Aeronautical Decision Making

1. Aeronautical Decision Making ? Written for the Notre Dame Pilot Initiative By the Pilots of the University of Notre Dame “Teaching the Science, Inspiring the Art, Producing Aviation Candidates!”

2. Quote “Any pilot who does not privately consider himself the best in the game is in the wrong game.” –Flying Magazine

3. Roadmap • Hazardous Attitudes • Critical Flight Phases • GA Accident Profiles • Personal Testimony

4. Lesson Plan • Will learn the hazardous attitudes and their antidotes • Will be able to interpret hazardous situations, develop mitigating actions, and implement ORM into the decision making process • Will know the most critical phases of flight

5. Definitions • ADM is a systematic approach to the mental process used by pilots to consistently determine the best course of action in response to a given set of circumstances. • Attitude is a personal motivational predisposition to respond to persons, situations, or events in a given manner • It can be modified through training.

6. Hazardous Attitudes

7. Critical Phases

8. Percentage of General Aviation Accidents Takeoff and Landing comprise 50% of accidents in only 3% of the time

9. How Does It Happen? • Taxiing into buildings, a/c, & fuel trucks • Taking Off Over Gross Weight • Clipping Trees / Power Lines on Takeoff • Engine Failure on T/O • Fuel Starvation • Midair Collision • Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) • Stall / Spin on Base to Final Turn • Loss of Control in Crosswind Landing • Dropping it in From 20 feet

10. Single Pilot Resource Management • SRM • “the art and science of managing all the resources (both onboard the aircraft and from outside sources) available to a single pilot (prior to and during flight) to ensure that the successful outcome of the flight is never in doubt.” • SRM includes the concepts of • aeronautical decision making • risk management • task management • automation management • controlled flight into terrain awareness • situational awareness

11. SRM • How to apply? • 5P’s • The plan • planning, weather, route, fuel, publications, ATC reroutes/delays. • The plane • mechanical status, database currency, automation status, backup systems. • The pilot • illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, eating (IMSAFE). • The passengers • pilot or non-pilot, experienced or inexperienced, nervous or calm, etc. • The programming • GPS, autopilot, PFD/MFD, possible reroutes requiring reprogramming.

12. Risk Management • Definition: • Risk management is a decision making process designed to identify hazards systematically, assess the degree of risk, and determine the best course of action. • How to assess?

13. Risk Management • How to assess? • PAVE • Pilot-In-Command—general health, physical/mental/emotional state: proficiency, currency. • Aircraft—airworthiness, equipment, performance capability. • enVironment—weather hazards, terrain, airports/runways to be used, conditions. • External pressures—meetings, people waiting at destination, etc. • Personal Minimums • IMSAFE

14. Situational Awareness • SA: • The accurate perception and understanding of all the factors and conditions within the four fundamental risk elements (pilot, aircraft, environment, external pressures) that affect safety before, during, and after the flight. • Some elements of SA • Inside the aircraft—the status of aircraft systems, pilot, and passengers. • Outside the aircraft—awareness of the environmental conditions of the flight, such as spatial orientation of the aircraft and its relationship to terrain, traffic, weather, and airspace.

15. CFIT Awareness • What is CFIT? • A situation in which an airworthy aircraft is flown, under the control of a qualified pilot, into terrain with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending collision.

16. CFIT Awareness • What are some causes of CFIT? • Lack of pilot currency. • Loss of situational awareness. • Pilot distractions and breakdown of SRM. • Failure to comply with minimum safe altitudes. • Breakdown in effective aeronautical decision making. • Insufficient planning especially for the descent and arrival segments.

17. CFIT Awareness • How can one avoid CFIT? • Maintain situational awareness at all times. • Adhere to safe takeoff and departure procedures. • Familiarize yourself with surrounding terrain features and obstacles. • Adhere to published routes and minimum altitudes. • Fly a stabilized approach. • Understand ATC clearances and instructions. • Don’t become complacent.

18. ADM • What makes up ADM? • Risk management • situational awareness • single-pilot resource management. • What is the decision making process?

19. Decision Making • Two models (from the FAA) • 3P’s • DECIDE • Another model (from the Air Force) • OODA

20. Decision Making • 3P’s • Perceives—the given set of circumstances for a flight; identify hazards in each risk category. • Processes—by evaluating the impact of those circumstances on flight safety; what can hurt you. • Performs—by implementing the best course of action; change the situation in your favor.

21. Decision Making • DECIDE • Detect a change needing attention. • Estimate the need to counter or react to a change. • Choose the most desirable outcome for the flight. • Identify actions to successfully control the change. • Do something to adapt to the change. • Evaluate the effect of the action countering the change. • OODA • Observe • Orient • Decide • Act

22. Task Management • Definition: • Task management is the process by which pilots manage the many concurrent tasks that must be performed to safely and efficiently fly a modern aircraft. • What happens when information flow exceeds a person’s ability to mentally process and act on information? • When a pilot becomes task-saturated, there is no awareness of input from various sources, so decisions might be made with incomplete information and the possibility of error increases.

23. Task Management • What are several options that a pilot can employ to decrease workload and avoid becoming overloaded? • Stop, think, slow down, and prioritize. Tasks such as locating an item on a chart or setting a radio frequency may be delegated to another pilot or passenger. An autopilot, if available, may be used. ATC may be enlisted to provide assistance.

24. Common Mistakes of Private Pilots • Unfamiliarity with POH & installed equipment • Especially Audio Panel & GPS • Airplane out of trim • Poor airspeed control / No target airspeeds • “Jockeying” power esp. w/ a constant speed prop • Lack of a defined crosswind procedure—slip or kick straight method? • Inability to execute either procedure • Fixation with radio calls in the traffic pattern • Setting the horizon bar on the attitude gyro on the ground • The takeoff checklist says “flight instruments-check” • There are only 2 of them to set—DG & altimeter • VFR goal: Be able to fly the aircraft hands-off during most flight regimes

25. Sources • Advisory Circular 60-22, Aeronautical Decision Making, FAA • Private Pilot Manual, Jeppesen • Weather Flying, Robert Buck • “Common Mistakes,” John Friel