Aeronautical Decision Making and Crew Resource Management Flashcards
Define aeronautical decision making.
ADM is the systematic approach to the mental process used by pilots to consistently determine the best course of action in response to a given set of circumstances.
During flight, decisions must be made regarding events that involve interactions between the four risk elements. What are these elements?
- Pilot in command
- The aircraft
- The environment
- The operation
The DECIDE model for decision making involves which elements?
- D etect a change needing attention
- E stimate the need to counter or react the change.
- C hoose the most desirable outcome for the flight.
- I dentify actions to successfully control the change.
- D o something to adapt to the change
- E valuate the effect of the action countering the change.
What are the major factors affecting judgment and decision making?
- Stress
- Health
- Attitude
- Experience
Name the five hazardous attitudes that negatively impact a pilot’s judgment and ability to make competent decisions and their antidotes.
- Anti-authority - Follow the rules, they are usually right
- Impulsivity - Think first, not so fast
- Invulnerability - It could happen to me.
- Macho - Taking chances is foolish
- Resignation - I can make a difference, I am not helpless
MAIRI
What does crew resource managment (CRM) refer to?
The application of team management concepts in the flight deck environment.
Which groups routinely working with the cockpit crew may also be viewed as effective components of CRM and the decision making process in the cockpit?
- Pilots
- Dispatchers
- Cabin Crew
- Maintenance Personnel
- Air Traffic Controllers
Discuss the importance of understanding the concept of positive exchange of flight controls, as it relates to flight training.
There must always be a clear understanding of who has control of the aircraft. Prior to the flight, there should be a briefing on the procedure for exchanging the flight controls. A positive three step process is recommended:
- Pilot 1 - “I have the airplane”
- Pilot 2 - “You have the airplane”
- Pilot 1 - “I have the airplane”
What is situational awareness?
The accurate perception and understanding of all the factors and conditions within the four fundamental risk elements affecting safety before, during and after the flight.
Situational awareness takes into consideration which four elements?
- Pilot
- Aircraft
- Environment
- Type of Operation
and their interaction with each other
How to improve situational awareness in TAAs
double-check system
use verbal callouts
verify all programming before departure
verify waypoints
use all onboard navigation equipment
stay within personal limitations
What are some of the elements, both inside and outside the aircraft, that a pilot must consider in order to maintain situational awareness?
- Inside aircraft
- Status of systems
- pilots
- passengers
- Outside aircraft
- environmental conditions
- spatial orientation of the aircraft
- relationship to the surrounding terrain
- traffic
- weather
- airspace
What are some of the obstacles to maintaining situational awareness? (3)
- Fatigue and Stress
- Work overload
- Distractions
What are “operational pitfalls”?
Classic behavioral traps into which pilots have been known to fall. Pilots as a rule always try to complete a flight as planned, please passengers, meet schedules, and generally deomonstrate that they have the “right stuff”. The basic drive to demonstrate the right stuff can have an adverse effect on safety, and can impose an unrealistic assessment of piloting skills under stressful conditions.
What are some examples of operational pitfalls that pilots have been known to experience?
- Peer pressure
- Mindset
- Get-there-itis
- Duck-under syndrome (Descent below minimums)
- Scud running
- Continuing VFR into IMC
- Getting behind the aircraft
- Loss of positional or situational awareness
- Operating without adequate fuel reserves
- Descent below the minimum enroute altitude
- Flying outside the envelope
- Neglect of flight planning, preflight inspections, and checklists.
Why are pilots encouraged to use checklists?
They provide a logical and standardized method to operate a particular make and model airplane. Following the checklist reinforces the use of proper procedures throughout all major phases of flight.
What are the two primary methods for using checklists?
- Read and Do:
- This is when a pilot picks up a checklist, refers to an item, and sets the condition. The items for any particular phase of flight would all be accomplished before the checklist is set aside.
- Do and Verify:
- Set the condition of the items for a particular phase of operation from memory or flow pattern, then use the checklist and read to verify that the appropriate condition for each item in that phase has been set. It is not wise for a pilot to become so reliant upon a flow pattern that they fail to verify with a checklist.
What are some examples of checklists a pilot will use in the course of a flight?
- Preflight inspection
- Before engine start
- Engine start
- Before taxi
- Before takeoff
- Climb
- Cruise
- Descent
- Before landing
- After landing
- Shutdown
- Postflight
Define Single-Pilot Resource Management
art and science of managing resources that are inside and outside of the aircraft to ensure successful outcome of flight.
Using proper method to gather and analyze information to make decisions
5-P Method to practice SRM
Plan - weather, route, publications, ATC, fuel
Plane
Pilot
Passengers
Programming
-Used to review critical variables at points in the flight
What is risk management?
decision-making process designed to systematically identify hazards, assess risk and determine best course of action to mitigate or eliminate chance of harm or negative outcomes
What is a hazard?
present condition, object, or circumstance that could contribute to undesired dangerous event
ie. propeller blade nick, wrong fuel, tower
3-P Model for practical risk management
Perceive
Process
CARE - Consequences, Alternatives, Reality, External Pressure
Perform
TEAM - Transfer, Eliminate, Accept, Mitigate
Factors that reduce pilots ability to manage workload
Environmental conditions
Physiological Stress
Psychological Stress
How to decrease workload
Stop
Think
Slow Down
Prioritize (Aviate, Navigate, Communicate)
Checklist usage methods
Do-Verify
Challenge-Do-Verify
Possible errors in checklist usage
distraction causes missed item
item performed incorrectly
not used during proper phase of flight
head down too long
not available to use
memory items not confirmed
CFIT Factors
lack of pilot currency
loss of situational awareness
pilot distraction
breakdown of SRM or ADM
MSA not complied with
descent/arrival not planned well
Likelihood of CFIT at destination can be reduced by knowing these items (9)
airport location
runway lighting
weather / daylight conditions
approach specifications
ATC capabilities and limitations
type of operation
departure procedures
controller / pilot phraseology
crew configuration
Operational techniques to help avoid CFIT
maintain situational awareness
adhere to Departure Procedures
know local terrain and obstacles
adhere to published routes and minimum altitudes
fly a stabilized approach
understand ATC clearances and instructions
don’t be complacent
automation management is the
demonstrated ability to control and navigate aircraft by automated installed systems
Demonstrated proficiency required when using advanced avionics or automated systems (3)
what to expect
how to monitor system
be prepared to take appropriate action
managing autopilot/FMS requires:
knowing make modes are engaged
knowing which modes are armed to engage
being capable of verifying armed functions engaged at proper time
With advanced avionics, pilot must know how to manage
CDI
navigation source
autopilot
Automation bias
relative willingness of a pilot to trust and use automated systems and becoming detached from aircraft operation which increases risk
Acute fatigue defined as
tiredness after long periods of physical and mental strain, muscular effort, immobility, monotony.
Use rest and sleep to recover.
Chronic fatigue defined as
not enough time for recovery between acute fatigue
performance falls, risks get taken
requires prolonged period of rest
Illusion of aircraft’s attitude
List all 8 items
false horizon
autokinesis
coriolis illusion
elevator illusion
somatogravic illusion
inversion illusion
graveyard spin
graveyard spiral
FACESIGG
Landing error illusions
List all 5 items
runway width illusions
runway and terrain slope illusions
featureless terrain
ground lights
atmospheric
Coriolis illusion
(attitude illusion category)
abrupt head movement in prolonged constant-rate turn can disrupt the motion-sensing system. This causes an illusion of rotating in the opposite direction.
head movement in a turn causes sense of movement in another axis
Graveyard spiral
(attitude illusion)
During coordinated constant-rate turn the observed loss of altitude combined with motion-sensing system not being stimulated can create the illusion of being in wings level descent. Disoriented pilot pulls back on controls tightening the spiral and increasing loss of altitude.
Graveyard spin
(attitude illusion)
Once a spin is recovered from, the motion-sensing system has the illusion of spinning in the opposite direction. This disorientation can cause the pilot to spin again.
Somatogravic illusion
(attitude illusion)
Rapid acceleration during takeoff gives feeling of being in a nose up attitude
Nose up feeling during rapid acceleration
Nose down feeling during rapid deceleration (pilot can put nose up and stall)
Inversion illusion
(attitude illusion)
Change from climb to straight and level can create the illusion of tumbling backwards.
A quick nose-low attitude will intensify the illusion
Elevator illusion
(attitude illusion)
abrupt upward vertical acceleration (updraft could cause) can create the illusion of being in a climb and the disoriented pilot pushes the nose down.
abrupt downward vertical acceleration can create illusion of being in a descent and the disoriented pilot pushes the nose up.
False horizon
(attitude illusion)
sloping cloud formations with an obscured horizon and a dark scene with ground lights and stars can create the illusion of not being aligned correctly with actual horizon
Autokinesis
(attitude illusion)
when dark, a static light appears to move when stared at for many seconds. if trying to align aircraft with light, loss of aircraft control can occur
Runway width illusion
(landing error illusion)
narrow runway can create illusion that aircraft is at higher altitude than it actually is and pilot may dangerously fly lower approach
wider runway can create illusion that aircraft is lower than it actually is and pilot may attempt to level out too high
Runway and Terrain Slope illusion
(landing error illusion)
upsloping runway or terrain can create the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it is (and pilot may fly lower approach)
Featureless terrain illusion
(landing error illusion)
absence of ground features can create illusion that the aircraft is higher than it actually is and pilot may fly lower than needed approach
can occur over water, darkened area, snow
Atmospheric illusions
(Landing error illusion)
Rain on windscreen can create illusion of greater height
Atmospheric haze can create illusion of greater distance from runway
both risk flying lower approaches and/or flying a steep approach
Ground lighting illusions
(Landing error illusion)
Lights along a straight path can be mistaken for runway and approach lights
Bright runway end approach lights (especially where surrounding area is dark) can create illusion of less distance to runway than actually true and may then fly a higher approach
pilot overflying terrain with few lights to provide height cues may make lower than normal approach
