On Mar 29, 4:24*pm, "kirk.stant" wrote:
On Mar 29, 1:25*pm, Mark Jardini wrote:

Yeah, but you AF fighter jocks are not like us mere mortals. I used to
think I was a good pilot until I became a flight doc. There is a
another whole level of airmanship that most of us will never achieve.
USAF training selects the best and makes them better.

Mark Jardini ANG(ret)

(uses a checklist)

I tend to think it is more the result of thorough training and
constant practice, in an environment where you have to actually do
something while flying the plane all the time (instead of watching the
glass while george does the driving). *And that applies to pretty much
all military flying, or professional flying like cropdusters and
medivac helos.

Interestingly, serious (XC, contest, acro) glider flying is in many
ways very similar to tactical flying in fighters - just a bit
slower.

As glider pilots, we tend to have only basic (if often excellent)
training, then it's up to us to develop and maintain currency and
advance our skills.

That takes time and dedication. *And money - for those 5000' tows on
calm winter days when you go up to practice the basics even though you
have 2000 hrs in your glider. *Many glider pilots just aren't willing
(or able) to do that.

Perhaps that is what leads to "checklists" that read like a page out
of a training manual - and perhaps they are necessary for many
pilots. *But judging by our accident record, that approach may not be
the best...

Kirk
66

No offense intended, and none taken.

Andy's spot on regarding challenge and response checklists. We get so
used to making the response (whether to another crew member or to
ourselves) that, sometimes, the response is the only action taken. "I
didn't hear the tower's warning about the landing gear because there
was this loud horn blaring in my headset."

Once, as a flight engineer, I had a first officer center the gear
handle on a 727 before the gear doors had time to close. Not too much
of a problem except we were on a two-engine recovery flight (CLE-DFW)
and there was a blizzard blowing outside. Checklist said something
like Gear lever - Up and Off. He waved me to shut up as I warned
about the hanging door (again, only two engines turning) so I
unstrapped, reached over him, raised the gear handle until the doors
closed, and then centered it. The captain nodded in approval.

Remember the first officer worrying that something was wrong and the
captain saying it was OK (Air Florida, DCA)? Checklists are no
substitute for airmanship.

OK, I'm gonna go tow some gliders now...