Distractions and loss of focus in the cockpit

[lahso]

Quote: Mitch

I have a fully functioning GPMS system in my aircraft.  However, there is no way to disable it or mute it.  Her name is Jolie Lucas!

[mjc]

Quote: lahso

Mitch - for that, you will be fueling her plane for a LONG time...

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: mjc

Mitch - for that, you will be fueling her plane for a LONG time...

[FlyDave]

Quote: mjc

Mitch - for that, you will be fueling her plane for a LONG time...

[DaV8or]

Quote: maropers

OK - I'll bite - what does GPMS stand for?

[carusoam]

Something happened with my GPMS.....?

 

After landing in a strong cross wind yesterday, i heard three independent chirps of the landing gear touching down.  First the upwind main, followed by the downwind main, then the nose gear, all was well, then I heard something unexpected from the GPMS....."Perrrfect"......

 

I was unaware that you could get positive feedback from the GPMS.

 

Made my day, and I just had to tell someone about it...thanks...

 

Prior to this flight my GPMS and I spoke about Scott's runway challenge and how his GPMS was unusually quiet.   This may have somehow turned up the sensitivity.

 

Best regards,

 

-a-

[Wistarmo]

As the originator of the aforementioned term "GPMS" earlier in this thread, I will only advise that all of the letters stand for what you think they do, with the exception of "P".  The "P" does not stand for "Pre-" as is commonly used, but rather "Permanent". 

[fantom]

Just came from a KFLL Partnership Meeting at the airport, and just in case anyone of us thinks we're immune, we're not!

The attached was discussed as a problem with planes taxiing on Taxiway C, and takeoffs on Taxiway B vs. Runway 9L. There is an ILS hold bar [offset from 9L and a runway hold bar that might be one of the causes].

Over the past 13 months there have been 5 aircraft that have started to takeoff on Taxiway B !!!

They were all corporate jets, 4 of them being of foreign registry, 1 U.S.

All were at night, so situational awareness was key.

These takeoff attempts were all caught by Air Traffic Control/Tower within 5-6 seconds and aborted.

The last one was an U.S. registry corporate jet that within 5-6 seconds reached a speed of 90 kts and went through a barricade down Taxiway B before it could come to a stop. Luckily the backhoe that would have normally been there was not that day.

Otherwise disaster for the 7 occupants would have been the result. Anyone flying into FLL needs to be aware, there are many changes being made as a result of these problems.

Markings on the taxiways are now being made.

LED centerline taxiway [green] lights are going to be installed.

This isn't the first time, so reminders of continual vigilance are always a good thing to do for safety.

KPBI had the same problem on 10R when they made a taxiway between 10R and 10L

Also, there was a 767 that landed on a taxiway at Atlanta Hartsfield airport.

And the list of silly pilot tricks keeps going on. Learning from the mistakes of others is a "key" to being safe out there.

[Hank]

Yeah, it would be hard to explain to the insurance company how you hit a [parked] backhoe on your takeoff roll . . . Doing it in a jet, though, I think the resulting fire would preclude any conversations with the crew.

Seems like the pilots are not reviewing NOTAMs, or else they are just buried in the standard 60-page printouts from DUATS. There should be some way to highlight the departure and arrival airports, then you can ignore unlit towers around the hundred airports you will fly past and the other two hundred that are within 50 miles of your flight path.

Any construction NOTAMs require close attention; I have accidentally made an intersection departure due to construction, but there was still 5000+ runway available. Since I was solo that day, no GPMS activation, either.  :-)

[Skywarrior]

Not my words, but worth repeating:

The smart pilot learns from his or her own mistakes.

The wise pilot learns from other pilots' mistakes.

 

Chuck M.

[fantom]

No loss of focus here, and a superb landing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgdIE2t8QkM?

[jlunseth]

Speaking of distractions and loss of focus, I had a doozy the other night.  I was coming in for a landing at a small rural airfield in western MN that was unfamiliar.  It was a night landing and a short field, so I was working hard to keep the airspeed under control.  At the "fence" and in the dark, I saw the silhouette of a tree line running perpendicular to the runway and not that far away, and the tree tops were above me.  I have landed at a number of airports where there seems to be one tree sticking up right on the approach path to the runway, and I was distracted, looking for trees, when I suddenly realize I have lost track of my approach speed, and it is around 65 and falling, about 50 feet off the ground.  That is "imminent stall" speed in my aircraft.  I figured out what was going on, applied power, and made a safe landing.  But I think this cured my of night approaches at unfamiliar small rural airports.

[Shadrach]

Quote: jlunseth

Speaking of distractions and loss of focus, I had a doozy the other night.  I was coming in for a landing at a small rural airfield in western MN that was unfamiliar.  It was a night landing and a short field, so I was working hard to keep the airspeed under control.  At the "fence" and in the dark, I saw the silhouette of a tree line running perpendicular to the runway and not that far away, and the tree tops were above me.  I have landed at a number of airports where there seems to be one tree sticking up right on the approach path to the runway, and I was distracted, looking for trees, when I suddenly realize I have lost track of my approach speed, and it is around 65 and falling, about 50 feet off the ground.  That is "imminent stall" speed in my aircraft.  I figured out what was going on, applied power, and made a safe landing.  But I think this cured my of night approaches at unfamiliar small rural airports.

[jlunseth]

It was pilot controlled lighting.  I don't remember that there was a VGSI (did many landings at different airports that day).  It is one of those rural airports with numbers and no "K" in the identifier.  1D6 .  I think I won't be rushing to do a night landing at that type airport in the future, unless I am familiar with it.   

We have a couple of airports in the Minneapolis area where the approach is over a tree line, and there seems to be one tree that sticks up in the approach path.  I don't trust them, I don't know if the FAA measures the trees every year to see if they have grown enough to penetrate the glideslope, but they are too close for my comfort.  KMIC and KSGS both have approaches from the north that are like that.  You do not want to be below a standard glideslope even a hair. 

Most of the western Minnesota airports don't have any tree lines, they are in flat country.  Other than the airport lights, the ground was pitch black, and I could only make out silhouettes when I got low enough to see the outline against the slightly lighter sky.  Could not see what was on the ground.  So what nearly got me was that I suddenly realized I might be in one of those approaches with a tree or two sticking up right in the approach path, and because of the dark I could not see it.  Probably was inadvertently holding back on the yoke to stay high, and looking for trees in the blackness, and momentarily not paying attention to my airspeed. 

Max. weight stall in my aircraft, no flaps, forward CG, is 61KIAS, and full flaps its 57.  I don't like to go below 70 unless I am close to the runway.

My internal radar was working though, I realized what I was doing, got on top of it and the landing worked out. 

[rbridges]

Sometimes you need a reminder not to get too comfortable and to remain focused.  thanks for sharing.

[scottfromiowa]

That was great Rocketman video Brian.  That has the mountain chute jumpers beat for just plain fantastic on the edge adrenaline.  I'll stick to watching...The fact that he nailed the landing right next to the windsock in a small clearing is just a testament to the professionalism, planning and exectution.  Even the integration with the helicopter is spot on.

In a follow-up to my distraction incident here is another controlled airport experience.  I was departing with my wife and after run-up contacted tower for departure.  Controller whom was also on ground freq (Class C airspace) gave me clearance for departure on niner with directions to fly runway heading.  I was focused on run-up and monitoring ground with departure on com2.  Should have had tower on Com 2 as Tower had a Beechcraft landing on runway niner...Should also have LOOKED to my right and had my GPMS also look right for traffic...even though towered and cleared for take-off.  Anyway, as I turned left to begin my take-off roll...the poor Bo driver on final (about one mile out) said "I guess I should go around"...Tower said "Bonanza execute go around...sorry".  I believe this was the same tower operator that immediately "CAUGHT" my previous indescretion.  Bottom line I was just as at fault as the tower operator as even though I was directed I SHOULD HAVE VISUALLY CONFIRMED CLEAR...just as I always do in non-towered situations...Bo drivers LOVE to fly, like us so he just received a free ticket for another five minutes of joy...BUT that is how incidents/accidents happen.  Don't be complacent in a towered environment.

[orangemtl]

It rarely escapes my attention: for purposes of reinforcing humility: to review accident reports, and see "The pilot, who was IFR and multi-qualified had 1700 hours, with 800 in type...", followed by a description of what occurred that happend to kill him.  It's not simply low timers that have incidents, although we lead the pack; it can also be those with plenty of experience that 'blink' mentally at just the wrong time. 

I was taking off from KMYF a few weeks ago: had everything set up correctly (I thought), and upon leaving the ground the nose went up like a rocket, with the stall lady starting to chant in my ear. Looked down to see the trim on full UP; pushed the nose down to something less than vertical and trimmed down like crazy with the other hand (FORGET electric trim in that circumstance). All's well, but: how'd it happen?  Inadvertent electric trim pressure?  Didn't look the THIRD time before departure? All's I know is that it was just one of those instantaneous educations, that one occasionally runs into---and should NEVER require repetition.  And a great reminder that checklists have no shortcuts. Ever.

Thanks for your initial post.

[roundout]

Quote: orangemtl

It rarely escapes my attention: for purposes of reinforcing humility: to review accident reports, and see "The pilot, who was IFR and multi-qualified had 1700 hours, with 800 in type...", followed by a description of what occurred that happend to kill him.  It's not simply low timers that have incidents, although we lead the pack; it can also be those with plenty of experience that 'blink' mentally at just the wrong time. 

I was taking off from KMYF a few weeks ago: had everything set up correctly (I thought), and upon leaving the ground the nose went up like a rocket, with the stall lady starting to chant in my ear. Looked down to see the trim on full UP; pushed the nose down to something less than vertical and trimmed down like crazy with the other hand (FORGET electric trim in that circumstance). All's well, but: how'd it happen?  Inadvertent electric trim pressure?  Didn't look the THIRD time before departure? All's I know is that it was just one of those instantaneous educations, that one occasionally runs into---and should NEVER require repetition.  And a great reminder that checklists have no shortcuts. Ever.

Thanks for your initial post.