Black Hole Approach

Dangerous Approaches / Keep on Outside / Can be Fatal if you don’t Understand.

Dangerous Approaches / Keep on Outside.

Interesting, enjoy the article, always try to fly safely. 

So, the final approach accidents have increased in the last years, according to final reports of incidents and accidents, in the development of my own research into this analysis by myself, also, I want to write and post here my personal view regarding why accidents happen in this final phase of the flight.

Why didn’t the Flight Crew follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)?

Why didn’t they fly their instruments? Why didn’t they hear and respond to the Ground – Proximity Warning System (GPWS). 

Sometimes, poor decision making in many cases caused by stress overload that resulted in the reduction of crew focus to the point that warnings were not heard, recognized.

So, a human error approach to aviation errors analysis such approaches black hole landings, since they were characterized as occurring leads pilots to fly low approaches .

In, another point of my personal analyses, in the course of working with accidents similar to those in this post, I noted that many times the pilots appeared to lack knowledge of the design criteria for the instrument approach procedures that they were conducting.

In, both standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) and the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) equivalent for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations (PANS – OPS) there are severe and different limitations of which pilots must be aware. 

Without knowledge of the limitations, pilots may inadvertently, wandering outside the protected areas and place themselves and their aircraft in danger.

I have been studied some accidents reports and also working as an aviation accident Investigator, when the crew are in the final phases approaching to the airport, occasionally the crew they get lost to the point that they strayed from a protected area and failed to respond properly to GPWS warnings for the last 22 seconds of the flight .

This is many times related accidents by CFIT (Controlled Flight in to Terrain).

On occasion the findings of the accidents investigation show that the flight crew risk factor long duty period, reduced alertness likely was involved.   

My best recommendation to all pilots do not assume that all airports in the same Country o Foreign Countries use the same design criteria, always remember that the PIC (Pilot in Command) is the only person responsible to land the aircraft safely.

Always Fly Safely!

Safety Information is a free service of:

CRM 4 Pilots Aviation Consulting Inc

Spatial Disorientation

Spatial Disorientation Visual Illusions

 

How does spatial disorientation affect a pilot?

Spatial disorientation can also affect instrument-rated private and commercial pilots in certain situations.

Spatial disorientation is more likely to happen when there is no visible horizon on a dark night or in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). 

If malfunctioning flight instruments, high workload or a failure in management to maintain a good CRM (Crew Resource Management), are present too, then the risk of spatial disorientation is increased.

Keep in mind, that general aviation airplane accidents are involving spatial disorientation.

Here are some tips for avoiding spatial disorientation especially during night flying.

Give your eyes time to adjust, beware of bright lighting, watch for false horizons, and always trust your instruments, you as a safety pilot will be contributing to keeping the skies safe for everyone.

And always remember spatial disorientation is well-defined as the inability of a pilot to correctly interpret aircraft attitude, altitude or airspeed in relation to the earth or other points of reference.

Understanding spatial disorientation is a key to fly safe. 

Avoid and spatial disorientation accident, refresh your knowledge’s and, I recommend you as a good safety pilot, read more about spatial disorientation. 

The 6 types of spatial disorientation, and how to prevent :

The leans.

Coriolis illusion.

Graveyard spirals.

Somatogravic Illusion.

Inversion Illusion.

Elevator Illusion.

Always Fly Safe! 

Safety Information is a free service of:

CRM 4 Pilots Aviation Consulting Inc

Miami- Florida

The Startle Effect on Pilots

The Concept of Startle Effect on Pilots during Critical Events:

The startle effect surprise pilots inside the cockpit, and is a contributing factor in multiple aviation incidents and accidents that have been recognized, during the investigation when an airplane crashed, the term startle effect can impact pilot performance in many hazardous ways.

There are some differences between startle and surprise: the terms startle and surprise are often used interchangeably in aviation operational training, a startle effect is a short-term, fast, and highly physiological reaction.

CRM 4 Pilots, we train the best safety pilots.

Safety Information is a free service of:

CRM 4 Pilots Aviation Consulting Inc

Be a Safety Pilot CRM 7 Tips

                          Always Fly Safely !

The best safety device inside your cockpit is a well-trained safety pilot.

Las Metas en la Vida

Las Metas y nuestro compromiso personal:

En la vida el recorrido siempre es largo el camino, para recorrerlo asi se nos presenten obstaculos debemos siempre tener ese compromiso con uno mismo de seguir luchando por lo que queremos y a donde queremos llegar y sobre pasar esos obstaculos.

El compromiso es crucial, en el ser humano y recuerde que para lograr las metas y objetivos establecidos debemos trabajar duro y lucharlos nada es gratis..

Debemos de estar siempre dispuestos a hacer lo necesario para alcanzar esas metas establecidas, incluso cuando surjan muchos obstaculos o momentos de desmotivacion en ese camino recorrido de la vida. 

El compromiso con nosotros mismos nos  implica tomar acciones constantes y perseverar siempre a pesar de las dificultades.

Estudiar es muy importante, y es lo mejor que unos padres pueden dejar a sus hijos no lo material...la educacion...

Hoy comparto estas palabras porque ver otro ano mas de nuestras vidas, he podido cumplir mis metas para este 2024 que ya faltan pocos dias para finalizar... 

Trabajen siempre en sus metas y objetivos nada es imposible...

La vida son retos y todo se puede, puedo decir cumpli mis metas en este 2024 y me quedan pendientes muchas mas.

CRM 4 Pilots Aviation Consulting Inc

TCAS Traffic Alert and Collision Systems

Understanding Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems TCAS.

Another important instrument inside your cockpit.

So, I want to talk a very interesting issue regarding about the TCAS.

I know, all pilots are very familiar, of course about this important instrument system in the cockpit that is independent of, but compatible with, the ground base ATC network. 

With the use of an onboard computer, a TCAS processes transponder signals from other aircraft to determine their positions, altitudes, and rates of closure.

So, these signals can be received and analyzed up to 40 mile away. 

That information is presented to the flight crew on either the cockpit weather radar scope, or a specially, designed TCAS color display.  

The TCAS system, is a family of airborne equipment that provides collision avoidance protection and airspace situational awareness. 

The TCAS was designed to increase cockpit awareness for the prevention of Mid-Air Collisions.  

So, because transponders interrogation is an integral part to a TCAS, let’s take a quick review and refresh the memory at the three types of transponders and see how each works, or doesn’t work, with the TCAS system.

A transponder, all pilots recognizes is an onboard device that transmits a code signal back to ATC, also that numbered code appears as a distinct pattern on the controller’s radar scope, the same transponder signal, however, provides slightly different information to the TCAS.

Anyway, all pilots identify the different modes of transponders, they are as follows as:

Mode-A, Mode- C, Mode- S: 

Mode-S is the most sophisticated of the transponders and is an integral part of TCAS II.

So, there are different levels of TCAS systems: 

TCAS I, TCAS II, TCAS III, and TCAS IV.

TCAS I: is a low power system that has 40 nautical miles range. It consists of a TCAS antenna, TCAS processor with a 125 watt peak power transmitter, and a display unit.

TCAS II: combined with a Mode-S transponder, scans a volume of airspace around the aircraft using two antennas; one on the top of the fuselage and the other below.  

TCAS III: Originally designated TCAS II, improved, TCAS III was intended as an expansion of the TCAS II concept to include horizontal resolution advisory capability.

TCAS III was the "next generation" of collision avoidance technology which experienced development by commercial aviation.

TCAS IV: uses additional information encoded by the target aircraft in the Mode S transponder reply.

TCAS IV: has replaced the TCAS III concept by the mid-1990s, also for years avionics manufactures and the FAA has been trying to develop a system that includes horizontal maneuvering.

To understanding well the concept the system is an excellent device for safety to avoid a mid air collision. 

The system is impressive but when a poorly trained pilot misunderstands the advisory commands or mishandles control inputs, TCAS becomes a detriment to safety instead of a benefit.

We know as pilots that one resource ever stands alone. 

TCAS meant to enhance a see and avoid environment, compliment the air traffic control system, and increase situational awareness.

So, but when it’s misused, the negative effects can be far more negative to collision avoidance than you might realize.  

My best advice to all pilots, who read my safety blog, always uses clear and concise communication, avoid ambiguous, and immediately notify ATC when you have lost sight of your traffic.

Used properly and conscientiously.

I want to be very detailed saying these words again, TCAS can enhance see and avoid, compliment ATC, and increase situational awareness.

Always Fly Safe!

Safety Information is a free service of: 

CRM 4 Pilots Aviation Consulting INC.

Miami-Florida

Radar Meteorologico en los Aviones

Radar Meteorologico en los Aviones

El radar en los aviones, es una herramienta de las mas importantes que todo aviador debe entender y estar muy bien familiarizado, igualmente es primordial y fundamental para la seguridad aerea para evitar el mal tiempo durante el vuelo.

El radar en nuestra cabina de mando, nos proporciona informacion en tiempo real sobre la posicion, la velocidad y direccion de el avion, para asi evitar el mal tiempo en ruta y poder obtener un vuelo seguro para los pasajeros de abordo.

Safety Informaion is a free service of:

CRM 4 Pilots Aviation Consulting INC

Miami-Florida