Scudrunners

A bit of explantion before the question for discussion.


TC, as I understand it,  states that one should take action at the first indication of an impending stall.  Pitch,& power if available.  Seems simple, and in a typical trainer , horn, light, buffet,


So here is a recent scenario... During a ride the testee was instructed to do a level, straight ahead power off  deaccelerstion and recover at the first indication of an imminent stall.


In this case it was done gear up.  Throttles were retarded to idle, and AOA increased as the aircraft deaccelarated
Then the gear horn activated.  The testee considered that as an indication that if no corrective action was taken the aircraft would stall, lowered the nose, and brought up the power.


The check pilot failed him on that exercise.  The rationale was that the gear horn was not an indication of an impending stall because the plane still had a large margin of speed left.
The testee took the position that as the gear horn just came on, it indicated a deteriorating condition in the airspeed that would lead to a stall, and thus was the first indication and required corrective  action. ( in practice this might just have meant lowering the gear, but that was not an option given in the exercise instructions.)


So I got my big nose in it.


My position is the actual objective of the exercise is for a pilot to recognize that they have an abnormal situation. Ie.  a decaying airspeed.  The test does not allow them to identify that by reference to the AI/power setting, or ASI., but from some indication specifically provided for that purpose.  And the gear horn seems to qualify as that.


I am interested what others think...


Btw. In the end, the testee was passed on that exercise...A grown man bawling helplessly while talking about law suits is apparently an effective negotiating strategy.

what does the gear horn have to do with an impending stall?


is there not a stall horn, and a separate system for the gear?

The gear, at least on the aircraft involved ( as I understand it...not familiar with the type), activates when the power is reduced below a certain setting, the speed is below a specific speed, and the gear is not down.  I understand that on some aircraft the horn will sound as a result of only a very reduced power setting and not dependent on airspeed.  That might present a different situation with regard to what it is indicating,


So, flying level, and, without any power changes, and  not starting out with the gear horn activated, the activation of the gear horn is an indication that airspeed is decaying.  And this requires corrective action unless the intention is to have the airspeed continue to decrease.


The real issue is that the exercise is to supposedly demonstrate how to recover from a deteriorating flight situation.
In the real world this is typically indicated by the aircraft instruments and corrected well before there is any warnings.  In a flight test however, the instrument indications are to be ignored.

Is the intention of the gear horn to warn the pilot of the impending gear up landing, or stall?

Sounds like someone confused the gear horn with the stall warning?

It bugs the shit out of me that you could measure the time that
most pilots have spend in slow flight in seconds, but that's not
important right now.

You want to get an ATPL and spend 30 years earning $300,000/yr
for pushing buttons?  Well, spend 30 seconds doing this:

[youtube][/youtube]

He just flies a stupid fucking red biplane, so that can't be very hard.

[font=Verdana]”Sounds like someone confused the gear horn with the stall war[/font]”


[font=Verdana]That was my first thought as well[/font] ;D


But we are not talking about an inexperienced pilot. He has the experience to know how to cleverly cover up,such a boo boo.

[quote author=Trey Kule link=topic=8036.msg22271#msg22271 date=1520100358]

In this case it was done gear up.  Throttles were retarded to idle, and AOA increased as the aircraft deaccelarated
Then the gear horn activated.  The testee considered that as an indication that if no corrective action was taken the aircraft would stall, lowered the nose, and brought up the power.


The check pilot failed him on that exercise.  The rationale was that the gear horn was not an indication of an impending stall because the plane still had a large margin of speed left.
The testee took the position that as the gear horn just came on, it indicated a deteriorating condition in the airspeed that would lead to a stall, and thus was the first indication and required corrective  action. ( in practice this might just have meant lowering the gear, but that was not an option given in the exercise instructions.)


[/quote]

Well yeah. Not sure how you can defend using a gear horn as an impending stall? You can be nowhere near a stall when the gear horn goes off. He should have failed for that yes.

[quote author=Trey Kule link=topic=8036.msg22281#msg22281 date=1520104057]
But we are not talking about an inexperienced pilot. He has the experience to know how to cleverly cover up,such a boo boo.
[/quote]

By threatening with lawsuits?

Good thing that nothing bad ever happens in aviation when pilots try to cover up their mistakes  ::)

Good one T[font=verdana]rey.[/font]
[font=verdana]
Unless the gear up horn and the stall warning horn sound the same then I would have failed him because the gear horn is not a stall warning.[/font]

Ah, digits....


[font=Verdana]Btw. In the end, the testee was passed on that exercise...A grown man bawling helplessly while talking about law suits is apparently an effective negotiating strategy.[/font][font=Verdana]


Is the humour in the above too subtle?