Emergencies

What you call emergencies are not what I'd call emergencies

The most important thing to know about flying is that it  is amazingly routine. In a normal career a pilot won't face more than a few minor technical hiccups. Very few experience engine problems and even fewer face 'Emergencies'. However what you describe as an emergency, would now be described by the crew as a non-normal procedure.

Non normals, not emergencies

Fearful flyers imagine that flying a plane is difficult, even under normal conditions ...read more about this on our on-line fear of flying course at Premium 

From the start of a pilot's career the idea of flying a plane according to the laid down procedures is emphasised, it is, after all the safest way to fly a plane. The checklists and procedures are the result of all the operators' experiences on that plane, collected and promulgated by the manufacturer.

The most testing time for a pilot is when multiple failures occur, these ... read more on fear of flying premium. The question that I am most frequently asked on this subject is: Can a plane take off if an engine stops?

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Fear of flying About Automatic pilots

Automatic pilots can fly planes more accurately than humans can

Do you have a fear of flying and worry about how safe the plane is? Do you worry about things like automatic pilots? You'll be please to know that modern automatic pilots can fly a plane more accurately and more consistently than any human pilot can. But autopilots can't think, so there'll always be a pilot on your plane for the foreseeable future.

Shallow fog means using the automatic pilot

Even on a bright sunny day, fearful flyers imagine that a plane is balanced on a knife edge when it's flying. On cloudy days they are ready to  go into panic mode about the extra dangers they imagine. Imagine such a situation and then leaving it all to a computer!

But the fact is is that flying is straightforward, it requires skills, special skills but no more than any other job. Before I explain what autopilots do I need to explain what the real pilots do.

Unfortunately Hollywood has done pilots no favours by suggesting that we're all like the fighter pilot in films like Top Gun. They portray pilots as steely-eyed super heroes whereas pilots are just people who fly planes. Sure some pilots are different from others but then so are train drivers or accountants.

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Directions and Information about the course

Here is some information about the fear of flying course you have booked.

The first thing we want you to know is that you’ll enjoy the day and we’ll do our very best to make you feel comfortable and relaxed for the whole day. We will not spring any surprises on you and we certainly won’t make you feel any worse than you do now. Indeed we’ll make you feel a whole lot better...if you don’t leave us smiling then you’ll be an exception to most ’passengers’.

The purpose of the course is to help you to find a strategy for dealing with your fear of flying and so the course is designed around your needs.

The day belongs to you so we’ll do the things that are important to you and we will also cover the things that are a cause of worry to most fearful flyers. We’ll show you some simple breathing, relaxation, visualisation and thought stopping exercises that will help you to address your fears. We will dissuade you from ‘hoping’ and ‘wishing’ and encourage you to be realistic in your thinking.
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Difficult airports

There are no such places as difficult or dangerous airports

Let's deal with the frequently asked question, "Are some airports more difficult  than others to land at?" And the answer is no,  there are no such airports. To the question "Do some airports have restrictions on their use?" The answer is "Yes". When there are restrictions and limitations at an airport, pilots have to either watch a video or visit the airport under supervision.

But that doesn't make them difficult and ... see Premium on line for more help and useful information  There is no point in my telling you things that aren't true, because that would discredit everything on this site.

Before an airline can operate with fare paying passengers it has to meet all sorts of requirements regarding the legality and safety of its method of operating. Clearly a small charter company, operating between small airports, would have different requirements compared with an international airline, but that doesn't mean that the standards are lower.

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Cabin Crew

Cabin crew are on board to help you, don't watch their faces for signs!

All  cabin crew have to meet certain educational standards and have to have a better than working knowledge of English, which is the language of aviation. Airlines, however will also set their own standards regarding fitness, educational and language requirements. The cabin crew are legally responsible to the Captain for the safety of the cabin and the passengers.

Highly trained members of the crew

Passengers have to obey the legal instructions of the crew who act under the legal authority of the Captain.  Fortunately the days of seeing them as Trolley Dollies and airborne waitresses are long gone.

Remember:

• The cabin crew are responsible for the safety of the passengers
• They are licensed crew members
• They are highly trained and checked frequently

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Blind Flying

Blind Flying means flying on instruments ... that's all

Blind flying is one of those expressions that comes from the past. In the industry we don't use the expression anymore because what we do now is so normal that we don't describe it as anything other than what it is ... flying on instruments or even simpler ... instrument flying. Modern airline pilot training emphasises the need to 'manage ' a flight via the instruments and  management systems.

Instruments and management systems

I'm often asked how I can see where I'm going in the dark or in cloud. Quite often fearful flyers are under the impression that if it's a clear day I can see where I'm going and navigate accordingly. This isn't unreasonable ... it's what we do in a car every day.

For more information on this subject see our on-line fear of flying premium Course

I'll spend a moment explaining why instrument flying was called blind flying. In the beginning flying .... premium

Unfortunately because of the forces involved and the way the human body is built (see here) it's not possible to fly a plane in cloud without something to show which way is up .... Premium ... however, you lowered the nose and the plane slowed down you knew you were upside down.

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Airport emergency services

Airport emergency services and what you should know

The only time most of us think about the 'safety' side of an airport is when we read or hear that a plane has made an un-scheduled landing and that the emergency services were in attendance. What does  mean in reality? In the old days a pilot could call for a fire engine or an ambulance to be available when he landed. The pilot could describe the problem and would suggest the sort of help he needed.

Fireman attending a fuel spillage

Modern regulations mean that if a pilot declares an emergency of any sort then all the services will attend. A commercial plane is only allowed to land at an airport that has the required amount of cover available. At airports where jumbo jet can land the fire, rescue and ambulance have to be at a higher level than at a small municipal airport.

Among their many duties the fire services are responsible for fuel spillages. If you see a fire engine near your plane don't be alarmed, their attendance is not an indication of danger. An aircraft reporting any problem with its braking system, tyres and wheels will always be accompanied to its parking place by a fire truck.

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