Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Manuals; Human Factors; Company Policy; Procedure
Obviously the instructors and check airmen doing this have no idea of the possible repercussions of this act. To quickly review; like inputs are summed; opposed inputs are cancelled. To actually have your hand on the side stick while the other pilot is flying can have catastrophic consequences. A subtle; unconscious input by the pilot monitoring say during the flare or strong crosswind landing to 'help' the pilot flying may generate a dual input warning but by then recovery may be unattainable. The reason given during training is to be quick to push the take over button. I can have my hand in my lap and in 1/2 second can reach to the button; depress it; and have control of the aircraft. When flying a conventional airplane; one with a control wheel; does the pilot monitoring actually have their hands on the controls while the other person is flying. No! The PM can have their hand on the side console; rubber grommet around the base; or arm rest; but should not be actually on the side stick while the other person is flying. Stop this training practice.This is the X time this year I have flown with a new pilot where they have actually had their hand on the side stick while I was flying the airplane. This is expressly forbidden in the pilots operating manual; 'Only one person will fly the aircraft at a time'. They all tell me that is the policy during training that the instructors and check airmen have been telling them to do this not only during training but on their initial operating ride as well!
Air Carrier Captain reported new pilots to the Airbus are being instructed to shadow the PF on the controls. The Captain reported this is contrary to the information in the pilot manual. The Captain reports the manual says 'Only one person will fly the aircraft at a time.'