Instructors should only simulate emergencies in accordance with their school’s policies, the FAA-approved POH, and within the limitations of their training and the environment.
Purpose
To simulate the responses to an Engine Fire, Electrical Fire, Tachometer Failure, or Illuminated Warning/Caution Light.
Description
- Review the Emergency Procedures section of the POH to ensure student has correctly memorized the response
- Rehearse each emergency procedure in the cockpit (ie, not in-flight)
- During a non-critical phase of flight, simulate the emergency and allow the student to execute the correct response
Instructional aids and pre-requisites
- Lessons BM-1 through BM-8 are pre-requisites
- Lesson XC-2 (Forced Landings) should be introduced and conducted in parallel with this lesson
- These lessons should be interspersed with other PS, PM, AM, and XC lessons
- Ground Lesson pre-requisite: Emergency Procedures and Aeronautical Decision Making
- Instructional Aids: Ground Lesson in the R22
Content
- Pre-flight briefing: Quiz student on the procedure for each of the emergency procedures; discuss what aircraft systems will be affected (see individual procedures)
- Pre-flight briefing: Discuss how the instructor will simulate the emergency and how the student should respond (see Teaching Considerations)
- Pre-flight briefing: Rehearse each emergency procedure with the student while in the cockpit. For each procedure
- The instructor will state the conditions that will indicate the need for action (eg, “While in flight, you smell something burning.”)
- The student will react accordingly (eg, Alternator off, Master off, vents open, configure the aircraft for landing)
- The instructor should correct any errors immediately
- Engine Fire During Start (Pre-flight only)
- Recognition: flames from engine compartment
- Recovery: practice procedure per the POH
- Fire in Flight
- Recognition:
- Recovery: Allow the student to perform the procedures in the POH (Master Battery to off, cabin heat off, vents open) and set up for a forced landing or power off landing (terminate the maneuver at a safe altitude)
- Adverse effect on systems: None, the tachometer and Low Rotor RPM systems will function normally
- Other considerations:
- Electrical Fire in Flight
- Set-up: Choose an area where the student can simulate a forced landing, and where the instructor can conduct an emergency landing if necessary; clear the area for traffic prior to simulating emergency
- Recognition: See also AOPA Safety Advisor Article [link out to AOPA Safety Advisor Web Site]
- Cue: Smell of smoke in cabin
- Recovery: Allow the student to perform procedures in the POH (Master Battery and Alternator to off) and set up for a forced landing (terminate the maneuver at a safe altitude)
- Adverse effect on systems: Demonstrate that the Low Rotor RPM warning system and governor are inoperative
- Other considerations: Why not open cabin vents? If smoke becomes visible, what additional action may be needed?
- Tachometer Failure
- Set-up: Per school policy, disable the engine tachometer
- Recognition: Student should notice the inoperative tachometer while making routine systems checks
- Recovery: Per POH
- Adverse effect on systems: The governor and Low Rotor RPM systems operate independently of the tachometer
- Other considerations: Discuss the urgency of making a precautionary landing
- Oil Pressure, MR Temp, MR Chip, or TR Chip Caution Lights
- Set-up: Choose an area where the student can simulate a forced landing, and where the instructor can conduct an emergency landing if necessary; clear the area for traffic prior to simulating emergency
- Recognition/Cue:
- Tell the student the caution light is illuminated
- As student scans instruments, prompt with “All systems normal”, or corresponding contributing indication
- Oil pressure: CHT or oil temperature rise, change in oil pressure , loss of engine power
- MR Temp: MR Chip, medium frequency vibration
- MR Chip: MR Temp, medium frequency vibration
- TR Chip: high frequency vibration
- Recovery: Per POH, if simulated forced landing is indicated, terminate the maneuver at a safe altitude
- Adverse effect on systems
- Other considerations
- Is a power change appropriate if the MR Temp and MR Chip lights are illuminated? discuss
- Low Fuel Light
- Set-up: Choose an area where the student can simulate a forced landing, and where the instructor can conduct an emergency landing if necessary; clear the area for traffic prior to simulating emergency
- Recognition/Cue: Ask the student how much fuel is onboard to reinforce need for fuel awareness, tell student caution light is illuminated
- Recovery: Conduct a simulated forced landing per school policies; terminate the maneuver at a safe altitude
- Other considerations: Start timer to reinforce the need for immediate action
- Clutch Light
- Set-up: discuss–how did you learn/how do you teach the appropriate response
- Recognition/Cue: Tell the student the clutch light is on (student should respond by counting down from 8 seconds before responding) or flickering
- Recovery: discuss–how did you learn/how do you teach the appropriate response
- Other considerations: Draw the student’s attention to the clutch light any time it illuminates during normal operations so he develops appropriate reaction (count down, react accordingly)
- Alternator Light
- Set-up:
- Recognition/Recovery: Tell student light is illuminated, or tell student ammeter is deflected to the left (discharging)
- Recovery: Allow the student to perform the procedures in the POH (non-essential equipment off, cycle alternator)
- Adverse effect on systems: Battery reserve will be depleted within 10-15 minutes when the alternator is disabled
- Other considerations: Discuss what equipment is “non-essential” during ground lesson
- Set-up:
- Carbon Monoxide Light
- Set-up:
- Recognition/Recovery: Tell student light is illuminated or there’s a smell of exhaust in cabin, or instructor can state that he is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning
- Recovery: Allow student to perform the procedure in the POH (vents open, heater off)
- Other considerations: Best simulated during cold weather operations
- Set-up:
Common errors
- Failure to recognize need for action/incorrect response to problem
- Ensure student has studied and learned the signs and correct responses to each condition through quizzing during ground lesson and practice in cockpit while on ground before introducing emergencies in flight
Completion standards
- The student should be able to detect a condition that requires a response
- The student should correctly respond to simulated emergencies in a timely manner using the procedure in the POH
- During the student’s response to an emergency, he should maintain positive control of the aircraft and situational awareness
Teaching considerations
- Instructors can read the AOPA Flight Training Instructor Report on teaching emergency procedures [link out to AOPA]
- Primacy! Ensure that the student understands the correct procedure during a ground lesson, and can execute the procedure in the cockpit with the engine off before practicing emergency procedures in flight
- Aviate, navigate, communicate
- Consider having student make simulated urgency or emergency radio calls as part of the emergency procedure
- Both student and instructor should understand what actions are allowable prior to practicing in flight (eg, can the student disable switches and circuit breakers, or should the student reach for them and verbalize the appropriate action?)
- Adhere to school policies and personal limitations when conducting simulated forced landings; terminate the maneuver at a safe altitude and always leave yourself an out
Additional practice
- Emergency procedures should be practiced throughout training, once the student has developed control of the aircraft and has demonstrated solid knowledge of the correct procedure in ground exercises
Additional resources
- None