Editorials

TAKEOFF “TOGA” CALL

22/12/09 15:43 Filed in: My Ideas | Air Safety | Airbus
The problem with takeoffs in airliners is that, for a few seconds, the other pilots on the flight deck are little more than paid-passengers.

After confirming that the thrust is correct, then announcing “100 knots”; the philosophy is that the STOP / GO decision is up to the Captain.

 But what if he or she is unaware of, or misdiagnoses a developing issue which the others are aware of ... explaining things at 200 kph is difficult. And if they were that easy to explain, the Captain would have already noticed, (there are standard calls for Flight Control issues etc).

 A dragging brake, or the aircraft enters a pool of stagnant hot air in a dip on the runway (like at Darwin) and the aircraft stops accelerating ... or a bang from an exploding tyre that is misdiagnosed as an engine failure, are all examples.

 Rejecting a takeoff close to V1 with a blown tyre which you think is an engine failure can have catastrophic consequences. Stopping from close to V1 assumes that the tyres and brakes will work. Better to take it into the air and land on the full runway length.

 Windshear that is reported by a previously-departing aircraft on the same frequency.

 I think we should have a standard call in all aeroplanes for takeoff.


“TOGA” (It means Takeoff / Go Around)

Upon hearing it, from anyone ... even an augmenting pilot looking out the side window and noticing the runway lights are not speeding-up at the right rate ... just yells “TOGA!”

 The Pilot Flying just advances the thrust levers without question. It’s enough that someone in the cockpit, with all their experience, has seen something no-one else has.

 After airborne they can all discuss it and decide if the call was warranted.

But at least they will be alive to talk about it.

 You’d hate to have crashed off the runway and find out later that three of the four Pilots on the deck knew it was a blown tyre, whilst the Captain had thought it was an engine.

Something not right, but still flyable? YELL TOGA!!

22nd December 2009

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