search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
Faulty Training = Failed Checkride By Randy Rowles


Many of the helicopters utilized in today’s training market are equipped with an engine governor. The governor assists the pilot with managing and maintaining appropriate


engine/rotor RPM


to safely operate the helicopter. When conducting system failure training, the engine governor will be turned off and the pilot will be required to manipulate the throttle manually. In situations where the engine governor fails and mismanages engine/rotor RPM, the pilot may be required to isolate or turn off the governor. Adequate training and proficiency is critical in these situations.


When conducting an FAA examination, I will simulate a failing governor during the flight. The failure is induced by causing the engine/rotor RPM to increase/decrease erratically, or by simply turning the governor off. [NOTE: It is important that prior to any system failure simulation, a comprehensive pre-flight briefing between the instructor/examiner and student/applicant must be completed to ensure both participants are clear on the expected action.] The intent of this simulation is to verify the applicant’s ability to identify the correct system that has failed, execute the emergency procedure appropriate to the failure, and determine the applicant’s proficiency in maintaining safe, effective aircraft control throughout the procedure.


While conducting a flight instructor examination in a Robinson R22 helicopter, I advised the applicant during the pre-flight briefing that


Randy Rowles has been an FAA pilot examiner for 20 years for all helicopter certificates and ratings. He holds an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor Certificate, NAFI Master Flight Instructor designation, and was the 2013 recipient of the HAI Flight Instructor of the Year Award. Rowles is currently the Lead Instructor with Bell407training.com, and Director of Training at Epic Helicopters located in Ft. Worth, Texas. He can be reached at randyrowlesdpe@gmail.com


I would be simulating an engine governor failure during the flight. The applicant confirmed that she had conducted this emergency procedure previously, and correctly articulated the procedure in accordance with the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH). During the flight, I simply turned off the engine governor which illuminated the corresponding Governor OFF light. To my surprise, the applicant began counting.


“One, two, three…”, I continued watching, waiting, and wondering what she was doing. When she announced “10”, she abruptly reached down and pulled the clutch circuit breaker. At the same time, she lowered the collective without manipulating the throttle. Since the R22 helicopter is equipped with a throttle correlator, the engine/rotor RPM decreased. At this point, the applicant abruptly entered autorotation and said, “engine failure.”


I took control of the aircraft, recovered the governor and clutch circuit breaker, and proceeded back to the pad. Once on the ground, I asked the applicant to explain the procedure she had executed during the governor failure. Her response was that “she had never had an actual governor-off light in-flight before. I asked, “Why did you pull the clutch circuit breaker?” The applicant answered, “The light was on for so long, I remembered I needed to pull that breaker. ” We discussed the entry into autorotation as well ... but I think you get the point!


During the post-flight briefing of the exam, I learned that the applicant’s instructor would periodically disengage the clutch switch in-flight requiring the pilot to pull the clutch circuit breaker. The applicant observed, “This always scared me.” When the light came on, she immediately reacted to her fear, not the correct emergency procedure. I support scenario-based training, however disengaging the clutch switch in-flight is dangerous.


As a career flight instructor, I hate to see the result of poor training. Seeing the eventual result of unsafe flight training is far, far worse!


82


May/June 2017


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86