B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180; Flight Crew Total 20300; Flight Crew Type 180
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
While flying visual approach the GPWS announced too low flaps at 500 FT; the Captain (pilot not flying) placed the flaps to 25 and we landed without incident. He felt it was safer to put flaps down than to do a go around. It was my first actual flying leg since IOE in mid August; it was bumpy on final with airspeed varying plus 7-10 KTS..
Descending through approximately 400 FT; received a GPWS 'Flaps'. The landing flaps had not been selected. The Captain quickly moved the flaps from 20 to 25. Landed uneventfully.
Three B747 pilots describe an approach with the final flaps not selected until 500 FT when prompted by the GPWS. The flying First Officer was new to the aircraft having completed IOE two months prior without a landing since.