SAFETY
Emergency Manoeuver Why You Need to Do It!
AOPA’s Youth Ambassador Michelle O’Hare discovers unusual attitude recovery training is fun, and potentially lifesaving. Picture this. It’s a beautiful day for flying, with no wind and smooth air. You join the circuit behind a King Air and slow to around 80kts. Suddenly the world turns sideways as your stable aeroplane is thrown beyond the vertical by the wake turbulence generated from the aeroplane ahead and you are seeing the world as you never have before. Simple question. Would you be able to recover your aircraft if it was unexpectedly placed in such an unusual attitude? What Is EMT and why should I give it a go? During our initial flight training we are all taught how to recover from or prevent emergency situations. Yet loss of control remains the second highest primary cause of light aircraft accidents - the first being collision with terrain which is also likely to be as a result of loss of control. When I first met Peter Townsend, the instructor at the Australian Aerobatic Academy, he explained that ‘Emergency Manoeuvre Training (EMT) has been developed to increase flight safety by giving pilots a greater level of confidence and increased general aircraft handling skills. “This training focuses on accurate
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AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au
and confident aircraft control, emergency recovery techniques and exposure to common emergency situations including stalls, spins and unusual attitudes,” he said. A pilot must always be ready to react as their aircraft could be sent into an usual attitude at any time. This was demonstrated recently when on 7 January 2017 a Challenger 604 passed underneath an A380 flying in the opposite direction while over the Arabian Sea . Even though 1,000ft separation was maintained, the Challenger experienced the effects of wake turbulence and was sent into an uncontrolled roll. Before the crew could recover, the Challenger had rolled at least three times, flamed out both engines and lost 10,000ft. While the aircraft was able to land safely it was damaged beyond repair. A difference of a few hundred feet during an aircraft emergency recovery could result in very different outcomes for most GA/RA-Aus pilots. So I decided to refine my skills with an EMT session. My expectations In the lead up to the flight I was feeling a combination of excitement and nervousness. Excited because the
thought of rolling upside-down in an aircraft seemed like one of the most thrilling things you could do. Yet at the same time I felt nervous given I was going to attempt this flight in an aircraft I had never flown before, the Robin 2160i. It was reassuring when Peter explained that being unfamiliar with the aircraft type for training was not going to be an issue. During the lesson the focus would be on learning techniques which would be transferrable to other aircraft types. Interestingly for those who are experimental aircraft owners, there is the option to complete the training in their own aircraft. It was also clearly evident that safety was going to be the top priority. My first two attempts to complete the EMT session were cancelled due to unfavourable weather. Finally the skies over Bankstown cleared for the flight. EMT Theory To make sure we made the most of the air time, the EMT session began on the ground. No specific preparation was required before the day and a handout was provided just in case you forgot something after all the loop-the-looping in the air. Pete explained new techniques to improve skills I had already learnt such as controlling the aircraft’s flight path and maintaining an effective scan. Then we