Illinois Wing Flight Instructors Complete National Check Pilot Standardization Course

By Capt Mordechai Levin
G1000 Check Pilot

Capts. Carolyn O’Meara, Steve Meyers, Timothy O’Meara, and Bill Peters graduate from the National Check Pilot Standardization Course (NCPSC) conducted by Standardization and Evaluation Officer/Chief Check pilot Capt Jim Olivi and Check Pilot Capt Mordechai Levin

In an effort to increase aircraft operations safety, the directives governing Civil Air Patrol’s Flight Management (CAPR60-1) were updated on 23 July 2007. These changes included the standardization of Sterile Cockpit Procedures. The sterile cockpit concept recognizes that flight operations other than routine cruise flight are intrinsically more hazardous and require the undivided and vigilant attention of all crewmembers. The Pilot in Command (PIC) is responsible to ensure that non-essential conversations, activities, and otherwise distracting actions do not occur during critical portions of flight. Critical portions of flight are taxi, takeoff, climb, descent, landing, and operations in high-density traffic areas or heavy ATC periods.

During the NCPSC held at Clow International Airport, Capt Mordechai Levin introduced a new method for flight instructors and check pilots to train and evaluate the Sterile Cockpit Procedures. The check pilots in training placed two chairs side-by-side and role-played the crew and passenger briefings conducted prior to engine start.

Included in the “Sterile Cockpit” brief is a statement that safety of flight items are always appropriate to be brought to the immediate attention of the PIC. Safety concerns would be such items as potentially conflicting traffic, potential mechanical problems with the aircraft, i.e., electrical smoke or smoke of an unknown origin, leaking fuel, etc.

The new regulations require instructors to conduct training in this procedure as part of any initial or recurring flight training, and check pilots to ensure that all pilots, as part of their mission pilot and normal proficiency flight checks, complete a “Sterile Cockpit” briefing. This will be evaluated as part of “Cockpit Management” under “Ground Operations” on the CAPF 5 and as part of “Cockpit Resource Management” under “Safety Awareness” on the CAPF 91.

By Capt Mordechai Levin