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, a veteran pilot, emphasizes the transition from an "experience-based" approach to modern risk management in aviation, acknowledging past fortunate outcomes and lessons learned from mistakes.
• Using the PAVE acronym (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External Pressures), he shares practical examples of identifying and mitigating risks across pilot factors (e.g., oxygen use, fatigue), aircraft limitations (e.g., maintenance, performance at density altitude), environmental challenges, and external pressures.
• The article concludes that safety and utility are not mutually exclusive; by proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, pilots can generally achieve both, advocating for continuous adaptation and increased margins, particularly with age.

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