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Jul
14
2020
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Posted 4 years 143 days ago ago by Randy Mains
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Last July of 2019, the United States Helicopter Safety team, (USHST) put out a press release stating: Helicopter industry headed for highest fatal accidents in more than a decade. To stem the surge of fatal accidents, the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team called on helicopter operators, pilots, instructors and mechanics to rely on safety basics and place a priority on them. The safety organization called for pilots, instructors and others with a stake in helicopter safety to focus on SEVEN key actions that will save lives based on past accident reports. Here are the seven key actions that are worth remembering:
Know how much fuel you need or “may” need – Always carry enough fuel for unexpected situations. Ignoring minimum fuel reserve requirements is generally the result of overconfidence, a lack of flight planning, or deliberately ignoring regulations.
Take time for a walk-around and for checklists – An adequate preflight inspection, a checklist and a final walk around are central responsibilities that determine the condition of an aircraft prior to flight. In addition, post-flight inspections can identify issues prior to the next flight.
Recognize the potency of over the counter medications – Because over-the-counter medications are readily available, pilots frequently underestimate their effects and the impairment caused by these sedating drugs. In spite of specific federal regulations and education efforts regarding flying while impaired, over-the-counter medication usage by pilots remains a factor in 10 to 13 percent of aircraft accidents.
Stop the scud running – Lowering your altitude to avoid clouds or bad weather is dangerous and leads to fatal results from flying into terrain or obstacles such as wires and towers. Know your minimum altitude and stick to it.
Visual flight rules in instrument conditions can lead to death – Yes, death. This is the all-too-often result of the previously mentioned practice of flying too low. It is even more dangerous if the pilot is not instrument qualified or is unwilling to believe what the gauges are indicating. This action usually results in not knowing where you are and an inability to recognize deteriorating circumstances and/or the misjudgment of the rate of deterioration.
Don’t succumb to get-there-itis – This “disease” is common among pilots. It clouds the vision and impairs judgment by causing a fixation on the original goal or destination combined with a total disregard for any alternative courses of action.
Don’t be afraid to divert, turn around or land – Yes, you can divert from your original plan; you can turn around, or you can land. Always make sure you have an alternative course of action available should the weather conditions preclude the completion of the flight as planned. In other words, don’t be afraid to land and live.
Remember these seven key actions as a mental checklist that will help you ensure you and those whom you carry with you come home safely after every flight.
Randy Mains is an author, public speaker, and a CRM/AMRM consultant who works in the helicopter industry after a long career of aviation adventure. He currently serves as chief CRM/AMRM instructor for Oregon Aero. He may be contacted at [email protected].