International efforts to eradicate loss of control–in flight (LOC-I) in large commercial jets through pilot training have reached a favorable tipping point this year, a number of stakeholders agree. The reason is that advances in flight simulation training devices (FSTDs), while still awaiting detailed regulatory mandates to industry from nearly all national or regional civil aviation authorities, will furnish the technical piece that has been missing for widely implementing airplane upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT).
Among significant evidence of progress is the latest decision in the United States, announced March 30, on exactly how FSTDs must be modified to model certain elements of UPRT with acceptable levels of fidelity, such as providing airline pilots with hands-on experience in full-stall recoveries in their aircraft. A number of subject matter experts expect the U.S. precedent in UPRT regulatory implementation to pave the way for other states, airlines and a…
