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Helicopter Training Educational Series Rotor Rooter Dr. Steve Sparks Updated 3/05/13 @ 8:33 AM. Federal Aviation Administration. Rotor Rooter: Rooting for Autorotational Success Acronyms, checklists and memory aids.…a trip down memory lane. Objective.
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Helicopter TrainingEducational SeriesRotor RooterDr. Steve Sparks Updated 3/05/13 @ 8:33 AM
Federal Aviation Administration Rotor Rooter: Rooting for Autorotational SuccessAcronyms, checklists and memory aids.…a trip down memory lane
Objective Explore how acronyms, checklists and other memory aids can help mitigate risk associated with autorotations….and other helicopter training maneuvers.
Participate Ask questions Don’t throw anything at the moderator Make it personal Achieve one or two takeaways Have fun Ground Rules
From what Perspective….. • Pilot-to-Pilot • Instructor-to-Instructor • As a Safety Advocate • As an Educator • As an Evaluator Point: What happens in Vegas….shouldn’t stay in Vegas!
What started all this madness….? Professional Pilot Development begins in the early phases of flight Instruction…Law of Primacy -My instructor’s influence! Checklists and prioritization in the cockpit….
False Sense of Urgency!!!!!!! • Self-imposed….. • Anxiety generates urgency • Instructors get impatient, so expectations become unrealistic… • We associate efficiency with quickness Point “Extra seconds” invested in a thorough setup can pay huge dividends!
Inattention and Complacency Question: If we can standardize everything, why can’t we mitigate mediocrity from our performance? Question: How can we enhance our performance in the cockpit by “remembering” to do the basics? Recurring accidents….what are the positives?
Reasons for our complacency Complacency sets in because….we want to do it our way, we know best, the environment changes, we get in a hurry, we believe nothing bad can happen to us, checklists and procedures go out the window, we got away with it before, rules and regulations don’t apply to us, we’re better than the average pilot, we get bored, we want to try something new……
Teaching and Using Checklists Checklist
Comments made about checklists….. • They’re a crutch.... • I’ve got thousands of hours, so I don’t need checklists…. • The flight environment is too dynamic for checklists….I’ll just do my flows! • They’re too bulky…. Flight hours do not equate to perfection!
Practical Test Standards PTS Required use of checklists
Checklist Discipline The use of the word “checklist” in PTS • 76 times: Instructor PTS • 50 times: Private PTS • 48 times: Commercial PTS • 35 times: ATP PTS • 19 times: Instrument PTS Checklist usage is required!
Percentage Share of Accidents by Industry/Mission (Years 2000, 2001, 2006) • Personal/Private 18.5 percent • Instructional/Training 17.6 percent • Aerial Application 10.3 percent • EMS 7.6 percent • Commercial 7.5 percent • Law Enforcement 6.5 percent
Percentage Share of Accidents by Activity(Years 2000, 2001, 2006) • Instructional/Training 22.8 percent • Positioning/RTB 13.2 percent • Personal/Private 12.4 percent • Passenger/Cargo 9.8 percent • Aerial Application 9.0 percent 13. EMS 1.1 percent
So why ACRONYMS? • They’re fun and simple memory aids • They’re inexpensive • They help us complete and prioritize tasks (critical/noncritical & obvious/not so obvious) • They just stick…. • They give the evaluator a glimpse into your thought process…”what is he/she going to do next”?
Pre-flight Autorotation Briefing “PRE-AUTOS” • P = Progressive Approach to Autorotations • R = Recovery gates (300, 200 & 100 feet AGL) • E =Environment • A = Airspeeds • U = Understanding the principles of an autorotation • T = Techniques • O = rOtor limitations/warning sounds • S =SAFE (Spot, ATC, Fight Instructor intervention, Engine)
In-flight Pre-Autorotation Setup Briefing Acronym….”HASEL” check • H = Height AGL (appropriate entry altitudes) • A = Area clear of hazards • S = Setup and security • E = Engine/system parameters • L = Look out for traffic & obstacles
Autorotation Scanning Acronym….(RATS) • R = Rotor • A = Airspeed • T = Trim • S = Spot Points: • Repeat the acronym over and over (prevents fixation) • Go-around early if the picture is not right…. • Plan-Continuation-Basis (PCB). “I can salvage this maneuver”
Risk Assessment Acronym I…lliness M…edication S…tress A…lcohol F…atigue E…ating
Preflight: Be attentive and never trust anyone with your fluids or hatches….
Positive Influence-”We never read about the accidents that never happened” • Quantifying the positives… • Glass half-full mentality…actually the helicopter industry’s glass is 99.2% full of safety success stories…really! • Everyone in this audience has influence…..Student Pilots….Commercial Pilots…and Instructors (You are the ones we are trying to reach)