How often to people practice emergencies

Tantalum

Tantalum

Final Approach
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San_Diego_Pilot
The other thread got me thinking how often do people (and I don't mean that OP, who I think did great, but the general pilot population) actually practice emergencies?

It is very easy to get a little (or very) tunnel-visioned when dealing with an emergency, or even just an unfamiliar scenario... we see it all the time in accident write ups and we see it in each other when reading posts

Back when I was in training, on any given flight my instructor would hit me with at least 2-3 diffferent emergencies or scenarios... at the time I hated this as I felt like it added an unnecessary additional workload to the training exercises, but his point was it wasn't a matter of "if" it was "when" I would have an issue and the more routine it is the less likely you are to freeze up. They were unannounced as well... everything from engine failures and mock approaches to fields, to locking the controls (where trim has reverse inputs) to lost controls (where trim works the way it should) to blocking instruments, etc.

...that was 10-15 years ago

Since then the most I've had in the way of inflight emergencies during my BFRs or rental club checkouts was the standard engine failure simulation coincidentally over a beautiful big runway. Or in the Cirrus transition the response to pretty much any issue was to pull the chute. In fact, in some checkouts once I did the checklist and established best glide then "poof the power came back" and we would do a standard landing

Did the training culture change? Or did I just have a hard ass CFI?
 
I practice them at least once or twice a month along with basic maneuvers to stay proficient.
 
Ryanb said:
I practice them at least once or twice a month along with basic maneuvers to stay proficient.
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I should get more in the habit of doing that... I think next time I'm up with another pilot I'll ask them to throw something my way just to add a small element of unpredictability to it"

Do you mix it up? What kind of emergencies do you practice for?
 
A lot of things can't really be simulated well in the aircraft and some, can't be done at all. For my aircraft, there's no applicable simulator so about the only thing in the aircraft I can do is engine failure. Everything else is just a verbal review that can be done on the ground. For those, you're looking at maybe 4 or 5 different things listed in the EP section of the POH.

For work flying, the aircraft is more complicated and we have far more EPs. A simulator is invaluable to train to those emergencies.
 
Once per month, I go up and fly every maneuver from the PPL ACS. I also practice the critical emergency procedures, specifically the ones where you wouldn't have time to grab a checklist. And I do a simulated engine out landing whenever I fly into uncontrolled fields, and there is no one in the pattern.

A few times a year, I practice of airport engine out landings, just picking a random place and bringing it down to final for my intended simulated landing area.

I find that the more you rehearse a task that you will be performing under pressure, the more calm you will be if it happens for real.

I used to go through the steps for engine out during takeoff/climb out every time I took off, but stopped doing it cuz it scared my wife.
 
GA not as often as I'd like to. At work, we get get put through the ringer every 12 months.
 
Tantalum said:
I should get more in the habit of doing that... I think next time I'm up with another pilot I'll ask them to throw something my way just to add a small element of unpredictability to it"

Do you mix it up? What kind of emergencies do you practice for?
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Just dedicate a flight or two every now and then for it. Not sure how often you fly.

Usually I'll do power-off 180's, spiral down approaches from 1500agl to a full stop landing and then pull the power out in the practice area, pick a field and take it down to 500agl. Basic maneuvers just consisting of steep turns, power on & off stalls, slow flight etc.
 
Having had a couple of real ones, I mentally review the "bold face" every time I get in the airplane. Each approach is a practice for engine out.

Cheers
 
I practice emergencies & PTS/ACS every 1-2 months and at every BFR if I'm not training for something. Otherwise, it's at the whim of the CFI/CFII.
 
I practice the true emergencies;):

1. Running out of Doritos in flight
2. Simultaneous IPad and GPS failure
3. Loss of AOA
4. Did I lock the hangar when I left?
5. Where's the tow bar EXACTLY?
6. Waving to F-16's flying formation with me near the border
 
Zeldman said:
BTDT.......

kaPOW..!!!!! Doritos all over the plane....

Usually happens around 2-4am.
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I had a potato chip bag let go that was still in the grocery bag (contained) ... it is very loud even with noise cancelling headset and sure gets your attention:confused::eek:
 
Rykymus said:
Once per month, I go up and fly every maneuver from the PPL ACS. I also practice the critical emergency procedures, specifically the ones where you wouldn't have time to grab a checklist. And I do a simulated engine out landing whenever I fly into uncontrolled fields, and there is no one in the pattern.

A few times a year, I practice of airport engine out landings, just picking a random place and bringing it down to final for my intended simulated landing area.

I find that the more you rehearse a task that you will be performing under pressure, the more calm you will be if it happens for real.

I used to go through the steps for engine out during takeoff/climb out every time I took off, but stopped doing it cuz it scared my wife.
Click to expand...
that's very good discipline. i got my PPL a year ago and haven't done nearly enough of this. I need to start dedicating a flight every other month to this or do it to/from other trips when i don't have passengers
 
danhagan said:
I practice the true emergencies;):

1. Running out of Doritos in flight
2. Simultaneous IPad and GPS failure
3. Loss of AOA
4. Did I lock the hangar when I left?
5. Where's the tow bar EXACTLY?
6. Waving to F-16's flying formation with me near the border
Click to expand...

After-Landing Emergency Checklist:
1. Did you remember to close your flight plan?
 
Rykymus said:
I find that the more you rehearse a task that you will be performing under pressure, the more calm you will be if it happens for real.
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and that's what my instructor always said... and I think he has a valid point. In that other thread I wonder if that was something they practiced more often, and he was expecting to see the fuel at zero, if it would have keep the stress at bay somewhat more

Rykymus said:
Once per month, I go up and fly every maneuver from the PPL ACS. I also practice the critical emergency procedures, specifically the ones where you wouldn't have time to grab a checklist. And I do a simulated engine out landing whenever I fly into uncontrolled fields, and there is no one in the pattern.

A few times a year, I practice of airport engine out landings, just picking a random place and bringing it down to final for my intended simulated landing area.
Click to expand...
That's great practice and discipline

I recently started rehearsing out loud a takeoff briefing in the runup area with altitudes and action plans if we have an engine failure. One of my BFR pilots recommended this and I've done it since then... but I haven't personally flown with anyone else who does it (but I still do it in my head if I'm flying right seat)
 
Rykymus said:
but stopped doing it cuz it scared my wife
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Yeah if I have any non pilot pax with me I keep some of the prep stuff rehearsed in my head. I feel like most people just get freaked out about it, rather than reassured. The one (okay two) thing(s) I'll tell people who are a bit nervous the first time coming up are:

A.) the wings won't fall off, these planes are inspected every 100 hrs (for the rentals at least)
B.) these planes glide remarkably well, worst case scenario the engine quits we'll glide 7 feet for every 1 foot of altitude... from 5,000 feet that gives us a lot of time and options to make it to small airport or field

**Knowing those two things tends to help most people. The average person seems to think that if the engines quits the plane will automatically fall out of the sky... or that the wings are barely attached and even the slightest turbulence will tear them off
 
This is an area that is kind of a sore subject for me. As an instructor I try to give as realistic of a failure as I can as long as it is fairly safe. Unfortunately a lot of students seem to take the simulated emergency practice way too casually, something that I believe is a result of them knowing in the back of their mind that we're not actually going to land and/or that the engine is really still running and nothing is wrong with it, or that there really isn't a fire, etc. I really wish I had some relatively tame off airport sites near my home airport that I could take students to so they would get to do some real off airport landings before they have to do one on their own in an emergency.

Because I fly regularly, do some off airport work, and also maintain many of the airplanes I fly (or at least have worked on that type and are familiar with the systems) I haven't felt the need to deliberately go out and practice emergency procedures. I've had a number of problems crop up over the years while flying but nothing I would call a true emergency, just some annoying inconveniences.
 
A couple times a year I'll do a no-flap in our 172. There aren't a lot of other "emergencies" to practice. . .it's a 172, after all.
 
mondtster said:
Unfortunately a lot of students seem to take the simulated emergency practice way too casually
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Yeah I imagine this is a hard thing to be forced to take seriously. Kind of like fire drills in a building... no one really cares

What motivated me is my desire to get signed off for solo, XC endorsements, and finally for the checkride.. giving the emergency scenarios enough honest care and attention was a requirement

**One thing I never got to experience (and hopefully never will), but was a real life indication of carb ice.. I'm not sure how much time you actually have before the carb ice gets so thick that it actually kills the engine... at which point putting the heat on won't do ****!

This was attributed to carb ice. Like how the pilot here went through his checklist;)
 
How low do you guys take the engine out practice? I had a CFI that would take you to tree level into the field you were aiming for. Low enough to scare the cows, etc. Seemed excessive, and when you get to throttle back up and climb out those trees on the other end get big quickly.
 
Todd82 said:
How low do you guys take the engine out practice? I had a CFI that would take you to tree level into the field you were aiming for. Low enough to scare the cows, etc. Seemed excessive, and when you get to throttle back up and climb out those trees on the other end get big quickly.
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I had an instructor who would take it all the way to the ground as there were a couple of private grass strips that he had permission to use.
 
I feel there is value in practicing emergency procedures.

I practice engine out on takeoff weekly and engine at idle landings all the way to the ground nearly every flight.

On every takeoff I plan for an engine failure.

I read the NTSB reports so that I recognize when I am putting together an accident chain.

Posts like the one that inspired this thread are very helpful to me.
 
Sundancer said:
A couple times a year I'll do a no-flap in our 172. There aren't a lot of other "emergencies" to practice. . .it's a 172, after all.
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That's a good thing to do. I seldom land with the same amount of flaps more than two times in a row. Always mixing it up anywhere from zero to 40*.

I also practice landing using the trim rather than the elevator.
 
It's at about this time I put on the foggles. A good safety procedure.

images
 
Sundancer said:
A couple times a year I'll do a no-flap in our 172. There aren't a lot of other "emergencies" to practice. . .it's a 172, after all.
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I wouldn't even consider that an emergency. That should be a non-event in all reality.
 
Todd82 said:
How low do you guys take the engine out practice? I had a CFI that would take you to tree level into the field you were aiming for. Low enough to scare the cows, etc. Seemed excessive, and when you get to throttle back up and climb out those trees on the other end get big quickly.
Click to expand...
500AGL
 
Todd82 said:
How low do you guys take the engine out practice? I had a CFI that would take you to tree level into the field you were aiming for. Low enough to scare the cows, etc. Seemed excessive, and when you get to throttle back up and climb out those trees on the other end get big quickly.
Click to expand...
Usually by 500ft
 
Todd82 said:
How low do you guys take the engine out practice? I had a CFI that would take you to tree level into the field you were aiming for. Low enough to scare the cows, etc. Seemed excessive, and when you get to throttle back up and climb out those trees on the other end get big quickly.
Click to expand...
I have them take it down until it's clear whether they will make their chosen landing point or not. Then, I will have them do it near an uncontrolled airfield and let them take it all the way to a landing.
 
Ryanb said:
I wouldn't even consider that an emergency. That should be a non-event in all reality.
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Not much else is, in a 172, except in IMC. I guess I could jam a flap track, or set fire to the carpet. . .emergency descent is fun to do.
 
Tantalum said:
**Knowing those two things tends to help most people. The average person seems to think that if the engines quits the plane will automatically fall out of the sky... or that the wings are barely attached and even the slightest turbulence will tear them off
Click to expand...

Too many people only know what Hollywood has claimed is reality. Sells seats in theaters, but does not reflect reality.

I hate to admit it, but I practice engine out emergencies once a year. Our club requires a flight review every year, so that's when they happen.
 
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