Situational awareness, or “SA,” is sometimes used to explain why someone suffered an accident. “He had bad situational awareness” is supposed to describe a scenario in which a pilot does the unthinkable, and it results in tragedy. As with most Monday-morning quarterbacking, theres an element of “I would never do that” in applying the “bad situational awareness” label, a comforting thought for the next time we launch into the blue or descend into the murk. But knowing that the other pilot had “bad” SA does not ensure that somehow we will have “good” SA in similar 288
SA, Lost And Found
you need to find out why and then decide how to fix it. Sometimes
Key Takeaways:
- Situational awareness (SA), defined as a pilot's perception of flight-critical facts and conditions, is crucial for safety, and its loss can affect even experienced pilots, often leading to accidents.
- The article identifies six common clues signaling a loss of SA: failing to meet targets, feeling rushed, inadequate planning, mission fixation, unresolved ambiguity, and experiencing "bad feelings."
- Regaining SA involves recognizing these clues and deliberately pausing to assess, review checklists, and re-plan, while also mastering advanced cockpit technology (TAA) to avoid new sources of distraction and misperception.
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