Maintaining Safety Margins

Students of introductory biology learn a basic lesson about sensory perception in a quirky behavior found in certain amphibians that has become common lore. By now we all know that if a frog is placed in hot water, he will immediately jump out to safety. However, if the frog is placed in cool water that is gently heated to boiling, the frog does not perceive the gradual rise in temperature or the impending danger. Likewise, when a pilot is presented with a problem or emergency that is an obvious attention-getter, he or she will react quickly to solve the immediate threat-a frog leaping from scalding water.

Key Takeaways:

• Pilots, like the "boiled frog," are vulnerable to "process drift," a gradual and often imperceptible degradation in safety procedures and operational standards that occurs with increased experience and complacency.
• This drift is primarily caused by complacency, false confidence in one's abilities, atrophy of critical skills (especially for rare emergencies), and a lack of proficiency in using advanced avionics.
• Combating process drift requires acknowledging its existence, diligently adhering to checklists and maintenance protocols, identifying root causes of issues through methods like the "five-whys," and maintaining consistent, frequent training.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.