DEAR ROD:
In your experience, do you see value in students and pilots performing the GUMPS (specifically, the “U” and “P”) flow in fixed-gear, fixed-pitch airplanes? Does primacy prevail over the potential negative transfer of saying but not doing once pilots transition to complex aircraft?—Shelia
GREETINGS SHELIA:
This is a good question. Here’s how I typically answer it.
First, you never want to pass up an opportunity to use a good memory checklist when it’s available, even if every aspect of it doesn’t have practical value. I know the concern is that pilots might become complacent with the “undercarriage” and “propeller” part of the GUMP checklist if they fly airplanes where these items aren’t controllable. The thinking is that pilots who’ve been saying but not doing will transfer that behavior when they start flying a complex airplane.
In my opinion, this isn’t a big concern. When instructors insist that it is a big concern, I ask them if they simulate emergency forced landings with their students as well as follow the recommendation in the pilot’s operating handbook’s emergency landing checklist. They always say they do. At that point I ask them if they actually turn the fuel selector to Off as most POHs recommend during an actual emergency landing. They say they don’t.
Then I ask them if they are worried about their students failing to turn the fuel selector to its Off position during an actual emergency landing, even though they have not actually performed that behavior during the simulation. Most instructors admit that they aren’t
worried about this, and the light bulb begins to glow in their noggins. I’m not shining them on when I ask if they still feel it’s wise not to teach a mental checklist such as GUMP, even if every item on the list isn’t applicable to the airplane being flown. Light goes full glow, and most agree it can be done.
DEAR ROD:
Over the years I’ve been teaching my students to begin their descent for landing as they turn base leg. On the downwind, I have them add 10 degrees of flaps for better visibility, then add flaps incrementally with the base leg turn, as necessary. A few instructors on the field (we’re a small airport) teach students to begin their descent for landing when abeam the runway threshold... Do you have any thoughts on the different techniques?—Kelly
GREETINGS KELLY:
You should try to avoid descending on the downwind leg whenever possible. This minimizes the chance that you’ll descend onto someone below you or have someone above you try using your wing as a landing surface. Pattern traffic permitting, begin your descent the moment you turn base leg or when established on the base leg. Beginning the descent abeam the threshold is fine if pattern traffic permits and you’re practicing 180-degree power-off approaches.
DEAR ROD:
I am a student pilot learning in a 1979 Cessna 172. I completed my first solo. Several times during the landing roll the nosewheel started shimmying rapidly, enough to cause the entire airplane to shake back and forth. My instructor tried to correct the problem by holding full aft deflection of the elevator. This seemed to help some. However, not until we reached normal taxi speed did the shaking stop. My instructor advised me that this problem is almost “normal” with tricycle-gear aircraft. I respect my instructor’s wisdom, but I would like any advice you can offer on this problem.—Pam
GREETINGS PAM:
Your instructor handled the problem in the correct manner, but I’d disagree that a nosewheel shimmy is “almost normal.” A nosewheel shimmy is often the result of a worn or broken shimmy damper. The shimmy is a sign that the nosewheel assembly needs to be examined by a mechanic.
Nosewheel shimmy may be frequent, but it isn’t “almost normal.” Think about it this way. If you were to purchase a newly manufactured airplane, would you expect it to have a nosewheel shimmy? Nor would the nosewheel shimmy be an added option. “Yes, I want the airplane, but I’ll also need air conditioning, a full glass panel, and a factory-approved nosewheel shimmy.” You get the point, right?
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