I find myself often thinking (and writing) about emergencies. Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of declaring emergencies, the effects of time pressure in abnormal situations and landing off-airport. Thought exercises and briefings can help with more routine maneuvers, like landings, but at the end of the day, experience is the best teacher. Pattern work, a stall series…the actions need to be performed and repeated until proficiency is gained.
Emergencies are trickier. Sure, we can go simulate engine failures in different phases of flight or a flight instructor can exclaim, “There is smoke coming from the engine. What would you do?” Even advanced simulators with full-motion cockpits and smoke generators cannot take you through a complete evacuation or fully replicate the amount of coordination required between the flight deck, flight attendants, passengers, ATC and ARFF.
