checklist and attempt to correct the problem. Also, remain calm. During training, you know that there is nothing really wrong, so it doesn’t make you so nervous. But during an actual emergency (which is extremely rare), this is imperative.
Remember, the order that you ALWAYS do things in the air:
Aviate – fly the airplane
Navigate – figure out where you are going
Communicate – tell someone about it
Just remain calm and remember your training. Also, practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Make sure you are practicing correctly so your good reaction will be from instinct when you are on your own.
About the Author:
By Matt Tanner
http://www.matttanner.com Matt Tanner is an experienced flight instructor in the Atlanta, GA area. His background includes Embry Riddle, the United States Air Force Academy Aero Club, Auburn University Aviation, American Flyers and more. Matt has compiled his extensive flying experience and advice into a book at http://www.privatepilotguide.com