A World of Threats

Communication, workload management, standard phraseology, planning, decision making, and CRM (Crew Resource Management), are a few of the “buzz” words tossed about the aviation industry that impact the management of a safe flight. Advancing beyond CRM the airline industry is training for Threat and Error Management. But T.E.M. is something that should be addressed for the private sector as well.

The core of Threat and Error Management is that we live in a world of threats. In the aviation world these threats include anything that could increase operational complexity such as lack of familiarity with an airport, weather, new equipment, fatigue, or any potential distraction. What has the potential to distract your operation today? Think about all the possibilities. A good habit for pilots to make is become aware of all potential threats prior to stepping into the plane.

We are human. And humans make mistakes. Our goal, as pilots, is to be proactive and identify the potential threats before they turn into errors. Remember an error is something that has already happened—something that needs to be managed. A threat is something that creates the potential to error. By properly managing the threats, we will mitigate the chance of errors.

Distraction is everywhere. Due to the current economy, furloughs, bankruptcies, mergers, worries about training or the threat of terrorism, we live in an ocean of stress. How do we manage that environment in which we live and work?

Focus. Make sure you get out of the ocean before the title wave hits by managing your flight before stepping into your aircraft. Never point your airplane someplace your brain hasn’t been five minutes before.

Preparation is the key to Success.

Awareness is the key to Preparation.

There has never been “one” error that has caused a crash, but multiple errors that led the flight crews down the wrong path. Get off that path. Look into the future. Learn from past mistakes. Become aware. This is a great way to live for all my earthbound friends too. Pay attention to what the potential threats could be, and work toward mitigating the possibilities before they turn into errors.

How do you manage the stress of life and maintain the ability to focus on your task at hand?

Enjoy the Journey!

~ Karlene