You Are The Backup To Safety Enhancing Aircraft Avionics

Theres no going back-we are in an era of high-tech avionics and cockpit automation. Even some LSAs are sporting "glass" cockpits and simple autopilots; cross-country airplanes sport panels and equipment unheard of even in high-end turbines scant years ago, and the turbines themselves are becoming more accessible to owner-pilots. Even the most capable of these airplanes, however, has its automation limitations. Proper operation and constant monitoring of automated systems remains the responsibility of well-trained and emergency-current pilots. On April 19, 2008, a Cessna Citation Mustang suffered substantial damage when its pilot ground-looped the light jet to prevent a runway overshoot at Carlsbad, Calif. According to the NTSBs preliminary report, this was an intentional act to prevent going off a cliff past the end of the runway after the pilot landed "fast" and beyond the mid-point of Carlsbads 4600-foot available landing surface. The pilots quick action may be credited with sparing injury (or worse) to the four people on board.

Key Takeaways:

• Pilots are the indispensable backup to increasingly advanced cockpit automation and must maintain strong manual flying skills, especially as aircraft designs reduce traditional mechanical redundancies.
• Over-reliance on automation can degrade manual flying proficiency, leading to critical safety issues and pilot fatigue during system malfunctions, as illustrated by a Cessna Citation Mustang incident.
• New aviation technologies (e.g., dual AHRS, autopilot "Level" button, synthetic vision) enhance safety and workload management, but pilots must understand their limitations and integrate them thoughtfully without sacrificing fundamental airmanship.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.