OPI topics

Weather

 What kinds of weather can affect flight safety?

thunderstorms, hurricane, typhoon, strong wind, wind shear, haze, hail, snow, icing, low
visibility, fog, lightning(strike)…

Turbulence
 Have you ever encountered turbulence during the flight?
When? Where?
I encountered severe turbulence at the flight level…
it’s hard to control the aircraft/ maintain the attitude of the a/c. The speed and altitude
changed rapidly/ suddenly.
(several passengers got injured.)
I reported the situation to ATC and requested to change the altitude/flight level/ course
to leave the turbulent area as soon as possible.
Student pilot: Once I encountered moderate turbulence in a local flight Training. On final,
I encountered moderate turbulence. It was hard to control the a/c. the speed and altitude
changed suddenly.
Luckily, I got control of the aircraft. And then reported the situation to ATC and made a safe
landing.

 Why do you think turbulence is dangerous to flight safety?

Because it is hard/difficult to control the a/c in severe turbulence. The a/c may lose
speed and altitude rapidly. Severe turbulence may even cause structural damage and
passenger injuries.

 Besides turbulence, what other bad weather affect flight safety?

Many bad weather conditions may affect flight safety such as wind shear, thunderstorm,
heavy rain, hail, icing, heavy snow, sandstorm, hailstorm, volcanic ashes, lightning strike,
typhoon and so on.

 What are your suggestions about reducing risks of incidents caused by dangerous
weather? / how can the pilots avoid turbulence/bad weather?
it’s necessary to make weather analysis before each flight.
As a pilot, I’ll try to avoid the dangerous weather.
We should make good preflight preparation. Before departure, get to know weather
information, for example, listen to ATIS, if there’s bad weather in the vicinity of the
airport, delay takeoff or request changing the runway. During cruising, monitor radar or
reports from other aircraft, if there’s bad weather ahead, request to change flight level

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 or deviation to avoid the weather.

 If a passenger is seriously injured in the turbulence in flight, what will you do?
I think I need to make an announcement to see if there’s a doctor on board, at the same
time, ask flight attendants to give first aid to the passenger, inform ATC of our situation.
If the injured passenger is in critical condition, I may declare medical emergency, request
landing at the nearest suitable airport, request radar vector and medical services like
ambulance on arrival.

lightning strike

 Why is lightning dangerous to flight safety? / What damages may lightning strike cause
to the aircraft?
It may cause damages to the a/c, such as structural damage, system failure, engine
flameout and so on.

 In what kind of weather conditions does lightning most likely occur?

Lightning strikes more likely occur in thunderstorms, CBs and buildups.

 If your aircraft was struck by lightning in flight what would you do?
we’ll check the aircraft status. It may cause system failure. For example, if the
communication system fails, we follow filed flight plan, then reset transponder code to
7600 and make a blind transmission. If navigation system fails, we’ll call ATC, request
radar vector, use traditional navigation sensors/ backup instruments to report positions.

 What can pilots do to avoid lightning strike?

First we check the latest weather, check the weather radar screen and monitor the
cloud movement and trend; if there’s any indication of thunderstorms , we request
deviation/offset or maneuver around the weather.

CBs

 How do you search for CBs during flight?

during flight, we use weather radar to search for CB. If there’s CB, it shows in red on
radar screen. Use visual observation and previous pilot’s report.

 What damages might CBs bring to your aircraft?

the a/c may encounter lightning strike and severe turbulence. It may cause damages to

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 the a/c, such as structural damage, system failure, engine flameout and so on.

 Besides CBs, are there any other adverse weather conditions that affect our flight
safety?
thunderstorms, hurricane, typhoon, strong wind, wind shear, haze, hail, snow, icing, low
visibility, fog, lightning(strike)…

 Which weather condition do you think is the most dangerous to fly in?
I think wind shear is the most dangerous weather. Wind shear may cause the a/c to
change speed and altitude quickly and suddenly, so pilots have no enough time and
altitude to make response. (perform wind shear recovery procedures./ take actions).
Wind shear makes the a/c difficult to control, causes stall or even crash.

 Do you think weather is a major factor concerning flight safety?

Many weather conditions may affect flight safety, such as thunderstorms, typhoon,
strong wind, wind shear, and so on. A lot of accidents are caused by dangerous weather,
like thunderstorms, strong wind, lightning. If the aircraft flies into the bad weather, it
may suffer severe turbulence, even structural damage or stall.
A lot of accidents are caused by the pilots taking off or landing under marginal weather
conditions.

 How do you make a weather analysis before each flight?

we analyze the data concerning the weather, including weather on departure and arrival
airport, weather en route and alternate. We review different kinds of flying at current
weather conditions.
For example, before departure, if the visibility is below company minima, we have to
request delay departure.
If the crosswind is marginal before departure, we should review rejected takeoff
procedure.
Another example, We study at what point or flight level we may encounter bad weather
like CB, thunderstorm, we need to prepare for offset or level change.

strong crosswind

 What should flight crew pay attention to when they encounter strong crosswind during
landing?
We should make sure that the aircraft is on the correct glide slope and localizer
We should avoid the risks of incidents caused by tail strike.
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 We should avoid veering off the runway.
Because there might be wind shear, we should be prepared for going around.
We should also pay special attention to the operational minimum, the crosswind can’t
exceed the limitation.
We should monitor ATIS, especially wind information, like the change of wind speed
and wind direction.
We use rudder pedal and control sticks to adjust the direction, try to keep direction
along the r/w centerline.

 If you know there is a strong crosswind at the destination airport, what should you be
careful about?
I’ll keep monitoring the weather forecast at the destination airport, especially wind
information. If the wind data is below operational minima, we should be prepared for
diversion to the alternate airport.

 If you notice the crosswind exceeds the limitation, but your captain or first officer insists
in landing, what will you do?
I think good communication among the crew members is always necessary.
We should have discussion first, it can help us make right judgment.
Then we should check the operational manual to make sure the crosswind doesn’t
exceed the company’s limitation.
Finally the captain makes the decision.

 If the previous aircraft goes around due to crosswind, what will you do?
The previous aircraft goes around, it doesn’t mean have to go around as well. We must
closely monitor wind speed and wind direction, since wind can be very changeable. If the
wind data is within limits at the minimum altitude, we can continue approach. At the
same time, we should pay special attention to the possible wind shear. If the wind shear
warning is triggered, or crosswind exceeds our company’s limits, we’ll go around (carry
out missed approach procedure) or change another runway.

 Do you think crosswind landing is very dangerous? Why?

Crosswind landing is dangerous, because it may lead to tail strike or cause the aircraft to
veer off the runway.
If the pilot cannot properly control the attitude, the aircraft may suffer from overload on
the landing gear. / cause hard landing
Because of big angle during landing, it may cause the wingtips or engines to hit the
ground.
If the bank angle exceeds limits, it will be recorded in QAR. The pilot must make report
after flight.

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 If crosswind is close to your standard, / if crosswind is marginal around your standard,
what will you do?
If there is crosswind during taxi, we’ll adjust the aircraft direction, try to align the
aircraft nose with taxiway centerline.
If crosswind is marginal before takeoff, we’ll be prepared to reject takeoff when the
wind data is over limits.
If crosswind is marginal before landing, we’ll confirm if crosswind is within limits and be
prepared to go around or divert to a suitable alternate airport.

Tailwind

 Can you land an aircraft in a tailwind？

It depends. If the tailwind is within the limit, we’ll continue approach, but if the tailwind
exceeds the limits, we cannot make a landing. We may decide to go around or divert to
another airport.

 What is tailwind landing limitation of your type of aircraft?

I fly B737, the tailwind limitation for my aircraft is below 10 knots.

 What would you do if the tailwind is too strong?

Before departure, we’ll monitor wind data, if it’s over the limitation, we’ll request delay
departure or change the runway. Before landing, we’ll keep monitoring wind
information. If it’s over the limitation, we’ll go around. If not, we’ll continue approach.

Heavy rain
 Do you think it is dangerous to land an aircraft in a heavy rain?
Yes. Heavy rain may lower the visibility. The pilot may not be able to see the runway at
the minimum altitude. The runway surface may become wet because of heavy rain. As a
result, braking action may be poor. The aircraft may overrun the runway.

 What should you consider during landing in a rain?

We should consider visibility, runway conditions, braking action.

abnormal situations or unexpected events

diversion

 Do you have any alternate airport planned for each flight? Why?
Yes. In case there is bad weather or mechanical problems en route, the crew can not

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 continue the flight to the destination, so they have to make a plan for alternate airports
before the flight.
we’re not sure if we can make a landing at destination airport for every flight
because we may encounter many abnormal situations, like bad weather, aircraft
problems, system failure, passenger problems，military activities, airport closure.

 What information do you need to know about your alternate airport before diversion?
weather information, airport facilities, runway conditions, ATIS.

 What kinds of support do you usually need from ATC if you want to make a diversion?
Pilots should Inform ATC, report their intention and present situation. ATC provide
information about alternate airport, offer navigation/radar vector to the airport. In case
of emergency, ATC will help coordinate with the relevant departments. (can activate
emergency procedures and provide the aircraft assistance)

 What preparations are needed before you divert to your alternate airport?
we should make decision first. We choose the best alternate airport and change flight
plan. we need to get the information about the alternate airport, like weather conditions,
airport facilities, runway conditions. We should contact ATC for clearance and notify ATC
of our position, reasons for diversion and intention. We need to contact our company’s
dispatch. It’s necessary to make a PA to inform the passengers of diversion.

 What factors will you consider when you decide to divert or return?
There are many factors, such as fuel on board, ground services, endurance, runway
condition, maintenance capability, dispatch services

 Who do you need to contact in case of diversion?

We should contact ATC for clearance and notify ATC of our position, reasons for
diversion and intention. We need to contact our company’s dispatch.

 When making the decision to divert if you have a different opinion from your captain or
FO, what will you do?
Communication is necessary between captain and FO. So the crew need to have a
discussion in order to make a right decision/ a good judgment before diversion.

 If there are some complaints among the passengers about the diversion, what can you

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 do to comfort them?
The pilots usually do not have enough time to make an announcement, especially during
approach, so they ask the purser to deal with that. Inform the passengers of the
reasons for diversion.

Delays

 What situations can cause delays?

There are many reasons for delays, such as bad weather, ground services, military
activities, air flow control, mechanical trouble and so on. I think bad weather conditions
is a major cause of delay. Ground services like de-icing, refueling, baggage handling,
cargo loading is also common reason for delay.

 Do long delays occur more frequently at big airports?

Yes. There are more planes at big airports, so air traffic at big airports is much busier. As
a result, air flow control occurs more often. Pilots often have to wait for a long time.
at big airports, there are many taxiways, sometimes it takes a long time for taxiing.
Another problem is security, it may take a long time to go through the security, so
passengers may be late for boarding.

 How do you think we can reduce delays?

In my opinion, there are several ways to reduce delays.
I think ground staff should improve their work efficiency, like refueling, baggage handling,
cargo loading.
I think ATC should use RVSM to improve route efficiency
Airports can build more runway.
We can open more airspace for civil flights
Good communication between the pilots and ATC or the ground can help reduce flight
delays.

 What do you think of/about airlines compensating passengers after long delays?
If the delay is caused by airlines, such as mechanical trouble, aircraft dispatch problems,
poor management, and so on, I think it is necessary to compensate. It can help airlines
do their job better in reducing delays.
(Build up good public image)
On the other hand, if the delay is caused by situations beyond airlines’ control, such as
bad weather, military activities, etc., I don’t think airlines need to compensate.

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 Have you ever experienced long delays? Can you tell me something about your longest
delays? When and where? What was the reason?
Yes, of course. Flight delays are very common, especially in summer.
I remember the longest delay I experienced was 3 hours. It was last winter when I flew
from Beijing to Shenyang. Because of heavy snow, Beijing airport was closed. We had to
wait until the airport was open.

traffic flow control

 Do you often encounter traffic flow control ?

Yes. Especially at big airports. At big airports, there’re many aircraft departing and
arriving. Traffic is quite busy and airspace becomes congested, as a result, we often
encounter traffic flow control.

 In what airports are you more likely to encounter flow control?

There are three kinds of airports. First is big and busy airports, such as … second kind is
airports where bad weather is frequent. Third kind is airports where you often encounter
military activities.

 What may be some reasons for flow control?

Bad weather, military activities, VIP flights, limited airspace, prohibited area

bomb on board

 In flight, if ATC informs you that they receive an anonymous call saying there’s a bomb
on board your aircraft, what would you do?
If my a/c is on the ground, request security staff to deal with it, then deplane the
passengers. If my a/c is in the air, I’ll declare the emergency, complete the checklist,
notify the cabin crew, ask the chief purser to look for the suspected article, and request
landing at the nearest airport. Before landing request emergency services and parking at
the apron, prepare for emergency evacuation. After landing carry out emergency
evacuation and request ground assistance.

 Does your company have any specific procedures about a bomb situation?
Yes. In case of a bomb on board situation, the flight crew should report to company’s
operational department. If the aircraft is on the ground, the crew should deplane
passengers immediately. If it occurs during flight, the crew should follow SOP, descend
to a safe altitude and request landing as soon as possible. At the same time, ask the
flight attendants to keep the passengers away from the suspicious article or bomb.

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depressurization

 What systems does your aircraft have?

There are many systems, such as hydraulic system, pressurization system, electrical
system, air-conditioning system, navigation system, communication system, etc.

 Do you have pressurization system on the aircraft? Why do you need pressurization
system on the aircraft?

 My aircraft has pressurization system. As altitude increases, both pressure and oxygen
will reduce. If the a/c flies over 4000m, the a/c needs to be pressurized. The
pressurization system can provide necessary oxygen and keep cabin pressure, so that
the passengers can breathe normally.

 pressurization system can help pilots fly at higher altitudes and overcome the effects of
hypoxia. Without the oxygen, pilots may become incapacitated.

 What may cause in-flight depressurization?

There are many reasons for in-flight depressurization, such as structural damage and
pressurization system failure. (bird strike, lightning strike, severe turbulence, bomb
explosion, air-conditioning system failure.)

 In your opinion which is more dangerous, slow depressurization or rapid

depressurization?
At high level, Rapid depressurization is more dangerous than slow…because the
rapid… may cause the a/c to lose oxygen and cause pilots to lose consciousness in a
short time.
we have no enough time to make response. If we don’t put on oxygen mask in time, we
may become incapacitated in a short time.
Slow … is more dangerous, because it’s hard to be detected. When the pilots discover
the problem, it’s already too late.
It occurs very slowly. The pilot may suffer from hypoxia without even noticing it. And
hypoxia may cause the pilot to make wrong decisions.

 What are the procedures to deal with rapid depressurization? / In case of rapid
depressurization, what are your standard operation procedures?
Put on oxygen masks, establish inner communication, check cabin altitude. Immediately
Descend to below 10000ft, set transponder code to 7700. If it is out of control, the
captain declares emergency descent, turn right 30 degrees and execute emergency
descent, switch on pax oxygen, make a distress call to ATC, carry out the checklist.

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 Return or divert to the nearest airport.

FOD--Foreign object damage

 If the aircraft engine ingests foreign object, will it endanger flight safety? Why? / Is it
dangerous if the aircraft engine ingests foreign object?
Yes, of course. A foreign object may cause engine flame out. The power may be
reduced. The engine performance may be reduced.
If the engine sucks a foreign object, it may cause engine surge, vibration or even
engine fire or failure. During takeoff, the power is at its maximum, if the engines catch
fire at this critical time, it will be in distress situation.

 During which phases of flight is engine ingestion most likely to occur? Why?
Engine ingestion is most likely to occur during takeoff and before V1 when the aircraft is
close to the ground. During taxi, some debris on the runway may be ingested by the
engines. Bird ingestion sometimes occur at initial climb stage.

 If your aircraft engine ingests some foreign object during takeoff rolling, what would you
do?
If we encounter this situation before V1, we must abort right away. If it happens after V1,
we will continue takeoff. Once airborne, retract flaps and carry out after-takeoff
checklist, analyze the situation. If the engine doesn’t work properly, request returning.

 If bird ingestion happens to you during your initial climb, how will you deal with the
situation?
If it causes serious situations, such as engine flameout or structural damage, we must
report to ATC and request returning. If it’s not serious, we’ll check the a/c and system
and continue our flight.

 What can be done to prevent FOD from happening?

What can we or airport authority do beforehand to avoid such situation from happening?
Pilot should inform ATC if they find out any debris on the ground. Delay takeoff or
approach if there are bird activities in the vicinity of the airport. The airport authorities
must keep the taxiways and runways clean, use the dispersing vans to frighten birds
away.

structural damage

 Under what circumstances may the aircraft suffer structural damage? Can you name a
few?

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 Many things can cause structural damage, such as hard landing, bird strikes, lightning
strikes, extreme turbulence, explosion and so on.

 Do you have any experience of aircraft structural damage?

Yes. I have ever encountered bird strike. Bird strike made the windshield broken.

emergency evacuation

 Can you tell me when it is necessary to execute emergency evacuation? / In which

situation do we need to evacuate? / Under what circumstance does the pilot need to
make emergency evacuation?
we need to evacuate under these situations, such as force landing, ditching, engine fire,
bomb on board, smoke or fire in the aircraft and so on.
(There could be many reasons, such as fire, smoke, explosion, runway excursion
(running out of the runway), landing gear problem and so on.

 If you decide to carry out emergency evacuation after landing, what preparations should
you make beforehand?/ How do you prepare the evacuation?/ what should the flight
crew do when they decide to execute emergency evacuation?
If we decide to perform emergency evacuation after landing, we should follow SOP.
The procedures include: report to ATC about our decision for evacuation, inform the
cabin crew, inform passenger of evacuation direction，request ground assistance, review
the checklist. The captain makes the announcement on how to evacuate after landing.
The crew also needs to consider landing position, which is on the ground or ditching.

 Do you think a good briefing with the cabin crew may improve the chances of a
successful evacuation? Why?
Yes. I think so. In the briefing, the captain will assign tasks and give important
information to cabin crew. For example, the captain should inform the cabin crew of
evacuation direction. If the fire is from the right side of the cabin, the cabin crew will
guide the passengers to leave the aircraft from left side, which will increase the chances
of survival.

 How many evacuation slides are there on your aircraft?

I fly B737. There are 4 slides on my aircraft.

 What are the locations of these slides?

There are 2 slides on each side of the aircraft. Under each cabin door, there is an
evacuation slide.

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 What can evacuation slides be used for?
After the forced landing, the emergency slides may be deployed to help passengers and
crew member to evacuate quickly.

passenger problems

 If there’s a drunk passenger in flight, what will you do?

Inform the security staff and keep an eye on him/ watch him, keep other pax away
from him, prevent him from damaging the plane. (See sick passengers) air marshal
I’ll ask the air marshal to restrain the passenger.

 If there’s a fight going on between passengers during flight, what would you do?
(quarrel)
Inform the security staff, stop them, separate them, watch them. If they are seriously
injured, (see sick pax)

 What would you do if a passenger refused to check in oversized baggage at the gate?
it’s not my duty. I contact dispatch and ask the dispatch to inform the ground staff to
deal with it.

medical emergency

 What kind of medical help can the cabin crew provide to the pax on board?
In abnormal situation, we provide emergency service, such as first aid, medical service;
comfort them by giving them better service (more food, drinks) and further information.
for example, if a pax has heart attack, the flight attendant can take out the medicine
and put it into the pax’s mouth.

 If one of pax suffered a heart attack during flight, what would you do?
I will look for a doctor on board; ask cabin crew to give first aid; report to ATC, if
necessary, request diversion to nearest airport and medical service upon landing.

 If your captain or FO becomes incapacitated ([,inkə‘pæsi,teitid]失能的) / lose

consciouness what will you do?
I’ll take control of the aircraft. I’ll make a PA to see if there’s anyone on board can give
me a hand or ask the flight attendants help me carry out checklist. Then I declare medical
emergency, request landing at the nearest suitable airport and medical services upon
arrival.

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 I take over the control of the plane. Ask the flight attendant to help move the captain
away from his seat. Notify ATC of our situation and intention. ask the flight attendants
help me carry out checklist.

 Under what circumstances would you declare medical emergency?

Crew members become incapacitated, passengers suffer heart attack or are seriously
injured, some infectious diseases on board like bird flu.
if a pregnant woman is about to give birth to a baby, I need to call PANPAN.

others

 If you make a hard landing, how would you explain to your boss?
I should report to the relevant department, to check the aircraft. Then I file a report,
including some data (fill in TLB and QAR=quick access recorder) and tell them what
happened. If it is a serious problem, the safety inspection department will make an
investigation. We should learn the lesson from that situation and improve the flying
skills.

 If you are approaching “duty time limit” and still in flight, would that affect your decision
making?
No. normally we don’t have these situations, if it happens, it won’t affect our decision,
because we think safety is the most important. We’ll continue the flight, make a normal
landing, and then inform the dispatch of this situation. Cancel the next flight.

Engine problems

 What are the procedures for engine fire during flight?

First, the crew must confirm which engine is on fire. Then they perform the engine fire
checklist step by step from memory, (such as reduce the thrust lever to idle position, and
shut down the affected engine and pull the fire handle..., discharge the fire extingushier)
The other crew member declares the emergency situation to ATC and call mayday, and
request a safe altitude.

 What should you do if you decide to return for landing due to engine failure?
report to ATC, carry out checklist, check altitude and fuel, if I can’t make landing at my
airport, I’ll choose an airfield or grass strip to make force landing.
check the weight of my aircraft, if it’s over maximum landing weight, I’ll burn the fuel
first before landing.
inform the cabin crew and pax of our current situation, ask them to prepare for
emergency evacuation.
request emergency service, like ambulance, fire truck upon landing.

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 If pilots make a decision to reject takeoff due to engine fire, what should they be careful
about?
They should really be careful about the speed at that moment and the remaining runway
length.
If the airspeed is under 100 knots, then pilots should really focus on the direction control.
Then follow the SOPs to carry out the engine fire checklist. If the fire is not extinguished,
then the captain should make the emergency evacuation.
If the airspeed is more than 100 knots, then pilot should pay attention to both runway
length and direction control. They should do the best to stop the aircraft within the
runway.

 If pilots make a decision to continue takeoff due to engine fire, what should they do
next?
Control the airplane and follow the SOPs.
1st, we will keep control of the airplane, which is the most important thing. 2nd, there are
several checklists then we make a landing as soon as possible. In this case, we usually
choose the departure airport. Request to return for landing to the original runway. 3rd,
after finish the procedure, we should request fire truck and medical service upon landing
and expect emergency evacuation after landing.

smoke

 During cruise if you observe smoke in your flight deck, what will you do?
Put on the smoke goggles and oxygen masks, establish inner communication, do the
appropriate checklist, follow smoke removal procedures, declare an emergency, request
emergency services and immediate landing, consider evacuation after landing.

 What may be some possible reasons for smoke in the flight deck?
there’re many reasons for smoke, such as lightning strike, passengers smoking in the
lavatory, overheat of the electrical system, flammable items in the cargo.

 During cruise if you observe smoke in the cabin, what will you do? /if the flight attendant
reports that there’s smoke in the cabin, what will you do?
Keep the cockpit door closed, find out where the smoke is from, put on the smoke
goggles and oxygen masks , do the smoke checklist, request emergency descent, switch
off the air-conditioning system, switch off the power in the galley, consider evacuation
after landing. Ask the cabin crew to follow smoke removal procedure.

navigation failure

 What navigational aids do you use?

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 VOR, DME, ILS, GPS

 If you encounter navigation failure, how can ATC help you?

if part of navigation equipment fail, we can use other equipment to navigate. If we have
all navigation failure, keep our present heading, we request radar vector.

 If you get lost during flight, what will you do?

under visual flights, we climb higher level to confirm our position, resume normal
navigation. (look for a landmark and then confirm our position) Under instrument flights,
we will hold in the present position, report to ATC, request radar vector.
maintain present position and altitude, report to ATC, and request radar vector.

 What are advantages of ILS approach compared with VOR approach?

ILS approach provides both the localizer and glide slope( both the horizontal and
vertical guidance), it’s a precision approach. VOR approach only provides course, it’s
non-precision approach.
ILS approach is more accurate, more advanced, safer and easier than VOR approach.
the pilots can receive the signal of the localizer and glide slope. There’s an indication
on the computer, so it’s easier for the pilots to control the rate of descent and maintain
the heading. The decision height and visibility for ILS approach is lower than that of VOR
approach. ILS approach requires lower weather conditions, so it can help increase traffic
volume and reduce delays.

loss of flight control

 What are the possible reason for the a/c to be out of control?/ what may cause the a/c to
be out of control?
Control system failure, all hydraulic system failure, severe icing, severe turbulence, bird
strike, jammed control surfaces.

 What are the basic flight control limitations of your a/c?

I fly DA 40. Maximum Takeoff weight is 1150 kilograms.
I fly Cessna 172. Maximum Takeoff weight is 2550 pounds.
bank angle is no more than 45 degrees
maximum speed restriction for DA 40 is 118knots .
Minimum control speed is 49 kts.
maximum cruising speed is 129 knots.

 If you lose flight control, what would you do? / If your flight control is jammed, what will
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 you do? (eg. Elevator, aileron, rudder, flap)
if the elevator is jammed, we should maintain the attitude, reduce power and use
elevator trim tab.
If the aileron is jammed, we can use the rudder to control rolling.
if the rudder is jammed, use the aileron to make turning.
if the flight control is jammed, it’s a dangerous situation. We’ll follow SOP, perform the
checklist. For example, the flap is jammed, we’ll adjust the flap handle. If we can’t fix the
problem, we’ll report to ATC, request no flaps/flapless landing, request longest r/w and
emergency equipment.

Problems during taxi

 In heavy fog, if you miss correct taxiway, what will you do?
Stop the aircraft, turn on all the lights, report to ATC, notify ATC of the marking, request
a follow-me car.

 During taxiing, how can you avoid the risks of collision in heavy fog?
Be familiar with the taxi routes. When unsure of the position, confirm with ATC. Stop the
aircraft immediately when miss the correct taxiway. Turn on anti-collision lights. Study
airport map carefully. Taxi slowly, request follow-me car. (Turn up the lighting system at
the airport. ) Ask ATC to inform the crew every time before turning. Monitor the
frequency, listen to other pilots’ reports, improve situational awareness.

 Does your company have any training to familiarize you with new airports?
In our company, we have this kind of training. For example, we take lessons to get
familiar with the new airport. Another way is our instructors fly to the airport first and
then bring back some materials, which helps the other pilots get to know the new
airport.
If it’s a complicated airport, we have practice on the simulator.
In our cross-country flight training, if it’s the first time I fly to the airport. Before the
flight, my instructor will help me get familiar with new airport. We get to know a lot of
information about the airport, including approach type, airport facilities, taxi routes, runway
length, and so on.

 After landing at an unfamiliar airport, if you miss the first rapid exit, what will you do?
if we miss it, we’ll report to ATC, request vacating the runway at the next exit.
if there isn’t rapid exit or the next rapid exit is far, we request backtrack.

Equipment malfunction

 Have you ever encountered equipment malfunction during flight?

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 Transponder, weather radar, autopilot, auto throttle, TCAS, PFD, IRS，radio transmitter,
MFD, antenna,
Once before flight, I found the altimeter on the left side didn’t work. I checked MEL.
According to MEL, I can continue the flight with this problem.

 Let’s suppose you lost your airborne weather radar, how would you report this to ATC?
report to ATC, request latest weather reports from ATC and from other aircraft. If
there’s bad weather along my route, weather radar malfunction is a serious problem,
we’ll request landing as soon as possible. If the weather is good along the route,
continue flight to the destination.

 If your autopilot cannot be connected, can you tell me the difference regarding cockpit
task-sharing?
The captain takes control of the aircraft, the copilot does the radio and the checklists.
If the rest of the flight is more than two hours, the crew may decide to divert to the alternate,
because the disconnected autopilot increase the workload greatly. If the flight is less
than 2 hours, the crew member should take turns to control the aircraft to fly to the
destination.

Runway incursion

 Have you heard about any accidents of runway incursion?/ Have you encountered
runway incursion?/

 I know a very typical accident of runway incursion. It happened in Tenerife. KLM flight
started takeoff rolling on the runway before the pilot received takeoff clearance, while
another a/c, PanAm flight hasn’t vacated the runway. As a result, two a/c collided on the
runway, more than 500 people died in this accident.

 for example, a few days ago, at Hongqiao Airport, two aircraft, both from China Eastern,
almost collided on the runway. A 320 was taking off, while another aircraft, a A330 was
crossing the runway. Lucikliy the pilot of A320 made the right decision, he continued
takeoff, used the full power and pulled up the aircraft, and the A320 just flew over A330.
I think controller should be responsible for this incident, he should not let the aircraft
enter the runway when anther aircraft is taking off..

 What are typical examples of runway incursion?

An aircraft is taking off while another is crossing the active runway, or a ground vehicle
is working on the runway.
an airplane is not clear of runway while the other is landing or a vehicle occupies the
runway.

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 What might be the reasons for runway incursion?
low visibility, intersecting runways, non-standard phraseology, language barrier, heavy
workload, human errors, conditional clearance(behind Air China on final)
human error: pilot’s failure to follow ATC’s instructions,
ATC gives incorrect clearance, non-standard radio communication.
before taking off or entering the runway, if the pilots don’t confirm with ATC, it may
increase risks of runway incursion.

 What can a pilot do to avoid runway incursion?

Use standard words, speak slowly and clearly, follow ATC instructions, be familiar with
taxi routes. If unsure of position, stop the a/c and confirm with ATC, carry out crosscheck.
When unsure of ATC’s instructions, confirm with ATC.
Before entering the runway, we should confirm with ATC and observe other traffic.
Before landing, we should monitor reports from other aircraft and controllers. we
should be familiar with the taxi routes to avoid taking the runway as taxiway.

Tail strike

 Have you ever heard about any incidents concerning tail strike?
An accident happened last week in my airline. The pilot encountered turbulence during
landing, he decided to go around, and made the second attempt. But in his second
landing, he pitched up a little more, as a result, tail part hit the ground.

 What might be the reasons for tail strike?

Strong wind, improper use of flight control(Low speed and great pitch during landing or
takeoff), incorrect pitch, miscalculation of CG , incorrect input to FMS. Wake turbulence.

 What can be done to avoid tail strike?

If there’s strong wind, delay takeoff or approach. Double check when input the
information into FMS. Pilots should improve flying skills. Follow standard takeoff and
landing procedures, make more practice of takeoff and landing in simulator training.
for example , we should avoid wake turbulence. if there is a heavy aircraft just taking-off,
we need to keep separation with the preceding aircraft.

Operations

ATIS

 Could you tell me something about ATIS?

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 ATIS stands for automatic terminal information service. It is updated at least once an
hour, and in alphabetic sequence, such as A\B\C. If the weather changes in airport, it is
updated more often.

 What information is included?

It includes weather information and airport conditions. Weather information includes
visibility, wind, dew point, temperature, cloud, QNH. Airport conditions include runway
in use, approach type, and so on. It also includes some important information, like bird
activities, working project near the runway or taxiway.

 When and where do you need to copy\listen to ATIS?

We usually listen to ATIS before departure and approach.

 Do you think ATIS is useful？

Yes, it is very useful, especially for takeoff and landing. For example, if the wind is
strong, we need to make some correction to control the aircraft. And the pilot can
copy information changes in time, such as runway change and visibility.

Preflight

 If you fly next day, will you make preparation today?/How would you prepare for your
flight the day before?
Yes, I will make some preparations the day before the flight. Good preparation is always
necessary. In our company, if I fly next day, I will log in company’s FLIGHT
PREPARATION NET PAGE. We call it on line preparation.
During the preparation, we need to know flight schedule, crew members, NOTAM,
weather conditions, alternate airport and so on.
Before each flight, we need to complete a brief test on the internet. There are 10
questions about regulations and flight rules. It usually takes me at least 30 minutes to
prepare on line.
The day before my flight training, I need to get familiar with/ review my training subjects.
The training subjects include traffic patterns, how to make maneuvers, the procedures for
instrument approach, the procedures under different situations, especially emergency
situations, for example, flapless landing, engine failure during initial climb.
I should also review some important data for the subjects. For example, speed
limitations, the rotation speed for takeoff is 59 knots.

 What do you usually do in the briefing room before you board the aircraft for a flight?
Every crew member signs in when they enter the briefing room. We get a folder from
dispatcher, including NOTAM, flight plan and weather. There’s always a short meeting

19
 among the crew members before each flight. The captain will give a briefing to every
crew member. We discuss the weather, alternate airport, schedule, task sharing, security
issues. We discuss the procedures in case of hijack. For example, the secret signal among
the crew members in case of hijack. We will review one of emergency procedures, for
example, engine failure before V1.

 If you find something abnormal during your pre-flight system check, what would you do?
I’ll ask the maintenance people to have a check. If they cannot make the decision, they
will check MEL to decide whether to continue the flight with this aircraft or change
another aircraft.

walk-around inspection

 Whose responsibility is it to perform the walk-around inspection for every flight?

The captain. According to our flight manual, the pilot-in-command has responsibility to
perform walk-around inspection. Sometimes, the first officer will perform the
walk-around inspection, too.
(According to our company’s regulation, it’s the captain’s responsibility to perform the
walk-around inspection, after captain completes the inspection, he may ask FO to double
check.)

 Is there a specific route for a walk-around inspection? What is it? What is the purpose of
it?
Yes, there is. Pilots start from the left forward cabin door, and then walk around the
aircraft in clockwise direction. This route for walk-around inspection is specified in SOP.
The purpose is to make sure the pilots won’t miss any important part and improve work
efficiency.

 Which parts do you think need to be checked carefully? And why?

We need to check the engine very carefully. We check the air inlet to see if there are any
foreign objects in it. If there are foreign objects in the engine, it may cause engine
flameout.
We also check pitot tube and static port to make sure it is not blocked. If they are
blocked, instrument display, like airspeed, altitude may not be correct.

 When you are performing the walk-around inspection in an extremely cold weather, is
there anything that you need to be careful about?
In the winter, there could be ice buildup on the wings and fuselage. Icing build up on the
wings may reduce aircraft performance and lift, so I need to perform de-icing.

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 takeoff rejection

 What may cause a pilot to reject takeoff?

Many situations can cause takeoff rejection(takeoff rejection may be caused by, there
are many reasons for takeoff rejection) such as wind shear, systems failure, bird strike,
configuration warning, engine fire, engine flameout, and some significant incidents
affecting flight safety, like runway incursion, incapacitated pilot and so on. If the speed is
before V1, the pilot must reject take off.

 What will you do when the warning alerts are triggered during takeoff?
That depends.
If the speed is below 100 knots, the aircraft encounters problems, like configuration
warning, system failure, burst tire, we should abort takeoff.
If the speed is between 100knots and V1, the aircraft encounters problems like fire
warning, engine failure, wind shear warning, or any situations pilots think will endanger
flight safety, pilots must reject takeoff.
If the speed is over V1, but the warning alerts are triggered, the pilots still have to
continue takeoff.

 What are the procedures for rejecting takeoff?

If the speed is below V1 and the captain makes the decision to reject takeoff，he should
call out “stop”, then set the throttle to idle, apply maximum brake, deploy speed brake
and thrust reverser. He should keep the aircraft nose along the runway centerline. When
the aircraft is stopped, report to ATC and make an announcement to passengers.

 What is the task sharing during rejected takeoff?

The captain makes the decision. He calls out ‘stop’ and says ‘I have control’. Then he
takes immediate actions to stop the aircraft. He uses maximum brake and thrust reverser to
reduce speed, and uses the rudder pedals to control direction. If there is strong crosswind,
FO should help the captain keep the direction of the aircraft.
And the FO confirm the throttle is in idle position, read the speed indication. When the
aircraft is stopped, the FO contacts ATC while the captain makes an announcement to
passengers.

 What are the possible consequences of rejecting takeoff after V1?

If we reject takeoff after V1, there isn’t enough distance for our aircraft to fully stop on
the runway. We may not have enough time to take actions and perform aborted takeoff
procedures. The aircraft will get out of/overrun the runway. That will cause severe
damage to the a/c and passenger injuries. So we must takeoff after V1.

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 handbook in the cockpit

 Are there any technical manuals or handbooks in your cockpit? Can you name a few?
Operation manuals, QRH, MEL, performance manuals,

 Do you often consult these manuals in flight? Are they convenient to use?
Yes. For example, QRH can help us deal with the problem, when we encounter abnormal
situations.

 Do you know about MEL? What does it stand for?

It stands for minimum equipment list.

 What is MEL used for? Is it important for flight safety? Why?

Before start-up engines/ taxi, if we find something abnormal, we check MEL. If it’s a minor
problem, we just continue the flight. If it’s a major problem, we need to change another
aircraft.
The maintenance use MEL to release/clear the a/c.
According to MEL, We can fly with some minor problems.
MEL tells/ shows/indicates what should the flight crew and mechanics do in terms of these
problems./ to deal with the problems.

 Is it possible that these paper manuals be replaced by the electronic files?

Yes. With the development of technology, everyone can use computer to review/get
information. Electronic files are easy/convenient to read, to carry, to keep for a long time, to
update. It’s easy to update these manuals. It can reduce cost and save resource.
Maybe part of them will be replaced by the electronic files. I think it is necessary to keep the
standby in case of electronic failure.

checklists

 Could you introduce your Normal Checklist to use? When do you use your Normal
Checklist? What are included in your normal checklist?
In my opinion, normal checklist is the standard items for normal operation. It is used in
every phase (stage) of the normal flight./ We use Normal checklist at different phases of
the flight.
Normal checklist includes pre-flight checklist, before start-up checklist, before taxi
checklist, before and after takeoff checklist, descent and approach checklist, before
landing checklist and so on.

 How do the flight crew members cooperate with each other to carry out the checklist

22
 procedures?
on the ground, the FO does the checklist and the captain confirms. During cruising, in
normal situations, PM does the checklist and PF confirms. In abnormal situations, the
captain will take control.
first, PF calls out the checklist, then PM reads and does the checklist procedure. At the
same time, the PF confirms and monitors his action.

 Do you think QRH is useful? Why?/ What is the purpose(目的) of QRH?

Because QRH includes normal checklist，abnormal checklist，aircraft performance and
maneuver flight, so it’s very useful for pilots. It’s easy to use, especially in emergency
situations, the pilots don’t have to remember so many items. Pilots follow QRH to deal
with the problem step by step.
The main purpose of QRH is to remind pilots of relevant procedures. As a result, it
reduces human errors and increases efficiency.
QRH can help pilots make quick response, and solve the problems effectively. For
example, if we encounter low oil pressure, hydraulic fluid leak, we can follow QRH to
deal with the problem. So it can help ensure flight safety/ increase safety margin.

loading sheet

 What’s the use of loading sheet? What kinds of information are included in the loading
sheet?
With the loading sheet, pilots can know the weight and CG of the aircraft so that they
can calculate takeoff data. It’s used for weight and balance control. Without it, the
aircraft cannot take off.
For example, we need to enter some important data like zero fuel weight, takeoff
weight into FMC, we will know the important speed during takeoff, like V1, Vr, V2.
We get CG, takeoff weight, landing weight, fuel on board. With the data, we can
calculate the takeoff speed, landing speed. (student pilots)
The loading sheet includes Flight number, number of pax, the weight of cargo, baggage
and post, zero fuel weight, center of gravity, takeoff weight, takeoff fuel weight, landing
weight, stabilizer trim unit…

 How do you get the loading sheet?

The company sends us the loading sheet by ACARS, or the ground staff send it by
themselves.

 Which department is responsible for providing the loading sheet to flight crew?
operational center； Weight and balance office

dangerous goods

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 Have you ever received any training concerning dangerous goods transportation? What
was involved in training? What have you learned?

 Yes, we have dangerous goods training once every two years. We learn a lot from the
training, including regulations and operational policies about dangerous goods
transportation; classification of dangerous goods; packing, labeling and marking; and
actions to be taken in case of emergency.

 There are nine types of dangerous goods, like flammable, explosives.

We learn a lot from the training, including regulations about dangerous goods
transportation. we learn the requirements for carrying lithium batteries. (we can only put it
in the hand baggage, not in the checked baggage) We learn the actions to be taken in case
of fire. What can be considered as dangerous goods. We learn how to deal with the problem
in case of dangerous goods leakage or on fire.

 What topics do you discuss during dangerous goods training? Give me an example.

 We learn a lot from the training, including regulations and operational policies about
dangerous goods transportation; classification of dangerous goods; packing, labeling
and marking; and procedures in case of emergency.
for example, We learn regulations about dangerous goods transportation. we learn the
requirements for carrying lithium batteries. (we can only put it in the hand baggage, not
in the checked baggage) We learn the actions to be taken in case of fire.

We learn how to deal with the problem in case of dangerous goods

leakage or on fire.

 Have you ever had dangerous goods training? How often?

Yes. according to CAAC’s regulations, pilots should receive dangerous goods training
once every two years.

 If there’s a leakage of a dangerous liquid substance in flight, what would you do?
This situation is very dangerous, which can cause fire or other serious consequences. If
the leakage causes smoke, acrid smell or fire, we must perform the emergency
procedure, for example, release the extinguisher to put out the fire, and report to ATC
and operations, and land as soon as possible, request fire services upon arrival. Confirm
with ATC of airport rescue and fire facility category. Consider emergency evacuation
after landing.

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 Please name a few dangerous goods.
Denatured alcohol, battery fluid, fireworks, oxygen, dry ice, paint, lighters, weapons,
radioactive materials
flammable, explosives, erosive, radioactive, toxic

 What are considered as dangerous goods in aviation? Give me an example.

There are nine types of dangerous goods, like flammable, explosives, toxics, erosive,
radioactive.

 Does your airline provide guidelines for identifying or handling of dangerous goods? Do
you think it is necessary? Why?/ Are you familiar with the procedures to identify or handle
dangerous goods?
Yes. we have Dangerous Goods Transportation Manual and Dangerous Goods Training
Program. They are useful and provide us guidance to deal with problems concerned
dangerous goods transportation.

 Are lithium batteries dangerous goods? What threats may they likely bring to flight
safety?
Yes. because they may easily cause fire or explosion during transportation. The fire is
quite difficult to be put out, which may lead to serious consequences.

in-flight catering

 Do you like in-flight catering?

Yes, because there are many kinds of food for pilots, and they are delicious.
No, the food is terrible. I get very tired of it, because it’s always the same.

 Do you have the same food with the captain/FO on board?

No. according to regulations, the captain and the F/O cannot eat the same kind of food
at the same time.
If the pilot eats something bad or poisonous, he may become incapacitated or
unconscious, it will endanger flight safety.

 Do you think the security check on the catering staff is necessary? Why?
Yes, it’s very necessary, because according to CAAC regulations, every person who
wants to get on board must go through security check to ensure safety.
Prevent smuggling, drug-trafficking, terrorist activities, illegal immigration and so on.

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SOP

 What does SOP stand for?

SOP stands for standard operation procedures.

 What are the basic objectives of SOPs?

The objective of SOP is to set standards and make pilots complete their works according to
the same standard, which can help prevent human errors.
For example, we encounter abnormal situations, we don’t know what we should do, we
should follow SOP, which can help us make right decision.
The same type of aircraft has the same SOP. Pilots flying B737 follow the same SOP,
although they may come from different airlines.

 Do you believe SOPs are effective methods to prevent human errors? Why?
Yes, I think so. SOP tells pilots what should be done at certain time and certain places.
All pilots use the same procedures, which can help reduce misunderstandings among crew
members in flight operations. For example, if the crew members have different opinion
about diversion, they should check SOP, which can help them make right decision.

 What might happen if SOPs are not followed?

If SOPs are not followed, it may cause human errors or even aviation accidents.
For example, Yichun Accident. Because the pilot didn’t strictly follow SOP, the aircraft
crashed. During approach, the weather was below minimum. According to SOP, the pilot
should go around, but the pilot continued to make approach and landing. In the end, the
a/c crashed on the mountain.

 What training does your company provide to address and improve strict adherence to
SOPs?
Our airline will inspect the compliance of SOP in every simulator training, ground
training and upgrade training.
In these trainings, the airline’s inspectors will check if the pilots comply with SOP in
flying. Through the continuous(constant) training and inspection, SOP has become an
important part of the pilots work, and SOP has become pilots’ habit.

 What measures does your company take to ensure the compliance of SOPs?
Pilots have handbook of SOPs in the cockpit, they can consult SOP if they encounter
problems during flight.
If the pilots fail to follow SOPs, it will be recorded in QAR.

26
 if any incident occurs, after the flight, Check voice –recording to see if the pilots use
standard call.
Sometimes pilots may fail to follow SOP during flight operation. But after the flight,
when he reviews flight procedures, he will realize his incompliance of SOP almost causes
a serious mistake.

short and narrow runways

 What factors may cause a/c to overrun the r/w after landing?
There are many reasons for the aircraft to be out of runway. Reject takeoff around V1,
braking action poor due to slippery runway, gear up landing, overweight landing,
tailwind and crosswind, flapless landing, above the glide slope, unstable approach,

 Have you ever experienced taking off or landing on the short and narrow runways?
When I had initial flight training in flight school, we operated at a small airport. The runway is
less than 2200 meters. But I flew a small training aircraft, the runway is long enough for
landing and takingoff.

 What kind of runway may be considered as short and narrow runway?

Generally speaking, if the runway is less than 2500meters long and/or less than
45meters wide, it may be considered as short and narrow runway.
Most runways at our airports are longer than 2500 meters and wider than 60 meters.
But different types of aircraft have different requirements for the runway length and
width. If it is an A380, the runway must be longer than 3000 meters.
If the runway is at the high elevation airport, it must be longer, because the aircraft
performance will be lower and ground speed is higher, aircraft needs longer runway for
takeoff and landing.

 Are there any risks when pilots operate on short and narrow runway? What are they? /
Do you think it’s dangerous to operate on ….?
The aircraft may overrun or veer off the runway.
Another risk is that for the big aircraft like A330, the wing span is large, if the runway
width is less than 60 meters, engines may extend out of the runway, as a result,
foreign objects, like debris may be sucked into the engines.
Another threat is that operation on the short and narrow r/w may easily cause pilots’
visual illusion. Sometimes pilots think that their aircraft is above glide slope, which is not
true. As a result, the pilots fly the aircraft lower than glide path, which threatens flight
safety.

 What should a pilot do to ensure safe landing on a short and narrow runway?

27
 During final approach, pilots should pay attention to descent profile. Pilots have to follow
vertical guidance and they should align the aircraft with glide slope, not above the glide
slope. (The aircraft must be aligned with glide slope.)
Use maximum brake and thrust reverser
Another problem is that operation on the short and narrow r/w may easily cause pilots visual
illusion, so pilots have to rely on their instruments.

topics on training

recurrent training

 Where do you have your recurrent training?

in our company’s training center

 How often do you have your recurrent training? How many hours are you required to
complete each time?
Once every half a year. 12 hours.

 What training subjects do you review in your recurrent training?

Normal and abnormal situations. Such as engine failure,…….

 In your opinion which subject is the most difficult for you to deal with? Why?
one engine failure. Because it’s hard to control the a/c if one engine fails. it requires crew to
have a good ability/ good flying skills/and teamwork. /to be familiar with SOP.
It’s hard to control the aircraft when making maneuvers, like stall recovery, spin, steep turn,
fly at low speed

 Do you think it’s necessary for pilots to have recurrent training?

Yes. Recurrent can help pilots get familiar with procedures and improve flying skills. In case
of abnormal situations, pilots can make quick response and make the right decision.

 Why is simulator training important?

Pilots can get more experience in simulator training. During training pilots may have the
opportunities to practice many emergency procedures, which can improve pilots’ ability
to handle unusual situations.
Pilots seldom encounter these abnormal situations in real flight, so it’s necessary to
practice emergency procedures. In case of emergency pilots can make a quick
response/reaction and make right judgement.

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Initial training

 When and where did you first learn to fly?

 Describe your first solo-flight.

My first solo flight was in CAFUC. At that time I was a student pilot of CAFUC / Air Force
Flying school. Our training aircraft was x x . I was very nervous when I entered the
cockpit. My hands were trembling when holding the control column. And I was so
excited that I almost forgot everything I learned. When I became relaxed, it seemed
much easier to control the plane. I followed the instructions and successfully made my
first solo.
After I passed solo flight test, I could/ was allowed to perform the first solo flight. (My
instructor helped me check the equipment, ) I was nervous before the flight. After I was
airborne/ took off, I could not believe I was flying the a/c by myself. After landing/ I
finished the flight successfully I felt very excited.

 What have you learned from your flight instructor in your flight school?/ What valuable
experience have you learned from your flight school?
I learned a lot from him, such as flying skills, SOP, checklists, aviation knowledge and so on. I
learned how to keep calm under abnormal situations.
During the training in my flight school, I have learned a lot – not only essential flying
knowledge and skills, but also ability to deal with dangerous situations. In addition, I
learned to understand the importance of flight safety. (strictly following all the rules
and regulations in flight operations.) All of what I learned in the flight school is of great
help in my flying career.

aircraft and aircraft systems

hydraulic system

 Is the hydraulic system important to flight operations?

Yes. Many a/c systems receive power from hydraulic system. Without hydraulic
systems, the a/c may be out of control. It’s the essential system to operate a/c control
surfaces, thrust reverser, brakes, yaw damper, autopilot and so on.

 How many hydraulic systems are there on your aircraft? What are the functions of the
hydraulic system?
Most a/c have three. System A, B and alternate. It provides power to control/operate
flight control surfaces, such as flaps, rudder, elevator, aileron; it also provides power to
change configuration, such as landing gear, steering, brake, thrust reverser.

 When one hydraulic system fails, will it affect the flight safety?

29
 Normally there are 2 or 3 hydraulic systems. If one system fails, the other two system are
still operational. For example, both system A and B control the movement of rudder. In
case of one system failure, the other system can still work. As a result, following QRH,
we can continue our flight to destination.
If we have difficulty in controlling the a/c, we may request descent to lower level or
request diversion.

 What are the consequences of the hydraulic system failure in flight?

If all the hydraulic systems have malfunctioned, it may cause serious problems. The
landing gear may not be extended, the a/c has to make belly landing which is extremely
dangerous.
If the flaps, spoilers, speedbrakes don’t work, the a/c needs longer landing distance
because of higher landing speed, the a/c may overrun the r/w.
I fly Diamond 40, we only have one hydraulic system, it controls brakes. If it fails, it’s
hard to stop the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft may skid off the runway, and aircraft
structure may be damaged.

 When there’s a hydraulic fluid leak, what will you do?

If the problem occurs on the ground, the pilot should get the mechanics to deal with
that. If it happens during flight, the pilot should find out the reason for the malfunction
and follow QRH/checklist to handle it, make right judgment and decision, then report to
ATC and divert to the alternate.
Find out the problem, for example, check the hydraulic fluid quantity and pressure ; carry
out hydraulic fluid low pressure checklist, report the situation to ATC, and request
ground assistance when necessary.

 If your landing gear can’t be extended on approach, what will you do?
I will perform the checklist. I try to re-extend it manually or use gravity to extend the
gear.
Abort approach, join the holding pattern. Follow checklist. Manually extend the gear,
make maneuvers. If unsure the gear is completely down, request a low pass for visual
check.

 If you decide to make a belly landing, what preparations should you make before
landing?
check the fuel; request to join a holding pattern to burn or dump the fuel; declare
emergency; request emergency assistance on arrival; request foam carpet, fire truck,
ambulances…after landing; inform the cabin crew of the situation; The flight attendants
inform the passengers of the forced landing and prepare for the emergency evacuation.

 If you decide to make a belly landing, request fire truck and ambulance upon landing,
30
 request a foamed r/w at the touch down zone. After landing, execute emergency
evacuation as soon as possible.

 Do you think belly landing is safe? Why?

No. Belly landings carry the risk of causing accidents. For example, if the aircraft lands
too fast or too hard, the aircraft may be broken or catch fire; passengers may get injured.
But if the pilot has good flying skills and land very carefully, it can be a successful landing.

flight control surfaces

 What kinds of flight control surfaces does an aircraft have?

Elevator, rudder, aileron, spoiler, flaps, slats, speed brakes, stabilizer

 Please describe the positions of these control surfaces.

Rudder is at the trailing edge of vertical stabilizer.
Elevator is at the trailing edge of horizontal stabilizer.
Aileron is at the rear of outboard wings.

 Can you explain the different functions of these control surfaces?

Rudder is used to change yaw. Elevator is used to change pitch. Ailerons are used to
change/roll bank angle. Flaps are used to increase drag and lift, reduce speed.

Aircraft comparison

 What type of aircraft are you flying now? Have you flown any other types of aircraft? /
can you describe your flying experience?
I’m flying B747. I have flown xxx, a single propeller aircraft. I had my initial training in
1997. I had transition training in 1999 and began to fly B737.

 What kind of aircraft do you prefer flying? If you are given a choice to fly A320 or B737,
which one would you choose? / If you could choose any type of aircraft to fly, which type
will you choose?
I like to fly big aircraft, because they have better performance and are more
comfortable.
I prefer A320. It’s easy to control. It has advanced flight management system which
greatly reduces pilots’ workload.

 What type of aircraft are you flying now? Do you like it? What are the technological
advantages and disadvantages of the aircraft you fly now?

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 EMB190. it’s not advanced, there isn’t large space in the cockpit. Its endurance is not
long enough. But it’ not expensive, suitable for regional flights or short-haul flights.
A320. It uses a lot of advanced technology, such as fly-by-wire, glass cockpit, etc. it has a
comfortable cockpit. It’s highly automated and computerized. But it isn’t designed for
student pilots.
Flying airbus a/c is just like sitting in the office, all you have to do is to monitor and
operate the computer. But the problem is that pilots may rely too much on the
computer. Once they encounter electrical system failure or computer malfunction, pilots
may lose control of the a/c.

Flight routes

 what do you prefer to fly, domestic routes or international routes?

I prefer to fly international routes. Because I can get good pay, on the other hand, I can
visit different countries.

 What do you prefer to fly, long haul routes or short haul routes?
I prefer short haul routes. I can have more opportunities to practice takeoffs and
landings.

electrical system

 Have you ever encountered an electrical system failure during flight?

Yes. Last month I flew from… to… I encountered electrical system failure at cruising
level. I Followed SOP and reported to ATC, finally Made a diversion.

 What will you do if one of your electrical systems fails?

We have three sets of electrical systems. If one system fails, first we start APU, then we
connect it to the malfunctioned generator. Then we can continue our flight to the
destination.
For our aircraft, the battery is the only source for electrical power, so we don’t have
display for PFD and ND, we’ll use traditional instruments.

air-conditioning system

 If air conditioning system fails during flight, what will you do?
We have two sets of system. If one set fails we can continue our flight. We select
suitable level. If two sets both fail, we request lower level because it may affect the
pressurization of the a/c.

If one of the packs has malfunctioned, the aircraft can continue the flight at the
altitude below 7500 meters.

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 If both packs have malfunctioned, it may be difficult to control the cabin altitude, we’ll
request descent to lower than 3000 meters.
Start APU, use bleed air to pressurize the aircraft, then continue the flight to the
destination.

 How do you fix the air-conditioning problem in flight?

We will reset the air-conditioning system according to the checklist/ we will do the
checklist. If the problem is fixed, we will continue our flight. If not, we will make an
emergency descent or divert to the suitable airport.

oxygen systems

 Could you say something about the oxygen system on your aircraft?
There are three kinds of oxygen systems. One kind is for the crew, stowed in the cockpit;
second kind is for passengers, stowed over the passengers’ seats; third kind is portable
oxygen bottles, for emergency use.

 In which circumstances do we use oxygen masks in flight?

In case of depressurization, the aircraft needs emergency descent, we need to use
oxygen masks. If the cabin altitude is over 4000m, we also need oxygen masks. if the
aircraft departs at the airports elevation above 4000m, the crew has to put on oxygen
masks.

EFIS

 What does EFIS stand for?

Electronic flight instrument system.

 Is your aircraft equipped with EFIS display? If yes, can you introduce EFIS to me? If no,
what kind of flight instruments do you use in your cockpit to display the flight
information?
Yes. EFIS consists of PFD and ND(B737); PFD and MFD(Diamond-40).
PFD displays airspeed, altitude, attitude, heading, vertical speed; MFD displays flight path,
waypoints, engine parameters.
It displays a lot of information important to flight, including airspeed, altitude, attitude,
heading, vertical speed, flight path, wind conditions, waypoints. It integrates all
information into one display, which may reduce pilot’s workload.

instrument comparison

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of analogue instruments?

It’s better for the student pilots to use the analogue instruments. It can help pilots

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 improve their flying skills. They are more reliable. On the other hand, it may increase
pilots’ workload. Traditional instruments are not accurate.

 Compare the digital displays in the modern cockpit with the traditional analogue
instruments, which do you prefer?
Modern aircraft combine both the digital and analogue instruments in the cockpit.
Digital displays may help reduce the workload for pilots. They are more accurate. But
they have disadvantages too, such as high cost, difficulty in maintenance.

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of side stick or control column?
Side stick is flight-by-wire. It is easier to control the aircraft; While Boeing Aircraft has
control column. However, different people have different opinion about which is better.
I prefer side stick because I am flying Airbus aircraft.
Most pilots think flying side stick is more like playing computer games. Using control
column may give the pilots a feeling of control.

emergency equipment

 What kind of emergency equipment do you have in the cockpit?

Extinguisher, portable extinguisher, smoke goggles, oxygen masks, life vest, escape
ropes, torch/flashlight, PBE (protective breathing equipment) and so on.
ELT(Emergency Location Transmitter)

 Why are pilots required to be familiar with emergency equipment?

pilots should be familiar with the layout and the functions of the emergency equipment.
In case of emergency pilots can make a quick response and correct decision. pilots can
save more people’s lives and help reduce damages to the aircraft.

 Under what circumstances would you use the oxygen mask?

In case of in-flight depressurization, and the cabin altitude is over 4000m, the pilots must put
on oxygen masks.
we would use oxygen masks in many abnormal situations, like smoke or fire in the
cockpit, emergency descent, depressurization.

urgency and distress situation

 What are the differences between urgency and distress situation?

In case of in-flight emergency when would you call MAYDAY? When would you call
PANPAN? What’s the difference?
distress situation is more critical than urgency situation. In case of distress, pilots call

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 MAYDAY, while in urgency, pilots need to make PANPAN call.
For example, if the aircraft encounters distress situations, such as engine problems,
structural damage, depressurization, hijack, pilots have to declare the situation to ATC
and call MAYDAY.
If the aircraft encounters urgency situations, such as fuel shortage, system failure,
passenger problems and so on, they have to declare the situation to ATC and call
PANPAN.

 When is it necessary for you to make an in-flight emergency descent?

If the crew suspect the aircraft suffers structural failure or rapid depressurization, the
crew have to make an in-flight emergency descent.

 Have you ever encountered any urgency or distress situation? If yes, can you say
something in detail? If not, can you give me an example?

 What could you do in case of an emergency? Give me an example.

For example, in case of in-flight depressurization, we should keep control of the aircraft.
I should follow SOP. Pilots, flight attendants and passengers must put on oxygen masks.
We carry out an emergency descent, then I contact ATC, inform them of my situation and
intention.

 What kind of supports do you need from ATC or ground personnel in case of emergency?
In case of emergency, I would report my situation to ATC, tell ATC my current position,
intention, conditions of passengers and crew members. I may request ground assistance,
depending on what emergency situations I encounter.
If there’s seriously ill passenger, I request emergency services, like ambulance upon
arrival.
If there’s cabin fire onboard the aircraft, I decide to carry out emergency evacuation, I’ll
request fire services, medical services upon arrival.

 Who would be the last one to leave the aircraft in the event of emergency evacuation?
Why do you think so?
I think the captain should be the last one to leave the aircraft. Captain is the leader in the
cockpit, should be responsible for the safety of every person on board and aircraft and
cargo . In case of emergency evacuation, captain should make sure all the crew and
passengers have already safely evacuate the aircraft before he leaves. The CAAC’s
regulation clearly states(specifies) that captain should be the last one to leave the
aircraft in the event of emergency evacuation.

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 Topics on Radiotelephony communication

Radio communication

 During flight operation, which crew member is responsible for radiotelephony

communication with ATC?
According to SOP, during ground operation, the FO communicates with ATC. In flight, if
the FO controls the aircraft, the captain is PM, he is responsible for communicating with
ATC.

 When do you need to carry out radio check? How do you carry out the radio check?
Could you please give me a detailed explanation?
In initial contact, we carry out radio check by asking “how do you read me?” ATC
answers: I can read you 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1.
During cruising, if there’s silence in radio for a long time, you need to check frequency
and then call ATC.
Ask ATC: how do you read me? ATC answers: I can read you 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1. 5 means I can
read you loud and clear, 4 means clear, 3means can hear but with difficulty, 2means
intermittent/ cut in and out, 1 means I can’t read you. If ATC can only read me 3 or less,
I’ll check the radio equipment, and request radio check again.
Usually in flight, we don’t do the radio check again. Since the controller have more
advanced equipment to show the quality of the signal, it’s not necessary to do the radio
check again. If the controllers can’t read us clearly, they’ll ask me to do the radio check.

 In your opinion what could pilots do to improve the quality of Radiotelephony

communication?
Are there any efficient ways for the pilot and the controller to avoid misunderstanding
with each other?
First, check if the communication equipment is in good condition. /Make sure the
equipment is working properly/ in good order
During transmission use simple words and standard RT phraseology, and speak clearly,
not too fast. When receiving message from ATC, do readback. If the information or
instruction is not clear, ask the controller to repeat. Whenever there is a problem,
contact ATC and state the nature of your problem and your intention.

 What are some communication requirements during an emergency?

The pilots will transmit PANPAN or MAYDAY message to ATC. When encountering an
urgency situation which requires timely but not immediate assistance, I will transmit a
PANPAN message. When encountering a distress situation, such as fire, mechanical
failure, structural damage, I will transmit a MAYDAY call.
The pilots should tell the controllers their problems and intentions clearly. The controllers

36
 should inform the other aircraft in the vicinity of the emergency aircraft to help the crew
complete emergency procedures.

communication issues

 What kinds of communication equipment do you have on your aircraft?/ What are some
of the ways you use to communicate with ATC?
VHF, HF, satellite telephone, ACARS 航空器通讯寻址报告系统, transponder.

 What are some of the ways you use to communicate with ATC? When do you use them?
HF and VHF. When we fly domestic flights, we are not far from the area control, we use VHF.
When we fly international flights, we have to use HF since we are over the ocean or far
from the control.

 What are your company’s procedures to deal with radio failure in flight?
First, we should squawk 7600, make a blind transmission, then notify the company FOC
(flight operation center) by ACARS, try to fly to destination as planned/ according to the
flight plan.
Ask dispatch to inform the destination airport. They will help us make a safe landing.
When we fly over the destination airport, we should make a visual circumdescent.

 What human factors may affect good communication?

if pilots and controllers can use good communication skills, for example, speak clearly,
use standard phraseology, readback key information, communication will go on
smoothly.
during approach phrase, since pilots have a lot of tasks, it’s necessary to minimize crew
communication for safety, for example, ATC should not give too much message or cabin
crew should not distract pilots’ attention by asking questions.
if one aircraft occupies the frequency for too long, it will affect other aircraft to have
effective communication with ATC.

 What environment factors may affect effective communication?

If the communication equipment doesn’t work properly, it will affect communication.
Try to avoid the mountains. If the a/c flies at low altitude, it may affect the quality of
radio communication,
Bad weather, like thunderstorm or lightning may affect communicaiton.

 What communication skills do you think may affect the smooth communication between
pilot and controller

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Distress call

 How do pilots make a distress transmitting?

We’ll call MAYDAY three times, describe our emergency situation to ATC, report to ATC
our position, altitude and heading, say our intention.

 What should you do when you hear one aircraft making a distress transmission during
flight?
We should stop transmitting and keep silent. But if the emergency a/c can’t contact ATC,
we can help relay information.

Fuel issues
fuel policy

 Could you tell me your company fuel policy?

My company has several principles for fuel policy: safe, green, environment-friendly,
low-carbon, economical. The company encourages us to save fuel. But in any cases, we
must ensure the flight safety.
The quantity of fuel should be decided according to the flight plan; captain has the right
to change the fuel quantity if necessary.
we have requirements for minimum fuel and emergency fuel.
the airlines encourages us to save fuel, pilots can get 10% bonus for the fuel saved, but
we must ensure flight safety.

 It’s necessary to save fuel in our flight training in order to ensure safety, especially in
cross-country training. Because the fuel on board is limited, we should adjust the mixture
of gas and air and keep an economical speed. (student pilots)
The pilots should establish proper descent profile, so as to avoid going around.
The pilots should keep safe separation with the preceding aircraft to avoid holding or
going around.

 Do you think a high cruising altitude helps reduce fuel consumption?

Usually yes. The air density at the high cruising altitude is low, so the drag is less, so the
a/c consumes less fuel.
Generally speaking, The optimum cruising altitude is between 10,000 and 11,000 meters.
However, there are many factors affecting fuel consumption, like wind, temperature.

 What is your opinion about pilot’s role in saving fuel?

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 I think pilots play an important role in saving fuel. Pilots can decide the optimum fuel
quantity by selecting optimum speed, altitude and route. If conditions permit, pilots can
make a visual and straight-in approach to save fuel. If possible, pilots can extend the
flaps late to save fuel.

 What is your opinion on airlines’ policy of encouraging pilots to save fuel?

Generally speaking, it’s a good policy. Now the environment-friendly, low-carbon fuel
policy has become a world trend. It is good for environment protection. It also helps the
company reduce cost and make more profit. It can also increase pilots’ income.

 But on the other hand, it may also cause problems. For example, sometimes ground
operations may take a long time. So pilots may need more fuel. If we are short of fuel,
we can’t go to the destination. So I think we can’t over-emphasize the fuel-saving policy.
We should always put safety at the first place.

Fuel problems

 What is the maximum fuel quantity that your aircraft can carry?
Fuel quantity affects aircraft endurance. I fly B747-400, the maximum fuel quantity is
164 tons.

 How can pilots determine their flight endurance?

before the flight, the pilots determine their flight endurance according to the flight plan
and weather conditions, distance to the destination, aircraft performance, and so
on. During cruising, we can monitor fuel consumption indication to determine the
endurance.

 What might cause fuel shortage on board?

Fuel vent system problem, strong head wind, Fuel leak, Miscalculation of fuel quantity,
Flying at a low level for a long time, long holding, go round the bad weather，missed
approach

 Under what circumstances do pilots need to declare fuel emergency?

There are regulations concerning reserved fuel. When the aircraft flies over the
destination airport, but there’s fuel shortage and starts to consume the reserved fuel,
and the remaining fuel or the flight endurance is less than 30 minutes, it’s necessary to
inform ATC and declare fuel emergency.
If there’s serious fuel leakage, we may consider declaring emergency.
We can’t accept any delay or holding.

Fuel emergency

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 Have you heard about any incident or accident due to fuel emergency? What’s the
importance of fuel check?
It’s important to carry out fuel check. If there’s fuel shortage or fuel leakage, we can
find it out in time.
Monitor the fuel quantity gauge to get the important parameters like fuel remaining,
the consumed fuel and so on. (We monitor MFD. MFD displays fuel remaining, the
consumed fuel. )
Compare the figure calculated by FMC with that in the fuel gauge, to see if there’s any
big difference.
Consumed fuel plus remaining fuel is total fuel quantity.
We are required to carry out fuel check every half an hour, we check the remaining fuel,
fuel flow for each engine.

 According to regulations, what does ‘minimum fuel” refer to?

Minimum fuel is not considered as fuel emergency. But at this point, we must inform ATC
of our situation. If we are put into hold or long delay, we may start to burn our reserve
fuel. So we may request priority handling.
If the flight is further delayed, the aircraft will be in emergency fuel situation.

 How would you report your fuel minimum situation to ATC?/ If you have “minimum fuel”
situation, what will you do?
I may not declare fuel emergency, but I’ll inform ATC that we will start to burn the
reserve fuel if we are delayed any further.
I should inform ATC that I can’t accept any delay or holding or change of altitude before
landing. And we need priority.
I report to ATC of my remaining fuel and flight endurance.

Topics on traffic
TCAS

 Do you know anything about TCAS? What does TCAS refer to?
Traffic Collision Avoidance System

 What’s the use of TCAS?

It’s used to help avoid traffic collision.

 Is your aircraft equipped with TCAS? Could you please describe how your TCAS works?
Yes. It helps pilots detect traffic nearby. TCAS consists of TA and RA. TA refers to Traffic

40
 Advisory. When another traffic is 1000ft above or below your aircraft, TA alerts you by
giving the sound of “traffic, traffic”.(gives the pilots aural warning) RA refers to
Resolution Advisory. When another traffic is 25 seconds away from your a/c. RA gives
you the warning by saying “climb” or “descend”.

 Have you ever encountered any TCAS alert in flight? Can you describe it?
TA is common during flight. (we sometimes receive TA alerts.)But I never encounter RA
during flight.

 Have you ever heard about mid-air collision accident? Could you please say something
about it?
As far as I know, two aircraft collided over German airspace. There are two reasons
leading to this crash. One a/c followed TCAS, while the a/c from Russia didn’t follow
TCAS but followed the German controller's instructions. The controller gave the
incorrect instructions, which resulted in mid-air collision.

 In your opinion, what can we do to avoid mid-air collision?

Pilots should strictly follow controllers’ instructions, when unsure of clearance, pilots
should confirm with ATC.
Big aircraft should be equipped with TCAS. Pilots should monitor TCAS to get
information about other traffic flying in the same airspace and strictly follow TCAS alerts.
At the same time, pilots should monitor the frequency, listen to the traffic information
to improve situational awareness.
Controllers should monitor radar and get detailed information of every a/c in his
controlled area. Whenever a/c disappears from radar, controllers should deal with the
problem as soon as possible.

airspace congestion

 Nowadays the terminal airspace is becoming more and more crowded, do you think
there are any potential risks?
In this limited airspace, there are a lot of aircraft departing and approaching. As a
result, there are more possibilities of near-misses and even mid-air collision.
On final, if a landing a/c doesn't vacate the r/w in time, the a/c behind has to go around.
An aircraft is on final encountering abnormal situations, if it goes around, it may be
dangerously close to the departing a/c.
In international airports, English may become a barrier in radio communication.

 What can be done to avoid a/c conflicts at busy airports?

41
 Controllers can Increase traffic separation to reduce workload.
controllers should monitor the radar to get traffic information.
if there’re two r/w, one r/w for departing, the other for arriving.
use advanced facilities
pilots should monitor frequency to avoid mishearing instructions. Pilots should follow
controller’s instructions, when unsure, confirm with controllers. Pilots should be familiar
with departing and arriving procedures, airport layout.

 What should pilots do to prevent near misses?

Pilots should get information about other traffic flying in the same airspace and
strictly follow RA. Follow controllers’ instructions, (keep rate of descent less than 1000
feet. )
maintain safe separation with preceding aircraft

Flying skills
Wake turbulence

 What is wake turbulence?

Each aircraft leaves wake turbulence behind during flying. Wake turbulence is the
turbulence left by the aircraft ahead.

 Is wake turbulence dangerous to the flight? What do you think?

The aircraft may encounter wake turbulence at any altitude. But it’s the most dangerous
during takeoff and landing where there is not enough altitude to recover. It may cause
the loss of altitude and control.

 When would you expect to encounter wake turbulence? How would you avoid it?
When you takeoff or land behind a medium or large heavy aircraft, you encounter wake
turbulence. Pilots should keep safe separation with preceding aircraft. If a heavy aircraft
is just taking or landing ahead, the pilot behind must wait at least 3 minutes. If a medium
aircraft is ahead, the pilot behind must wait no less than 2 minutes.

Terrain

 Suppose you are experiencing Engine-out over obstacles, what’s the SOP for this
abnormal situation?
Each airport has single engine failure departure procedure. After airborne, follow
runway heading, fly 2 miles, and then turn right or left.

 If your a/c triggers a “Too low terrain, too low terrain” aural alerts, what’s the best way

42
 to make terrain avoidance?
Follow EGPWS recovery procedures, set max power, pitch up 20 degrees, maintain
configuration.
Under daylight VMC, a terrain caution occurs, what should you do next?
In case of daylight, we’ll visually observe to confirm if there is any obstacle. If there is
terrain, we’ll make maneuver or climb higher altitude to avoid it.

Airline operations
Cockpit entry
 What are your company’s cockpit entry rules?
When the pilot wants to leave the cockpit, he must make a phone call to the purser to
make sure there is no passenger around the cockpit door. And when leaving the
cockpit, the pilot has to shut the door. When returning to the cockpit, the pilot has to
make sure there’s no passenger around.

 Who may be allowed to enter the cockpit?

The flight crew and the designated cabin crew.

 In flight what are procedures for crew members to enter the cockpit?
Usually before the flight, the captain will give a briefing to the cabin crew, including
the procedures in normal and abnormal situations, like hijack. For example, in case of
hijack, the cabin crew knock the door three times.

Alcohol drinking
 Can you drink alcohol before the flight? What is the regulation like on drinking
alcohol?
Pilots are not allowed to drink alcohol 12 hours before the flight.

RVR
 What does RVR stand for?
Runway Visual Range

 How can pilots obtain RVR before departure?

Pilots can get RVR from ATIS, ATC or dispatch.

 Does your company operate low visibility take-off (LVTO)?

We need qualifications to operate LVTO. Qualifications refer to equipment,
personnel and airport.

 When will low visibility procedure be required?

When RVR is below 400 meters, or when there are no runway centerline lights, RVR is
below 500 meters.

Fire extinguisher

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  How many portable fire extinguishers are there on your aircraft?
It depends on what type of aircraft we fly. There are 6 fire extinguishers on B737.

 When should we discharge these fire extinguishers in flight?

In case of smoke or fire, we may discharge them.

 What are the consequences if the flight crew discharges the fire extinguisher by
mistake?
We may have to divert, since there is a regulation about the number of fire
extinguishers on the aircraft, if we use any of them, we can’t continue the flight.

 What’s the procedure to discharge the fire extinguisher for the engine?
First, crew members should communicate with each other to confirm which engine is
on fire, then put throttle to idle, shut down the engine, cut off the fuel supply.

Red eye flights

 Have you ever flown red eye flight? If no, what kinds of flights are red eye flights?
From 12 o’clock midnight until 6 o’clock in the morning.

 When preparing for this flight, what can a pilot do reduce the stress? / What can you
do to recover after a red eye flight?
We should relax and have more sleep before and after red eye flights.

 How would you comment a red eye flight？

I think red eye flight have potential risks, because they make pilots very tired and the
visibility is not good. Pilots work under great stress/pressure.

 Why do you think red eye flight is a trend in civil aviation?

Red eye flights may become a trend, because the airlines can increase the number of
flights and get more profit from that. (increase aircraft utilization and reduce cost)

Holding
 If ATC request you to hold at a significant fix, and what should you do?
We need to confirm with ATC, ask ATC the reasons for holding, how long is the
holding. If we are required to hold more than 20 minutes, we need to check fuel
endurance.

 When you request specific holding instructions from controller, what information do
you need?
We need to get a lot of information, like altitude, speed, heading, inbound track,
outbound time, right hand or left hand orbit.

CRM and Human Factors

CRM

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 What should you do if you have different opinion with other crew members?/ if there is
any disagreement in the cockpit, how do you deal with it?

During the flight I think the most important thing is to ensure flight safety, so
teamwork is very important. Good teamwork can help the crew make right decisions and
reduce errors. In the cockpit I will focus on my own responsibility, and at the same time
cooperate with other crew members. When we have different ideas on certain
procedures, we will follow SOP.

 What do you think of CRM in a cockpit?

What do you understand about CRM?
Do you think CRM is important?

I think CRM is very important. CRM stands for crew resource management. It includes
communication and teamwork among crew members, all the onboard and ground
resources, such as instruments and tower services, as well as standard operation
procedures. CRM is very important, because good CRM can help make right decision
and reduce crew errors, improve efficiency and solve the problems more effectively.

Human errors

 Do you think human factors are important to flight safety? Why?

according to data, 80% aviation accidents are caused by human factors. The pilots play an
important role during flight.
For example, if the pilot misheard the instructions from the controller, it may cause
mid-air collision.
In case of system failure, if the pilot makes incorrect judgment, it may cause the pilot to
take wrong actions, which will make situation even worse.
If there’s bad weather ahead of the aircraft, but the pilot makes no response, the
aircraft will be damaged by the bad weather.
For example, driver’s mistakes cause the collision between the truck and the aircraft.
Because the modern aircraft become more and more automated and reliable, pilots rely on
their computers. But when there’s loss of instrument or system failure, pilots should
always be the last defense to save the airplane.

 Can you give some examples of human errors which can largely endanger flight safety?
For example, there’s a typical case caused by human errors, Yichun Accident. Because
the pilot didn’t strictly follow the regulation, the aircraft crashed. The weather was
below minimum. Instead of going around, the pilot still continued to make approach and
landing. So the a/c crashed on the mountain.
for example, Flight 235 from Fuxing Airlines, right after takeoff, during climb, one of the

45
 engine( starboard/right engine ) flamed out, but the captain shut the port engine
because he made the wrong judgement, which caused crash.

 What can we do to reduce the human errors to minimum in flight operations?

Strictly follow SOP and regulations of my company.
Follow SOP, Use standard call among crew members, Carry out crosscheck, Perform
checklist, Make flight briefing, Readback instructions

Cooperation with cabin crew

 Are you familiar with the job of cabin crew? / Do you think a pilot should be familiar with
how flight attendants work in the cabin?/ do you think a pilot should know something
about flight attendants’ work in the cabin?
Yes, I think so. Because the pilots and the flight attendants work as a team during the
flight. Good cooperation helps ensure flight safety.

 How do you cooperate with the cabin crew in flight? / How can pilots work together with
cabin crew to ensure flight safety? /Do you think the captain’s briefing with the cabin
crew should be mandatory?
Before each flight, the captain has to brief the cabin crew and discussed the flight plan.
During flight, if there’s bad weather en route, the pilots should inform the cabin in time,
so they may stop serving or let the passengers return to their seats and fasten their belts.
it’s important for flight safety.
During pre-flight preparation, all the crew members get to know each other. The captain
should brief all the crew members about weather, flight plan, the do’s and don’ts.

 How could the cabin crew provide support to the pilot in the emergency situation? Why
is cabin crew important in dealing with emergency situations?
What should pilots do to coordinate with cabin crew in emergency situation?
Flight attendants should keep monitoring anything abnormal in the cabin, like fluid
leaking, smoke, fire, strange noise. If anything abnormal occurs, inform the pilots right
away. This helps pilots make right decision.
For example, in case of emergency evacuation, pilots should brief the cabin on how to
prepare the evacuation and direction for evacuation. Then the cabin share the tasks.

 Do you have emergency training together with the cabin?

Yes. Cabin crew and cockpit crew perform the emergency training together once a year.
we practice procedures of emergency evacuation.

communication and task sharing

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 Do you think it’s necessary to minimize crew communication in approach phase?
According to the regulation and operational manual, below 10000 feet, flight crew
cannot talk about anything which is not related to flight operations. During approach,
the crews have lots of tasks, like doing the checklists, communicating with ATC,
preparing for landing. But sometimes crew communication is still necessary . For
example, if the captain makes decision, he should inform first officer immediately. If the
weather is below minimum, the flight crew should have discussion and the captain
makes decision.

 How should the pilots cooperate with each other before departure?
How should flight crew members (PF and PM) share tasks at different stages of the flight?
For example, during preflight stage, captain does the cockpit check and FO monitors
refueling. They both do the walk-around inspection.
For example, before takeoff, pilots receive approval from ATC for entering the runway, PM
read back the instructions and do the checklist. PF controls the aircraft, at that time, PM
turns on TCAS, informs cabin crew, monitor instruments and the aircraft.

 In abnormal situation, what’s the task-sharing like among the flight crew?
At ground operations, FO does the checklist and the captain confirms. During cruising, in
normal situations, PF controls the aircraft and monitors PM’s actions. PM does the
checklist, does the radio and performs the procedures. In abnormal situations, the
captain will take control.

 Do you think it’s necessary to carry out cross-check? Why?

Yes. when there isn’t checklist to follow, it’s very necessary to carry out cross-check.
Cross check is the best way to reduce human errors and improve flight safety.
When changing the altitude, it’s necessary to do cross check. For example, ATC gives
the instruction: descend to 7500m. PM does the readback: 7500m. Then PF does the
readback again and adjusts the altitude to 7500m. Then PM must confirm again the
altitude. PF execute this instruction. This cross-check is very important for flight safety. If
one pilot makes mistake, for example, set the altitude to 5700m, the other pilot can find
it out quickly and make correction.

CRM training

 Have you ever had CRM training? How often?

Yes. CRM training is an important part of our regular training program. We have CRM training
twice a year.
Our airline doesn’t provide specific CRM training courses, but we practice that in the
simulator or during flight.

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 What topics do you discuss during CRM training? Give me one or two examples.
We have ground courses and simulator training.
CRM training is an essential part in the simulator. In simulator training, two pilots will work
together to practice SOP, standard callout, checklists and so on.
Ground courses include theories, case studies (incident and accident analysis) , group
discussion and so on. pilots talk about the different situations they encounter during
flight, so that pilots can learn from each other.

 Does your Airline provide joint CRM training for flight crew and cabin crew? What drills
do you do? Give me one or two examples.
Yes. an important part of joint CRM training is emergency evacuation.
In this training, pilots can learn how to have good communication and cooperation in case of
emergency.

 Who else do you think should be included in a joint CRM training? Why?
I think controllers should be included in a joint CRM training. (It’s necessary to involve
controllers in our joint training) because face to face communication can help us have a
better understanding of each other’s work.
For example, in case of flight delays, pilots may become quite stressful and anxious. If the
controllers are not familiar with pilots’ working procedures and don’t give pilots enough
time to prepare for departure, it may cause pilots’ mistakes, which will bring potential
risks.

 Do you think joint CRM training is an effective way to improve flight safety? Why?
Yes, I think so. Joint CRM training helps pilots and flight attendants be familiar with
procedures of emergency evacuation. Both pilots and flight attendants can improve
their abilities in communication, coordination and decision-making. In case of emergency
evacuation, they can make quick response and have good teamwork, which will increase
the safety margin.
In August, 2016, a Boeing 737-800 from China Airlines was on fire and exploded during
landing, luckily, all onboard passengers and crew members successfully evacuated the
aircraft in 94 seconds. I think this successful emergency evacuation is because the
airline provides effective CRM training to pilots and flight attendants.

cooperation with ATC

 How do pilots cooperate with ATC controllers in maintaining flight safety?/ How do you
cooperate with ATC to ensure flight safety?
We should follow controller’s instructions, for the key information, we must do the

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 readback. When unsure of the clearance, we need to confirm with ATC.
In case of emergency, pilots report to ATC their situation and intentions, declare
emergency if necessary, ATC will help pilots coordinate with the relevant department
and provide ground assistance.
I think cooperation between pilots and ATC is very important. Controllers provide
ground support for pilots to achieve flight safety. They can give pilots useful information,
such as heading, flight level, speed and so on. For example, if they find conflicting traffic
on their radar, they will direct the aircraft to avoid collision. Pilots should follow ATC’s
instructions. Whenever the problem occurs, the pilots should contact ATC and tell ATC
the nature of their problem and their intentions. Controllers can offer assistance, such as
ambulance or fire trucks.

 Are there some suggestions or recommendations to ATC from a pilot point of view? /
What are your suggestions for ATC? /
Controllers should monitor radar and get detailed information of every a/c in his
controlled area. Follow RVSM regulations.
Over the terminal airspace, workload becomes heavier for both pilots and controllers,
especially for controllers. They should change shift every hour.

Situational awareness
 What is situational awareness?
During flight, the pilots should know his own position (who I am and where I am) and
know the positions of other a/c.

 Why is situational awareness important?

What might happen if you lose situational awareness? Can loss of situational
awareness lead to accidents? And why?
Yes. Situational awareness is very important. If pilots lose situational awareness
during flight, he may not be aware of his a/c’s position relative to other a/c, which
may cause serious consequences, like flying into terrain, a/c conflicts, ground collision,
mid-air collision, runway incursion.

 Would you give some suggestions to pilots to improve their situational awareness?
Pilots should monitor frequency during flight. If there is no transmission received for
15 minutes, pilots must contact ATC and do radio check.

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