This is a really good topic.
I suffer badly from the “unspoken transfer of responsibility”. The moment I have an instructor in the RHS I go up the wrong taxiways, make the wrong calls, basically screw up a lot of stuff. Now, he might have 1/10 of my flying-A-to-B time, but it still happens. Hence I didn’t really enjoy most of my training… The mistakes I make on checkrides I almost never make when flying normally (then, I make different ones 
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WN’s suggestion that the PF does only yoke and throttle is, IMHO, not so applicable to light piston GA. For a start, the RHS usually has almost no instruments. It would be OK in a fully loaded 421, and it would actually be OK in mine too because I have reworked the RHS panel, but that is rare. So the RHS pilot’s tasks need to be geared to what he/she can usefully do. I think the radio (esp. getting the ATIS on the second channel if you have one) is a good start. Terrain awareness in approach or emergency situations is another one.
For a start, the RHS usually has almost no instruments
Welcome to the world of IFR instructors But it really needs some training to manually fly IFR from the right hand seat in a typical flying school single.
Ithink the radio (esp. getting the ATIS on the second channel if you have one) is a good start. Terrain awareness in approach or emergency situations is another one.
And not to forget: Look outside for traffic! Four eyes see twice as much as two. Even when IFR flying inside airspace E a constant lookout is required.
I agree with LeSving in that at the general PPL / SEP level, even IFR, you are trained to do it alone. PIC is a single responsibility that can not be partially passed on to anyone else and you should be prepared and capable to do it alone.
When I am PIC in command and I am with another PPL (generally one who I fly with reguarly), then I ask if he can set up frequencies or note weather, but I make the calls. I also ask he keeps a lookout for traffic. If I am flying PIC RHS, it is more to log time on an equal basis with the othe pilot and in general I would do radios and everything from the RHS, including landings, but I would ask the person on the LHS to do the FREDA checks as I cant see all the gauges. I also say that if we are likely to go IMC, then the person in the LHS must take control as I am not experienced enough from the RHS to scan instruments and maintain safe control of the plane.
If I am a passenger in my plane then the only thing I will do without being asked is the carb-heat because some people dont do it as often as I like, or just plain forget sometimes (base leg, finals) etc. I generally fly with only one other person, if it was another PPL, then I would only interject if I felt I had to on safety ground, and then I would ask they do it, not do it for them.
If I am with an instructor, not on a checkride, then I say something like “you’re here because I want to do xxxx and either I dont have much experience, or I need a safety pilot”, so please shout (figuratively speaking) if I am not doing something right.
The moment I have an instructor in the RHS I go up the wrong taxiways, make the wrong calls, basically screw up a lot of stuff.
I really dont know why this is. I suffer badly from this as well, but only examiners, never instructors. Its like 20% of the brain is engaged in thinking about the examiner and assessment and thats 20% less brainpower being spent doing what you would normally be doing quite well.
So I had a good example of this yesterday. I went up with a pilot who also happens to be an instructor to go over the FAA CPL manoeuvres. He is very experienced (IRE) and was very helpful however I have more turbine time than him and he has never really been in a PA-46. It was clear that I was PIC and he was coming along to help me work out power settings and discuss Chandelles etc. But at no time did I think that anyone other than me was responsible for control, airspace etc. He helped a lot with lookout which was important given what we were doing.
I think the other thing that is important is to make sure that if anyone in the RHS has a job, they tell you what they are doing. ie if they tune or set something, they should tell you.
they should tell you.
That’s one of the “pillars” of multi crew flying. Whatever you do you tell your crewmember about, even if it is a perfectly normal act that is part of your normal duties. Both pilots, whatever their role on board must have the exactly same knowledge about the state of the aeroplane and it’s system at all times.
In Sweden, we have an organisation called the “Volunteer Air Corps” which provides flying resources to civil and military defense. It has a permit for commercial operations but pilots are mostly PPLs. (They have a waiver to permit PPLs to engage in a commercial operations.) All flights are done by a two-person crew but the division of tasks between the PF and PM is not the usual one. The PF basically does everything related to flying, while the PM monitors and makes some callouts. It is felt that the usual PF/PM division of tasks would be less safe as PPLs are usually not trained in multi-crew operations. Also, it frees up the PM for tasks related to the mission.
I flew with a guy recently, newly qualified FAA IR, can I come flying with you. Sure I say, and he dons the gloves, the white shirt, the lot. Now, says he, let ME show you how it is done.
I really, and I am old enough and ugly enough, should have halted it there. I should have politely suggested that we go for a coffee instead. But no, up we went. I had politely suggested he do the NAV and COMMS.
It was the most excruciating 45 minutes of my life. So bad, that I called ATC after the debacle, apologised, and disowned myself form the entire flight.
I spoke later with an examiner/instructor, told him of the ordeal. and asked had I handled it correctly? He suggested that I had. He felt that bust ups, fall outs etc in the air, are a no no. Best to casually deal with the ongoing, and in this case deteriorating situation, and get back onto the ground. I, being a polite soul, did not want to fall out with him at 4k, in a CTZ.
The alternative was to tell him to Shut the ****up, a loud, I HAVE, and tape his mouth shut for the rest of the flight. But no, I practised good GA, CRM.
That’s horrid. May I ask where did he do his IR? Was it in the USA (part 61 or a part 141 school) or was it done in Europe (with the checkride in Europe)?
This is unlike the US culture at all, unless he did it at some commercial school in which case anything is possible. When I was looking at the JAA IR options I visited one school in Greece who absolutely insisted on the full uniform for everybody. In their temperatures, and in the DA42s, that was ridiculous.
Sure I say, and he dons the gloves, the white shirt, the lot.
Gloves? I can’t say that’s something I’ve noticed a lot around the airport.
JAA IR options I visited one school in Greece who absolutely insisted on the full uniform for everybody. In their temperatures, and in the DA42s, that was ridiculous.
Mind blown. Why in the world would anyone do that?
I can understand uniforms if you’re on an official airline training course for a particular airline, but for non-airline?
