Exercise Your License to Learn
After a hole opened up in the fuselage of Southwest Airlines flight 2294 from Nashville to Baltimore, there has been a lot of talk about cabin depressurization and structural failure. The jury is still out as to the cause of this failure, but the incident does bring the topic of depressurization and emergency descents to [...]
Last week, I stressed the importance of taking your time when faced with emergencies. Although pilots should never rush through any task, there are some emergencies that require an immediate response. These memory-based checklists are known as immediate action items and can make the difference in a time-critical situation.
The first priority of any pilot is to fly the airplane. Even during the most time critical emergency, aircraft control must be maintained. Nevermind the flashing red lights, the best way to overcome adversity in the cockpit is to remain calm. In the disco-esque words of Michael Penniman: “relax, take it easy!”
Proficient pilots regularly vary their landings by alternating between normal, soft field, and short field landings. However, there is one important landing that is commonly overlooked: the deadstick landing. Think back; when was the last time you chopped the power and glided the airplane all the way to the runway? Do you feel proficient enough [...]
