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					Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed  At Gimli, the pilot executed a manoeuvre (forward slip) that he had never before attempted, even in a glider (he was a glider pilot), or in simulation, and executed it perfectly - without the use of most of his instruments.  If he didn't execute it perfectly, there's a good chance that many to all of the people on board die. | 
	
 
I doubt he's never done a forward slip before.  It's a required manoeuvre to pass both the glider and private pilot flight tests.  It's certainly something he'd probably never done in a large commercial jetliner, but all pilots (ESPECIALLY glider pilots) have experience performing forward slips.
Evaluating slipping technique is Exercise 15 in the Transport Canada Private Pilot License Flight Test Guide: 
http://www.tc.gc.ca/publications/EN/...R/TP13723E.pdf
[Edit] I see Bigtime already addressed this above.