Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

Task saturation entering IMC

My brain on overload, If you’re a pilot, you’ve probably been there.

Here is a quick insight into what it is like to keep the airplane under control, on course and maintaining altitude whilst entering IMC (Instrument meteorological conditions)

If you take interest in my videos and wish to make me a better pilot, don’t forget to subscribe to The Flying VLOG.



Qualified PPL with IR SP/SE PBN
EGSG, United Kingdom

That’s a good video. Many thanks for posting it.

Yeah, we have all been there. It is damn hard to fly a plane in IMC and do the radio at the same time

Also, when you are under real pressure, it is hearing which gets shut down first.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Reminds me of my first MEPL/IR skill test with “engine failure” right after take off …

EKRK, Denmark

Personally, for post-flight debriefs unlike VFR flying, I found that most of the times I don’t remember any of it but I am sure I was busy doing the right things (not sure how many experience/currency hours one needs before things go relaxed again??)

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

I think if my radios had a playback function, that button would wear out first.

EGBW / KPRC, United Kingdom

Also, when you are under real pressure, it is hearing which gets shut down first.

That’s interesting, in aerobatics if you ‘grey out’, usually going from steady negative G to sustained positive G, the last sense to switch off is hearing.

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

Yes, interesting and seemingly useful to understand. When mentally reviewing a flight immediately after putting my plane away, I generally cannot recall hearing the very loud stall warning horn during the landing. I’d guess the mind and/or body responds differently to mental and physical stresses.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 16 Nov 17:12

In my case, it’s not hearing but procedural memory that fails first under stress – I start skipping steps in the procedures that I have performed countless times before.

LKBU (near Prague), Czech Republic

Ultranomad wrote:

I start skipping steps in the procedures that I have performed countless times before.

At least you are doing something, for myself when I get swamped with too much it just stuck on something trivial and useless like navigating countless gps pages

People who cope with lot of stress will properly shrink their steps/checklist to important+urgent items, (the obvious thing to do with limited time as long as it is done with conscience not in the back of the mind)

Some are trained a lot to do so, one fighter pilot I spoke to claimed that over the last year of training they are not learning anything new, they just go from 2h to prepare aircraft/mission to 10min

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

I actually think the situation in the video is a common memory issue. When not overloaded we can remember several things. A lot was provided in the radio call, a direct, a sqawk, an approach an altitude and a QNH.

That is not really fair to the pilot and when hand flying is quite a lot to take in unless you are very well practiced at doing it.

One thing I don’t get is how us subscribing to your videos makes you a better pilot. Maybe a wealthier one.

EGTK Oxford
32 Posts
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top