Safer Flight Maneuvering

In this series first installment ("The Problem With Flight Training," March 2008), we identified a few of the systemic errors and omissions committed during flight training, and how they feed into typical aviation accidents. We dealt primarily with issues pertaining to the mechanics of flying an airplane. In this second of three articles, well look at some of the psychological aspects involved. A lot of educational material has been generated in recent years on aeronautical decision making, hazardous attitudes and cockpit resource management. The FAA has been actively promoting the Perceive-Process-Perform (P-P-P) risk management decision path as well. Perceiving risk in the P-P-P model is aided with the PAVE checklist; processing levels of risk is facilitated with the CARE checklist; and performing risk management is prompted by the TEAM checklist (see the sidebar on page 6 for more).

Key Takeaways:

• Human nature's inherent bias to avoid immediate, obvious losses often leads pilots to choose riskier, less certain outcomes (e.g., low-altitude turnbacks) over safer options that maximize survivability.
• The aviation community's inconsistent messaging regarding high-risk maneuvers like the low-altitude turnback contributes to pilot confusion and preventable fatal accidents.
• Despite the availability of risk management tools, institutionalized errors in training, inadequate situational awareness, and a failure to overcome cognitive biases are major factors in pilots making poor decisions during critical flight maneuvers.

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

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