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at all but would have often flown like this and
seen it as perfectly normal. But pilots trained
in the last twenty or so years, a newer breed
of pilots, trained to a shorter syllabus may find
this quite unnerving, especially if your airline
discourages such activity.”
The report says that the FAA suggestion and
advice is “ground-breaking” because many
airlines began some years ago discouraging
manual flying, except in certain defined condi-
tions. Why did they do this asks Capt. Leahy.
“One Flight Manager at a major carrier tried
to explain it to me. He said, “Because, they see crash investigator bodies arguing in pubic. “To challenge a
make all the mistakes when they take out Final Report is so rare as to be virtually unprecedented in aviation
the autopilot, so why would we risk it…..?” history. Investigation Teams don’t argue in public. Not until now.”
Another said without a hint of embarrassment “These reports, by the U.S. NTSB and the other by the French BEA
“all our events happen when the lads are hand into this long delayed Ethiopian report, support what our paper
flying – so we have solved it – Autopilot in at of two years ago focussed on; manual flying training deficit. To
400 feet and out as late as possible.” be clear, we use the word training precisely to avoid any sugges-
tion that the pilots were in any way to blame.” We have always
Leahy et. al contends that “the answer to that called it “Training Deficit” as pilots fly the way they are trained.
weak argument is twofold; with well-trained
pilots, the risk is not increased except in high
workload situations, which is when our well- Leahy et. al. says that any suggestion that pilot training world-
trained pilots will engage the third pilot quite wide is under stress tended to be regarded by some as alarmist
happily – the autopilot. And secondly, taking and misinformed. It contends that, that commentary tends to
out the autopilot and flying manually in differ- come from those who have to pay for such training, or from
ent modes should be so far within their flying vendors of “smart solutions” which would enable much reduced
ability that it is a totally normal and utterly shorter and less costly training programmes. Balancing that, it
safe non-event.” Capt. Leahy says “train them notes that many aviation schools (ATOs) or airlines do it well and
better and allow them to utilise these skills some do it very well indeed, which proves the point that it can
frequently.” be done and done within a realistic safety budget. Sadly notes
Capt. Leahy “far too many do not.”
Costly Training The Flight Ops Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society, which
Training is expensive and nobody would focuses on this area, hope that the world of aviation will not let
argue with that but the industry must factor these four seminal reports be forgotten. “We must seize the day,
in excellent training as an essential cost of urges Capt. Leahy. “Let us not be afraid to look very closely at
doing business argues the report. Capt. Leahy the human factors that contribute to air accidents.” But another
acknowledges that “while we now have a concern is raised by him and that is the timely investigation of
recent FAA Aviation Circular which does not accidents. “Three recent crashes remain without full reports or
have the teeth to demand change, it does and in one case any meaningful report being issued – Egypt Air 804
can heavily endorse change. Flight Managers, in 2016, Swirijaya 182 in January 2021 China Eastern on 21st
CEOs and their financial advisors may need March 2022.”
to make decisions which either accept or A final concern of RAeS FOG is the conflicting and overlapping
reject the FAA view. This is a view from the groups that are striving to shape the aviation industry.
top. From the world’s leading regulator.” He
adds that if airlines ignore it, that might seem “How do, the ICAO working group, the FAA Aviation Circular on
to work unless or until they suffer a major flightpath management, and the Committee on Emerging Trends
accident or worse more than one attributable in Aviation Safety cooperate to shape the industry? “An industry
to poor training. “Then it becomes extremely where ECAC & ICAO have published papers inviting responses
relevant, very litigious and rather expensive,” from industry actors on reduced crew operations, known as SPOs
quips Capt. Leahy. or eMCOs – acronyms for taking one pilot off the flight deck.
“How do all of these efforts integrate? They should, shouldn’t
Training is finally in the spotlight following the they, ask Capt. Leahy.
almost unprecedented attack by the NTSB
and the French BEA of the Ethiopian 737 MAX He suggests that the RAeS FOG can and is in an ideal position
crash report. (GT’s Take Jan-Feb 2023) Capt. to discuss impartially, or even better, to lead a coming together
Leahy says he never thought he would ever of all of these initiatives without fear or favour.

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