Fly Safe: Prevent Loss of Control Accidents.

Fly Safe: Prevent Loss of Control Accidents.

In recent years there have been many accidents in general aviation for the same problems.So, today, I want to share this interesting subject to help pilots all around the world to prevent accidents.

For a long time now, loss-of-control accidents in general aviation have been determined by relatively insufficient but repeated causes pointing to fundamental problems in pilot training too.

So, Analysis of General Aviation Instructional is the key to stay away from loss of control accidents.

The FAA has a very good campaign to prevent this type of accidents on how to prevent Loss of Control (LOC) at all time.

What is Loss of Control (LOC)?

A Loss of Control (LOC) accident involves an unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight. LOC can happen because the aircraft enters a flight regime that is outside its normal flight envelope and may quickly develop into a stall or spin. It can introduce an element of surprise for the pilot.

Contributing factors may include: poor judgment/aeronautical decision making, failure to recognize an aerodynamic stall or spin and execute corrective action, intentional regulatory non-compliance, low pilot time in aircraft make and model, lack of piloting ability, failure to maintain airspeed, failure to follow procedure, pilot inexperience and proficiency, or the use of over-the-counter drugs that impact pilot performance.

Did you know?

Approximately 450 people are killed each year in GA accidents.

Loss of Control is the number one cause of these accidents.

Loss of Control happens in all phases of flight. It can happen anywhere and at any time.

There is one fatal accident involving LOC every four days.

What is an unexpected event?

Unexpected events – especially those occurring close to the ground – require rapid appropriate action. However, humans are subject to a “startle response” when faced with an unexpected emergency situation and may delay or initiate inappropriate action in response to an emergency.  Examples of situations which can catch a pilot by surprise:

Partial or full loss of engine power after takeoff.

Landing gear fails to retract after takeoff, or fails to extend when ready to land.

Bird strike.

Control problems or failures.

Did you know?

Fatal general aviation accidents often result from inappropriate responses to unexpected events.  Loss of aircraft control is a common factor in accidents that would have been survivable if control had been maintained throughout the emergency. In some cases, pilot skill and knowledge have not been developed to prepare for the emergency. In other cases, an initial inappropriate reaction begins a chain of events that leads to an accident.

Unexpected events often happen close to the ground or during a transition from one configuration or phase of flight to another. There may be no time to use a checklist. A pilot has a much better chance of success if he or she thinks about the abnormal event ahead of time. Practice and preparation can improve a pilot’s reaction time.

What can GA pilots do to best manage an unexpected event?

Don’t let an unexpected event become an unexpected emergency! Training and preparation can help pilots manage the startle response and effectively cope with an unexpected event.

Tips for pilots

Think about abnormal events ahead of time! Practice your plan! Brief your plan prior to takeoff, even when flying solo!

Have a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) join you to train and plan for emergencies.

Review emergency procedures for your aircraft on a regular basis – don’t wait until you need a Flight Review.

Sit in your aircraft or a properly equipped Aviation Training Device and practice abnormal and emergency procedures, touch the controls, and visualize your aircraft’s cockpit.

Review and practice “what if” scenarios.

Vocalize takeoff, approach, and landing expectations: aircraft configuration, airspeed, altitude and route emergency options.

Source:

http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=83285&omniRss=news_updatesAoc&cid=101_N_U

Human Factors in Aircraft Accidents

Human Factors in Aircraft Accidents

Human factors is about people, to understand the effect of human factors in aviation accidents all pilots need to know the theory and history of Human Factors In Aviation, so and also very important relate in to your job function when you are flying an airplane.

Control of human behavior involves understanding human needs. Today I want to refresh and review the five basics need: Physical, Safety, Social, Egoistic and Self – fulfillment.

Human Factors Issues in operational events are the key to stay away from incidents and accidents.

Situation recognition and crew diagnosis, Procedures, Human performance and Operating environment and circumstances.

This review about Human Factors is from incidents and accidents happened in the past: Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?  Avoiding the Chain of Mistakes is the Basic.

The best way to learn about human factors accidents is by being an active participant in the learning process. Accidents can happen to anyone, always be prepare the process of learning how to fly, is a good example of where human factors can play a major role.  

You as a pilot have the tools to prevent an accident, always be prepare organize inside your cockpit, experience, skill, knowledge, good training, so we are humans, but the key is to understand the concept of Human Factors In Aviation, fly safe all the time, no matter how many flight time you are gathering in your look book be a safety pilot at all times when you are flying your airplane, remember safety first.

Fly Safe!!

Safety Risk Management and Safety Culture Why Accidents Happen.

Safety Risk Management and Safety Culture Why Accidents Happen.

Welcome back to all my fellow folks who read my safety blog, so, today I’m writing this interesting issue regarding why accidents happen?

All people who fly and airplane ask what is important about human factors and the role of the pilot flying a plane.

Accidents statistics seem to indicate that pilots do not have the appropriate tools to deal with their own roles in the cockpit. So, all pilots are trained to handle emergencies, such as engine failure or any electrical system failures, but they are sometimes no trained to handle the internal and external factors that act them.

But, how does safety culture of any organization affect the policy and implementation of its safety management system to avoid and stay away of incidents and accidents?

Measuring a safety culture inside any group is very important, but how do you measure a safety culture in an organization?

There are subcultures in any huge organization based on geography, other leadership styles and even which shift a person works.

In my personal view and experience, to effectively measure a safety culture, the cultural norms of the organization must first to be identified, and them there must be and extensive examination of how the management team respond to errors.

Safety Risk Management is another important issue, in an effort to assist all aviation companies all around the world, to understand why accidents happen in any organization.

To recall and refresh all pilots who read my safety blog, the most common, and specific causes of accidents, in order of incidence and regularity, are:

·         Loss of directional control.

·         Poor Judgment.

·         Airspeed not maintained.

·         Poor preflight planning and poor decision making.

·         Clearance not maintained.

·         Inadvertent stalls, very important.

·         Poor crosswind handling.

·         Poor inflight planning and decision making.

As every pilot see here, almost all of these are a result of poor pilot performance, but not necessarily of a result of any equipment malfunction, So, this is why Safety Risk Management and Safety Culture is very important to understand the role and importance of effective safety risk management and incident investigation in a functioning safety management system works.

Always keep in mind that flying is about people, much more so than about machines. To avoid any incident or accident increasing your awareness of human strengths will make you a safety pilot at all time you flying your airplane.

Always fly safe! 

Aircraft Accident Investigation

Aircraft Accident Investigation

 

Air Asia plane exploded after hitting water? This is a good question so far. Part of the plane's tail was broken into pieces and a flight data recorder was thrown more than a kilometer (.62 miles as the news show on the media)

All aircraft accidents are different; there are certain elements that are common to aircraft impacts and wreckage distribution. By organizing those elements, we can predict and explain most impact situations.

 

Some, for various reasons, will defy any rational explanation.

 

The two questions that usually need to be answered are:

 

1.What was the attitude of the aircraft at impact?

 

 

2.Was this impact survivable?

 

 

Influence of Aircraft Velocity and Impact Angle

 

Crash dynamics and wreckage distribution is influenced primarily by aircraft velocity and impact angle.

 

The velocity of the aircraft generally determines the degree of breakup and destruction of the wreckage.

 

The impact angle determines how the wreckage will be distributed. We will deal with each of these separately.

 

Water Impacts

 

These deserve a brief mention. What happens when a plane hits the water?

 

Actually, it is primarily a function of velocity. If the plane is going fast enough, the water is a solid object as far as the plane is concerned. It comes apart in about as many pieces as it would if it had crashed on land. At the other extreme, a plane that was deliberately ditched will probably sink to the bottom in one piece.

 

In a water impact, there is an impact angle, but it is related to the wave action on the surface of the water. If the water was absolutely calm, then the impact angle may be determined by examination of the wreckage. If there was heavy wave action, impact angle becomes meaningless as you don’t know whether the plane impacted on the front or backside of wave.

 

What is the significance of the distribution of wreckage on the bottom of the lake, ocean, or river?

 

In general, the wreckage distribution doesn’t mean much unless it resulted from an inflight breakup.

 

 

The actual distribution is influenced by depth, currents and the tendency of various parts to float (or be slightly buoyant) or to sink in different fashions. Some parts of the plane will sink like a rock. Others will sink like a dinner plate. Try it and you’ll see the difference.

 

One rule that does hold up fairly well is the dispersed part rule. A portion of the airplane or its contents found at a significant distance from the main wreckage probably came off inflight.    

 

Source: Aircraft Accident Investigation (Richard H. Wood / Robert W. Sweginnis)

 

 

 

 

 

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms

I want to talk today and post again this  interesting information  I was posted years ago here on my safety blog, that can either make a good review to all Pilots flying all around the world to avoid thunderstorms and turbulence. Many times you as a good and Safety Pilot you have to make decisions involving thunderstorms and turbulence flying.

In some tropical regions, thunderstorms occur year-around, for example in United States thunderstorms develop most frequently in Spring, Summer, and Fall. In the Arctic Region occasionally experience thunderstorm during Summer time.

In general, thunderstorms occur varies widely from Season to Season. Well to explain and to be more specific, thunderstorms in general are most frequently during July and August and least frequent in December and January, in to the United States.

In fact, the planet earth is unique in that its atmosphere, as Pilots when we encounter bad weather during our itinerary, sometime are affected by weather, but we need to understand what you should know about weather how can shake your flight, weather is complex and sometimes difficult to understand, our restless atmosphere is almost continuously in motion as it strives to reach stability.

You remember when we are a student pilot we receive training regarding some meteorological conceptions, and the atmosphere are classify into layers based on temperature.

So, preparation for your weather briefing before your flying is very essential to any Pilot, meteorological and aeronautical information is provided by continuous sources.

Everyone who flies no matter in what Country you are flying encounters turbulence, at some time or other. Turbulence varieties from bumpiness which can bother Crew and Passengers and also can structurally damage the aircraft or injure its passengers.

So , Aircraft reaction to turbulence varies with the difference in Wind speed in adjacent currents, size of the aircraft , wing loading , and also aircraft attitude.

All Pilots know the first rule in flying turbulence is to reduce airspeed; you need to know very clear your limitations and follow up the recommended airspeed for penetrating turbulence when you knowing where to expect a thunderstorm or turbulence.

To a respectable review and always remember Pilots: the main causes of turbulence are: Convective Currents, Obstruction to wind flow, and also Wind Shear. Turbulence also occurs in the wake of moving aircraft whenever the airfoils exert lift – Wake Turbulence.

Be alert all the time Pilots, any combination of causes may occur at one time. I'm interested in writing today on my safety blog about this important concern, regarding thunderstorms and turbulence to require and maintain a safe flight and land safely without any difficult.

I became interested in writing about this subject because when I read some information regarding incidents and accidents involved commercial aircraft, who have had problems with some of its flights.

I found it very important that we review these incidents and share and learn more about what’s going on and could be more dangerous if don’t emphasis the fatal magnitudes that could be happen .

So, I want to share this excellent information , go to the links and read the information , you will learn more about what I’m talking about it about turbulence .

Always reporting Turbulence at any time you could realize be dangerous for other crews. Pilots should report all the time locations, time (UTC or Z), intensity, weather in or near clouds, altitude, type of aircraft and when applicable, duration of turbulence.

So, duration may be based on time between two locations or over a single location, all locations should be readily identifiable, also keep in mind there are different types of turbulence, I want to refresh your memory, Light, Moderate, Severe, and Extreme.

Always remember the good and Safety Pilot is one that is a conservative Aviator and learns every day from the unexpected things that can happen in your Cockpit.

               

                                                Safe Pilots, Safe Skies. Always Fly Safely.

Runway Incursions.

   Issue 418                                                                                                                              November 2014

Runway incursions, a top FAA safety concern, are formally defined as “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 takeoff of aircraft.”1 Runway incursions can be caused by Pilot Deviations, Air Traffic Controller Operational Incidents, and Ground Vehicle Deviations. Examples of these errors include:

Pilot Deviations

Crossing a runway hold marking without ATC clearance

Taking off without clearance

Landing without clearance

Controller Operational Incidents

Clearing an aircraft onto a runway while another aircraft is landing on the same runway

Issuing a takeoff clearance while the runway is occupied by another aircraft or vehicle

Vehicle (Driver) Deviations

Crossing a runway hold marking without ATC clearance

Regardless of whose actions caused it, the inappropriate or unauthorized presence of an aircraft or vehicle on an active runway can lead to serious consequences. The following ASRS reports offer insight into some of the human factors and other issues involved in runway incursions.

Source: ASRS

http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/docs/cb/cb_418.pdf

The Vision for Safety to Avoid Accidents

The Vision for Safety to Avoid Accidents

 

Commercial Air Transportation consists of the activities of the all commercial air carriers, the routes they fly to assist the public. So, today the Airline Industry is well positioned and growth every day, and the most important is to significantly improve Aviation Safety.

Improve Safety is the Key, there are three fundamental pillars of Civil Aviation of this decade, Safety, Security and environmental protection, so, also these important pillars are very significant to reduce incidents and accidents. There will be fewer accidents, if all together in the aviation business we share safety ideas all around the world to sharing and help pilots to understand well the concept of Air Safety.

Risks can be managed before they become accidents; this is why it is very important that all states and service providers have well established (SMS) Safety Management System programs inside any organization.

The information they develop form these systems helps in the further analyzing situations and developing ideas and solutions for the prevention of incidents and accidents in all General Aviation.

Improving Aviation Safety is the key to continue sharing ideas and used a good method in aviation industry to examine aviation accident/incident, and focusing and analyzing areas that errors mostly occurred in any organization, why accidents happen, when an aircraft accident occurs many questions are asked. So, the question WHY, rises a lot during investigation of the operator at the time of investigation.

Safety is a top priority at all time; the goal of the Aviation Safety is to improve aviation safety through the prevention of accidents and incidents programs .

 

Safe Pilots/ Safe Skies.