With autopilot, autothrottles, flight directors, GPS off — are you practised enough? Really ready? Comfortable?
Many experts aren’t sure we are. The accident data is worrying. One test-pilot and astronaut with 60-years of flying experience has spoken out about the adverse side effects of automation. He’s noted that Apollo astronauts practised every procedure with and without automation.
“We felt comfortable in our spacecraft, capable of flying them when the automatics failed and confident of returning home. This preparation paid dividends for Apollo 13.”
“Pilots must be confident operating automated aircraft and capable to defer to their hands-on flying skills”
Jim Lovell
Commander Apollo 13
Notice the word he used twice: Confident. Not just OK, or ready, or fine, or proficient — but confident. Are you? The fix is simple, be like an Apollo astronaut, practise every procedure with and without automation.
Am I fully confident? Let’s just say, I’m going to be flying more this week with the Airbus automagic in the Oscar Fox Fox configuration.
Jim Lovell descends from the Command Module simulator at KSC. After maybe doing some autopilot-off work? NASA photo, dated 7 April 1970. Lovell quote from Aerospace, Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, June 2015.