The Ugly Truth
 

Pilots Back Up Automation

by ROBERT P. MARK

A quote from Flight Safety Foundation CEO Bill Voss

April 23, 2012, 7:12 PM

"Five years ago we passed the point where automation was there to back up pilots," said Flight Safety Foundation CEO Bill Voss at last week's Flight Safety Foundation Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar in San Antonio. "Clearly today, the pilot is there to be the backup to the automation." Voss told AIN "This is simply a realistic assessment of the world today, except we are not training pilots to be backups to automation. We have to own up to the fact that we need develop new kinds of pilot training," he said.


Voss added that human pilots too often lose the mental picture of the aircraft's automation. "If pilots have no idea of what the automation should be doing, they also have no idea of whether everything they observe on the panel represents a normal operation. That's what happened to Air France 447," he said.

"This is not just about better stick and rudder skills though," he explained. "What you die from is not understanding what configuration will keep the aircraft in the air safely. If pilots don't understand that level flight means two-and-a-half degrees of pitch and 93-percent N1, they have no way of manually controlling that aircraft if something breaks. But the training department can't fix everything. This is also an operational problem out on the line."



We have debated this topic here for many years now. I would say that this is more supporting evidence that the computer actually flies the plane and the pilot manages the computer. A link to the article is listed below

Skyhigh

Voss Says Pilots Must Back Up Automation | Aviation International News

Interesting... but what about all those times that the autopilot has been deferred and we got to fly 6 legs by hand?

On a side note: I have met a number of guys who use the autopilot as a crutch for their crappy S'n'R skills i.e. autopilot engaged at 1,500', disconnected at 500'.

Ahhh, Sky High, you're always there to bring a little ray of tornado to an otherwise sunny day. THanks.

Sky, you really need to forget about this industry and move on with your life.

My hobbie
 

This is a hobby of mine.

Skyhigh

I use the auto pilot a lot because I want to provide a smooth flight for my pax. I contend I can "fly" the AP smoother than the smoothest hand flyer. (well most anyway)

I'm not a big fan of guys who hand fly thought FL 180 every time without reguard to the level of traffic in the terminal area. I'd prefer you use the AP and keep more SA and look outside in busy areas.

In 10,,, no make that 5 years.
 

In five years that article will say "Modern Pilots Monitor Automation". :(

Skyhigh

Automation Philosophy
 

A former employer of mine had written specifically in their manual the way automation was to be used. Basically they said that the company has spent a small fortune equipping the aircraft with the finest in avionics and that they expected it to fly the plane most of the time. However a hand flown ILS was approved only in VFR conditions during periods of light traffic.

The time is near when airline pilots everywhere will be required to turn on the A/P after 1000 feet and off when within 1000. Hand flying will be saved for the simulator and emergencies.


Skyhigh

I see that you're making good use of your time in post-airline life.

http://www.thegrio.com/uploads/Dionn...%20Friends.jpg

I hand fly the beast to 10k if there is not a lot of traffic. If there is a lot of traffic, I turn George on and and put more focus on scanning for my fellow Aviators. I find that it's good to " feel " the airplane on a regular basis. Kind of like snuggling with the wife once in a while.

And the dog is there to bite the Pilot if he touches anything.

http://www.synthstuff.com/mt/archives/lab-airplane.jpg

GRRRRR......