OPINIONS: AVIATION
Happy flying! Last year saw more commercial aviation casualties than the previous four years combined. Is flying quite as safe as we think? Mitchell Simmonds (Year 11)
T here are a number of possible causes of crashes, but the good news is that airlines and aircraft manufacturers are working hard to decrease that number. The first cause that many investigators examine is that of pilot error. Therefore, it makes sense to examine the training of a pilot – is it rigorous enough to ensure mistakes are avoided? In addition to passing numerous medical and aptitude tests, a new pilot will begin by learning to fly basic aircraft as well as being tested on ‘upset recovery’ – the procedures for recovering from abnormal situations such as stalls, low speed and other problems. But that’s just the start: next the pilot will sit 14 written exams followed by a practical flying test, and then train in a Level D flight simulator, which, inside at least, looks identical to a real a cockpit identically. To make things especially tricky, an instructor can change the airport or
weather conditions and introduce a system failure or aircraft malfunction at any point during the flight. Still the pilot is not ready, however. Following training in the simulator, pilots have to undergo the most exacting test: a ‘checkride.’ Here, they are given a standard flight to fly, but the examiner may initiate any emergency, causing one or several failures of the aircraft. The pilot, unaware of what will occur, must deal with the situation and make a decision within seconds. He or she will carry out the necessary checklists and procedures before safely landing the aircraft – there might be no visibility, a complete autopilot failure, and no engines working. After passing this exam, our pilot is now more than ready to fly real aircraft. However, every six months their licence is frozen whilst they undergo another checkride and a medical examination. Furthermore, modern day aircraft such as the Airbus A380 have systems to
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