Aviation Safety and the decision making process

No Light Abnormals, It’s been almost a decade now since we initiated a focused approach to helicopter accident prevention.  The information provided by the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) made a strong case on elevating the knowledge and skills of the crews in order to prevent accidents. Statistics were given showing which were the issues that were causing the incidents and accidents in helicopters, and there it was, crews could have prevented the overwhelming majority. The task wasn’t easy since at that time the IHST was pitching for an 80% reduction in the total accidents in a decade. (This has changed now) I felt overwhelmed and knew not where to start.  I have been giving instruction since the beginning of the 90s and this stopped me in my tracks.  How do I change the point of view of what I have been teaching?  I have been selling a product that now has to change, but how? When I began flying helicopters, there were not enoug...

Angle of attack, For us, the seasoned airmen, the angle of attack may seem like a very useful and normal thing.   Even if you didn’t quite get it in the beginning.   By now I’m sure you have it within you.   Maybe for the usual cues, the position of the joke or the stick, the sounds in the cockpit, the mushy nose attitude.   For whatever the circumstances you are a master of the angle. Even though life for us revolves around this topic in many ways we tend to forget all about it.   It is automatic, we don’t think in terms of angle, but everything we do while flying involves that angle. Lets try and share with our rookie peers the benefits of mastering the angle. This craft we call aviation is full of surprises.   Theory given to a new comer is just enough to get him of the ground and into so much happiness.   Similar to what Dr. Ian Malcom said in Jurassic Park, “Everything is fun and laughter until things start to go south” (I’m para...