What is CFIT? Controlled Flight into Terrain

What is CFIT?

Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) occurs when an airplane under the control of a pilot is inadvertently flown into terrain, water, or an obstacle with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the coming disaster.

CFIT Accidents occur most frequently in GA operations, comprising 4.7% of all GA accidents and 32% of GA accidents in IMC. On average there are 1.4 fatalities per CFIT accident, versus 0.33 fatalities per GA accident overall.

Aircraft Accidents caused by CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain), are one of the accidents affecting the world in general aviation, usually is as a result of flying into IMC, on or a visual flight (VFR).

According to the statistics, 80% of all CFIT Accidents are involved in general aviation aircraft, with a fatal consequence in 75% of cases.

Generally there are two major accidents profiles after the Pilot get in to inadvertent entrance into IMC on VFR flight.

• Loss of Control: the loss of the spatial orientation by the pilot after inadvertently entering into clouds. Disoriented without visual references and inexperienced in instrument flight, lose control during the flight.

• Final Unexpected: the pilot inadvertently enters into clouds without following an instrument flight plan, usually after trying to maintain visual below the ceiling until the increasing and the pilot try to stay below the layer cloud. The pilot tries to reach an area with higher ceilings regardless of the terrain ahead and just colliding with the mountain in a level flight attitude and high speed.

               17% of all GA fatalities are due to CFIT.

                CFIT accidents are fatal 58% of the time.

                CFIT accidents occur 64% of the time in daytime and 36% at night.

                51% of CFIT accidents occur in IMC, 48% in VMC and 1% unknown.

                Impacted terrain was flat 45% and mountainous 55%.

My best advice to all pilots, be alert when transition from VFR to IFR safety; and avoid equipment problems, air controller error, or your own complacency.

Constantly use all the most effective aviation safety tools available inside the cockpit, also always controlling Pilot Error" , the causes of up to 80 % of aviation accidents – are pilot mistakes.

Read and study related CFIT Accidents, respected "Save Yourself" techniques and safety tips; and clear and stay away and be concise as a Safety Pilot all the time.

Keep in mind, most CFIT accidents occur under or adjacent to the intermediate or final approach path.

The importance of GPWS and MSAWS (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning Systems) needs to be clarified. Both systems have been designed to provide alerts and warnings.

Training in procedures that include all appropriate points described above will help promote a healthy ‘CFIT Avoidance’ attitude.

Good Crew Co-Operation and development and excellent (CRM) Crew Resource Management.

 Crews must then be trained in their use and understand the concept of CFIT.

CFIT Accidents and Incidents that might have turned into CFIT accidents continue to occur and remain a cause for concern. Always fly safely your airplane.

The risk of CFIT cannot be left to back-up systems such as GPWS and MSAWS to solve the problem , but it can be reduced if all flight crew members are given well thought out the procedures to pay the attention needed , are properly trained in their use, and apply them carefully.

Pilots and Operators are refreshed to review their procedures for ‘CFIT Avoidance’ content and explanation  as  I described above writing this words to share with the community   and to make sure that, once established as appropriate and review , they are applied in all operations to fly safely all the time , particularly Crews who fly in to terrain conditions.(Example South American Region etc.)

My personal observation in this post is only issued for information and the prevention of incidents and accidents in General and Commercial Aviation, leadership it is very important during your flight.

Be Safe all the time, and Do it safely

The Pilot and the Leadership Command

The Pilot and the Leadership Command

Being a good leader as an Airmen or any other profession is very important.

Being a good leader involves many factor as such working with a good team, also deal with a difficult situation that are existing to us in any situation during the flight and of course to handling of any event during an emergency situation, the most important is the safety of the passengers and all the entire crew when you as a pilot in command have the responsibility to fly and valuable aircraft.

Being a good  leader however, means sharing the responsibility to work together to get a common goal as a team, sharing all that information in your cockpit, evaluating any risk that it may be present during any phase of your flight and  management of all the resources in the cabin are principal task .

The good administration of an excellent CRM: This is the most important section for the prevention of accidents.

Leadership is the skill of making a person to do something you want and done because he wants to do and much better, so it should know you as a pilot in command, must lead and always keep your cockpit open for any concern, a good communication will avoid a difficult situation that if not fixed on  time it can contribute  to an incident or accident at any phase of the flight .

Like a good airmen leader, you have to guarantee that everything is running efficiently inside the cockpit, make sure that your team works with you and always are happy and motivated, if something bothers them, or if they have other things to tell you in which not are agree with you, always try to express in a good manner and  their flights must be  always safer, the good leader is the one who shares his knowledge with his team, there is no better thing to share what has been learned in our  of life experience and understanding that we shared, everyone in this profession as pilots we  have learned from fatal accidents , Leadership and Learning are always indispensable.

 If you as a pilot has accumulated many flight hours and many years in this profession, this does not mean you are perfect and cannot be involved in an emergency situation, maybe one day you can be involve in any one, a good leader always learns from their students , coworkers and also from the mistakes of the past fatal incidents and accidents, maybe you as a pilot in command  have more experience and a lot of accumulated  flying hours  more than your colleagues in aviation , but never think and assume you know everything.

Each day of our life brings a new experiences to all of us, and remember always every flight that has been done is different from the last flight we done already.

As pilots we constantly learn new things in our profession. Always learn from the mistakes of the fatal accidents and consequences in the past, those accidents teach us that we must never lose the track that accidents can be avoided.

To be a great leader Airmen, always must be interconnecting and working together inside the cockpit, and maintain a good environment with your team and managing all these resources we have inside the cockpit to flying safely all the time.

It is good to learning the past fatal accidents in general and commercial aviation , this will teach you much more in this profession as pilots , leadership is an action not a position, most things in our life are difficult before they become easy, always fly with safety and  thanks all the time  because you have a good luck to be a good airline pilot  and be grateful to have  that position where you are in the present  ,  it is important  to have a good luck , but do not think you have a good luck in case of an emergency, the pilot leader must always be prepare and be  trained for the unexpected in any difficult situation that is present inside your cockpit at any time.

Always test your crew to maintain a high standard for all its flights and of course you as you as a good leader too.

Always listen and keep your cockpit open for any information, always remember that it is better to reach our destination late but safely.

Always is a good time to remember the right things and follow the rules to fly conservative, if you fly with a respectable safety you can get it and never be involved in any badly situation , make sure always that flying  is very  safely, air safety is the  principal commitment to all Pilots Leaders  .

Learn from others mistakes; don't have others learn from you/ Safety is the best way to work.

Always Fly Safely.

Prevention of Accidents: CRM

CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

"The Learning method in our every day job functions every day is a constant process that never ends.

As a professional in our particular duties as Pilots, Flight Attendants, Maintenance etc., we must be constantly able to work together in a safety environment. This is even more important when you consider that this efficiency may depend our lives and the lives of others when we flying an airplane.

Being updated every day as a Crew implies learning.

Today the constant development of aviation brings several extremely high loads of new responsibilities and tasks for those directly involved in the operation of an aircraft from the crew on board and ground maintenance personnel to air traffic controllers, to many others.

Aviation is not just boarding a plane, but also is to understand the principles that allow an aircraft to fly, but do safely. It is very important to understand the ability to understand the knowledge, as an airmen, why your aircraft fly, this emphasize how important it is that flight crews receive proper training and appropriate, not only to fly the aircraft correctly it is also to be prepare for any situation you will expect and resolve in any abnormal situation or circumstances that we can have during the flight.

From the beginning CRM, initially recognized as a Cockpit Resource Management.

These concepts after some years become much wider doctrine, being known until today as Crew Resource Management.

The CRM emphasizes the importance of using all available resources effectively to achieve air operations safer and more efficient. The goal of CRM is to improve every day the ability of the crew in a decision-making, administration and management of the resources available and have a good communication with the rest of the crew and other elements involved in the safest operation of the aircraft.

But CRM does not end here, because the operation is more deeply involved with two other important aspects in the training of flight crews, human factors and the organizational culture ,it is very important issues.

Statistically, the vast majority of air accidents occurring at present point one of the main cause are 80 % sometimes described as a Pilot Error. All of us in the aviation environment related or not specifically, when a plane crash we wonder many things and questions, when we read in the newspapers or listen to reports on the media the phrase that summarizes what happened when an airplane crashed we think was a pilot error????? . Not necessarily incompetence or lack of experience. Some factors influencing a decision-making, that overload the workload and that in many cases inevitably lead to the accident.

In the meantime the organizational culture, which reflects the regular of social and intellectual expression of a group or organization that determines the assertiveness of all the members working together to prevent incidents or accidents. We need to focus and have a good safety business plan in the organization, defining a good Safety Program and the Safety Management 

System that includes the safety policies and objectives, Safety Promotions, Safety Assurance, and Safety Risk Management.

A change in the attitude of the group is reflected in a change in the attitude of the individual.

Today all this reflects that CRM tries to change the attitude in making decisions based on custom and culture, emphasizing the importance of knowing how to handle the resources and skills of the crew.

Today I am sharing this article and this reading to know a little more of this doctrine, to understand more deeply the importance of constant training and updated and motivated me to write these words, which targets to encourage everyone to read and share with others in the aviation community to learn to do the same. To be UPDATE, implies learning, Aviation Safety is a commitment. Safety First.

Eliminate cultural barriers it is very important for crews and safety, also establishing the importance of everyone’s contributions. Creating a spirit of shared commitment recognizing cultural differences and reinforcing a positive safe behavior. Remember always, upon you think you do not learn more of aviation, it's the time to retire because you're about to make the big mistake of your life."

Never Forget About Safety.   Safety Means Zero Accident.

Aeronautical Lighting and other Airport Visual Aids for a Safe Landing

Aeronautical Lighting and other Airport Visual Aids for a Safe Landing

Precision and Nonprecision Configurations

Are you a Safety Pilot?  You remember how important are the Aeronautical Lighting and other Airport Visual Aids for a Safe Landing? Also the Airport Marking Aids and Signs of course are so important.

If you have these concepts clear all the time, you can make a Safe Landing normally, the most important thing is to UNDERSTAND and care to know about airport Lights, Signs, and Markings.

The Light Systems used for airports, runways, obstructions, and other visual aids at night are other important aspects of night flying to prevent incidents and accidents too . Keep in mind that flying during the day is totally different to flying at night.

Always be a Safety Pilot. Learn from others mistakes; don't have others learn from you.

Always talks about Safety before you Start Working. Do it Safely!!!!

Approach Light Systems (ALS)





    

Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL) / Runway Edge Light Systems 

Human Factors In Serious Aircraft Accidents

Human Factors In Serious Aircraft Accidents

Human Factors in Serious Accidents. Data are still revealing with respect to aircraft operations today.

The same Human Factors in serious aircraft accidents have perhaps existed since the first powered aircraft flights in Aviation History.

The main percentage of the accidents occurred in General Aviation flights and specific were in single engine airplanes.

Automated aids and decision support tools are rapidly becoming indispensable tools in high-technology cockpits and are assuming increasing control of “cognitive" flight tasks, such as calculating fuel-efficient routes, navigating, or detecting and diagnosing system malfunctions and abnormalities.

A New Approach to Aviation Accident/Incident Prevention/Mitigation is one of the most important part to work together to avoid future accidents.

Good Strategies "to enable the goal to include identification of causes of past accidents; and  use a more proactive analytically approach, with new data sources, to identify key risk factors and intervene to prevent potential causes of future accidents ,always focus Human Factors research , development and based on detailed causal analysis and share with all crews , contribute to Aviation Safety by developing policies, standards, programs, and systems to reduce the number of aviation accidents and incidents related to human factors , always fly SOP and follow the rules this is the Key to have a good  Performance Plan when flying.

Always Fly Safely and Always think Safety before you work. Remember Always this word SAFETY! You family is waiting for you at home. Pilots never forget about Safety.

Unruly Passenger Prevention and Management

UNRULY PASSENGER

PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT

Always Safety First !!!!

Has your Cabin Crew call the Cockpit because an unpleasant situation could be worst  

If a passenger engages in disruptive behavior while the aircraft is still on the ground or flying?

The Flight Crew should be updated regularly on the progress of the situation by Cabin Crew.

The Flight Crew should relay this information to the ground immediately as per their company procedures and/or the State’s requirements .

The Role of the Pilot in Command

When an incident occurs on board an aircraft, the Pilot in Command has the ultimate authority on how to address the situation. The Pilot in Command should ensure that the crew has filled out the required documentation, assist with the collection of data, ensure that witness statements are made upon arrival, and be prepared to help with prosecution and internally with the aftermath of the incident.

Training staff and legal counsel should ensure that the Pilot in Command is aware of the Powers and Immunities bestowed upon them by the Tokyo Convention 1963 to assess and deal effectively with unruly passenger behavior on board and underline the fact that the organization will give them full backing anytime these Powers are legally used.

With a locked flight deck door the flight crew must rely on the Cabin Crew to assess and manage unruly passenger situations in the cabin. Pilots should consider restraint whenever they assess that a situation will in any way affect the safety of the aircraft, its passengers and Cabin Crew, and/or at the advice of the Cabin Crew.

 http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/safety/Documents/Guidance-On-Unruly-Passenger-Prevention-And-Management-1st-Edition.pdf

What is a Runway Incursion?

Runway Incursion

1. A runway incursion (RI) is any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take off of aircraft.
2. FAA has made Runway Safety a top priority, with a specific focus on developing new and more effective RI avoidance strategies.
   
   

   
   

   Runway Safety is a significant challenge and a top priority for everyone in aviation. In the United States, an average of three Runway Incursions occurs daily. Each of these incidents has the potential to cause significant damage to both persons and property. Runway incursions are a Serious Safety concern and have involved air carrier aircraft, military aircraft, general aviation (GA), and pedestrian vehicles. Runway incursions have resulted in collisions and fatalities.

   Fatalities have occurred at both towered and non-towered airports. A few seconds of inattention can cause a Runway Incursion.

   
   

   Causal Factors of Runway Incursions

   
   

   Detailed investigations of Runway Incursions over the past 10 years have identified three major areas contributing to these events:

   
   

   
   

    1. Failure to comply with ATC instructions.

    2.Lack of airport familiarity.

    3. Non conformance with standard operating procedure.

   
   Always use your Airport Diagram Chart, It is essential to have a current Airport Diagram available for the departure airport, as well as the arrival airport for safe operations.

   Always Taxi and Fly Safely, this is the Key to stay away of any incident or accident.

   
   

   
   

                                    

   
   

What is CRM and How Does it Acceptable with Aviation Safety Cultures?

Aviation Psychology CRM and Human Factors

                          

Discovers the application of psychological ethics and practices to the specific situations and problems of aviation. It provides a complete overview of the role of psychology in the Field of Aviation.

What is CRM and How Does it Acceptable with Aviation Safety Cultures?

As  Airline Pilots or Private Pilots we talk about Safety Culture in a high risk effort such as aviation can be outstanding from the Organizational Culture. Safety Culture is confirmed through the perceptions of the organization’s ability between Safety and Profitability and demonstrated guarantee to Safety.

It is also expressed in knowing networks to communicate Safety Concerns.

Other expressions of a Positive Safety Culture include a Strong Safety Officer and Proactive Safety Programs such as Safety Publications in your organization.

If the Safety Culture understand of CRM as a critical component of Safety, the acceptance and practice of CRM concepts will be greatly improved. On the other hand, in my personal opinion as a Pilot, CRM and Human Factors Instructor, training is focused on specific behaviors that can maintain Situation Awareness all the time and promote utilization of all the available resources we have inside the cockpit.

New subjects such as Automation and Interaction with the FMS as an "Automated Crewmember" created to be incorporated into recurrent CRM training, resulting in more relevant training to be prepare all the time to avoid Incidents and Accidents.

I know so many Airlines in several countries have developed CRM and Human Factors programs and trainings that are Culture-Sensitive and more corresponding with their Countrywide Cultures.

But in the Aviation Business we need to Seeking a Universal Model – the new  Generation of  Pilots and also the longstanding  generation of Pilots who has a lot of flying time understand always the concept of CRM, no matter in what Country you are flying , SOP ( Standard Operation Procedures )  help you, Identifying the limitations of present-day CRM.

Always Remember Fly Safely all the time, and building and supporting a Cultural Change in Aviation, we can have Safety Skies all around the world without Accidents. Safety First!!!!