You might think I am about to ramble on about new year’s resolutions, new starts, getting to the gym, etc. But you’d be wrong. What I am thinking about today is the idea of being intentional in the way we approach our jobs as pilots. Whether we are a private pilot who likes to go for the $100 (I think its up to $200 now) hamburger, a flight instructor, a helicopter air ambulance pilot, an airline captain, a Director of Operations, or an FAA inspector, we all could benefit by simply being a little more in tune with what we are doing and what is going on around us. I think some might call this “Situational Awareness”.
There are plenty of examples of pilot error accidents where loss of situational awareness is likely the root cause. But HOW does a pilot increase situational awareness? I think one very simple way of increasing our awareness is to be intentional about our actions. Let me explain what being intentional looks like.
- When a pilot conducts a preflight inspection on an aircraft, they are really looking at specific things and not just going through the motions. This pilot knows about common weak areas/failure points, and actively looks for them.
- When conducting a walk-around just prior to flight, this pilot has a specific mental list of things to look for such as cowlings, latches, doors, fuel cap, tie downs, etc. This pilot does not start an aircraft before doing this last minute walk around.
- When this pilot moves a switch in the cockpit, they know why they are moving the switch and what effect moving the switch should have. They look for those effects and start asking questions when the desired effect does not materialize.
- This pilot actually reads what is on the page when performing a “Do-Verify” checklist.
- When performing a pre-takeoff or pre-landing check, this pilot is honest with themselves about what they see and is looking for the things that might be amiss.
- When setting up for an instrument approach, this pilot actually listens to the morse code ID for the NAVAID required by the procedure.
- This Director of Operations creates a policy to comply with FAA regulations with the intention to meet both the letter AND the intent of the rule.
These are only a few examples, but the concept can be applied to just about any aspect of our operations. There are many aviation professionals who approach their art in this manner. They know what the desired outcome is, what actions will bring about that outcome, and how to verify that the desired outcome occurred. Unfortunately, there are too many who are simply content to go through the motions. I’ve seen good pilots point at an oil temperature that is above limits while proudly exclaiming that “T’s and P’s are in the green!” (In the simulator, of course) They are paying lip service to their tasks, but not REALLY doing them. These are good pilots, but they have gotten complacent over time. If you are not looking for something, it is unlikely you will find it!
I don’t believe that the intentional approach is something most people are born with. At some point this involves making a choice, and often requires a little extra work. So, if you are one of those who apply this intentional approach to your duties, thank you for being a positive example to those around you. If you are not one of these people, then it’s never too late to give it a try. Afterall, it’s a new year! Let’s Do This! (But let’s REALLY do this…)