Chapter 88 I'll take control!
Jianchuan City Flight Safety Simulator Training Center, 737NG simulator No. 23.
Today is the proficiency check for Wang Xuan, the chief pilot of Blue Sky Airlines. For other ordinary pilots, this proficiency check should be taken seriously, because if you fail, you will not only be grounded, but also have to undergo various supplementary training, and then be listed as a key monitoring personnel for at least three months, which is quite troublesome.
However, Wang Xuan has never worried about this. To be precise, as a company leader, no inspector would be stupid enough to hang his own chief pilot, especially for those young inspectors who have just taken office.
When checking other ordinary pilots, it is ruthless and impartial. When checking the flight department leaders, it is about the human relations and social skills, and many people are still clear about this.
The inspector who inspected Wang Xuan this time was just hired two days ago. An inspector with such qualifications was very respectful in front of Wang Xuan. People who didn't know would think that it was Wang Xuan who was inspecting him.
Due to the company's tacit rules, he even signed Wang Xuan's approval before the inspection even started, which can be said to be extremely true. Moreover, what's more terrible is that he himself will have to undergo refresher training in about half a month, and the inspector is Wang Xuan. Under all these factors, how dare he not let Wang Xuan fail?
Although it seems a bit dirty, the fact is that in every industry there are some conventional rules that are independent of the rules, and many times these rules are contrary to the obvious rules, but everyone just turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to them.
Since this proficiency inspection was just a formality, it was natural for Wang Xuan to do whatever he wanted. In any case, although simulators in this era also have video recordings, basically no one would check it. It was very relaxed.
Wang Xuan was a stubborn person. He tried several more times the operations that Xu Cang performed before Feiyu Flight 6321 landed, but still could not achieve the results that satisfied him, so he simply stopped trying. After a few more attempts, he felt that his mentality was about to explode.
Wang Xuan simply pulled the seat back and pointed to the co-pilot who was cooperating with him, letting the co-pilot fly up and down by himself, while he lay down on the chair.
Such behavior did not cause any reprimand in the eyes of the inspector. Instead, he thought it was a very normal thing. He even planned to have a chat with Wang Xuan to liven up the atmosphere.
However, Wang Xuan was in a bad mood and was too lazy to waste time talking to the inspector. Instead, he asked a question that the inspector did not understand.
"Were there any inspectors who failed the test last year?" Wang Xuan asked.
The inspector was stunned and thought for a moment: "It seems that Instructor Zheng Yue did not meet the requirements and was investigated by the bureau . Mr. Wang, why are you asking this?"
Airlines' inspectors must meet a certain number of failure rates every year, that is, they must fail a certain number of people who meet the standard. If fewer people fail, the authority will conduct an inspection. If they fail the inspection, the inspector's qualification will be revoked.
However, it is relatively easy for inspectors to hang people, and the situation where not enough people are hung is relatively rare.
"Zheng Yue?" Wang Xuan immediately thought of this good-natured man. This so-called teacher Zheng Yue had a good temper and a soft heart, so in many inspections, he would not fail anyone because of his personal likes and dislikes, and the standards were not particularly strict. In this way, if he was not careful, the number of people he failed would not meet the standard.
"It's okay!" Wang Xuan did not give the inspector a clear answer, but prepared to close his eyes and rest.
The co-pilot next to him was struggling to fly the plane up and down by himself, and he was so envious of Wang Xuan who was so leisurely.
The inspector saw that Wang Xuan wanted to rest, and even considerately prepared to dim the lights in the simulated cabin. However, just as Wang Xuan closed his eyes, he suddenly heard what sounded like an alarm.
"What's that sound?" He clearly felt that the entire simulated cabin was shaking.
The inspector was also very puzzled. He got off his seat and looked outside through the peephole of the cabin door. He was even more puzzled: "Mr. Wang, the ladder has been lowered."
"What?" Wang Xuan sat up straight: "Why are you putting up the ladder?"
"No, it wasn't me." The inspector looked outside again: "Hmm? It looks like someone from the Safety Supervision Department is outside."
"Ah? People from the Safety Supervision Department are here. Are they going to conduct a random check on the simulators?" Although the restrictions on simulator training are very loose in this era, they are not completely ignored.
The Safety Supervision Department and the Flight Department occasionally organize personnel to conduct surprise inspections at the simulator training center to check whether the personnel are on duty, whether they have all the equipment and certificates, whether the training inspection items are in line with the syllabus, etc.
However, although it is said to be an indiscriminate random inspection, there are tricks in it. The people from the Safety Supervision Department and the Flight Department will know the list of relevant personnel in advance when conducting the inspection, and try to avoid company leaders or senior instructors, etc. In short, they will pick the weak ones, and basically inspect ordinary pilots who have no power, no influence, and no background.
Logically speaking, it’s not the first day that he has been the chief pilot. Is there anyone in the Safety Supervision Department who doesn’t know him?
With a metallic collision sound and footsteps, the simulated cabin door opened and two men came in. Wang Xuan looked at the cabin door and raised his eyebrows. They were indeed from the Safety Supervision Department.
"What are you doing here?" Wang Xuan was not afraid, and asked calmly, "Check?"
One of the men saw Wang Xuan and asked, "Boss Wang, why don't you answer the phone?"
"What?" Wang Xuan frowned. "My phone is always turned off during training. What's going on?"
"Mr. Wang, not long ago our company's flight 9211 lost its radar signal in the Urumqi control zone, and the control center couldn't contact the crew. We have been calling you just now, but no one answered." The person from the Safety Supervision Department looked at the inspector and the co-pilot who cooperated and said, "Why can't you two get through on the phone?"
The inspector and the co-pilot looked miserable. How could they dare to turn on their cell phones when training with someone like Wang Xuan?
Wang Xuan asked in disbelief: "Are you saying that a plane from our company is missing?"
"Yes!" The person from the Safety Supervision Department hurriedly said to Wang Xuan: "Boss Wang, please come back to the company with me. The working group of the Jianchuan Supervision Bureau will be stationed in the company soon, and we need you to go and make contact."
“So fast?” Wang Xuan quickly unbuckled his seat belt. He knew that this matter had really been exposed. If an accident really happened, considering the size of Blue Sky Airlines, it would probably close down directly.
Under the confused gaze of the inspector and the co-pilot, the people from the Safety Supervision Department and Wang Xuan quickly left the simulator center. Wang Xuan drove here by himself, and he asked another person from the Safety Supervision Department to drive the company car, while leaving another person from the Safety Supervision Department to ride in his own car with him and explain the specific situation.
As they walked toward the parking spot, Wang Xuan casually asked, "Who is the crew on the plane?"
The people from the Safety Supervision Department quickly replied: "The captain is Tan Heling, the deputy is Wang Tian, and the observer is Xu Cang!"
Wang Xuan paused abruptly and turned to look at the people from the Safety Supervision Department: "Who are you talking about as the observer?"
…
In the cockpit of Blue Sky 9211, even Xu Cang was still immersed in the shock of the damaged display screen and the demagnetization of the water compass. As the first co-pilot said, shortly before Xu Cang entered the cockpit, the plane seemed to have been struck by lightning again.
After the lightning strike, an abnormal white color began to appear on the display screen. He was not sure whether the water compass was demagnetized because he did not pay continuous attention to the operation of the water compass.
After the first co-pilot said this, everything made sense. Just now when he was explaining things to Xia Shuyue, he encountered an extremely fierce lightning, and the thunder was also quite close. In this way, things made sense, it was the thunder just now!
"Damn it, how come everything went wrong?" Even someone as calm as Xu Cang found the situation extremely difficult at this moment.
Now that communications have failed, the navigation page on the display component screen cannot be used, and the only remaining original water compass has been demagnetized, doesn't that mean they have lost all their means of navigation?
Do we have to return to the most primitive visual navigation?
However, the most important thing now is not the so-called navigation, but the engine!
"Captain, I just went to the cabin and heard the engine surging. I don't think the engine can hold on for much longer. Reduce the throttle and descend!" Xu Cang made a prompt decision: "We have to act!"
The first co-pilot said subconsciously: "If we go down in altitude, won't the plane be more likely to stall?"
"Engine surge should be controlled by reducing the throttle. We have no choice!" Xu Cang advised: "Captain, we can't wait any longer!"
"Didn't you just say that the control couldn't see us? Now that we are lowering our altitude, is it really not going to have any impact?"
However, Xu Cang did not hesitate at all and said directly: "If the controller can't see us, they will divert all nearby aircraft. Now some time has passed, enough time for the controller to vacate the airspace, and now there will be no other aircraft in a large area near us."
The captain was stunned, and immediately felt that Xu Cang had really planned everything out, taking into account all the factors that might affect the flight. Compared with Xu Cang, he felt that he and the first co-pilot were just idiots who only cared about the head but not the butt.
The captain gritted his teeth and pulled the throttle back to nearly half of its travel, but not all the way. In such heavy rain, pulling the throttle back to slow down was not a good option.
In the memory item of engine surge, it only requires the throttle to be in the appropriate position to stop the engine surge, and it does not mention that it must be slowed down.
However, they didn't have the DU display, so they couldn't tell from the N1 speed and EGT whether the engine was still surging after the throttle was closed. But according to Xu Cang's experience, the throttle position the captain received was close to slow, so there was no need to worry too much.
As the plane descended, the captain looked at the palm-sized mechanical backup instrument. Because it was too small and the cockpit was very dark, he couldn't see it clearly. In the end, the first co-pilot had to turn on the flashlight on his mobile phone to help the captain see it more clearly.
It was clearly daytime, but the light was so thin, which showed how thick the rain clouds were.
After the plane passed 7,200 meters, it suddenly turned slightly to the left. This change was very slight, but it was captured by Xu Cang.
His heart skipped a beat and he listened carefully, and it seemed that the sound of the engine seemed to be a little weaker.
"Oh no, engine number one has stalled!" Xu Cang's hair stood on end. Even though he had some confidence in his future actions, it didn't mean that he wouldn't be indifferent to the engine stalling at this moment!
"Well, what did you say?" Because the throttle was set very low, even if one engine was shut down, the thrust inconsistency produced was not very obvious. In addition, there was turbulence interference during the descent, so the captain did not notice it at the first time.
The first co-pilot's face turned pale. He heard what Xu Cang said. He pointed at Xu Cang blankly and said, "Brother, he just said that engine number one...is turned off."
"What?" The captain screamed, panicking, and immediately ordered the first officer: "Quick, restart the APU!"
The first co-pilot didn't even think twice and was about to pull down the APU starter switch with his left hand. However, just as he raised his left hand, Xu Cang suddenly shouted, "No!"
The first co-pilot instinctively retracted his left hand after being scolded by Xu Cang. The captain was already overwhelmed with anxiety at this moment. He was afraid that the other engine would also shut down, so how could he dare to delay anything?
"Xu Cang, you were the one who asked us to descend. Now you won't let us start the APU. What the hell do you want to do?" The captain roared. He glared at the first officer fiercely: "What are you waiting for? Start it quickly. Can't you hear me?"
However, Xu Cang stood up, grabbed the first co-pilot's left wrist, and said coldly: "You are no longer able to think calmly. The plane can no longer be handed over to you alone."
As he said this, he looked at the first co-pilot: "Get up!"
"This..." The first co-pilot was suddenly at a loss. He never expected that at this critical juncture there would be a struggle for command in the cockpit.
Seeing that Xu Cang was actually trying to seize his first command, the captain was furious: "Xu Cang, after landing, I will definitely sue you to the Arbitration Department of the General Administration. I want you to never be able to be a pilot in your life."
"That's only possible if you land alive!" Xu Cang narrowed his eyes and stared at the first co-pilot: "What are you doing? Why don't you get up?"
Obviously, Xu Cang was only the lowest-ranking person in the cockpit, but at this moment he was the one who controlled the atmosphere in the entire cockpit. When looking at the first co-pilot, the first co-pilot felt tremendous pressure.
Suddenly, there were several heavy knocks on the cockpit door, and Xia Shuyue's voice came from outside: "Brother, open the door."
Xu Cang grabbed the first co-pilot with one hand and opened the cockpit door with the other.
As soon as Xia Shuyue entered the cockpit, she saw Xu Cang holding the co-pilot's wrist and was stunned. However, Xu Cang asked calmly, "What's the matter?"
Xia Shuyue quickly calmed down and replied, "Brother, the engine on the left is silent!"
"Okay, I understand!" Xu Cang suddenly grabbed Xia Shuyue with his other hand: "Don't leave yet, just stay here."
After saying that, he looked at the first co-pilot: "Do you want to live? If so, then get up and... get out!"
The captain was almost going crazy. Xu Cang really didn't take him seriously at all.
The first co-pilot looked at the captain and then at Xu Cang. At this moment, there was no question of technical level. He just followed his heart and chose the person who could keep him alive.
After waiting for a while, the first co-pilot unbuckled his seat belt with his right hand, stood up silently, pulled the seat open and vacated the seat.
Just as Xu Cang instructed, the first co-pilot did not stay in the cockpit, but walked out of the cockpit silently.
Xia Shuyue was confused when she saw this scene. However, Xu Cang patted Xia Shuyue on the shoulder, put down the observer's seat for her, and said softly: "Just sit here, and do whatever I tell you to do!"
Then, Xu Cang stepped into the right seat, fastened his seat belt, and adjusted the seat position.
The captain watched Xu Cang take his seat, and the first co-pilot's choice just now almost drove him crazy. The meaning of this was very clear, that is, the first co-pilot did not trust him, but trusted Xu Cang more.
"Xu Cang, do you know what you are doing?" the captain said in a low voice.
Xu Cang suddenly smiled: "Of course I know what I'm doing. I'm saving you, Captain! You can let go, I'll take control!"
The captain suddenly shouted: "You are violating the Civil Aviation Law, you are committing a crime!"
Xia Shuyue was startled. Although she didn't know what the situation was, it seemed not very harmonious.
"Xia Shuyue, the sixth flight attendant of Blue Sky 9211, witnessed that the captain on duty, Tan Heling, was in poor mental state and was no longer suitable to serve as the first commander. Now... I will take over the command of the aircraft." Xu Cang said calmly, as if this matter was so natural. He glanced at the captain indifferently: "The most suitable starting altitude for the APU is to be below 20,000 feet. Don't you know? Do you want us to waste time on the APU starting cycle?"
Xu Cang looked at the captain, but his eyes had already swept over the backup altimeter. After the plane's altitude approached 20,000 feet, he finally started the APU!
The captain was stunned, but he couldn't refute it. He was in a hurry just now and did not grasp the timing of starting the APU well, but this could not be an excuse for Xu Cang to do evil.
He was the captain, and Xu Cang was just a small second co-pilot.
However, the captain gradually calmed down. He stopped arguing with Xu Cang and asked sinisterly, "Xu Cang, do you know that there are hundreds of lives on the plane?"
Xu Cang sighed: "I know, how?"
"Then you should know your position clearly and not interfere with my work. I am the captain and you are the second officer. You should obey my command." The captain said gloomily.
"Follow your command?" Xu Cang shrugged: "Let's not talk about the engine, where are you flying now?"
The captain was hit in the heart, and he hesitated for a long time without any response. Now one engine was out, but they still had another one, but all navigation methods were gone. They were like a headless fly running around in the air, not knowing where they were.
The captain said coldly: "Without navigation equipment, how can you know how to fly?"
"Without navigation equipment, you don't know how to fly?" Xu Cang finally lost his last bit of patience with the captain: "Is this what the aviation school taught you, Captain?"
