Chair Flying

I go back to airline flying next month. Been a long time. In my basement I have followed Space Shuttle Commander and test pilot instructor Rick Searfoss’s advice: “For best effect, chair flying even involves moving the hands as if you actually have a stick, throttle, and multiple switches in front of you. I went so far before my first space mission to set up a full-size paper copy of Columbia’s instrument panel in my home office. My kids laughed at Dad and his toy orbiter cockpit, but it aided in my preparation tremendously. Even to the present day, after I’ve flown … Continue reading Chair Flying

Ride a dragon

Jon Snow: “I don’t know how to ride a dragon.”‬ ‪Queen Daenerys Targaryen: “Nobody does until they ride a dragon.”‬ Game of Thrones, season 8, episode 1. Ground school, chair flying, simulators — all are good. But sometimes it feels like you don’t really know how to fly untill you’ve riden the dragon. 🐉

With the automagic off, are you confident?

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 … Continue reading With the automagic off, are you confident?