Imagine you are sitting ready for flight. As usual, the pre-flight checks are done, and the engine is starting to run. After a few hours of flying, you notice something’s not working how it’s supposed to. Then you realize you have a big problem on your hands because of fuel mismanagement.
When we are talking about emergencies, this is a pretty common one. These situations are not pleasant for anybody, but we have to make sure that we are capable of handling them. A big problem with these situations is that it would be impossible to practice them in an aircraft safely. Thankfully, nowadays, we can use flight simulators to create new emergencies in our homes.
The Importance Of Training Emergencies
Many training organizations are pointing out the importance of these practices because the FAA is increasingly testing new pilots with these. However, this is not just because of practice. There is always a small part of flights that are having real accidents.
As a home flight simulator owner, it’s recommended that you configure your failures and significant weather events to 20% of your sessions. We know this is a constant challenge, (going out of your comfort zone once every five times) but spending time in emergency training is the most effective way to control and manage a situation with this type of high risk.
Among other emergencies that you can practice in your home flight simulator, you can try aborted takeoff, spin training, engine failure after takeoff, high-altitude operations, lost communications, icing, low fuel, and so on.
Visual Flight Rules Emergencies For Your Simulations
Students and professional pilots are improving their techniques using different VFR scenarios thanks to home flight simulators. It’s a great way to keep yourself motivated and refine your skills.
Here are some scenarios to try:
1. Get trapped on a cloud layer with VFR. In this scenario, you have to talk to ATC and declare an emergency. You’ll arrive down through the clouds with their instructions. It is a very stressful situation in a real flight, so prepare yourself in a simulation.
2. Configure the temperature at 35º C (95º F) and position yourself on a high-altitude runway. Many flatland pilots are not conscious about how complicated and how much planning requires to fly at a high-density altitude. It is a question of consistency, practice, and failure, but you’ll get further in each session.
3. Pop-Up Thunderstorms en Route to a Coastal Destination.
In this scenario, you will practice different abilities at once and will be better with ATC incorporated.
4. Alternator Failure at Night.
We recommend you do this first in an airport with poor services and lights and then in an airport with good light and service. What is important is to challenge yourself.
5. Massive Failure of all Instruments except the compass.
Just imagine, in this GPS-dependent world, where you’re confined to just using old navigation. As a pilot, there’s something artistic about using just a compass. Also, it is extremely effective in terms of training.
6. Low Oil Pressure Over a Congested Metropolitan Area.
Prepare an engine failure to make it happen randomly. You are going to have to make the best decision that you can.
7. Engine Failure after takeoff.
This is an excellent exercise to practice in your sim. It requires a pre-takeoff briefing and immediate application. Depending on the altitude that you are, you will respond in one way or another. You can also try to come back to the departure runaway. Once you have the basics, experimenting with how strong winds, obstacles, or crossing runways can change the pre-takeoff plan
Is extremely valuable.
8. Pitot-Static problem while you are on a climb.
The pitot-static system is something we are surprisingly dependent on. If you want to make things more difficult, turn on the nighttime so visual indicators disappear.
Conclusion
Training for emergencies is just one of the huge benefits of home flight simulators.
Try these scenarios and improve your proficiency and readiness for situations that may come your way in the air!