Helicopter Training
Educational Series
Federal Aviation Administration
Rotor Rooter
Dr. Steve Sparks
Updated 3/05/13 @ 8:33 AM
Presented to: By: Date:
Rotor Rooter: Rooting for Autorotational Success
Acronyms, checklists and memory aids.a trip down memory lane
Presented to: By: Date:
Federal Aviation Administration
Objective
Explore how acronyms, checklists and other memory aids can help mitigate risk associated with autorotations.and other helicopter training maneuvers.
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Federal Aviation Administration
Ground Rules
Participate Ask questions Dont throw anything at the moderator Make it personal Achieve one or two takeaways Have fun
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Federal Aviation Administration
From what Perspective..
Pilot-to-Pilot Instructor-to-Instructor As a Safety Advocate As an Educator As an Evaluator Point: What happens in Vegas.shouldnt stay in Vegas!
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What started all this madness.?
Professional Pilot Development begins in the early phases of flight InstructionLaw of Primacy -My instructors influence! Checklists and prioritization in the cockpit.
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Federal Aviation Administration
False Sense of Urgency!!!!!!!
Self-imposed.. Anxiety generates urgency Instructors get impatient, so expectations become unrealistic We associate efficiency with quickness Point Extra seconds invested in a thorough setup can pay huge dividends!
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Federal Aviation Administration
Inattention and Complacency
Question: If we can standardize everything, why cant we mitigate mediocrity from our performance?
Question: How can we enhance our performance in the cockpit by remembering to do the basics?
Recurring accidents.what are the positives?
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Reasons for our complacency
Complacency sets in because.we want to do it our way, we know best, the environment changes, we get in a hurry, we believe nothing bad can happen to us, checklists and procedures go out the window, we got away with it before, rules and regulations dont apply to us, were better than the average pilot, we get bored, we want to try something new
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Federal Aviation Administration
Teaching and Using Checklists
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Comments made about checklists..
Theyre a crutch.... Ive got thousands of hours, so I dont need checklists. The flight environment is too dynamic for checklists.Ill just do my flows! Theyre too bulky. Flight hours do not equate to perfection!
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Practical Test Standards
PTS
Required use of checklists
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Checklist Discipline
The use of the word checklist in PTS 76 times: Instructor PTS 50 times: Private PTS 48 times: Commercial PTS 35 times: ATP PTS 19 times: Instrument PTS
Checklist usage is required!
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Percentage Share of Accidents by Industry/Mission (Years 2000, 2001, 2006)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Personal/Private 18.5 percent Instructional/Training 17.6 percent Aerial Application 10.3 percent EMS 7.6 percent Commercial 7.5 percent Law Enforcement 6.5 percent
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Percentage Share of Accidents by Activity (Years 2000, 2001, 2006)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Instructional/Training 22.8 percent Positioning/RTB 13.2 percent Personal/Private 12.4 percent Passenger/Cargo 9.8 percent Aerial Application 9.0 percent 1.1 percent
13. EMS
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So why ACRONYMS?
Theyre fun and simple memory aids Theyre inexpensive They help us complete and prioritize tasks (critical/noncritical & obvious/not so obvious) They just stick. They give the evaluator a glimpse into your thought processwhat is he/she going to do next?
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Pre-flight Autorotation Briefing PRE-AUTOS
P = Progressive Approach to Autorotations R = Recovery gates (300, 200 & 100 feet AGL) E = Environment A = Airspeeds
U = Understanding the principles of an autorotation
T = Techniques O = rOtor limitations/warning sounds
S = SAFE (Spot, ATC, Fight Instructor intervention, Engine)
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In-flight Pre-Autorotation Setup Briefing Acronym.HASEL check
H = Height AGL (appropriate entry altitudes) A = Area clear of hazards S = Setup and security E = Engine/system parameters
L = Look out for traffic & obstacles
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Federal Aviation Administration
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Autorotation Scanning Acronym.(RATS)
R = Rotor A = Airspeed T = Trim S = Spot
Points:
Repeat the acronym over and over (prevents fixation) Go-around early if the picture is not right.
Plan-Continuation-Basis (PCB). I can salvage this maneuver
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Risk Assessment Acronym
Illiness Medication Stress Alcohol Fatigue Eating
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Preflight: Be attentive and never trust anyone with your fluids or hatches.
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Positive Influence-We never read about the accidents that never happened
Quantifying the positives
Glass half-full mentalityactually the helicopter industrys glass is 99.2% full of safety success storiesreally!
Everyone in this audience has influence..Student Pilots.Commercial Pilotsand Instructors (You are the ones we are trying to reach)
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Which path are you going to take?
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Questions
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