AIN's Tales from the Flight Deck

What makes an otherwise safe pilot believe he or she can pick through the cells of a thunderstorm? In this episode, Wilson Khors and his copilot become so transfixed on making it through a tiny hole in a line of convective weather over San Juan, Puerto Rico, they simply disregard the option of turning around. They’re not alone. Even some of the most experienced pilots have done it. In part, they’re using weather depiction strategically. But is that really wise? Topics the episode will cover: The hazards of trying to fly through rather than around convective weather. How weather depiction varies tremendously based on who and where you are. The advantages of using weather depiction strategically to avoid storms rather than tactically to pick a path through them. In this episode you will hear from: Wilson Khors—Part 135 pilot who encountered a thunderstorm in a Pilatus PC-12 over San Juan, Puerto Rico in May, 2014 Dan Boedigheimer—Business aviation pilot and CEO of Advanced Aircrew Academy Dan McCabe—FAA Air Traffic Controller based at Atlanta Center John Kosak—NBAA Manager of Weather Programs, based at the FAA Air Traffic Control Command Center in Warrenton, VA

When an aircraft emergency situation strikes, as a pilot, how prepared will you be to deal with it? For both an experienced aviator with thousands of hours of stick time and a novice on the first solo flight, proper training, a level head, and the ability to focus on the task can carry the day. Topics the episode will cover: The importance of emergency training The ability to focus on the task at hand Understanding when to declare an emergency

Having reached their 43,000-foot cruise altitude, the crew of a corporate Citation XLS had their world almost literally turned upside down. Like a rogue wave far out at sea, clear air turbulence can come from nowhere, and a routine flight can instantly become a heart-stopping roller coaster ride. Like many before them, this crew battled not only a gut-wrenching upset and aerodynamic stall, but even more significantly, they experienced the paralyzing effects of shock. In this episode, we’ll hear from one of the pilots, as well as experts in the field of upset recovery training. We’ll also learn how proper conditioning can enable pilots to react quickly and calmly when confronted with a “one in a million” event.   Topics this episode will cover: Upset recovery training Wake turbulence Gravity waves Clear air turbulence

After an unanticipated en route stop-over throws a curve to an experienced crew, they fall victim to an error of omission that could have been disastrous. Leaving Denver International Airport for their homeward leg, they trip up on what has become an alarmingly common problem: pilots not briefing for altitude restrictions on standard instrument departures, or SIDs. Fortunately, an alert controller catches the error in time to avoid an imminent traffic conflict. The Gulfstream pilot in this episode owned up to his mistake. This is a larger systemic problem than you might think, a team of aviation experts concurs. Topics the episode will cover: RNAV approach and departure procedures/SIDs & STARs Altitude restrictions "Climb/Descend Via" terminology

While safety management systems (SMS) are powerful tools that are now seeing widespread adoption throughout the aviation industry, if not fully utilized and embraced from the top to bottom of an organization, and without proper reporting, any “near-misses” can go unchecked until disaster strikes.  A U.S. Navy aircraft mechanic, who was seriously injured in a maintenance accident, went on a crusade to find out how the root-cause of such a situation, which previously harmed four others, had slipped through the cracks in the SMS.   Topics the episode will cover: Safety Management System Communication Break Downs Blameless Culture The value of incident reporting

Pilot complacency during preflight inspection nearly led to disaster on a brisk October day in 2008. As an experienced flight crew readying for a short repositioning hop on that crystal clear morning neglected one simple, but crucial task, it soon placed them and their aircraft in danger. What would lead veteran pilots to make such a novice mistake, and how can such similar errors be prevented?

On January 19, 2011, a Citation X flying from Providence, Rhode Island, to Waukegan National Airport in Illinois slid off the runway. This was six years before TALPA, the Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment initiative, was created. According to the National Business Aviation Association, TALPA incorporates the runway condition matrix that airport operators use to assign runway condition codes between zero and six for each third of the runway. However, TALPA is just the beginning. This episode of AIN’s The Human Factor further examines the dangers of runway contamination, the impact of TALPA, and how the aviation industry can work on improving runway safety standards.

Listen to a two-member flight crew make a top-of-decent assessment in this bonus episode of AIN’s Tales from the Flight Deck.

On Dec. 8, 2005, Southwest Airlines 1248 was completing its trip from Baltimore when it plowed through a runway barrier and skidded onto the streets of Chicago. The Boeing 737 collided with two cars, killing 6-year-old Joshua Woods. The aircraft had been operating in near blizzard conditions and dealt with a stiff tailwind, a short runway, and some technical issues. Ultimately, the pilot did not have the appropriate landing data for Midway International Airport. In the summer of 2006, the FAA convened a two-day meeting with industry safety experts to attempt to implement more safety measures for pilots. How did aviation organizations and individuals in the industry work together to improve takeoff and landing assessments for pilots?

The second installment of AIN’s The Human Factor, Flying Under the Influence, continues the discussion about pilots who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. Dr. Quay C. Snyder, the president, CEO, and cofounder of Aviation Medicine Advisory Service, explains the recovery process for pilots. Meanwhile pilot Corey Slone, who now serves as the national chairman of the Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Program, shares his own story of addiction and how he became a part of the rehabilitation program. According to the HIMS website, the program focuses on identifying and treating commercial pilots with addiction so that they can eventually return to work. Managers, pilots, healthcare professionals, and the FAA all work together to ensure the safety of pilots as well as passengers flying with these pilots.

Passengers put their lives in the hands of their flight crews when they step onto an airplane. But what if pilots violate the trust passengers bestow? In 1990, Lyle Prouse was the first pilot arrested for being drunk in the cockpit when he attempted to fly Northwest Airlines Flight 650 from Fargo, North Dakota, to Minneapolis. Today, a pilot is pulled from a flight for being too intoxicated to fly about once a month, according to experts. In this episode of AIN’s The Human Factor, multiple pilots tell their stories of dealing with addiction while in the cockpit and explain how their actions affected their careers. This episode also explores how the FAA, pilot unions, and companies have worked together to create the Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Program to help addicted pilots return to the cockpit.

While flying an Airbus A330 at FL370 over the Indian Ocean from Singapore to Perth in 2008, pilot Kevin Sullivan found himself dealing with malfunctioning primary flight control computers. The aircraft began to pitch down over the water, which injured some of the 303 passengers on board. Fortunately, Sullivan’s past experience as a Navy pilot helped him navigate to safety. In this second part of this AIN's The Human Factor episode, Sullivan continues his tale of Qantas Flight 72 and how he was able to land the aircraft at the military field at Learmonth Airport. He also speaks about how the experience affects him today.

On Oct. 7, 2008, Qantas Flight 72 was flying over the Indian Ocean from Singapore to Perth, Australia. Kevin Sullivan, pilot-in-command of the Airbus A330, was flying on autopilot at 37,000 feet when suddenly warnings started sounding throughout the cockpit; the primary flight control computers were malfunctioning. The aircraft began to pitch up, and Sullivan realized he was just another passenger, for a short time unable to control the errant Airbus. After regaining control of the A330, Sullivan then had to decide whether to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport, the military field at Learmonth, or continue another hour and a half to Perth. In this episode of AIN’s The Human Factor, Sullivan recounts how he was able to identify the issues affecting the A330's fly-by-wire flight controls and minimize damage while planning how how to keep his 315 passengers safe.

Pilot George Braly recalls a flight in which his portable oxygen line becomes kinked and he ultimately loses conciousness. George is awakened by ATC and is able to increase the oxygen flow and safely descend from the high-altitude flight. In this episode AIN delves into the issue of hypoxia by examining both portable and built-in oxygen systems. Additionally we discuss the FAA regulations that require one pilot when flying in a pressurized aircraft above 41,000 to use an oxygen mask at all times. Studies have shown that 82 percent of business aircraft pilots openly disregard this rule, and this episode discusses the human factors involved in oxygen mask use on long flights and possible solutions to this problem.

After Dennis Murphy delivered five charter passengers to Havana, Cuba, on February 20, 2003, during the return trip one of the engines on his Cessna 402B burst into flames while he was flying over the ocean, far from land over the Straits of Florida, forcing him to make an emergency water landing. In this second part of his recounting of the harrowing flight in AIN's The Human Factor podcast, we return to the tale as Dennis Murphy ditches his airplane in the ocean and follow along with what happens next.