Distractions in the cockpit...

[inav8r]

I've been going over and over a situation that happened to me during last Friday's new airport signoff adventure. The winds were up a little and I needed some cross wind practice so I used the lesson to also get signoff for two new airports in my log book (bringing my total to 4 + my home airport for me to adventure to).

On the trip home after finishing the required training at each of the airports my instructor started to tell me this intricate story - asking me questions about how this or that made me feel. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I was enjoying the conversation on the short trip home.

As I got close to our class Delta airspace requiring that I report in I raised my hand and said "one sec" to my instructor to which he quieted down and let me make the necessary raido exchange.

As soon as it was done, however, he started up again. This time the story and the questions got more intense - and while listening to him, I honestly found myself concentrating on the flying first and listening to him second. I slowed down, started my descent and started putting in my flaps as we approached the airport.

I got to the point where I was to report my right base to the tower and interupted him a second time - and he again, was quite while I made the necesary radio calls. And as soon as it appeared that I was done he started up again - getting even more intense in his story.

I turned final and finally said "I appreciate the story, but I'm so busy flying the plane I really don't remember much of the last few minutes, let's continue this on the ground."

He just smiled all the way back to the ramp.

I had passed his test.

 

[jdwatson]

If I'm VMC, I insist on a sterile cockpit (only flight essential conversations) from 1500' above TPA until at the ramp. In IMC, we're sterile once we've started working with approach. If I've got pax, I can use the comm system to isolate them from the "crew" (aka me) so they can continue to chatter away while I concentrate on Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, I usually warn them I'm isolating the comm.

 

[poadeleted3]

Good job, Mike Sounds like you were acting like a pilot in command, which is a good thing.

I don't isolate my passengers, which so far have only been my wife and kid, and my Mom on one flight. I just tell them to hush up so I can concentrate on landing safely, but to tell me if they see any airplanes close to us. It's paid off once when a King Air and I were trying to enter the pattern at the same time, and hadn't seen each other. Sean yelled "PLANE" and we got to enjoy a kinda close view of a King Air while we made room for him.

 

[Flyboy]

Good job Mike.

I usually tell passengers when I can talk in the prefilght briefing and not to bother me during airport ground ops, departure, approach and landing. If they break the rule a little it's usually ok. Break it a lot and I flip the pilot isolate intercom switch.

 

[bbchien]

Good job Mike.

I usually tell passengers when I can talk in the prefilght briefing and not to bother me during airport ground ops, departure, approach and landing. If they break the rule a little it's usually ok. Break it a lot and I flip the pilot isolate intercom switch.

That is for what the pilot isolate switch exists.

 

[Len Lanetti]

I tell passengers when I'm coming up to a point where I have to concentraite more on the plane and that they should only interupt me if another plane is nearby or if they think there is an emergency I need to know about.

I also tell passengers that if they say something to me and I can't respond at the moment I'll put my right hand up to acknowledge that I heard them. Additionally, if my hands appear to be moving too fast to make that acknowledgement that anything they want to tell me can wait.

Len

 

[azure]

I turned final and finally said "I appreciate the story, but I'm so busy flying the plane I really don't remember much of the last few minutes, let's continue this on the ground."

He just smiled all the way back to the ramp.

I had passed his test.

Yup! And so you'll do just great when the DE pulls the same thing on you. Mine started an intense little chat at the very end of my checkride just as I was setting up on the downwind. I don't remember today what it was about but I didn't have a problem dividing attention between flying the pattern and chatting until I was ready to turn final. Then I politely asked for sterile cockpit and that was that. If it had been a towered field though I would have said something a lot sooner - wouldn't want to miss an instruction from the tower.

Liz

 

[Henning]

Yep, I believe there's something in the PTS about reasonable distraction. BTW, you can also treat the DE as you would any passenger, Hold this and fold this are legit uses for a DE.

I've been going over and over a situation that happened to me during last Friday's new airport signoff adventure. The winds were up a little and I needed some cross wind practice so I used the lesson to also get signoff for two new airports in my log book (bringing my total to 4 + my home airport for me to adventure to).

On the trip home after finishing the required training at each of the airports my instructor started to tell me this intricate story - asking me questions about how this or that made me feel. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I was enjoying the conversation on the short trip home.

As I got close to our class Delta airspace requiring that I report in I raised my hand and said "one sec" to my instructor to which he quieted down and let me make the necessary raido exchange.

As soon as it was done, however, he started up again. This time the story and the questions got more intense - and while listening to him, I honestly found myself concentrating on the flying first and listening to him second. I slowed down, started my descent and started putting in my flaps as we approached the airport.

I got to the point where I was to report my right base to the tower and interupted him a second time - and he again, was quite while I made the necesary radio calls. And as soon as it appeared that I was done he started up again - getting even more intense in his story.

I turned final and finally said "I appreciate the story, but I'm so busy flying the plane I really don't remember much of the last few minutes, let's continue this on the ground."

He just smiled all the way back to the ramp.

I had passed his test.

 

[T Bone]

Right after my ckeck ride (next two flights) I went up with my instructor to check me out in the 172 (primary was in 152). On the second flight, he was unusually gabby..... and brought reading material. We were staying in the pattern., so I wondered about that. I several times had to shush him, particularly when I needed to do a pattern position report. Only time I recall him reading, was when he lifted the GA news and opened it wide.... just before I was turning base (I politely but firmly asked that he move it so I could check the sky for other planes). He smiled and said "Well, this is disrtraction training"..... I think he was really enjoying himself .

 

[azure]

The worst distraction I ever had flying an airplane was on final at 76G when my CFI got spooked about a wasp in the cockpit and set about trying to squish it with the A/FD. It took until we were nearly down but he eventually killed it. I thought for sure we were both going to be stung and I thought it was the dumbest thing I've ever seen a CFI do. I mean for heaven's sake, a wasp in the cockpit isn't my idea of fun but an ANGRY wasp in the cockpit is a real hazard!!

Liz

 

[grattonja]

I like a fairly sterile cockpit for about the last 10 miles to the airport in a skyhawk in VFR, and farther out if IFR. The isolate switch works rather well.

Joe, I don't know how you do it without the isolate switch, your boy is about the same age as my girl. Without that switch, I would need medication to get "the wheels on the bus" out of my head.

Jim G

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

The worst distraction I ever had flying an airplane was on final at 76G when my CFI got spooked about a wasp in the cockpit and set about trying to squish it with the A/FD. It took until we were nearly down but he eventually killed it. I thought for sure we were both going to be stung and I thought it was the dumbest thing I've ever seen a CFI do. I mean for heaven's sake, a wasp in the cockpit isn't my idea of fun but an ANGRY wasp in the cockpit is a real hazard!!

Liz

If one wasp stings your eye on short final you might think differently...

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Sounds like good training to me! My primary instructor in airplanes liked to do that kind of stuff. and it's good practice because we are always faced with things which try to distract us. He even went so far as to pop open the door to a Warrior when I was on short final to see if he could spook me. I glanced over and said "Thanks... it was getting pretty warm in here..."

In real life, I tell (airplane) PAX to shut up if I raise my right hand...

 

[azure]

If one wasp stings your eye on short final you might think differently...

Dave it sounds like that might have happened to you? Sorry if it did, yuck! But I still say, on final was NOT the time to start chasing the thing around the cockpit getting it all riled up and much more likely to sting!

Liz

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Dave it sounds like that might have happened to you? Sorry if it did, yuck! But I still say, on final was NOT the time to start chasing the thing around the cockpit getting it all riled up and much more likely to sting!

Liz

Yep,

That's one of those things we never know for sure. I think it shows the CFI had quite a bit of confidence in you flying the plane while he manned the gun.

 

[poadeleted3]

I like a fairly sterile cockpit for about the last 10 miles to the airport in a skyhawk in VFR, and farther out if IFR. The isolate switch works rather well.

Joe, I don't know how you do it without the isolate switch, your boy is about the same age as my girl. Without that switch, I would need medication to get "the wheels on the bus" out of my head.

Jim G

Sean takes his duties as co-pilot, which are to look for planes and be quiet when asked, quite seriously. You oughtta hear him doing the checklist with me.

 

[jdwatson]

That's really cool. I pay all my pax $5 for any plane they spot before I do.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Distractions can be annoying at first... most pilots hate those, whether it's a CFI yapping or other obnoxious stuff. Some can be very pleasant at first but just as dangerous.

In our cockpit videos for MOUNTAINFLYINGVIDEOS.com we purposefully left in all the distractions, resulting in a more realistic flight visualization. The seasoned and experienced pilots give us the most compliments. On the other hand, most of the techies that have talked to us in critique seem to think the whole world should exist in unobscured, panoramic 3D or some such. Can be fun and entertaining, but is urealistic of the demands and distractions encountered by real pilots.

 

[cherokeeflyboy]

Mike, I think you did an outstanding job. Did I misunderstand or did you state that you put in flaps as you APPROACHED the airport. If so I would wonder why you use this proceedure. As I do not untlil I have slowed down on Downwind, Just curious.....KD

 

[Skip Miller]

You oughtta hear him doing the checklist with me.

Checklists can be fun! My first flight with my then girlfriend, I had her read the checklist. Well, I've got the list on the computer so it was easy to print up a special one for her. Right after the engine start and before brake release, I put in "Kiss Co-pilot". Her first reaction: "what do you do if you are flying with a man?" Then she got it and said, "OK, well, anything for safety...."

-Skip

 

[inav8r]

Did I misunderstand or did you state that you put in flaps as you APPROACHED the airport. If so I would wonder why you use this proceedure. As I do not untlil I have slowed down on Downwind, Just curious.....KD

There was no downwind, as the tower asked us to report a right base for RY 30.

 

[bbchien]

My girls have learned when the right hand comes up the talking stops except for potential traffic conflicts.

My wife likes to hear herself talk. When she is engaged in conversation, it is almost not conversation. She never pauses to inhale, it's amazing. The other party never finishes a sentence. Talks through anything. Gets it from her mother. Once I pulled out her mic jack. She knows when I do that I'm about to open the cabin door. It's on HER side. I kid you not. This is one of my DIRECT pulls on my chain.

She's a terrible passenger. If something like the seat is not quite to her liking, she will literally stop the airplane and fuss to the obstruction of all flight activiity. The one time I pulled her jack was when it was Chicago departure and she was fussing. Once comfortable and in cruise she reads. But until then, it's just amazing.

Tonight I was talking with my sister in California. I hear from her about four times per year. She picked up the phone, I ended up listening. I'm still steamed.

 

[wsuffa]

My wife likes to hear herself talk.

Tonight I was talking with my sister in California. I hear from her about four times per year. She picked up the phone, I ended up listening. I'm still steamed.

My dad learned how to deal with my mother who is exactly the same way. He turns off his hearing aids and nods periodically. Not a solution for you, but it works for him.

When I talk with them on the phone my dad and I listen, my mom talks.

But you know what? At their age, I'm happy to do that - it's far better than the alternative.

 

[ErikU]

I had an angry wasp in the cockpit spotted just after rotation. I was quite concerned, and thought of trying to open a window or do something to make it go away. I wanted to unbelt and get the hell away from it. Then I remided myself of pilots that have crashed planes due to stupid things like that, slow and low to the ground.

I resigned to flying the plane, and if I get stung,.. I get stung. It's better than panic and doing something stupid that could cause an accident.

It worked out ok, my wife opened an emergency exit window and it was sucked out.

As for pilot isolate, I was departing SFO with my wife and my parents. The big airport and departure proceedure coming up was enough to slightly stress me. They were chatting it up during the long taxi, so I just flipped to isolate. It was a great, and amazing stress reducer... just like I was flying all alone. By the time I got to the departure end I felt great and was ready to go without any underlying stress at all!

-Erik

 

[Carol]

.......This is one of my DIRECT pulls on my chain.

Flying alone. One of the best things I ever learned how to do.

Pilot isolate button. Should be on the list of the greatest inventions of the 20th century.

 

[The Old Man]

Sounds like good training to me! My primary instructor in airplanes liked to do that kind of stuff. and it's good practice because we are always faced with things which try to distract us. He even went so far as to pop open the door to a Warrior when I was on short final to see if he could spook me. I glanced over and said "Thanks... it was getting pretty warm in here..."

In real life, I tell (airplane) PAX to shut up if I raise my right hand...

At the end my checkride, as we were on base, the DE stuck his paw over to me and said, "Congratulations, Bo you are a pilot.". I just kept on with my work and said, "Not yet, I still have to make this landing."

Since most of the people I give rides to are as loopy as the Redhead and I are, my "sterile cockpit" briefing goes like this:

From the time I announce takeoff (uncontrolled field) untile we make the first turn, and from the time I announce entering the pattern until we are off the runway,

Unless your butt is on fire and you are SURE I don't know about it, do not try to get my attention.

 

[Lawreston]

I was in the midst of my SODA flight(blind in left eye). Numerous maneuvers had been completed, including a couple "engine out(s)". After a few, "What's that over at......", there was another, "Your engine just quit, again." There was a long and large, flat potato garden directly below(surrounded by forested areas) and I set up some S turns to lose altitude. Aside my peripheral vision, "Darn, my pen just fell, down by your feet. Can you reach it for me?"

"If you can't remember what you were going to write down until I get this sucker on the ground we're both in trouble."

"That's it. Take me back to the airport and show me some landings."

My SODA card makes for shorter AME exams.

HR

 

[SCCutler]

When I was checking out in the Bonanzas, checkout destructor liked to have me go up to Oklahoma to do stop & gos, then when it was time to head back, he'd have me climb to 6,500 ("cooler air," he said); then (and this happened to me two different times) I'd realize too late that I was too high to continue home without either getting a Class B clearance or circling (for that matter, I was too high and too fast no matter what).

Good training for descent management and planning. The second time, I almost hit my forehead and said, "D'oh!"

There was not a third.

 

[Rudy]

I had an angry wasp in the cockpit spotted just after rotation. I was quite concerned, and thought of trying to open a window or do something to make it go away. I wanted to unbelt and get the hell away from it. Then I remided myself of pilots that have crashed planes due to stupid things like that, slow and low to the ground.

I resigned to flying the plane, and if I get stung,.. I get stung. It's better than panic and doing something stupid that could cause an accident.

It worked out ok, my wife opened an emergency exit window and it was sucked out.

One of my new pre-flight checks is making sure there is no wasp in the plane! I am bad allergic and wouldn't want to chance it! However i think i could handle myself Ok if one would happend to be in there!

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Rudy I wonder if you should carry an epi-pen.

 

[Rudy]

Rudy I wonder if you should carry an epi-pen.

I have only been stung once before! It was on my ear and you wouldn't believe how big it got. I never had trouble breathing or anything like that! I don't know, i went to the doctor and he said i was allergic but didn't seem to think it was too dangerous!

 

[BillG]

The best cockpit distractions are (happy) screaming Young Eagles rides, especially the younger kids. I've also taken up various forms of disabled kids, too. I think my on the job training as a dad has allowed me to tune out the kids when necessary - I almost never need to resort to the pilot isolate switch on a YE flight.

 

[Diana]

The best cockpit distractions are (happy) screaming Young Eagles rides, especially the younger kids.

Absolutely! It's funny, when the other airplanes full of Young Eagles are making postion reports, I can hear their Young Eagles talking, laughing, giggling, yelling, and generally being happy, too. When they start getting quiet is when I start checking for signs of motion sickness.

I almost never need to resort to the pilot isolate switch on a YE flight.

Yea, I rarely do that anymore. I've just trained myself to focus on the task at hand and tune out all their happy noises when I need to. I do tell them ahead of time that I can't answer their questions when I'm landing.

 

[msmspilot]

That's really cool. I pay all my pax $5 for any plane they spot before I do.

My g/f is so much better at spotting other planes than I am, I'd be broke in a flight or two

 

[inav8r]

I wonder why my instructor hasn't told me about the pilot isolate switch yet...