{"id":26389,"date":"2024-07-15T15:54:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T14:54:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/?page_id=26389"},"modified":"2024-07-15T15:54:37","modified_gmt":"2024-07-15T14:54:37","slug":"human-factors-learning","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/aviation\/safety-resources\/human-factors-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Factors Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script>\n    console.log('query', {\"query\":{\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"posts_per_page\":\"32\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"sector\":\"aviation\",\"paged\":1},\"query_vars\":{\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"posts_per_page\":32,\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"sector\":\"aviation\",\"paged\":1,\"error\":\"\",\"m\":\"\",\"p\":0,\"post_parent\":\"\",\"subpost\":\"\",\"subpost_id\":\"\",\"attachment\":\"\",\"attachment_id\":0,\"name\":\"\",\"pagename\":\"\",\"page_id\":0,\"second\":\"\",\"minute\":\"\",\"hour\":\"\",\"day\":0,\"monthnum\":0,\"year\":0,\"w\":0,\"category_name\":\"\",\"tag\":\"\",\"cat\":\"\",\"tag_id\":\"\",\"author\":\"\",\"author_name\":\"\",\"feed\":\"\",\"tb\":\"\",\"meta_key\":\"\",\"meta_value\":\"\",\"preview\":\"\",\"s\":\"\",\"sentence\":\"\",\"title\":\"\",\"fields\":\"all\",\"menu_order\":\"\",\"embed\":\"\",\"category__in\":[],\"category__not_in\":[],\"category__and\":[],\"post__in\":[],\"post__not_in\":[],\"post_name__in\":[],\"tag__in\":[],\"tag__not_in\":[],\"tag__and\":[],\"tag_slug__in\":[],\"tag_slug__and\":[],\"post_parent__in\":[],\"post_parent__not_in\":[],\"author__in\":[],\"author__not_in\":[],\"search_columns\":[],\"meta_query\":[],\"ignore_sticky_posts\":false,\"suppress_filters\":false,\"cache_results\":true,\"update_post_term_cache\":true,\"update_menu_item_cache\":false,\"lazy_load_term_meta\":true,\"update_post_meta_cache\":true,\"nopaging\":false,\"comments_per_page\":\"50\",\"no_found_rows\":false,\"taxonomy\":\"sector\",\"term\":\"aviation\",\"order\":\"DESC\"},\"tax_query\":{\"queries\":[{\"taxonomy\":\"sector\",\"terms\":[\"aviation\"],\"field\":\"slug\",\"operator\":\"IN\",\"include_children\":true}],\"relation\":\"AND\",\"queried_terms\":{\"sector\":{\"terms\":[\"aviation\"],\"field\":\"slug\"}},\"primary_table\":\"wp_posts\",\"primary_id_column\":\"ID\"},\"meta_query\":{\"queries\":[],\"relation\":null,\"meta_table\":null,\"meta_id_column\":null,\"primary_table\":null,\"primary_id_column\":null},\"date_query\":false,\"queried_object\":{\"term_id\":272,\"name\":\"Aviation\",\"slug\":\"aviation-ar\",\"term_group\":0,\"term_taxonomy_id\":272,\"taxonomy\":\"sector\",\"description\":\"\",\"parent\":0,\"count\":0,\"filter\":\"raw\"},\"queried_object_id\":272,\"request\":\"SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS  wp_posts.ID\\n\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t FROM wp_posts  LEFT JOIN wp_term_relationships ON (wp_posts.ID = wp_term_relationships.object_id)\\n\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t WHERE 1=1  AND ( \\n  wp_term_relationships.term_taxonomy_id IN (272,11)\\n) AND wp_posts.post_type = 'ilahfft' AND ((wp_posts.post_status = 'publish'))\\n\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t GROUP BY wp_posts.ID\\n\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC\\n\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t LIMIT 0, 32\",\"posts\":[{\"ID\":40639,\"post_author\":\"191\",\"post_date\":\"2026-03-19 14:27:41\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2026-03-19 14:27:41\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>Thank you to\\u00a0our\\u00a0CHIRP GA FEEDBACK reader who\\u00a0agreed we could use their\\u00a0ILAHFFT\\u00a0so\\u00a0that\\u00a0others may learn from\\u00a0their\\u00a0experiences on this day\\u2026\\u00a0<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>When this incident happened, I&nbsp;didn\\u2019t&nbsp;realise that all the holes lined up perfectly and it was only after some time that I discovered that it was&nbsp;absolutely preventable&nbsp;at&nbsp;each and every&nbsp;stage. That is why we must never be complacent with Threat and Error Management. How about this story to prove my point.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The weather had been poor for some time, and I was desperate to fly \\u2013 anywhere. My flying&nbsp;buddy&nbsp;was on holiday, but I woke up one morning with sun shining through the bedroom window. Great! I can go flying at last. Even after 1000 hours, I still find it exciting to fly, but I am always a little bit anxious especially when&nbsp;I\\u2019m&nbsp;on my own<strong>.&nbsp;<\\\/strong>That\\u2019s&nbsp;a healthy sign\\u2026.yes?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Where shall I fly to? I know!&nbsp;An airfield that I have never been&nbsp;to&nbsp;and I know it has lots of training going on plus special arrival and departure rules. In addition, it is&nbsp;very close&nbsp;to the London CTR and lays to the west of my home airfield. A good challenge for me after not flying for some time. Shall we say this is hole number one?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I had plugged the route into the iPad and kept checking the weather. There were some non-flyable areas to the west, but they were only slowly creeping towards the east so I should be&nbsp;OK,&nbsp;but I knew I had to keep an eye out for them developing quicker.&nbsp;Shall we say this was hole number two?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I&nbsp;arrived at the airfield and removed the cover&nbsp;and did the&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;checks. Plenty of fuel for my short trip and everything else was good. My&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;is parked within a row of three and opposite my row is a line of club&nbsp;aircraft.&nbsp;It\\u2019s&nbsp;always a concern that when taxying between all these&nbsp;aircraft, that my wing tips avoid hitting one of them. While I was doing my checks, a low wing Piper taxied in and parked at the end of my line. I thought what a silly place to park as it restricted the width of the taxiway. However, as my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;is a high wing, I could put it over the cowling of the Piper as its propeller had stopped on the horizontal. The pilot got out and went into the clubhouse. Unbeknown to me, rather than staying there for a bite to eat etc, he had come in as part of his cross-country training.&nbsp;Shall we say this is hole number three?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I pulled my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;out of the line into the taxiway between the rows of&nbsp;aircraft. Just as I did this, an instructor came out with a pupil and told me that I had parked in front of his&nbsp;aircraft. I told him that I would not be long starting up and as soon as I had, I would taxy away from his&nbsp;aircraft. I got in my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;and hurried through the checks and started the engine. So now&nbsp;I\\u2019m&nbsp;a bit flustered to hurry up&nbsp;and also&nbsp;on my mind was the complications of my destination airfield.&nbsp;Shall we say this is hole number four?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>With the engine running fine, I started to taxy forward looking out for both my wingtips not to touch the other&nbsp;aircraft. I had&nbsp;just about worked&nbsp;out my taxy line where my starboard wing would go over the cowling of the Piper, when it suddenly started up. Without me realising it, the student had got his&nbsp;logbook&nbsp;signed and was leaving. I had not&nbsp;anticipated&nbsp;that he would be so quick. I suddenly had to change my line to avoid the spinning propeller keeping a careful eye on it when there was a sudden \\u201cclonk\\u201d.&nbsp;My port wing tip had struck the rudder of a club&nbsp;aircraft. As I stopped, the Piper casually taxied out and away unaware of the disaster I had caused.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I had many chances to stop this from happening but my urge to fly after a long spell of poor weather caused me to overlook the Swiss cheese holes.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Firstly, after a layoff, I should have decided to go to a simple airfield that I had visited many times.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Secondly, I should have gone to a destination to the east to avoid&nbsp;a possible interaction&nbsp;with poor weather.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Thirdly, I should have gone back into the clubhouse to see how long the Piper student was going to be and, if he&nbsp;was&nbsp;going to be some time, to ask him if we could push his&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;back from the taxiway.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Fourthly, When the instructor informed me that I was in his way, I should have pushed my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;to another position&nbsp;and not rushed my checks.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"The day that the holes of the Swiss Cheese lined up for me!\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"the-day-that-the-holes-of-the-swiss-cheese-lined-up-for-me\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2026-03-23 09:56:06\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2026-03-23 09:56:06\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=40639\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":37933,\"post_author\":\"218\",\"post_date\":\"2025-11-17 16:00:39\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-11-17 16:00:39\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>A CHIRP GA FEEDBACK reader shared this tale of how a calm, sunny post-storm day turned into a practical masterclass in patience, preparation and problem-solving. It\\u2019s a great example of how even simple flights can test our systems knowledge and human resilience in equal measure.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I flew to Jersey recently, just before a named storm hit. Despite tying the C-172 down firmly facing the wind and using all 3 anchor points, it weathercocked 30\\u00ba overnight but held. When the weather cleared, I headed back to the mainland; the weather CAVOK, full sun and a gentle breeze. The aircraft was wet when I carried out a careful Check A and I was particularly careful to ensure that no water had entered the fuel. I called for taxi clearance, but the radio was unusually crackly - I assumed this was due to a known dead spot behind the bowser.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On taxying to the hold, I was aware of considerable interference on air. The tower was only partially audible and I was being asked to repeat messages, as I requested the tower to do likewise. I then heard the words \\\"stuck mic\\\". After a couple of failed radio checks, this was also displayed on my set, so I changed headsets to no avail, and I switched the radio off. Using a handheld radio at the holding point, I requested clearance to taxi back for further investigation.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The excellent engineering facility was very helpful and spent 90 minutes dismantling and re-tightening the wiring as well as checking both headsets. Clear communications were restored. I then attempted a re-start, only to find that the battery was dead due to the time that it had been discharging on the ground. Again, I was helped with a jump start and the flight continued successfully, with no further incident.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This experience highlighted several learning points:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Always tie down properly, especially when there is any danger of high winds.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Fully confirm all ATC communications in both directions.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Have a spare headset plugged in and ready - loudspeakers and hand mics are a last resort and not appropriate for long flights.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Have a handheld radio ready, tuned and fully charged.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Consider a low wattage mains cockpit heater if aircraft are left in damp conditions.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Minimise power use when not charging. NB beacon lights can draw 10amps. Fully lowering flaps pre-flight is also very power-hungry.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Be humble enough to accept help and not press on, unless 100% certain that the basics are in order.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Final thoughts:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Not all flying is fair-weather. It's a privilege and not a right. Be prepared and then prepare again.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Engineering facilities in Jersey are top notch and also free of VAT - highly recommended!<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list -->\",\"post_title\":\"Static, Storms and Stuck Mics\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"static-storms-and-stuck-mics\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2026-03-19 14:15:59\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2026-03-19 14:15:59\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=37933\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":37657,\"post_author\":\"191\",\"post_date\":\"2025-11-04 15:23:37\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-11-04 15:23:37\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Recently, Capt. Chesley \\u201cSully\\u201d Sullenberger posted on social media the question: <strong><em>Are older pilots less effective in the cockpit of a modern commercial aircraft than younger pilots?<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>CHIRP was intrigued by this Human Factors question from Captain Sullenberger, aiming as it does at human performance limitations, and probing the pilots in his network to consider it too. Let us know your thoughts on Sully\\u2019s question. You never know, they might get published in the \\u2019Comments on FEEDBACK\\u2019 section of a future ATFB!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>An AI-based search on the topic \\\/ subject came up with the following \\u2013 <strong>Note:<\\\/strong> that this is not the CHIRP view necessarily:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>\\u201c<\\\/em><strong><em>Older pilots are not necessarily less effective; experience, judgement, and wisdom gained over time can outweigh minor age-related declines like slightly slower reaction times. While younger pilots might have quicker reflexes, older pilots can draw on a vast knowledge base to adapt and solve problems, with some research even showing older pilots improving traffic avoidance skills over time. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>The advantages of experience include:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>Wisdom and Judgment:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>Longevity in the cockpit builds crucial experience and judgment, which is considered a pilot's most important asset.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>Problem-Solving:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>An experienced pilot can adapt past knowledge and apply it to new or unfamiliar situations, demonstrating wisdom that training alone cannot provide.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>Real-World Application:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>Over a career, pilots incrementally gain experience, allowing them to handle unexpected situations with greater skill and insight.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>Mitigating the risk of mid-air collision:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>Research has shown that older pilots have better traffic awareness compared to younger pilots.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>The disadvantages of longevity in the cockpit or the potential age-related factors include:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>Reaction Time:<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>While reaction times may slightly decrease with age, studies suggest that the accumulated wisdom of an older pilot can compensate for this, at least until the mid-60s.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Let us know your thoughts on Sully\\u2019s question, and whether you agree with the statements above.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Older pilots, better pilots?\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"what-could-i-learn-about-hf-from-this\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-11-04 18:09:17\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-11-04 18:09:17\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=37657\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":35466,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-08-03 20:54:06\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-08-03 19:54:06\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>Our NASA counterpart\\u2019s Aviation Safety Reporting System sister safety publication Callback Issue 545 featured this honest account from a GA pilot who learned an invaluable lesson for future flights.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I was flying a small aircraft for my first IFR solo cross country. \\u2026 After departing Jacksonville flying as filed at 6,000 ft, I was asked to descend down to 4,000. I noticed I would be flying straight into the clouds - which by the looks of them seemed fine. I am an instrument rated pilot and current for IFR flying. I advised Orlando ATC [of] my request to deviate from buildups - they agreed. I deviated and then I requested an altitude change to 3000 ft to avoid the large build ups. I requested further deviations for weather avoidance several times but I was denied. I found myself in a rain shower which pushed my plane down due to the downdrafts. I was rapidly descending at this point. My airspeed was in the yellow and the aircraft was getting increasingly difficult to control. While trying to maintain control over the aircraft, I advised ATC my concerns for the safety of flight, requesting an altitude change, I was denied again and advised to fly at 3,000 ft which I flew. I believe if I had requested to stay at 6,000 ft when the controllers gave me 4,000 initially instead of descending down into the worse weather, I might not have broken aircraft separation.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Yellow is not Mellow\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"yellow-is-not-mellow\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-08-03 20:54:08\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-08-03 19:54:08\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=35466\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":35461,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-08-03 20:42:50\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-08-03 19:42:50\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>How a mis-labelled graph and a heavy take-off became an early lesson in safety, instinct and shared experience.<\\\/em> <em>Reproduced with kind permission from 22 Group RAF Air Safety.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Having been in the RAF for 18 years, I\\u2019ve been fortunate to fly many aircraft \\u2013 each of which have added to my overall experience base. Now I seek to draw upon my experience and knowledge to add to the safety of those flying today, via my air safety role.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>My flying experience started prior to the RAF, as a very keen but inexperienced private pilot, flying a Cessna 172 from the grass of Redhill aerodrome, near to Gatwick. I\\u2019d completed my PPL in the minimum hours and now wanted to take my family flying (given this is a safety \\u201cdit\\u201d \\u2013 you can likely already sense that some cheese-holes are shortly to align!) I was 17 and had decided to take my Mum, Dad and Sister for a lunch-away to Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>With four of us and the requisite fuel, my take-off weight would be far greater than I\\u2019d experienced before. Recognising this, I chatted with the instructor who\\u2019d trained me \\u2013 I also asked them to check my weight and balance calculations, especially given my own had identified that I would be operating the aircraft within (or so I thought) but close to the limits of the aircraft operating envelope. They checked and confirmed all was good (or so they thought). They also chatted me through flying the aircraft at heavier weights.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>In what to experienced aviation professionals reading this may seem noddy stuff, at 17 years old and with very limited experience, any advice was gratefully received! They recommended I use every inch of the grass runway and hold the aircraft against the toe brakes on full power for a few seconds before release, to help with acceleration. They described how the aircraft would feel slower to accelerate but that that was normal and to be expected at those weights and that it would of course take more of the runway to get up to take-off speed (we\\u2019d performed take off distance available calculations and all appeared fine). All simple stuff but a picture was building in my mind \\u2013 for it to seem different to what I had previously experienced and my goodness it was!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Sat right at the top of the runway, take-off clearance received, full power set against the toe brakes \\u2013 all was ok so far. Brakes off and I started bounding down the runway, gently bouncing up and down with small undulations from the grass runway bumps \\u2013 feeling a bit like what you see on a WW2 Spitfire film for the take-off roll; though in a distinctly less cool aircraft! The speed was building, though not rapidly \\u2013 my initial thoughts; that\\u2019s ok, it's in line with what I expected and had been briefed and all the calculations proved it was close to limits but within and therefore \\u201cok\\u201d.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>There was no formal V1 point of rejection for the take-off etc - not then for my Cessna PPL flight. I was using up available runway, but my acceleration was not great \\u2013 I just didn\\u2019t have the experience to fully appreciate it at that split second, though I would learn a lot about flying within the minute that followed! Soon after, despite my inexperience, it became apparent that I didn\\u2019t have enough speed to take-off, nor enough runway left to stop (not a scenario I recommend you ever find yourself in!). I had two choices; try and stop, (without enough runway left to fully stop, the aircraft fully fuelled and thus heavy, high aircraft momentum, less than amazing braking performance on grass and a large hedge at the airfield boundary) or make something work and continue.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Whilst inexperienced, the instant outside visual picture meant I knew I\\u2019d impact the hedge before stopping if I tried \\u2013 yes, it would be slower but a crash for certain (with risk of fire, being trapped etc). The other option, which I took, was to make the take-off work, somehow! I was willing the speed to increase but to a degree, at this point, I had temporarily become an unwilling passenger! I had to visually assess when to rotate, prior to the correct rotate speed or I\\u2019d hit the hedge at high speed, with my family onboard also. I made my assessment of the last credible point to attempt rotating and limped the aircraft into the air - but it wasn\\u2019t over yet! The stall warner started to go, then the aircraft started turning left (not from any control input of mine though).<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I balanced the below optimum (my polite understatement) airspeed; not pulling back on the control column to the degree I\\u2019d cause a full stall \\u2013 balancing it all so that I had enough speed to stay airborne (just \\u2013 not in the position I\\u2019d want to be on the drag curve!) but not going for optimum speed or I\\u2019d impact the obstructions\\\/ground. As the aircraft started to gently turn to the left of its own accord, I remembered a mere passing comment my instructor had mentioned \\u2013 if you ever get the aircraft turning close to the ground and it<ins>\\u2019<\\\/ins>s not you doing it, it may be the incipient stall \\u2013 don\\u2019t turn out of it or you\\u2019ll likely deepen it towards or to the full stall. I instantly remembered this gem of a comment and just kept with the (very) low level gentle turn!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Gradually, the situation improved. I built the aircraft speed to normal parameters and climbed away. I had a quiet think \\u2013 I didn\\u2019t know exactly why it had happened but it certainly was not good. But now what? With the aircraft now flying normally, I decided that to then return to Redhill would only mean me landing whilst heavy on a short grass strip, compounding the less than optimum flight so far with an unnecessary risk\\u2026so, to Bembridge we went.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On the plus side, our lunch was lovely! I spoke to Redhill by phone from Bembridge \\u2013 it had certainly raised the attention of ATC at Redhill, who criticised themselves for not pre-emptively pushing their crash alarm, as they described that from what they saw on take-off, they were very surprised it didn\\u2019t end in a crash.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I also spoke with the flying school \\u2013 it took a good while to ascertain what had happened; especially as I\\u2019d checked all the figures during the planning process with my previous instructor and the Chief Flying Instructor. They retrieved the documents and re-ran calculations \\u2013 then a startling admission from the Operations personnel; they\\u2019d realised that they\\u2019d incorrectly labelled\\u00a0<strong><em>several of another aircraft type\\u2019s weight-and-balance\\u00a0\\\/ performance graphs<\\\/em><\\\/strong> as the Cessna 172 I\\u2019d planned the trip against and flew! There had been no way of either me or the two instructors realising that during the planning process, as the information was presented in an identical fashion - the only way of knowing was the aircraft label on the top, which Ops had applied with a ticker tape strip, stating the registration for the aircraft I was flying, when it wasn\\u2019t. Something so simple nearly had fatal consequences. Had I not been operating the aircraft close to the limits, that error wouldn\\u2019t likely have mattered for my or other flights for a long time beyond to come.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>For me, there were several obvious take-aways; Ops had made a genuine honest mistake and could certainly tighten that labelling process but had that not occurred, the aircraft wouldn\\u2019t have ended up in that position, as the fact the weight and balance was not in limits would have been apparent at the planning phase (had the graphs in fact been those for the Cessna 172!). Had my instructor not said that if low to the ground and the aircraft turns and you\\u2019re not doing it, don\\u2019t try and level the turn - then I may well have, with disastrous consequences. Had I decided earlier that the aircraft acceleration on the ground was insufficient, I would have aborted the take-off before being faced with the option of hitting a hedge or limping into the air with my fingers crossed, using every bit of flying ability I could muster \\u2013 though my experience then was low.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>With many people reading this being aviation professionals, it is easy to apply our collective thought processes and training to this. At 17, I was a keen PPL pilot, not a highly trained military pilot. So, why have I chosen to write about this from before my military flying career? Because there are useful take-aways from it for all aviators. I\\u2019ll list my own immediate thoughts below but it\\u2019s far from an exhaustive list:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list {\\\"ordered\\\":true,\\\"start\\\":1} -->\\n<ol start=\\\"1\\\" class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>If it feels wrong, it may well be \\u2013 use your training but also trust your instincts and experience. It\\u2019s better to be on the ground wishing you are in the air than in the air wishing you are on the ground.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Talk about your experiences and the expertise you have, especially to those less experienced. A \\u201cdit\\u201d spun to people whilst having a coffee, a presentation, or a passing comment of useful information about something you\\u2019ve previously learnt from could be critical to someone in their future, without you or them realising it at that time.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Be willing to learn from others\\u2019 experiences \\u2013 so much of policy, rules and regulations are borne out of previous incidents and accidents. You may not know the full background as to why a rule exists, but they\\u2019re not put in for the fun of it.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Something may seem small, but errors can have disastrous consequences \\u2013 if you notice something wrong, speak up. It may seem something small but the effect otherwise later on may be large.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>If it does start to go wrong, remember the basics \\u2013 Aviate, Navigate, Communicate; fly the aircraft safely first as the priority.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ol>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Inside the Envelope \\u2013 Or So I Thought\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"inside-the-envelope-or-so-i-thought\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-08-04 20:13:06\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-08-04 19:13:06\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=35461\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":35180,\"post_author\":\"191\",\"post_date\":\"2025-07-21 20:04:31\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-07-21 19:04:31\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>A recent article by Captain Jop Dingemans, an experienced Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) pilot, who posted an on-line article on the website - <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/pilotswhoaskwhy.com\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/06\\\/10-lessons-i-learnt-the-hard-way-from-7-years-as-a-hems-pilot\\\/%20\\\">PILOTS WHO ASK WHY<\\\/a><a><\\\/a><a><\\\/a> - entitled \\u201c10 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way from 7 Years as a HEMS pilot\\u201d. The article applies equally well, in most parts, to all types of flying, including commercial fixed wing aviation. We have provided the list below with a short precis of each lesson, but please visit the website to get the benefit of the full version; it is well worth a read.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Your worst flight could come out of nowhere<\\\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Pilots are very used to routine. Routines are good, SOPs are there for a reason, but what if routines or SOPs don\\u2019t quite fit or get interrupted?<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>It probably won't be just one thing that will catch you out. More likely a combination of factors that merge into an ugly monster trying to ruin your day.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Weather can be your biggest enemy if you let it<\\\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Bad weather does not cause accidents \\u2013 bad decisions in bad weather do. All pretty basic stuff, and not an issue if we can accurately predict what the weather will be at time X and place Y. The problem is a weather forecast is nothing more than just that, a forecast \\u2013 not a crystal ball.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Fatigue creeps up on you<\\\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>I\\u2019ve lost count of the number of times my first officer and I have had to correct each other\\u2019s actions after a long night. It\\u2019s those moments that make me so happy to be involved in a multi-pilot environment: you have each other\\u2019s backs when you both need it. We humans are pretty bad at assessing how fatigued we are. It\\u2019s like asking a drunk person to accurately state their blood alcohol level.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>The landing site has more threats than the rest of the flight combined<\\\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Taking off from an airport and cruising along to the overhead have less risk than the approach phase. Don\\u2019t just take my word for it; the EASA data on this consistently shows the approach phase of HEMS to have the most risk. As the job becomes more \\u2018routine\\u2019 and \\u2018normal\\u2019, normalisation of risk comes in.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Emotional intelligence matters way more than you think<\\\/strong><ul><li>Both pilots and management have a tendency to think that being a good pilot means: flying a great ILS approach, flying on the numbers, knowing everything there is the know about the aircraft and any other technical skill imaginable.<\\\/li><\\\/ul><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>But the longer I am in this job, the more I realise that me and the rest of the crew would rather fly with someone with great emotional intelligence who\\u2019s a little rusty on the controls than someone who\\u2019s not great to work with but can fly the best ILS you\\u2019ve ever seen. It\\u2019s more important to understand how other people work and think than trying to be a \\u2018great\\u2019 pilot.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Life is nuanced, and so is aviation<\\\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Safe vs unsafe, good vs bad, acceptable vs unacceptable: my personal \\\/ natural way of looking at things can be quite black and white. Not as effective or helpful as I thought when I entered the industry! People, life, and aviation are nuanced and usually complex, trying to fit it all into two brackets didn\\u2019t get me very far \\u2013 because it doesn\\u2019t work. Judgement and risk management are everything.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Your aircraft will eventually let you down<\\\/strong><ul><li>After weeks, months and years of no engine failure, you might take that Take-off Decision Point or Landing Decision Point (or V1 for our fixed wing friends) less seriously than someone who has had to deal with it in the heat of the moment. I\\u2019ve had a few moments where I\\u2019ve been reminded that no matter how great your engineering department is, the aircraft will eventually let you down when you desperately need it not to.<\\\/li><\\\/ul><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Thinking the \\u2018what ifs?\\u2019 isn\\u2019t neurotic; train yourself to have a healthy dose of vigilance.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>You can\\u2019t please everyone, and you shouldn\\u2019t try<\\\/strong><ul><li>There\\u2019s pressure from pretty much every angle to deliver. I\\u2019ve definitely stepped into the trap in the past and overthought decisions, not because they weren\\u2019t safe, but because I didn\\u2019t want to let people down. The turning point came when I realised that every time you say \\u201cyes\\u201d to please someone, you\\u2019re gambling with the one thing you\\u2019re responsible for: safety.<\\\/li><\\\/ul><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>You\\u2019re not hired to be agreeable. You\\u2019re hired to make the right call, even when it disappoints someone, whether that\\u2019s your boss or your crew members.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>Trust - but verify<\\\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>You can\\u2019t have an aviation industry without trust. You trust your crew, your maintenance team, your dispatchers, your medics. Most of the time, that trust is completely reasonable and earned. But over the years, I\\u2019ve learnt a critical addition: trust \\u2013 but verify.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li><strong>The job changes you<\\\/strong><ul><li>I used to fly with an exceptionally experienced (and now retired) HEMS pilot. Anytime he saw people panicking or getting worked up, he\\u2019d walk in and jokingly ask: \\u201cIs anyone dying, is anyone pregnant? If not, let\\u2019s all calm down.\\u201d You start this job thinking it\\u2019s all about skill, airmanship, decision-making and precision. In some ways it is. What they don\\u2019t tell you beforehand though, is that HEMS changes you \\u2013 slowly and quietly.<\\\/li><\\\/ul><!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>You see people on the worst day of their lives. You land in places no one else would go. You see things you can\\u2019t un-see. Some of it stays with you, but also a lot of stuff bothers you less and less as you grow more experienced.<\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list --><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong><em>CHIRP thought: <\\\/em><\\\/strong><em>this article could be a fitting \\u201cspringboard\\u2019\\u2019 to receive comments from our Air Transport readers \\u2013 what are your 10 lessons, learned the hard way and from your personal experiences in commercial AT aviation? If 10 is too many, how about your top 5? We\\u2019d love to hear from you!<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"10 Lessons I Learnt the Hard Way\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"10-lessons-i-learnt-the-hard-way\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-07-22 17:38:50\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-07-22 16:38:50\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=35180\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":34502,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-05-15 20:50:22\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-05-15 19:50:22\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>A recent challenging experience during a night-rating flight took me back to a spooky experience of my youth.<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:gallery {\\\"linkTo\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\\\"><!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":34520,\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"large\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\",\\\"className\\\":\\\"is-style-rounded\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-rounded\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/GAFB-7-1024x754.png\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-34520\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image --><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:gallery -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It was in the 1990\\u2019s, at RAF Sealand, the base of the Air Cadets\\u2019 631 Volunteer Gliding School. I was a teenage staff cadet, meaning that in exchange for tireless labour every weekend I would get a few instructional flights here and there, eventually becoming a \\u2018G1\\u2019 and be allowed to take cadets up for their first air experience flights.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I\\u2019d become quite suspicious of the un-natural handling of one of our Grob G103 \\u2018Viking\\u2019 gliders and had a plan for how to catch the entity responsible. I pre-flighted the aircraft, strapped into the front seat and gave the cadet on the wing-tip the instruction to level the wings. So far, so normal. After a standard launch, climb and level off, I lowered the nose to unweight the cable, released it, and trimmed for 50kts.&nbsp;At this point, with plenty of altitude, I gently took my hands and feet off the controls to see what would happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Initially, it flew straight and level (clearly my trimming was pretty good), however after flying for a short while, as predicted the poltergeist made its presence felt, and the aircraft gently banked to the left, and then levelled off again after turning through 90 degrees, all on its own, bringing us nicely onto the crosswind leg. Uncanny.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":34511,\\\"width\\\":\\\"677px\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"full\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/image-5.png\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-34511\\\" style=\\\"width:677px;height:auto\\\"\\\/><figcaption class=\\\"wp-element-caption\\\">Image courtesy of author<\\\/figcaption><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>A short while later, as is the custom when a little high entering the circuit, the paranormal aircraft gently banked itself to the right, and didn\\u2019t level out again until completing a perfect 270\\u00ba orbit, leaving us heading downwind straight and level.&nbsp;At this point, I was thinking that flying would be very relaxing if aircraft were like this all of the time, but the apparition was losing interest and the nose started to droop a little lower, with&nbsp;airspeed gradually creeping up\\u2026<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Just then, snapping me out of my reverie came a loud noise from behind me (the first sound since getting in) \\u201cspeed... SPEED! What the hell are you doing, boy?\\u201d Having caught the poltergeist red-handed, I responded: \\u201cI haven\\u2019t touched the controls since we released the cable! If you want me to fly the aircraft, then say \\u201c<strong><em>YOU HAVE CONTROL<\\\/em><\\\/strong>!\\u201d<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>We concluded our circuit uneventfully and had a good chat on the ground about handover protocol. The gruff, but well-loved senior instructor in the rear seat had been frustrating me for some time with his heavy presence on the controls, especially the rudder, and it made it quite difficult to understand when it was the wind nudging the aircraft, when my flying was responsible or when it was him.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>But what his response in this flight showed me was more surprising than what I\\u2019d first set out to prove - he wasn\\u2019t just \\u2018ghosting\\u2019 the controls a little too heavily while keeping an eye on what the student was doing, he was <strong><em>unaware that he was actively flying the aircraft much of the time!<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I\\u2019d recognised that, having flown a few hundred launches, I no longer consciously thought about separate control movements, but simply looked in the direction I wanted to go, and the aircraft would move under me to where I wanted. The same was naturally happening to this instructor with significantly more time in these aircraft than me, but with potentially worse results when he thought that he was letting students fly the aircraft.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>There were 2 issues here:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\">1. A new solo pilot taught in this way might not really know what the aircraft feels like without another hand guiding the controls. This significantly increases the mental load on the student, trying to second-guess which forces are from air over the control surfaces versus intentional (or unintentional) deflections from the unseen instructor in the rear seat. These \\u2018hints\\u2019 through the controls won\\u2019t be available when the student finally flies solo, of course.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\">2. If the instructor moves in and out of active control without formal and explicit handover, then at a critical phase of flight (launch\\\/landing) key seconds may be lost while the two pilots first discover their mistake in assuming that any unexpected force on the controls was\\\/wasn\\u2019t the other person or thinking that in fact the other was in control, and then having to agree who will take charge now.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It\\u2019s no surprise that so many RAF accident reports on our coffee table at the time cited issues from \\u2018Cockpit gradient\\u2019 (where P2 has a higher military rank or flying experience than P1) and \\u2018confusion as to which pilot was flying the plane\\u2019 as significant factors in a number of avoidable accidents.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Handover Protocol, as I was taught it:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\">The pilot handing over will say <strong><em>\\u201cYou have control\\u201d<\\\/em><\\\/strong> and the recipient takes the controls and says <strong><em>\\u201cI have control\\u201d<\\\/em><\\\/strong>, at which point the pilot that relinquished will let go of the controls completely.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\">One person should be in control at any time. If there is something that the instructor wants the student to feel on the controls with the instructor still in charge, then they should be formally told <strong><em>\\u201cfollow me through\\u201d <\\\/em><\\\/strong>[on the controls], and the student replies <strong><em>\\u201cfollowing through\\u201d<\\\/em><\\\/strong>.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\">In an emergency, if the instructor wants to seize control, it should be with the words <strong><em>\\u201cI HAVE CONTROL\\u201d<\\\/em><\\\/strong> to clearly show that they are taking control, and that they won\\u2019t be letting go again without also using the handing-back protocol.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>A common thing (which I have experienced) is an instructor making a brief intervention during landing such as pulling the nose forcefully back 5 degrees, with the student not knowing if they should politely let go of the controls to let the instructor continue to fly the recovery without distraction, or to actively resume control after the momentary input?<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Yoke wrestling matches in the dark<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This danger played out almost verbatim for me in December 2020 (inspiring me to write this, in the hope that it might help others) while doing my first night rating sortie with a load of circuits, in which an instructor with \\u2018heavy hands\\u2019 (and even heavier feet) was hinting and guiding the aircraft throughout the circuit by nudging the control yoke, and then completely dominating the controls during finals and round-out each time, to the point where they were saying \\u201cfeel for the ground\\u201d and I complained back \\u201cI can\\u2019t feel a damn thing with you so heavy on the controls\\u201d.&nbsp;At times they were like a moving cage on the controls, with me having to wrestle hard to get any movement on the controls other than where they wanted it to go.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":34503,\\\"width\\\":\\\"481px\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"full\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/image-10.jpeg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-34503\\\" style=\\\"width:481px;height:auto\\\"\\\/><figcaption class=\\\"wp-element-caption\\\">Image courtesy of author<\\\/figcaption><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>During a particularly joyless bout of wrestling on the final turn I gave up and simply let them land it, but 10 seconds after the wheels touched down, they stopped controlling the aircraft without warning, and directional control went sketchy on the ground, and I had to dive back onto the controls to fly the touch-and-go. The rest of the flight was a tense guessing game of trying to follow what they wanted, and not knowing when their control inputs would come and go, while simultaneously trying to learn something about night flying in a busy circuit.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>After the tiring and challenging flight (8 circuits, of which I didn\\u2019t land one of them), I retreated shaken and worried, questioning my own skills. However, I wondered if the instructor was fully aware of how much they were making control inputs, and how confusing that is to their students, and how dangerous it is for that control to vary between totally dominating to completely non-existent without any warning?&nbsp;Needless to say, I didn't return to that instructor, and happily completed my night rating at another school without any drama.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I respect that the instructor is in charge of aircraft safety, and is a far more experienced pilot, but students also have a flight safety responsibility and should not tolerate dangerous behaviours or habits from anyone, regardless of rank.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Thanks to this reminder I have resolved that from now on whenever I get in with a new instructor (or co-pilot), I will make it my habit to set expectations from the start that naturally I want them to take over if I am putting us in danger, but that to avoid any confusion <strong><em>I want their hands &amp; feet completely off the controls unless they have used clear handover protocol!<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"elements\\\":{\\\"link\\\":{\\\"color\\\":{\\\"text\\\":\\\"var:preset|color|black\\\"}}}},\\\"textColor\\\":\\\"black\\\"} -->\\n<p class=\\\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color\\\"><strong>CHIRP Comment: <\\\/strong>The author identifies the risk linked to a lack of clarity over who is actually flying the aircraft and ambiguous handover\\\/takeover protocol. Poor practice in this area can readily lead to an accident or serious incident, especially near the ground. The 4<sup>th<\\\/sup> August 2022 PA28 occurrence at Kemble is a case in point. A summary is provided below and the full AAIB report can be accessed at this link - <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gov.uk\\\/aaib-reports\\\/aaib-investigation-to-piper-pa-28-140-g-bcjn\\\">https:\\\/\\\/www.gov.uk\\\/aaib-reports\\\/aaib-investigation-to-piper-pa-28-140-g-bcjn<\\\/a><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\"><em>During an attempted go-around the aircraft veered left from the runway track. The instructor was unable to establish a climb and the aircraft touched down approximately 350 m from the end of the runway, tracking approximately perpendicular to the left of the runway track. As the aircraft touched down it passed between two parked, out of use, airliners and its right wing tip struck the nose landing gear of one of the parked aircraft. The outer portion of the right wing was severed and the aircraft continued across the grass. It passed through the airfield perimeter fence, crossed the A429 road and came to rest in a ditch adjacent to the road.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"spacing\\\":{\\\"padding\\\":{\\\"right\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\",\\\"left\\\":\\\"var:preset|spacing|20\\\"}}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\\\"><strong><em>There had been a confused handover of control between student and instructor<\\\/em><\\\/strong><em> that meant the go-around actions were not completed effectively. This resulted in the aircraft flying at very low height at an airspeed that was probably below the minimum power speed, leaving it with insufficient power to climb away.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"The Poltergeist Instructor\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"the-poltergeist-instructor\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-05-15 20:53:28\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-05-15 19:53:28\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=34502\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":33277,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-04-15 16:54:15\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-04-15 15:54:15\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"fontSize\\\":\\\"x-large\\\"} -->\\n<p class=\\\"has-x-large-font-size\\\"><strong>Fuel Starvation \\u2013 impossible, or not\\u2026<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":33269,\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"large\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-large\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/DHC6-1024x767.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-33269\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>In November 2021, a Canadian DHC6 on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Yellowknife to Fort Simpson departed with insufficient fuel and without the crew checking the fuel quantity on board. Before start and throughout the flight, there were numerous opportunities to identify the mistake and rectify the problem in time, but all were missed owing to a series of avoidable errors. En route, when the crew finally realised that there wasn\\u2019t enough fuel to make the intended destination, they attempted to divert to the nearest available airport at Fort Providence. Poor management of the remaining fuel then made this option impossible. When fuel was exhausted, a forced landing was made at night into a partly frozen, treeless bog. The aircraft sustained substantial damage but amazingly the 5 occupants only suffered minor injuries, related to hypothermia. The complete investigation into how a fully serviceable aircraft ran out of fuel and ended up in a bog can be read in the TSBC\\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.skybrary.aero\\\/sites\\\/default\\\/files\\\/bookshelf\\\/33891.pdf\\\">Final Report<\\\/a>. There follows a few of the findings from the investigation and some suggested Human Factor safety links which might be worth reading from the perspective of \\u2018could this happen to me or in my company?\\u2019<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Findings as to Causes, Contributing Factors and Risk<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list -->\\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>When the Captain saw the pink fuel slip in the door of the aircraft, it reinforced his belief that the aircraft had been fuelled for the last flight of the day, when, actually, it had not been refuelled. <em>Assumption and confirmation bias.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>While conducting the \\u2018Before Start\\u2019 checks from memory, the Captain\\u00a0interrupted\\u00a0his routine by conversing with a passenger. Consequently, the fuel quantity check was missed and the preparation for flight continued without the Captain being aware that the aircraft did not have sufficient fuel for the flight on board. <em>Distraction.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>Over time, the Captain had developed an adaptation of not conducting the challenge and response checklists where required by the standard operating procedures (SOPs). The absence of negative consequences reinforced the Captain\\u2019s practice, until it became routine.\\u00a0<em>Normalisation of deviance and poor safety culture.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>On the day of the occurrence, the First Officer\\u2019s adaptation regarding checklist usage was influenced by the seniority of the Captain, the Captain\\u2019s non-standard use of checklists, and the absence of negative repercussions from this adaptation.\\u00a0<em>Absence of challenge culture and practical drift.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>While taxiing to the runway, the Captain conducted the Taxi Checks alone, silently and from memory. Consequently, the fuel check on the checklist was missed and the aircraft departed with insufficient fuel for the flight.\\u00a0<em>Lack of adherence to SOPs, cross checking and verification.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>The First Officer completed the Cruise Checks silently and without reference to a Checklist. As a result, the fuel state of the aircraft was not identified by either pilot. <em>Lack of adherence to SOPs and questioning culture.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>If flight crews do not maintain a scan of the flight instrument panel and alerting systems, there is a risk that they will not identify an abnormal aircraft state that escalates to an unsafe situation. <em>Get the basics right.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\\n<li>If flight crews do not use the company reporting procedures to communicate safety concerns related to operational deviations, there is a risk that company management will be unaware of unsafe practices and unable to take corrective action. <em>Unsafe practices should always be challenged and reported; consider using the CHIRP confidential reporting option if uncomfortable or unable to use company or CAA reporting systems.<\\\/em><\\\/li>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list-item --><\\\/ul>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:list -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"What Could I Learn About Human Factors From This?\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"what-could-i-learn-about-human-factors-from-this\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-04-15 16:59:49\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-04-15 15:59:49\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=33277\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":32475,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-03-10 14:56:46\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-03-10 14:56:46\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":32501,\\\"width\\\":\\\"246px\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"full\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\",\\\"style\\\":{\\\"border\\\":{\\\"width\\\":\\\"2px\\\"}}} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized has-custom-border\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/Picture2-1.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-32501\\\" style=\\\"border-width:2px;width:246px;height:auto\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Sunday 27th October was a perfect day for flying. My preflight complete and everything being normal, I taxied out, which was uneventful. I made my radio calls and proceeded to take off. However, as I was trundling down the runway and at about 50-55kts, the nose wheel just starting to lift, I got showered in live hornets that had decided to make a winter home deep in the air vent on the pilot-in-command side. Training kicked in (<strong><em>Aviate \\\/ Navigate \\\/ Communicate<\\\/em><\\\/strong>) so I pulled the throttle, gently applied brakes, kept straight and announced my intentions. Having cleared the runway and very calmly taxied in (with my new friends on my lap), I shut down. <\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Then I ran like the clappers doing a little dance as I went. Never been so scared in my life, but grateful it all happened on the ground (ish) !!!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>After satisfying myself that the hornets had vacated the cockpit (some with gentle persuasion), I inspected the barrel vent and looked in the air vent entrance point; on a C152 this is located in the leading edge of the wing. Whilst I couldn\\u2019t inspect the entire system, I decided that I would keep the cockpit vent shut to be on the safe side and continued with my planned flight to an airfield in Lincolnshire. However, whilst transiting the Wash (Norfolk into Lincolnshire) I just happened to look at the vent and noticed that it had worked itself ever so slightly open, just a crack. To my surprise there was, what can only be described as, dozens of hornet legs poking through the crack. I jammed the vent shut with force, completely re-sealing the vent and then observed as many as 4 to 5 hornets falling from the wing vent entrance point in close succession.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>At my destination, I re-checked the vent system and again satisfied myself that this time there were no further hornets in the systems and departed for my return flight to my base in Suffolk. On this occasion with the vent jammed shut and periodically checked, I saw no further hornets falling from the wing and no evidence of the hornets back at my base field.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>What did I learn from this unnerving experience? Firstly, undertake better winterisation mitigations, particularly when the aircraft is kept outside, noting to start this earlier in the season and prior to the time that insects and animals start to hibernate. Additionally, have the system inspected before further flight and don\\u2019t just assume that it will be ok.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>[<strong>Aside<\\\/strong>: I am currently investigating if there are any non-corrosive insecticides that can be used in the vents that are not toxic to humans and actively seeking advice from my maintenance organisation, since I am not sure how best to approach this situation, considering the potential violent nature of hornets to both myself and that of the maintenance people.]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>CHIRP Comment:<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The above was a report recently submitted to CHIRP and, with the reporter\\u2019s consent, we decided to include it in the ILAHFFT section. The whole event must have been quite terrifying and we applaud the reporter for keeping their composure during the take-off and calmly aborting it to taxy back in. The absolute priority when something unexpected occurs is to keep \\u2018flying\\u2019 the aircraft and the reporter did a great job of that, even remembering to get out a call to let others know what was occurring. It was probably a bit brave to then have another go without a more detailed investigation of the vent system though, although hindsight is a wonderful thing!&nbsp; As the reporter says, it probably would have been better to have had the whole system inspected first before trying to get airborne again. We all know the old adage:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"align\\\":\\\"center\\\"} -->\\n<p class=\\\"has-text-align-center\\\"><em>\\u2018it\\u2019s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground<\\\/em>\\u2019. <\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>There are plenty of lessons here for everyone about how we prepare our aircraft for over-wintering using bungs etc \\u2013 we\\u2019ve seen incidents with mice, flies, snakes and even a racoon in the past, but hornets are a new one. Aircraft present a lovely warm shelter with access holes for curious animals who just don\\u2019t understand about flight safety. The last thing we need to contend with in the air, especially if we\\u2019re a bit rusty ourself, is an angry swam of stinging insects who\\u2019ve been rudely awoken from their slumbers. Remove temptation from their way if you possibly can and whenever you fly, especially when the aircraft has been on the ground for an extended period, always expect the unexpected.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"A Sting in the Tail\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"a-sting-in-the-tail\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-03-10 21:08:18\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-03-10 21:08:18\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=32475\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":32450,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-03-10 14:01:13\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-03-10 14:01:13\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":32454,\\\"width\\\":\\\"1231px\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"large\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/Hunter-1024x424.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-32454\\\" style=\\\"width:1231px;height:auto\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:boldblocks\\\/a-new-image -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-boldblocks-a-new-image wp-block-boldblocks-custom\\\"><!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It was 9<sup>th<\\\/sup> May 1980 and I was a young, over-confident and mildly thrusting Air Traffic Controller at RAF Honington. In my second tour, I had enough experience to feel relaxed, but not enough to appreciate my limitations. Honington in those days was a fully active fast jet airfield, with four resident Buccaneer squadrons, in the centre of a combined MATZ and responsible for Mildenhall (wide bodied aircraft) movements as well as co-ordinating Lakenheath fast jet activity. It was in other words, an extremely busy place.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:boldblocks\\\/a-new-image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:boldblocks\\\/image -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-boldblocks-image wp-block-boldblocks-custom\\\"><!-- wp:boldblocks\\\/image -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-boldblocks-image wp-block-boldblocks-custom\\\"><!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>One of the oddities of the Buccaneer, the finest strike aircraft the RAF has ever possessed (other views maybe available!!)&nbsp; and affectionately dubbed the \\u2018banana bomber\\u2019 due to its unique profile, was there were no dual control versions. Therefore a pilot\\u2019s first sortie in it was also a first solo. This was known as FAM1 flight and an experienced instructor was carried in the rear navigator\\u2019s cockpit, where there were no flying controls, to provide appropriate \\u2018advice and encouragement\\u2019 when required - brave fellow! There was therefore a requirement for pilots to be familiar with the unique Buccaneer cockpit environment whilst airborne before they headed off on FAM1. Sadly simulation was nowhere near as advanced as it is today, so the solution was to equip a Hunter two seater training aircraft with a Buccaneer cockpit hence the Hunter Mark7B. This workaround simulated the cockpit, but of course performed like a Hunter ie beautifully at all speeds, unlike the Buccaneer, and crucially it had only one engine. Whilst an engine failure in a Buccaneer was a concerning event, the same in a Hunter was an altogether more serious proposition. The recovery technique for an engine failure in a Hunter was called a 1 in 1 approach. A clean Hunter would glide 1NM and lose 500 ft. Double that for a turn. Thus, the idea was to vector the gliding Hunter towards final approach such that when range was equal to height (ie 4NM @ 4000ft), the pilot was instructed to commence the 1 in 1 procedure, gear would be dropped and handily the aircraft would lose 1000ft for each mile and end up on the runway, piece of cake\\u2026<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:boldblocks\\\/image --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:boldblocks\\\/image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>So that\\u2019s the cold war scene set, now if you are sitting comfortably, I\\u2019ll begin. That day I was the radar director responsible for directing traffic around the Honington radar pattern. However, hovering in the background of my consciousness was the realisation that that night at Shawbury there was a dinner night for all of the RAF Air Traffic Controllers to celebrate 30 years of RAF ATC (I still have the tie).&nbsp; This was going to be one mean party and I was seriously short of drinking vouchers! All was quiet in the approach radar room so I was allowed to pop out to the bank to rectify this sad, but alas common, junior officer situation, leaving the approach room with the quip \\u201cI'll be back in 15 minutes\\u201d.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Actually 25 minutes later I was back, drinking vouchers safely ensconced in my wallet. I walked into the approach room to find total carnage; the unit was absolutely humming. Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Honington activity had exploded into action. The Supervisor looked at me, looked very pointedly at his watch and yelled at me to sit down and vector a Hunter for a practice 1 in 1 approach. Everything was exactly as I left it, headset, chinagraph pencil, everything. Without pause I was immediately given a handover on the Hunter and commenced the 1 in 1. As described above it could be a bit of a mind boggler, but satisfying when it worked.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It was all going so well as I rolled onto final approach for RW27 at 6 miles and about 5000ft. The 1 in 1 continued towards gear down point, at which point something came out of the radar overhead in the opposite direction and flashed past followed by another and another. I was confused. The Supervisor asked where was my Hunter; I told him it was 5 miles East. There followed a pause then the immortal shout \\u201c<strong><em>EAST, EAST we're on RW09!<\\\/em><\\\/strong>\\u201d. The penny dropped with a resounding clang. The runway had changed whilst I was away and I had not realised. The other traffic were departing Buccaneers from my airfield, luckily their initial rate of climb was not spectacular and my traffic was high. I had to break off my Hunter and reposition for the correct runway. I can just about laugh about it now although those words from the Supervisor will be with me forever. I of course then had to grovel to my supervisor and talk to the pilot, a senior instructor, about what had just happened, both of which were not comfortable exercises and rather took the edge off my day.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Then there was the official reporting. In those days no such thing as a safety report so just a&nbsp; ticking off from both parties and with a final \\u201cyou won\\u2019t do that again will you\\u201d comment from the Supervisor it was put to bed. I don\\u2019t think it was even logged; after all nothing actually \\u2018happened\\u2019. Quite correctly I can\\u2019t see that being the outcome today!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>So, what lessons can be learned from this rather sorry state of affairs? Firstly, make sure you don\\u2019t leave preparation for an evening event until the very last minute. Prior Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance and all that. Secondly, always check what is happening when you have lost situational awareness for any length of time. Don\\u2019t assume that just because it looks the same, it actually is. It\\u2019s fair to say that Expectation Bias was in evidence. Thirdly, being the \\u2018good old days\\u2019 a large dose of common sense was applied, as can be seen by the fact that it is still as clear a learning point to me today nearly 42 years later as it was then. Finally, how do I remember the exact date? That\\u2019s easy, the next day on the way home, hungover and broke after a great party, I listened to West Ham win the FA cup on the car radio\\u2026<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"...and West Ham won the FA cup\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"and-west-ham-won-the-fa-cup\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-03-12 13:06:29\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-03-12 13:06:29\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=32450\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":31861,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2025-01-22 11:07:29\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2025-01-22 11:07:29\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This Edition\\u2019s ILAHFFT entries are taken from our US NASA&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/index.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a><a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/ED4BAE99-562A-4C79-BE52-6A48183A7BD6#_ftn1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>&nbsp;sister organisation\\u2019s CALLBACK publication&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/docs\\\/cb\\\/cb_537.pdf\\\">Issue 537<\\\/a>(October 2024) that highlights some&nbsp;misunderstandings, expectation bias, complacency and problems with overly complex message formats from CPDLC. CPDLC is a great tool, but crews need to use it with care to ensure that the entire message is understood, and controllers need to be clear in their messages and not send rapid-fire CPDLC messages that crews might not be able to process in a timely manner as they attend to other flying tasks.&nbsp;For information, UK CAA are currently considering whether CPDLC will be mandated in UK airspace as a way of reducing R\\\/T complexity and the number of calls.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Reread if You Reroute<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>\\u25a0&nbsp;ATC issued a revised clearance via CPDLC. Clearance was, \\u201cLoad new route to LEV. Rest of route unchanged.\\u201d Free text stated, \\u201cGLADZ.LEV...\\\/IAH.\\u201d I did not notice the route portion of the message because it was so short, and thought the clearance was only to proceed direct to ZZZ. The First Officer did not notice the error either and programmed the FMC for direct LEV with abeams as I directed, without GLADZ. ATC noticed we had turned to LEV and not GLADZ, and asked if we were proceeding direct to LEV. He stated that he must not have sent the message correctly and then verbally cleared us direct to LEV. I believe he was trying to be kind and let us off the hook. In seeing the CPDLC message, \\u201cLoad new route to LEV,\\u201d I simply assumed it was to go just direct LEV and failed to read all of the message, and used the LOAD prompt to load the FMC from the CPDLC clearance. I wanted to manually program the FMC with the direct [route] in order to utilize the \\u2018abeam waypoints\\u2019 function. It was expectation bias. In the future, I will\\u2026read all of the incoming CPDLC message, ask for confirmation from the other pilot, and use the \\u2018load new route\\u2019 function, and then reverify the clearance from the CPDLC against the FMC before executing the new route in the FMC, using the pilot monitoring to verify that the new clearance loaded correctly.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Multi-Tasking Hazards<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>\\u25a0&nbsp;In our descent to Chicago Midway (MDW), we were handed off to a new ATC frequency via CPDLC. We acknowledged and checked in. Center then sent us three CPDLC messages in less than two minutes. We received and acknowledged the first message to descend and maintain FL210. We heard the chime again and saw, \\u201cCross MEGGZ at 11,000 feet.\\u201d I verified MEGGZ at 11,000 feet in the FMC and on the Mode Control Panel and thought that I acknowledged the CPDLC. We did not see the clearance to proceed direct MEGGZ, which was sent also, but in a separate message. We also had the ACARS chime in the midst of this for landing data, as we were late to accomplish the Descent Checklist. As we were descending through FL200, ATC inquired if we had received the direct MEGGZ and the cross MEGGZ at 11,000 feet messages, because ATC was not showing an acknowledgment from us. We responded that we had received the crossing MEGGZ at 11,000 feet, but not the direct to MEGGZ. When we reviewed the CPDLC log page, we saw the direct to [MEGGZ] message, which we had not acknowledged, and we saw that we had not actually acknowledged the descent to cross MEGGZ at 11,000 feet, either.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>First, with expectation bias, I was not thorough, when I heard the chime and saw the ATC message, to ensure I did not have more than one open ATC message. I also missed verifying on the second page of the notification that I accepted. We should have been finished with receiving landing data prior to this stage of flight.&nbsp;<strong><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:separator -->\\n<hr class=\\\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\\\"\\\/>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:separator -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"style\\\":{\\\"typography\\\":{\\\"fontSize\\\":\\\"0.8rem\\\"}}} -->\\n<p style=\\\"font-size:0.8rem\\\"><a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/ED4BAE99-562A-4C79-BE52-6A48183A7BD6#_ftnref1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>&nbsp;As for CHIRP,&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/overview\\\/summary.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>&nbsp;collects voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident\\\/situation reports from pilots, controllers, and others but on a much larger scale (ASRS currently receives 8-10,000 reports a month) and so, unlike&nbsp;CHIRP, they have limited scope to engage with the organisations concerned with individual reports to gain their perspective. As a result, most raw ASRS material is unverified, and some can be a bit emotive or lack perspective, but their alerts and CALLBACK newsletters provide a curated view on topical issues that offer useful areas for thought. For those seeking more data, the ASRS reports database is a public repository that provides the FAA, NASA and other organizations world-wide with research material in support of the promotion of safe flight.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) growing pains\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"controller-pilot-data-link-communications-cpdlc-growing-pains\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2025-01-29 11:42:17\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2025-01-29 11:42:17\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=31861\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":30783,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-11-25 12:19:35\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-11-25 12:19:35\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Our syndicate aircraft had been in and out of action for a few months over the summer as a consequence of some engineering work, following permit expiry. On resuming flying, two members of the group observed that the fuel tank was not venting correctly and that a vacuum was forming during flights, leading to a pronounced 'whooshing' sound of the air rushing in once the fuel cap was opened. I was asked to investigate, with my assumption being that the filler cap vent had somehow become blocked, or got some debris in it.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The filler cap is one of those components that everyone handles on a regular basis \\u2013 and knows roughly what it looks like \\u2013 but when asked to recall the object in detail, chances are you haven't paid it sufficient attention to be able to recall all of its intricacies. On many permit-aircraft like ours it's round, relatively flat and unremarkable in feature: you couldn't get a more unexceptional part on many aircraft, I'm sure.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On inspecting the aircraft, I removed the filler cap and couldn't see any indication that it was capable of venting, leaving both myself and other group members perplexed as to whether there was an alternative vent for the tank. What were we missing?<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It was only after further examination \\u2013 and asking the distributor for the aircraft kit whether there is an alternative venting arrangement for the tank \\u2013 that we found the issue was staring us in the face. Can you guess what it was?<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On removal of the engine cowling came the proof: somehow, someone had managed to replace the oil filler cap with the vented fuel filler cap\\u2026and placed the (unvented) oil filler cap onto the fuel tank. In plain sight, it was so obvious: the oil filler cap has a symbol of an oil can on it. But it looks, feels and FITS exactly as the fuel tank filler cap does.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Not only did it catch us out, but further investigation \\u2013 including going back through old photos \\u2013 suggested it had been like that for over 8 previous hours of flight.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Had this not been picked up, any of our members might have experienced fuel starvation and an undesirable flight outcome, particularly had their flights been slightly longer and more fuel consumed.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>There are lots of things to learn here as well as some old lessons that could be re-iterated.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>First, the importance of conducting pre-flight checks sequentially. We cannot establish how it came to be that the oil filler cap AND the fuel filler cap were both off the aircraft at the same time. Had the fuel levels been checked and the cap replaced BEFORE moving on to check the oil, the first hole of the Swiss cheese wouldn't have existed.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Second, it's useful \\u2013 albeit very difficult (as an 'unknown unknown') to pre-identify and highlight components that might be subject to confusion or mix-up.&nbsp;&nbsp;I would think it's highly unlikely that two components of an aircraft would be capable of fitting so perfectly in different locations \\u2013 it is both a questionable design feature as well as a stroke of poor luck that both the oil filler cap and fuel filler cap are of identical dimensions. Then again, perhaps it is more common than we thought?&nbsp;&nbsp;It would be a useful exercise to query whether the same mix-up is possible in other aircraft types.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Third, it's amazing just how much confirmation bias came into the equation here. Even though we were looking directly at the oil filler cap, 5 different pilots failed to notice that it was the wrong cap. It is very easy with the benefit of hindsight to say that 'it has an oil can symbol on it', but it's quite faded, not very noticeable, and easily overlooked when you're focussing more on the underside of the cap to check it's the venting type. How many people lift off the oil filler cap without looking at it also?<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Fourth, it would be prudent to improve the marking or labelling of the filler caps. One option in our case might have been to have a fuel filler cap of the same colour as the fuselage, which would then have looked completely incongruous against the oil reservoir had it been put there.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:columns -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-columns\\\"><!-- wp:column -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-column\\\"><!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":30759,\\\"width\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"300px\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"full\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/ILAHFFT-To-cap-it-all-1-rotated.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-30759\\\" style=\\\"width:auto;height:300px\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:column -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:column -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-column\\\"><!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":30767,\\\"width\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"300px\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"full\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/ILAHFFT-To-cap-it-all-2-rotated.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-30767\\\" style=\\\"width:auto;height:300px\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:column -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:column -->\\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-column\\\"><!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":30775,\\\"width\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"300px\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"full\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/ILAHFFT-To-cap-it-all-3-rotated.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-30775\\\" style=\\\"width:auto;height:300px\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:column --><\\\/div>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:columns -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>CHIRP Comments<\\\/strong>: Notwithstanding the author\\u2019s comments about confirmation bias, habituation, assumption and perhaps complacency, this tale is a classic Human Factors trap where Murphy strikes again. These days, great efforts are made in aviation design and manufacturing to avoid situations where components can be installed in the wrong locations or the wrong way around, but sometimes things slip through.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>During in-depth hangar maintenance there are a number of reasons where both the oil and fuel caps might be off at the same time if both systems are being worked on for some reason, but careful storage and labelling of disassembled parts is one way of preventing mix-ups. There\\u2019s little reason for both to be off during routine line-maintenance or replenishment tasks, but it\\u2019s easy to see how it might happen if people are trying to be organised in preparing the aircraft for top-ups.The idea of differing the colour of the 2 caps is a good one because that means that the caps are not being physically altered but can easily be differentiated from each other \\u2013 yellow for oil caps is a fairly common colour, and that would stand out if placed on the fuel filler pipe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another option, if feasible, is to have one or both caps attached to their respective filler pipes by a suitable chain or lanyard of some description so that they can\\u2019t be moved away from their intended location. Many such caps are secured this way, so perhaps there\\u2019s scope for looking at doing that on at least one of the caps if appropriate, or fixing\\\/replacing an existing chain if there\\u2019s one intended to be there that\\u2019s broken or missing.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"To cap it all...\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"to-cap-it-all\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-12-11 11:38:15\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-12-11 11:38:15\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=30783\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":30173,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-10-15 14:34:28\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:34:28\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It was Autumn 2014 and it was an afternoon shift.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the time, there were numerous \\u2018Getting Your Game Face On\\u2019<strong>&nbsp;<\\\/strong>posters around the Tower; they\\u2019d been on display for a while but if you weren\\u2019t into rugby they were pretty easy to walk past.&nbsp;&nbsp;I thought it would be an idea, therefore, to share an experience of mine that shows why \\u2018Getting Your Game Face On\\u2019 is essential for all of us prior to plugging in.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I had a problem with staffing that day due to sickness and no AAVA cover available; it meant that there would only be 2 controllers on duty after 2000hrs. The traffic was fairly straightforward and not horrifically busy. I did a stint on Radar and then was given a break at 1430hrs. During the break I constructed a break plan which, to my astonishment, worked perfectly, with none of the usual drama associated with break plans and less than optimal staffing. Now, those of you who do break plans will know that this usually means you\\u2019ve left somebody in position for 2\\u00bd or even 3 hours, so I was a bit suspicious of it.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>OK, I don\\u2019t have time to check any further because I\\u2019ve got to do a couple of breaks in the VCR.&nbsp;&nbsp;Up I go and plug in on Tower. Its straightforward and reasonably quiet.&nbsp;&nbsp;We\\u2019re on 05 and there\\u2019s one at the Golf 1 holding point and one on final to land. Even I can do that, so I take responsibility for the position and clear the arrival to land. Then an Ops vehicle calls me wanting to cross from Charlie to Yankee. I tell them to hold position and decide that I\\u2019ll cross them after the landing traffic has passed the intersection.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Meanwhile, as I wait to put my cunning plan into operation, I\\u2019m mentally running through the break plan I\\u2019ve done, trying to find where it has obviously gone wrong. The arrival lands and, as it passes Golf 1, I line up the waiting aircraft, warning the crew that there will be a vehicle crossing further down the runway in front of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>I must have made the mistake somewhere around tea break time. Probably got somebody working an extra hour.<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>\\u201cOps vehicle cross Charlie to Yankee report vacated\\u201d.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, \\u201cArriving aircraft vacate right at Bravo and contact Ground on 121.7\\u201d, something I\\u2019ve done for more than 30 years, but don\\u2019t tell my trainees to do.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>If I haven\\u2019t made the mistake there, maybe I\\u2019ve done it later. Can\\u2019t think exactly when, though.<\\\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp;Ops vehicle reports clear of the runway. I look up and think, no you\\u2019re not, you haven\\u2019t crossed the holding point at Yankee, yet.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>Maybe the break plan\\u2019s fine. Maybe I haven\\u2019t made a mistake and it has just worked out.<\\\/em>Then I see the vehicle cross Yankee and acknowledge it<em>. I\\u2019d better check the break plan again when I\\u2019m finished here.<\\\/em>&nbsp;Right, the vehicle\\u2019s off the runway and I clear the departure for take-off.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>As I\\u2019m transmitting this I\\u2019m carrying out my usual visual scan of the runway. I start at the 05 threshold, progress down to the 23 end and then start ba\\u2026. what the hell is that doing there? I\\u2019ve just finished my transmission when I see the arrival still on the runway, just turning towards Bravo but, before I can say anything, the crew of the departure aircraft point that fact out to me. Sod it!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Now I\\u2019ll be honest. My first thought, combined with a sneaky wee look around, was \\u2018Did anybody notice that?&nbsp;&nbsp;Could I get away with it?\\u2019 Then of course I realise the ridiculousness of that thought. I acknowledge the pilot\\u2019s report, cancel their take off clearance, tell them to hold position, and apologise for my stupidity. I watch the arrival turn onto Bravo and then I clear the departure for take-off.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>What an eejit, I\\u2019m thinking (well not exactly, but I don\\u2019t want to damage anybody\\u2019s sensibilities this early in the New Year). Still, it could have been worse. I get relieved and go back downstairs to send my colleague up to recommence the breaks. Did I say it could have been worse? Well, it got worse. Somebody looked at the Veristore recording of the SMR and spotted that when I\\u2019d cleared the departure for take-off the second time, the arrival hadn\\u2019t left the clear and graded area.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>So that\\u2019s pretty impressive. In the space of a couple of minutes I\\u2019d had two runway safety events. I hadn\\u2019t exhibited that level of genius since winning the inaugural Golden Shovel award on my Radar course for having 2 technical losses of separation BEFORE clocks on. My reaction was one of anger at myself for being so stupid, coupled with embarrassment that it had happened because it was other ATCOs that did that sort of thing, not me.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The root cause was me being too busy worrying about other things instead of paying full attention to what was going on in front of me. Would it have solved things if I\\u2019d kept the arrival on my frequency and its strip in the runway bay? Possibly, but even after completing an HF interview, I wasn\\u2019t as convinced as others were. I was distracted by my brilliance with the break plan and my conviction that there must be something wrong with it.&nbsp;&nbsp;It distracted me to the extent that I forgot completely about the arrival, and it persuaded me that the traffic preventing the departure was the Ops vehicle. I\\u2019m not sure I would have properly registered another flight strip in the runway bay.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I failed to concentrate properly on what was going on around me and let myself drift off whilst I mentally checked a plan that I could do nothing to change whilst I was plugged in. This was an excellent demonstration of not getting your game face on. My game face was still in the dressing room trying to spot non-existent errors in a break plan. Don\\u2019t let that sort of stupidity bite you. When you\\u2019re plugging in, your entire concentration needs to be on what you\\u2019re doing. When you\\u2019re working traffic, your entire concentration needs to be there, not on some bizarre conversation you\\u2019re having with a colleague, not on a book, certainly NOT on a smartphone and definitely not on something you were doing before you plugged in.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It\\u2019s incumbent on all of us to avoid distraction from our main task. If you feel you are being distracted by whatever method, be it conversation, noise, whatever, just tell the individual(s) to shut up. Likewise, if you see something that could be a distraction then deal with it, and if you\\u2019re responsible then take it on the chin and shut up or move away. Watch Managers and Deputies have to be aware that they need to leave non-operational things behind when they plug in.&nbsp;&nbsp;I didn\\u2019t and got bitten and bitten badly.&nbsp;&nbsp;Don\\u2019t let it happen to you.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Getting your game face on \\u2013 time to focus on the task in hand\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"getting-your-game-face-on-time-to-focus-on-the-task-in-hand\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:40:25\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:40:25\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=30173\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":28440,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-08-07 16:43:14\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-08-07 15:43:14\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It was back in 2002 and I was working for&nbsp;&nbsp;a major Telecoms provider as part of their first team selling classified advertising in their new \\u201cPurple Book\\u201d in the North England region. I was recruited as I\\u2019d had considerable success in contract labour recruitment \\u2013 a game that required a very high work ethic, lots of energy, good planning, self-motivation and good closing skills. From the start it was clear that I\\u2019d walked headfirst into a real \\u201cboiler room\\u201d atmosphere. The first 3 days were \\u2018training\\u2019, which was basically learning how to compose an advert, write basic copy, and then how to fill in the paperwork when an order was secured. All seemed professional and calm at first. Then we were herded into a call centre. Here we were told that the only way to succeed was to do an average of 70 canvass calls a day from which we were expected to generate up to 6 appointments a day and close 2 deals a day.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Fast-forward 6 months. By this time only 4 of the original start up team of 16 was still in place. The rest had quit or been fired. Firing was a public event; the team would meet in a Maccy Ds, and be shouted at by a large bully boy manager who will remain nameless but was clearly in the role to weed out the \\u2018weaker\\u2019 ones, and routinely told people in front of their peers that \\u201cthis really isn\\u2019t for you\\u201d, aka \\u2013 \\u201cYou\\u2019re fired\\u201d. \\u2018Weak\\u2019 was defined as not being able to make enough appointments, canvass all day, complete all paperwork and reports daily and to not hit ever increasing targets.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>My days usually started around 06.30 by calling plumbers and builders before they started work to try and set up an appointment, and finished at 22.00 if I was lucky, completing paperwork with a beer in hand as I drank more than I should in an effort to get to sleep. I would spend weekends canvassing, and a friend once recalled how I would sit in the car at my rugby club in my kit up to 2 minutes before kick-off still canvassing, and work become part of every single day. Holidays were a complete non-starter as we were expected to catch up on totals if we went away. My marriage suffered, and I forgot what my kids looked like \\u2013 I had at this point a 1 year old, a 5 year old and an 8 year old.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>One Sunday morning in June, my wife pointed out it was my daughter\\u2019s 6<sup>th<\\\/sup>&nbsp;birthday and I should do something with her. I of course was \\u201ctoo busy\\u201d but it was made&nbsp;<em>very&nbsp;<\\\/em>clear to me that I should do something if I wanted to remain married. I asked my daughter what she wanted to do and she said \\u201cgo flying with daddy\\u201d. So we went to the local airfield which happened to be a regional international airport, I booked a plane out, did the walkaround, strapped in, made radio calls and started to backtrack down the main runway as instructed. As I did so, I noticed an approaching aircraft so I turned into wind and called \\u201c<em>ready for departure<\\\/em>\\u201d, to which ATC replied \\u201c<em>ermm, are you sure<\\\/em>?\\u201d.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This was a very odd question and one I\\u2019d never been asked before. It threw me, so I quickly checked the aircraft, flaps set, lights on, fuel pump on \\u201c<em>affirm ready for departure<\\\/em>\\u201d and off we went. Within seconds, I realised that I\\u2019d only taxied half the length of the runway, but by this point I was past a speed where it was easy to stop, on a wet runway, and maybe just 100m from the end still only at 45kts in a PA28. So I slapped on the second stage of flaps to increase lift and managed to get airborne missing the boundary fence and the buildings on the other side of the fence literally by inches. A few minutes later I received a radio call to return to the field \\u2013 also unusual \\u2013 but it had been raining heavily in places so I assumed they were calling the chicks home to avoid problems. Wrong. As I walked into reception back at the club, I was greeted by a red faced, fuming, spitting, rabid CFI who proceeded to shout and scream at me about how I\\u2019d nearly wiped out half of the local town and nearly killed myself and my daughter. At this point my daughter was stood holding my hand and began to cry\\u2026..as did I. We got in the car, and just as I pulled onto the main road, my daughter asked, \\u201c<em>Daddy, did you nearly kill me<\\\/em>?\\u201d. The rest of the Sunday was a very subdued affair with cake and tears.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The following day, instead of going to my first appointment, I pulled the car over and simply put my head in my hands and sat still for about an hour. The guilt I felt was like nothing I had ever known. But as well as the guilt I felt utter shame. I pride myself on being a conscientious and skilled pilot and to think I made very basic errors horrified me. I rang a friend who was a vastly experienced flying instructor and talked him through the events of the previous day. As well as discussing the flight he asked me about my home life and work. He concluded: \\u201c<em>Mate, you\\u2019re stressed. Your quick thinking to get off the ground was excellent, but your perception of things leading up to that was all wrong. The plane on finals could have gone around if you were still backtracking, and ATC wouldn\\u2019t have granted taxi clearance if it wasn\\u2019t safe. You\\u2019re speaking at 500 mph and you\\u2019re exhausted. You\\u2019re a very good pilot but you can\\u2019t keep flying whilst you\\u2019re in this state because you will kill yourself. You need to do something<\\\/em>.\\u201d<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Two days later I resigned from my job. The Boss took my car keys immediately and drove me home, taking the laptop and phone with him. I didn\\u2019t thank him for anything, nor did he offer any feedback or thanks. I walked into the house and told my wife what I\\u2019d done, and she simply said \\u201c<em>Good<\\\/em>\\u201d.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>A week later, I started filling shelves and manning the checkout at Marks and Spencer. At first I was humiliated and embarrassed every time one of my peers\\\/schoolmates\\\/rugby team\\\/local pilots\\\/ex-colleagues spotted me topping up the tomatoes or scanning the bar codes. But gradually that wore off. I started to take great pride in my work. I started to cycle to work and got fitter and healthier. At Christmas I provided a full Christmas dinner for 5 for less than \\u00a330 thanks to my staff discounts. I would laugh and joke with the brilliant managers M&amp;S employ, I had a brief foray into menswear which was hilarious, I chatted to customers and friends who popped in to see me, all telling me how well I looked. I started to love going to work again, and meanwhile spent many hours with my wonderful kids and gorgeous wife. In short, I got my life back.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The 7 months at M&amp;S were an epiphany. What did I learn?<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Stress is STEALTHY<\\\/strong>. It\\u2019s highly toxic and invades and pervades in equal measures. I\\u2019ve always been a very strong person mentally, very carefree and never had any mental health problems so I didn\\u2019t see it coming, but the signs were there. I\\u2019d allowed myself to believe that to be successful required constant work, no down time \\u2013 that\\u2019s for pussies right \\u2013 to keep trying to be better than others, to smash targets and to be willing to sacrifice your home life for that success, after all, I was doing this for my family \\u2013 right? Stress causes you to lose track of reality, of values, of humility, of decency, of common sense and above all, of self-awareness.\\u00a0<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Stress is a KILLER<\\\/strong>. Whether directly or indirectly, it can bring down the strongest of people.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On the day I left M&amp;S to go back into the commercial sector, I vowed to myself I would never be stressed again, and to this day I have stuck to that vow. I can now see any signs of unnecessary stress approaching and know exactly how to send it back to its pit. I\\u2019ve stopped trying to be rich, and I focus on doing the best job I can during the day, and being the best husband, friend and dad I can be the rest of the time. I became a part time instructor on TMGs for 7 years, gained an IR(R), learned to skydive and spent 4 wonderful years as a jump pilot at a Skydive Centre, I now have a share in an aircraft and have never had a single prang, infringement or telling-off since. My kids somehow have all grown up to be highly successful, funny and humane people.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>My advice to everyone is this; There isn\\u2019t a single job out there that is worth giving up your happiness, mental health, family, friends and life for. \\u2018Lifestyle\\u2019 is a false achievement. Material things are worthless if you haven\\u2019t got the time or energy to enjoy them or share them. Success shouldn\\u2019t be measured in salary, but in balance, peace, knowledge and expertise. If your friends are only impressed by your Facebook Maldives pictures rather than the way you love your kids, they\\u2019re the wrong friends. We only get one life. This is not a rehearsal, don\\u2019t f*** it up by trying to be something you\\u2019re probably not capable of.&nbsp;The biggest strength you can show, is knowing when to walk away.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Stress, distraction and flying don\\u2019t mix\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-ilahfft-stress-distraction-and-flying-dont-mix\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:35:01\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:35:01\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=28440\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":28435,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-08-07 16:38:39\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-08-07 15:38:39\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>It may be useful if I share my recent experience with the Jeppesen database upload into my AVIDYNE IFD 440. You can imagine a \\u201cSwiss Cheese\\u201d IFR approach scenario in which this could become a safety issue.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>In July 2023, I took out an annual subscription with Jeppesen for their European database. The methodology was simple. Contact Jeppesen and install Jeppesen Distribution Manager on your PC. Take out a subscription, linked to your email. They give you a subscription number. However, this will be linked to your aircraft \\u201ctail number\\u201d: in my case, G-XXXX.For 10 months, this worked very well and then \\u2013 inexplicably \\u2013 the uploads failed. I kept getting the message \\u2018<em>Data load not authorised for this aircraft<\\\/em>\\u2019 after a momentary flash which said something about a tail number.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":28389,\\\"width\\\":\\\"1164px\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"auto\\\",\\\"sizeSlug\\\":\\\"large\\\",\\\"linkDestination\\\":\\\"none\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/AVIDYNE-IFD-440-Database-upload-failure-1024x402.png\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-28389\\\" style=\\\"width:1164px;height:auto\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Thinking this was a problem with the database upload, I contacted Jeppesen. We tried several manoeuvres. First, we \\u201ccleared the cache\\u201d. This facility was available as follows. Go to the top left corner, and click on the JDM drop down menu. Go to tech support. Go to \\u201cclear cache\\u201d.&nbsp;<strong>It did not work.<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The next troubleshooting manoeuvre was to reformat the memory stick to FAT32, and get a fresh data download.&nbsp;<strong>It did not work.<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I contacted AVIDYNE. It turned out that the problem lay with the TAIL NUMBER. Jeppesen do not recognise hyphens, and for some inexplicable reason the Jeppesen memory stick data file had (new??) software which refused to recognise the AVIDYNE unit\\u2019s \\u201ctail number\\u201d anymore. The AVIDYNE 440 had my aircraft down as G-XXXX. To Jeppesen it was GXXXX: and ne\\u2019er the twain could meet\\u2026&nbsp;<strong>YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE TAIL NUMBER ON THE AVIDYNE YOURSELF: ONLY AVIDYNE TECH SUPPORT CAN DO THIS FOR YOU.<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The AVIDYNE&nbsp;&nbsp;tech support team needed the serial number of my AVIDYNE 440 unit before they could do anything, so you must have this handy. On units with newer software, 10.3.2.0 onwards, you may be able to get this serial number out of the SYS menu on the 440\\\/540. Otherwise, it means finding the Avionics installation entry in the aircraft\\u2019s log books or, at worst, pulling out the AVIDYNE UNIT and looking at its side. (I could not find it in the Maintenance dropdown menus on the 440.)<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>AVIDYNE sent me a \\u2018.dsf\\u2019 download, which changed the tail number from G-XXXX to GXXXX in about 10 seconds. Immediately, the unit uploaded the new Jeppesen data. So, to save you time, angst, money and to keep you safe,&nbsp;<strong>if you get a new AVIDYNE, make sure the \\u201ctail number\\u201d your installer puts in DOES NOT CONTAIN A HYPHEN<\\\/strong>. This is clearly a potential problem in Europe, and indeed in most of the world other than the USA. If it does contain a hyphen, get rid of it.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"align\\\":\\\"center\\\"} -->\\n<p class=\\\"has-text-align-center\\\"><strong><em>Checklist<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Note the following telephone numbers<\\\/strong>. Jeppesen Europe: 0049 6102 508270; Jeppesen UK: 0044 1293 842404 (links to Germany or the USA).<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Have Jeppesen distribution manager installed on your PC<\\\/strong>. Note the email address and password you used. Pay for a subscription and make a note of the subscription number.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Use an 8-16GB memory stick EXCLUSIVELY, unless you are a computer wizard<\\\/strong>. Clear everything from it, and format it to FAT 32. AVIDYNE&nbsp;&nbsp;suggest you do this every time&nbsp;<strong>before<\\\/strong>&nbsp;you download your monthly or bi-weekly data.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Get your AVIDYNE UNIT(S) serial number(s)<\\\/strong>. These are ESSENTIAL for any AVIDYNE fix. Make sure they are available in the aircraft, and on your PC.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Go to the AVIDYNE 4XX\\\/5XX and INSERT the stick&nbsp;BEFORE TURNING IT ON<\\\/strong>. Update the database and remember to press \\u201cDONE\\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;- or it will revert to the previous version.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Check the database has updated on the initial start menu<\\\/strong>.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\\\"align\\\":\\\"center\\\"} -->\\n<p class=\\\"has-text-align-center\\\"><strong><em>Troubleshooting<\\\/em><\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Jeppesen fixes<\\\/strong>: Use a freshly FAT 32 formatted 8-16GB memory stick EXCLUSIVELY; If the data upload fails, \\u201cclear the cache\\u201d. If unsure, call Jeppesen and wait for tech support: they are very friendly, eager to help and will give you a fresh download instantly. Early morning or late night calls work from the UK \\u2013 they put you through to the USA. It is a superb service.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>AVIDYNE fixes<\\\/strong>: Call 001-888-723 7592. Very friendly.&nbsp;&nbsp;They will call back. Explain the problem. They will send you an email and a useful 8-page PDF service bulletin - download the attached \\u2018.dsf\\u2019 file onto your memory stick, and upload the new aircraft identity to your AVIDYNE BEFORE you try to upload the new Jeppesen data. It is also a superb service.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"There are no hyphens in \\u201cJeppesen\\u201d\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-ilahfft-there-are-no-hyphens-in-jeppesen\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:35:27\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:35:27\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=28435\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":27271,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-07-20 16:19:05\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-07-20 15:19:05\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This report is taken from our US NASA\\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/index.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>\\u00a0<a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/A7E0F3F3-897C-47C9-ABDF-BE8D67E01A21#_ftn1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>sister organisation\\u2019s CALLBACK publication\\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/myemail-api.constantcontact.com\\\/CALLBACK-533--June-2024--VNAV---Vertical-Navigation-Operations.html?soid=1101073741327&amp;aid=eJ50IHuqpiQ\\\">Issue 533<\\\/a>\\u00a0(June 2024) and refers to some sobering consequences of a B767 crew\\u2019s VNAV interactions.\\u00a0\\u00a0The Relief Pilot\\u2019s report is a little blunt in pointing out what wasn\\u2019t done correctly, and neither report really explores why this incident occurred with 3 pilots on the flight deck. Perhaps the pre-approach briefing was not comprehensive, the responsibilities between PF, PM and Relief Pilot were not clear, or CRM had broken down in respect to following procedures. Press-on-itis and task fixation (everyone focusing on the approach and not monitoring vertical speed in this case) are well-known HF concerns that can be overcome by taking time to sit back and think about the bigger picture rather than dive into a course of action without having properly considered and briefed the potential threats and errors that might be waiting to pounce.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>From the Captain\\u2019s report:<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>We began the approach, but updated weather indicated the airport was below minimums, so we coordinated to hold. While in holding, [Company] advised that another flight landed successfully, and with updated weather, we had the visibility required to begin the approach. ATC amended our holding altitude from 5,000 feet to 7,000 feet, but we forgot to put our new cruise altitude in the Flight Management Computer (FMC) like we did before attempting the first approach. We received vectors to intercept the final approach course and commenced the approach but did not recognize our lack of vertical guidance due to not entering a new cruise altitude. The aircraft appeared to be flying the approach in LNAV\\\/VNAV passing the final approach point, but began a descent rate approaching 1,500 fpm that wasn\\u2019t recognized. The Relief Pilot and Pilot Flying (PF) began looking for approach lights as we approached minimums. They had the approach lights in sight, and so we continued the approach, still descending faster than planned. All of us were looking for the runway environment. At about the same time the PF and Relief Pilot saw 4 reds on the PAPI, we received an EGPWS terrain warning. I incorrectly called for a go-around instead of a CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain) recovery, and during the manoeuvre, the pitch attitude became excessive and we received a low airspeed caution as it decreased to around 105 knots. We completed the manoeuvre, sorted through the distraction of low fuel cautions due to our 10,000 pounds of fuel sloshing during the go-around, and diverted to a nearby airport.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>From the Relief Pilot\\u2019s report:<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Following holding, the crew flew an RNAV [approach]. The crew made common errors on the approach and ultimately descended inappropriately below the minimum descent altitude using faulty visual cues.\\u2026 The subsequent go-around resulted in a \\u201cCaution Terrain\\u201d and then \\u201cWhoop-Whoop, PULL-UP.\\u201d \\u2026 The descent had inadvertently been continued during the go-around, which caused the GPWS caution\\\/warning. Then, the crew misapplied established procedures on the\\u2026go-around, which resulted in excessively slow airspeed. I had to intervene during both the RNAV approach and subsequent go-around to ensure safety. The crew should have realized there was not a proper vertical path and either modified [the] descent rate or discontinued the approach. Also, the crew should have had the situational awareness to know that they were still several miles from the approximate visual descent point and use that information when deciding to proceed below the MDA. During the go-around, the FO became task saturated with non-critical items (FMS, ATC communication, etc.) and failed to monitor the flight path adequately and perform PM duties correctly. This greatly affected the safety of flight during the go-around.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:separator -->\\n<hr class=\\\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\\\"\\\/>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:separator -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/A7E0F3F3-897C-47C9-ABDF-BE8D67E01A21#_ftnref1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>&nbsp;As for&nbsp;<em>CHIRP<\\\/em>,&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/overview\\\/summary.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>&nbsp;collects voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident\\\/situation reports from pilots, controllers, and others but on a much larger scale (ASRS currently receives 8-10,000 reports a month) and so, unlike&nbsp;<em>CHIRP<\\\/em>, they have limited scope to engage with the organisations concerned with individual reports to gain their perspective. As a result, most raw ASRS material is unverified, and some can be a bit emotive or lack perspective, but their alerts and CALLBACK newsletters provide a curated view on topical issues that offer useful areas for thought. For those seeking more data, the ASRS reports database is a public repository that provides the FAA, NASA and other organizations world-wide with research material in support of the promotion of safe flight.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Monitoring automation and having clear CRM responsibilities\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"air-transport-ilahfft-monitoring-automation-and-having-clear-crm-responsibilities\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:36:03\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:36:03\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=27271\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":25114,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-05-13 16:54:52\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-05-13 15:54:52\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This report is taken from our NASA\\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/index.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>\\u00a0<a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/4E1850E7-741C-431F-9E9A-40073C9F5B63#_ftn1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>sister organisation\\u2019s CALLBACK publication\\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/docs\\\/cb\\\/cb_531.pdf\\\">Issue 531<\\\/a>\\u00a0(April 2024) and refers to a Cessna 188 incident that resulted from a mistake made during elevator cable maintenance work. The report highlights the value of reports being made by other than just pilots and controllers, and we commend the technician\\u2019s open and frank report about the incident.\\u00a0<em>CHIRP<\\\/em>\\u00a0is a confidential reporting programme for all those involved in aviation, not just pilots and controllers, so, come on all you engineers, ground handlers and other supporting specialists, we\\u2019re sure there are plenty of things that we can all learn from you in the spirit of \\u2018I learned about Human Factors from that\\u2019!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Although the report focuses on maintenance factors, conducting first flights after maintenance activities is one of those areas that deserve special consideration by the pilots concerned. You have to be ready for anything to happen at any time, and especially regarding controllability of the aircraft just after take-off.\\u00a0In the gliding world, best-practice post-rigging and pre-flight checks include someone gently restraining the control surfaces whilst someone else moves the controls just to make sure that all the cables etc are connected properly \\u2013 something worth thinking about for powered aircraft post-maintenance checks.\\u00a0What extra mental and physical steps do you take as part of your Threat &amp; Error Management (TEM) processes for post-maintenance check flights?\\u00a0What about the weather? Do you make sure such flights are conducted in good VFR only, resisting any pressure to get them done in less than sparkling conditions?<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>From the maintenance technician\\u2019s report<\\\/strong>:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>During the annual inspection of the Cessna 188, I removed a clevis bolt that secures the upper and lower elevator control cables to the control stick. I found the bolt to be excessively worn, so the cables remained detached while a replacement bolt was on order. When the new clevis bolt arrived, I installed it into the control stick, securing only the upper cable. After installation, I moved the control stick to actuate the elevator, and it seemed to work properly, because the attached cable moved the elevator up, and gravity pulled the elevator back down. Flight control freedom of movement was also checked by two other A&amp;P mechanics and the pilot before the flight. The lower elevator control cable is routed from the control stick through a tube and then down around a pulley. When the problem was discovered, the lower cable end was hidden inside the tube. I believe the hidden cable is one factor that led to my mistake. Another factor is my failure to request a secondary maintenance check. The problem was initially discovered by the pilot just after take-off\\u2026 After landing, a flight control inspection revealed a very loose elevator cable under the pilot seat\\u2026 The inspector followed the cable forward to find the end inside the tube, but not connected to the control stick as it should be. I then installed the lower cable along with the upper cable to the control stick with the clevis bolt. No other discrepancies were found during the post-flight inspection.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>From the pilot\\u2019s report:<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Upon pre-flight inspection of the exterior and interior of the airplane, no discrepancies were discovered. All surface controls moved freely. Upon engine run-up while performing the Pre-take-off Checklist, all flight controls moved freely and in the correct manner. On take-off, I recognized the stall-warning horn and an abnormal pitch-up after rotation. I immediately provided full forward pressure on the stick and received no response. I proceeded to reduce power and add full forward trim, which lowered the nose of the aircraft. It became clear that the plane did not have elevator control. I proceeded to keep the engine in normal operating range, trim full forward, and circle back to the runway I had departed. I landed with\\u2026flaps and full aft trim (to flare), leaving the stick full forward. The landing was uneventful. I taxied over to Maintenance. Upon inspection of the aircraft, an elevator cable, which [should have been] connected at the base of the stick, was not connected. This cable and pulley are only visible when panels and other coverings are removed.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:separator -->\\n<hr class=\\\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\\\"\\\/>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:separator -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/4E1850E7-741C-431F-9E9A-40073C9F5B63#_ftnref1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>&nbsp;As for&nbsp;<em>CHIRP<\\\/em>,&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/overview\\\/summary.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>&nbsp;collects voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident\\\/situation reports from pilots, controllers, and others but on a much larger scale (ASRS currently receives 8-10,000 reports a month). ASRS educates through its newsletter CALLBACK, its journal ASRS Directline, and through its research studies. Its database is a public repository for individuals and organisations world-wide that are engaged in research and the promotion of safe flight.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Annual maintenance inspection oversight\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-ilahfft-annual-maintenance-inspection-oversight\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:36:35\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:36:35\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=25114\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":24619,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-04-15 17:19:25\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-04-15 16:19:25\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>What would you have done as PF or PM?<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This report is taken from our US NASA&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/index.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/A1BFAD90-8190-44A0-A944-979D489CAB32#_ftn1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>sister organisation\\u2019s CALLBACK publication&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/docs\\\/cb\\\/cb_529.pdf\\\">Issue 529<\\\/a>&nbsp;(February 2024) and refers to an ERJ-175 flight crew who describe a confusing and convoluted sequence of events during an approach where CRM and SOP performance is questioned by both pilots. The 2 reports seem to offer differing perceptions of what was going on and who was doing what at certain points in the approach.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>From the Captain\\u2019s report<\\\/strong>:<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The flight was vectored to base for an RNAV approach while flying with full automation. The vectors brought us inside the fix that the FMS had been extended off of. I failed to direct the pilot monitoring (PM) to advance the FMS to a fix in front of us or to activate vectors. This caused the aircraft not to capture the final approach course, so I had to manually turn the aircraft back toward the final approach course. By the time we got back on course, we were significantly high, and the FMS still didn\\u2019t capture the course. I directed the PM to go gear down, flap 3, then flap full. I then mistimed my attempt to get on glideslope by dropping the nose too quickly after disengaging the autopilot, overspeeding the flaps. Unable to regain glideslope, I elected to discontinue prior to 1,000 feet. As I did so, I directed the PM to go flap 4 and cycle the FMS forward. I believe my direction to sequence the FMS at this point was a key error, since it distracted [the PM] from getting the flaps retracted quickly. When the PM struggled to sequence the FMS, I opted to hit Takeoff\\\/Go-Around (TO\\\/GA) [mode] and do a go-around instead of discontinue. I was hand-flying and did not pull the nose up quickly enough, so the aircraft rapidly accelerated to the point we almost oversped the flaps again. I overrode the autothrottle to slow the aircraft, and we immediately got an EGPWS warning, surprising us both. After a split second of shock, I climbed rapidly to honor the warning. We then stabilized, caught our breath, and were vectored back around for a landing.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>From the FO\\u2019s report:<\\\/strong><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>At around base, the pilot flying (PF) had me clean up the approach from a waypoint behind us. I suggested that we would not capture lateral guidance this way, but the PF said we would. We were cleared for the approach, but the aircraft did not capture lateral or vertical guidance.\\u2026 No approach callouts were performed, because the course was never alive and [glidepath] was never alive. No missed approach altitude was set, due to the same reason.\\u2026 I did not hear the missed approach callout, so I said, \\u201cMissed approach, flap 4,\\u201d and the PF said, \\u201cPositive rate, gear up.\\u201d I suggested he press TO\\\/GA. I noticed that we were descending, and the flight director guidance was in its standard pitch up attitude for a go-around, so I suggested we pitch up. The PF did not pitch up, so I took the controls and pitched up, then handed controls back after we were established on a climb.\\u2026 I called, \\u201cAutopilot on, autothrottle on,\\u201d because I noticed that those were not on, and it would increase situational awareness if those were on. I switched over to Approach, and they asked if we were climbing. I said we were, and they started vectoring us. At this point, the autopilot and autothrottles were on, and I continued monitoring the trajectory of the airplane. We were vectored on downwind. On base, the PF had me clean it up from a waypoint behind us. I suggested vectors to final.\\u2026 We may have gone through final again, I do not recall precisely.\\u2026 By 1,000 feet we were stabilized and cleared to land, so we continued and landed and taxied normally.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:separator -->\\n<hr class=\\\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\\\"\\\/>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:separator -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><a href=\\\"applewebdata:\\\/\\\/A1BFAD90-8190-44A0-A944-979D489CAB32#_ftnref1\\\"><sup>[1]<\\\/sup><\\\/a>&nbsp;As for&nbsp;<em>CHIRP<\\\/em>,&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/overview\\\/summary.html\\\">ASRS<\\\/a>&nbsp;collects voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident\\\/situation reports from pilots, controllers, and others but on a much larger scale (ASRS currently receives 8-10,000 reports a month) and so, unlike&nbsp;<em>CHIRP<\\\/em>, they have limited scope to engage with the organisations concerned to gain their perspective when identifying system deficiencies and issuing alerting messages to persons in a position to correct them. ASRS educates through its newsletter CALLBACK, its journal ASRS Directline, and through its research studies. Its database is a public repository which serves the needs of FAA, NASA and other organizations world-wide that are engaged in research and the promotion of safe flight.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"One thing led to another on an approach\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"air-transport-one-thing-led-to-another-on-an-approach\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:37:03\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:37:03\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=24619\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":23333,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-02-27 10:57:22\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-02-27 10:57:22\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Dear fellow aviators, the following account of a compound rigging and daily inspection error might be of interest, especially to those flying Standard Cirrus gliders, although I suppose similar battery installations can be found in many other types.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>My syndicate partner and I installed a new variometer and, in order to check its operability, we connected No1 battery in its starboard side slot behind the seat-back rest (our Standard Cirrus glider has slots for two batteries behind the back rest, located either side of the housing for the landing gear). After completing the installation we switched off the power supply but forgot to take out the battery, which was left in its slot until I next rigged the glider a few days later. On that day, I fitted the No2 battery and secured it with its latch and screw, not bothering about No1 battery because I knew it was already in its place.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>During my first flight of the day, I noticed that the controls felt slightly heavier than I was used to. As I entered cloud at 850ft AAL, I did not retract the undercarriage and landed shortly after. My syndicate partner took the second flight and reported that when he operated the undercarriage lever in order to extend it, he could only move it half way; he then moved the lever fully back again before being able to fully extend at the second attempt. I had a second flight and was able to retract the U\\\/C without any problem but still noticed the heavy feeling on the controls.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>When we de-rigged at the end of the day, we found No1 battery had dislodged from its tray and slid backwards into the area to the right of the U\\\/C housing where the aileron-rod junction branches off into the starboard wing. When we had installed it to check the variometer we hadn\\u2019t secured its safety latch and subsequently completely forgot about it. Although it was possible to move the control rod, the battery was lying on top and was being bounced around by any control column movement. Additionally, we noticed that the U\\\/C rod extended back into this space, and the battery would have prohibited its movement if it happened to be settled in the rod\\u2019s way.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><img class=\\\"wp-image-23335\\\" style=\\\"width: 360px;\\\" src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/Glider-battery-tray.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\"><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Although it appeared that the battery did not completely obstruct the movement of the aileron control rod, it might be possible that such a situation could occur, either if it settled in a position which did not happen on the day, or if a slightly differently shaped \\u2013 perhaps smaller \\u2013 battery was installed.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I should perhaps add that my syndicate partner and I had never included an additional check of the battery position and latches in our DIs. They were simply always put in their slots, secured and the seat\\u2019s back-rest put back in place and secured with its screw. Needless to mention that the installation of a battery is not mentioned in the aircraft operating manual in a glider of this vintage.Make sure to check that batteries are installed and secured correctly as part of DI, and always secure batteries, even when \\u2018only\\u2019 using them on the ground to check something.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"All secure?\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-all-secure\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:37:31\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:37:31\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=23333\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":23313,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-02-27 10:51:04\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-02-27 10:51:04\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>[Taken from \\u2018Pilot Workshops.com\\u2019&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/pilotworkshop.com\\\/tips\\\/surprise-propeller-motion\\\/\\\">https:\\\/\\\/pilotworkshop.com\\\/tips\\\/surprise-propeller-motion\\\/<\\\/a>]&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><img class=\\\"wp-image-23315\\\" style=\\\"width: 350px;\\\" src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/iStock-489085892-live-prop-scaled.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\"><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>One day a while ago, I jumped into my airplane for a quick local flight and was shocked when I turned on the master and the prop started turning. I shut off the master right away. Fortunately, nothing - and more importantly no one - was inside the prop arc. This happened because the starter contactor (which can also be called the starter relay) had failed in the \\u2018on\\u2019 position. Despite the fact that the airplane keys were still in my pocket, turning on the master powered the starter and the prop immediately started turning.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Because of this, I\\u2019ve added a \\u2018Prop area \\u2013 CLEAR\\u2019 item&nbsp;<em><strong><mark style=\\\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\\\" class=\\\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\\\">before<\\\/mark><\\\/strong><\\\/em>&nbsp;\\u2018Master \\u2013 ON\\u2019 to my prestart check to ensure that if this happens again the possibilities of damage or injury are minimized.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Many of us have the essential \\u2018prop clear\\u2019 on a checklist right before turning the key, just like we have a check for oil pressure or ammeter not full scale immediately after engine start. However, few pilots think twice about turning the master on when they first open the plane to check fuel levels, deploy the flaps, or do any of several other pre-flight tasks. Don\\u2019t be one of those pilots. Any time you energize a system, ensure people and objects are out of harm\\u2019s way.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Always treat propellors as live\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-always-treat-propellors-as-live\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:38:00\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:38:00\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=23313\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":22793,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-01-23 13:43:14\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-01-23 13:43:14\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I'm a GA pilot who utilises my small-group PA28 Warrior II for recreational purposes. At the point of writing, I have logged 296 flying hours of which the majority are on type, I've expanded my knowledge base by undertaking my IR(r), I fly often to stay current, and I have capabilities that have a limit in GA terms. I was undertaking a very routine and non-eventful flight from my home airfield in Norfolk to an airfield in East Riding. After a few hours at our destination, it was time to return home. As I departed with my passenger, I thought the journey back would be as uneventful as our arrival, how wrong could I be.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On departing the East Riding airfield area I changed frequency to Humberside Radar. Climbing through 2500ft, my passenger asked me what had appeared on the lower part of the front screen on his side of the aircraft. At first, I could not see what he was referring to, then a further smear appeared. I initially thought that it was water, however within seconds the liquid began to spread in finger formation up the front screen and I could quite clearly see that it was yellow and quite thick! Oil! On turning my vision back to my side of the screen, I noticed that the liquid had now also appeared on both sides and it was quite quickly covering the screen and blocking my visibility entirely. This is the first picture my passenger took.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":19734,\\\"width\\\":\\\"703px\\\",\\\"height\\\":\\\"auto\\\"} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image is-resized\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/ILAHFFT-Picture-1.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-19734\\\" style=\\\"width:703px;height:auto\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Quite quickly our position worsened when the oil started to spread in a similar fashion along not only the front screen but also the side windows of the aircraft. Very quickly the passenger window became completely blocked and my side window provided only a partial lower view. I immediately knew this was not going to play out well. I was at this point a little unsure of what that outcome would be or how bad the situation would become, but various thoughts quickly ran through my mind.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Within a minute of the incident commencing the only visual aspect I was left with was a small section on the lower left of the front screen allowing me to see downwards but not forwards. Having the small direct view window (which is very difficult to actually use to fly with), I was able to utilise this to crab the aircraft a few times to try and provide some form of directional guidance and a visual mind picture of what was ahead (a town and a big river!). On checking the Temperatures, Pressures, and all other gauges I was somewhat surprised and relieved to see that the aircraft was performing correctly and not indicating any system fault (yet). I was not sure how long this position would last, and I knew I had to get on the ground and very quick. I immediately spoke further to Humberside Radar and requested a divert to them. After some standard communication, we established that a straight in approach onto runway 20 with a tailwind was a better option than flying an approach to the in-use 02 runway. I am very grateful for my instrument training, having practiced numerous and various approaches into Norwich, Cambridge and Southend I have always taken the view that an SRA approach, (irrelevant of my skill at flying a plate procedure) would always be my chosen method should the need arise. That need was right now.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The CFI at my flying school (an excellent instructor) had made me practice SRA approaches - it was during these practice approaches that we discussed in detail how an SRA approach is much easier on the workload than a full procedural approach if in trouble. I did not have the approach plates for Humberside to hand, and whilst I am aware how to import them onto Sky Demon whilst flying, my workload was somewhat stretched trying to ensure my passenger was ok (he was exemplary and very helpful) and I was trying to run through various scenarios that could play out and my planned actions should the engine suddenly stop or should I see flames.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>As we commenced the SRA procedure, I instigated the wings-level auto pilot (something I practiced a lot after obtaining my IR(r)) and began to concentrate on the instruments and gauges in front of me. Having plugged in a direct route to Humberside, I commenced the extended SRA from Hornsea and utilised the instruments and sky demon to point towards the runway 20 heading. The direct route from Hornsea to Humberside is 21nm and according to Sky Demon 13 minutes, that 13 minutes felt a lot longer!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Whilst concentrating on the \\u2018Aviate, Navigate, Communicate\\u2019 process dealing with issues right there and then, it suddenly occurred to me that in all my instrument training I had never actually landed the aircraft as part of the procedure (there was no requirement to) and all of my approaches and missed approaches had been flown on a QNH setting terminated at either the decision height or via a missed approach go-around procedure, either way they had all been based on the ability to see the runway! This position was something quite different.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>A brief discussion with the controller confirmed that I would not actually be able to make a decision as I could not see ahead or out of the side window, hence at 600ft or 300ft there was only one way this was going to end, I was landing, and landing very much blind! I asked for the QFE and began focusing on how to land the aircraft, not only with a tailwind, but with the sun beaming into the cockpit and having no forward or side vision. I quickly established that to crab or fly any other unusual approach would potentially put further stress on my mental state, and I did not want to keep adding additional power to stabilise the aircraft should a crab with a tailwind put me off track. I was also conscious that I was maintaining a steady descent which was confirmed as part of the SRA approach with the controller. Little power bursts were also creating further oil spurts, oil spurts meant less oil which could result in less pressure, less pressure meant a rise in temperature, the combination of those together made for an even worse scenario than I was trying to control.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>As the descent continued I was able to crab a couple of times had managed to glimpse the runway and the large expanse of grass to its left. I knew that if I could get to the threshold, I could drop a third stage of flap quickly and I would land before the end.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I fully appreciate the concerns the controller would have had, a GA aircraft with no visual front or side aspect being talked through a procedure into an active airport with a 21-mile approach, whilst not knowing if the pilot was instrument rated or the level of experience or currency of the pilot. I believe our mutual understanding of the position became clear when I advised that I would not be able to follow through with a decision height confirmation as I had no ability to see to make that decision.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>At the point I realised that my glide would take me to the airfield, I also decided that a perfect landing on the centre line with no forward vision was not for me. For a vast amount of the descent I had been visual with a large piece of grass that ran parallel to the runway, I kept telling myself, I\\u2019m not a commercial pilot, I\\u2019m not being judged on the landing and from all of my training and my GA experience a bad and heavy landing on grass is always somewhat more appealing than the same on tarmac. I didn\\u2019t tell the controller of my intention to aim for the grass, I think I may have been afraid of him saying no! (I\\u2019m sure he wouldn\\u2019t) but that last 30 seconds was somewhat testing. Any landing that you walk away from is a good landing (as one of my first instructors kept saying!)<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Some 30 minutes after taking off from East Riding, and having flown for the very first time as an IR not IR(r) pilot and having landed successfully on the grass, I positioned the aircraft onto the centreline of Runway 20, blue lights flashing around me, with a fireman looking at me as if I was mad having landed on the longer grass rather than the beautiful runway we now all sat upon. I could only congratulate my passenger for his belief in me. There we sat, our emergency over! As I was taught, an emergency landing should have a real expectation of preservation of life, limited injury being caused and, if possible, an intact aircraft. I chose the grass as a safety and comfort blanket. On this particular day that blanket worked.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:image {\\\"id\\\":19742} -->\\n<figure class=\\\"wp-block-image\\\"><img src=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/ILAHFFT-Picture-2.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-19742\\\"\\\/><\\\/figure>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:image -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Would I change any decisions I made? Well I\\u2019m here to answer that, so the answer is clearly a \\u2018No\\u2019. Would I do the same again? Absolutely. Since the incident, I have run the scenario time and time again in my head and sat in the aircraft. I am in no doubt the grass would have won over an attempted blind perfect landing on the centre line of Humberside Airport every time. Human Factors played a huge part in this incident, training and currency being the most important factor, along with trust in the excellent controller.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The engineers report confirmed that the oil leak came from the end of the crankshaft ID; there had been approximately 2lts of oil dumped onto the screen and subsequently the rest of the aircraft. On leaving the aircraft it was quite surreal to see the amount of oil that had made its way from the front screen to the rudder and every part (including the wings in between). A close up of the screen from the outside shows the battle that had just been won, it\\u2019s a little like trying to drive a car with bathroom obscured glass fitted!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The CFI from my homebase contacted me the day after the incident and we met up that day to talk through the event, we discussed my decisions and the reasoning for them, not to criticise but to learn and expand knowledge. Human Factors played a huge part in my planning (Humberside was my fuel and emergency divert for the route that I had worked through the evening before my flight). I didn\\u2019t realise how helpful it would be getting into a small 2-seater Cessna the day after with the CFI. There are many things I have personally learnt about myself from this experience, and I am not na\\u00efve enough to think that this incident is my last run with trouble. I have some strong views on instrument training, not IR(r) but basic PPL extension instrument training, but that\\u2019s for another day. For me, I\\u2019ve signed back up to revalidate my IR(r) and I shall ensure I keep very current with emergency procedures, all so I\\u2019m ready for the next time things go a little wrong once again!<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Blind landing\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-blind-landing\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:38:28\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:38:28\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=22793\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":22790,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-01-23 13:37:33\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-01-23 13:37:33\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This edition\\u2019s ILAHFFT is taken from our US equivalent organisation\\u2019s \\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/asrs.arc.nasa.gov\\\/publications\\\/callback.html\\\">NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) Callback Newsletter<\\\/a> Issue 521 and is a cautionary tale about the need to conduct thorough pre-flight external checks, especially after an aircraft has been undergoing maintenance \\u2013 \\u2018remove before flight\\u2019 flags are a great aid to spotting things that shouldn\\u2019t be there, but the absence of a flag (or a really grubby one that is hiding amongst grease\\\/oil\\\/dirt) isn\\u2019t fail-safe and doesn\\u2019t necessarily mean that all is well\\u2026<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><strong>Hidden in Plain Sight<\\\/strong> - an item barely visible was missed on this B777 walkaround inspection and resulted in an expensive air turnback.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>After landing at ZZZ, we tail-swapped into an aircraft coming out of the paint shop. We discussed the need for a thorough pre-flight, paying note to the static ports, pitot tubes, etc., and I as FO conducted the exterior and supernumerary area pre-flight. The weather was broken clouds and daylight hours. After take-off, we raised the gear and soon received a GEAR DISAGREE EICAS message due to left main landing gear disagreement. We notified ATC, levelled at 10,000 feet, and maintained airspeed at 250 knots. We completed the non-normal checklist for gear disagree. We contacted Dispatch, and they recommended we return to ZZZ. On [downwind]\\u2026 we lowered the gear and received a normal gear down indication, landing without incident.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Once parked, Maintenance inspected the left main and found one gear-pin installed without a gear-pin flag attached to it\\u2026 Maintenance informed us that four of their maintenance team had each conducted individual walkarounds, and none of the four who inspected the aircraft noticed the gear-pin was still installed. Four local Maintenance personnel had inspected the aircraft individually. They annotated in the Airworthiness Release Document (ARD) that they had pulled and stowed all the gear-pins. I, as FO, had walked around the aircraft and did not observe the pin still installed. It appears that there may not have been a gear-pin flag attached to the gear-pin,\\u2026making the pin challenging to see. The aircraft came out of a non-Company facility after significant work. All walkarounds require a thorough inspection; however, out of a non-Company city, it\\u2019s fair to say extra diligence is required. Additionally,\\u2026instead of looking for pins and flags, it would be better to look for an empty gear-pin hole.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Hidden in plain sight\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"air-transport-hidden-in-plain-sight\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:38:52\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:38:52\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=22790\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},{\"ID\":22788,\"post_author\":\"5\",\"post_date\":\"2024-01-23 12:03:56\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2024-01-23 12:03:56\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>This article was previously published in LAA\\u2019s May 2015 Light Aviation magazine and is reproduced with the author\\u2019s permission.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>My wife and I took a week off in 2013 to try and tour Scotland, the Orkneys and Shetland in our Europa. Following a week's planning, we set off at the start of what promised to be a great two weeks of weather early in July. We chose a leisurely three-day route to keep the flying to no more than two-hours a day, and headed up the East coast to stay away from high ground and to visit friends and family in Durham and Cumbernauld. The crossing of the Moray Firth on the third day was one of the highlights \\u2013 all in very nice, calm and warm weather - and we overnighted at Wick.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The fun then started. The cloudbase at Wick came down the next day (barely 600ft I think) so we amused ourselves visiting John O\\u2019Groats (like Lands' End - a bit dour) and other stimulating local sites. An unplanned second overnight and a re-visit to Far North Aviation's hangar, where the aeroplane was parked, killed further time. By the third day, we decided to abort our Orkney, Shetland, Loch Ness and Oban plans - including three expensive hotel bookings on the islands - and head back South to Cumbernauld via Dundee for fuel.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>A bit deflated, we departed Wick with a cloudbase of about 1500ft but, as we tracked south over the Moray Firth, we got lower and lower in order to maintain VFR and a clear horizon. Being in the middle of that expanse of water at 150ft and 120kt is legal, but not actually much fun. The situation gradually improved though, and as we coasted back in at Banff the cloudbase lifted to about 2200ft.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The Banff to Dundee leg was going well, assisted by a busy but polite controller, until the southerly edge of the Aberdeen Zone, where we needed to climb over some hilly ground to get to Dundee. However, the cloudbase was touching the hilltops on the route we wanted to transit. \\u2018Press-on-itis\\u2019, \\u2018go above the cloud\\u2019 or \\u2018see what\\u2019s just the other side of the ridge\\u2019 thoughts can be compelling in such situations, but with mountain flying advice of \\u2018leave yourself a way out\\u2019 ringing in my ears, we turned around in the valley (without difficulty) and headed back into the Aberdeen Zone to try and get around via the coast. Before too long, it became clear that the sea fog (affectionately called the \\u2018Haar\\u2019 by locals) and low cloud blocked that route as well.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>We were not low on fuel but would have been after another hour and, given the low transit we had just been through, I was not keen on a 45-minute return to Wick over the sea. Feeling increasingly tense, I called Aberdeen radar and rather apologetically asked if a weather diversion might be possible. They could not have been more helpful; the controller immediately gave me a vector towards the field, helped me identify it, and held four heavy jets on the threshold for the three minutes or so that it took us to join left-base and land on its 2km-long runway 34.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Highly embarrassed but safely on <em>terra firma<\\\/em> again, we were marshalled to the Bond Helicopters Echo apron, parked up and tied down, and considerately looked after by airport handler Signature Flight Support as we used its wi-fi to book an unplanned night in Aberdeen \\u2013 which is a great city by the way \\u2013 no recession there in 2013.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Because Aberdeen are party to the Strasser Scheme (see <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aopa.co.uk\\\/go-flying\\\/if-it-goes-wrong.html\\\">www.aopa.co.uk<\\\/a>) which encourages a policy of not charging for emergency or diversionary landings at (about 85% of) UK airfields, we were not charged for anything at Aberdeen Airport except the fuel we took onboard. The remainder of the trip (via Carlisle, very nice) was uneventful, although haze hampered much of the journey home.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>On reflection, I\\u2019m sure I did the right thing in diverting. I would absolutely do it again, even if the airfield concerned was not party to the Strasser Scheme. I\\u2019m less sure about the wisdom of my low-altitude sea crossing. I remained in sight of the surface, more than 500ft from anything except the sea, Lossie radar could see my squawk, we wore lifejackets and had a PLB onboard, and I had no qualms about what to do if I had to ditch (in my surfboard technology airplane). But I am mindful of that truism, \\u2018One of the most dangerous things you can do in GA flying is to schedule yourself to be at a certain place at a certain time\\u2019.<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Diversions, I commend them to the House\\u2026<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"Diversions, I commend them to the House\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"ga-diversions-i-commend-them-to-the-house\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2024-10-15 14:39:38\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2024-10-15 13:39:38\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=22788\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"}],\"post_count\":23,\"current_post\":-1,\"before_loop\":true,\"in_the_loop\":false,\"post\":{\"ID\":40639,\"post_author\":\"191\",\"post_date\":\"2026-03-19 14:27:41\",\"post_date_gmt\":\"2026-03-19 14:27:41\",\"post_content\":\"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p><em>Thank you to\\u00a0our\\u00a0CHIRP GA FEEDBACK reader who\\u00a0agreed we could use their\\u00a0ILAHFFT\\u00a0so\\u00a0that\\u00a0others may learn from\\u00a0their\\u00a0experiences on this day\\u2026\\u00a0<\\\/em><\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>When this incident happened, I&nbsp;didn\\u2019t&nbsp;realise that all the holes lined up perfectly and it was only after some time that I discovered that it was&nbsp;absolutely preventable&nbsp;at&nbsp;each and every&nbsp;stage. That is why we must never be complacent with Threat and Error Management. How about this story to prove my point.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>The weather had been poor for some time, and I was desperate to fly \\u2013 anywhere. My flying&nbsp;buddy&nbsp;was on holiday, but I woke up one morning with sun shining through the bedroom window. Great! I can go flying at last. Even after 1000 hours, I still find it exciting to fly, but I am always a little bit anxious especially when&nbsp;I\\u2019m&nbsp;on my own<strong>.&nbsp;<\\\/strong>That\\u2019s&nbsp;a healthy sign\\u2026.yes?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Where shall I fly to? I know!&nbsp;An airfield that I have never been&nbsp;to&nbsp;and I know it has lots of training going on plus special arrival and departure rules. In addition, it is&nbsp;very close&nbsp;to the London CTR and lays to the west of my home airfield. A good challenge for me after not flying for some time. Shall we say this is hole number one?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I had plugged the route into the iPad and kept checking the weather. There were some non-flyable areas to the west, but they were only slowly creeping towards the east so I should be&nbsp;OK,&nbsp;but I knew I had to keep an eye out for them developing quicker.&nbsp;Shall we say this was hole number two?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I&nbsp;arrived at the airfield and removed the cover&nbsp;and did the&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;checks. Plenty of fuel for my short trip and everything else was good. My&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;is parked within a row of three and opposite my row is a line of club&nbsp;aircraft.&nbsp;It\\u2019s&nbsp;always a concern that when taxying between all these&nbsp;aircraft, that my wing tips avoid hitting one of them. While I was doing my checks, a low wing Piper taxied in and parked at the end of my line. I thought what a silly place to park as it restricted the width of the taxiway. However, as my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;is a high wing, I could put it over the cowling of the Piper as its propeller had stopped on the horizontal. The pilot got out and went into the clubhouse. Unbeknown to me, rather than staying there for a bite to eat etc, he had come in as part of his cross-country training.&nbsp;Shall we say this is hole number three?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I pulled my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;out of the line into the taxiway between the rows of&nbsp;aircraft. Just as I did this, an instructor came out with a pupil and told me that I had parked in front of his&nbsp;aircraft. I told him that I would not be long starting up and as soon as I had, I would taxy away from his&nbsp;aircraft. I got in my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;and hurried through the checks and started the engine. So now&nbsp;I\\u2019m&nbsp;a bit flustered to hurry up&nbsp;and also&nbsp;on my mind was the complications of my destination airfield.&nbsp;Shall we say this is hole number four?&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>With the engine running fine, I started to taxy forward looking out for both my wingtips not to touch the other&nbsp;aircraft. I had&nbsp;just about worked&nbsp;out my taxy line where my starboard wing would go over the cowling of the Piper, when it suddenly started up. Without me realising it, the student had got his&nbsp;logbook&nbsp;signed and was leaving. I had not&nbsp;anticipated&nbsp;that he would be so quick. I suddenly had to change my line to avoid the spinning propeller keeping a careful eye on it when there was a sudden \\u201cclonk\\u201d.&nbsp;My port wing tip had struck the rudder of a club&nbsp;aircraft. As I stopped, the Piper casually taxied out and away unaware of the disaster I had caused.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>I had many chances to stop this from happening but my urge to fly after a long spell of poor weather caused me to overlook the Swiss cheese holes.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Firstly, after a layoff, I should have decided to go to a simple airfield that I had visited many times.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Secondly, I should have gone to a destination to the east to avoid&nbsp;a possible interaction&nbsp;with poor weather.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Thirdly, I should have gone back into the clubhouse to see how long the Piper student was going to be and, if he&nbsp;was&nbsp;going to be some time, to ask him if we could push his&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;back from the taxiway.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\\n\\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\\n<p>Fourthly, When the instructor informed me that I was in his way, I should have pushed my&nbsp;aircraft&nbsp;to another position&nbsp;and not rushed my checks.&nbsp;<\\\/p>\\n<!-- \\\/wp:paragraph -->\",\"post_title\":\"The day that the holes of the Swiss Cheese lined up for me!\",\"post_excerpt\":\"\",\"post_status\":\"publish\",\"comment_status\":\"closed\",\"ping_status\":\"closed\",\"post_password\":\"\",\"post_name\":\"the-day-that-the-holes-of-the-swiss-cheese-lined-up-for-me\",\"to_ping\":\"\",\"pinged\":\"\",\"post_modified\":\"2026-03-23 09:56:06\",\"post_modified_gmt\":\"2026-03-23 09:56:06\",\"post_content_filtered\":\"\",\"post_parent\":0,\"guid\":\"https:\\\/\\\/chirp.co.uk\\\/?post_type=ilahfft&#038;p=40639\",\"menu_order\":0,\"post_type\":\"ilahfft\",\"post_mime_type\":\"\",\"comment_count\":\"0\",\"filter\":\"raw\"},\"comment_count\":0,\"current_comment\":-1,\"found_posts\":23,\"max_num_pages\":1,\"max_num_comment_pages\":0,\"is_single\":false,\"is_preview\":false,\"is_page\":false,\"is_archive\":true,\"is_date\":false,\"is_year\":false,\"is_month\":false,\"is_day\":false,\"is_time\":false,\"is_author\":false,\"is_category\":false,\"is_tag\":false,\"is_tax\":true,\"is_search\":false,\"is_feed\":false,\"is_comment_feed\":false,\"is_trackback\":false,\"is_home\":false,\"is_privacy_policy\":false,\"is_404\":false,\"is_embed\":false,\"is_paged\":false,\"is_admin\":false,\"is_attachment\":false,\"is_singular\":false,\"is_robots\":false,\"is_favicon\":false,\"is_posts_page\":false,\"is_post_type_archive\":false,\"thumbnails_cached\":false});\n    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href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/the-day-that-the-holes-of-the-swiss-cheese-lined-up-for-me\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>The day that the holes of the Swiss Cheese lined up for me!<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>19.03.2026<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/static-storms-and-stuck-mics\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Static, Storms and Stuck Mics<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>17.11.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/what-could-i-learn-about-hf-from-this\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Older pilots, better pilots?<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>04.11.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/yellow-is-not-mellow\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Yellow is not Mellow<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>03.08.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/inside-the-envelope-or-so-i-thought\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Inside the Envelope \u2013 Or So I Thought<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>03.08.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/10-lessons-i-learnt-the-hard-way\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>10 Lessons I Learnt the Hard Way<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>21.07.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/the-poltergeist-instructor\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>The Poltergeist Instructor<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>15.05.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/what-could-i-learn-about-human-factors-from-this\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>What Could I Learn About Human Factors From This?<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>15.04.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/a-sting-in-the-tail\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>A Sting in the Tail<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>10.03.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/and-west-ham-won-the-fa-cup\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>&#8230;and West Ham won the FA cup<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>10.03.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/controller-pilot-data-link-communications-cpdlc-growing-pains\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) growing pains<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>22.01.2025<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/to-cap-it-all\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>To cap it all&#8230;<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>25.11.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/getting-your-game-face-on-time-to-focus-on-the-task-in-hand\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Getting your game face on \u2013 time to focus on the task in hand<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>15.10.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-ilahfft-stress-distraction-and-flying-dont-mix\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Stress, distraction and flying don\u2019t mix<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>07.08.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-ilahfft-there-are-no-hyphens-in-jeppesen\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>There are no hyphens in \u201cJeppesen\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>07.08.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/air-transport-ilahfft-monitoring-automation-and-having-clear-crm-responsibilities\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Monitoring automation and having clear CRM responsibilities<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>20.07.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-ilahfft-annual-maintenance-inspection-oversight\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Annual maintenance inspection oversight<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>13.05.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/air-transport-one-thing-led-to-another-on-an-approach\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>One thing led to another on an approach<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>15.04.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-all-secure\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>All secure?<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>27.02.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-always-treat-propellors-as-live\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Always treat propellors as live<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>27.02.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-blind-landing\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Blind landing<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>23.01.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/air-transport-hidden-in-plain-sight\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Hidden in plain sight<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>23.01.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n            \n                            <div class=\"publication\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/ar\/ilahfft\/ga-diversions-i-commend-them-to-the-house\/\">\n                        <div class='publication__content'>\n                            <h4><strong>Diversions, I commend them to the House<\/strong><\/h4>\n                            <p style='font-size: 1.25rem;'><\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n\n                        <div class='publication__footer'>\n                            <p>23.01.2024<\/p>\n                            <img width='40' src='https:\/\/chirp.co.uk\/app\/themes\/twentytwentyfour\/assets\/icons\/chirp-icon-open.svg' \/>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            \n        \n    \n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":173,"featured_media":0,"parent":26361,"menu_order":12,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"wp-custom-template-aviation","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"CBBTypography":[],"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"sector":[],"class_list":["post-26389","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"mb":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is 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