Aviate, navigate, communicate
Fly the aircraft first. Then decide where to go. Talk last. Multiple accidents have been caused by crews troubleshooting a minor fault while nobody flew the aeroplane.
Engine failure
Pitch for best glide speed, pick a landing site, run the memory items, then the checklist. In a twin, control the asymmetry with rudder, identify the failed engine, verify, then secure it.
Fire and smoke
Fire drills are memory items because seconds matter. Smoke in the cockpit means donning masks, establishing communication, and planning an immediate diversion — a landing anywhere suitable beats a perfect approach that arrives too late.
Key points
- Aviate, navigate, communicate — in that order, always.
- Best glide speed maximises distance available after power loss.
- Memory items exist for situations where reading a checklist is too slow.
Knowledge check