Situational Awareness

1. Situational Awareness

2. Definition of SA “ a continuous perception of self and aircraft (traffic) to the dynamic environment of flight, threats, and mission, and the ability to forecast, then execute tasks based on that perception” (AT-M-06A) “the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future” (Endsley, 1988)

3. Auditory Processor Visual Processor Ocular Motor Processor Vocal Motor Processor Tactile Processor Auditory Receptor Visual Receptor Cognitive Processor Working Memory Input Production Rule Interpreter Task Completion Perception

4. Symptoms of a Loss of SA • Fixation on emergencies • Ambiguity when questioning display data • Two independent sources disagree and remain unresolved • Complacency • Gut feeling/confusion when the subconscious is putting out a warning • Feeling good, everything is just perfect, everything is going too well • Poor communication or slow to respond • Failure to meet operational tasks, i.e. late breaks, forgotten base leg turn • Improper procedures, i.e. deviations from FARs • Unresolved discrepancies, i.e. conflict alert, low altitude alerts • No one separating the aircraft; everyone involved in other tasks

5. Recognizing Lost SA • Verbalize Concern • Stabilize Conditions • Brief Future Impact • Debrief When You Can

6. Threats to SA • Task Saturation • Attention Threats (cue saturation) • Distraction • Channelized Attention • Inattention • Habituation (false memories of performing a task) • Negative transfer (gear and flap handles in new airplanes) • Inappropriate motivation • Pressing (unnecessary demands) • Misdirected peer pressure (inconsistent with safety) • Multiple technique input (too many cooks)

7. Conclusion Questions??