accidents can be attributed to human error. If we view ourselves as the “enemy” and understand that our plan- ning and actions may be the primary cause of our demise or success, we can more adequately address some of the personal and professional challenges we face as aircrew members—and avoid the civilian version of fratricide.
Troops
Most of us in HAA still wear a uniform, and as pilots, we are responsible for the safe conduct of the flight, includ- ing the actions of our flight crews. In essence, our crew is our troop. And as a crew, we must be a well-coordinated, communicative, and partici- patory team, as our crew resource management training encourages.
I’m a huge proponent of incorporating the IMSAFE (illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, emotion) model into every flight-shift briefing and encouraging crew members to honestly and objectively do the same throughout their time on duty. Our success depends on our well-being, truly having our “head in the game,” and integrating the individual into the team concept.
Terrain (and Weather) Among other positions I held in my 33-year military career was that of an aviation mission survivability offi- cer (AMSO). As AMSOs, we held the maxim that every weapon system had a PH (probability of hit) versus a PK (probability of kill), but that terrain and weather most always had a PH and PK of 100% each. IIMC (inadvertent entry into instrument meteorologi- cal conditions) and CFIT (controlled flight into terrain) have always been, and continue to be, nemeses of avia- tion and HAA in particular. We have a plethora of tools at our disposal to combat these threats, and most of us understand that knowledge and continuous monitoring of the topography of our area and changing weather con- ditions make for a safer flight. The US National Weather Service Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Tool is a great resource, but it’s only a tool and must be combined with a deeper understanding of current observations and specific fore- cast products to be effective. Map study, planned HOE (highest obstacles en route)
between known facilities, use of electronic flight bag resources, a detailed IIMC plan, and forward-looking ter- rain- and obstacle-avoidance systems can complete our detailed threat-avoidance / threat-mitigation tool kit. These, with many other available inputs, constitute our intelligence.
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Time (and Time Available) Performance expert Michael Altshuler wrote, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” That couldn’t be truer in our industry. Time is of the essence in what we do, but not taking the time to plan, decide, and act in a safe and legal manner is consistently our undoing. And that’s where lies the central part of the argument to embrace the mission concept. If we allow ourselves the time and effort to plan before the tones ever sound, and have a template for our plan and actions, we increase the chances of making a good decision and conducting a safe flight—or declining a mission request when prudent. It’s up to us.
Civilian Considerations Instead of noncombatants on the battlefield, the word “civilians” now refers to the professionals, volunteers, and facilities both integral and peripheral to our decision- making and flights as nonmilitary, HAA professionals. Assessing the emergency services available in our geographic area, their capabilities and limitations, and the level of training we can lend them facilitates a better, safer integration of people and assets in HAA opera- tions. Similarly, maintaining a knowledgeable flight oper- ations or dispatch department and an extensively researched and documented record that details facility information adds more to our planning and execution tool kit.
All of this serves to better prepare and support HAA
crews in the variety of situations and locations in which we may find ourselves operating. And all these topics can be addressed before we ever put on a flight suit.
Preparation over Planning The logistics of the Lewis and Clark Expedition have long stuck with me: preparation is more important to the effort than specific planning. So it is with HAA: continual attention to and improvement of our mission prepara- tions are critical to planning when time is fleeting. That said, there will never be a one-size-fits-all pro-
cess for, or method of, conducting a flight safely, and mine surely isn’t the only way that can get us to the lofty goal of zero accidents. But a process and a method are necessary in reaching for that goal. By applying a structured approach to planning, staying
informed of critical flight issues, and incorporating a tem- plate to determine our actions, we significantly increase our opportunities for success—and survival. As Benjamin Franklin cautioned, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
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