Euramec unveils TEM training for emergency procedures

Euramec announced Threat Error Management (TEM), its new scenario-based Flight Training Device (FTD) for aeroclubs, flying schools and homebuilts.

TEM is based on a Diamond DA20 platform with customershaving the choice of an analog or a full-glass cockpit display. The adjacent instructorstation houses a database of emergency scenarios based on real-life incidentsfrom around the world.

Working with Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association UK(AOPA), Euramec has developed a set of emergency scenarios that are toodangerous to attempt safely in an actual aircraft.

Bert Buyle, CEO Euramec: “The idea is to create situationsthat are certainly not part of practical flight lessons, but can be defined aslife-threatening situations. Our objective is to let student-pilots experiencesuch emergency situations, but the training obviously is also for experiencedprivate pilots to live these simulated situations.”

AOPA has an extensive library of reports on critical safetyissues, including engine operations, collision avoidance, Wingcontamination/icing, thunderstorms and air traffic control, turbulence, forcedlandings, spatial disorientation, single-pilot instrument flight rules, fuelmanagement and other critical issues.

Over the last several years, National Transportation SafetyBoard (NTSB) statistics reflect that in a million trips, there are 700 timesmore fatalities on General Aviation (GA) planes than on airliners. Commercialcaptains retrain every six months while private pilots have only a biannualcheck – every 24 months.

Airline pilots average about 900 hours per year. The FederalAviation Administration reports that GA pilots average 70 hours per year andpilots of homebuilt planes only 35 hours per year. Airlines have two pilots inthe cockpit instead of one, which is common in GA flying.

The result is that GA pilots are not as prepared to handleemergencies as are their commercial counterparts. The main purpose of theflight simulation training done by commercial pilots is that of practicing howto handle emergency procedures that they may never encounter in the air. It isimpractical to try to emulate most equipment failures in the air, but it isextremely useful to be able to do so on the ground under controlled conditions.Most GA pilots do not have this luxury.

Euramec wants to make a difference with TEM and bringessential emergency flying skills to aeroclubs, flying schools and thehomebuilt community.