Cautions & Emergencies

• Performance comparisons including:
  • effects on turn radius
  • rates of climb
  • handling of sink
  • altitude/power considerations
   

• New aircraft rating differences including:
  • often faster/heavier
  • greater turn radius required
  • more anticipation needed
  • higher workload (e.g. extra controls and instruments)
   

• Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents - most occur by:
  • loss of visual reference (horizon)
  • stall in turn
  • attempting to out-climb terrain
  • poor decision making, resulting in reaction instead of anticipation
  • lack of decision making resulting in inaction
   

• Forced landing and precautionary landing considerations including:
  • limited options
  • priority ~ make a plan; confined spaces may affect the ideal
  • tendency to crowd landing area
  • consider climatic/seasonal wind effects for calculated gamble on wind i.e. Anabatic versus Katabatic
  • consider valley gradient
  • awareness of mind sets and illusions
  • consider early Mayday or Pan call
  • habitation in remote area; look for airstrip/fertiliser bins
  • consider elevation 
  • use of lift conditions to glide down valley closer to potentially more suitable option and habitation
  • river beds - consider landing downstream; surface may be smoother
  • beaches;
    • stony patches usually indicate firm sand
    • steep indicates soft
    • wet sand - dangerous
    • flat, damp sand usually means firm sand
    • debris, especially following period of poor weather
    • no lagoon area above high tide line
    • x/w potential
    • sand type; quartz, iron, coal etc