The paved checklist. Another way to mitigate risk is to perceive hazards by incorporating
the paved checklist into pre flight planning. The pilot divides the risks of flight
into four categories Pilot in Command p I C, Aircraft Environment, end External
Pressures p a v E, which form part of a pilots decision making process.
With the paved checklist, pilots have a simple way to remember each category
to examine for risk prior to each flight. Once a pilot identifies the risks
of a flight, here or she needs to decide whether the risk or combination
of risk can be managed safely and successfully. If not, make the decision
to cancel the flight. If the pilot decides to continue with the flight,
he or she should develop strategies to mitigate the risks. One way a pilot
can control the risks is to set personal minimums for items in each risk category.
These are limits unique to that individual pilot's current level of experience and proficiency.
For example, the aircraft may have a maximum crosswind component of fifteen knots
listed in the Aircraft Flight Manual AFM, and the pilot has experience with ten
knots of direct crosswind It could be unsafe to exceed a ten knot crosswind component
without additional training. Therefore, the ten knots crosswind experience level is that pilot's
personal limitation until additional training with a certificated Flight instructor CFI provides the pilot with
additional experience for flying in crosswinds that exceed ten knots. One of the most
important concepts that safe pilots understand is the difference between what is legal in terms
of the regulations and what is smart or safe in terms of pilot experience and
proficiency. P equals Pilot in command PIC. The pilot is one of the
risk factors in a flight. The pilot must ask, am I ready for
this trip in terms of experience, recency, currency, physical and emotional condition.
The im safe checklist provides the answers A equals aircraft? What limitations will
the aircraft impose upon the trip? Ask the following questions, is this the
right aircraft for the flight? Am I familiar with? And current in this
aircraft? Aircraft performance figures in the AFM are based on a brand new aircraft
flown by a professional test pilot. Keep that in mind while assessing personal and
aircraft performance. Is this aircraft equipped for the flight instruments, lights, navigation,
and communications equipment adequate? Can this aircraft use the runways available for the
trip with an adequate margin of safety under the conditions to be flown? Can
this aircraft carry the planned load? Can this aircraft operate at the altitudes needed
for the trip? Does this aircraft have sufficient fuel capacity with reserves for trip
legs planned? Does the fuel quantity delivered match the fuel quantity ordered? V
equals environment weather Weather is a major environmental consideration. Earlier, it was suggested
pilots set their own personal minimums, especially when it comes to weather. As
pilots evaluate the weather for a particular flight, they should consider the following.
What are the current ceiling invisibility in mountainous terrain? Consider having higher minimums for
ceiling invisibility, particularly if the rain is unfamiliar. Consider the possibility that the
weather may be different than forecast. Have alternative plans, and be ready and
willing to divert should an unexpected change occur. Consider the winds at the airports
being used and the strength of the cross wind component. If flying in mountainous
terrain, consider whether there are strong winds. Aloft Strong winds and mountainous terrain
can cause severe turbulence and down drafts and be very hazardous for aircraft even when
there is no other significant weather. Are there any thunderstorms present or forecast?
If there are clouds, is there any icing current or forecast? What does
the temperature? Do points spread? And the current temperature at altitude? Can
discent be made safely all along the route? If icing conditions are encountered.
Is the pilot experienced at operating the aircraft's de icing or anti icing equipment?
Is this equipment in good condition and functional for what icing conditions? Is the
aircraft rated if any terrain Evaluation of terrain is another important component of analyzing the
flight environment. To avoid terrain and obstacles, especially at night or in low
visibility, determine safe altitudes in advance by using the altitude shown on VFR and
i FR charts. During preflight planning, use maximum elevation figures me efs,
and other easily obtainable data to minimize the chances of an inflight collision with terrain
or obstacles. Airport What lights are available at the destination and alternate airports?
VASSI or pappy or ils glides slope guidance. Is the terminal airport equipped with
them? Are they working? Will the pilot need to use the radio to
activate the airport lights? Check the notices to airmen, notems for closed runways
or airports. Look for runway or beacon lights out nearby towers, etc.
Choose the flight route wisely. An engine failure gives the nearby airports supreme importance.
Are there shorter or obstructed fields at the destination and or alternate airports airspace?
If the trip is over remote areas, our appropriate clothing, water,
and survival gear on board in the event of a forest landing. If the
trip includes flying over water or unpopulated areas with a chance of losing visual reference
to the horizon, the pilot must be prepared to fly IFR. Check the
airspace in any temporary flight restriction TFRs along the route of flight. Nighttime night
flying requires special consideration. If the trip includes flying at night over water or
unpopulated areas with a chance of losing visual reference to the horizon, the pilot
must be prepared to fly IFR. Will the flight conditions allow us safe emergency
landing at night? Preflight. All aircraft lights interior and exterior for a night
flight carry at least two flashlights, one for exterior preflight and a smaller one
that can be dimmed and kept nearby. E equals external pressures. External pressures
are influences external to the flight that create a sense of pressure to complete a
flight, often at the expense of safety. Factors that can be external pressures
include the following someone waiting at the airport for the flight's arrival, a passenger
the pilot does not want to disappoint, the desire to demonstrate pilot qualifications,
the desire to impress someone. Probably two most dangerous words and aviation are watch
this, the desire to satisfy a specific personal goal get home itis, get
their itis, and let's go itis. The pilot's general goal completion orientation,
emotional pressure associated with acknowledging that skill and experience levels may be lower than a
pilot would like them to be. Pride can be a powerful external factor managing
external pressures. Management of external pressure is the single most important key to risk
management because it is the one risk factor category that can cause a pilot to
ignore all the other risk factors. External pressures put time related pressure on the
pilot and figure into a majority of accidents. The use of personal standard operating
procedures SOOPS is one way to manage external pressures. The goal is to supply
a release for the external pressures of a flight. These procedures include, but
are not limited, to allow time on a trip for an extra fuel stop
or to make an unexpected landing because of weather. Have alternate plans for a
late arrival or make backup airline reservations for must be their trips. For really
important trips, plan to leave early enough so that there would still be time
to drive to the destination. Advise those who are waiting at the destination that
the arrival may be delayed, know how to notify them when delays are encountered.
Manage passengers expectations. Make sure passengers know that they might not arrive on
a firm schedule, and if they must arrive by a certain time, they
should make alternative plans. Eliminate pressure to return home even on a casual day
flight, by carrying a small overnight kit containing prescriptions, contact lens, solutions
toiletry, or other necessities on every flight. The key to managing external pressure
is to be ready for and accept delays. Remember that people get delayed when
traveling on airlines, driving a car, or taking a bus. The pilot's
goal is to manage risk, not create hazards. Refer to Figure seventeen dash
six human behavior. Studies of human behavior have tried to determine an individual's predisposition
to taking risk and the level of an individual's involvement in accidents. In nineteen
fifty one, a study regarding injury prone children was published by Elizabeth Metchem Fuller
and Helen B. Bond of the University of Minnesota. The study was comprised
of two separate groups of second grade students. Fifty five students were considered accident
repeaters and forty eight students had no accidents. Both groups were from the same
school of six hundred, and their family demographics were similar. The accident free
group showed a superior knowledge of safety, were considered industrious and cooperative with others,
but were not considered physically inclined. The accident repeater group had better gymnastic
skills, were considered aggressive and impulsive, demonstrated rebellious behavior when under stress,
were poor losers, and liked to be the center of attention. One interpretation
of this data an adult predisposition to injuries stems from childhood behavior and environment,
leads to the conclusion that any pilot group should be comprised only of pilots who
are safety conscious, industrious, and cooperative. Clearly, this is not only
an inaccurate inference. It is impossible pilots are drawn from the general population and
exhibit all types of personality traits. Thus, it is important that good decision
making skill be taught to all pilots. Historically, the term pilot error has
been used to describe an accident in which an action or decision made by the
pilot was the cause or a contributing factor that led to the accident. This
definition also includes the pilot's failure to make a correct decision or take proper action.
From a broader perspective, the phrase human factors related more aptly describes these
accidents. A single decision or event does not lead to an accident, but
a series of events and the resultant decisions together form a chain of events leading
to an outcome. In his article Accident Prone Pilots, doctor Patrick R.
Valetti uses the history of Captain Everyman to demonstrate how aircraft accidents are caused more
by a chain of poor choices rather than one single poor choice. In the
case of Captain Everyman, after a year up landing accident, he became involved
in another accident. While taxing a beach fifty eight p baron out of the
ramp. Interrupted by a radio call from the dispatcher, every Man neglected to
complete the fuel cross feed check before taking off. Every Man, who was
flying solo, left the right fuel selector in the cross feed position. Once
aloft and cruising, he noticed a right roll tendency and corrected with ailer on
trim. He did not realize that both engines were feeding off the left wing's
tank, making the wing lighter. After two hours of flight, the right
engine quit when every Man was flying along a deep canyon gorge. While he
was trying to troubleshoot the cause of the right engine's failure. The left engine
quit. Every Man lended the aircraft on a river sand bar, but it
sank into ten feet of water. Several years later, every Man flew at
Havel and twin Otter to deliver supplies to a remote location. When he returned
to home base and landed the air aircraft veered sharply to the left, departed
the runway, and ran into a marsh three hundred and seventy five feet from
the runway. The airframe and engines sustained considerable damage. Upon inspecting the wreck,
accident investigators found the nosewheel steering tiller in the fully deflected position. Both
the after takeoff and before landing checklist required the tiller to be placed in the
neutral position. Every man had overlooked this item now is every man accident prone
or just unlucky? Skipping details on a checklist appears to be a common theme
in the preceding accidents. While most pilots have made similar mistakes, these errors
were probably caught prior to a mishap due to extra margin, good warning systems,
a sharp copilot, or just good luck. What makes a pilot less
prone to accidents? The successful pilot possesses the ability to conson trait, manage
workloads, monitor and perform several simultaneous tasks. Some of the latest psychological screenings
used in aviation test applicants for their ability to multitask, measuring both accuracy as
well as the individual's ability to focus attention on several subjects. Simultaneously, the
FAA oversaw an extensive research study on the similarities and dissimilarities of accident free pilots
and those who were not. The projects surveyed over four thousand pilots, half
of whom had clean records, while the other half had been involved in an
accident. Five traits were discovered in pilots prone to having accidents. These pilots
have disdained toward rules, have very high correlation between accidents on their flying records
and safety violations on their driving records. Frequently fall into the thrill and adventure
seeking personality category, are impulsive rather the methodical and disciplined, both in their
information gathering and in the speed and selection of actions to be taken. A
disregard for and under utilization of outside sources of information, including copilots, flight
attendants, flight service personnel, flight instructors, and air traffic controllers. End
of Part two of Chapter seventeen.