If you bought an airline ticket recently, you should be pleased to know “this is your Captain” required to train often in a flight simulator.
To keep up to snuff, the pilot must ‘fly’ from a computerized replica of his cockpit with video showing results of his choices. Simulated emergency decisions often confront the pilot.
Invited to fly two military jet simulators, this old single-engine, high-wing pilot created his own problems.
At the airbase outside Abilene, I landed 200 feet underground.
At the airbase outside Beeville, my oldest grandson—who had just been presented his ‘wings’ for completing his jet training–came to my rescue. He helped me throttle down as I was landing the simulated jet. Landed that simulated jet safely, but skidded off the runway.
Airline pilot friend told me pilots are required to periodically refresh emergency procedures in a simulator. I’ve flown a simulator, but nobody has asked me to pilot their jet airplane.
Photo from Shutterstock
