"Watch the runway!" Pete warned as I continued on the base leg. I looked up and realized we were well past the point where I should have begun the turn to final. From where my lax attention had put us, a steeply banked turn would be required to line up on the final leg. Conscious of the potential for a cross-controlled stall on the turn from base back to final, I made sure my turn was coordinated. I was embarrassed. I had been distracted during a critical phase of an approach. Not good!
Pete and I had been practicing LNAV/ VNAV approaches with the Garmin GNS 480 and broke the last one off to enter the pattern on the 45-degree angle for the downwind leg to Runway 3. While turning base I got distracted trying to enter the GPS approach for Runway 3 into the 480 to see whether, if we intercepted the inbound course inside the final approach fix, we'd be able to get the "advisory" glideslope on the 480 and the HSI.
Pete's heads up reminded me why it's always a good idea to invite a safety pilot along for the ride and to ignore distractions.
Distractions are likely a causal factor in a number of accidents. In recognition of their contributions to accidents the PTS (practical test standards) for the private certificate, under the heading "Use of Distractions During Practical Tests," states, "Numerous studies indicate that many accidents have occurred when the pilot has been distracted during critical phases of flight. To evaluate the applicant's ability to utilize proper control technique while dividing attention both inside and/or outside the cockpit, the examiner shall cause realistic distractions during the flight portion of the practical test to evaluate the applicant's ability to divide attention while maintaining safe flight."
As we continue to equip our airplanes with more capable-and complex-avionics systems, the potential for distraction and confusion increases exponentially. Trying to figure out why a GPS isn't giving you the information you want during an approach is a bad time to be trying to noodle an explanation. If you don't know your equipment well enough, don't use it.
We learn early on when practicing partial-panel operations how important it is to cover up the instruments that are providing inaccurate information. I'd argue that there should be a point during an approach when, if you don't feel your navigator is providing reliable information, or the information is ambiguous, you turn it off or cover it and revert to your basic VOR navigation skills-if your equipment will allow you.
It's not always easy, but I try very hard to maintain a "sterile" cockpit when descending into a traffic pattern or during the climb after departing. The "sterile cockpit" is actually written into the FARs for commercial operators (FAR 121.542 and FAR 135.100), and specifically prohibits crewmembers from performing any non-essential duties or activities while the airplane is in taxi, takeoff, landing and all other flight operations conducted below 10,000 feet except when in cruise flight.
It's a good idea to avoid discussions-or distractions-that are unrelated to the operation at hand until after the airplane's been set up for cruise.
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