Getting behind the airplane...

bgreenhaw

bgreenhaw

Filing Flight Plan
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Brandon Greenhaw
I've heard it a lot and I get the general sentiment of the statement but don't know that I could really explain what it means. Is it that things are happening faster than you can react to/notice? Or maybe being overwhelmed by lots of stuff happening at once? How would one recognize that it was happening or can you even detect it before it happens?
What does it mean to you aviator types?
 
FAA PHAK:

Getting behind the aircraft
This pitfall can be caused by allowing events or the situation to control pilot actions. A constant state of surprise at what happens next may be exhibited when the pilot is getting behind the aircraft.​
 
Getting behind the airplane is what happens to pilots when they have CFI's that teach in distance instead of time.
 
You are ahead of the airplane when you anticipate and are ready for what you need to do next. You are behind the airplane if you are waiting to find out what comes next.
 
Here's a good example. My aircraft is slick, and doesn't slow down easily. Thus I had to think well ahead to what I'm going to do next. Lets say that I delay my descent so I'm descending to pattern altitude a couple miles from the airport. I'm behind the airplane, I've got to get it slowed down and dirtied up and I haven't enough time until I hit the pattern.
 
bgreenhaw said:
I've heard it a lot and I get the general sentiment of the statement but don't know that I could really explain what it means. Is it that things are happening faster than you can react to/notice? Or maybe being overwhelmed by lots of stuff happening at once? How would one recognize that it was happening or can you even detect it before it happens?
What does it mean to you aviator types?
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Information (physical (visual, aural,ect) senses and data) is coming in faster than it can be processed and acted upon mentally and physically.

As a new pilot this can happen very quickly. As you grow more experienced and understand what is likely needed next it becomes a more subtle management issue.
 
steingar said:
Here's a good example. My aircraft is slick, and doesn't slow down easily. Thus I had to think well ahead to what I'm going to do next. Lets say that I delay my descent so I'm descending to pattern altitude a couple miles from the airport. I'm behind the airplane, I've got to get it slowed down and dirtied up and I haven't enough time until I hit the pattern.
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Like I said, doing it in distance instead of time.
 
I experienced it big time when working on my multi. I had just worked a long grueling day, but had a break in the weather and time to fly after work so I pushed myself not to miss it. This would be the lesson my MEI decided to do the necessary instrument work in the twin. On my first approach, I was so focused on briefing the approach and establishing on the localizer, I never slowed or configured the airplane. My instructor slyly asked when should be start our descent, as I overflew the airport still at my initial altitude and 175 knots. We decided to knock the lesson off early and save the avgas.

I clearly skipped the F in IMSAFE that day. My brain was miles behind the airplane, as I was still trying to intercept and establish at the initial approach fix, but the airplane was already at the airport. Fortunately it was just a training situation, day VFR with a competent instructor riding shotgun.
 
You’re behind the airplane when your actions are based on what happened in the past rather than on what is currently happening or about to happen.

Reacting rather than acting.
 
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EdFred said:
Getting behind the airplane is what happens to pilots when they have CFI's that teach in distance instead of time.
Click to expand...
THIS

there's a big difference in thinking you still have 15 miles to go before you need to plan your descent and approach, verse less than 4 minutes to top of descent

**to me, personally, getting behind the airplane feels like when you are read a series of numbers faster than you can remember or copy them down
 
bgreenhaw said:
I've heard it a lot and I get the general sentiment of the statement but don't know that I could really explain what it means. Is it that things are happening faster than you can react to/notice? Or maybe being overwhelmed by lots of stuff happening at once? How would one recognize that it was happening or can you even detect it before it happens?
What does it mean to you aviator types?
Click to expand...



Why is it doing that???"

Bob
 
Tantalum said:
THIS

there's a big difference in thinking you still have 15 miles to go before you need to plan your descent and approach, verse less than 4 minutes to top of descent

**to me, personally, getting behind the airplane feels like when you are read a series of numbers faster than you can remember or copy them down
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Yep, 15 miles is fine when you're doing 90kts or less GS, or only need to lose 2000 feet. There's been times when I've had to start my descent 80+ miles out, and I wasn't even above 10k. Guys use their 150 training distances at 3miles a minute speeds and wonder why they have issues.
 
Salty said:
You’re behind the airplane when your actions are based on what happened in the past rather than on what is currently happening or about to happen.

Reacting rather than acting.
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Sometimes you have to be reactive. And that doesn’t necessarily mean you are behind the airplane.
 
bgreenhaw said:
Is it that things are happening faster than you can react to/notice? Or maybe being overwhelmed by lots of stuff happening at once?
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Not necessarily. It is typically more an issue of just not keeping up with the plane due to inattention, nonchalance, preoccupation with something else, etc. rather than being outpaced by the plane or events.
 
Fallsrider said:
I guess 30 minutes is 30 minutes, whether you're in a Cub, or an SR-71.
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That's what worked for me. We're so used to distances in "real life" but using the time-to my next waypoint, etc., has helped me dramatically stay ahead of the airplane... "I'm still 60 miles from the airport, I'm fine" .. vs "oh crap, I'll be there in about 20 minutes, better get the local ATIS ready, review the airport, approaches, etc."
 
An example of the opposite. I was flying with a friend in his airplane. We were heading toward Bravo at an altitude above the floor. We were a good 10 miles out and I began a gradual descent. He was concerned with how gradual it was until we dropped below the floor about 3 miles out. He was amazed.

All I did was think, "what do I need to do now I order to be where I need to be when we got there.

It one of the biggest challenges in teaching.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Sometimes you have to be reactive. And that doesn’t necessarily mean you are behind the airplane.
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I disagree. Being behind the airplane isn’t always due to mistake, poor planning, or complacency. Sometimes the crap hits the fan and you’re suddenly behind the plane.
 
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Tantalum said:
**to me, personally, getting behind the airplane feels like when you are read a series of numbers faster than you can remember or copy them down
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In that case, I’m behind the plane just as soon as I try and get my clearance...... boggles my mind why controllers think they need to speak at warp speed and then expect us to understand.
 
Unit74 said:
In that case, I’m behind the plane just as soon as I try and get my clearance...... boggles my mind why controllers think they need to speak at warp speed and then expect us to understand.
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Yeah... I'm not sure the point of that..
 
It’s this simple:

If you are leading the airplane where you want it to go, you are ahead of the airplane.

If you are following the airplane and not sure where it is taking you, you are behind the airplane.

The latter often comes with a bonus of not recognizing that you are behind the airplane because you are too task-saturated to be self-aware.
 
iamtheari said:
The latter often comes with a bonus of not recognizing that you are behind the airplane because you are too task-saturated to be self-aware.
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Yup, just like our axiom in some mil circles: The thing about SA[situational awareness] is...if you don't have it, you won't miss it. :D
 
When the airplane does exactly what you intended it to do, on purpose, and you expect or instantly react to any/all situations as they arise, you are one with your airplane. When you are a passenger and trying to figure out how to make it do what you want/need it to do, you are behind the airplane.
 
Salty said:
I disagree. Being behind the airplane isn’t always due to mistake, poor planning, or complacency. Sometimes the crap hits the fan and you’re suddenly behind the plane.
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That's true. Crap does happen. But even then there is a difference. The pilot who ahead of the airplane is usually much more able to handle it and catch up than than the pilot who is already behind it when the crap hits.
 
Ryanb said:
Simply put, that.

Things in the cockpit are happening faster than the pilot’s nervous system allows for.
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Fixed that for you. It's a safe assumption that it takes at least a full second for the brain to receive, process, then respond to stimuli.
 
I had a friend take me flying in a King Air right seat. I hadn't flown for a while (nothing bigger than a DA40) and he let me fly it with a few turns. Within about 30 seconds I was way behind the airplane and couldn't do anything more than look at the window and hold altitude. My brain couldn't spare the processing power to even begin to comprehend anything else going on with the airplane. Was definitely an eye opener!
 
bgreenhaw said:
I've heard it a lot and I get the general sentiment of the statement but don't know that I could really explain what it means. Is it that things are happening faster than you can react to/notice? Or maybe being overwhelmed by lots of stuff happening at once? How would one recognize that it was happening or can you even detect it before it happens?
What does it mean to you aviator types?
Click to expand...


Did you get your answer?
 
Proper planning prevents poor performance. Being ahead of the airplane means knowing your plan and procedures, and then executing them in the proper sequence and on time with good technique. You can exacerbate your ability to cope with task saturation by flying with poor technique. Then you have to work twice as hard to fly half as good. This becomes quickly evident in initial instrument training if you can't fly a plane by the numbers rather than chasing various instrument readings.
 
If you're not two steps ahead of the plane, you're probably three steps behind.
 
This is a fantastic topic and one of the reasons that I believe that when I start my IFR rating that I'm going to start with a good refresher in being a pilot. I do not fly "enough" so I'm always studying or asking questions. I'm a safe pilot by doing best practices, but I find that I'm confident and ahead of the plane when I fly more. I'm better at knowing procedures quicker and ready for what is expected. When I'm not flying frequently, I find myself chasing some things, like emergency procedures or setting the plane up for what's next. Flying more certainly helps with staying in front of the plane.
 
bgreenhaw said:
I've heard it a lot and I get the general sentiment of the statement but don't know that I could really explain what it means. Is it that things are happening faster than you can react to/notice? Or maybe being overwhelmed by lots of stuff happening at once? How would one recognize that it was happening or can you even detect it before it happens?
What does it mean to you aviator types?
Click to expand...

The 'tell' for me was the radio. I'd be busy flying the plane, planning my next change (altitude, direction, speed), watching for traffic, and suddenly realize someone had said something on the radio...who was it, where were they, was it important??? Once some of the routine actions of flying turned into muscle memory, my brain had processing capacity to handle more inputs. What it is for you will depend on how your mind works. How you recognize it is going to be slightly different for everyone. Is your speed/altitude/heading changing without your active involvement? Are you busy figuring out where your next landmark is and loose track of your radio settings? You're behind the plane. It's like any physical and mental activity; the more you do it, the better you get.

Early on I likened flying to juggling running chain saws while jumping on one foot a big rubber ball while reciting Shakespeare while your friends are throwing bricks at your head.
 
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