Should an IPC include a manually flown GPWS terrain pull up as a mandatory test item?
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Should an IPC include a manually flown GPWS terrain pull up as a mandatory test item?
With countless reminders from flight safety authorities of the pitfalls of automation dependency or automation addiction, the following report from the NASA Aviation Safety reporting System is worth studying by those crews flying highly automated aircraft; especially whose companies actively discourage manual flying on line.
"Whoop! Whoop! Pull Up!
Flight crews failure to maintain awareness of aircraft proximity to terrain is a factor commonly cited in accidents involving U.S. operators abroad. The NTSB has expressed its concern to the FAA that some crews are taught, either explicitly or implicitly, to ignore or inhibit GPWS alerts during their flight training. Here is a case report in which the alarm may have been false, but the captain responded flawlessly.
"We were on descent for Runway23...Runway changed to 5...Descended.to 9000, then 7000. Approaching 7000 ft GPWS activated with "Terrain, terrain, then whoop whoop, pull up. We were in weather, no visibility. Co-pilot reached for autopilot panel to climb (we were on autopilot). I yelled `Climb now` very forcefully. When there was no response, I hit autopilot disconnect and pulled up. GPWS stopped and we levelled at 9200 ft. I explained our climb to Approach. He said we had sufficient terrain clearance. Further approach was uneventful. Our approach chart shows a 5575-foot point north of the area. The departure chart show a 5637-foot point in general area..
I think that the co-pilot's reaction was not that unusual in super auto type airplanes. GPWS terrain warning is useless unless crew reacts instantly. A surprise GPWS activation should be included in simulator training when the crew is in autoflight mode. I don't think it unreasonable to expect instant transition to manual climb unless its is practiced, especially in the newer planes where autoflight is emphasised" End of report.
That report was published in December 1989 and the sophistication of autoflight systems has increased greatly since. There are many anecdotal reports of overseas operators mandating by SOP that automatic pilots must be engaged shortly after lift off and remain engaged until below 1000 ft or even lower on final even in VMC. Practice manual flying even in perfect weather is prohibited by many operators. Is it any wonder that some crews are reluctant or unable to switch seamlessly to manual flying if faced with a GPWS pull up warning, when 99% of their flying career is managing the autoflight systems.
The suggestion by the author of the above report that a surprise GPWS activation should be included in simulator training when the crew are in autoflight mode, has considerable merit. One practice a year is a waste of time. Under Part 61, the Manual of Standards and Flight Examiners Handbook prescribe mandatory sequences to be tested as part of the Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC). As it is now, the vast majority of the IPC in the airline industry is on automatic pilot. Steep turns for example, once a required test of manual instrument flying skills, are now not required in the IPC. The reason offered is that fly-by-wire aircraft, have automatic envelope protections to prevent turns over a set angle of bank.
Even with a so called raw data manually flown approach during an IPC, the candidate can either use the flight director while manually flying; or fly the approach auto-coupled but with no flight director. This is not exactly a valid test of the candidate's raw data (No FD) manually flown instrument approach ability.
The instant reaction needed to successfully perform a GPWS Terrain warning pull up in IMC or at night, requires an exemplary level of decision making and manual flying competency. This writer believes CASA should consider including in the IPC as a vital mandatory safety of flight test item, a manually flown GPWS terrain pull up while on autoflight mode.
"Whoop! Whoop! Pull Up!
Flight crews failure to maintain awareness of aircraft proximity to terrain is a factor commonly cited in accidents involving U.S. operators abroad. The NTSB has expressed its concern to the FAA that some crews are taught, either explicitly or implicitly, to ignore or inhibit GPWS alerts during their flight training. Here is a case report in which the alarm may have been false, but the captain responded flawlessly.
"We were on descent for Runway23...Runway changed to 5...Descended.to 9000, then 7000. Approaching 7000 ft GPWS activated with "Terrain, terrain, then whoop whoop, pull up. We were in weather, no visibility. Co-pilot reached for autopilot panel to climb (we were on autopilot). I yelled `Climb now` very forcefully. When there was no response, I hit autopilot disconnect and pulled up. GPWS stopped and we levelled at 9200 ft. I explained our climb to Approach. He said we had sufficient terrain clearance. Further approach was uneventful. Our approach chart shows a 5575-foot point north of the area. The departure chart show a 5637-foot point in general area..
I think that the co-pilot's reaction was not that unusual in super auto type airplanes. GPWS terrain warning is useless unless crew reacts instantly. A surprise GPWS activation should be included in simulator training when the crew is in autoflight mode. I don't think it unreasonable to expect instant transition to manual climb unless its is practiced, especially in the newer planes where autoflight is emphasised" End of report.
That report was published in December 1989 and the sophistication of autoflight systems has increased greatly since. There are many anecdotal reports of overseas operators mandating by SOP that automatic pilots must be engaged shortly after lift off and remain engaged until below 1000 ft or even lower on final even in VMC. Practice manual flying even in perfect weather is prohibited by many operators. Is it any wonder that some crews are reluctant or unable to switch seamlessly to manual flying if faced with a GPWS pull up warning, when 99% of their flying career is managing the autoflight systems.
The suggestion by the author of the above report that a surprise GPWS activation should be included in simulator training when the crew are in autoflight mode, has considerable merit. One practice a year is a waste of time. Under Part 61, the Manual of Standards and Flight Examiners Handbook prescribe mandatory sequences to be tested as part of the Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC). As it is now, the vast majority of the IPC in the airline industry is on automatic pilot. Steep turns for example, once a required test of manual instrument flying skills, are now not required in the IPC. The reason offered is that fly-by-wire aircraft, have automatic envelope protections to prevent turns over a set angle of bank.
Even with a so called raw data manually flown approach during an IPC, the candidate can either use the flight director while manually flying; or fly the approach auto-coupled but with no flight director. This is not exactly a valid test of the candidate's raw data (No FD) manually flown instrument approach ability.
The instant reaction needed to successfully perform a GPWS Terrain warning pull up in IMC or at night, requires an exemplary level of decision making and manual flying competency. This writer believes CASA should consider including in the IPC as a vital mandatory safety of flight test item, a manually flown GPWS terrain pull up while on autoflight mode.
Last edited by Centaurus; 7th Feb 2018 at 13:53.
Absolutely Centaurus.
With many of the flying school fleet these days, especially in 'Aviation Colleges' fitted with glass cockpit trickery. I can see how Flight Instructors would tell students to ignore or disregard any alerts triggered by the TAWS or the like, as they stooge around the training area in VMC.
With many of the flying school fleet these days, especially in 'Aviation Colleges' fitted with glass cockpit trickery. I can see how Flight Instructors would tell students to ignore or disregard any alerts triggered by the TAWS or the like, as they stooge around the training area in VMC.
Last edited by DynamicStall; 7th Feb 2018 at 23:34.
N4790P
Absolutely Centaurus.
With many of the flying school fleet these days, especially in 'Aviation Colleges' fitted with glass cockpit trickery. I can see how Flight Instructors would tell students to ignore or disregard any alerts triggered by the TAWS or the like, as they stooge around the training area in VMC.
With many of the flying school fleet these days, especially in 'Aviation Colleges' fitted with glass cockpit trickery. I can see how Flight Instructors would tell students to ignore or disregard any alerts triggered by the TAWS or the like, as they stooge around the training area in VMC.
My "Boeing" FCOM says to disconnect the ATS and AP and pull. What do the real Boeings say?
Yes, yes, yes, yes and yeeeeeesss!
Speaking from experience having personaly botched up a missed approach and punching out the bottom of the fog looking at windscreens full of green jungle at about 200 feet.....
I shouldn’t be alive, and that’s not the only near coffin experience I have had in an aeroplane.
Speaking from experience having personaly botched up a missed approach and punching out the bottom of the fog looking at windscreens full of green jungle at about 200 feet.....
I shouldn’t be alive, and that’s not the only near coffin experience I have had in an aeroplane.
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A GPWS Terrain PULL UP warning is usually preceded by the sudden appearance of the radio altimeter rapidly winding down. An alert pilot will spot this and start the pull up manoeuvre a second or so before the aural warning sounds. Every second counts which may save a disaster.
The suggestion a GPWS terrain pull up manoeuvre should be part of regular practice in the simulator as well as part of an IPC, could well be a life saver.
The operating word is "regular". Once every three years as part of cyclic training in airlines is not exactly regular and nothing more than a box ticking exercise.
The suggestion a GPWS terrain pull up manoeuvre should be part of regular practice in the simulator as well as part of an IPC, could well be a life saver.
The operating word is "regular". Once every three years as part of cyclic training in airlines is not exactly regular and nothing more than a box ticking exercise.
