It should be a simple question. After all, it seems like almost every classroom, hangar, shop or production area has posters reminding people that "Safety Comes First" and to "Be Safe," "Fly Safe" and "Work Safe." Yet when I ask the people attending my Preventing Human Error seminar to define safety, to explain how to "be safe," my question is typically met with silence. Even a room full of safety officers is usually at a loss for words. No wonder all those posters don't seem to be very effective!
After a while someone may say that safety is not having any injuries or accidents. I point out that avoiding injuries and accidents is the result of safety, not the definition. After a few more minutes someone may finally link safety with risk mitigation, which is what safety is really all about. My definition of safety is very simple. Safety is reducing risk in general and eliminating unnecessary risk.
Reducing Risk in General
Of course there is no way to totally eliminate all risk. Life is risky, and every single thing we do entails some level of risk. Walking down a flight of stairs is riskier than walking across a level floor. Taking a shower in a slippery bathtub is riskier than walking down a flight of stairs. Even a relatively simple flight on a good day entails more risk than most actions that involve keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground. However, there is a lot we can do to reduce that risk, and it is a shame to take a risk we don't need to take. Let's take a look at some of the ways pilots can reduce risk in general:
Initial Training: Reducing risk starts with flight training. It can be tempting to try to save money by selecting a less expensive instructor or a school promising a license within the minimum time required. Everything we learn as pilots is built upon the foundation of our primary flight training, so it is a wise investment to ensure that training is professional and complete.
Refresher Training: Any skill or knowledge gradually diminishes if not refreshed regularly, and there are constant changes and improvements we need to keep abreast of. With everything else going on, it can be easy to feel comfortable with our current knowledge level when in fact it has decreased quite a bit from when we first attained our license. Look for regular opportunities to refresh and enhance your knowledge of aviation information and regulations.
Regular Flights With an Instructor: Our flying skills can also diminish over time. While a flight review every two years is better than nothing, it is far better to schedule several instructional flights during the course of a year to review previous skills and learn new ones.
Good Maintenance: Aircraft maintenance is another area where busy schedules and tight budgets can wreak havoc. The cost of owning an airplane does not end with the purchase. Someone once said to me that owning an airplane is like running a small business. It can take lots of time and considerable money to keep an airplane in top running condition. If you are not willing to invest the necessary time and money, then you should not own an airplane.
Good Diet: Like other activities that can tax our system, flying safely requires that we be alert and our senses be sharp. A good balanced diet helps to maintain our senses in peak operating condition, and healthy snacks before and during a long flight give us the energy to deal with difficult flight conditions.
Consistent Sleep: Studies have shown that many people in modern society are actually sleep deprived. It can be tempting to stay up and watch the 10 p.m. news before going to bed, or maybe even catch a late show. However, most adults need seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night. Over time, staying up late and then getting up early for work the next day develops a sleep deficit that can have an effect similar to being legally intoxicated.
Careful Flight Planning: It can be tempting to look out the window at clear blue skies and decide that it is not necessary to check the weather. However, the weather can change suddenly, and even a simple increase in wind can put a pilot in a situation beyond his abilities.
Thorough Preflight: After years of uneventful preflight inspections, it is easy to fall into the habit of doing a quick walk-around without carefully examining the airplane. Things like bent props and missing nuts on control surfaces are only found during a calm, detailed look at the airplane.
Consistent Use of Checklist: An aviation psychologist has said that if we have two things we need to do, we can easily forget to do one of them. Many "mature" pilots are discovering that this becomes even more true as our logbooks fill and our hairlines recede. Familiarity with an airplane is no excuse for trying to do everything by memory, and Murphy's Law states that the one time you forget something will be the most critical time that step was needed.
