MY 2 CENTS
October and November 2019. Seven accidents during October-November were particularly deadly, with 15 people losing their lives. This ranks as the third highest
accident total on record in 37 years. The 11 deaths in November set a record for that month.”
We helicopter pilots often face unexpected weather changes en route. That is why it’s imperative we have a plan of action — one that we will implement sooner rather than later. Use the en route decision point developed by the National EMS Pilots Association: if you decelerate 30 knots less than cruising speed, or if you descend to 300 feet AGL during the day or 500 feet at night due to weather, you’ve reached that decision point and you do NOT continue.
Another tool: if you think to yourself, “This is stupid,” then turn around or land, but do not continue. These are tools
you should use to trigger a response to stop doing what you’re doing and quit pressing on.
October-November fatal
I keep this quote in mind as I write my column for each issue, and I suggest you think about it too:
“Whenever we talk about a pilot who has been killed in a flying accident, we should all keep one thing in mind: he called upon the sum of all his knowledge and made a judgment. He believed it so strongly that he knowingly bet his life on it. That his judgment was faulty was a tragedy, not stupidity. Every inspector, supervisor, and contemporary who ever spoke to him had an opportunity to influence his judgment, so a little of all of us goes with every pilot we lose.”
Your final ace in the hole is simple: if the weather gets questionable, simply “Land and Live.”
Randy Mains is an author, public speaker, and 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:
info@randymains.com
rotorcraftpro.com
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