The Big Picture

I ts widely accepted that having good situational awareness is vital to safe and efficient flying. But what does situational awareness even mean? How do we develop and maintain the good kind? How do we fit ourselves into the big picture, and why is it important to do so? And once we understand these aspects of situational awareness, how can we use it to make things easier? On three recent flights, I feel I had a high level of situational awareness and used it to make a difference. In one I used my knowledge of my place in the big picture to help another pilot. In the second I used it to help myself. In the third I used it to eliminate a possible delay on an approach. Heres what Im talking about.

Tom Turner

Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Situational awareness (SA) is vital for aviation safety and efficiency, defined as the accurate perception and understanding of all factors affecting a flight by "seeing the big picture" rather than fixating on immediate details.
Good SA enables pilots to anticipate potential issues (traffic, weather, controller workload) and proactively make informed decisions that can help themselves, other pilots, or avoid delays.
Developing SA involves looking "outward" beyond the cockpit's immediate demands and avoiding obstacles like distraction, fatigue, complacency, or over-reliance on automation, which can lead to an "inward focus."

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I t’s widely accepted that having “good situational awareness” is vital to safe and efficient flying. But what does “situational awareness” even mean? How do we develop and maintain the “good” kind? How do we fit ourselves into the big picture, and why is it important to do so? And once we understand these aspects of situational awareness, how can we use it to make things easier? On three recent flights, I feel I had a high level of situational awareness and used it to make a difference. In one I used my knowledge of my place in the big picture to help another pilot. In the second I used it to help myself. In the third I used it to eliminate a possible delay on an approach. Here’s what I’m talking about.