Upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) at the commercial and multicrew pilot licensing (MPL) levels — not to mention initial and recurrent training of airline pilots — has reemphasized hand-flying proficiency, recognition of potential upset situations and immediate recovery from stall indications, among other skills. A recent analysis of automation and flight path management vulnerabilities also reinforces these themes (ASW, 2/14). One unsettled question, however, is whether the airline pilots who complete UPRT might gain an additional advantage from routinely hand-flying some type of general aviation aircraft on their own time.
A British airline captain favors this practice, drawing from her aeronautical engineering and safety background, involvement in implementing UPRT, and experience during more than 20 years as a glider instructor and an international competitor in racing sa…
