Drain the Trainer

The Proximity Switch Electronic Unit (PSEU) on Boeing 737 NG/MAX aircraft is a computer system that monitors and controls critical sensors and air/ground logic. Those with a keen ear will hear the click of the air/ground relay once she gets airborne.

This is Tweet is pure conjecture. 1. The type of approach being carried out was a visual approach. In this type of approach, we need to be visual with the runway at all times. 2. The crew carried out a missed approach, as perhaps the runway was not visual. Baramati has no nav aids, hence the visibility requirement for a visual approach is 3200M for CAT C aircraft and 3600M for CAT D. If the airfield has a circling approach, then we need 5000M. 3. During a visual approach, the Pilot Flying (PF) is primarily looking outside while manually flying the airplane. It is critical for the Pilot Monitoring (PM) to be looking “inside” and monitoring the instruments, specifically the airspeed. We see a number airplanes stalling during a visual approach, especially on the base to final turn. You have the flaps out and the gear down, high drag configuration. It is easy to get fixated on manoeuvring towards the runway and let go of the airspeed. The higher your bank angle, the higher the stall speed. 4. The PM needs to be strictly “inside” and not get tempted to look outside. Give standard callouts in case of deviations. Monitor the instruments closely and move control levers in accordance to the PF commands, for eg. the gear/flaps. It is pertinent to look at the control being moved rather than do it from muscle memory. This prevents “action-slip-error”. Experienced Pilots have fallen prey to this. An accident on an ATR comes to mind. This happened in Pokhara, Nepal. A senior Examiner seated on the right seat accidentally put the condition levers to feather instead of extending the flaps. This was a visual approach as well. Loss of life is always tragic. Thoughts go out to the affected families and may the departed RIP. For the final report, we wait.