Multi-tasking In The Cockpit

An airplane's cockpit is a very busy place, what with all the instrument arrays and things to be looked at, checked and adjusted

. Competent pilots need to be able to control the aircraft's altitude, airspeed and direction at all times, simultaneously and consistently. At the same time, the pilot needs to communicate with air traffic controllers on the radio, navigate the aircraft and keep an eye out of the window for any other aircraft flying in the vicinity.

With all these duties involved, it's little wonder that beginner pilots find themselves overwhelmed by the multitasking required in flying an aircraft! One of the most common problems that student pilots face is that they tend to focus on one instrument too much, while losing track of others. Another common example is that students will only keep their eyes inside the plane, focusing on the instrument panel, and neglect to look out of the cockpit window from time to time.

While these problems are of course only natural, they do need to be overcome if a student pilot wants to progress. Many flight instructors realize this, and they are able to spot when a student's eyes are not moving around enough, and will quickly bring this to the attention of the student when it happens.

In order to help their students master the skill of cockpit multi-tasking, flight instructors will instruct their students on how to perform a systematic cockpit scan. This involves the pilot quickly panning their eyes over the cockpit from one side to the other in a systematic pattern. This method allows pilots to quickly survey all of the necessary instruments without wasting any time focusing on just one thing.

One good tip for students is to remember that much the same task is performed, albeit on a much lesser scale, when driving a car. While driving, we are constantly shifting our attention from the front window, to the mirrors, to the speedometer and back to the window again, while performing tasks such as gear changes, braking and so on. Flying is just the same, only there are more things involved. It certainly gets easier over time, so don't give up, keep your mind in the zone and always think logically, one step at a time. Before you know it multitasking in the cockpit will be second nature to you and flying under stressful conditions will no longer worry you.

by: Andrew Berrey

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