Cockpit Control Confusion

Inadvertent use of the wrong cockpit control instead of the intended control is a potential situation that pilots may encounter on any aircraft type. This kind of error can occur with even the most experienced pilots and this Airbus article explores what factors can influence and lead to this type of occurrence…. Continue Reading →

Ice Ridges on the Lower Nose Fuselage

With the start of the winter season in the northern hemisphere, it is a timely reminder to re-publish this Airbus article, initially written in 2018. Ice ridges on the lower nose fuselage can cause Computed Airspeed (CAS) values delivered by the ADRs to be lower than the actual airspeed which may lead to unreliable airspeed…… Continue Reading →

Bird strike or Hail on the Radome

Abnormal events such as bird strikes and hail strikes can occur at any time. When the aircraft is struck by birds or Foreign Object Debris (FOD), the correct inspection process must be followed, before the next flight, to determine if the aircraft is safe to fly. This Airbus article focuses on the effect that a…… Continue Reading →

Terrain

Terrain awareness can be defined as the combined awareness and knowledge of the following: aircraft position,aircraft altitude, applicable minimum safe altitude (MSA), terrain location and features, and other hazards…. Continue Reading →

Terrain Avoidance Maneuvers

A typical training program to reduce approach-and-landing accidents (ALAs) should include the following: alert flight crews to the factors that may cause ALAs and CFIT; Ensure that situational awareness is maintained at all times; Ensure that crews attain proficiency in conducting approach procedures for their aircraft type;  Provide flight crews with adequate knowledge of the…… Continue Reading →

Stabilized approach

Unstabilized approaches are frequent factors in approach-and-landing accidents (ALAs), including those involving controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Unstabilized approaches are often the result of a flight crew who conducted the approach without sufficient time to ‘Plan’, ‘Prepare’ and ‘Conduct’ a stabilized approach…. Continue Reading →

Runway excursions

Runway excursions occur when an aircraft on the runway surface departs the end or the side of the runway surface. Runway excursions can occur on takeoff or landing. They consist of two types of events: Veer-off (a runway excursion in which an aircraft departs the side of a runway) and Overrun (a runway excursion in…… Continue Reading →

Landing distances

When discussing landing distance, two categories must be considered: ‘actual landing distance’ is the distance used in landing and braking to a complete stop (on a dry runway) after crossing the runway threshold at 50 feet; and ‘Required landing distance’ that is the distance derived by applying a factor to the actual landing distance. Actual…… Continue Reading →

Interruptions and distractions

Interruptions and distractions often result in omitting an action and/or deviating from standard operating procedures (SOPs). Interruptions (e.g., because of an ATC communication) and distractions (e.g., because of a cabin crew member entering the flight deck) occur frequently. Some cannot be avoided, some can be minimized or eliminated…. Continue Reading →

Energy Management

The flight crew’s inability to assess or to manage the aircraft’s energy condition during approach is cited often as a cause of unstabilized approaches. Either a deficit of energy (low/slow) or an excess of energy (high/fast) may result in an approach-and-landing incident or accident involving loss of control, landing before reaching the runway, hard landing,…… Continue Reading →

Descent and Approach Profile Management

Incorrect management of the descent-and-approach profile and/or aircraft energy condition may result in a loss of situational awareness; and/or an unstabilized approach. Either situation increases the risk of approach-and-landing accidents, including those involving controlled flight into terrain (CFIT)…. Continue Reading →

Crosswind landings

Operations in crosswind conditions require adherence to applicable limitations or recommended maximum crosswinds and recommended operational and handling techniques, particularly when operating on wet runways or runways contaminated by standing water, snow, slush or ice…. Continue Reading →

Braking devices

The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Approach-and-landing Accident Reduction (ALAR) Task Force found that delayed braking action during the landing roll-out was involved in some of the accidents and serious incidents in which slow/delayed crew action was a causal factor…. Continue Reading →

Bounced Recovery and Rejected Landing

A rejected landing (also called an aborted landing) is a go-around maneuver initiated after touchdown of the main landing gear. A rejected landing is a challenging maneuver and typically is recommended only when an aircraft bounces more than approximately five feet (1.5 meters) off the runway after touchdown… Continue Reading →

Being Prepared to Go-around

The importance of being go-around-prepared and being go around- minded must be emphasized, because a go-around is not a frequent occurrence. This requires having a clear mental image of applicable briefings, standard calls, sequences of actions, task sharing and cross-checking, and being prepared to abandon the approach if requirements are not met…. Continue Reading →