On Feb. 12, 2009, 50 people lost their lives as Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed while on an instrument approach into Buffalo Niagara International Airport. As is the case with many accidents, several causes contributed to the crash, including icing conditions and fatigue. However, what may have saved the lives of the people on board that airplane and on the ground can be summed up in three simple words: “unload for control.”
Getting Upset in a Bizjet
Key Takeaways:
- Stalls and loss of control are the most common causes of fatal aviation accidents, often due to pilots applying incorrect recovery techniques, as exemplified by the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash.
- Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) is vital to teach pilots proper techniques, such as "unload for control," to effectively prevent and recover from unexpected aircraft upsets.
- Flight Research offers a comprehensive UPRT program utilizing actual business jets (Sabreliner 60) and advanced trainer jets (Aermacchi MB-326 Impala) to provide realistic, hands-on experience in recovering from various stall and extreme upset conditions.
- The training emphasizes practical application of concepts like "unload calibration" and the UTAP acronym (Unload, Throttle, Ailerons, Pitch) to ensure pilots develop instinctive and effective responses for maintaining control in critical situations.
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