Originally Posted by
80ktsClamp
While I agree that Herk's understanding of SOPA/SMAC is largely misinformed...
Come on... you've never reached over and hit the flaps or gear when the other guy got saturated for whatever reason?
No...I never did. Here's the reason: I'll have nobody to back me up in the event I move those flaps or gear beyond the placard speeds. Why would I keep my highly experienced F/O's out of the loop like that?
Originally Posted by
80ktsClamp
You are truly the superior aviator if so.
Not a superior aviator, just a highly standardized part of a team. See the difference?
Originally Posted by
80ktsClamp
Not only are you incapable of moving the flaps or gear when you are the PF, but you are fully capable of removing any task saturation from any and all crewmembers on the airplane. Why is it that we revere newK so? Perhaps it should be "what would NuGuy do?"
You totally miss the point. Task saturation is a
massive threat indicator. If I see task saturation in myself or in my F/O, I don't try to reduce that by moving items that the other pilot should normally do. I remove the task saturation by purposely slowing the process down (delay vectors, holding, etc.) You never fix task saturation by trying to "catch up", you fix it by slowing things down. And unless you/re out of fuel or on fire, you can always afford to slow things down.
Originally Posted by
80ktsClamp
The whole idea with that is to reduce task saturation... hence having already considered the shape of the crew and the airplane and keep from overloading them with commands that you, the pilot, should be perfectly capable of performing.
Again, the most important issue is HOW you reduce perceived task saturation. Reaching and doing things yourself is reckless in my opinion. You lose the backup of your other crewmember, and you probably don't reduce task saturation at all. It's just an attempt to catch up.
None of this are my musings alone. This is all well worn, well tested policy of many operators and regulators.
Carl