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That's all great in theory, you say, but I fly and
teach in the real world! Who has time for all this
risk management rigmarole? In fact, using the 3P risk management
cycle need not be a time-consuming chore. With practice and
consistent use, running through the 3P cycle can become a habit
that is as smooth, efficient, and automatic as a well-honed
instrument scan. One way to implement these ideas is to include a
3P risk management discussion as a standard feature of your preflight
briefing with the student or client. For example:
Perceive: Preflighting the Pilot should
be the first step. Both you and your student should be healthy,
well-rested, and alert. The next step is preflighting the
Aircraft. Before you send your student out to the
plane, though, help him or her think of the preflight process in
terms of hazard identification (e.g., what could hurt me or people
on the ground if I take off with less than the minimum quantity of
oil?) A good weather briefing is part of identifying hazards related
to the flight enVironment, and so is preflight planning
for information on runway lengths, frequencies, and other factors.
Last but not least, teach your student to list any
External pressures that might create a hazard.
For example, is the client trying to fit a flight lesson into a busy
day, with "can't miss" appointments scheduled after the
lesson?
Process: To assess the level of risk you face on a
given flight, talk through the Consequences of each
hazard you just identified. In the case of the pilot, for example,
what should you do if your student or client rushes in looking
harried, exhausted and stressed out? If you charge ahead without
first giving the person time to calm down, s/he will learn little
from the aeronautical lesson, but may well learn the wrong lesson
about risk management. As an Alternative, consider
making it a ground training day, or use the simulator if it is
appropriate to the student's stage of learning. Simulator sessions --
even if only a "flight" on Microsoft FlightSim -- can teach
students a lot about the impact (so to speak) of stress and fatigue
on basic airplane control and aeronautical decision-making. Ensure
that your students and clients acknowledge the Reality
of each situation and hazard. One of my instructor friends reminds
her students that any statement requiring use of the word
"probably" definitely needs another reality check.
Finally, the number of accidents resulting from a "get there"
mentality requires that you assess the potential influence of
External pressures. For example, will tight scheduling of
the aircraft induce you or your student to rush through the preflight
and engine runup? A teenage student of mine once requested another
instructor because I refused to do just that on his first lesson. I can
only hope he remembers something from the fact that I actually practiced
what I was preaching about priorities.
Perform: Let's assume that your primary student heads
out to do some solo work in the local practice area. Shortly after
takeoff, s/he discovers that the C-152's attitude indicator has
tumbled, even though the vacuum pressure is well within normal limits.
The weather is good and s/he knows that the AI is not required for day
VFR flight. However, the student has not previously encountered such
a problem, and recognizes the malfunction as a hazard that could lead
to risk of distraction or disorientation. The student's uncertainty
also creates a degree of stress, which also raises the level of risk
associated with this flight. What are the options for performing risk
management? There are several ways to Mitigate the risk;
the most obvious is to cover the malfunctioning instrument to minimize
its ability to distract or disorient the pilot. Another option is to
Eliminate the risk inherent in continuing the flight by
returning to the airport. The student might also accept the risk and
continue the practice session. What would your student(s) do in this
situation? What would you want them to do? There may not be a single
"right" answer. The point is to teach your students and
clients to recognize the hazards and options they will face in any
given flight, and to equip them with the tools they need to evaluate
their options in a logical and safety-conscious way.
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