And with those vision limitations, one must remain extra vigilant with situational awareness in relation with nearby terrain and aircraft. This goes back to the lack of situational awareness I started this discussion with.
The past year on two separate occasions, I was invited to fly X-country with two different young (twenty-something year old) pilots. Each flight was months apart. They were building time to obtain their CFI.
Before the flight started, I asked where are we flying to, what is the route, what is the weather, what alternate airports are on the route, and are there any NOTAMS active? On both instances, each young pilot looked at me with blank stares. Then each one told me verbatim, "Man you're old school. The GPS will tell them which direction to fly, if "I" need to know the weather, my phone will tell me, if I need an alternate, my GPS will tell me." Neither one admitted checking for NOTAMs. I need to add that neither pilot had flown the route nor land at the airport they were planning to fly to before. I said to them, "Let's pull out a PAPER sectional and review the route together. Reviewed the airports including fuel availability we were flying to and the alternates, review all the frequencies we shall be using on AirNav.com. Checked weather and NOTAMs. On one flight, we found out that the airport we were flying to had several taxiways closed for construction. For the separate flight, we found out the alternate airport chosen was closed for runway resurfacing.
What got me was both pilots asked me, "Do you always waste your time doing this planning before every flight? I said, "Yes always since day one when I started to fly. And it is NEVER waited time" Again each reply was almost verbatim. "If I need any of this information, I will do this during the flight there. Otherwise I deal with the changes when it happens. That's what GPS and phones are for." I told them in performing this exercise before every flight, you will lay down the foundation for situational awareness within your brain. They have become familiar with everything before entering the cockpit. Then their reply was, "I don't do this when I get into my car. I don't know the route nor my location I need to be at. My GPS tells me all and I get there. It's much easier that way."
During each flight, when sitting at the hold short line and receiving "Cleared for Takeoff" from the tower, both pilots never looked at the approach end for any aircraft approaching nor down the runway to see if it was clear before starting the takeoff roll.
After exiting the Class C Airspace, I said, "Let's contact ATC and use Flight Following." More old school comments. Then each pilot tells me that they solely rely on ForeFlight and ADS-B for separation. I said there is no harm in using both, whereas they said that's more work. I dialed it in anyway and had them ask ATC. Enroute, i noticed both pilots kept their heads in the cockpit looking at pretty colored pictures and ignoring ATC and not looking out the windows. These are VFR flights.
Enroute on one flight, I noticed a Cessna at our 2 o'clock position about 1,000 feet below. I call the aircraft out. The pilot replies without lifting his head, "I don't see it on my screen." At about 1 o'clock ATC calls out the aircraft to us. The pilot still says he doesn't see it on his screen. I said, "GET YOUR F***EN EYES OUT OF THE COCKPIT, LOOK AT OUR 12 TO 1 O'CLOCK POSITION AND TELL ATC YOUR LOOKING FOR THE AIRCRAFT." I watch the Cessna pass under our nose about 600 ft below. I point out the Cessna with my finger outside his left window and he finally sees the Cessna as ATC tells us traffic is no longer a factor. Then he still says, "I never saw it on my screen." A total lack of situational awareness outside the cockpit. A learned behavior from spending majorly of his time with concentrated tunnel vision looking at little colored pictures on electronic screens and totally oblivious of anything outside his field of view.
Wayne
www.rotaryforum.com
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