Best technique for remembering correct emergency procedure?

[FenderManDan]

What do you guys think, aircraft in question Piper Warrior or C-172?

Cheers,

Dan

[gustind]

Regardless of the aircraft, the procedures are more or less the same between the two types. The systems aren't complex at all and memorization of emergency procedures can be done via a bit of common sense.

I'll take the example of an engine fire. In any case extinguish it by removing the fuel from it by using shutoff valves and the mixture and eventually securing the engine into a forced. Speeds in this case have to be memorized. There are subtle differences you just have to live with like Feathering the Prop.

[KK7]

I don't think there is one best way to remember a procedure that needs to be memorized, so long as you can find an effective method that works, and you understand why you're doing each step of the procedure.

I am terrible at memorizing things, and many with the same problem have various mnemonic devices that help them remember. For me none of these work well, instead if I understand why I do things in that order I can think my way through it instead. If it is a procedure that requires a short time span to complete, then I will simply practice over and over.

Everyone is different and different people will need different techniques.

[200hr Wonder]

Yes I agree with the above. Understand what your goal is and then apply the procedure to it. In the case of a C172 engine fire.

First - Remove Fuel - Mixture ICO
Second - Secure Engine - Mags Off, Master Off, Fuel Selector Off
Third - Get er on the ground - Forced Approach procedure.

Now it has been about 5 years since I set foot in a light single like that but I would bet money that the procedure above is pretty well correct. As such that will never let me down because I understand what the goal is. Even if I am not 100% correct a few tweaks and it is book correct.

[iflyforpie]

Yep, 200hr has it. By objective rather than directive. It doesn't matter how you do it as long as you do it.

[Colonel Sanders]

Understand what your goal is and then apply the procedure to it

+1

For example, inflight fire. It's either electrical (nasty burning smell?) in which case you want power off, or it's gasoline/oil around the engine (oil/fire from cowling?) in which case you want gasoline off. Pretty simple.

Do remember that an engine fire in flight is an extremely serious event. Nose down to try to blow it out like a candle, and get on the ground ASAP. In a twin, an engine/exhaust fire may melt your wing spar, causing that wing to fall off in flight, which may annoy you somewhat.

An engine fire during starting is a very different event. You generally do NOT want to shut it down because of the expensive fire damage that can occur - you want to continue cranking and try to start it, to suck the fire into the engine, and blow it out with the exhaust flow and prop, depending upon where the fire is - could be pooled fuel in either the intake or exhaust, or on the ground. This is a favorite stunt of fuel-injected Continental engines, which will not start unless you prime it until there is a pool of gas on the ground under the exhaust, which can light off. It's harmless, but excites people.

[Big Pistons Forever]

I have rearranged all the checklists including the emergency checklists for the C 172 I teach in, so they follow all flow the same way. That is they all so far as possible start at the fuel selector and flow around the instrument panel in a counter clockwise wise circle ending at the throttle knob.

So for example engine failure is

Carb heat ............on (Note this is not in sequence but we fly on the West Coast next to the ocean so carb icing is possible pretty much any day of the year)
Fuel Both .............both quantity verified
Mixture Rich ........ Full rich
Engine Gauges .....checked
Mag switches........both

Engin fire is


Fuel.................off
Mixture.............ICO
cabin air ...........off
Airspeed............Min 85 knots
Mag switches....off
Throttle............Idle

Having a consistent logical flow is a big help when the pressure is on. It is also important to note that you should not memorize every checklist, just the ones for a situation that requires immediate action. So you have to be able to do the engine failure fire drills without aid but, for example, landing with a flat tire or an electrical malfunction should always start with reading the emergency checklist and if applicable the amplified procedures in the POH emergency procedures section before doing anything

[ant_321]

All very valid points but it is also important to sit in an airplane on the ground and practice the procedures. Better to learn them on the ground than when paying 150+ bucks an hour in the air.

[Colonel Sanders]

Engine fire is ... Airspeed............Min 85 knots

I might suggest Va, and increasing as required to extinguish. Try blowing a candle out, first slowly, and then quickly.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Engine fire is ... Airspeed............Min 85 knots

I might suggest Va, and increasing as required to extinguish. Try blowing a candle out, first slowly, and then quickly.

I did not make this up, it is from the Cessna POH emergency checklist.

[Bede]

If it's broken (or on fire) shut it off. This will be the case in every airplane you fly fro Cessna's to Boeing's (maybe there's some obscure airplane this won't hold true for). Next I grab the emergency checklist. I no longer see the point of memorizing long checklists when you can ensure you won't forget anything by taking 5 sec to grab a checklist.

Even for an engine fire/failure on a B737, we have no memory items, but grab a checklist.

[Beefitarian]

What's the SOP for missing check list?

[Colonel Sanders]

If it's broken (or on fire) shut it off

In general that's very good advice, but sometimes, for example, you might want to keep a rough-running (but not burning!) engine producing power, if you need it to maintain altitude long enough to get to a runway. This is true of both a single, and a heavily-loaded piston twin. In situations like these, often only the monday morning armchair quarterbacks make the perfect decision, after taking their time to ponder all information available only after the fact.

[Shiny Side Up]

What's the SOP for missing check list?

That's totally a PSTAR question. We'll expect your answer on that shortly.

[Bede]

If it's broken (or on fire) shut it off

In general that's very good advice, but sometimes, for example, you might want to keep a rough-running (but not burning!) engine producing power, if you need it to maintain altitude long enough to get to a runway. This is true of both a single, and a heavily-loaded piston twin. In situations like these, often only the monday morning armchair quarterbacks make the perfect decision, after taking their time to ponder all information available only after the fact.

That's true. My answer was based on remembering the procedure. If the engine is the crap, fuel off, mixture ICO, mags off. If there's an electrical problem, shut the electrics off. That's all you need to memorize.

[Beefitarian]

What's the SOP for missing check list?

That's totally a PSTAR question. We'll expect your answer on that shortly.

If anything had gone wrong besides my being too low at the end of a practice forced approach today, my checklist would have been handed over with a cheerfull, "You have control."

[oleo]

I haven't had time to read this whole thread, so forgive me if I am repeating anything people have already stated here A big part of memorizing emergencies is being able to understand why you are doing what you are doing. A lot of students will just try to memorize word-for-word what you are supposed to do based on the checklist in order to get a "good-job" when they are quizzed on the emergencies. But a lot of the time, when you ask someone "well, why do you turn the master off when you have a cabin fire?", people have difficulty explaining why. 172's and Warriors are very simple airplanes. In the event of an engine fire, think about the objective of what you need to do. Cut the fuel off, restrict fire from entering the cabin and blow out the fire? Well there's only a few controls in the aircraft that will achieve that objective, so what are those? Mixture, fuel-shutoff, master, air. So instead of staring at the checklist memorizing it verbatim, learn to understand the systems of the aircraft and the objective you are trying to achieve in a given emergency. Remember to refer to the checklist!!!! Be safe out there.