During these unusual times we’re helping our aviation community stay current while you can’t fly. Discover our top tips and grab an exclusive 25% off with Use Before Flight using code AILERON25.
Some airlines have been completely grounded, others claim to be operating just 5% of their schedule. It is an incredibly testing time for the industry and its people, not least pilots. Some have been furloughed and others stood down and put onto unpaid leave.
No matter your situation, it is highly unlikely that you are doing much - if any - flying. In line with government guidance, any recurrent training will have been cancelled too. Piloting is a perishable skill and this puts pilots and airlines in a difficult position. Pilot recency will be expiring and skills degrading, yet you and your airline will need to be ready when the opportunity to fly arises again.
If you’re a cadet pilot still completing you initial training, you may have concerns that your skills you have worked so hard to gain are degrading.
So how can you keep yourself current whilst isolating at home? There are plenty of ways to stay current whilst at home, check out our top tips below.
Also, we’ve teamed up with the best armchair flying app in the biz, Use Before Flight, for the most efficient and effective way to prepare for your sim check and stay current through its unique interactive and immersive training. For an exclusive offer, keep reading.
No matter your situation, it is highly unlikely that you are doing much - if any - flying. In line with government guidance, any recurrent training will have been cancelled too. Piloting is a perishable skill and this puts pilots and airlines in a difficult position. Pilot recency will be expiring and skills degrading, yet you and your airline will need to be ready when the opportunity to fly arises again.
If you’re a cadet pilot still completing you initial training, you may have concerns that your skills you have worked so hard to gain are degrading.
So how can you keep yourself current whilst isolating at home? There are plenty of ways to stay current whilst at home, check out our top tips below.
Also, we’ve teamed up with the best armchair flying app in the biz, Use Before Flight, for the most efficient and effective way to prepare for your sim check and stay current through its unique interactive and immersive training. For an exclusive offer, keep reading.
1. Armchair flying - SOP practice
‘Armchair flying’ is a phrase you may have heard during your training. It is exactly what it says on the tin, sit in your armchair and pretend you’re flying. It may sound ridiculous, but this is a great way to help you to memorise your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The better you know your SOPs, the more you will free up your mental capacity for other flying tasks. Practising these while you’re grounded is highly recommended and will surely make your life easier when you’re back in the flightdeck.
The better you know your SOPs, the more you will free up your mental capacity for other flying tasks. Practising these while you’re grounded is highly recommended and will surely make your life easier when you’re back in the flightdeck.
- Cost: Free
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How to:
- Highlight the SOPs you want to cover; emergencies, climb, cruise, descent, circling approach etc.
- Find a quiet room/chair and practice the SOP flow
- After completion, check the manual/your notes for any mistakes.
- Top Tip: Make this technique more effective by practicing with a colleague (either via videolink or same household of course!).
- Setup time: < 5 minutes
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Skills improved:
- Knowledge
- Application of procedures
- Will aid workload management on return to flying
- Professionalism
2. Aircraft Technical Revision
No matter what aircraft you fly, it will come with a bulky technical manual. If you’ve tried to read it before (we’re guessing/hoping that is a yes), you’d be forgiven if much of it didn’t sear itself in your memory.
Whilst it’s almost impossible to know everything about your aircraft and it’s also at times surplus to requirements, there is absolutely some key information in every technical manual that you may find helpful to know.
Use this time to brush up on this technical knowledge; the ‘limitations’ section of any aircraft manual is a good place to start. Ask yourself the following questions:
What is the minimum temperature your aircraft can fly in?
What do you need to look for during your aircraft engine start?
Are there any wind limitations for operating aircraft doors or starting aircraft engines?
What are your flight envelope limitations?
Whilst it’s almost impossible to know everything about your aircraft and it’s also at times surplus to requirements, there is absolutely some key information in every technical manual that you may find helpful to know.
Use this time to brush up on this technical knowledge; the ‘limitations’ section of any aircraft manual is a good place to start. Ask yourself the following questions:
What is the minimum temperature your aircraft can fly in?
What do you need to look for during your aircraft engine start?
Are there any wind limitations for operating aircraft doors or starting aircraft engines?
What are your flight envelope limitations?
- Cost: Free
-
How to:
- Locate your aircraft technical manual
- Read through sections of your manual and - as you read - create questions from the information you read
- Revisit the questions you have written yourself and see if you can answer them.
- Top Tip: If you don’t know where to start, we recommend the limitations section, and take it from there.
- Setup time: < 5 minutes
-
Skills improved:
- Knowledge
- Professionalism
- With correct information, it can improve your decision making
3. Rules & Policies Revision
We’ve already spoken about how to improve your knowledge of airline or training school SOPs, but how about rules of the air and policies? Are you 100% sure you could recite the airline fuel policies by heart? When can you dispose of an alternate? Can you ever take off with less than the company's recommended fuel amount?
How about engineering issues? What can you do with a technical defect at an airport without engineering cover? How about dangerous goods? Do you know what goods are allowed on the aircraft and what isn't’?
This is the perfect time to create your own quick reference guide to certain procedures.
How about engineering issues? What can you do with a technical defect at an airport without engineering cover? How about dangerous goods? Do you know what goods are allowed on the aircraft and what isn't’?
This is the perfect time to create your own quick reference guide to certain procedures.
- Cost: Free
-
How to:
- Locate your operations manual
- Create sections for your own quick reference guide
- Read and note some key policies and procedures
- Top Tip: Most airlines use operations manual part A to store written policies & procedures. You can also refer to the CAA & EASA documents for guidance.
- Setup time: < 5 minutes
-
Skills improved:
- Knowledge
- Application of procedures.
- Professionalism.
- With correct information, it can improve your decision making & situation awareness.
4. Emergency training
Once the pandemic is over, most pilots will need to return to the simulator, which will focus as always on running through emergency situations.
While it feels like there will be no end to this pandemic, in reality the world could and may need to start up again very quickly and you could be called into the simulator at short notice.
Pick up your emergency checklists and run through some emergencies, particularly making sure that you are familiar with your memory items. This can be done by reading your manuals or choosing a top training software for your personal device such as Use Before Flight.
While it feels like there will be no end to this pandemic, in reality the world could and may need to start up again very quickly and you could be called into the simulator at short notice.
Pick up your emergency checklists and run through some emergencies, particularly making sure that you are familiar with your memory items. This can be done by reading your manuals or choosing a top training software for your personal device such as Use Before Flight.
Use Before Flight
Our top pick. For any A320 or A330 pilots, there is a fantastic tool available to help you run through ECAM procedures, helping to ensure you are ready for any emergency that comes your way.
Use Before Flight offers 250+ abnormal and emergency scenarios. Each scenario includes insight into how to prepare and fly an approach with the selected failure. The app also contains a big range of cross referenced related content, such as videos, blog posts and other documents. Whether you want to practice fires, rapid depressurisation or landing gear troubles, this ECAM trainer has the lot.
The trainer is interactive and has the exact Airbus flight deck layouts, enabling you to practice the emergencies in real time.
Aileron has managed to secure an exclusive 25% discount on yearly subscriptions for pilots during this Covid - 19 pandemic. To claim the offer simply head to the UBF website and signup. Once you've created an account you can use code AILERON25 to get 25% discount on subscriptions.
Use Before Flight offers 250+ abnormal and emergency scenarios. Each scenario includes insight into how to prepare and fly an approach with the selected failure. The app also contains a big range of cross referenced related content, such as videos, blog posts and other documents. Whether you want to practice fires, rapid depressurisation or landing gear troubles, this ECAM trainer has the lot.
The trainer is interactive and has the exact Airbus flight deck layouts, enabling you to practice the emergencies in real time.
Aileron has managed to secure an exclusive 25% discount on yearly subscriptions for pilots during this Covid - 19 pandemic. To claim the offer simply head to the UBF website and signup. Once you've created an account you can use code AILERON25 to get 25% discount on subscriptions.
- Cost: £50 RRP - £37.50 with Aileron discount
-
How to:
- Head to the pilot section of the UBF website or click here
- Sign up and enter code ‘AILERON25’
- Follow setup instructions
- Top Tip: Practice ECAM handling procedures alongside airline manuals and expanded checklists for maximum impact. Be sure to exercise your decision making model.
- Setup time: 5 minutes
-
Skills improved:
- Application of procedures
- Situation awareness
- Problem solving and decision making
- Leadership and teamwork (if practiced with a colleague)
- Communication
- Knowledge