The Three Mental Process of Safe Flight

 

The Three Mental Process of Safe Flight

1.       AUTOMATIC REACTION: Used to maintain ongoing control of the aircraft and, also, to respond to certain types of emergencies.

2.       PROBLEM RESOLVING: Used to overcome undesirable situations by means of a systematic process.

3.       REPEATED REVIEWING: Keeps your constantly aware of all the factors that may be changing in your environment that could affect safety of flight.

Note: Keep in mind in flying the best safety device in any aircraft is a well-trained safety pilot.

 

Core and Evidence (Evidence Based Training)

 Core and Evidence (Evidence Based Training) EBT

In my previous post, I wrote what does evidence based training technique mean, so now; I want to explain the difference about Core and Evidence.

Core:

The core competencies are evident and determinate and include everything a pilot needs to operate safely, effectively and efficiently in today’s aviation environment.

Evidence:

The evidence, is the results from the analyses of worldwide safety and training data. The evidence collections from normal operations monitoring LOSA (Line Operations Safety Assessment) and FDA (Flight Data Analysis), to data collected from training, accidents and incidents.

The evidence is used to determine the need for training (called training criticality) through aircraft of different generations. These results effort a three year recurrent program called EBT Baseline, published by ICAO in 2013. In the EBT Baseline, the training topics were resulting from the EBT Evidence Study and were used to recover and improve pilot performance in the core competencies.

The EBT is a voluntary program but its benefits are important to maintain a good safety records. The goal of EBT is to improve the safety operations by increasing the effectiveness of a good pilot training.

Evidence Based Training is designed to mitigate the existent risks we see in day-to-day operations, by developing competence, enhancing the capability of pilots to deal with unexpected and unforeseen events.

Evidence Based Training is also an Alternative Training Means that will allow pilots to improve and maintain competencies.

In my next writing post, I’m going to exchange dealing with the unexpected, and explain what the black sawn concept means theory in aviation is. 

So, what is an example of a black swan event, for the aviation industry, and also some examples of black swan events to pilots understand the concept.

The best safety device in any aircraft is a well-trained safety pilot.

           

 

 

 

 

 

What is Evidence Based Training (EBT)?

 

What is Evidence Based Training (EBT)?

 

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.

Evidence based training (EBT) is a training and assessment technique based on operational data that is considered by developing and accessing the complete capability of a trainee across a range of core competencies rather than by evaluating the performance in individual events or maneuvers during simulators training.

What does EBT stand for in aviation?

When accidents happen the causes are always complex and involve coatings of technical, operational and human-factors issues. Evidence Based Training (EBT) has been developed to contest recurrent pilot training to the real risks of operating current modern aircraft in today's demanding operational environment.

So, Evidence-Based Training (EBT) in other words, is a new approach, developed on behalf of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), directed by a giant group of airline industry experts with the goal to increase the effectiveness of pilot training and meet the challenges of airline operations in the 21st Century to avoid and stay away of incidents and accidents. Also to develop a new model for competency-based training and assessment of airline pilots based on evidence.

How is Evidence-Based Training different from traditional pilot training?

There are two new and important aspects of EBT, which distinguish this type of training from the check-focused training of the past: Core competencies, and evidence.

So, what excellent pilots do to make things go well during your training in simulator sessions, and also during flying the airplane safe on the line? In my next post I will explain the meaning of these two concepts for the safety of your flights, Core and Evidence.

There are 9 core competencies of a professional pilot:

1. Communication.

2. Aircraft Flight Path Management - Manual Control.

3. Aircraft Flight Path Management - Automation.

4. Knowledge.

5. Leadership and teamwork.

6. Problem solving and decision making.

7. Application of procedures.

8. Workload management.

9. Situational Awareness.

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!

Aviation Safety Management Solutions

CRM 4 PILOTS AVIATION CONSULTING INC is an internationally recognized company, leading provider of aviation Crew Resource Management (CRM) training. 

CRM 4 PILOTS has been providing CRM training to aviation operators on an international base since 2012. CRM training courses are practical, and offer courses and consulting for aviation business, airlines, charter, flight schools, and also helicopters operators.

CRM 4 PILOTS recurrent training courses are appropriate for pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, and other position if applicable. CRM 4 PILOTS include service training, consulting, and safety program implementation and aviation safety management solutions.

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Miami-Florida 

 

 

Startle Response / Aviation Safety

 

Startle Response / Aviation Safety 

Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) remains one of the most significant contributors to fatal aviation accidents worldwide in general and commercial aviation.

Loss of Control refers to accidents in which the flight crew was unable to maintain control of the aircraft in flight, causing in an unrecoverable deviation from the intended flight path.

Fatal General Aviation Accidents often result from inappropriate responses to unexpected events.

Humans are subject to a “Startle Response” when they are faced with unexpected emergency situations and may delay action or initiate inappropriate action in response to the emergency. Training and preparation can reduce startle response time and promote more effective and timely responses to emergencies.

Source:

FAA Aviation Safety Briefing 

https://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2017/media/se_topic_17_06.pdf

The Concept of Startle Effect on Pilots during Critical Events

 

The Concept of Startle Effect on Pilots during Critical Events

I would take this opportunity to write and interesting subject, regarding and evaluating different scenarios that how a startle effect surprise pilots inside the cockpit, and is a contributing factor in multiple aviation incidents and accidents that have been recognized, during the investigation when an airplane crashed, the term startle effect can impact pilot performance in many hazardous ways.

There are some differences between startle and surprise: the terms startle and surprise are often used interchangeably in aviation operational training, a startle effect is a short-term, fast, and highly physiological reaction.

The conceptual model of startle and surprise are specific differences between surprises and startle increase questions regarding ground-based training to prepare flight crew for unexpected events in flight.

If you are no familiar with this concept model in aviation, I would like to share some interesting subjects that a startle effect is a good example often occurs when the autopilot disengages and hands control to the pilot in a highly dynamic, time-critical condition. So, according to human factors there are two systems they are play a different roles in our reaction as pilots, and a pilot error could be an action or decision that if not fixed and corrected on time could contribute to the occurrence of and accident or incident.

Take your time to read some of these pdf concepts, I want to share with the aviation community, to have more an idea what that mean a startle effect in general and commercial aviation.

Always remember fly safe, the best safety device in any aircraft is a well-trained safety pilot.

 Sources:

Startled Flight Safety Foundation 

https://www.icao.int/Meetings/LOCI/Presentations/Managing%20Startle%20Individual%20Crew%20and%20Organizational%20Strategies.pdf

https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/54072/82496_1.pdf

https://flightsafety.org/asw-article/startle-effect/

https://flightsafety.org/asw-article/training-for-startle/

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Approaches / Weather Flight Planning

 

Weather Flight and the Pilot

As winter approaches, now’s a good time to write about Aviation Weather. So, when ice is encountered, all Pilots know how to do immediately to get out of it, of course you are a well-trained safety pilot , but you need to know no matter what is the condition , is freezing rain, freezing drizzle , it rarely requires that any pilot must  be and call for a positive action. Any accident prevention project it is very important to a good weather flight planning and the pilot must be understand the structure of a good weather briefing , especially in this type of the year as a winter approaches in the U.S .

A good weather briefing starts with developing an awareness of the big picture, so before attempting to get a detailed briefing. Before your flight you can usually do this by watching the news use your all resources as the weather channel, the weather report by using the FAA telephone information briefing service and also be in contact with your airline etc.

To refresh your memory, you remember the Flight Service Station (FSS) weather briefing there are three basic types of weather available from FSS, Standard, Abbreviated, and Outlook. Keep in mind the information presented will depend upon the specific briefing you request.

When contacting an FSS , tell the briefer which type of briefing you need, and give the following background that any Student Pilot , Private Pilot , Commercial Pilot identifies concerning what I’m feedback  today about weather .

Well there are a lot of others types of FSS briefings.  So, I want to remember some fatal accidents in the past some very important like the Air Florida Flight 90 on January 13, 1982 , flight departed from Washington International Airport and  crashed into the Bridge over the Potomac River.

The Boeing 737 was deiced with a mixture of heated water and monopropylene glycol before taxing, and later after takeoff crashed due Icing and Pilot Error.

Later few years after, the Colgan Air Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009 en route from Newark Liberty International Airport to Buffalo Niagara International Airport crashed in to the final phase approaching to the destination airport, the de-icing system was turned on 11 minutes into the flight by the crew, who discussed significant ice buildup on the aircraft's wings and windscreen shortly before the crash.

I don’t want to go more deep into further details regarding these accidents; my only purpose is to understand these accidents and share with all of you guys who read my safety blog during this important time of the year that winter coming soon, and why Ice is bad.

Pilots, remember always Ice in flight is bad news, it destroys the smooth flow of air, increasing drag while decreasing the ability of the airfoil to create lift. So, your airplane may stall at much higher speeds and lower angles of attack than normal. You need to know well the concept that it can roll or pitch uncontrollably, and recovery may be impossible.

Anyway, be vigilant all the time, do a proper Preflight, during Taxing, during Departure, En Route and Approach and Landing. Be carefully most Icing accidents occurring in the approach and landing phase of flight.

Pilots never take risks, use all your technological resources to check your weather report before flying , we identify and learned from all the records that fatal accidents in the past , weather has been a casual factor of Aviation Accidents .

Looking further into the past, I’m sure that this article can help you more as a Pilot during flying on winter time.

Always remember knowledge your aircraft, knowledge of existing and forecast weather, proper pre flights and planning a good flight are the key factors in the discipline to be a good Safety Pilot.

Even the most Experienced Pilot should not fly when presented with conditions that exceed his/ her ability, you as a Pilot must take logical decisions in turn lead to the Go/No-Go decision.

Each Pilot knows what I’m sharing today in this issue, even so the most experienced pilots make mistakes, remember we are humans and somebody can make mistakes.

A comprehensive Knowledge of how aircraft forms and how to manage with the hazards it presents is a must for the Competent Pilot. Always Fly Safely.