Risk Management In The Real World

In the first two parts of this series (Aviation Safety, September 2013 and November 2013), I related how I used practical risk management techniques to meet the challenges of using my Beech Bonanza on a typical (for me) multi-stop, multi-week business trip that took place in June 2013. Having been trained in an era before risk management was emphasized (which is still the case, although change is coming), I now recognize I was fortunate to have successfully addressed these hazards without incident. I’d like to say it was my superior piloting skill, but I’m afraid that chance also played a big role. I emphasize this background because, like much of the present general aviation community, I was trained in another era.

Key Takeaways:

• The author retrospectively applies modern risk management (PAVE) to his long flying career, illustrating how he learned to identify and mitigate hazards not covered in his earlier pilot training.
• He details personal lessons learned regarding pilot-related risks, such as the crucial role of supplemental oxygen at altitude, managing fatigue on long flights, and acknowledging the increased safety margins needed with age.
• The article highlights strategies for addressing aircraft limitations (e.g., equipment failures, fuel planning, non-FIKI operations) and environmental challenges (e.g., high-density altitude takeoffs, adverse weather).
• It emphasizes the insidious impact of external pressures and cumulative risk, advocating for proactive risk identification, assessment, and mitigation to safely achieve both flight utility and safety.

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