Emergency descent training

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OBJECTIVE: To develop the student's accuracy, judgment, planning, technique, and confidence in an emergency descent.

ELEMENTS:

A. Prompt establishment of the best airspeed and the recommended configuration.
B. Use of emergency checklist.
C. Recognizing situations that require emergency descent
D. Importance of dividing attention between descending and accomplishing emergency checklist.
E. Establishing fastest practical rate of descent

SCHEDULE:

Pre-flight instruction: 10 Minutes
Travel to training area: 10 Minutes
Instructor Demonstration: 10 Minutes
Student Practice: 20 Minutes
Return from practice area: 10 minutes
Post-flight Review: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1:10

EQUIPMENT: Functional aircraft.

INSTRUCTOR’S ACTIONS:

A. Conduct preflight training on the elements of Emergency Descents..
B. Demonstrate Emergency Descent
C. Conduct post flight briefing.

STUDENT’S ACTIONS:

A. Ask questions, review homework.
B. Perform preflight.
C. Observe demonstrations.
D. Perform IAW PTS.

COMPLETION STANDARDS: Student performs Emergency Descent IAW the PTS.

COMMON ERRORS:

A. Failure to identify the need for an emergency descent.
B. Failure to use proper checklists.
C. Failure to maintain proper configuration.

Introduction: Emergency descents are used when you need to lose altitude quickly. This is could be simply for losing altitude or (more commonly) to get to a land site quickly. This is usually because of a potentially dangerous situation with the aircraft such as a fire, smoke in the cockpit or due to an emergency decompression on pressurized aircraft.

A. Lesson Requirements:

a. Task: Perform an emergency descent.

b. Condition: Given a functional aircraft.

c. Standard: IAW the PTS.

i. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to an emergency descent.
ii. Recognizes situations, such as depressurization, cockpit smoke and/or fire that require an emergency descent.
iii. Establishes the appropriate airspeed and configuration for the emergency descent.
iv. Exhibits orientation, division of attention, and proper planning.
v. Maintains positive load factors during the descent.
vi. Completes appropriate checklists.

B. ELO 1: Understand the use of an emergency descent.

a. What could cause an emergency descent? Anything that would require that the airplane lose altitude quickly while still being under control. (Engine fire, emergency decompression, smoke in the cockpit, etc)

b. What are the limitations on an emergency descent? NEVER exceed Vne, Vle, Vfe. Do not exceed a 45 degree bank. In multi-engine aircraft turn INTO the operating engine.

c. Student Check:

i. What are Vne, Vle and Vfe of this airplane? _______

C. ELO 2: Identify common errors in the emergency descent.

a. The failure to identify the need for the descent. Stay on top of the airplane. Be ahead of the airplane.

b. Failure to use the proper checklists. Use the checklist as soon as you have the airplane under control.

c. Failure to maintain proper configuration. Get the plane in proper configuration for the turn. Refer to POH.

D. ELO 3: Perform an emergency descent.

a. Reduce power to idle.

b. High RPM on the propeller.

c. Extend gear.

d. Full flaps.

e. Close cowl flaps.

f. Turn 45 degrees to one side. For multi-engine airplanes turn into the good engine.

g. Get checklist to finish troubleshooting.