FLY SAFE
is understanding the probability and severity of the identified hazards, assessing how likely it is you’ll encoun- ter them, and what the consequences might be if you do. Combine the sus- pected probability and severity, plus the likelihood of an encounter, and the “face” of risk begins to emerge. Continuing with the air tour opera-
tor and weather example, although the probability of going IIMC may be low because of a company policy mandat- ing VFR-only operations, encountering lousy weather nonetheless will definitely drive the fun meter to zero. Fold in the reality of where you fly, and this identi- fied hazard demands that you address it as a priority, to help mitigate it and lower the risk level associated with it. Communication: Your assess-
ment must then be shared among all stakeholders, from the front office to the hangar deck to those engaged in actual aviation. Keeping open lines of communication about safety is a crit- ical feature of risk management that encourages everyone to come together and agree on the true operational risks your organization is taking. So, if it’s raining and the ceilings appear lower than usual, everyone should know they shouldn’t see a tour leaving the airport. That just wouldn’t be right, would it? Mitigation: Once the potential
hazards are identified, assessed, and shared with the team, the focus can shift to mitigation. Seek out strategies to reduce risk levels, such as investing in advanced training or new technol- ogies or communicating standard operating procedures (SOPs) designed to deal with the hazard. Ultimately, it falls to the operator
who must deal with hazards in real time to ask, “What can be done to lower the scare factor in flight? How do we take feasible steps to dilute apprehension and let us pull pitch and enjoy the work?”
66 POWER UP DEC 2024
ORM in the Classroom
What: “Operational Risk Management for Helicopter Operations” Elevations course
When: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mar. 10, 2025 Where: VERTICON 2025, Dallas, Texas
Content: The class will teach participants how to develop their own ORM pro- grams using practical exercises and tools that can be tailored for their organizations
More info: Visit
verticon.org/education Back to IIMC for the tour operator
example. You may elect to establish more-conservative weather minimums and call out conditions in your oper- ation’s manual or SOPs that flat out prohibit departure on a revenue flight. When someone asks, why do we limit ourselves like this? The direct answer is, because you studied the hazard; it’s a hard reality that affects your operation; everyone understands that where you routinely fly, you can routinely encounter adverse weather conditions; and this is your way to spell it out in neon letters and demonstrate your risk posture. As alluded to previously, this isn’t a
one-size-fits-all doctrine. Shift the air tour operation to another outfit work- ing out of the same hangar doing VIP commutes in a multi-engine, dual-pilot IMC/IFR-capable bird. Inadvertent IMC may still be a hazard, but the severity for that operation may not be so bad because, as a mitigation, they elected to have a policy in place to always file IFR for their missions and leverage crew resource management and all the technology on board as SOP. Acceptance: Once mitigation
efforts are massaged to a reasonable level, the final and often overlooked step is acceptance of the risk that remains—call it “residual risk.” Starting at the top, the accountable executive must personally evaluate and acknowl- edge residual risks to establish the
organization’s risk posture—a posture that must be aligned with those who conduct the daily operations.
An Ongoing Process Despite all efforts on the ground, we in aviation will still encounter hazards—it’s simply part of the world of our work. But aircrews will be afforded more options to alter or abandon the mission plan if they know they can’t accept additional risk beyond what’s stated in their company policies. A FRAT opens up discussion about
risk for an upcoming flight. Aircrews can talk about the hazards that may be more relevant today than yesterday, fostering a mindset to potentially help break the accident chain and get the job done. After all, you did all that work to mitigate a hazard, and now, in flight, you can leverage your strategy by expressly avoiding certain things when a hazard presents itself. Operational risk management is an
ongoing process that requires contin- ual effort. Healthy discussion and trend analysis of safety events will enable you to manage both known and newly discovered hazards. The goal isn’t to eliminate risk but to
keep it as low as reasonably possible. Dan Deutermann has been involved in rotary-wing aviation for 30 years. He has extensive experience in aviation safety and helicopter flight instruction.
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