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Second-guessing the pilot

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MostlyOK	Second-guessing the pilot	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1 (08/23/09 09:20:12) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Hi everyone, One of the things that unnerve me about flying is when the flight experience departs from my mental model of what a particular flight or route should "be like" or experience things that make me wonder what the pilot is thinking or trying to do ("I wouldn't do this if I were flying the plane!"). For example, I am pretty unnerved by sharp banks, especially when a sharp bank to one side is followed by another sharp bank to the other side. I can't understand what the pilot is trying to do - why are they turning so sharply instead of doing a nice easy turn? Why do they turn first one way, then the other so sharply...are they being sloppy in their turns? are they trying to lose airspeed? It's especially disturbing on landing...last night, I was flying home on a night flight and on approach the pilot did what seemed to be a very sharp turn (I know it may feel sharper than it is) while we seemed to be descending quickly...and then loudly popped out the landing gear just at the same time, then sharply turned the other way. I was terrified, and I still don't understand why the pilot would do that...after doing those two sharp banks, we leveled off on approach we were still about 5 minutes from landing...if trying to bleed speed, could he not have done that on the last part of the approach? This "second guessing the pilot" stuff is becoming more of an issue because I keep flying one particular route every couple of weeks and I memorize landmarks and such, and there's parts of the flight I "expect", and when I don't see or feel the parts I expect I get distressed. It doesn't help that it's an ERJ-145. I took SOAR a while ago (admittedly I haven't practiced the strengthening exercise in a long time), and I had gotten used to the "feel" of MD80s and 757s, but am now flying on different routes, airlines, and planes, and am having trouble regaining the level of confidence that I had before.
Capt Tom Bunn MSW LCSW		#1	[-]
Posts: 2682 (08/23/09 09:56:53) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The best way to find out for sure is to ask the pilot before you get off the plane. Sometimes ATC wants to increase the spacing between you and the plane in front of you. If so, you can see how a quick turn left and then another quick turn back to where you were headed can produce a bit of additional spacing. A twenty-five to thirty degree bank is standard, but that may seem sharp or steep to you. If the pilot lets the autopilot do the work, it will always give you a bank that steep. What you described is typical of what happens when using the autopilot to "capture" the ILS. You approach the extended centerline of the runway at a 45 degree angle. You arm the ILS capture mode. When the autopilot sees the ILS needle move, it goes into a 25 to 30 degree bank. Often that isn't quite enough and it does not line the plane up perfectly with the extended centerline. So the autopilot makes a couple of quick turns, one to get back on the centerline (as transmitted by the ILS transmitter on the ground to the plane's ILS receiver) and then a turn to point the plane again at the runway.
Capn Steve		#2	[-]
Posts: 621 (08/23/09 16:33:21) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hi Mostly -- The thing to bear in mind is -- the ONLY way that you can know for sure what is happening is to be in the cockpit and observe firsthand. And -- that is not an option for you. (Actually, as a retiree, it's not an option for ME anymore, either. Only active pilots are allowed in the cockpit. Well, not quite true -- F/As and other authorized persons may enter the cockpit during flight. But the Federal Aviation Regulations are quite specific -- and restrictive -- as to who may occupy the cockpit observer seat.) Sure, if you ride a particular flight a number of times, you will notice "patterns" that seem to occur, as you've cited. But a deviation from that "pattern" is not cause for concern. Deviations from the "normal" occur all the time during flying operations. Could be just about anything -- different altitude, different routing, different departure or arrival runway. Etc., etc. Banking during airline operations is, as Capt. Tom says, usually 25 to 30 degrees. No more, even though it may "seem" that it's more. No aerobatic maneuvers here. In fact, during terminal operations, Air Traffic Control is EXPECTING at least 25 degrees of bank, which delivers a standard turn rate of 3 degrees per second at typical terminal maneuvering airspeeds. I've seen pilots who want to use less than this, for "passenger comfort," but in fact, that screws up the system. Passengers are more alarmed by an abrupt roll rate than by the bank angle that is finally achieved. Smoothness is the key to passenger comfort, not limiting the bank angle to an impractically low amount. Capt. Tom's examples of S-turns for additional traffic spacing, and ILS course capture scenarios, are very typical -- and completely normal. As he said, if you truly are wondering "what happened" during a particular phase of your flight, ask one of the pilots as you deplane. In the vast majority of cases, they'll be more than happy to explain it to you. The main thing here, it would seem, is, Try not to adopt rigid expectations of what "should" be occurring at any particular time. As I said, flight operations can -- and often do -- contain many variables. Hope this helps. Cheers. Steve

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Note from Capt. Tom

I know everyone worries about weather, but pilots really do not worry about it. We simply - instead of worrying about it - completely prepare for it. Before going to the plane, we review the weather at the destination. If it is not 100% sure to be within legal limits when we arrive at the destination, we must specify an alternate airport in our planning documents, and load on plenty of fuel for going to the destination airport, and then if need be, diverting to the alternate airport.

The legal limits are conservative. Even when weather is slightly outside the legal limits, any airline pilot could still land safely. You can rely on the captain never to land when the weather is not legal, and legality limits are reached prior to safety limits.

If you are still anxious, call me and we can talk it over. I'm at 877 332-7359 from 10 AM until 7 PM Eastern time.

For effective help, even if you are flying in a day or two, sign up now at www.fearofflying.com/fasttrack and call me when you finish Clip 9 so I can make sure you are all set.

Using Weather Information

If you enter your ZIP Code or City at the top of the weather presentation, it will give you weather for your area. Or, you can enter your destination ZIP Code or City.

Click on the "LOCAL RADAR" button to see whether or not there are thunder-
storms. Keep in mind, however, that we can either fly above the storms when cruising or fly through gaps between storms. During landing, we cannot fly above them, but fly through gaps, or through the area of the storms where the turbulence is least.

Turbulence, though it may cause anxiety, does not mean anything is wrong. Turbulence does not mean danger. The plane can handle far more turbulence than Mother Nature can dish out.

Though flying in turbulence is safe, it doesn't feel safe. And here is where the SOAR programs come in. We can help you feel as safe when you fly as you actually are.

You can see these programs at www.fearofflying.com/store.

For questions on aviation or the psychology of aerophobia, click here to e-mail Capt. Tom Bunn, MSW, LCSW.

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