Aeronautical Decision-Making

Pilots can perform risk management by using the TEAM checklist: Pilot Aircraft To manage the risk associated with her inexperience and lack To manage risk associated with any doubts about the aircraft’s of recent flight time, Gayle can: mechanical condition, Gayle can: • Transfer the risk entirely by having another pilot act as PIC. • Transfer the risk by using a different airplane. • Eliminate the risk by canceling the trip. • Eliminate the risk by canceling the trip. • Accept the risk and fly anyway. • Accept the risk. • Mitigate the risk by flying with another pilot. • Mitigate the remaining (residual) risk through review of aircraft performance and careful preflight inspection. Gayle chooses to mitigate the major risk by hiring a CFI to accompany her and provide dual cross-country instruction. Since she finds no problems with the aircraft’s mechanical An added benefit is the opportunity to broaden her flying condition, Gayle chooses to mitigate any remaining risk experience. through careful preflight inspection of the aircraft. Environment External pressures To manage the risk associated with hazy conditions and To mitigate the risk of emotional pressure from family mountainous terrain, Gayle can: expectations that can drive a “get-there” mentality, Gayle can: • Transfer the risk of VFR in these conditions by asking an • Transfer the risk by having her co-pilot act as PIC and make instrument-rated pilot to fly the trip under IFR. the continue/divert decision. • Eliminate the risk by canceling the trip. • Eliminate the risk by canceling the trip. • Accept the risk. • Accept the risk. • Mitigate the risk by careful preflight planning, filing a VFR • Mitigate the risk by managing family expectations and flight plan, requesting VFR flight following, and using making alternative arrangements in the event of diversion to resources such as Flight Watch. another airport. Detailed preflight planning must be a vital part of Gayle’s Gayle and her co-pilot choose to address this risk by agreeing weather risk mitigation strategy. The most direct route would that each pilot has a veto on continuing the flight, and that they put her over mountains for most of the trip. Because of the will divert if either becomes uncomfortable with flight conditions. thick haze and pockets of IMC over mountains, Gayle might Because the destination airport is still IMC at the time of mitigate the risk by modifying the route to fly over valleys. This departure, Gayle establishes a specific point in the trip—an en change will add 30 minutes to her estimated time of arrival route VORTAC located between the destination airport and the (ETA), but the extra time is a small price to pay for avoiding two alternates—as the logical place for her “final” continue/ possible IMC over mountains. Because her destination airport divert decision. Rather than give her family a specific ETA that is IMC at the time of departure, Gayle needs to establish that might make Gayle feel pressured to meet the schedule, she VFR conditions exist at other airports within easy driving manages her family’s expectations by advising them that she distance of her original destination. In addition, Gayle should will call when she arrives. review basic information (e.g., traffic pattern altitude, runway layout, frequencies) for these alternate airports. To further mitigate risk and practice good cockpit resource management, Gayle should file a VFR flight plan, use VFR flight following, and call Flight Watch to get weather updates en route. Finally, basic functions on her handheld GPS should also be practiced. Figure 2-13. A real-world example of how the 3P model guides decisions on a cross-country trip using the TEAM checklist. alternative airport for every 25–30 nautical mile The DECIDE Model segment of your route. Using the acronym “DECIDE,” the six-step process DECIDE • Preflight your passengers by preparing them for the Model is another continuous loop process that provides the possibility of delay and diversion, and involve them pilot with a logical way of making decisions. [Figure 2-14] in your evaluation process. DECIDE means to Detect, Estimate, Choose a course of action, Identify solutions, Do the necessary actions, and • Another important tool—overlooked by many pilots— Evaluate the effects of the actions. is a good post-flight analysis. When you have safely secured the airplane, take the time to review and First, consider a recent accident involving a Piper Apache (PA- analyze the flight as objectively as you can. Mistakes 23). The aircraft was substantially damaged during impact and judgment errors are inevitable; the most important with terrain at a local airport in Alabama. The certificated thing is for you to recognize, analyze, and learn from airline transport pilot (ATP) received minor injuries and the them before your next flight. certificated private pilot was not injured. The private pilot 2-18