Contents:

Gene's Anti-accident Precepts
--Is the time you save worth the rest of you life?
--Learning from the experience of others is a flying way of life.
--Collect your experiences to give to others.
--Beware the focus of attention created by an emergency.
--You can always trade extra altitude and airspeed, it you have it.
--Acceptance of delay is a way of life in flying.
--Build your options when flying at night with altitude, route, fuel, etc..
--I will avoid low-level flight maneuvers by leveling my wings and climbing
–I will initiate a 180 from weather sooner rather than later.
--I will always fly fuel safe with reserves.
--I will use all ATC, navigational and altitude resources for maximum traffic avoidance and safety.

Opinion on Learning Emergencies
I find learning emergency procedures helps SO much more when you're in the actual cockpit, touching the controls and getting a feel for where they are, even with your eyes closed. I couldn't fly one day, so I sat in one of the 172's and went over the procedures, ( The manager didn't mind that I was "playing" in his aircraft, once he knew what I was doing) the next flight my CFI seemed pleased with my progress in that area. But I need the tactile input to help me memorize, Imagining the controls, and where they are is not as helpful as actually touching them.
-Tony

Expecting the Improbable
--Air and ground situations that go beyond the POH.
--Take a high-altitude and mountain training course.
--Land in the shorter distance than you ever have without burning the tires.
--Define your personal limits for landing in crosswinds.
--Equipment failures inside the FAF.
--Engine failure as a completely random event by the clock.
--Gyro failure and instrument failures beyond expectations.
--ATC failures while on IFR flights in worst case weather.
--File an IFR flight-plan and make at least three major changes en route.
--Deliberately make a mistake to see if someone will express doubts or concern.
--Take a few hours of aerobatics and gliding instruction.

You Will Never Be Ready for an Emergency
Emergencies can occur at any time in the vicinity of airplanes. How to react in the event of an emergency is a part of every training program. There will only be a certain amount of time available. How this time is used will make the difference between a non-event and an FAA inquiry. You will not be prepared when an emergency occurs.

Some emergencies occur without notice or warning while others creep into your awareness on cat's paws. A minor rattle, smell, awakens your senses. Ignored, the minor notice lead to anther until the situation begins to limit your options. Examples of the cat's paw emergency are most often related to fuel, weather minimums, airport orientation, and airspace requirements.
Did you know?...
--Many ignition keys can be removed without turning the ignition off.
--Priming with the throttle can cause fuel to over-flow the carburetor bowl
--An engine start fire burns out fastest with mixture out and throttle in.  Brakes!
--On takeoff stop on the runway if you can.
--On lift off land as nearly into the wind as you can
--Past the runway, no turn-back unless you know you capability.
--Practice making 240-degree turns in 45-degree banks with engine at idle.
--Study the land-space near your home field for every landing option.

First Things
Checklist!!!
1. Fly the plane: Safety lies in fuel, altitude and airspeed
2. Navigate, if the plane will only descend, head down hill.
3. Communicate; Get help wherever you can find it.
4. Other options. Use an appropriate checklist.

You must have a plan, believe in that plan, and practice the plan. When the emergency happens, it is too late to come up with 'what if'. Pulling carburetor heat, changing fuel tanks, or turning on the fuel pump will solve 95% of in flight engine emergencies. Other emergencies are best solved (prevented) while on the ground.

Do your emergency items for a reason. The more you understand your aircraft systems the better you will know the 'why' of an emergency procedure. Emergency responses must be a matter of habit. Through constant repetition you will develop the non-panic defensive reflexes required. If your reaction is not a reflex developed in training, it is not yours. Flying survival often requires that you react contrary to instinctual responses. Know what to do, believe that it will work, do it. An emergency will always be a surprise but what you do MUST be thought out ahead of time and planned to achieve the safest results. Timely thinking reduces time needed for thinking when there is no time.

Emergencies have similarities of occurrence and procedures. In most cases a landing is going to be required. The POH usually mentions this. How quickly it will be required is a variable decision but always there. There are several typical solutions to emergencies. "Undo what you did." is always a good choice of action. The new revision of the Flight Training Handbook lists eight 'emergencies'. Some of these 'emergencies' are more correctly considered 'surprises' to be expected and taught as part of flight training. An open door or even coming off in single engine aircraft is not going to affect how the aircraft flies. The noise level will be the greatest change and have the greatest impact on the pilots behavior.

Most Emergencies Do Not Require Instantaneous Action.
--Don't just do something; sit there.
--Fly the airplane and maintain wings-level flight toward landing area
--Study the problem before taking action.
1. What is engine telling?
2. What is electrical telling?
3. Any smell, smoke, or fire?
4. What is structure telling?

--Landing based on conditions.
1. Critical action checklist (memorized)
2. Review critical action checklist
3. Non-critical item checklist
4. Normal checklist (requires special effort)
5. Communicate

Declare Emergency
You own the airspace and right to do most anything.
Land

Engine quits on takeoff at 700'
1. Best glide
2. Fly the plane

Engine temperature at redline
1. Mixture rich
2. Lower nose for cooling
3. Cowl flaps
4. Reduce power

Engine begins to surge
1. Best glide
2. Mixture rich
3. Change tanks

Loud bang and oil covers windshield, smoke/fire
1. Fuel off/mixture off
2. Emergency descent

Engine begins to lose power and show signs of roughness
Pull carburetor heat

At cruise engine begins a severe vibration
1. Shut off engine with magnetos
2. Pull mixture/ fuel off
3. Best glide

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