Aircraft Command Techniques

This work is about making the transition from co-pilot to airline captain. It is not a guide to the basic skills of flying, but a book about leadership and management. The author presents real-life situations, raises questions, poses options and offers some possible solutions.

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A captain must be able not only to fly the aircraft, but also to manage it, manage the crew, and above all, manage his or her resources. In a number of air carriers there may be less than adequate additional training conducted, when upgrading pilots to the very responsible position of captain. However, three things that do not change are the authority, challenges, and responsibilities of being captain. They are as constant today as they will be in the years ahead. Aircraft Command Techniques is a comprehensive examination of the characteristics of the experienced captain. Each chapter begins with an appropriate and relevant anecdote that is analogous to the chapter's main theme. It then progresses to the chapter's main objective and finishes with a scenario that the reader is asked to solve from a captain's perspective using a number of considerations that are offered and should be evaluated when solving the problem. The intent is to help the pilot practise thinking as a captain. Offering a wealth of practical guidance, this book is an ideal platform for pilots or indeed anyone interested in how leadership and management skills are used to achieve excellence. The reader will gain important command skills and will learn how to apply these skills to routine and unexpected situations, in the same way as an experienced captain. The intended readership includes those worldwide in aviation universities and flight schools, in major airlines, in regional and cargo airlines, pilots upgrading to captain and those interested in leadership skill development.