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Transport CanadaQuebec Region
Civil Aviation
Aviation civile
Sophie Lanoix
System Safety Specialist
System Safety700 Leigh CapreolDorval QC H4Y 1G7Tel.: 514
633-2967Fax: 514 633-3705E-mail:[email protected]
Transports CanadaRgion du Qubec
*Introduce selfDocumentation
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*Weve had many requests for a presentation on
decision-making.
So we decided that this year we would offer a presentation on
risk factors and decision-making suited to the needs of Recency
clients. We havent reinvented the wheel. Instead weve adapted an
existing presentation from the FAA and the Australian CAA.
Have you ever found yourself flying under difficult
conditions?
Have you ever had a narrow escape? Or been frightened?
Have you ever said to yourself Never again?
Why was that???
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Flying: Risk Factors and Decision MakingPersonal Minimums
ChecklistRisk factorsPilotAircraft enVironment External
pressures
*Probably because you didnt make the right decisions at the
right time.
Its often easy to identify risk factors AFTER the flight or
incident, or the risk factors for someone elses flight. Its much
harder to identify them for your own flight, or WHILE you are
flying.
After the title, click onceThe purpose of this workshop is to
help you prepare your own checklist so that you can decide whether
to make the flight or not, and identify the conditions for the
flight. How?
Click once, then for each categoryTo help identify risk factors,
weve put them in 4 categories: P A V E . Well look at the main
risks associated with each category, so that you can recognize them
and make the right decisions.
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Why?Humans make mistakes.70-85% of all aircraft accidents and
incidents are due to human factors.
Most accidents and incidents occur because the pilot failed to
consider one or more critical factors during the pre-flight
planning phase.
*After 1st point:Statistics show that 70-85%...
An accident is the result of several small events. Its a chain
of events.
Click for last sentence
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Those Most Likely to be Involved in an Accident:are between 35
and 39 years of age;have between 100 and 500 flight hours;are on a
personal flight;are under visual flight rules (VFR).AND YOU???
*Before the characteristicsAccording to statistics, those most
likely to be involved in an accident have the following
characteristics: Click on the first 2
After the first 2Why 100 to 500 hours? OVERCONFIDENCE (well talk
more about this later)
After the 4 conditions, clickAnd you?
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Phase of Flight Exposure vs. AccidentsPercentage of Exposure
Time (per flight)Percentage of Accidents (per phase of flight)
*Explain the slide
Point out that accidents take place mainly during take-off and
landing.
Ask why
Because the pilot has a lot more to do when taking off or
landing.
Also, when landing, pilots are more tired than they were when
taking off. So they are eager to get onto the ground.
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NASA SurveyPercentage of respondents who said:Our fist mistake
was in the10%27%63%
Pre-flight planning phase
Start up, taxi, pre-takeoff phases
All other phases of flightAccidents where time factor was
reported
*Those whove made mistakes say, in 73% of cases, that they made
their first mistake before they even took off!
The more carefully you do your pre-flight planning, the less
exposed you are to risks. Your personal checklist should be an
integral part of pre-flight planning.
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Personal Minimums ChecklistYour personal minimum checklist
ensures that you recognize and manage all risk factors that can
influence your flight.
*Why a checklist? So that you dont forget anything.
Why your own checklist? Because whats good for the person next
to you is not necessarily whats good for you, and vice versa.
We use checklists when we start up the engines, when we take
off, and so on. But planning is never done the same way, and in
addition, theres no checklist for it. Im going to give you one.
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Personal Minimums ChecklistThe decision to carry out a flight is
based on the pilots personal and safety criteria, which are adapted
to the situation.The regulations are minimums and do not account
for the differences between pilots.
*After 1st sentence
You can raise the minimums if you wish, based on your knowledge,
experience and skills.
After the 2nd sentence
The regulations provide a MINIMUM; theyre not what you should be
aiming for. You must always leave yourself some flexibility.
Having your own personal checklist lets you set your own
personal minimums. These must never be less than what the
regulations require.
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Personal Minimums ChecklistIdentify risk factors for each
flight.Determine methods for controlling each of the risk
factors.
*After 1st sentence
The best way to identify risk factors for a flight is to go
through the entire checklist before the flight. That will give you
an awareness of the existing situation and let you make a more
informed decision about the flight.
After 2nd sentence
Along with the checklist, Im going to be giving you some
solutions, but bear in mind that there are other ways of managing
risks. One solution may be a decision not to make the flight, but
there are many others, such as delaying your departure, changing
the route, or putting someone whos in better shape in the pilots
seat.
Another way is to set predetermined limitations and then stick
to them. For example, minimum weather conditions that are higher
than the allowed minimums but make you feel more comfortable.
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Personal Minimums ChecklistNot all items will apply to every
flight; no checklist can cover every situation.Remember that your
checklist should be updated periodically.
*Read 1st sentence
After 2nd sentence
Your list will vary from flight to flight, depending on the 4
types of risk factor.
Conditions are rarely the same from one flight to another.
I recommend that you make several copies of your personal
checklist, or laminate it so that you can write on it with an
erasable marker.
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Risk FactorsThere are 4 categories of risk factors:
*After the 4 categories of risk factor
Who remembers the 4 categories we saw at the start of the
presentation?
Lets start with the first one: click
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PilotExamples of questions to ask yourself:How current am I?Am I
well rested?Am I familiar with the type of airspace I will be
flying in?Do I have experience with the terrain?
*Go through the points one at a time
Add
Are you under the effect of medication, alcohol, fatigue or
stress?
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Training, Knowledgeand ExperienceA lack of:Training and
knowledgeExperienceRecency and proficiencywill
increase:Workload
Reaction time
Errors
*Go through the points
Add:
The better prepared you are, the better your flight will go.
Does that make sense?
It takes more time and attention to do something (perform a
task) when you lack training, knowledge or experience.
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Procedures
*After the titleWhat is a procedure? Its a set of habits, a way
of doing things. Examples: checklists, emergency procedures, radio
procedures (position report), navigation procedures.The more
familiar you are with the procedures, and the more you practice
them, the more at ease you will feel.Click for sentenceWhere will
you find the most up-to-date operational procedures? AIP, the
manual From the Ground Up, instructors, Pilot Operating
Handbook,
For regulations: short of consulting the mammoth Canadian
Aviation Regulations, you can find much of the information in the
CARs section of AIP Canada. Have you looked at that recently? Is
your AIP up to date? This can never be repeated enough. Your
publications need to be up to date. Old versions arent worth much.
Many items of information may change over time: services,
obstacles, procedures. You also need to look at NOTAMs for
last-minute changes. Last summer at ZBM, the frequency change did
not take place as planned, and those who had not looked at their
NOTAMs were not on the right frequency. CARs ref: www.tc.gc.ca
search for: CARs (part 602)
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Beware of OverconfidenceOverconfidence in a pilot occurs when
they are lulled into a sense of self-satisfaction accompanied by:a
failure to recognize changes in their situation; ora failure to
assess the actual dangers or deficiencies in their situation.
*After the first point
Youre not really paying attention to whats going on.
At the end
If you think nothing can happen to you, if you think youre
invincible, that is overconfidence. And you probably fall within
the 100 to 500 flying hours we were talking about earlier.Try the
self-assessment test you were given on dangerous attitudes, in
order to determine your predominant attitude.
Keep a watch on yourself, and follow this advice:
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Avoiding OverconfidenceDo thorough pre-flight
planning.Anticipate and continually assess the situation.Stay busy:
pre-plan, file a PIREP, think about the What ifs . . .Always have
an escape route (an alternate plan of action or a plan B).
*After the 2nd point
Be pro-active.
After the 3rd point
Think about the what ifs which are relevant to the flight!!!
Otherwise, thinking about what ifs is a distraction.
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Fatigue A fatigued pilot:is susceptible to visual and
kinaesthetic illusions and has a reduced field of vision;may forget
or ignore checks and procedures;is easily distracted and fixates on
details;is easily preoccupied;has limited situational
awareness;exhibits poor communication skills;is likely to doze
off.
*After the titleBe aware that any change in your sleeping habits
will result in fatigue. Missing just 2 hours of sleep will have a
visible effect on the system. Click as far as point 3, give
exampleThe ValueJet accident in the Everglades: the crew focussed
on a light, resulting in CFIT and everyone died.After is likely to
doze offYour reaction time increases.
Fatigue affects your faculties in a way similar to alcohol.When
youve been awake for 17 hours, you are functioning as if you had
0.05 alcohol in your blood (legal limit is 0.08). When youve been
awake for 24 hours, thats equivalent to 0.1 alcohol.
If youre not tired, you may be able to get out of a bad
situation by making a night-time landing at an airport youve never
been to, or by making a precautionary landing due to bad weather or
a mechanical problem. But if youre tired, will you be able to get
out of the situation in these ways?
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Preventing FatigueGet 8 hours of sleep if possible.If you are
unable to fall asleep in 30 minutes, get up.Take a power nap, if
possible (45 minutes max.).Stay in good physical condition
(aerobic) and eat sensibly.Avoid using artificial stimulants, sleep
aids, alcohol and tobacco.Drink enough water.
*After 2nd point
And do something thats not very interesting
After 4th point
Exercising 3 times a week is recommended.
After Avoid using
They disturb the sleep cycle by eliminating phases. Sleep is
then less restorative.
After Drink
Be careful about coffee, which is a diuretic. You may dehydrate
yourself. The effects will be like a hangover!
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Preventing In-Flight FatigueIf you are fatigued while
flying:ventilate the cockpit;engage in constructive
conversation;file a PIREP with ATS;review emergency
procedures;think about the What ifs ? and your plan B;move
around.
*After 2nd point
Say positive things. Its more restful. It takes too much energy
to say negative things.
Ask questionWhat is the right frequency for chatting? 122.75 (if
there are 2 radios)
Continue with the points up to Move around
Of course you cant stand up and walk around.Stretch, chew gum,
turn your head.
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Fitness of Flight Crew Members (CAR 602.02)No operator of an
aircraft shall require any person to act as a flight crew member
and no person shall act as a flight crew member, if either the
person or the operator has any reason to believe, having regard to
the circumstances of the particular flight to be undertaken, that
the person(a) is suffering or is likely to suffer from fatigue;
or(b) is otherwise unfit to perform properly the person's duties as
a flight crew member.
*
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Blood Sugar LevelSimple CarbohydratesDanger ZoneComplex
CarbohydratesTimeHighLowDiet
*To pilot a plane, you need to be in good health, and for that
you need a healthy, well-balanced diet and you need to eat at
regular hours. Ask question: What is your first reflex when youre
tired and need energy?Chocolate is a simple carbohydrate. You
should be wary of simple carbohydrates because they contain sugar
and fat. They provide a lot of instant energy, but 30 minutes or an
hour later, sometimes sooner, your blood sugar level will drop
below the level it was before you ate the chocolate, and you are
then back in the low blood-sugar danger zone.Some symptoms of low
blood sugar: sleepiness, lethargy, irritability.
If you feel tired and need energy, eat complex carbohydrates:
nuts, a little meat (proteins). They will give you energy less
quickly than simple carbohydrates, but at a constant rate, and
there will be no abnormal lowering of blood sugar. I often carry
raw almonds with me, for example when I do 18 holes of golf. Theyre
easy to carry on a plane; you can even keep a permanent supply in
your flight case.
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Alcohol:is a sedative;decreases the brains ability to use
oxygen;affects our senses;affects our judgement;distorts our
perception.The effects of alcohol are increased in altitude because
the partial pressure of oxygen is decreased.
*After Distorts our perceptionHaving a little nip can be very
pleasantif youre keeping both feet on the groundand youre not
driving.
Alcohol does not mix with flying a plane. Alcohol mainly affects
the brain, the eyes and the inner ear three organs which are vital
to the pilot.
Click for last sentence
SophieGin & Tonic: Tonic contains quinine (effects???)
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Alcohol vs. SensesReduction in visual and auditory
sharpness.Susceptibility to visual illusions.Susceptibility to
vestibular illusions (internal ear).Loss of balance.
*With title
Effects of alcohol on your senses: read one by one
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Alcohol vs. JudgmentAlcohol impairs our judgment by:increasing
our reaction time;clouding our memory;making us accept a higher
level of risk than normal;making us underestimate the risks
involved.
*With title
Effects of alcohol on judgment: read one by one
After the last point
Its like the guy who said, about the gas supply on board:
If were missing gas, we wont miss it much!!!
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Alcohol vs. JudgmentThe most serious effect of alcohol is that
we are unable to judge our own impairment.
*
You dont even realize that you are unable to do what you
normally do.
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Alcohol vs. MetabolismAlcohol is a diuretica hangover is the
result of dehydration.Alcohol disrupts sleep patterns, causing
fatigue.Alcohol that accumulates in the inner ear remains longer
than the alcohol that accumulates in the rest of the body.
*After 1st pointI mentioned earlier that coffee is a diuretic.
Well, alcohol is too. The body loses its fluids. You drink one can
of beer, you pee out two.
After last pointAlcohol that accumulates in the inner ear has a
direct effect on balance and spatial orientation.
Even if you wait 8 hours between drinking and flying, that may
not bring your blood alcohol back below the legal limit.
If you have a hangover, youre certainly in no shape to fly a
plane.
All the cold showers and black coffee in the world wont speed up
the elimination of alcohol from your system, not even inhaling pure
oxygen.
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Alcohol vs. MetabolismEven after alcohol is completely
eliminated from the body, the effects can last for 48 to 72 hours
after the last drink.
*The effects referred to here are dehydration (a hangover) and a
loss of balance due to accumulation of alcohol in the inner
ear.
If you are suffering these effects, you should not be flying a
plane. The law is very clear about this:
No person shall act as a crew member of an aircraft (a) within
eight hours after consuming an alcoholic beverage; (b) while under
the influence of alcohol; or (c) while using any drug that impairs
the persons faculties to the extent that the safety of the aircraft
or of persons on board the aircraft is endangered in any way.
This last point takes us into a discussion of illness and
medication.
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Illness and MedicationMedication covers up symptoms, but does
not cure the underlying problem.Always consult a Civil Aviation
Medical Examiner. Educate yourself on the side effects of
prescription and over-the-counter medications.Before flying, wait
double the recommended amount of time between doses.
*If you need to take aspirin every day because you have a
headache, thats not normal. There is an underlying problem. Aspirin
will make the pain go away temporarily, but it wont make the
problem go away.
According to one civil aviation doctor, the only drug a pilot
can take when flying is one regular acetaminophen like Tylenol (not
extra-strength, not for sinus pain).
Who can give some examples of side effects? Allergic reaction,
sleepiness, digestive problems, stomache aches, loss of judgment,
vision problems, itchiness, stimulation.
If you dont feel well, stay on the ground and wait till you feel
better.
The reason for waiting double the recommended amount of time
between doses is that there is overlap. The first dose is still
having a small effect when the time comes for the next dose. If the
drug is to be taken every 4 hours, wait 8 hours before you fly.
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Stress vs. PerformancePeak PerformanceLow performance Medium
Performance High Performance DangerLow Stress Medium Stress High
Stress
*Yellow and green: good stressRed: bad stress
Stress is not always negative. The only people who feel no
stress are dead people.
Different people have different degrees of resistance to stress.
The amount of stress associated with optimal performance varies
from person to person. The important thing is to identify the
limiting amount of stress for YOUR ideal performance and stay
within that limit.
When you are under low stress, you get bored and fall asleep.
Performance is low. When stress exceeds your acceptable amount, you
panic and performance declines.
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Stress ManagementIdentify, recognize and manage stressors.Get
sufficient rest, proper nutrition and exercise.Check your attitude,
sense of humour and emotional state.
*If people who know you tell you that you are stressed, listen
to them. Since they know you, they can recognize the signs of
stress before you do.
If you are the only person who doesnt laugh when someone tells a
joke, you should start asking yourself questions.
Most of you are men, and as we all know, men arent affected by
emotions! But you are first and foremost human beings, and human
beings are affected by emotional stress. It doesnt have to be
something big, like someone dying, for you to experience the
effects of emotional stress.
For example, just having an argument with a spouse or a friend,
or having a financial worry, or a dispute at work, can affect you
and have an impact on your flight performance.
Be vigilant. Get to know yourself.
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Stress ManagementBe pro-active towards stressors:Know all the
elementsKeep the big picture in mind . . . what is the worst-case
scenario?Communicate your problems to people who can help.
*What are the causes of stress? The more you know about a
situation, the better you can handle it, and the less stress you
have.
Youre men, so of course you dont need help! But sometimes
unburdening yourself to the right person lets you see things more
clearly and puts things in perspective; you reduce stress by
letting off steam.
It also helps to stand back and take stock.
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Three Human Factors Books from Transport Canada1 800 305-2059
http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/communications/publications.htm
*
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Coffee BreakThe three most useless things to a pilot:The
altitude above you,the runway behind you, anda tenth of a second
ago.
*
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AircraftExamples of questions to ask yourself:Is the aircraft
adequately equipped?Does the aircraft have any maintenance
problems?What are the aircraft performances?What is the aircrafts
fuel consumption?
*
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AirworthinessMake sure your aircraft is airworthy:Check all
aircraft documents.Do a complete walk-around.Make sure weight and
balance is within the limits.
*Vrification pr-vol = walk-around
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Time in Your Tanks...Calculate the amount of fuel you burn from
engine start up to engine shut down, plus required reserves.Do not
rely on a forecasted tailwind; anticipate headwinds.Be
conscientious about your how-goes-it checkpoints!!
*Its not the air time that counts but the time from when you
start the engine up to when you shut it down. Remember there may be
unforeseen delays, wherever you are.
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CAR 602.88 Every aircraft shall carry an amount of fuel that is
sufficient to provide for:taxiing and foreseeable delays prior to
takeoff;meteorological conditions;foreseeable air traffic routings
and traffic delays;
*A wooden dipstick is not always effective. Take a glass tube
(sold in aviation supply stores).
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CAR 602.88landing at a suitable aerodrome in the event of loss
of cabin pressurization or, in the case of a multi-engined
aircraft, failure of any engine, at the most critical point during
the flight; andany other foreseeable conditions that could delay
the landing of the aircraft.Plus a reserve supply of at least:day
VFR: 30 minnight VFR: 45 min
*
The ONLY time you have too much fuel is when youre on fire!
(except for weight considerations)
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Competency and Experience on TypeAre you up-to-date on the
aircraft you intend to fly?How is your:flying ability (hands and
feet);knowledge of the aircraft;knowledge of the emergency
procedures.Keep yourself current on aircraft systems, their limits
and operational procedures
*Know the aircraft: hands and feet, emergencies, systems
If you are going to fly a plane youre not familiar with, take
care:
Nose wheel to tail wheelConventional aircraft to ultra-lightLow
wing to high wing
Type here means:(a) when used in reference to personnel
licensing, a specific make and model of aircraft, including
modifications thereto that do not change its handling or flight
charateristics, and(b) when used in reference to the certification
of aircraft, a classification of aircraft having similar design
characteristics
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Practical KnowledgeStatic simulation is a cheap and effective
means of familiarizing or re-familiarizing yourself with the
aircraft's controls, instruments, avionics and checklist
procedures.
*Simulation helps to develop reflexes. Hand movements.
Its an effective way to practice procedures, whether theyre on
the checklist or whether you have to learn them by heart, like the
engine failure procedure.
Just because an engine fails, that doesnt mean you will have to
make a forced landing. You should try to restart the engine, but
more importantly you need to determine why it stopped and how to
make it start again. There is a checklist for that, but you may not
have the time to get it out, depending on your altitude. So its
important to know the procedure by heart, and practice it OFTEN.
Static simulation is a very good way to practice the procedure.
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Practical KnowledgeTake the time to practice flight
manoeuvres.An occasional or, even better, annual flight with an
instructor is invaluable.Develop your automatism!
*
Just knowing the forced landing procedure by heart doesnt mean
you will land successfully in the field you select, and knowing how
to land successfully doesnt mean you know the forced landing
procedure. These are two very different things, and they both call
for a lot of practice.
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Aircraft PerformancePerformances and fuel consumption indicated
in the pilot operating handbook (POH) have been calculated in ideal
circumstances:a new aircraft;an experienced test pilot;maximum
performances;optimal weather conditions.
*What are the chances that you will be flying under these ideal
circumstances? Bear in mind that whats in the POH is often just
publicity!
Dont take chances. Think ahead.
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Aircraft PerformanceBe conservative!Add a percentage to your
performance calculations:take-off distance;obstacle clearance and
climb;landing distance.When flight planning, ensure that you are
using the authorized documentation for your individual aircraft
*Authorized documentation means that it should be approved by
the manufacturer.
The right manual, the right serial number and all the amendments
and STC. Otherwise the airworthiness certificate is suspended.
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Aircraft EquipmentCommunication/Navigation:required for the
airspace you will be flying in;familiarity with the
equipment.Clothing and survival equipment:appropriate for the
season and the area.
*Its great to have the latest equipment, but do you know how it
works?
If you had to make a forced landing, would you be able to wait
for help in an unheated aircraft? Take boots, gloves, and a cap.
Thats a minimum.
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MaintenanceAre you maintaining your aircraft yourself?Is your
mechanic an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME)? Are all the parts
approved for aviation (no bogus parts)?
*There are things you can do yourself and things you cant. See
Appendix A in the documentation you were given. (recreational
aircraft package)
Its up to the engineer to decide whether he knows how to
maintain your type of aircraft.
In our video library, theres one that covers bogus parts: Seek
out, Speak out, Wipe out.
When youre in a car and things go wrong, you can always pull
over to the side of the road and make a repair. When youre in a
plane and things go wrong, the situation is far more dangerous.
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AvionicsAvionics technology is changing rapidly.Be aware that
GPS receivers have different control functions, programming
procedures and data displays.The time to learn how to operate the
system is when you are on the ground, not in the air!!
*The switches are not all in the same place.
GPS receivers dont all have the same functions.
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EnvironmentExamples of questions to ask yourself:What will the
weather be at destination?Will it be a day flight or a night
flight?What terrain is involved?Is the runway in good
condition?
*
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Airport ConditionsPrepare your approach as part of your
pre-flight planning, check NOTAMs.If you are unfamiliar with the
airport, look at the diagram in the CFS or the CAP plate.Call
ahead, airport/runway conditions vary based on the weather and
season.Follow special procedures set out in the CFS.
*Example of noise: Mascouche Example of circuit: Bromont (right
circuit on a runway)
Read NOTAMs when planning your flight.
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AirspaceKnow the area radio frequencies and monitor
them.Familiarize yourself with transition routes and reporting
points.Look for, and monitor, other aircraft in the area.
*After the first 2 points:
Where will you find this information?
CFS VTA charts
Listen on the right frequency.
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WeatherCheck METARs, TAFs, FDs and GFAs.Assess any
meteorological hazards such as:reduced visibility, thunderstorms,
wind shear, icing, low ceilings etc.Familiarize yourself with local
weather trends.
*FSSs can give you all kinds of relevant information.
Example of Sept-Iles: You can arrive in the morning and runway
09/27 will be covered in fog while the rest of the airport, to the
north, is VFR.
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WeatherDetermine how the weather will be affecting your flight
route and duration.Avoid bad weather conditions.
*Its not enough to get the weather at origin and destination.
You also need to get it en route. Once again, the FSS can help
you.
A trick for assessing visibility properly: choose a point at the
limit of visibility and calculate the time it takes to get there.
Time vs Ground speed
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TerrainBe familiar with obstacles and terrain.Charts, CFS:all
the necessary information;up-to-date;organized.
*Have an organized cockpit: CFS, charts, pencils, knee-pad.
CFS at the right page (show how to use coloured paper clips to
identify the pages that will be needed)Chart folded so you can see
the route right away at a glance without having to adjust the
chart.
All this you do during pre-flight planning.
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External PressuresExamples of questions to ask yourself:What
outside forces are pushing me?Why am I making this trip?Am I
pressed for time?What are the real consequences to my
decisions?
*Consequences: if you decide to postpone your flight for some
reason, is that really bad?
If youre flying for pleasure, then keep it pleasant! Are your
life and the lives of your passengers worth less than the meeting
you may miss?
This is the time to put your plan B or plan C into effect.
Sometimes its hard to find another way to get home. Your boss
and your spouse will surely prefer that you arrive a day late
rather than never.
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Time PressureThe more you feel pressed for time,the more you do
things hastily,the higher your chances of making a mistake.
*Time pressure is the worst kind of external pressure.
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Time Pressure Management Do not put yourself under unnecessary
time pressure:Allow sufficient time for unforeseen delays.Plan
alternate means of travel to allow for bad weather.
*
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Time Pressure ManagementDo not rush:Use your checklist and stick
to the procedures.If you are interrupted, go three steps back on
the checklist or start at the beginning!
*Go three steps back to be sure you havent missed an item.A
study showed that when a pilot was interrupted, he thought he was
three steps further along. Because the brain thinks ahead.
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Managing External PressuresBeware of the effects of the I have
to get there no matter what syndrome.Always have a plan B;What is
your way out?Set limits (fuel, weather, etc.) at which you will
turn around or divert.Do not exceed your limitsStick to them!!!
*
In many cases, turning around means surviving.
Youve probably heard of pilots whod still be alive if they had
turned back. Read the Aviation Safety Letter. Its full of
examples.
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Peer and Passenger PressuresDo not ignore or minimize passenger
concerns before a flight.Give your passengers a thorough pre-flight
briefing.Make use of all resources: ask passengers to watch for
traffic, read maps and other publications.
*The time you take to brief your passengers could be the best
investment you ever make.
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Peer and Passenger PressuresMake decisions based on facts and
your limitations.Do not get yourself into situations that you did
not plan. Beware of last minute, unplanned changes!Do not take
unnecessary risks under pressure!!!
*But if at the last minute you decide to cancel your flight,
thats a good last-minute change! In some cases, its better to say
no than to find yourself in an unfamiliar and unplanned
situation.
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Personal Minimums ChecklistYou need to commit to using the
checklist.Make it a part of your pre-flight routine and have the
discipline to follow it through!!
*Speaking of pre-flight planning, lets go back to your
checklist.
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Questions ?
*The risks were greater in the early days of aviation, and many
more pilots died.
*Introduce selfDocumentation*Weve had many requests for a
presentation on decision-making.
So we decided that this year we would offer a presentation on
risk factors and decision-making suited to the needs of Recency
clients. We havent reinvented the wheel. Instead weve adapted an
existing presentation from the FAA and the Australian CAA.
Have you ever found yourself flying under difficult
conditions?
Have you ever had a narrow escape? Or been frightened?
Have you ever said to yourself Never again?
Why was that???*Probably because you didnt make the right
decisions at the right time.
Its often easy to identify risk factors AFTER the flight or
incident, or the risk factors for someone elses flight. Its much
harder to identify them for your own flight, or WHILE you are
flying.
After the title, click onceThe purpose of this workshop is to
help you prepare your own checklist so that you can decide whether
to make the flight or not, and identify the conditions for the
flight. How?
Click once, then for each categoryTo help identify risk factors,
weve put them in 4 categories: P A V E . Well look at the main
risks associated with each category, so that you can recognize them
and make the right decisions. *After 1st point:Statistics show that
70-85%...
An accident is the result of several small events. Its a chain
of events.
Click for last sentence*Before the characteristicsAccording to
statistics, those most likely to be involved in an accident have
the following characteristics: Click on the first 2
After the first 2Why 100 to 500 hours? OVERCONFIDENCE (well talk
more about this later)
After the 4 conditions, clickAnd you?*Explain the slide
Point out that accidents take place mainly during take-off and
landing.
Ask why
Because the pilot has a lot more to do when taking off or
landing.
Also, when landing, pilots are more tired than they were when
taking off. So they are eager to get onto the ground.*Those whove
made mistakes say, in 73% of cases, that they made their first
mistake before they even took off!
The more carefully you do your pre-flight planning, the less
exposed you are to risks. Your personal checklist should be an
integral part of pre-flight planning. *Why a checklist? So that you
dont forget anything.
Why your own checklist? Because whats good for the person next
to you is not necessarily whats good for you, and vice versa.
We use checklists when we start up the engines, when we take
off, and so on. But planning is never done the same way, and in
addition, theres no checklist for it. Im going to give you one.
*After 1st sentence
You can raise the minimums if you wish, based on your knowledge,
experience and skills.
After the 2nd sentence
The regulations provide a MINIMUM; theyre not what you should be
aiming for. You must always leave yourself some flexibility.
Having your own personal checklist lets you set your own
personal minimums. These must never be less than what the
regulations require. *After 1st sentence
The best way to identify risk factors for a flight is to go
through the entire checklist before the flight. That will give you
an awareness of the existing situation and let you make a more
informed decision about the flight.
After 2nd sentence
Along with the checklist, Im going to be giving you some
solutions, but bear in mind that there are other ways of managing
risks. One solution may be a decision not to make the flight, but
there are many others, such as delaying your departure, changing
the route, or putting someone whos in better shape in the pilots
seat.
Another way is to set predetermined limitations and then stick
to them. For example, minimum weather conditions that are higher
than the allowed minimums but make you feel more comfortable. *Read
1st sentence
After 2nd sentence
Your list will vary from flight to flight, depending on the 4
types of risk factor.
Conditions are rarely the same from one flight to another.
I recommend that you make several copies of your personal
checklist, or laminate it so that you can write on it with an
erasable marker.*After the 4 categories of risk factor
Who remembers the 4 categories we saw at the start of the
presentation?
Lets start with the first one: click*Go through the points one
at a time
Add
Are you under the effect of medication, alcohol, fatigue or
stress?*Go through the points
Add:
The better prepared you are, the better your flight will go.
Does that make sense?
It takes more time and attention to do something (perform a
task) when you lack training, knowledge or experience.*After the
titleWhat is a procedure? Its a set of habits, a way of doing
things. Examples: checklists, emergency procedures, radio
procedures (position report), navigation procedures.The more
familiar you are with the procedures, and the more you practice
them, the more at ease you will feel.Click for sentenceWhere will
you find the most up-to-date operational procedures? AIP, the
manual From the Ground Up, instructors, Pilot Operating
Handbook,
For regulations: short of consulting the mammoth Canadian
Aviation Regulations, you can find much of the information in the
CARs section of AIP Canada. Have you looked at that recently? Is
your AIP up to date? This can never be repeated enough. Your
publications need to be up to date. Old versions arent worth much.
Many items of information may change over time: services,
obstacles, procedures. You also need to look at NOTAMs for
last-minute changes. Last summer at ZBM, the frequency change did
not take place as planned, and those who had not looked at their
NOTAMs were not on the right frequency. CARs ref: www.tc.gc.ca
search for: CARs (part 602)*After the first point
Youre not really paying attention to whats going on.
At the end
If you think nothing can happen to you, if you think youre
invincible, that is overconfidence. And you probably fall within
the 100 to 500 flying hours we were talking about earlier.Try the
self-assessment test you were given on dangerous attitudes, in
order to determine your predominant attitude.
Keep a watch on yourself, and follow this advice: *After the 2nd
point
Be pro-active.
After the 3rd point
Think about the what ifs which are relevant to the flight!!!
Otherwise, thinking about what ifs is a distraction.*After the
titleBe aware that any change in your sleeping habits will result
in fatigue. Missing just 2 hours of sleep will have a visible
effect on the system. Click as far as point 3, give exampleThe
ValueJet accident in the Everglades: the crew focussed on a light,
resulting in CFIT and everyone died.After is likely to doze offYour
reaction time increases.
Fatigue affects your faculties in a way similar to alcohol.When
youve been awake for 17 hours, you are functioning as if you had
0.05 alcohol in your blood (legal limit is 0.08). When youve been
awake for 24 hours, thats equivalent to 0.1 alcohol.
If youre not tired, you may be able to get out of a bad
situation by making a night-time landing at an airport youve never
been to, or by making a precautionary landing due to bad weather or
a mechanical problem. But if youre tired, will you be able to get
out of the situation in these ways?*After 2nd point
And do something thats not very interesting
After 4th point
Exercising 3 times a week is recommended.
After Avoid using
They disturb the sleep cycle by eliminating phases. Sleep is
then less restorative.
After Drink
Be careful about coffee, which is a diuretic. You may dehydrate
yourself. The effects will be like a hangover! *After 2nd point
Say positive things. Its more restful. It takes too much energy
to say negative things.
Ask questionWhat is the right frequency for chatting? 122.75 (if
there are 2 radios)
Continue with the points up to Move around
Of course you cant stand up and walk around.Stretch, chew gum,
turn your head.*
*To pilot a plane, you need to be in good health, and for that
you need a healthy, well-balanced diet and you need to eat at
regular hours. Ask question: What is your first reflex when youre
tired and need energy?Chocolate is a simple carbohydrate. You
should be wary of simple carbohydrates because they contain sugar
and fat. They provide a lot of instant energy, but 30 minutes or an
hour later, sometimes sooner, your blood sugar level will drop
below the level it was before you ate the chocolate, and you are
then back in the low blood-sugar danger zone.Some symptoms of low
blood sugar: sleepiness, lethargy, irritability.
If you feel tired and need energy, eat complex carbohydrates:
nuts, a little meat (proteins). They will give you energy less
quickly than simple carbohydrates, but at a constant rate, and
there will be no abnormal lowering of blood sugar. I often carry
raw almonds with me, for example when I do 18 holes of golf. Theyre
easy to carry on a plane; you can even keep a permanent supply in
your flight case. *After Distorts our perceptionHaving a little nip
can be very pleasantif youre keeping both feet on the groundand
youre not driving.
Alcohol does not mix with flying a plane. Alcohol mainly affects
the brain, the eyes and the inner ear three organs which are vital
to the pilot.
Click for last sentence
SophieGin & Tonic: Tonic contains quinine (effects???)*With
title
Effects of alcohol on your senses: read one by one
*With title
Effects of alcohol on judgment: read one by one
After the last point
Its like the guy who said, about the gas supply on board:
If were missing gas, we wont miss it much!!!*
You dont even realize that you are unable to do what you
normally do. *After 1st pointI mentioned earlier that coffee is a
diuretic. Well, alcohol is too. The body loses its fluids. You
drink one can of beer, you pee out two.
After last pointAlcohol that accumulates in the inner ear has a
direct effect on balance and spatial orientation.
Even if you wait 8 hours between drinking and flying, that may
not bring your blood alcohol back below the legal limit.
If you have a hangover, youre certainly in no shape to fly a
plane.
All the cold showers and black coffee in the world wont speed up
the elimination of alcohol from your system, not even inhaling pure
oxygen.*The effects referred to here are dehydration (a hangover)
and a loss of balance due to accumulation of alcohol in the inner
ear.
If you are suffering these effects, you should not be flying a
plane. The law is very clear about this:
No person shall act as a crew member of an aircraft (a) within
eight hours after consuming an alcoholic beverage; (b) while under
the influence of alcohol; or (c) while using any drug that impairs
the persons faculties to the extent that the safety of the aircraft
or of persons on board the aircraft is endangered in any way.
This last point takes us into a discussion of illness and
medication.*If you need to take aspirin every day because you have
a headache, thats not normal. There is an underlying problem.
Aspirin will make the pain go away temporarily, but it wont make
the problem go away.
According to one civil aviation doctor, the only drug a pilot
can take when flying is one regular acetaminophen like Tylenol (not
extra-strength, not for sinus pain).
Who can give some examples of side effects? Allergic reaction,
sleepiness, digestive problems, stomache aches, loss of judgment,
vision problems, itchiness, stimulation.
If you dont feel well, stay on the ground and wait till you feel
better.
The reason for waiting double the recommended amount of time
between doses is that there is overlap. The first dose is still
having a small effect when the time comes for the next dose. If the
drug is to be taken every 4 hours, wait 8 hours before you fly.
*Yellow and green: good stressRed: bad stress
Stress is not always negative. The only people who feel no
stress are dead people.
Different people have different degrees of resistance to stress.
The amount of stress associated with optimal performance varies
from person to person. The important thing is to identify the
limiting amount of stress for YOUR ideal performance and stay
within that limit.
When you are under low stress, you get bored and fall asleep.
Performance is low. When stress exceeds your acceptable amount, you
panic and performance declines.*If people who know you tell you
that you are stressed, listen to them. Since they know you, they
can recognize the signs of stress before you do.
If you are the only person who doesnt laugh when someone tells a
joke, you should start asking yourself questions.
Most of you are men, and as we all know, men arent affected by
emotions! But you are first and foremost human beings, and human
beings are affected by emotional stress. It doesnt have to be
something big, like someone dying, for you to experience the
effects of emotional stress.
For example, just having an argument with a spouse or a friend,
or having a financial worry, or a dispute at work, can affect you
and have an impact on your flight performance.
Be vigilant. Get to know yourself.*What are the causes of
stress? The more you know about a situation, the better you can
handle it, and the less stress you have.
Youre men, so of course you dont need help! But sometimes
unburdening yourself to the right person lets you see things more
clearly and puts things in perspective; you reduce stress by
letting off steam.
It also helps to stand back and take stock.*
*
*
*Vrification pr-vol = walk-around*Its not the air time that
counts but the time from when you start the engine up to when you
shut it down. Remember there may be unforeseen delays, wherever you
are. *A wooden dipstick is not always effective. Take a glass tube
(sold in aviation supply stores).*
The ONLY time you have too much fuel is when youre on fire!
(except for weight considerations)*Know the aircraft: hands and
feet, emergencies, systems
If you are going to fly a plane youre not familiar with, take
care:
Nose wheel to tail wheelConventional aircraft to ultra-lightLow
wing to high wing
Type here means:(a) when used in reference to personnel
licensing, a specific make and model of aircraft, including
modifications thereto that do not change its handling or flight
charateristics, and(b) when used in reference to the certification
of aircraft, a classification of aircraft having similar design
characteristics*Simulation helps to develop reflexes. Hand
movements.
Its an effective way to practice procedures, whether theyre on
the checklist or whether you have to learn them by heart, like the
engine failure procedure.
Just because an engine fails, that doesnt mean you will have to
make a forced landing. You should try to restart the engine, but
more importantly you need to determine why it stopped and how to
make it start again. There is a checklist for that, but you may not
have the time to get it out, depending on your altitude. So its
important to know the procedure by heart, and practice it OFTEN.
Static simulation is a very good way to practice the procedure.
*
Just knowing the forced landing procedure by heart doesnt mean
you will land successfully in the field you select, and knowing how
to land successfully doesnt mean you know the forced landing
procedure. These are two very different things, and they both call
for a lot of practice.
*What are the chances that you will be flying under these ideal
circumstances? Bear in mind that whats in the POH is often just
publicity!
Dont take chances. Think ahead.*Authorized documentation means
that it should be approved by the manufacturer.
The right manual, the right serial number and all the amendments
and STC. Otherwise the airworthiness certificate is suspended.
*Its great to have the latest equipment, but do you know how it
works?
If you had to make a forced landing, would you be able to wait
for help in an unheated aircraft? Take boots, gloves, and a cap.
Thats a minimum. *There are things you can do yourself and things
you cant. See Appendix A in the documentation you were given.
(recreational aircraft package)
Its up to the engineer to decide whether he knows how to
maintain your type of aircraft.
In our video library, theres one that covers bogus parts: Seek
out, Speak out, Wipe out.
When youre in a car and things go wrong, you can always pull
over to the side of the road and make a repair. When youre in a
plane and things go wrong, the situation is far more dangerous.
*The switches are not all in the same place.
GPS receivers dont all have the same functions.
*
*Example of noise: Mascouche Example of circuit: Bromont (right
circuit on a runway)
Read NOTAMs when planning your flight.*After the first 2
points:
Where will you find this information?
CFS VTA charts
Listen on the right frequency.*FSSs can give you all kinds of
relevant information.
Example of Sept-Iles: You can arrive in the morning and runway
09/27 will be covered in fog while the rest of the airport, to the
north, is VFR. *Its not enough to get the weather at origin and
destination. You also need to get it en route. Once again, the FSS
can help you.
A trick for assessing visibility properly: choose a point at the
limit of visibility and calculate the time it takes to get there.
Time vs Ground speed*Have an organized cockpit: CFS, charts,
pencils, knee-pad.
CFS at the right page (show how to use coloured paper clips to
identify the pages that will be needed)Chart folded so you can see
the route right away at a glance without having to adjust the
chart.
All this you do during pre-flight planning.*Consequences: if you
decide to postpone your flight for some reason, is that really
bad?
If youre flying for pleasure, then keep it pleasant! Are your
life and the lives of your passengers worth less than the meeting
you may miss?
This is the time to put your plan B or plan C into effect.
Sometimes its hard to find another way to get home. Your boss
and your spouse will surely prefer that you arrive a day late
rather than never. *Time pressure is the worst kind of external
pressure. *
*Go three steps back to be sure you havent missed an item.A
study showed that when a pilot was interrupted, he thought he was
three steps further along. Because the brain thinks ahead. *
In many cases, turning around means surviving.
Youve probably heard of pilots whod still be alive if they had
turned back. Read the Aviation Safety Letter. Its full of examples.
*The time you take to brief your passengers could be the best
investment you ever make.
*But if at the last minute you decide to cancel your flight,
thats a good last-minute change! In some cases, its better to say
no than to find yourself in an unfamiliar and unplanned
situation.*Speaking of pre-flight planning, lets go back to your
checklist.
*The risks were greater in the early days of aviation, and many
more pilots died.