Last updated 6 months ago
As the role of automation in flying commercial aircraft increases, pilot complacency has become a grave concern. To learn more about this growing problem, which affects licensed pilots and flight students alike, take a look at the following information about the evolving relationship between automated flight systems and human operators.
Problems with Pilot Complacency
Over the past two decades, aircraft have been developed with increasing numbers of auto-controlled systems. While none of these automated systems is designed to serve as a substitute for human pilots, monitoring these systems allows many pilots to become distracted. As a result, pilots using autopilot modes become reliant on them, developing a sense of complacency in their jobs that makes them less attentive than they should be.
Complacency is a problem among flight school students as well, but for a different reason. Repetition is a common theme in flight training which ensures that students have mastered the workings of the trade before they obtain their licenses. After completing a few dozen flights, however, many pilots-in-training assume that they know all that they need to about flying and become complacent about learning.
Pilots who are complacent are more susceptible to pilot error. They are more likely to miss or respond incorrectly to changes in conditions that may pose a threat to the course of a flight they are piloting.
Possible Solutions
In theory, automated systems improve air traffic safety and enable pilots to focus their attention on monitoring operating equipment, rather than controlling it. Autopilot systems that require human operator involvement to work smoothly can help quell pilot complacency. In flight schools, experienced instructors who regularly and convincingly remind their students that there is something to learn from every simulation and practice flight can also help solve this problem of complacency.
At San Diego Flight Training International in California, our attentive and engaging instructors will ensure that you do not fall complacent during your training. To find out more about the commercial and private pilot certificate training programs we offer, call (858) 309-4821 today.
Last updated 7 months ago
Before a plane takes off, an individualized flight plan must be created. Establishing, understanding, and adhering to flight plans are processes learned by aspiring pilots while they are in flight school. If you hope to obtain your pilot’s license someday and are curious about the flight plans that play a major role in that line of work, continue reading to find out more about them.
The Purpose of a Flight Plan
Flight plans are essential to aviation safety. Creating a flight plan allows a pilot or flight manager to ensure that all preparations have been made and all precautions taken to promote a safe and comfortable flight.
What a Flight Plan Includes
A flight plan includes the amount of fuel required for a chosen route. In order to accurately calculate the volume of fuel required for a flight to safely reach its destination without having to stop unexpectedly, information about the aircraft’s fuel tanks and fuel efficiency must be considered in the context of meteorological reports. Another essential aspect of the flight plan is the route that the plane will take to get from its point of origin to its intended destination. This must be determined in accordance with air traffic control requirements.
How a Flight Plan Is Created
Creating a safe and effective flight plan requires the use of meteorological data, air traffic control requirements, and flight planning technology. Since one of the goals of a flight plan is to minimize expenses associated with a flight, the most efficient route possible is generally selected. The amount of fuel that is loaded onto a flight is also kept to a minimum. A finished flight plan is used by both the pilots operating the plane and air traffic controllers.
Are you an aspiring pilot who is looking for a flight program that will provide you with a high-caliber education and opportunities to train using state-of-the-art aircraft and operating equipment? At San Diego Flight Training International, our dedicated administration and highly qualified instructors provide students from around the world with superb aviation education. For information about the courses and certifications we offer, call (858) 309-4821.
Last updated 7 months ago
Once available only to the birds and dreamed of by man, flight has progressed at a remarkable pace in the past century. Advances in technology have made flight safer and perhaps easier, but piloting still requires extensive training. Proper accreditation from a top flight training school is essential for the aspiring pilot. If you’re looking to make a career in aviation, call San Diego Flight Training International at (858) 309-4821 to find out more. To learn more about aviation, take a look at these links:
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From the Wright brothers to the advent of the jet engine, you can learn about it all with this brief history of aviation from Airlines.org.
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Consult this great article from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for information on how to safely prepare for a night flight.
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One of the dangers of flying at night is the somatogravic illusion. Visit this page from SKYbrary.aero to find out more.
Last updated 7 months ago
The majority of flights occur during daylight hours, when visibility is best and the pilot is fresh. However, nighttime flying does have its advantages, and pilots shouldn’t be afraid to take their aircraft out after the sun goes down. You can catch some truly spectacular views of well-lit major metropolitan areas, enjoy reduced turbulence as winds tend to die down at night, and deal with far less traffic. To enjoy these great benefits, however, you must be prepared to face certain challenges that require proper flight training to overcome.
The human eye is not well-adapted to seeing in low light conditions, so everything that a pilot has to do, including finding switches and landing the aircraft, becomes more challenging at night. A pilot must have the proper training to know how to cope with darkness when taking off, flying, and landing.
Overworked and under-rested pilots have become a huge problem for commercial aviation. Imagine how you would feel at the tail end of a 12-hour workday, and now put yourself at the helm of an aircraft. Fatigue drastically affects reaction time and cognitive abilities, similar to alcohol consumption. In order to stay safe, do not take flight if you are feeling drowsy, especially at night when your body naturally wants to sleep.
Spatial disorientation is more likely at night, especially on nights with waning moons or haziness that blocks the horizon. This is particularly dangerous during the takeoff and climbing phase due to what is known as somatogravic illusion, where rapid acceleration can make the pilot feel like the plane is nose-up when it is not. Disorientation is also common during the cruise phase due to an illusion known as a false horizon, where cloud formation, an obscured horizon, or patterns of ground lights can mislead the pilot.
By recognizing these risks and planning for them, you can enjoy the benefits of flying safely at night. If you are looking to gain certification as a professional or recreational pilot, San Diego Flight Training International can help. Call us at (858) 309-4821 to learn more about our flexible instruction, outstanding atmosphere, and fleet of 15 aircraft.
Last updated 7 months ago
It goes without saying that you should never hop into your plane without extensively planning your flight. The skies aren’t always friendly, but proper preparation can get you to your destination safely and efficiently.
Watch this video for a quick overview of flight planning basics. Learn how to develop a flexible takeoff window based on the weather forecast, and how to use fuel stops as the jumping point for planning everything else.
Obtain your pilot certification through San Diego Flight Training International, a certified and approved 141 school with flight test examination authority in beautiful Southern California. We are committed to providing excellence, quality, and safety in training the nation’s future career aviators and private pilots. Call us at (858) 309-4821 to learn more.
