MD80 CAPTAIN EXPRESSES POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE HIGH ALTITUDE LOW AIRSPEED EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING IN THE FLEET.

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I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 MORE HIGH ALT/LOW SPD EVENTS IN THE MD80 FLEET IN THE PAST MONTH. AS A FORMER SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE; I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE THAT OUR ACR DOES NOT DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB OF CLOSING THE LOOP BTWN REAL-WORLD SAFETY EVENTS AND OUR TRAINING AND PROCS. I HAVE SUGGESTED A TRAINING/CHKLIST SOLUTION TO LOW-SPD MD80 EVENTS IN THE PAST; AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED. I DO SO AGAIN HERE. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT MOST CREWS DO NOT PAY CLOSE ENOUGH ATTN TO THE CRITICAL MOMENTS AFTER LEVELOFF. A SHORT 30-60 SECOND CHK AFTER LEVELOFF CAN QUICKLY IDENT MOST ALL AUTOTHROTTLE; EPR SYS; ACFT WT; ACFT LOADING; OTHER AUTOFLT SYS; ENG SYNC SYS; ETC; PROBS THAT CAN LEAD TO LOW SPD EVENTS. I CONDUCT SUCH A CHK AFTER EACH LEVELOFF AT INITIAL CRUISE OR CLB TO HIGHER ALT. IN ESSENCE; WHAT WE ARE DOING IS VERIFYING THE PERFORMANCE WE EXPECT WHEN WE CONSULT THE ALT CAPABILITY CHART BEFORE CLBING. AFTER LEVELOFF; I CHK TO SEE THAT ENG PWR IS STABLE; AT OR NEAR THE EXPECTED EPR 'AND' N1 PREDICTED BY ACFT PERFORMANCE CHARTS OR 'PERF.' SOMETIMES; PWR IS NOT STABLE BECAUSE OF A SYNC SYS PROB. A PROC EXISTS FOR TROUBLESHOOTING THIS SITUATION IN THE QRH. I HAVE FOUND ALMOST NO MD80 FO'S WHO ARE AWARE OF ITS EXISTENCE. VERY; VERY FEW FO'S PAY ATTN TO MD80 PWR AND AUTOTHROTTLE OP IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEVELOFF; IN MY VIEW. ACFT OVERWT; ACFT MISLOADING RESULTING IN INSTABILITY; EPR PROBE PROBS; AUTOTHROTTLE PROBS; AND THE LIKE WILL ALL MANIFEST AS UNSTABLE PWR; WITH EXCESSIVE EXCURSION; OSCILLATION; INSTABILITY; OR EXCESSIVE SPLIT BTWN ENGS. THE CREW CAN THEN ELECT THE PROPER REMEDY; SUCH AS TERMINATING ENG SYNC OP; APPLYING ENG HEAT; TERMINATING USE OF AUTOTHROTTLES; OR DSNDING TO A LOWER ALT. IN MY VIEW; THE ADDITION OF A CRUISE CHKLIST ITEM SUCH AS 'ENG PWR/PERFORMANCE CHK' AND PROPER TRAINING OF SUCH AN ITEM; WOULD ELIMINATE OR AT LEAST VASTLY REDUCE MD80 LOW SPD EVENTS. IT WOULD ALSO SERVE AS AN EXCELLENT SIMULATOR TRAINING DISCUSSION ITEM AS IT TOUCHES ON SEVERAL ACFT SYS.