Microburst and Low level Windshear Perceptions

Microburst and Low level Windshear Perceptions

 

Making the Skies Safe from Windshear it is very important to understand well the concept as Pilots.

In our profession as Pilots all must always need to understand altogether the conceptions and perceptions related to bad weather when flying.

It seems the terms Microburst and Windshear have been in our Pilots vocabulary for many years, so in fact the current information we as pilots have today evolved from research conducted to avoid and identified the weather activity associated with each type of microburst and low level windshear.

The most important it is to identify the cues present during windshear activity.

All pilots must understand and be able to identify at any time when flying, to identify the weather activity associated with bad weather during an approach or any other phase of the flight.

Meteorologist considered a downdraft as the most hazardous activity associated with a thunderstorm.

To be more explicit the conventional theory was that a downdraft was strongest inside or directly beneath the cloud, it was thought to significantly deteriorate long before reaching the ground, and as a result there was little danger in an outflow of wind disturbance.

To have more idea about the term Microburst the study and identification began in 1974, when Professor Theodore Fujita, of the University of Chicago, began his world renown research on weather phenomenon. Fujita aggressively pursued the causes of aircraft accidents around thunderstorms activity.

I am a person who likes to read and do a lot of research regarding why accidents happen and also to share with the aviation community through my Safety Blog to all pilots to stay away from accidents. Remembered too that in a book I read about accidents in the past, involved some aircrafts like the Southern Airways DC 9 crashed as a result of those storms in the South East area in the United Sates.

A year later after 1974 an Eastern Airlines a B 727 crashed at JFK, while attempting to land in a thunderstorm.  Maybe some Seniority pilots who have the chance to read this post remember what I’m talking about it in these accidents concerning thunderstorms on that year.

In 1978 Professor Fujita had collected enough data to change the minds of the skeptics.

The first field program on downburst was conducted by the University of Chicago, and operated for 42 days, by using three strategically placed Doppler Radars and other measuring equipment. Fujita and his team discovered the phenomena of Macroburst and Microburst in the early 1980.

According to Professor Fujita a downburst is subdivided into Macroburst and Microburst.

All of these concepts are good to review to be constantly a Safety Pilot, anyway the most important it is to understand the types of microburst to have a safely flight when you will be encountered or hear during your flight this term to avoid an incident or accident related with thunderstorms and bad weather.

 

Macroburst: A large downburst with is outburst winds extending in excess of 4 kms (2.5 miles) in horizontal dimension. An intense Macroburst often causes widespread, tornado like damage, damaging winds, lasting 5 to 30 minutes, could be as high as 60 meters / second, or 134 mph.

Microburst: A small downburst with its outburst, damaging winds extending only 4 Kms or less, in spite of its small horizontal scale, an intense Microburst could induce damaging winds as high as 75 meters/ second or 168 mph.

I want to share with all Private and Commercial Pilots that not all microburst are alike, some are accompanied by heavy rain while others form beneath the term small virga .

There are: Wet Microburst, Dry Microburst , Traveling Microburst, Radial Microburst , Twisting Microburst , Surface Microburst , Outflow Microburst , and Rotor Microburst .

 

Let’s review some about Low –level Windshear : Windshear is a change in wind speed, direction, or both over a short distance . There are several weather phenomena that produce such conditions. These include thunderstorms, fronts, radiation inversions, directing winds, and mountain waves.

Windshear studies started in 1986 with analysis, moved to simulation and now are in the flight-test stage. Pilots always keep in mind Windshear poses the greatest danger to aircraft during takeoff and landing, when the plane is close to the ground and has little time or chance to maneuver.

NASA said there are three airborne predictive windshear sensor systems; Pilots need 10 to 40 seconds of warning to avoid windshear. Fewer than 10 seconds is not enough time to react, while more than 40 seconds is too long, atmospheric conditions can change in that time.

Three systems are being flight-tested to give advance warning of windshear: Microwave radar, Doppler LIDAR, Infrared.

NASA and the FAA: Working together for a solution to prevent future accidents.

Remember always the more you know the more you grow as an Aviator, a Safety Pilot is who anticipating abnormal flight characteristics , this is the key to successfully flying through a windshear encounter.

The best Pilot is the one who has sense enough to pick good things during flying and always is a conservative airman all the time, to stay away from accidents. 

THINK SAFETY! Watch your THOUGHTS

Distractions in the Cockpit

Distractions in the Cockpit

In my previous post I spoke about discipline in the Cockpit .Today I want to share something very interesting also concerning the distraction in the Cockpit.

Well but what that mean the word distraction to you as a Pilot? I do some research about the term distraction and I found something interesting. So, distraction could be defined as the act of distracting or the condition of being distracted. Something, especially an amusement that distracts. Extreme mental or emotional disturbance; obsession etc. The act or an instance of distracting or the state of being distracted, something that serves as a diversion or entertainment or an interruption; an obstacle to concentration.

But anyway, there are many more definitions in the dictionary.

But what I want to focus today on my Safety Blog, we as pilots sometimes gets distracted in our cockpit duties numerous times. Years ago NASA – Ames Research Center initiated a study on distractions because Air Carrier Pilots identified that as being the most frequent cause for operational errors.

The data were taken from a lot of pilot reports and broken down in to the following two groups, as NASA said, Non Flight Operations and Flight Operations.

Non Flight Operations consist of paper work such as crew logs, engine logs, block/air times, and public address announcements, passenger’s conflicts, and inappropriate cockpit conversation by the crew.

And Flight Operations, includes Crew Coordination, completing checklist, and of course, actual flying task.

Distractions can occur during any phase of the flight, in both types I mentioned, you as a pilot will see how routine tasks and activities can be quickly mismanaged or forgotten all together.

As I wrote on my other articles we are humans and nobody is perfect, the error will be there always, but in the bottom line is that simple distractions, such as our routine in doing our tasks inside the cockpit, as reading the checklist, communication with ground or in the air with the ATC, PA announcements, and also other tasks during flying. Review these subjects we as pilots can take a perfectly good pair of eyes and hands away from flying the airplane to avoid incidents /accidents.

The lessons learn and practical applications to reduced incidents during our tasks inside the cockpit, regarding distractions, the most important are fly the airplane no matter what, always remains in control of the airplane. Be decisive with the delegation of responsibilities, don’t complete nonessential tasks during critical phases of flight , keep everyone in the circle , following ATC communications , maintain Situational Awareness , isolate a distraction, make sure one distraction doesn't spread into other parts of the operations, don’t allow a minor distraction to turn on an incident or accident , be careful, maintain vigilance at all time during any phase of the flight , if you don’t pay attention , distractions can negatively affect Situational Awareness , decision making and judgment .

Anyway on my personal conclusion, I hope everybody who read this interesting concept about what that mean distraction can be more familiar with the term, as distractions can lead to confusion and chaos in the cockpit if you don’t pay attention, and also you need to have a good concentration all the time when flying.

Remember to many hours gathering in your logbook and experience do not guarantee a distraction in flight, distractions can be any time there in to your cockpit,  the important thing here is to recognize the error on time and broke the chain .

http://flightsafety.org/files/alar_bn2-4-distractions.pdf

http://www.airbus.com/fileadmin/media_gallery/files/safety_library_items/AirbusSafetyLib_-FLT_OPS-HUM_PER-SEQ03.pdf

Cockpit Discipline

Cockpit Discipline

I would like to write today something very interesting to all Pilots. In the past decade, the discipline of Human Factors has become involved in determining the causes of Aircraft Accidents.

But what that mean discipline to you? Discipline in the workplace is the means by which supervisory personnel correct behavioral deficiencies and guarantee adherence to established company rules.

The purpose of discipline is correct behavior. It is not designed to correct or embarrass any Pilot inside the Cockpit. But why discipline? As Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers we have the tools to prevent accidents:

The Experience, Skill, knowledge, Training etc., so what? Part of the answer is that many pilots and also air traffic controllers have a misconception or lack of understanding about what can affect human performance to the point of disaster.

So, our minds consist of five main cognitive functions: Memory, Attention, Language, Visual-Spatial Skills, and Executive Function.

At all times is very important to challenge, stimulate and effective exercise all five areas to stay mentally sharp as Pilots, specifically a good discipline inside the Cockpit.

Remember memory plays a crucial role in all cognitive activities, including when you are reading the checklist, reasoning, and do some mental calculations when flying.

In a book I read few years ago, I remembered that NASA was studied and has shown a dramatic increase in airline accidents caused by procedural deviation in the cockpit. They are trying to explain in the reports and researchers why accidents happened, between 1977 and 1984, specifically in the course of these years. But anyway accidents continued to occur if you as a Pilot don’t pay close attention to the discipline inside your cockpit when you are flying your airplane.

So, during NASA research, 33 % of those accidents were caused by a Pilot Deviation from basic operational procedures, making this the leading Crew to induce the error.

The remaining top three factors included inadequate cross- check by second crew member, pilots not conditioned for proper response during abnormal condition, and pilot did not recognize need for

Go – around.

A comparable study of Part 121 in the United States was conducted in 1991 that illustrated a significant rise from the previous statistics. But anyway the lack of Cockpit Procedural behavior accounted for 69 % of Pilots Errors, more than three times that of the second ranking category of poor decision making.

But all these investigations continued in the following years so far, the connection between flight safety and procedural conduct in the cockpit. All Pilots need to know and focus the most important areas of concentration: a good company philosophy included in your SMS manual, policies, procedures, and practices. Each point I mentioned here considered a good link to sound Cockpit Discipline.

Flying SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) is the best tool to set of guidelines that serve to provide a common ground for Pilots who are usually unfamiliar with each other’s experience when flying.

So, as airline mergers today all around the world and acquisitions continue to be the basis of the industry, standardization becomes increasingly more important for flight safety all the time.

As a result of those changes, pilots from diverse employment backgrounds and experience to various good philosophies must always have a good discipline all the time inside the cockpit.

This is perhaps the most important part of the discipline process to stay away from accidents.

Pilots sometimes deviate from an SOP due to one of several reasons comparable: Individualism, Complacency, Laziness, or Frustration.

So, safety issues and procedures change over the years, and also there have been numerous factors that have caused airlines to develop new cockpit procedures, some of them established in your SMS.

Also the introduction of the TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System, into the cockpit few years ago required a new set of procedures to be created,  besides the Sterile Cockpit Rule and FAA regulation requiring pilots to refrain from non-essential activities during critical phases of flight, these procedures are established as a good discipline in the cockpit .

Always remember lessons learned and practical applications and a good communication is the key to avoid future incidents or accidents, take your responsibilities seriously maintaining a good discipline all the time not only in your cockpit in all, always practice effective CRM and maintain a good Situational Awareness all the time. Be decisive of the delegations of responsibilities; don’t complete nonessential tasks during critical phases of flight, maintain vigilance at all times, Fly Safely!!!

Understanding Human Factors

Understanding Human Factors

Human Factors is about people: it is about people in their working and living environments and it is about their relationship with equipment procedures and the environment.

Human Factors is the study of how people interact with their environments, in General and Commercial Aviation, human factors study how pilots performance is influenced by such issues as the design of cockpits, the function of the organs of the body, the effects of emotions, and the interaction and communication with the other members of the Aviation Community, such as other Crew Members and Air Traffic Controllers.

The most important is to understand well all the concepts connecting with Aviation Safety, that most accidents could have been avoided had the Pilots taken the appropriate preventative or corrective actions.

The good things about CRM and Human Factors in General and Commercial Aviation it is to understanding these concepts in a good way to all crews stay away from accidents.

Writing interesting articles on my Safety Blog offer me a great satisfaction that all people who are related in aviation and flying airplanes all around the world in different skies, can understand more the idea Why Accidents Happen, improve safety in aviation by making all airlines more aware and interested to the importance of Human Factors in aviation operations through the provision of practical Human Factors material and measure developed on the basis of experience to improve safety in your organization .

Learn from the mistakes of others, remember that we are humans and nobody is perfect, the perfection in the real live it does not exist as human beings people are always going to make mistakes it is important to recognize on time the error  for the prevention of accidents .

If your actions inspire others to improve Safety, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. Whatever you are, be a good one, and always remember Fly Safely all the time.

Leadership inside your cockpit is the key of all successful efforts to stay away of accidents.

CRM & Pilot Judgment and Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)

CRM & PILOT JUDGMENT AND AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING (ADM)

Today I want to share a very interesting topic for the prevention of accidents; also I would like to extend and thank all the people who read my Safety Blog altogether around the world.

I could not have to write this Blog without the many Aviation professional sites and books I read during my research to understand why accidents happen and also to give me the opportunity to share my knowledge with the Aviation Community for the prevention of Accidents.

The contents of this Safety Blog present a unique combination of research material and instructional guidelines to all pilots, to understand more concepts regarding aircraft accidents cases in the past, and analyze those lessons into practical techniques to comprehend more about Aviation Safety.

So, I know all Pilots and people working in aviation comprehend the expression about CRM, the principal of Crew Resource Management are based on one simple basis: The effective management of a Pilots available resources, every Pilot can benefit from such a concept, and also studies shown that most Safe and Accident – Free flights are the direct result of Crew Resource Management (CRM).

Therefore, CRM probably could be considered the biggest amount of the SHEL model concept.

All Private Pilots, Commercial Pilots, yourself, your fellow crewmembers, your aircraft, the air traffic controllers personal, maintenance persons, dispatchers, etc. need to know more strong this model about CRM.

This concept has proven so successfully that many of the World’s Airlines have developed at least some from CRM training. The most important core of the CRM program is to create Team Work.

I want to emphasize, the importance of a good communication, and remember, the term CRM is defined as, using all available resources information, equipment, and people to achieve Safe and efficient flight operations. Be prepared all the time; don’t forget the other half of your crew.

The Pilot Judgment and aeronautical decision making is part of the CRM, program. So, in some books I was reading in recent years the FAA, NASA, and all other agencies around the world research facilities individually and collectively addressed the issues of Pilot Judgment and Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM), these studies have since developed into a series of guidebooks that help improve all pilots ability to recognize and control hazardous thought patterns and situations.

It is very important to understanding the terms; Aeronautical Decision Making is a systematic approach to the mental process used by Pilots to constantly determine the best course of action in response to a give set of circumstances.

Well, to all Pilots, I want to highlights the poor judgment chain, sometimes referred to as the Error Chain is a term used to describe this concept of contributing factors in a Human Factors related accident.

The most important is to recognize breaking one link in the chain normally is all that is necessary to change the outcome of the sequence of events.

Always don’t forget to implementing the decision and evaluating the outcome, although a decision may be reached and a course of action implemented, the decision making process is not complete.

It is very important all the time to think ahead and determine how the decision could affect other phases of the flight. Be focused as the flight progress, you as a good Safety Pilot must continue to evaluate the outcome of the decision to ensure that it is producing the desired result.

So, the decision making process normally consist of several steps before you choose a course of action.

I want to help all Pilots who are reading my post, to remember the principal elements of the decision making process, a six step model has been developed using the Acronym DECIDE.

DECIDE MODEL THE STEPS TO TAKE

D-Detect: The Pilot detects the fact that a change has occurred that requires attention.

E-Estimate: The Pilot estimates the significance of the change to the flight.

C-Choose: The Pilot chooses a Safe outcome for the flight.

I-Identify: The Pilot Identifies actions which could successfully control the change.

D-Do: The Pilot does the necessary action to adapt to the change.

E-Evaluate: The Pilot evaluates the effect of the action on the change and on the progress of the flight.

The DECIDE model can provide to your organization a frame work for effective decision making.

Review with your Safety Department and all crew the Risk Management during each flight, decision must be made regarding events that involve interactions between the four risk elements, the pilot in command, the aircraft, the environment, and the operation.

When situationally aware, you have an overview of the total operation and are not fixated on one perceived significant factor 

The decision making process involves an evaluation of each of these risk elements to achieve an accurate perception of the flight situation.  

The most important is to recognizing hazardous attitudes, if not, can lead to poor decision making and actions that involve unnecessary risk. Remember all the time this expression I’m a SAFE PILOT, I always follow my SAFE Checklist.  

Lessons learned and practical applications is the key to stay away of accidents

Aviation Accident and Investigation Tools

Aviation Accident and Investigation Tools

Every organization should have in your Safety Department Workplaces all the latest information and issues regarding about the prevention of accidents, today I, want to talk and post and interesting subject accurately about the ICAO Accident Prevention Manual (Doc 9422).

The First Edition of the (Doc 9422) was published in 1984 and has recognized to be useful to States and the Aviation Community for developing and maintaining accident prevention programs.

So, in the last months of this year there are different types of incidents and accidents all around the world in different scenarios and phases during flight, some of them with fatal consequences.

Anyway, I know some people when read this post are very familiar with this document, and also I, want to refresh your memory to share with your Safety Team to maintaining current your Safety Department.

Accident Prevention and Investigation policies could be a good asset and a worthy awareness between all the Aviation Community authorities and States in all around the world, so for improved accident prevention efforts. ICAO was published and recommended this Accident Prevention Manual to Improved understanding of the role of Human Factors in accident connection.

Well, I know some people will like to read more regarding the ICAO Accident Prevention Manual (Doc 9422). The links I, share with all of you under this article, going to give you a better idea how Increasing acceptance by management of the role of any organizational factors upon Aviation Safety to any organization. Accident Prevention and Investigation should be the best tool to your business. 

Always remembers Fly Safely all the time. Safety is First.

http://legacy.icao.int/icao/en/anb/aig/app_20050907.pdf

http://www.icao.int/safety/SafetyManagement/Documents/Doc.9859.3rd%20Edition.alltext.en.pdf

Developing and Implementing a Fatigue Risk Management System

Developing and Implementing a Fatigue Risk Management System to Your Organization

All pilots need to recognize well the concept of Aviation Safety, in the past on this blog, I have written about several issues related to Aviation Safety in General and Commercial Aviation.

This article is part of the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) Toolbox to any organization understand some components about FRMS.

Safety Management and Safety Culture it is very important to support any organization, wishing to implement some different systems.

This post provides guidance to any organizations on the concept of Safety Culture.

Safety Management recommends a systematic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organizational structure, responsibilities, processes and procedures in your group to prevent incidents and accidents and stay away of them.

Though something very interesting to this that all pilots flying around the world, executives and all people working in the organization should also know about FRMS (Fatigue Risk Management Systems).

So, what that mean to you FRMS ? When you continue reading my post , you will be more familiar what I’m writing today , my only purpose is to all the people working in Aviation , understand very well this interesting concept associated with your SMS in to your organization.

The FRMS should be inserted within the existing SMS framework to allow fatigue to be managed within existing organizational Safety Structures. This also certifies that responsibility for managing fatigue risk is shared between Employer and Employee. It may also allow Safety Professionals or other participants in the company to develop a Cost-Effective FRMS without needing to call in outside fatigue expertise.

So, however, it is important to have an understanding and appreciation of Fatigue-Related risk within a workplace. The figure below illustrates how fatigue can be incorporated into a principal of your SMS into your organization.

 

 Risk Management Systems work best within the framework of a larger 

Safety Management System.

Safety it is very important and we need to focus FRMS of the functions in a Safety Management System and also is an actual important element of Safety Risk Assessment to identification of hazards.

In the links I share below, you can read more in details about FRMS; I hope all people appreciate these interesting concepts, behind hazard identification methods are described in this manual guide implementation. Pilot , Always Remember Fly Safely all the time.

 http://www.iata.org/publications/Documents/FRMS%20Implementation%20Guide%20for%20Operators%201st%20Edition-%20English.pdf

http://www.icao.int/safety/fatiguemanagement/ArticlesPublications/ICAO_Journal_Vol66_No4_FRMS.pdf

http://www.ifalpa.org/downloads/Level1/Briefing%20Leaflets/Medical/12HUPBL03%20-%20Fatigue%20management%20information%20update.pdf

The Digital Aircraft - Heralding a New Generation of Aircraft Operations

The Digital Aircraft - Heralding a New Generation of Aircraft Operations

A Critical Game-Changer for the Air Transport Industry

Manual Flight Operations

It is very interesting the information contained in this SAFO, in my personal opinion the new generation of Pilots who get a new Commercial License and get flying in to the Airlines or GA, has another outlook, the new generation of pilots already are adapted to that new computerization, the new technology and become more comfortable that  the airplane does everything , but in my personal view as an Aviation Accident Investigator , we need to be careful and emphasis more on the training, we have to work hard and focus on preventing future accidents.The SAFO is certainly brief and has good information regarding the issue for safety reasons.

A SAFO contains important Safety Information and may include recommended action. SAFO content should be especially valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO.

http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/media/2013/SAFO13002.pdf