How to Be a Better Pilot

HOW TO BE A BETTER PILOT

Eddie Foo S N Box 725 [email protected]

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If you are a First Officer and having flown with a commercial air transport company for more than 5 years and have logged at least 3000 flying hours, this document is aimed squarely at you! FOREWORD Yes, I have you, the Senior First Officers and the would-be command trainees in mind when I first pondered on the idea of writing something which I hoped could be useful in tackling the seemingly insurmountable LOFTs (Line Oriented Flight Training or Tests). Many believe the Company’s command training is the toughest training program imaginable. Like they said: “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. You really have to be tough to survive this endurance test! For those who succeeded, it is certainly no small achievement; they deserved it and should naturally feel proud of themselves. I wrote this document in good faith and based entirely on my own personal experience and perception, however little they may be. My aim here is to help you to get through your command training, to give you some ideas on what the Company expects of you as a future airliner commander. I do not pretend that these notes are all encompassing. In fact by itself, it is quite meaningless. However, when used sensibly together with other official training manuals, it will serve well as an “OVERVIEW” to LOFT & LOA (Line Oriented Assessment) exercises and as a useful guide to becoming a people-oriented commander. I have done quite a bit of research on all the technical information and tips passed down from former command trainees, and also in consultation with Mr Sen Gupta, our ground instructor. I used a lot of relevant materials from the ARM course notes and other books on aviation safety, airmanship and flight discipline found in major bookstores. Put simply, I merely consolidated and compiled them into a handy easy-to-carry, easy-to-use reference book, in an A4 size PDF format for easy electronic transmission. Of course there must be other ways of achieving the same goal, you have the liberty not to agree with what I said here, all I am doing here is to give you another option towards your command training. Caution: This is not an official document! Merely reading these notes will never be enough to tackle your Command LOFTs, because there is no substitute for hard work. I also did try my best to conform to the Company philosophy, policies procedures and practices whilst penning down my thoughts. However I am all too human, and plus the lack of resources, there are bound to be mistakes, despite of the vetting I have done with the help from my colleagues! Finally, I believe in sharing, and to help raise aviation safety awareness. Everybody will be better off (I hope!) and nobody will be worse off (I am certain). I reiterate that my intentions are good and I shall in no way be making any deliberate attempts to mislead you. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would not have written all these without advice and suggestions from some of my close colleagues and good friends. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to many of my colleagues who helped me vetting through my early drafts in weeding out typo and technical errors, plus their suggestions of inclusions of other vital topics. Otherwise the task of putting up a document like this would not have been possible. They are; Choo NT, Chua Eng Kiat, Allan Ong, Pradeep Kumar, Alan Ho as well as many others.

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First Edition

01-05-2002

Some Sobering Quotes On Flight Safety: •

“Aviation in and of itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater extent than the sea, It is terribly unforgiving for any inattention, carelessness or neglect.” - A poster sold at most pilot shops

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“It often seems as if in-flight problems have an eerie way of finding exactly what it is that we don’t know and then exploit it!”

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“Many accidents have occurred while aviators were too busy chasing the mice to see the elephants bearing down on them.”

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“A skilled pilot without flight discipline is a flying time bomb”. - Tony Kern

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“Airplanes are near perfect, all they lack is the ability to forgive”. - Richard Collins

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“There are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old and bold pilots”.

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“Flying is not dangerous, crashing is.” - Anonymous

This file is free-of-charge

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SOME ASSUMPTIONS MADE This document assumes that you have at least 3000 flying hours, or with at least 5 years of flying experience on the right hand seat of a jetliner with an air operator plying international routes, it also assumes that you have already acquired certain stick-and-rudder skills and other related flying abilities that are clearly the minimum pre-requisites to be a future commercial pilot-in-command of a multi-engine glass cockpit jetliner. It further assumes that you are a coherent; responsible as well as a disciplined aviator who takes his flying career seriously, otherwise, this is not an arena for you to hang around. This main emphasis of this document is not to show you how to be a “Top Gun” airliner commander. It centers on flight safety, situational awareness, judgment and decision making process. It also focuses on flight discipline, airmanship, crew resource management, error management as well as widely accepted and practised “command qualities”. I am no expert in these fields either, but I have done quite a bit of research on these topics from some human factors experts in their relevant fields, which I have consolidated and compiled them into this handy document. Anyone who is keen to explore what other aviation flight safety experts have to say will definitely benefit from reading their insights in this document. That much I can assure you. Of course, if you want to explore further, you have no choice but to spend time reading the books in these topics. For that, I have a list of recommended references for your bedtime reading! They can be easily purchased from www.amazon.com Recommended References & Websites: 1. “Human Error” by James Reason. 2. “Managing The Risks Of Organizational Accidents” by James Reason. 3. “Aircraft Safety, Accident Investigations, Analyses, & Applications” By Shari Stamford Krause, Ph. D. 4. “Pilot Judgment & Crew Resource Management” by Richard S. Jensen. 5. “Redefining Airmanship” } These three book are written 6. “Flight Discipline” } by Tony Kern, a must read! 7. “Darker Shades Of Blue – The Rogue Pilot” } 8. “Situational Awareness Analysis & Measurement” by Mica R Endsley. 9. “Human Factors In Flight” by Frank H Hawkins. 10. “Human Factors In Multi-Crew Flight Operations” by Harry & Linda Orlady. rd 11. “Commercial Aviation Safety – 3 Edition” – by Alexander T. Wells. 12. “Flight Deck Performance – The Human Factor”. By David O’Hare & Stanley Roscoe. 13. “Cockpit Resource Management” - by Dr Robert L. Helmreich. 14. “Aeronautical Decision Making” - Jointly by NASA, FAA & Canada Transport. nd 15. “PILOT ERROR – The Human Factor – 2 Edition” - by Ronald & Leslie Hurst 16. “AIR DISASTERS” Vol 1, 2 & 3 – Macarthur Job & Matthew Tesch 17. Flight Safety Foundation Website - http://www.flightsafety.org 18. Other Airline Safety Links: - http://www.airlinesafety.com/links/aviation.htm Note: This document drew heavily from my previous work – “AIRBUS A310 Command Trainees’ Quick Reference Handbook” that I wrote 2 years ago. The approach to writing this new document is to benefit other aircraft type First Officers as well, albeit the author has flown only the A310 and the B744.

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WHAT IS LINE-ORIENTED FLIGHT TRAINING (LOFT)? In the evolution of flight training, one notes the early emphasis on the rudimentary skills of manipulation of controls and the use of mainly psychomotor skills. As the air route systems, aids to navigation, air traffic control, and more diverse high speed and complex aircraft entered the system; the tasks of pilots grew in diversity. Today, the major emphasis in airline operations is on crew training rather than individual skill attainment. Obviously, satisfactory crew performance assumes a sufficient level of individual skills on the part of each member. Relatively new, however, is the interest in, need for and recognition of crew, rather than individual training. The use of simulation technology and devices to accommodate crew training oriented to line operations is a remarkable challenge, and one to which the airlines, manufacturers and regulatory bodies are rising with success.

DEFINITION OF LOFT NASA describes: “LOFT is a developing training technology which synthesise high-fidelity aircraft simulation and high-fidelity line-operations simulation to provide realistic, dynamic pilot training in a simulated line environment. LOFT is an augmentation of existing pilot training which concentrates upon command, leadership, and resource management skills.”

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The USAF Strategic Air Command, Northwest Orient Airlines and PAN AM Airways were the pioneers in adopting this revolutionary training program for their flight crew. Subsequently FAA endorsed LOFT to be utilised in any airline recurrent training program under FAR 121 in May 1978.

QUOTES “Line-Oriented Flight Training is a line environment flight-training program with total crew participation in real-world incident experiences, with a major thrust toward resource management”. -

Captain H. T. Hunt – Director, Flight Training of Northwest Orient Airlines.

“… Line-Oriented Flight Training, in principle, has filled a long existing need in airline-crew training, that of command and resource management in the total crew resolution of realistic line-type problems”. -

Captain A. A. Frank, VP Flight Training of PAN AM Airways.

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OBJECTIVES & ADVANTAGES OF LOFT • • • • • •

LOFT is the application of line-operations simulation to pilot-training programmes. LOFT is a combination of high-fidelity aircraft simulation and high-fidelity line-operations simulation. LOFT involves a complete crew, each member of which operates as an individual and as a member of a team just as he does during line operations. LOFT involves simulated real-world incidents unfolding in real time. Similarly, the consequences of crew decisions and actions during LOFT scenarios will accrue and impact the remainder of the trip in a realistic manner. LOFT is casebook training. Some problems have no single, acceptable solution; handling them is a matter of judgment. LOFT is training in judgment and decisionmaking. LOFT requires effective interaction with, and utilisation of, all available resources. A LOFT scenario requires the exercise of management skills. LOFT is a training and learning experience in which errors will probably be made, not a checking programme in which errors are not acceptable. The purpose of LOFT is not to induce errors, but cockpit resource management is, in part, the management of human errors. Effective resource management recognises that under some circumstances, such as high-workload situations, human errors is likely; steps must be taken to reduce the probability of error. However, it is also necessary to maximise the probability that error, when it does occur, will be detected and corrected, thereby minimising the probability of adverse impact upon the overall safety of the operation. Just as it is necessary to practise landing skills in order to gain and maintain aircrafthandling proficiency, it is necessary to practise human-error management skills; the former requires flight simulator or airplane, and the latter, the presence of error-inducing situations.

LIMITATIONS OF LOFT With all the obvious benefits of LOFT but there are still limitations: • • •

LOFT will not solve all training problems. LOFT is resource management training but not skill training. Manual flying skills are essential prerequisite. LOFT will succeed only as a part of total training and crew education programme that ensures that basic knowledge and skill norms are met.

The real success of LOFT programmes will depend on the scenarios that are designed for the use of the crews. An airline contemplating using the technique would do well to consult the excellent NASA Conference Publication for guideline in developing a programme that can be of positive benefit to the education and training of crews. The techniques now used in both Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) and Line-Oriented Simulation (LOS) are moving closer to the day when total simulation will be reached and the time in the actual aircraft will be used for revenue operations. Note:

Extracted from the book “PILOT ERROR – THE HUMAN FACTOR” Second Edition - 1982, edited by Ronald and Leslie Hurst.

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COCKPIT or CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CRM) SIA takes a serious view of Cockpit or Crew Resource Management, CRM in short. In commercial flying, safety of the passengers and safety of the aircraft are of paramount importance. The aircrew are expected to co-operate and work as a team to handle any unforeseeable abnormal situations with the best possible effectiveness. Teamwork usually produces synergetic results. One-man-operation, “task-master” or “god-like” style of decision making, actions and behaviours are not encouraged anymore. CRM is the effective management of the pilot’s available resources. When faced with an aircraft malfunction or abnormal situation in the air or on the ground, and unless that situation is a life-threatening, time-pressed one such as aircraft on fire in the air, rapid decompression due to hull damage or the aircraft is going to crash etc., you should normally have sufficient time to consider various options before you jump into making a decision, and that decision is invariably bound to safeguard the lives of the passengers and safety of the aircraft first. For example, your first officer, the ATC, the engineering personnel, the cabin crew, or even the passengers on board, can provide you with invaluable information to help you to establish a much better decision than you would otherwise relying solely on your own effort. More often than not, two heads (or more) are better than one. The case studies we learnt in the ARM courses had proven this beyond doubt. It is in your own interest to follow this widely accepted wisdom when making crucial decision in an abnormal situation. The official definition of CRM is: “Using all available resources, information, equipment and people to achieve safe and efficient flight operations” (Especially in a time-constrained environment and under stress).

PROBLEM OWNERSHIP ACP Capt Albert Koh and Capt (retired) Ken Toft also emphasised to us that when there is an incident or problem presented to you, you must first establish whether that is your problem or someone else is trying to push the “buck” to you. This is particularly true when dealing with errant passengers and delays. Do not react immediately, you must think and assess the situation first, for all you know there are better qualified people around that can handle that particular problem more efficiently than you know! It may not even be your problem at all! The LOFT instructor is fond of testing your ability in handling technical (engines or APU starting problems) and passenger boarding delays, unruly passenger on-board, smoking in the cabin toilet, loss of personal property or passports by the passengers etc. You simply have to use all your wits to handle such problems. My suggestion is that you should go and meet some of the newly checked out captains and ask them for advice or discuss as many as those scenarios as possible. The more you discuss with them, the more familiar you become and you will find it a lot easier to handle such human-related problems. The bottom line is, identify the proper ownership of the problem and then use all the available resources at your disposal wisely in the hope of solving these problems, not aggravating them!

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REACTION TO THE ONSET OF A MALFUNCTION OR ABNORMAL SITUATION When a malfunction occurs, sometimes it is better to take a deep breath and think for a little while before responding to an EICAS or ECAM warning. It has been demonstrated many times that an impulsive response to an EICAS or ECAM warning will invariably lead the command trainee astray in handling a malfunction and with disastrous consequences. Even with a third level warning such as IN FLT ENGINE FIRE, we do not carry out the EICAS or ECAM actions until passing 400ft after takeoff, we all know that at that crucial moment, maintaining the flight path and keeping clear of ground are even more critical. Most abnormal situations, even though serious in nature, can still afford some time for one to think through the problem and situation. Some experienced captains suggest that when you have a third level ECAM warning, perhaps the first thing you should do is to put your hands below your thighs, (not to react immediately first) and then take a deep breath, look at the EICAS or ECAM display and then assess the nature of the malfunction. I think the moral of the story here is clear, think before you leap into the problem, lest you may compound it to a point that is beyond your ability to salvage. FLIGHT CREW PERFORMANCE DURING AIRCRAFT MALFUNCTIONS Studies have shown that the performance of flight crew is often affected when a malfunction occurs. Often, the flight crew’s response to a serious malfunction is handled better and usually i.a.w. prescribed procedures (rule-based). However, when handling malfunctions of a less serious nature, flight crew tend to be less conformal to rules and more easily distracted, often leading to loss of situational awareness, e.g. Eastern L-1011 crash (nose gear light), in Florida 1972 and United DC-8 crash (landing gear extension) in Portland in 1978. It is imperative that the flight crew must give undivided attention and seriousness to all types of malfunctions, and follow prescribed handling procedures. HANDLING A MALFUNCTION OR ABNORMAL SITUATION There are certain well thought out patterns in handling a malfunction. Invariably you have to respond to some sort of warning(s), typically an EICAS or ECAM or other external visual or audio warning (though not necessary all the time!), you should do the following: EICAS/ECAM Warning – Carry out the actions as per the QRH or relevant actions, usually until STATUS page if applicable. Landing Distance & Speed Corrections – To cater for degraded aircraft performance due to essential services lost. Landing With Abnormal Flight Controls – The secondary effects of a system loss usually mean flight control or lift augmentation devices problem. For approach preparation, use the appropriate flight control settings based on the QRH settings. ATC & Cabin Announcements – Advise ATC and state your next plan of actions clearly so that they can assist you fully in combating the abnormal situation. Make a PA to reassure and pacify the passengers. You should endeavour to make your PA at a timely moment and with a calm and reassuring voice. This comes only with repeated practice whenever possible.

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TIMELY COORDINATED ACTIONS ON EICAS/ECAM, QRH AND PA In a LOFT scenario, it will help you tremendously if you develop a sensible pattern of carrying out the EICAS/ECAM actions and backing them up with the QRH (for any additional items), and at the same time tying up with other essential actions that are not mentioned in the checklist procedures, e.g. public announcement, requesting for weather information, ATC or engineering help etc. The electronic and the paper checklists are soul-less guides, you have to pace the PNF as to where and when to ask him to hold and to continue, so that you can make an emergency transmission, or an ATC call, or a PA to the passengers. There are many notes written by my predecessors regarding the management of abnormal checklist actions, timely radio calls and PA to the passengers and cabin crew. The ability to do just that is one aspect of the command qualities the Company is looking for in you. Note: This coordinated and well-orchestrated skill comes only with practice. More self help in the flight simulator will help to develop this essential skill. RECOMMENDED EMERGENCY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS (PA) In the normal checklist, there are some recommended emergency announcements such as: “Emergency Landing”, “After Emergency Landing or Rejected Takeoff”, “Ditching Announcement”, “Rapid Decompression“ etc. It is definitely an asset to be fluent with such “Speeches” when called for, so that you can get them out of the way quickly and spend more time in handling the abnormal situation instead. Practise them often, say, while you are having a shower! Unless English is your mother tongue, it pays to do so! LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE The nature of some abnormal situations dictates that you have to land as soon as possible. Having said so, you must still carry out your EICAS/ECAM actions and checklist items, and making your decision in a most expeditious and safe manner. Never rush to do things in an abnormal situation, it only makes things worse. The time saved in rushing things is typically insignificant as compared to handling the same situation in a well-paced and thorough manner. But there are exceptions: The following are time critical situations that you have to land as soon as possible; you may even have to consider forced landing or ditching before losing control of the airplane; • • • • •

UNCONTAINED AIRCRAFT FIRE (Extremely time-critical fire hazard) ALL UNCONTAINED SMOKE PROBLEMS (Non removable smoke is a fire hazard) SERIOUS HULL DAMAGE (Questionable structural Integrity) ALL ENGINES FLAMED OUT – UNABLE TO RELIGHT (Time-constrained) FLIGHT ON BAT ONLY (Must Land within 30 mins before the batteries die!)

The following situations are not as time critical, as long as the airplane is under control and there is sufficient fuel on board, you have time to think before you act. • • • • •

LOSS OF MAJOR ELECTRICS (Electrical problems). DUAL HYD SYS LO PR (Flight control problems). IN FLT ENG FIRE - EXTINGUISAHBLE (Fire hazards). DYING PASSENGER (Medical case, time-constrained). TWO ENG INOPERATIVE (B744/A340) or SINGLE ENG INOPERATIVE (B777/A310).

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DIVERSION PLANS As a captain you have the moral responsibility to accomplish your mission, i.e. to deliver the passengers to their destination. However, if a passenger is critically ill and requires urgent medical attention on ground, you may have to make an emergency landing where help can be rendered to save his/her life. Or, if the aircraft is suffering from a serious technical malfunction that you have no choice but to land as soon as possible. All these will affect your decision making process whether to press on to destination or to divert. Most LOFT scenarios will result in diverting to elsewhere, although not necessarily always. There are many things to consider before you make that crucial decision to press on or to divert. Sometimes the nearest airport may not be the suitable one to land, depending on the nature of the abnormal situation you encounter. Your decision making process should at least cover the following: • • • • • • •

Aircraft status, distance to go and fuel on board Actual weather conditions Runway length (landing distance available) Landing aids (ILS, VOR or NDB approaches) Fire fighting and rescue capability Engineering support and passenger handling Flight time limitations

You can always devise your own mnemonics to help you remember all the essential points and actions to carry out.

THE SIX “C”s – Plus other “C”s To sum up what I just said, perhaps you can organise your action plans using the six Cs, which I learned and adapted from suggestions by IP Capt Philip Chua: • • • • • •

Command – Immediately assume command and take charge of the situation. Control – You must bring the situation under control, i.e. fly the aircraft. Contain – You must contain the abnormal situation, i.e. carry out the ECAM and QRH checklist actions etc to stop the situation from worsening. Course Of Actions – You must now map out your course of actions. Press on? Divert? Or return to base? etc. Communicate – You must convey your intention to your first officer, cabin crew, ATC, Ground Engineer of what to do and how best to assist you etc. Composed – You must maintain your composure all the time, i.e. be Calm, Cool and Collect! Otherwise, you will have difficulties discharging the first five Cs. Your good composure will also have a Calming effect on your first officer and other supporting crewmembers.

All these six Cs will increase your chance of a successful situation recovery. The one C you never want to be associated with is “Crash!”. CONTROL YOUR OWN F.A.T.E. If you don’t believe in all those “C”s, you should at least control your own “FATE”: • • • •

F A T E

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Fly the aircraft. Assess the situation. Take appropriate action. Evaluate the results.

If you are not entirely happy with the outcome of your actions, go through the FATE cycle again.

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DEFINING GOOD JUDGMENT & DECISION MAKING There is a difference between having good judgment and making a good decision. The terms are not interchangeable. The formal definition of Good Judgment is: “The mental ability to perceive and distinguish alternatives. The capacity to make reasonable decision. Wisdom.” Whereas, the definition of a Decision is: “The act of reaching a conclusion or making up one’s mind.” Good Pilot Judgment Can Be Learned: Just as you learn the mechanics of flight, so too you can learn how to have good judgment. Remember, the core of the definition is to perceive and distinguish between correct and incorrect decisions. Some pilots can’t always accomplish that, simply because the foundation of good judgment is formed by each person’s thought patterns. This is the reason why a 20,000hr pilot can be as vulnerable as the 1000-hr pilot to a habit of poor judgment. Summary Of Good Judgment: To summarise, good judgment is as follows: • • • •

Awareness. Observation. Recognition. Understand the differences between correct & incorrect alternatives to a solution.

Note: Pilot Judgment can be further broken down to “Rational Judgment” & “Motivational Judgment”, but it is beyond my scope here, you may read the book “Pilot Judgment & Crew Resource Management” by Richard S. Jensen for more information. THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS Shari Stamford Krause. Ph D. An expert in aircraft safety and accident investigation, recommends the following “DECIDE” Model. • • • • • •

Detect: Estimate: Choose: Identify: Do: Evaluate:

The pilot detects the fact that a change has occurred that requires attention. The pilot estimates the significance of the change to the flight. The pilot chooses a safe outcome of the flight. The pilot identifies plausible actions to the change. The pilot acts on the best options. The pilot evaluates the effect of the action on the change and on the progress of the flight.

DECISION MAKING & CRM Therefore, when faced with an abnormal situation, you should, based on your good judgment and your CRM skills, gather information from various sources first, before making a decision. This is especially true when you have to decide whether to press on, turn back or divert. Do not rely on the one-man-operation instinct. More heads are usually better than one. Ultimately your decision is to make a safe landing and save lives. Conversely, a wrong decision can cause an incident, in the worst case, cause an accident or disaster that results in losing your own life, your passengers’ and other innocent lives on the ground! We are mere mortal souls, prone to mistakes. I really do not know how to put this across any better than what I’d already said…

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DEVELOPMENT OF GOOD DECISION MAKING SKILLS The development of good decision making skills is far more difficult than developing good flying skills, but it can be done. Good judgment may mean not flying while under the influence of any medication, when it is too windy, or refusing a revenue flight when it would require flying in marginal weather. Many pilots fail to make proper decisions; sometimes due to a lack of knowledge, but too often the result of a human tendency to rationalize a situation until it appears justifiable. When a pilot really wants to do something (such as loading that one last passenger when close to maximum gross weight, or performing a high speed, low altitude pass), the pilot can generally make himself/herself believe that it was all right to do it. A pilot can be his/her own worst enemy. In addition to the FAR, AC's, articles in magazines, books written by expert pilots and instructors, Pilot Proficiency Programs, Airman's Information Manual, NOTAM's, Airworthiness Directives, and Biennial Flight Reviews, there are some do's and do not's that can ensure the prevention of most accidents. All of this information is safety-oriented. Not following this safety-oriented information is similar to not following the advice of a doctor or lawyer. The most important decision a pilot will make is to learn and adhere to published rules, procedures, and recommendations. Pilots, by learning and adhering to these published rules and procedures, can take most hazards out of flying. When a pilot operates an aircraft, human lives are held in the balance. Therefore, a pilot has a moral responsibility to operate in the safest possible manner. Aviation has reached a new plateau. Acquiring aeronautical knowledge, airmanship skills, and proficiency are relatively easy. Navigation has been reduced to calculator simplicity. Modern autopilots and electronic displays have significantly reduced a pilot’s workload. Today's technology requires administrative management and aeronautical decision making skills as prerequisites for safety and efficiency.

Successful decision making is measured by a pilot's consistent ability to keep himself, any passengers, and the aircraft in good condition regardless of the conditions of any given flight.

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OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOURS & ERRORS When human beings and other mammals are subjected to a life threatening situation, their usual reaction will either be “fight” or “flight” from the situation. This instinctive built-in defensive reaction will either save their skins or lead them to fatal mistakes. Good judgment plus situational awareness lead to good decision making, the outcome will be averting the situation and saving one’s skin. But bad judgment and the lack of situational awareness leads to bad decision making and finally culminating in making mistakes that lead to incident, accident or disaster! Human behaviors can perhaps be classified into various operational definitions as many aviation psychologists do. Operational definitions of the concepts are provided below in alphabetical order. The operational definitions were derived from James Reason's works and other sources. Automatic Behaviour - A rote action performed without awareness or intent. Although automatic behavior allows a person to accomplish a task while thinking about something else, automatic behavior can lead to inattention and error. When a skill is highly learned perhaps because it has been practiced for years - the skill becomes automated and requires minimal conscious awareness and minimal application of mental effort. Availability Heuristic - A problem-solving mechanism in which an individual is influenced by, and bases decisions on, not only what he or she has experienced in the past but also the situations that most readily come to mind. Concept Shift - A situation in which one or more parameters of a problem change, requiring a person to find a new solution. This condition can cause confusion and delay appropriate decision making if the person is not aware of the parameter change. Confirmation Bias - The expectation of perceiving certain environmental cues, and the tendency to search for those cues more actively than for other cues. The confirmation bias can cause a person to search selectively for evidence to confirm an underlying belief, discount contradictory evidence and stop searching once the confirming evidence is found. Knowledge-based Mistake - An error of commission in which the action proceeds as planned but the plan is inappropriate for the situation. A knowledge-based mistake arises from incomplete or incorrect knowledge. Lapse - An error of omission in which an item previously known is forgotten. Lapses are unintended and often are caused by inattention or inadequate association at the time the item was learned. Mental Model - An individual's understanding of the elements of a system, operation or situation and the rules of interaction between them. Metacognitive - A higher type of thinking; thinking about thinking. Metacognition refers to the monitoring and control of one's own thought processes and habit patterns.

Continued Next Page

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Recency Bias - The tendency of a person encountering a new situation or event to be influenced by, and to base decisions on, similar information from other situations or events recently encountered. Rule-based Mistake - An error of commission i.a.w. a rule that is inappropriate for the situation. A rule-based mistake typically occurs when misclassification of a situation leads to application of an inappropriate rule or to incorrect memory of procedures. Slip - An error of commission in which the action does not proceed as planned. Slips are unintended and often are caused by inattention at the time of action. Team Building - Bonding individual crewmembers into a team in which each crewmember contributes and facilitates teamwork. Team Participation - Efforts by each crewmember to work with other crewmembers during the flight. Thought Pattern - Expectations that predispose a person to a certain course of action and/or thought, regardless of perceived cues. Attitude and mind-set are related terms that often are used synonymously. Vigilance Tuning - Identifying the important items in a situation that require increased attention and monitoring. Note: Extracted from the book “Human Error” by James Reason. HOW DO WE COMBAT ERROR-MAKING TENDENCIES? It will be a tall order for me to teach you how to prevent errors from being made. I am certainly not qualified and I may be just as prone as anybody when it comes to facing this question of how to fight against making errors and mistakes. However, by understanding some of these underlying thought patterns and behaviours, we hope that we are better predisposed to cope. Many pilots perished “bought the farm” because they made fundamental mistakes. Let us just hope that they did not die in vain by offering many invaluable lessons for us to learn. Therefore I urge all of you to take some time off to read some flight safety related materials that are readily available in the net as well as in the bookstores. They are the windows to better flight safety awareness.

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PILOT JUDGMENT AND AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING (ADM) In recent years, the FAA, NASA, CANADA Transport and private research facilities have collectively addressed the issues of pilot judgment and aeronautical decision making (ADM). The result was the development of the FAA’s ADM training guide. Five hazardous thought patterns and attitudes were identified that affect judgment abilities. A sixth thought pattern is also added by another aviation safety expert.. •

Anti-authority: This attitude is found in pilots who resent any external control over their actions. They have a tendency to disregard rules and procedures. “The regulations and SOPs are not for me.”

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Impulsivity: This attitude is found in pilots who act too quickly, who tend to do the first thing that pops up in their mind. “I must act now, no time to waste.”

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Invulnerability: This attitude is found in pilots who act as though nothing bad can happen to them. Many pilots feel the accidents happen to others but never happen to them. Those who think this way are merely taking chances and running unwise risk. “It won’t happen to me.” Famous last words.

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Macho: This attitude is found in pilots who continually try to prove themselves better than others. They tend to act with overconfidence and attempt difficult task for the admiration it gains them. The infamous “Watch This!”..

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Resignation or Complacency: This attitude is found in pilots who believe that they have little or no control over their circumstances. They might feel, “What’s the use?” These pilots might also deny that a problem is as it appears and believe, “It’s not as bad as they say.” It’s unlikely that they would take charge of a situation, and they might even go along with unreasonable requests just to be a nice guy. Another common feeling is, “They are counting on me, I can’t let them down.”

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Press-On-Itis: (Or Get-Home-Itis) The urge to complete a task or mission regardless of the surrounding circumstances. Many pilots are so mission-oriented to the point of disregarding flight safety in attempting just to accomplish the mission. “By hook or by crook, I must land this damn aircraft, now!” It appears that aborting a mission for safety reasons or a go-around constitutes a loss of face.

Note: You can download a copy of the FAA ADM from ALPA-S website or write to me. COUNTERING HAZARDOUS THOUGHT PATTERNS AND ATTITUDES Granted, most pilots exhibit traces of these hazardous thought patterns once in a while. That is what makes up of our individual personalities. But the degree to which we display these patterns, especially in the cockpit, is where the problem lies. One of the best ways to begin eliminating, or at least alleviating these thought patterns is by simply recognising what thought patterns and attitudes you are most vulnerable to. If you are a normal, disciplined person who adheres to rules and procedures, chances are you can exercise self-control and prevent from any of these thought patterns from manifesting themselves and becoming bigger and harder to contain. Conversely, a pilot who exhibits several of such thought patterns and attitudes and does not really care about the consequences, he is indeed a very dangerous pilot! He is a flying time bomb, an accident waiting to happen! Note: Adapted and modified from the book “Aircraft Safety” by Shari Stamford Krause. Ph.D. and “Redefining Airmanship” by Tony Kern.

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THE ANTIDOTES AGAINST HAZARDOUS ATTIDUTES HAZARDOUS ATTITUDE Antiauthority: Don't Tell Me. Impulsivity: Do something quickly. Invulnerability: It won’t happen to me Macho: I can do it. Resignation: What's the use?

ANTIDOTE Follow the rules. They are usually right. Not so fast. Think first It could happen to me. Taking chances is foolish. I'm not helpless. I can make a difference.

AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE I again stress the importance of having a solid foundation of the aircraft technical. It is absolutely essential for pilots to know the technicals of the aircraft they are operating, more important, the timely application of what you know in tackling an abnormal situation is essential. Sure, you need not go to the other extreme and attempt to be a ground engineer trying to know every nut and bolt of the airplane either. It is one of the main pillars of knowledge to enhance one’s situational awareness. COMPANY PHILOSOPHY, POLICIES & PROCEDURES - CHECKLIST DISCIPLINE I do not wish to give the impression that you should deviate from the Company approved practices. In fact whenever you have an aircraft malfunction, You must follow the checklist procedures. Some malfunctions’ checklists are long and tedious, e.g. LOSS OF BOTH ENG GENERATORS (A310), the DUAL HYD SYS LO PR (A310) etc. You have no choice but to finish them accordingly. In LOFT, you must duly complete all the QRH items with no exception! It is imperative that you and your FO must carry out the EICAS/ECAM and QRH actions conscientiously and never take shortcuts, there is no shortcut other than the shortcut to doom! Knowing just the technical is not enough, you should read and digest the Company operational and fuel policies, FAM, safety and security matters as well, e.g. bomb on board, dangerous goods etc. Granted, these are the boring stuff, but you have no choice, be conversant with them. The reward is, when armed with these background knowledge, you are likely to possess good judgment and make better decisions when called for. Note: Talk to freshly checked out commanders in how to deal with passenger boarding delay, unruly behaviour, critically ill or dying passenger in flight, missing passport or no show passengers with cargo bags loaded, passenger smoking in the cabin or toilet, passenger complaints. You will be tested on how you handle all these problems in the LOFTs as well. BE A DISCIPLINED, “Know-Your-Stuff” PILOT If you want to have all the aircraft technical knowledge at your fingertips, there is no other ways than the “Read all of them up” way. I believe this is the only way to know your stuff. You have to be disciplined to do that. Some aviation experts suggest that we should formulate an annual study plan, and to cover specific chapters and topics projected against a given month, e.g. covering the Flight Manuals, FAM, FCTM, FSI as well as other relevant reading materials. Make sure that the goal you set for yourself is an achievable one. The longest journey always begins with the first step. I have the following suggestions: Read one chapter of FCOM a week, which is not too difficult or asking too much on yourself. Read one QRH checklist per day; begin with the less common ones. Practise your manual loadsheet calculations, anti-skid/spoilers inoperative and other weight correction problems at least once a month. Revise those special operations you rarely encounter in normal line operations at least once a quarter. In a year, you would have covered most of the aircraft technical. Go through the cycle again. This disciplined approach to master your own airplane, as in CRM, is now strongly promoted by many major airlines all over the world. 15

COMMAND TRAINING PROGRAMME From the FCTM, command training comprises of no less than 5 LOAs and several additional practice LOFTs from Phase 2 onwards. Perhaps with the exception of LOA 1, you have to do well in all the subsequent LOAs before you will be given a shot at the FINAL COMMAND LOFT prior to checking out as a commander. Every LOA will be assessed and every LOA counts. You must aim to do well in all the LOAs. If you fumble in one LOA, do not despair, instead of blaming yourself for goofing the exercise, quickly learn the lessons and move on. Spend your precious time and energy in preparing for the next LOA instead. One common pitfall faced by some command trainees was relying too much on the “10-year series” and blindly following or pre-empting the outcome as their predecessors did. This will surely lead to your downfall. The instructor can always vary the LOFT scenario and you will be thrown off guard. There is nothing wrong in reading up the “10-year series” so long as you use them only as a guide, they can still be of help as reference materials. The best stand to take is to treat your LOFT or LOA as a real flight, and handle any abnormal situation as it comes along, using your own technical knowledge and skill, assessing the real time situation and make your decision and take your own course of actions. Note: Do not follow your predecessors blindly! This is a serious trap. Do not pre-empt. Many command trainees have fallen prey to this before. It is helpful to watch each other’s practice LOFT sessions and listen to the instructor’s debrief, but prior permission must be obtained from the instructor first, and of course, the consent from your colleague who is doing the LOFT. Having said so, the purpose of this note I wrote here is exactly the same, only use it as a guide, ultimately, you have to use your own wits and resolve to tackle the LOA! FIRST OFFICER MENTALITY (or CO-PILOT SYNDROME) – SHAKE IT OFF FAST! Many instructors had commented that some command trainees faced difficulties initially in their training mainly because they were still not used to the sudden new found responsibility of being an acting commander. During line operations and in LOFTs/LOAs, as a command trainee, you are in fact the acting commander, the instructor is there merely to assess and see whether you behave otherwise! Be fearless in making decisions, a bad decision is better than no decision made. Do not appear hesitant and indecisive. That’s not what they want. It is in your own interest to stop behaving like a first officer from now on. Those who are always proactive as first officers before will have little difficulty adapting to the new ball game. If you are one of those who are used to being passive and non-assertive to the captains you worked with before, you really got to shake yourself off that, FAST! Make things happen for you, do not wait for things to happen. Be decisive! Take charge! Three more Cs here, Command, Control and Communicate!

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FAMILY SUPPORT Spend time to have your spouse understand the importance of the command training. If your children are old enough to understand, include them too. In particular, emphasise that there will be many occasions when you need to be away from home either doing self-help or be involved in discussions with you colleagues. This is a sacrifice only for a few months. Do not make plans for anything disruptive such as moving home (or even having a baby!). The amount of positive help and understanding from the family can make a big difference in your performance and endurance in the programme.

STRESS COPING - RELAX! LEARN HOW TO DE-STRESS YOURSELF Stress is the physical and mental demand on your body, the anxiety and distress caused directly by the training you are undergoing. You certainly will face a lot of stress and you must learn to cope. When the stress level is building up, find a way to relieve it. It is probably the least understood and yet the most crucial factor. If not handled properly, stress will have a serious negative effect in your performance and well being, even your health. All command trainees experienced stress, some suffered more than others. The burden of severe psychological stress alone can exceed an aviator’s capacity to cope. Command training is inherently stressful, but gauging when too much stress will affect your ability to aviate is a key to knowing yourself. Try to relax before and during the LOFT exercise, you will be surprised how much better you can perform if your mind and body are in a relaxed state. As I have mentioned earlier, succumbing to stress will have serious detrimental effects. De-stressing yourself is a must. You can relax by listening to music, exercise regularly and keep fit. Go out occasionally and have a drink with your friends, watch a movie with your family, they really do help. Who can you blame when your entire future flying career is being put under a microscope with such close scrutiny for so long a period! Good stress-management is the key to a successful completion of the command training programme. So it is absolutely necessary that you must learn to cope with the stress involved.

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HANDLING STRESS IN FLYING. Accidents often occur when flying task requirements exceed a pilot's capabilities. A superior pilot uses superior judgment to avoid stressful situations which might call for use of superior skills. The difference between pilot capabilities and task requirements is the margin of safety (See diagram below). In this example, the margin of safety is minimal during the approach under ideal conditions. For this pilot, a cold and fatigue may reduce the minimal margin of safety as well as the overall margin of safety throughout the flight. Stress is insidious. Stress has a gradual and cumulative effect that develops slowly, so slowly that stress can be well established before becoming apparent. A pilot may think that he/she is handling everything quite well, when in fact there are subtle signs that the pilot is beyond his/her ability to respond appropriately. Stress is cumulative. A generalized stress reaction can develop as a result of accumulated stress. There is a limit to a pilot's adaptive nature. This limit, the stress tolerance level, is based on a pilot's ability to cope with the situation. If the number or intensity of the stressors becomes too great, the pilot is susceptible to an environmental overload. At this point, a pilot's performance begins to decline and judgment deteriorates.

Personal Capabilities Over Time

RISK

Margin Of Safety

Effort TAXY

TAKE OFF

CLIMB

CRUISE

DESCENT

APPROACH LANDING

A TYPICAL FLIGHT PROFILE

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TAXY TO GATE

HOW TO BE A SAFE PILOT A pilot does not have to be a genius to be a safe pilot. However, a pilot should be an emotionally stable person who can accept the fact that he/she is not in possession of all facts or skills for all situations and be willing to accept the recommendations of those who specialize in evaluating, assessing, and administering aviation procedures.

THE "I'M SAFE" CHECKLIST Illness.

Do I have any symptoms?

Medication. Have I been taking prescription or over the counter drugs? Stress.

Am I under psychological pressure from the job? Do I have money, health, or family problems?

Alcohol.

Have I been drinking within 8 hours? Within 24 hours?

Fatigue.

Am I tired and not adequately rested?

Eating.

Have I eaten enough of the proper foods to keep adequately nourished during the entire flight?

Reaching a consensus on all matters within the aviation community can prove difficult, if not impossible. Even though the rules and procedures are designed to serve most of the people most of the time, a pilot can always argue for different ways of doing things. An experienced, mature pilot will accept and follow the rules and procedures which will benefit the aviation community. The immature, emotionally unbalanced pilot has strong tendencies to satisfy a personal need regardless of the consequences. Some pilots break rules simply for the immediate gratification of some emotional need. Even though the pilot may know that this emotional need is not considered a healthy habit (e.g. smoking, speeding, overeating, etc.), the pilot is, nonetheless, driven by his or her own emotions. Existing rules would go a long way to remedy the accident rate; however, personality traits that cause irrational behavior also make pilots prone to disregard the rules that would assure safe operations. When a pilot exhibits one or more of the five hazardous attitudes or irrational behavior, that pilot may also be exposing any emotional weaknesses in his/her personality.

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WHEN YOU ARE TOLD YOU HAVE A PROBLEM (or WEAKNESS) ADMIT IT! If you are told you are having problems with your command training. You better believe it! Do not give silly excuses and try to defend yourself. Otherwise they might as well promote you to the rank of captain without this training programme, if you always have a reason to rebuff what they point out to you! THE UN-TEACHABLE: Most people will only regard such defensive acts and attitudes as being “un-teachable” and irritating, when this invisible tag is placed on your neck, you are in serious trouble indeed. Being too defensive or full of excuses is a sure way to be reactivated as an FO back to your original Fleet! THEY KNOW THEIR JOB: Let’s face it, the instructors or Management are people with a lot more A310 flying experience than you. They have conducted many command training courses over the years. They know their job, so do not blame them with things such as “Personality clash”, “So and so does not like my face”, “He is biased!” etc. Instead, you should look in the mirror and ask yourself that soul-searching question, “Do I have those problems?” If the answer is a “YES”, start working straight away to overcome them. Never give up, quickly learn and correct those mistakes the instructors pointed out to you. Never argue, never be defensive. Just listen, learn and fix those weaknesses in you. PROBLEM SPOTTING & RECOGNITION: Problems that are spotted in the early phases have a better chance of being fixed simply because you have more time to work on it. Problems developed at the final stages of command training are more difficult to overcome. Therefore, being a command trainee, it is in your own interest to seek advice and assistance from your line instructors as well as your LOFT instructors, especially in areas mentioned during their debrief sessions with you that might have strong impact in your performance appraisal and grading. Discuss your areas of concern with your mentor; your mentor is your best bet in problem solving concerning yourself. Ultimately what is most important is that you must first be able to recognise your own weakness and problem, otherwise how are you supposed to fix them if you do not know they exist in the first place? THE MENTOR – YOUR BEST FRIEND: All of us found the mentor-trainee relationship especially beneficial during our command training. Capt Geoffrey Yzelman was our mentor, he was a keen listener to our problems, and he was a huge pillar of support to all of us, especially in those critical moments. Perhaps it was our fortune to have such a selfless mentor, who even spent his precious personal free time to render extra help to us by conducting many extra LOFT sessions in the flight simulator, and transmitting feedback to us from the Management regarding our progress in the programme. IS THE COMMAND TRAINING PROGRAMME FAIR? Honestly, Management would like to see all of you making it, no effort will be spared and all available resources will be utilised to make sure that you make it. I am essentially quoting what DFO Capt Maurice De Vaz told us. Otherwise, it does not quite make sense to select you, spend time and resources to train you, and then to terminate and cast you off, if you have all the attributes to be one! Note: Recently, ALPA-S has also introduced a counseling service for pilots concerning welfare as well as flying matters. Captain Allan Ong and other trained counselors are the men to speak to if you need any specific help concerning your command training or personal problems. You can also discuss stress management with them. (Check it out on the ALPAS website).

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SELF HELP IN THE SIMULATOR – (Practice Makes Perfect) The best thing that ever happened to us was when the Management allowed the FOs and command trainees to make use of the flight simulators’ idle slots for self help. It was only made possible a few years back by the former ADFO(T) Capt Leonard McCully. Without the flight simulator to practise the various LOFT scenarios or to better appreciate many of those complex malfunctions, it would certainly mean a much harder endeavour to pass the command training. It is important that you must spend as much time as you possibly can to “bash” at the flight simulator with your coursemates. When used properly, practising your LOFT scenarios during self-help will enable you to establish a sensible, good command decision-making pattern without guesswork. It will also help you to familiarise with all the cockpit switches, instruments and c/b position. The result is time saving and sparing your brain to engage in more profitable activities when the crunch comes. If your mentor is an SIP of the same Fleet, it will be even more beneficial if you can get him to help you in the flight simulator whenever possible. His comments and critiques on your practice LOFT will be invaluable. All command trainees must make periodic arrangements to meet up with their mentor to discuss all matters pertaining to command training. He is one asset that all of you must utilise to the fullest. One word of caution, doing practice LOFT amongst the command trainees without supervision do have some disadvantages, since none of you are “good” enough to really assess how well or how bad you perform amongst yourselves, there is a danger that all of you may in fact be “groping in the dark” or “a blind leading another blind” and yet thinking that things are going well when in fact it may not be so. While doing unsupervised self help, do not be too carried away as to who is doing better than who, you should always leave the assessment part to the SIPs/IPs and Management, you just make full use of the flight simulator to familiarise with all the possible malfunctions and abnormal situations, and make full use of it to develop sensible action patterns and to iron out your common errors and bad habits, not forming new ones, I hope! Otherwise the opposite may result, I shall elaborate on that later. You are encouraged to do self-critique amongst yourselves but with the clear mutual understanding that the idea is to learn and to spot the mistakes, and not “compete” to be the top gun in your course! There is no trophy or first prize. VERBALISING YOUR THOUGHTS (BEFORE THE ACTIONS) It is essential that the instructor and your supporting FO are aware of your thoughts and decision making process during a LOFT session. One good way of enabling them to know what you are about to do is to say it out clearly and precisely what you intend to do. This is one essential skill in tackling LOFT. However, do watch out for the other extreme of talking too much with too many disjointed and confusing words that you end up having a verbal diarrhea! The secret is to be concise with your choice of words! The reward is good communications that leave no doubts to your instructor and supporting FO of your intentions and actions. This holds true even in a real emergency situation.

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MANUAL FLYING - B744 WITH TWO ENG INOPERATIVE OR A310 WITH ONE ENG OUT •

One Engine Out With No Autopilot: The A310 is equipped with two powerful Pratt & Whitley 4000 Series engines that can deliver 52,000lb of thrust each. Therefore, if an engine fails after V1 during takeoff, with one engine out and the remaining engine running at TOGA power, the powerful asymmetric yaw can be a real challenge to control. This is equally true for the B744 with two engines inoperative on the same side. Apart from keeping the aircraft attitude at ≈11° nose up, you also need to put in almost full or full opposite rudder at speeds close to V2 or V2 + 10kt. A concerted effort is necessary on the pilot flying to scan the primary flight instruments continuously and to adjust rudder pedal force and constant trimming and retrimming the rudder as the speed begins to build up at acceleration altitude, meanwhile keeping the PFD’s “triangle” and “tee-pee” matched and wings almost level. The PF is strongly discouraged from taking his eyes off the scanning of the flight instruments. Otherwise momentary departure from the flight path is very common. In the worst case, a total loss of flight control may result. For the A310, the ECAM provides good actions feedback for QRH actions to be carried out by the PNF. The PF needs only to take a quick glance, by rolling his eyeballs to look at the left ECAM display to confirm that the QRH actions are carried out accordingly. After which you must quickly refocus your eyes on the primary flight instruments again and control the flight path. It is not necessary to look up at the overhead panel or turn your head to look at the PNF, doing so doing would only be at the detriment of good instrument flying. Develop this disciplined habit early and you will have won half the battle already. This flying technique applies to virtually any glass-cockpit aircraft.

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Watch Out For Bad Habits Forming Subtly During Unsupervised Self-help Sessions: I have mentioned the benefits of self help earlier. However, do watch out for the lurking danger of developing some undesirable bad habits if you are not disciplined enough. It is natural for command trainees to let their defensive guards down during unsupervised self help sessions and sub-consciously allowing such bad habits to take root. One of the worst habits that subtly crept in among us was the tendency of not scanning the instruments during engine out exercise with autopilot off with only basic flight instruments available. There were many occasions where command trainees were sucked into such bad habits and allowed the aircraft to depart, or at least causing a momentary loss of flight path control. The result: Reinforcing the instructor’s impression of you displaying less than desired manual flying ability. Tips: Always scan your instruments, never turn your head and take your eyes off the primary flight instruments unnecessarily, perhaps other than just rolling your eyeballs momentarily to glance at the left ECAM display to confirm the actions feedback (A310), or when making EFIS and FCU changes. The design of the PFD and the ND displays allow rapid scanning and good instrument flying provided the pilot flying can observe and follow the good basics, i.e. disciplined, constant scanning of the instruments without turning one’s head and eyeballs away unnecessarily.

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WHAT DO THE INSTRUCTORS EXPECT TO SEE IN YOU? It is really no secret that they require you to perform to the standard they expected before they check you out as a commander. The following are qualities that they are looking for:•

Integrity – In line training and simulator training, they must be convinced that you are the man that the Company can trust. That is, a commander who places the interest of the Company and the welfare of your first officer, cabin crew, and of the passengers above your self-interest. You must also be a responsible man and possess a strong sense of duty and well-being. Remember, you are the pilot-in-command of a multi-million dollar asset and with hundreds of innocent lives as well as the Company’s reputation that go with it. The stake is very high indeed. It is a very serious business!

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Technical Knowledge and Flying Skill – You must have the necessary technical background and flying skill to get you out of all envisaged abnormal situations. The fact that you are already a command trainee means that you have already been assessed to have the fundamental flying skills and potential to be a commander. All you need is to prove that you are a skilled, proficient and competent airliner pilot. It will be obvious to them after you have done 3 to 4 LOFTs.

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Confidence – In the flight simulator, you really got to exude that confidence in you, manifested in the way your body language, the tone, pace and loudness of your voice, all will in one way or another reflecting yourself to the guy sitting behind watching every of your move. A confident pilot means half the battle already won.

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Composure – You must be able to display your composed nature while tackling every conceivable situation, in the air and on the ground. They want to see that you are always calm, cool, and collect in handling all abnormal situations. You must never lose your composure in a LOFT or you are finished! You must not overload your first officer whilst fighting the emergency. Try to give your orders or instructions in a measured and controlled pace. If your FO makes a mistake, like reading a wrong checklist item, correct him but not censure him, and bring him back on track. If you can do that, you will never lose him!

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Compassion – In commercial flying, you are dealing with a lot of people around you. Your FO, the ground engineer, cabin crew, passengers, ATC etc. Don’t be surprised that you will be exposed to handle all these people in the LOFTs! The instructor behind will play all these different roles. Maybe we should give him an OSCAR for that! On a more serious note, he will assess you in how you can display those “Human Relations” traits. If you are compassionate by nature, you should have no problem, otherwise, it is still not too late to change!

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CRM – Be an “ACRO” commander! You need to rally all resources available to help you solve your line oriented problems and emergencies. Try to be a nice but firm guy. Gone are the days of a task-master style of approach to the people supporting your flight operations. The Company believes that CRM can bring out the best in a commander while working closely with his first officer, cabin crew, ATC and ground staff. You must never “lose” your first officer in an emergency situation. The benefits of CRM are just incredibly indispensable these days. I shall elaborate on these later. Continued Next Page

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Perseverance – You must never show that you are about to give up, even in seemingly hopeless situations like MULTIPLE ENG FLAME OUT and unable to relight. You must continue to be in command of the situation right down to crash landing or ditching. You must display that “fight-till-the-end” and “never-give-up” spirits in you. If, in case you are being identified as a “weak” candidate in your course, do not lose hope. As long as you show that you are a keen learner, ceaselessly and conscientiously making efforts to improve those weak areas they pointed out to you, they will do their part to help and see you through. There are plenty of such testimonials to attest to this claim. “Success flourishes only in perseverance - ceaseless, restless perseverance “. - Manfred Von Richthofen - “The Red Baron”.

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Pleasant Character – It is difficult to change one’s character in a short period. Let’s assume that you have been told that your character is somewhat less than pleasant, I think you still can do something about it. Once you are conscious of yourself and make amends, it is already a first positive step taken in the right direction. So long as you continue to work on it, people can see that you are making that extra effort; you shall prevail in the end. Continue to work on it even after you have checked out as a commander. We all want to be like the ACRO guy. It is natural for people to like working with nice guys. It makes the environment so much more pleasant and conducive for increased productivity. I shall elaborate more on this later.

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Situational Awareness (SA) – “SA is the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future.” As defined by Dr. Mica Endsley, a renowned SA researcher. Whatever primary tasks you are engaged in doing, you must still have the spare capacity to sense and know what is happening around you and to take whatever actions necessary to combat that situation. It is this “Big Picture” qualities we all wish we always had. As a command trainee, you will be closely assessed on your situational awareness. My own definition of SA is “The ability to think clearly when encountering a situation while your are flying, and still know exactly where you are (spatial orientation), and continue to stay focused on the main task (flying the mission) without losing control of the situation (e.g. handling of the emergency), and actively making plans for the next move to combat that situation with all resources available.” ACP Capt Albert Koh said; “SA is like mentally detaching yourself from the seat, and imagine moving yourself back behind the seats and then as though you are watching yourself and the FO fly! You will realise that you can see a lot more and appreciate the situation better, you will think and act accordingly better, and not just get bogged down by flying alone with a tunneling vision!” Don’t we all know that when we are watching someone doing recurrent or base check in the simulator, we seemed to see a lot more (a bigger picture!) than that poor guy in the hot seat? Can you do what Capt Albert Koh has suggested? I believe SA can be developed over time. For those who are not endowed with that gift, they will simply have to work harder to improve one’s SA.

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SITUATIONAL AWARENESS EXPANDED From the definition by Dr Mica Endsley, we know that SA has three levels: Perception, Comprehension and Projection. You noticed something has happened.

Perception You understand the potential meaning of it.

Comprehension You think ahead, and estimate its possible consequences.

Projection

THE BIG PICTURE! A practical example of the 3 SA levels – NUTA – (Notice – Understand – Think Ahead), that is, you can see the “Big Picture”. Perception (You Notice): You notice a huge thunderstorm cell is directly ahead of you on your radar screen. Comprehension (You Understand): You understand the immediate implications of the thunderstorm and think about turning the aircraft to avoid it. Projection (You Think Ahead): You think ahead about the future consequences of avoiding the thunderstorm, such as future routing, passenger comfort etc. However, you must remember that SA requires a lot of mental effort, whilst it is important to think ahead and be “ahead of the curve”, you must also dedicate sufficient energy to fly the aircraft in the real time. It is no use just thinking of the future and forget about the present! In the past, many people believed that SA could not be taught; it was the kind of “Right Stuff” that Tom Wolfe said you either have it or you don’t. However, recent researches in this unique subject have brought to light of many lessons learned. Tony Kern for one strongly believes that it is possible to improve one’s SA. In order to improve one’s SA, the secret lies in knowing yourself thoroughly, knowing your teammates, knowing your aircraft, and be familiar with the environment you are flying in, as well as managing the risks involved in the flight operations you are in. In a nutshell, thoroughly understand the pillars of knowledge of you job! A good SA will afford a good judgment, which allows you to pick the best of the alternatives presented to you, in turn, it allows a good decision to be made, which almost certain of a good outcome, the element of luck not withstanding, as I have mentioned earlier. This is all about good airmanship, which I am going to talk about soon.

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** WHAT IS EXPERT AIRMANSHIP? There are three fundamental or bedrock principles of expert airmanship, i.e. Skill, Proficiency and the Discipline to apply them in a safe and efficient manner. Beyond which there are five areas of expertise found among expert pilots. i.e. Self, Aircraft, Team, Environment and Risk. When all these strong points are focused in place, you get better situational awareness and resulting in making decisions based on good judgment, which culminating to expert airmanship. Airmanship is the consistent use of good judgment and well-developed skills to accomplish flight objectives. This consistency is founded on a cornerstone of uncompromising flight discipline and developed through systematic skill acquisition and proficiency. A high state of situational awareness completes the airmanship picture and is obtained through knowledge of one’s self, aircraft, team, environment and risk. All of us should strive to achieve that too. BEDROCK PRINCIPLES

Skill > Proficiency > Discipline >

PILLARS OF KNOWLEDGE > Self > Aircraft > Team > Environment > Risk

CAPSTONE OUTCOMES > Situational > Awareness

AIRMANSHIP

> Judgment

Airmanship is uncompromising flight discipline, violations of flight discipline create a slippery downhill path towards habitual non-compliance. Good airmanship is not compatible with any flight discipline violations of any kind or of any magnitude. Airmanship goes beyond merely stick and rudder skills. It means honing and refining procedures and techniques to a personal level of excellence at which a missed checklist step or botched radio communication just doesn’t happen anymore. Error-free flying, as well as “good hands”, is a mark of an airman. Airmanship is preparing us, through discipline, skill and knowledge, to have the maximum amount of “leftover” attention to handle the unexpected distraction. But since any of us can become overloaded, we must also be able to recognise the symptoms of lost SA and have the critical actions for recovery “hard-wired” to prevent disaster. Airmanship excellence is self-sustaining and contagious. The pursuit of excellence is exciting, fun and infectious. Airmanship means sharing knowledge, we have a moral obligation to share what works in a high-risk endeavour like flying. The little bit of information that you pass along may be what saves another’s life, or yours, someday. It is that simple! **Note: From the book “Redefining Airmanship”, on the Airmanship Model as propounded by the author Dr. Tony Kern. (Dr. Kern is a renowned aviation historian and an experienced pilot himself).

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** WHAT IS AN “ACRO” COMMANDER? In the ARM 1 Course, Professor Marvin Karlins defined “ACRO” characteristics as; “A team builder, a dynamic, charismatic and competent leader. A catalyst, a coach, and a mentor, skilled and respected.” The ACRO commander views his crew from a Theory Y perspective – seeing the first officer and other crew members as individuals liking their work, desiring more responsibility and capable of growth and development if given the opportunity. There is mutual respect between an ACRO commander and his crew, emphasis on excellence in performance and task competency. An “ACRO” commander possesses some or all of the following qualities; • • • • • • • •

The desire to create a flight deck environment where crewmembers are valued and encouraged to “become all they are capable of becoming” as aviators. An emphasis on two-way communication: the free-flowing give and take of information between commander and crew. The practice of giving crewmembers a clear understanding of what is expected of them and providing feedback concerning their flight deck performance. A high concern for both performance and people on the flight deck. The encouragement of harmonious interpersonal relationships and teamwork. A willingness to involve crewmembers in flight deck operations, when appropriate. The tendency to motivate through rewarding appropriate performance and improvement in performance. The practice of using punishment as a “last resort” (after more positive approaches fail) and then to correct mistakes rather than to seek revenge.

The impact of ACRO commander style on cockpit performance will result in; • • • • •

People perform to their best ability. Crewmembers are not afraid to make recommendations to commanders. There is a greater job satisfaction among crewmembers. There is a full utilisation of all available resources by the commander. Effective teamwork produces synergistic behaviour – The total performance of the aircrew is greater than the sum of the performances of the commander, first officer and the rest of the crew taken together.

One aviator characterised the ACRO commander as a person who is able to command respect of his colleagues without demanding it. The ACRO style motivates rather than intimidates people. An ACRO commander is the preferred style in the modern era of aviation, where performance in managing flight operation goes far beyond just flying the airplane. To drive home a point, according to Professor Karlins, in the early sixties and seventies, the “god-like” ACE style of pilots used to reign supreme in the sky and on the ground. Sadly, these were “foolhardy, self-centred, braggart, macho, egotistical” haughty individuals, who were not only difficult to work with, they were also more likely to put the airplane and people at risk because of their over-inflated ego; they were truly the “mismatch” of the peopleoriented, CRM-conscious “Modern Glass Cockpit Era”!

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** WHAT IS SYNERGISTIC FLIGHT DECK MANAGEMENT? It is a procedure for maximising airline safety and aircrew job satisfaction through creation of a cockpit atmosphere conducive to high quality performance and rewarding interpersonal relations. It is characterised by the following flight deck behaviours: • • • •

Successful interpersonal relations between crew-members that encourages cooperation and teamwork on the flight deck. Effective flight deck communication. Full utilisation of each aviator’s technical and behavioural competences. Leadership which encourages the growth, development and active participation of all crew members in coordinated flight deck operations.

The Company’s Model for aircrew effectiveness is: “Achieving Synergistic Flight Deck Management” SKILL + INTERACTION = ACHIEVEMENT Individual competencies to The aircrew working together Accomplishment of fly the airplane and work as a team, practising effective airline and personal effectively with people. flight deck management. goals. Technical Skills S ynergism In A ction Behavioural Skills *self-other interface *leadership *communication

S afety In A viation

S atisfaction In A viation

**Note: Extracted from ARM 1 materials given by Professor Marvin Karlins, a renowned aviation psychologist who conducted many Aircrew Resource Management Courses for SIA pilots and cabin crew. ARM and CRM are synonymous. As you can see, airmanship and CRM go hand in hand. In fact, it can be said that airmanship is the individual structure on which CRM builds. One outstanding example to heighten this is the ill-fated DC-10 of United Flight 232, on 19 July 1989 over Sioux City. The damaged tail-mounted engine caused an incredible “oneto-a-billion” chance catastrophic total hydraulic systems failure, where the disintegrating fan blades completely severed all the hydraulic lines. In the ensuing events, the pilots, cabin crew, the ATC and the airport rescue services displayed the highest standards of airmanship and CRM that managed to save many lives that would otherwise be of certain death. I have reproduced the abridged findings, lessons learnt and practical applications of this incredible episode (see next page). A full NTSB report of the story is available elsewhere.

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UNITED FLIGHT 232 – LESSONS LEARNED & PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Of the 296 persons on board, 110 passengers and 1 flight attendant died in the crash, but the remaining 185 survived. Considering the gravity of the emergency situation, it was indeed a miracle that the death toll was not much higher! Flight Crew Performance: The National Transport Safety Board believed that under the circumstances, the “flightcrew’s performance was highly commendable and greatly exceeded reasonable expectation.” They added that the interaction between the pilots during the emergency was “indicative of the value of CRM” The captain, Alfred C. Haynes, is a tremendous supporter of CRM and has said: “I am firmly convinced that CRM played a very important part in our landing in Sioux City with any chance of survival. I also believe that its principles apply to no matter how many crewmembers are in the cockpit.” Capt Haynes also mentioned that, the cockpit crew’s effort alone would not have been sufficient to get the aircraft to the airport without the steady guidance (and calming influence) of one controller from Sioux City Approach, Mr Kevin Bauchman. Capt Haynes final advice to us: “Use them (your crew and ATC, and other ground support personnel) as team members – you are not alone up there.” Lessons leant and practical applications: No better lessons can be learned from this accident than those described by Capt Haynes himself. Use all of your resources: •

Work as a team. Tap into your fellow pilots’ knowledge, skill, expertise – and hands. As noted in CRM research, by allowing the first officer to fly the airplane in an emergency situation, the captain then has the opportunity to evaluate the problem and make sound decisions.

•

Be open to suggestions. The captain viewed each crewmember’s ideas as instrumental to the safe outcome of the flight.

•

Communicate clearly and directly. This applies to the entire flight crew. Every crew member from Flight 232 communicated in a clear manner. There were no disjointed comments, confusing statements, or domineering attitudes.

•

Maintain cockpit discipline. The crew did not allow themselves to become distracted. They maintained vigilant of the situation throughout the flight.

•

Keep ATC in the loop. The captain had commented that tensions were high, but hearing the steady voice of the approach controller provided tremendous calming influence to the crew.

•

Brief flight attendants. Don’t keep an emergency situation a secret. Passenger survival depends on a prepared cabin.

(Extracted from “Aircraft Safety - Accident Investigations, Analyses, & Applications” - Written by Shari Stamford Krause, Ph.D) Footnote: If you are really keen, you may also write to me for a 86-page full NTSB report on this episode written in MS Word document format.

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EFFECTIVE PILOT / MANAGER In a recent CRM project (1986), as a result of the observation of 114 airline pilots who had taken the management attitude questionnaire, Dr Robert L. Helmreich (and 3 of his partners) concluded that the effective pilot / manager is one who: • • • • • • • • • •

Recognises his own personal limitations. Recognises his diminished decision capability in emergencies. Encourages other crew to question decisions. Is sensitive to personal problems of other crew. Discusses personal limitations. Verbalises plans while acting as pilot flying. Provides training for other crew. Has a relaxed and harmonious flight deck. Adapts management style to crew and situation. Coordinates cabin crew activities.

Reference: "Cockpit management attitudes: Exploring the attitude-performance linkage" Aviation, Space & Environmental Medicine. Pg 57,1198-1200.

ONE FINAL WORD ON CRM AND GOOD TEAMWORK I have emphasised the advantages and benefits of CRM and good teamwork many times. Ironically, there are occasions when the negative outcome may result, which I must warn you of as well. Advantages: The advantages of teamwork are the increased reliability and mutual support. These are critical elements to successful flight operations in all environments, where rapid changing conditions can leave an individual’s situational awareness in the dust. Buoyed by the knowledge of competent, perhaps even expert, teammates, an individual in a team environment can act with more confidence and initiative. Each person can afford to be less cautious, not unsafe, but acting with an understanding of assured mutual support and allows more aggressive approach to mission accomplishment. Hazards: (Interpersonal conflict and “Groupthink” phenomenon) There are also hazards involved with team operation. Interpersonal relationship affects operations and decision making on the flight deck, resulting in a team performance that is actually poorer than individual performance. This ironic decrease in performance can be due to conflict between team members or, at the other extreme, due to a phenomenon known as “groupthink”, in which conflict avoidance takes precedence over the task at hand. Because of such inherent pitfalls, teamwork approach should be approached systematically, look out for the possible pitfall. Note: With wisdom I learnt from these experts, I reproduce them here for you to ponder (from “Redefining Airmanship” by Tony Kern), I hope you will also remember them.

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RISK MANAGEMENT Flying is inherently risky and can never be 100% risk-free, but modern technology has made it possible to produce airplanes, especially since the “Jet Era” in the 1950s, that are much more reliable and safer to fly these days. At the Corporate level, as part of risk management, philosophy, policies and procedures were introduced and enshrined to ensure flight safety. To a large extent, accident rates were greatly reduced these days. In commercial flying, we do not take unnecessary or unjustifiable risks in any form, we should strive towards “zero accident rate”. At a personal level, risk management means self-discipline. First, know your own and other crew’s limits, the demands of the mission must not exceed you and your crew’s ability to handle, so seek to avoid such situations from arising. Second, constantly keep abreast of changes and maintain technical knowledge currency. Third, know the environment you are operating in, e.g. terrain, weather, airport, ATC facilities and difficult approaches etc. Fourth, always be prepared (thoroughly) for each flight. On the other hand, if you are that type of person who is always inclined to “show off” your flying skills or seek thrills to impress your peers, you are a liability here. Whilst we always strive to operate the airplane in a manner as efficiently as we can, we must always bear in mind that in doing so, flight safety must not be compromised. Note: In your command LOFTs, you will be tested on your risk management skills too.

1. RISK EXPECTANCIES MATRIX

Perceived High Risk Low

Actual Risk Low High Undue Concern Preparedness (Excess Caution) (Caution) Preparedness Unpreparedness (Safety) (Danger)

Perceived Risk & Actual Risk 2. COPING ABILITIES MATRIX

Perceived High Coping Ability Low

Actual Coping Ability Low High Over Confidence Realistic Esteem (Danger) Insecurity Realistic Esteem (Excess Caution)

Perceived Coping Ability & Actual Coping Ability

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GUIDELINES FOR RISK MANAGEMENT Compensatory risk reducers: • Always be CAREFUL in judgment, Consciously Accept Risks Evaluated with Forethought, Understanding and Logic. • Avoid hazardous attitudes, emotions and logic that can adversely bias judgment. Be as objective as possible. Step back away from the situation that you are in and analyse it as if you were not personally involved. Then take your own advice. Remember that the risk itself could be a motivator. Avoid being a “thrill seeker”. • Estimate expectancies conservatively. Estimate benefit expectancies on the low side and cost (risk) expectancies on the high side.. Remember that it can happen to you! • Anticipate negative, especially catastrophic outcomes. Frequently, they will dominate other risk factors. Evaluate them carefully. • Always plan ahead. Never stop planning and always be ready to adjust your plans as necessary to manage risks. Always have an alternative plan and leave yourself strategic escape alternatives (an “out”). Remember, “Proper prior planning prevents peril”. Box canyons are for playing cowboys and Indians, not for flying. • Never compromise safety, yours or someone else’s. Safety must dominate all of your decisions. • Anticipate situational demands and avoid those which may jeopardise your coping ability. • Never accept unjustifiable risks. If it is not worth doing safely, it is not worth doing. • Do not resign to fate. Take command of the situation. • Take the time to make deliberate decisions. • Allow adequate safety margins in all phases of flight. • Avoid the “white cane” syndrome – never use the aircraft to “feel” for the ground, especially on approach. • In assessing risks, remember, they are generated by the product of risk expectancy, risk sensitivity (the expected adequacy of coping ability) and risk penalty. Ask the questions: a. What can happen? b. Will I be able to deal with it? c. What will be the consequences if I cannot cope? • Remember, the definition of fool is; “One who is deficient in judgment, sense, or understanding; one who can easily be deceived; to take unawares, surprise”. Do not be so categorised. • Remember, risks are increased by a chain of bad decisions. If action is taken before it is too late, this chain can be broken. • Never panic; remain or return to being calm. Always respond with objectivity, analysis and logic, not with emotion. • Remember operational priorities: Fly the aircraft, navigate, communicate etc. • Manage your workload. Be aware of the onset of excessive stress and unload your workload to satisfy priorities. • If you fly at night, be especially cautious, widen your safety margins, and anticipate special night flying risks. It may be easier to spot properly lighted aircraft and obstructions in visual conditions. However, all other hazards may be more difficult to see. Also, if you have a survivable accident at night, it may take a much longer time to find you. • If risk level is unacceptable for a decision alternative, either find ways to reduce the risk and choose another alternative. This may require the creative development of a new alternative. Continued Next Page

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2. Preparatory risk reducers • Review the SMART process: Systematic Management of Acceptance of Risk through Training. • Try to anticipate and prepare for any foreseeable emergency. This is especially important if the preparation is simple or if the risk is great. • Maximise your coping ability: a. Keep yourself in good physiological and psychological condition. b. Keep your equipment in good conditions. Inspect it thoroughly and frequently. Correct any anomalies promptly. c. Know your limitations and those of your equipment. d. Plan your flight carefully, always file a flight plan (plan the flight, fly the plan). e. Always carry a torch light (be prepared for a total electric failure in a night flight). f. Always get a good weather briefing, understand its limitations and update it frequently. g. Learn as much as possible about your aircraft. A good knowledge base is essential for effectively planning your flight and for dealing with emergencies. h. Do not let your judgment of risk be falsely biased by successful completions of dangerous flights made with poor judgment. Remember, risk assessment in the absolute sense in every aviation decision is not possible. However, it is possible to assess the relative risk comparing one alternative with another. This form of risk assessment requires a thorough knowledge of aviation system as mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. “Risks are a necessary part of a worthwhile progressive life. The risk should not be greater than the value of the undertaking. Proper supervision increases the value and decreases the risk. Accident prevention is a worthwhile goal that is intimately connected with the efficient management and intelligent supervision. We need not treat safety as a separate part of our planning or our accomplishment, neither should we separate the principles of safe driving from safe flying, safe recreation from safe working, or safe living from ethical thinking. In the final analysis, accident-free days are the pleasant by-product of efficiency.” Moody, elementary safety practices (1968) MANAGING RISK Vs GAMBLING WITH RISK RISK = Probability of a loss x Cost of a loss x Exposure Remember, every decision has a negative or risky side. Minimising or attempting to avoid risks would mean that nothing would ever get done in this world. Refusing to accept risks is equivalent to refusing to seize opportunities. Minimising risks is tantamount to minimising costs with no concern for, or appreciation of, value. Instead of trying to simply minimise risks, the appropriate course of action is to optimise risks in view of the payoffs. In other words, we must manage risks, the bottom line is, you must weigh the risks against the benefits in a given situation before you act. Otherwise it amounts to gambling. In flying, if you gamble with risk, the cost of losing is extremely high – loss of your own life (and perhaps many others’). No pilot should ever attempt to play “Russian Roulette” when faced with an abnormal situation, you should use your good judgment and CRM skills to manage it. This is in essence, good risk management. Note: Extracted from the book “Pilot Judgment & Crew Resource Management” by Richard S. Jensen.

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ERROR MANAGEMENT Following the latest research in advanced CRM, it has been recognized that human error is ubiquitous and inevitable. However, looking at it positively, human error can be seen as providing a valuable source of information where we can draw lessons learned. If error is inevitable, then CRM can be seen as a set of error countermeasures with three line of defense, as Dr Robert L. Helmreich put it: The first is the avoidance of error. The second is trapping the error before they are commited. The third is mitigating the consequences of those errors that occur and are not trapped. The third stage is crucial, if one can successfully mitigate errors committed before they have opportunities to develop into full-blown problems, we have succeeded in preventing an incident or accident from occurring. Otherwise, it is almost certain that an incident or accident is likely to follow. EXTERNAL THREAT/ERRORS

INTERNAL THREAT/ERRORS

AVOID

TRAP

MITIGATE

INCIDENT / ACCIDENT ERROR AVOIDING STRATEGY • Avoiding Errors: By careful briefing and adherence to SOPs and adequate preparation, planning crews can prevent errors occurring. For example, a crew that discusses the possibility of a late runway change and prepares for the shorter track distance involved. • Trapping Errors: By being vigilant crews can spot an error and correct it before it has any serious consequences. This could be the crew realize that they have become high on the profile and intervene in a timely manner to regain the correct path. • Mitigating The Consequence Of Errors Already Committed: By seeing that the flight is not progressing in the expected manner, crews can intervene to prevent the situation becoming a crew based incident or accident. This could be the crew that on realizing that the approach gate is not going to be met, make the decision to go around. Adapted from BA’s Enhancing Operational Integrity and Error Management notes from Dr Robert L. Helmreich.

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WHAT IS AN EXPERT PILOT? The path from a “novice pilot” to become an “expert pilot” with five distinctive stages are: Stage 1 - Novice Stage 2 - Advanced Beginner Stage 3 - Competence Stage Stage 4 - Proficiency Stage Stage 5 - Expert Stage. Studies have shown that the major human activity of importance to expert piloting is cognitive rather than psychomotor. Acquiring interpretive abilities or pilot judgment is the key to becoming an expert in the aviation domain. According to a study by Dreyfuss & Dreyfuss in 1986, Experts do not solve problems, they don’t even make decisions, automaticity is the key. They know what to do based on mature and practised understanding. The expert has an immense library of distinguishable situations. In chess, some say that a master can recognise 50,000 types of positions. They went on to say that judgment is an important distinguishing characteristics of the various levels of skill acquisition. In their model, there is no judgment in the novice and advanced beginner stages. The competent performer makes judgments based on prior experiences in ways that cannot be explained. Rationality is the mark of the competent performer. To move on to expert performance requires movement into the area between rationality and irrationality called, “arationality”. Arationality is defined as -– “action without conscious analytic decomposition and recombination”. “Competent performance is rational; proficiency is transitional; experts act arationally”. Richard S. Jensen and his team of aviation human factor researchers, in a recent study using the expert approach, had developed a set of nine distinguishing characteristics of an expert pilot. The expert in this domain is one who: • • • • • • • • •

Possesses a high level of skill and works constantly to improve it. Is highly motivated to learn all there is to know about this flight domain. Has superior ability to focus (or compartmentalise) attention on the flying task at hand and the mental discipline to change his focus of attention when new information suggest that a change is necessary. Is a keen observer of the flight environment, including location of other aircraft, terrain, navigation features, ATC clearance, weather phenomena etc. Carefully establishes a baseline for normal instrument indications, aircraft sounds, vibrations and g-forces with respect to control action so that his threshold for slight variations is very small. Is skeptical about “normal” aircraft functioning and is constantly making contingency plans for those circumstances when things might go wrong. Possesses superior mental skill and capacity for problem diagnosis, risk assessment and problem resolution. Has excellent communications skills and can readily adapt them to the audience and situation. Knows his limitations, is motivated to avoid situations that might push his skill to those limits, and has the willpower to overcome the pressure of people around him to push the limits of his skill. Continued Next Page

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WHAT IS A COMPETENT PILOT? Conversely, a competent pilot is one who does not possess these superior qualities found in expert. The competent pilot may have as much flight time as the expert, has the stick and rudder skills sufficient to pass all necessary flight tests and has the knowledge necessary to pass all written tests. He has demonstrated completely by taking the biennial flight review but that is as far as he takes aviation. Because motivation in these “competent” pilots is focused on outside of the cockpit, the extra skills knowledge, mental models found in the “expert” have not been developed in the competent pilot. In addition to these personal motivational factors, some other reasons why competent pilots often do not become experts include the organisation (bureaucracy) for which they work, automatic systems in the aircraft and creativity blocking standard operating procedures can block pilots from becoming experts by turning down their every request for changes that they have found from their experience that are needed for safe, efficient operations. Automatic systems can block pilots from becoming experts by forcing them to follow symbols and control actions that are designed into the system without thought for many novel situations offered in aviation. (e.g. United Flight 232, where there wasn’t any procedures prescribed for the situation, only through their own creativity, cognitive skills and good judgment that the crew prevailed against the great odds they faced). Standard operating procedures and regulations can block people from becoming expert by forcing them to comply with procedures rather than do what they know to be safer and more effective (Fahlgren and Hagdalg, 1990).

EXPERT PILOT Vs COMPETENT PILOT An examination of the qualities that differentiate the expert from the competent pilot reviews that much of the task of the expert involves cognitive activity. ‘Stick and rudder’ skills play but a small role in differentiating the expert from the competent. If one only considers the tasks necessary to be a competent pilot, the tasks might be more heavily weighted on the perceptual-motor skills. However, if one wishes to be an expert in this domain, one must excel in cognitive skills or judgment. While you must be at least a competent and proficient pilot (stage 3 and stage 4) to carry out the tasks at hand, i.e. to fly and to deliver passengers and goods safely from point to point, it is desirable for all of us to aim at being expert pilots (stage 5), only then through fostering flight discipline and expert airmanship - only and only then – becoming an “expert pilot” can be the realised goal. Note: Extracted and adapted from the book “Pilot Judgment & Crew Resource Management” By Richard S. Jensen. – University Press, Cambridge ISBN 0 291 398094 9

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RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY OF A COMMANDER As cited in the Federation Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 91, Section 91.3 (similarly in the ANO), which should etch permanently in your mind as a future commander; •

The Pilot-In-Command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.

•

In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the Pilot-In-Command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.

Both of these are powerful statements allowing you to decide or to take whatever actions you deem necessary, as long as they are in the interest of flight safety directly concerning the airplane you are in charge and in the environment you are operating in. It is no child’s play. Note: If you are keen, you can write to me for a copy of the FAR Part 91 extract, regarding the duty and responsibility of a pilot-in-command of a commercial airplane. YOUR ONGOING RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMANDER The profession of airline captaincy is not simply the ability to fly and command a large airplane with skill, precision and verve. It also involves self-imposed discipline as a way of life, an ongoing resolve – year in, year out – to operate at all times and under all circumstances within the defined parameters of safety and airplane performance. YOU ARE AN UNSUSPECTING ROLE MODEL TO NEWLY CHECKED OUT PILOTS Few people realise that their actions, behaviour and the ways they carry themselves can have a very strong impact on their subordinates. If you are an A310 captain, chances are, you will be flying with a lot of newly checked out first officers or having second officers observing flight operations in your flight deck. A year or more down the road, you may even be appointed as a supervisory captain or a line instructor pilot. As a captain, you will be seen as a man with power, prestige, status and achievement. Your style of behaviour, the way you dress, talk, and interact with others, and your attitude towards the work environment, your personal views, outlook and values you attach to commercial flight operations, will have a strong influence on them. You are in fact constantly sending out signals to these impressionable young men, more likely so when they identify you as their “hero” to follow. They will sub-consciously watch you and mimic your actions. Most important of all, especially in the way you operate and fly the airplane, be it your professional display of airmanship or rogue antics, you are, frankly, their unsuspecting role model! If you are indeed a skilled, disciplined professional and a responsible commander, the outcome will be desirable and good. If you are an ill disciplined; “Kick-The-Tire, Light-TheFire” rogue pilot yourself, the outcome is predictably disastrous. So, to whichever category you belong, your influence on these young hopefuls will be contagious and will have an insidious effect. There is a Chinese saying; “Red begets red, black begets black.” Therefore, it is imperative that you, the future commanders, should strive to be good role models, whether intentionally or not, fostering all the desirable traits of CRM, airmanship, uncompromising flight discipline etc. that I mentioned time and again. Let me ask you a soul-searching question: Of these young men who one day will be commanders themselves, which style would you prefer to see them becoming?

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CAPTAIN / FIRST OFFICER · COMMANDER / CO-PILOT · PF / PNF RELATIONSHIPS Sometimes we have to be clear of the different “hats” we are wearing. I have the following definitions I learnt from SIP Capt Aloysius Chua, “Captain” and “First Officer” are ranks accorded by the Company based on appropriate qualifications and seniority. The captain is superior in rank, there is no argument at all. “Commander” and “Co-pilot” are defined by their specific duties and responsibilities, the commander of the airplane is a captain assigned to take charge of that flight concerned, the co-pilot is his assistant, the second-in-command, the co-pilot may be a captain, a first officer, or even a senior commander on training. The safe conduct of that particular flight shall be, and always will be the sole responsibility of the commander. “Pilot Flying” and “Pilot Not-Flying” are specific flying roles, PF flies and controls the aircraft and its flight path. PNF supports the PF as a non-flying team member, monitoring the PF’s flight path and performing certain specific duties, e.g radio calls, paper work etc. The commander, when giving a sector to the first officer, assumes the role of a PNF. Under no circumstances is he relinquishing his command to the first officer. The commander is ALWAYS the unequivocal overall in-charge of the flight, period! If any First Officer having any notion that when he is PF, he is the pilot-in-charge, then, you, as a commander, will have to gently “nudge” him back to reality! Make no mistake, if you are the commander, YOU ARE THE COMMANDER! Whether you are PF or PNF, the conduct of the flight you command IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOURS ALONE. EXCEPTION 1: There is only one occasion I can think of when the co-pilot can assume command; i.e. when the commander is incapacitated. EXCEPTION 2: During line check, although the captain under check is theoretically the commander of the flight, in real life, the examiner (LIP/IP/SIP) is really the commander of the flight. At any time, if the examiner has doubts of the captain’s competence or ability to continue the flight in a proper and/or safe manner, he is empowered to relieve the captain of command. I think we have no problems with that either! (FAM page 5.4.1) YOU ARE AN AIRPLANE COMMANDER, NOT GOD! In the ARM course, Professor Marvin Karlins mentioned that in a country like Singapore, where respect for, and obedience to authority figures, is a strong cultural norm.. the stereotype of the “god-like” captain in the cockpit can have a powerful behavioral impact and consequences. Although SIA is not recommending that captains lose their position of leadership in the cockpit. They are, in fact, commander of the aircraft and must be “in charge” of the flight operations. However, there is a difference between a person in command and being a “god” in the cockpit. Perhaps the following observation sums it up best.. “It is nowadays generally accepted that an airline captain is not the omnipotent, infallible “god-like” individual that he may once have been considered and some even considered them to be. It is no longer a sin for other crew members to draw attention to discrepancies, real or not, and most present day captains would prefer to accept a challenge occasionally rather than miss a warning, malfunction, mis-selection or ATC advice.”

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HOW TO HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS – (CRM AGAIN!) When I was a first officer, I used to make the first move to introduce myself when I met some one new in Flight Ops office or even out station, regardless of whether he was a captain, a fellow first officer or second officer. I usually attempted to “break the ice” first. I continue to practise this even now. In this manner, you are more likely to make friends than enemies. I believe my intentions are genuine and friendly and without motive or hidden agenda. People like to work with friendly, nice and helpful guys. Working with nice people helps to reduce tension and stress, promotes a friendly environment that stimulates and encourages healthy information exchanges. Your peers will always enjoy your company, one day, you will be a senior pilot, and it is likely that they will continue to socialise with you and to learn from you. Believe me, many will not even forget you after your retirement! They will continue to invite you to their social gatherings like I have witnessed quite a few of such gracefully retired nice “senior citizens” already! On the other hand, working with @#$%&*s (expletive removed) only stifles such benefits from blossoming. Sometimes the flight can be typically long, with high-workload and stressful in nature, so why make it even more stressful by destroying the pleasant cockpit atmosphere? So it all boils down to good CRM again. By nature we all have our own little defined “personal space” to safeguard our privacy. But there are environments that just do not permit such luxury, typically in the flight deck, it is indeed is a very crammed office, there is hardly any personal space to speak of, whether you like it or not, one always intrudes the other guy’s personal space. So we must learn to tolerate each other with this forced intrusion and make the best out of it. Don’t make it worse! Build bridges, not walls. Make peace, not war! Working with an @#$%&* who always creates an unfriendly, tense, stressful, highly charged, explosive, war-zone like cockpit environment is absolutely counter productive and stupid. You will lose support and initiative of your crew, especially from your first officer, if you display such undesirable traits. People begin to avoid you, not to socialise or have anything to do with you. You will lose friends and ultimately you will be ostracised. While you are reading this, I am sure you straight away can think of some of these real monstrous personalities you have come across in your flying career; their faces and the images of those bad experiences you had with them come popping right out in front of your mind, and you feel disgusted immediately, possibly cursing and swearing at some of them right away too! The moral of the story is; do you want to see yourself as the monstrous one that pops out in front of someone else’s mind when he is reading this? If you are such monster yourself, many years later, when you are retired and the power and influence you once enjoyed evaporate (to which nobody cares!), you would be like waking up from a nightmare.. worst of all, you would probably realise by then that you have no friends left, you would be old and lonely and feeling so miserable.. and it would be too late to regret!!! Got that? The choice is yours.. Welcome to the real world! Remember, you have the power and ability to make it a “warm and friendly” or “cold and hostile” world!

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ROGUE PILOTS – “A skilled pilot without flight discipline is a flying time bomb!” Rogue pilots are: “Pilots who are willingly and unnecessarily failing to comply with existing guidance or taking unwarranted risks”. Rogue pilots are silent menace, undermining aviation and threatening lives and property everyday. Rogues are unique brand of undisciplined pilot who places their own egos above all else, endangering themselves, other pilots and their passengers, and everyone over whom they fly. Rogue pilots are found in the cockpits of major airlines, military jets, and in general aviation. Worst of all, they sometimes appear among normally disciplined pilots, many of them are just one poor decision or temptation away from fiery disaster. From the days of the early barnstormers, when crowd-thrilling, daredevil pilots pushed aviation out of its infancy, “rogue” behaviour, as we refer to it, has been a constant. Yet far too many modern pilots, smitten by the romance and derring-do of their heroes, as well as their own blind desire to test the limits of their skills, overlook the terrible, sometimes deadly price that rogue attitudes can exact. Rogueism is indeed the dark side of airmanship. The false sense of glory they exhibit usually lead to needless, shameful tragedy. Sometimes, it is very difficult to expose these ill-disciplined pilots. This enemy is more often than not, within us - every time the lure of an adrenaline rush, or the split-second seduction to attempting a risky maneuver, compromises flight discipline and safety. Rogue pilots account for a disproportionate number of accidents and incidents. If they killed only themselves with their antics, most of us would see it as an improvement in the gene pool, one through which the survival of the fittest would eventually purge our ranks of this undisciplined and undesirable sub-species of pilots. But these pilots don’t just hurt themselves. Far too often the result of an act of poor flight discipline results in the death of innocents, and for this reason alone we cannot rely on natural selection to rid us of the rogue pilot. If a single rogue trader like Nick Leeson could bring down Barings Bank, a 200-year old financial institution, then, it is not entirely wrong to assume that a rogue captain can also bring down the reputation of a major airline too! Are you the type of pilot having such inclination once in a while? Watch out! Try to recognise the following hazardous thought patterns that epitomise rogue behaviours: • • • • • •

Anti-authority – Machismo – Invulnerability – Impulsiveness – Complacency – Press-On-It is –

Deliberately flouting rules & procedures. The “Watch This!” or “Show Off” syndrome. “Happens Only To The Other Guy” syndrome. Makes hasty, often wrong decisions with disastrous outcome. Lackadaisical, “Can’t be bothered!” attitude towards work. The “Die die must get it done” syndrome.

We must consciously guard ourselves against the tendency to fall prey to any of these undesirable traits and turn ourselves into rogue pilots without even knowing it! Adapted from the book “Darker Shades Of Blue – The Rogue Pilot” By Tony Kern

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APPROACH AND LANDING - RECENT MAJOR AIRLINE FATAL ACCIDENTS It is perhaps timely for me to squeeze in a reminder here about approach and landing fatal accidents and CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) suffered by commercial airliners over the last 20 years. 56% of the major commercial air disasters occurred during the approach and landing phases, and 44% of all fatalities attributed to the approach and landing phases related accidents. Non-precision approaches (especially VOR-DME approach) are five times more prone to CFIT related accidents than ILS precision approaches. The major contributing factors to these fatal accidents are; • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lack of positional awareness in the air. Omission of action/inappropriate action. Slow and/or low on approach. Flight handling. Poor professional judgment/airmanship. “Press-On-Itis” or “Get-Home-Itis”. Failure in CRM (cross-check/coordinate). Post impact fire. Deliberate non-adherence to procedures. Icing. Windshear/upset/turbulence. System failure (flight deck information).

These causal factors are frighteningly familiar. They are what I have been talking about all along here. The statistics are not important, what is important and serves as a sobering reminder to all of us is that when a fatal accident happens, there will be people losing their loved ones, a father, husband, brother or son perishes. The wife is instantly widowed and children orphaned. Yes, the reality is harsh, tragic and so heartbreaking that we do not like to even think or talk about. Air crashes always get major headline news treatment. Pilots’ names are always spelled correctly and flashed on headlines of major newspapers and other mass media. The dead pilots’ personal history mercilessly exposed, usually without the consent of the aggrieved parties concerned. More often than not, dead pilots are usually found “guilty” until proven innocent. Naturally, it will be in the interest of a lot of parties, directly or indirectly linked to the crash to shift all blame to the dead aircrew members. Why? Because dead men usually cannot defend themselves, it is oh so very convenient to shift all anticipated blames onto these dead men. We must endeavour to make sure that this will not happen to us, and the only way to prevent such accidents from ever occurring to you or all of us is to practise all the wisdoms and guidelines given here by those experts, as well as lessons learned from our fallen colleagues so that they would not have died in vain. Note:

Information obtained from Flight Safety Foundation Special Reports – Issues November/December 1998 and January/February 1999.

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TREASURE YOUR JOB and GUARD IT JEALOUSLY Flying is undoubtedly one of the best jobs men could ever dream of doing, second probably only to being a Formula One driver or being an astronaut, if I may say. Since we are the few privileged ones with wings that can soar in the deep blue yonder, treasure it, my friends, you do not know how many of your earth-bound friends out there wish they were in your shoes. Do not let complacency, impulsivity, invulnerability, machismo, anti-authority feelings and “press-on” syndrome get the better of you. We must make strenuous efforts to guard our flying career jealously, make sure that we don’t lose it because of our own weaknesses, unless other than circumstances beyond our control – fate! Remember, when there is an incident or accident, the one name the press or media will always spell correctly is the pilot’s name! Finally, you must have the unceasing flying enthusiasm to match the exacting demands of this profession, only then will you enjoy your flying career until the day you retire! WHY MEN LOVE FLYING AND AIRPLANES? “It is appearances, characteristics and performance that make a man love an airplane, and they, told truly, are what put emotion into one. You love a lot of things if you live around them, but there isn't any woman and there isn't any horse, not any before nor any after, that is as lovely as a great airplane, and men who love them are faithful to them even though they leave them for others.“ - Ernest Hemingway “Science, Freedom, Beauty, Adventure... aviation offers it all.” - Charles A. Lindberg

"High Flight" Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things you have not dreamed ofwheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind – along and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long, delirious burning blue – I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, Where never lark, or even eagle flew; And, while with silent lifting mind – I've trod the high un-trespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God... -John Gillipse Magee, Jr.

WWI USAAF Pilot

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CONCLUSION – THE FEELING AFTER BEING CHECKED OUT AS ONE When the Boss pins that pair of 4-bar epaulettes on your shoulders, you know you deserved them, you know that all the hard work, time and sacrifices you put in have finally paid off. The feeling? You can well imagine it. Finally, after becoming a commander does it not mean that the learning process will come to an abrupt stop. It is only the beginning. If you continue to work hard, the reward is immeasurable in terms of sense of achievement and job satisfaction. One glaring difference is that there will be no instructor watching you like a hawk on the right hand seat or there to guide you. You will also be flying a lot with newly checked out first officers. In essence, you are new and for the first time in your commercial flying career: YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN! Remember, by your own choice, you have chosen to be a professional airliner driver, I am afraid to say that, being a pilot-in-command of a multi-million dollar asset and hundreds of lives at stake every time you fly, you do not have, and cannot afford the luxury to be complacent. You have to be on your guard all the time. It is your duty to ensure that every flight you command is a safe flight. We are no Olympian Gods, we are mere mortals, we know too well that we are human and prone to make mistakes. So we must endeavour to reduce that probability of making fatal mistakes by exercising sound judgment, high situational awareness and good airmanship. Every flight must be considered as a new challenge, and you must try your best to meet that new challenge with your knowledge, flying skill, proficiency, good flight discipline and good health, displaying the highest professional standard expected of you by your Company and by your fare-paying customers. Guard us against those hazardous thought patterns from ever taking root. Frequent recurrent training and good flight discipline will significantly reduce that from happening. Well, a lot has been said so far (and yet so little!). The rest is really up to you. If your goal is set, go get it! The IIII ! I wish all of you the very best!

Reminder This file is for free. There is no commercial interest involved whatsoever.

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LOFT SCENARIOS LOFT & LOA scenarios are fluid, it is best that we should tackle the exercise with an open mind, instead, we should be relying on our own experience and training to handle whatever the situation that may arise in LOFT, LOA or actual life-threatening situations. With the policies, procedures, practices and the training we have, we should be able to handle a myriad of possible abnormal situations. Even in a noval situation, we should be creative enough to use all resources available to tackle it to the best we can. We must never give up trying to save our own skins from any perceivable situation. LOFT ROUTES Most of the LOFTs are conducted on the typical routes such as SIN-PEN, PEN-SIN, SINCGK, CGK-SIN, SIN-KCH, KCH-SIN, or SIN-BKK, BKK-SIN. It is definitely a plus point if you are familiar with the various approaches to these airports concerned. Especially for Penang, the ILS 04, VOR 22 approaches, even the NDB 22 approach. Make an effort to memorise the frequency to tune, course to set, ceiling, visibility and MDA/DH of these approaches. You will save invaluable time when preparing for these approaches. For example in Penang, If ILS 04 is out and visibility is reported to be 4000m, you are unable to shoot the VOR 22 or NDB 22 approaches (below minima), a common trap! Refer to Penang Jeppesen charts for details. Don’t get me wrong, I do not encourage the practice of memorising Jeppesen charts in normal line operations, but in a LOFT situation, you are usually under stress and timepressed, all these extra preparations help. My emphasis here is the speed and time you save whilst setting up the aids, so that you only refer to the Jeppesen charts to confirm you instruments settings, otherwise you have to read, do and then brief, it will take much longer time. If you are manually flying with limited instruments, such as LOSS OF BOTH ENG GENERATORS, you will realise the benefits of knowing these settings by heart. If you do self help in the simulator often enough, you will soon have some of the following familiarised almost by the back of you hand:• • • • • •

Critical-point of a specific route – Facilitate your decision to proceed or turn back. Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) – The minimum altitude you can descend to in an emergency with assured navigational aids and communications coverage as well as obstacle clearance. Minimum Sector Altitude (MSA) – The lowest altitude you can descend without worrying about obstacles and obstructions. Nearest suitable alternates – Divert to an airfield suitable for A310. Runway lengths – So that you know in advance whether that airport you have in mind to land or divert to can accommodate the envisaged problem? Runway approach aids – Help set up your instruments for the approach in a snap.

It makes your decision making process so much easier. My predecessors have actually consolidated these airports into a handy chart. Always refer to them when you are not doing anything in particular, it really helps. Tips: Prepare at least two updated Jeppesen folders with relevant charts covering all the possible airports used to conduct LOFTs and LOAs. This will save time and allow yourself to be familiar with these airports you are going to operate in and out. 44

A310 or B744 LINE FLYING AND LINE OPERATIONS All that I have written earlier are essentially aimed at addressing LOFT related exercises. However, a suggestion from Chua Eng Kiat prompted me to say something on line flying too. After all, you have to fly as many as 100 sectors in all the phases combined before checking out. The early phases of your command training will introduce you the aircraft performance and handling characteristics. You will also be exposed to new airports and the peculiarities of various routes, ATC and ground operations. You will be assessed on your overall ability and “commandability”. Take charge from the word “Go!” – From flight planning until reporting off duty. Liaise proactively with all personnel you will meet, including passengers if necessary. The chief steward or traffic officer (Oscar) may come to the flight deck with a problem and in many instances may address the instructor directly (He is still the captain!) by habit. Diplomatically steer the discussion back to you and take the initiatives. You can always seek opinion of the instructor (as part of CRM anyway!). Try not to let the instructor handle the problem unless he has specifically indicated otherwise. You are the command trainee, so start acting as a commander, NOW! Prepare for flight before hand, especially if it is a new airport you are flying into. Be wary of the potential hazards and possible weather scenarios. Have an action plan where possible. Especially Kathmandu – know your “escape routes” well. Should you need to do a missed approach, the thinking should have been done much earlier. Never be complacent. Flying is a sociable job, always meet up with your colleagues whenever possible to discuss about flying matters. Even the first officers can give you some unexpected tips that will help you through your command training! There is a wealth of shared knowledge and information from those who have been on this path before you. Share experiences and notes with each other, you will find the combined exposure of your course mates highly rewarding and an invaluable enhancement to your own experiences. In the later stages of your training, the instructors will not be looking for clockwork precision in your descent and approaches, handling the aircraft should now be in your “pocket”. They would like to see a measured and more conservative approach. Do not try to impress with super low-drag approaches! Always remember the key words – “Safety! Safety! Safety!” There is a common saying, “A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations requiring his superior flying skills to get out!” Flight safety is of paramount importance in all SIA line operations and should never be compromised. You will find that more and more, the instructors will take a back-seat approach, you must increasingly shoulder all the responsibilities of the flight. See the “Big Picture!”. Line operations are very fluid and your flight considerations are always changing – Be it ATC imposed restrictions, passengers related incidents or aircraft technical problems. No two flights are the same. The FAM and Line Operations sections in the Company documents are important here. Master them. Also important is a good understanding of the MEL procedures (e.g. Brakes Deactivated Procedure) and the Fuel Policy. Note:

Manual load sheets are required in many A310 stations, e.g. Kathmandu, Guangzhou, Dhaka and Hochiminh City --- just to name a few.

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HELP EACH OTHER – SHARE INFORMATION & EXPERIENCE I have only done the first cut. What I have written is probably only the tip of the iceberg in terms of scenarios covered in the training syllabi, but I believe I have taken the initiative; and I think it is the first step in the right direction. In future, I hope people like you will continue to update this and build on it. In doing so, our future command trainees will be better predisposed to face all possible LOFTs/LOAs. We always lament that our SIA command training is tough, whereas foreign captains never had to be subject to such grueling tests. Well, they joined the Company as incumbent captains and not command trainees! Since we national pilots are all in the same predicament, the least we could do is to help ourselves, share knowledge and never be a selfish man. All command trainees should work as a team, it appears that those who worked as a team had a higher chance of success than those lone wolves. Finally, do not feel shy to solicit help from those freshly checked out commanders, ask them for help while they are still “hot” in their systems knowledge. In the flying business, we must help our fellow pilots all the time, so that we are all better off and nobody is worse off for sure. This belief has always been the driving force in me. “Great pilots are made, not born.... A man may possess good eyesight, sensitive hands, and perfect coordination, but the end product is only fashioned by steady coaching, much practice, and experience.” - Johnnie Johnson NOBODY IS WORSE OFF – EVERYBODY IS BETTER OFF These notes were extracted from various sources including former A310 captains. I will make every effort to update the notes based on current inputs, and feedback from you will be most welcome. I truly believe in sharing line operations related information. Like they said, in sharing line operations flight safety information: “Nobody is worse off, everybody is better off!

WORDS OF WISDOM ACP Capt Albert Koh once said: “The most beautiful part in sharing one’s knowledge with another person is that; the one who receives your knowledge becomes a richer person without you being poorer!” Once again I salute all my predecessors who assisted me one way or another, in making this (unofficial) quick reference handbook a possibility.

Eddie Foo Box 725 [email protected]

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Warning - Disclaimer This free-of-charge document is designed to provide information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the author is not engaged in rendering legal, engineering, or other professional services. If legal, or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. It is not the purpose of this work to reprint all the information that is otherwise available to the author, but to complement, amplify, and supplement other available information. You are urged to seek out and read all available material, learn as much as possible about the subject matter covered, and to tailor the information to your individual needs. Analyzing aviation data can be a complex undertaking. Anyone who decides to make the effort to answer their own aviation related questions should be prepared to invest the time and energy needed to seek out and analyze the available data. Every effort has been made to make this document as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes both typographical and in content. Therefore, this document should be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate reference on the subject matter covered. Furthermore, this document contains information on sources of aviation data that was current only up to the publishing date. The purpose of this document is to inform, educate, and entertain. The author shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this document.

If you do not wish to be bound by the above, then discontinue using this document.

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