Cockpit Resource Management came to we small airplane guys with instrument integration and evolved into Crew Resource Management, which is a very good thing. It is also high altitude orientation. It involves extensive checklists, careful evaluation of the situation, acceptance of crew input, a tool box of procedures, and time. What I didn't have in eleven engine failures below 200' AGL was time. They were six second deals. At that altitude where closure with horizontal obstructions was in seconds not minutes, the orientation in the OODA Loop needed to be low level orientation and not high altitude pre-planning. The tactical situation down there is always fluid. Deadly situations require that we are already moving at occurance.

Along with the tremendously safe high altitude orientation that has evolved, we also need low altitude orientation for the maneuvering flight we all do on every takeoff, in the pattern, and during every landing. The safest of those three events is actually landing, where the most accidents and incidents occur. This is also where the fewest fatalities occur.

Because time is very limited in maneuvering flight, rapid transitions are more often necessary. A recent example would be 2H2 instructor John's transition from crab to side slip for our angle across the runway in a strong crosswind component. As he was a bit slow, I had to slam right rudder to the stop to catch up. Side slip all the way down, we learned, is the better technique in strong crosswind.

On takeoff we low power and weight airplane drivers will not leave maneuvering flight by rocketing up at a well managed V-speed on a safe and secure procedural track. Getting up quickly is a fool's errand. Wings level with zoom reserve in airspeed needs to be the default for maneuvering either in pitch up or bank. We need to ring out every bit of ground effect energy before pitch up becomes necessary. Airspeed bleed must be avoided by topping obstructions as low as practicable. We need to make use of all free energy available. Wind management becomes critical, both in takeoff and to reduce the radius of turns in the pattern. All turns, shallow or steep and climbing or level or descending, should be energy management turns. When no zoom reserve airspeed is available, simply allow the nose to drop. We need to develop the muscle memory that causes the elevator to be released, unloading the wing, in all turns. Rudder must lead aileron for proper coordination. While 1.3 Vso is fine to approach the airport, elevator maintenance of the apparent brisk walk rate of closure on short final to cause deceleration and increase of power to control rate of descent to the numbers eliminates the need for the more dangerous and more difficult round out and hold off technique. Fewer late go arounds decreases fatalities. Dynamic proactive rudder (walking rudder pedals) will bracket the centerline extended to prevent the adverse yaw problems of aileron use to turn back to the centerline extended when it has been allowed to digress. Rudder only will maintain longitudinal alignment (look between your legs) and keep the wing level or in a stabilized bank to prevent drift. Dynamic proactive rudder will prevent ground loop eliminating the need to react to the beginning of ground loop. Touching down slowly and softly on the numbers, or downwind corner in crosswind, prevents loss of control accidents during landing. It certainly prevents late go around or overrun.

During the maneuvering flight we all do on every flight, we don't have time to work the problem. Unless we prevent the problem, we suffer stall or loss of control. Engine failure with zoom reserve in airspeed is not the problem. Airspeed bleed resulting in stall during takeoff/obstacle clearance is the problem. Loss of control with too much airspeed during landing is the problem. The dangerous round out and long hold off which results in too many late go arounds and overruns is the problem. The teaching of safe maneuvering flight techniques is necessary to reduce these fatalities. Too many very good pilots with high altitude orientation only are dying every week or two.

Lord , please help me to practice what Contact do preach . Amen .