Visual illusions result from many factors and appear in many different forms. Illusions occur when conditions modify the pilot’s perception of the environment relative to his or her expectations, possibly resulting in spatial disorientation or landing errors (e.g., landing short or landing long)…. Continue Reading →
TCAS RAs are not correctly followed in more than 40% of cases according to a recent study published by Eurocontrol, making non-compliance with TCAS RAs one of the top 5 Air Traffic Management (ATM) operational and safety risks. This article explains how the TCAS Alert Prevention and AP/FD TCAS functions can improve the situation by…… Continue Reading →
The ILS is accurate and reliable, but the ILS antenna design today causes secondary glide slopes to appear above the primary glide slope. Flight crews must be aware of this phenomenon to prevent unwanted aircraft behavior during an ILS glide slope capture. This article explains the phenomenon of secondary glideslopes and their effect on aircraft…… Continue Reading →
A number of engine Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) overlimit events at takeoff were reported to Airbus, including dual events leading to a significant increase in flight crew workload at low altitude. This article recalls the importance of monitoring the EGT margin of each engine to detect any degradation in engine performance early, and provides recommendations…… Continue Reading →
Several recent engine fire events highlight the importance of timely application of the engine fire procedure. This article explains why flight crew must apply this procedure without delay. Decisive action when there is an engine fire alert may prevent further damage to the engine. This can help to ensure that a manageable fire situation does…… Continue Reading →
All Brakes are subject to wear. Some brakes may also experience oxidation which can lead to brake rupture. In the case of a brake rupture or if brakes are too worn, the aircraft braking performance is reduced. This can result in a runway overrun if the full braking capacity is required such as during a…… Continue Reading →
Using an erroneous barometric reference setting during approach may cause the aircraft to fly lower than the published approach path, when the vertical guidance and trajectory deviations use the barometric reference. This can lead to a risk of controlled flight into terrain in poor visibility conditions or at night. This document explains the potential consequences…… Continue Reading →
It is a common rule for all aircraft: the SOP for landing requests that the flight crew perform a full stop landing after thrust reversers selection. However, in-service flight data analysis revealed that the equivalent of one go-around per month is performed after selection of thrust reversers. This Airbus article describes an event where the…… Continue Reading →
Inadvertent use of the wrong cockpit control instead of the intended control is a potential situation that pilots may encounter on any aircraft type. This kind of error can occur with even the most experienced pilots and this Airbus article explores what factors can influence and lead to this type of occurrence…. Continue Reading →
With the start of the winter season in the northern hemisphere, it is a timely reminder to re-publish this Airbus article, initially written in 2018. Ice ridges on the lower nose fuselage can cause Computed Airspeed (CAS) values delivered by the ADRs to be lower than the actual airspeed which may lead to unreliable airspeed…… Continue Reading →
Abnormal events such as bird strikes and hail strikes can occur at any time. When the aircraft is struck by birds or Foreign Object Debris (FOD), the correct inspection process must be followed, before the next flight, to determine if the aircraft is safe to fly. This Airbus article focuses on the effect that a…… Continue Reading →
Terrain awareness can be defined as the combined awareness and knowledge of the following: aircraft position,aircraft altitude, applicable minimum safe altitude (MSA), terrain location and features, and other hazards…. Continue Reading →
A typical training program to reduce approach-and-landing accidents (ALAs) should include the following: alert flight crews to the factors that may cause ALAs and CFIT; Ensure that situational awareness is maintained at all times; Ensure that crews attain proficiency in conducting approach procedures for their aircraft type; Provide flight crews with adequate knowledge of the…… Continue Reading →
Unstabilized approaches are frequent factors in approach-and-landing accidents (ALAs), including those involving controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Unstabilized approaches are often the result of a flight crew who conducted the approach without sufficient time to ‘Plan’, ‘Prepare’ and ‘Conduct’ a stabilized approach…. Continue Reading →
Runway excursions occur when an aircraft on the runway surface departs the end or the side of the runway surface. Runway excursions can occur on takeoff or landing. They consist of two types of events: Veer-off (a runway excursion in which an aircraft departs the side of a runway) and Overrun (a runway excursion in…… Continue Reading →