SDEA TRAINING • PART 3
Unexpected Situations – Test 15
Practice Unexpected Situations – Test 15 through three operational scenarios. Listen carefully, report what you heard, answer the examiner’s questions, and compare the three situations at the end.
15
TEST
3
SITUATIONS
✓
FINAL COMPARISON
TEST STRUCTURE
Complete the three situations step by step
This test contains three different operational situations. Listen carefully to each pilot–ATC communication, report what you heard, answer the examiner’s question, and complete the final comparison after the three situations.
01
Listen and report
Listen carefully to the pilot–ATC communication and report everything you heard, including the relevant operational details.
02
Answer the question
Listen to the examiner’s question and provide a clear, organized and well-supported response
03
Complete the final comparison
After listening to all three situations, compare them in terms of severity, possible solutions and ways of prevention.
TEST 15
Complete the three situations
Part 3 Instructions
Listen carefully to the examiner's instructions before starting the three unexpected situations.
Part Three: “Unexpected Situations”. In this part of the test, you will listen to three different communications between pilots and air traffic controllers.
The recordings will be played twice. There is a five-second pause before the recording is repeated. After listening to the recording, you should tell me everything that the pilot and the controller said. I will then ask you a question.
At the end of Part Three, I will ask you to compare the three situations, so please take notes. All information is important. Do you have any questions?
Situation 1
Listen carefully to the communication, report what you heard, and then answer the examiner's question.
PR-AEA, Washington Center. [Turn left] [heading one eight zero]. The [area ahead is restricted] [due to military activity].
Washington Center, PR-AEA. [Unable to comply] [due to a severe thunderstorm] [at our nine o’clock position].
According to the exchange, the controller instructed the pilot to turn left heading 180 because the area ahead was restricted due to military activity.
Then, the pilot said that they were unable to comply because there was a severe thunderstorm at their nine o’clock position.
According to the communication, ATC instructed the crew to turn left heading 180 because the area ahead was restricted due to military activity.
In response, the pilot advised that they were unable to comply because a severe thunderstorm was located at their nine o’clock position.
In my view, a pilot may be unable to follow (comply with) an ATC instruction if it would put the helicopter or the flight at risk, for example because of severe weather, terrain, obstacles, traffic, or an emergency.
The pilot should inform ATC immediately, explain the reason, and request (ask for) another heading or clearance. The controller should then provide a safe alternative while maintaining traffic separation.
From a safety perspective, pilots may be unable to comply with an ATC instruction whenever following it would compromise the safety of the flight, for example because of severe weather, terrain, obstacles, traffic, aircraft limitations, or an emergency.
In this situation, the helicopter crew should advise ATC immediately, explain why they cannot accept the clearance, and ask for an alternative that allows them to steer clear of the thunderstorm. ATC should then work out (determine) another heading or clearance while maintaining adequate traffic separation from other traffic and restricted airspace.
Situation 2
Listen carefully to the communication, report what you heard, and then answer the examiner's question.
Frankfurt Center, PT-ILD. We have [flight control problems] due to [hydraulic pressure drop]. [Request emergency landing] at Frankfurt Airport.
PT-ILD, Frankfurt Center. [Descend at your discretion] [until three thousand feet]. [Runway two five right is available]. [Do you need any special assistance]?
According to the exchange, the pilot reported flight control problems because of a hydraulic pressure drop. He requested (asked for) an emergency landing at Frankfurt Airport.
Then, the controller instructed the crew to descend at their discretion until 3,000 feet. The controller also advised that runway 25R was available and asked if they needed any special assistance.
According to the communication, the pilot reported flight control difficulties following a hydraulic pressure drop and asked for an emergency landing at Frankfurt Airport.
In response, ATC cleared the crew to descend at their discretion to 3,000 feet, advised that runway 25R was available, and asked whether they required any additional assistance.
In my view, a rolling landing may be safer than hovering after a hydraulic failure because the flight controls can become much heavier and more difficult to move.
Maintaining forward speed may make the helicopter easier to control until touchdown. A hydraulic pressure drop can increase control forces, increase pilot workload, and make precise maneuvering more difficult, so the pilot should follow (run) the emergency checklist and use the landing procedure recommended for that helicopter.
From an operational standpoint, a rolling landing may be preferable to hovering after a hydraulic failure because the controls can become significantly heavier, making precise low-speed maneuvering more demanding.
Keeping some forward airspeed may help the pilot maintain better control while setting up for the landing. A hydraulic pressure drop can lead to increased control forces, reduced control precision, higher pilot workload, and eventually fatigue, so the crew should run the appropriate checklist and carry out the landing technique specified for that particular helicopter.
Situation 3
Listen carefully to the communication, report what you heard, and then answer the examiner's question.
Pan Pan, Pan Pan, Pan Pan, Brasilia Control, PR-OMA. [Performing immediate landing] at our present position due to [transmission oil loss].
PR-OMA, roger, [say your position], [your landing site].
Roger. PT-OMA, [we intend to land at a farm] [northeast of Araguari].
According to the exchange, the pilot declared a Pan Pan and reported that they were performing an immediate landing at their present position because of transmission oil loss.
Then, the controller asked for their position and landing site. The pilot reported that they intended to land at a farm northeast of Araguari.
According to the communication, the pilot declared a Pan Pan and advised that the helicopter was making an immediate landing at its present position due to a loss of transmission oil.
In response, ATC asked the crew to report their position and intended landing site. The pilot advised that they were planning to land at a farm northeast of Araguari.
In my view, losing transmission oil is extremely dangerous because the transmission may overheat and become damaged.
If the problem gets worse, the helicopter could lose power transmission to the rotor system. The pilot should monitor (keep an eye on) the indications, follow (run) the emergency checklist, and land as soon as possible.
Good maintenance, checking the oil level, and looking for leaks during inspections can help prevent this problem.
From a safety perspective, transmission oil loss is one of the most serious helicopter emergencies because the gearbox depends on proper lubrication and cooling.
If the oil loss continued, the transmission could overheat, suffer severe internal damage, and eventually compromise the drive to the rotor system.
The crew should run the appropriate checklist, monitor transmission oil pressure and temperature, and set down at the nearest suitable area as soon as possible.
Preventive maintenance, regular oil-level checks, leak inspections, and early attention to abnormal indications can reduce the risk of this type of failure.
Final Comparison
Compare the three situations in terms of severity, possible solutions, and ways of prevention, and explain which one would be the most difficult to deal with.
In my view, the transmission oil loss was more critical than the other two situations because it could seriously damage the helicopter’s transmission and require an immediate landing.
The hydraulic failure was also very serious because the flight controls could become heavier and more difficult to operate. By comparison, the thunderstorm situation was less immediate because the pilot could refuse the heading and request (ask for) another clearance. Overall, I think the transmission oil loss was the most difficult situation because the pilot had the least time to react and needed to find a suitable landing area quickly.
From an operational standpoint, the transmission oil loss would be the most critical of the three because continued operation could lead to overheating, severe gearbox damage, and eventually compromise the drive to the rotor system.
The hydraulic pressure drop was also more serious than the weather conflict because it could increase control forces and make precise helicopter handling much more demanding. By comparison, the thunderstorm situation was more manageable because the crew could advise ATC that they were unable to comply, steer clear of the weather, and ask for an alternative clearance. Overall, the transmission problem would be the hardest to deal with because it creates the greatest urgency and may leave the crew with the fewest options, while good maintenance, leak inspections, and careful preflight checks can help reduce the risk of mechanical failures.
I’ve never experienced any of these situations personally. However, I’ve trained for abnormal and emergency situations, so I understand how important quick decision-making, clear communication, and situational awareness can be.
End of Part 3
You have completed the Unexpected Situations section. Listen to the examiner and choose what you would like to do next.