Familiarity in flying has several components. There is the foundational element of general familiarity with airplanes and how to fly them. There is familiarity with systems; this may be of a general kind (knowing how to lean the mixture or adjust a constant-speed propeller, for instance) or specific to a particular airplane or type (such as knowing to use the left main tank of an old Beech Bonanza for takeoff when both mains are full because all return fuel from the injection pump goes to the left tank).
A Pilot Gets Caught Between Procedure and Instinct
Mistakes breed in the shadowy land between the systematic and the instinctive.
Key Takeaways:
- The article defines pilot familiarity with aircraft as multi-faceted, encompassing general knowledge, system specifics, handling characteristics, and muscle memory, noting that both insufficient and misapplied familiarity can be hazardous.
- Lack of familiarity with an aircraft's unique attributes—such as highly sensitive controls, non-intuitive pitch trim systems, or complex fuel management—is a significant factor in pilot errors and fatal accidents.
- Real-world accidents, including a pilot's stall-spin in an unfamiliar Lancair and crashes linked to the Piper Comanche's unusual trim, illustrate how unconscious actions or misapplied instincts due to unfamiliarity lead to critical mistakes.
- To mitigate the dangers of unfamiliarity and unconscious errors, pilots must prioritize conscious procedures like thorough checklists and critical crew attention over instinctive actions.
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