Reality episodes: Best-Practice Countermeasure
Reality Episode Assignments
AVIA 300 Aviation Safety
1. Reality Episode Assignments
Since flying involves a fair number of risks, one of the reasons for becoming a commercial “level” pilot is develop skill obviously, but to learn best practices associated with episodes of risk.
You will be presented with 10 “real-life” episodes, each seeking your response. Describe the best countermeasures that you as a pilot can use to mitigate these risks.
2. Instructions and Grading
The 10 reality episodes are worth 300 points total, maximum 30 points each. While this is not an APA style research paper, it does need to encompass organization, style with definite direction and flow to a conclusion. See syllabus for due dates.
Each response must encompass a minimum of two pages (font: 11; line spacing “multiple” 1.15) and clearly present the problem and explain the best-practice countermeasure, documenting your answer. This is not an opinion paper. Please see the rubric for this assignment.
3. Reality Episode Grading Rubric
| Performance Level | Point Range | Indicators |
| Exemplary | 26-30 | Reads and responds to the entire assignment as directed. Cites additional references and examples. Notes additional reading sources. Supports responses with specific examples from professional and/or field experience (where applicable.) |
| Better than adequate | 20-25 | Reads and responds to the entire assignment as directed. Cites additional references and examples. |
| Adequate | 13-19 | Reads and responds to the assignment as directed. |
| Needs improvement | 7-12 | Reads and responds to some but not entire assignment. Consistently fails to meet posted due date for reality episode. |
| Fails to fulfill course requirement | 1-6 | Fails to read and respond to the assignment as directed. |
4. Enjoy the Creation
While there is a good chance many of you will see this as just another assignment to finish and be one step closer to completing this course. There is also a good chance that some of you (I wish it would be all of you), will see this assignment as an opportunity to exercise both sides of your brain and meld fact and creativity to develop your response to literal “real-life” situations that you just may be faced with someday.
If you plan on instruction others in formal flight instruction or one day in the capacity as a senior crewmember, these reality episodes are just the ticket to get your “what would I do” juices flowing.
5. Balance
I don’t know who originally came up with the first catchy phrases about being a balanced person, but there is a whole lot a truth in that. I’ve heard the adage that you can be “so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.”
While you want to know and fly “by the numbers” so to say – there needs to be a fair amount of “stick and rudder” in your flying. While most like their hairdo to be just right and stay in place, there needs to be a fair amount of “wind in the wires” and if you keep your mouth closed there will be no bugs in your teeth.
You need to maintain a balance in the day to day function. As you contemplate these situations, be balanced in your approach to the countermeasures for mitigation.
6. Episode Topics
Episode 1 Runway Incursion Allentown PA Due: August 20th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={0A42403E-0FB8-4CE7-8002-367F405EF40E}
A near collision on the runway between a Canadair regional jet and a Cessna 172 at Allentown, Pennsylvania, shows it only takes seconds for things to go wrong.
Episode 2 Takeoffs and Landings: Base to Final Turn Due: August 25th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={153E8150-DE50-4658-9377-9C05DB2E60D6}
Overshooting that base-to-final turn can be a problem. Trying to get back on course safely can be dangerous.
Episode 3 Flying the Weather: Picking Up Ice August 29th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={8385B8C5-4C1D-4DD5-A79D-00CDE41812C1}
Early detection of ice accumulation is critical to the safe outcome of a flight—even for pilots flying in aircraft equipped with de-icing equipment. In this video, Tom Horne talks about what to look for, and where, to determine if your aircraft is starting to pick up ice.
Episode 4 Midair Collisions September 3rd
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={7082D523-B06B-471F-A019-80D90F4605FD}
Bruce Landsberg talks about the causes of midair collisions and what pilots can do to reduce the risk of a collision. Extended interview from a segment first appearing on AOPA Live This Week.
Episode 5 Takeoff and Landings: Abort Point September 8th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={AA75BCE2-95CF-4A3C-B41F-A7CD5C8DCBC7}
When it comes to making a safe takeoff, there are simple rules of thumb we can all live by. Knowing when to abort a takeoff is one of them. Learn how to choose an abort point if your takeoff roll isn't going as planned.
Episode 6 Runway Safety: Bluegrass KY September 12th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={39B9D578-43D5-4B8B-B9CB-27156CB61ED7}
This video is a stark reminder of what can happen when pilots lose situational awareness.
Episode 7 Flying the Weather: Tstorm Toolbox September 19th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live?watch={51E3EF35-1B59-4BD9-AE78-ABB66482616C}
AOPA President Mark Baker and AOPA Foundation President Bruce Landsberg discuss some of the strategies they used to navigate around thunderstorms during a recent flight.
Episode 8 Runway Safety: Quincy, IL September 24th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={B1EBABC5-4CF8-4267-A669-8A08E173992F}
A communication breakdown starts a chain of events that ends with a collision and 14 fatalities.
Episode 9 Takeoffs and Landings: Stabilized Approaches September 29th
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/AOPA-Live.aspx?watch={AD1A1884-736D-474B-B3CD-A235BDF2AD67}
A good landing generally starts well before the wheels touch the ground.
Episode 10 Runway Incursion Allentown PA October 3rd
http://www(dot)aopa(dot)org/Education/Safety-Videos/Passenger-Safety-Briefing
Unfortunately, accidents happen—and when they do, a little information can sometimes make a big difference. The Air Safety Institute’s new video covers often-overlooked items that should be part of every preflight passenger briefing. You’ll also get helpful survival tips from NTSB and CAP experts, and learn the single best way to increase your odds of rescue.
Reality Episodes
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Reality Episodes
Statistics from the National Transportation Board (NTSB) indicate that in the last 20 years, close to 85% of all accidents in the aviation sector are attributed to ‘pilot error’ (FAA, 2009). On most occasions, pilots take for granted the base-to-final turn as part of a routine traffic pattern, despite the fact that 10% of all fatal maneuvering accidents are caused by stalls during this turn. Furthermore, the problems begin when the pilot is late to realize that he has overshot the runway and he tries to tighten the turn while at the same time he hauls back on the yoke (AOPA, 2014). Evidence suggest that this is a common recipe for a stall-spin accident that is very rare for the pilot to survive.
In addition, some of the common hazards in the aviation industry include improper refueling of the airplane damage on the propeller blade, pilot fatigue, and the use of hardware that is not approved on the aircraft. While flying involves a wide range of risks, most of these hazards have been identifies and the can be managed so as to reduce the rate of accidents. Thousands of airplanes land every day without incident but this is not always the case. For instance, Air France Airbus A340 did not manage to halt on runway 24L at Pearson International Airport in Toronto (Wilson & Binnema, 2014). Extremely bad weather made the airplane to land further than usual along the runway, coming to a halt near a shallow ravine and bursting into flames. Luckily, all the 309 people on board survive but 12 people sustained serious injuries.
Best-Practice Countermeasure
There are a number of ...