BIG-PICTURE PILOTS
Acknowledgements: Dan Namowitz (AOPA USA) & Aircraft Spruce &
Specialty Co.
(Ed. Note: Below is Dan’s illustration of the
importance of Situational Awareness, a major component of success in the
ongoing quest for maximum safety in the
flying environment)
“With the run-up and pre-take-off checks
completed, a student pilot is about to tell the tower she is ready for take-off
on Runway 33. But first she turns to her instructor and says, “I think the tower will give us an early
turn out today”
You have no idea what music this is to that flight instructor’s ears. That’s
because, given the traffic situation at their take-off time, an early turn is
exactly what the CFI also expects to be included in their take-off clearance.
That the student understands this confirms two key
learning accomplishments:
- that she has demonstrated ability to pay attention to what is going on around her
- that she grasps how that activity might affect her flight.
As for why the student and her instructor expect the take-off clearance to include
an early turn, rather than more routine instructions to “fly runway heading,”
or simply to proceed on course, the reason is right there behind them: a fast business jet, also ready for
take-off.
After turning their single-engine trainer left or right (depending on
traffic) promptly after take-off, the tower can clear the biz-jet for take-off
with minimum delay by adding instructions such as “Fly runway heading.”
Departure control can assign the jet a new heading when it is safely above the
trainer.
A student pilot who stays aware of
the big picture by keeping
track of air traffic control’s communications with other aircraft (and by
looking around) can anticipate such coordination.
A less-well-trained pilot may comply with instructions such as, “Cleared
for take-off, when able turn left heading two-seven-zero,” but never realise
that the “fly runway heading” clearance issued to the next departure completes the controller’s
two-part plan for
handling the departures.
Unable to visualise that big picture, the less-well-trained pilot may
not initiate the early turn as promptly as the controller (and waiting flight
crew) would expect. That poorly prepared pilot would probably also remain unconcerned
with the whereabouts of the departing jet.
Unlike the student pilot with superior situational awareness, who would scan for the other
aircraft long after it takes off.
Back inbound to the airport after her lesson, she will also not just
“monitor” the ATC frequencies, but will really listen to the approach control and tower controllers’ communications, in turn,
to get an idea of how many other aircraft are in the area, and where they are”.
FLY SAFE!