Human Factors 6

The Decision Making Process Pilot decision-making is a process that begins when something has happened. To identify that requires "situational awareness". Situational awareness means you must be able to find out all you can about a flying situation and determine whether or not it is important. This ability can be acquired over time by experience or it can also be learned by training practice and study. The number one key to decision making is to give yourself as many options as possible and then select the best course of action. Number two is to take time while not flying to think through or simulate possible situations and how you'd respond. This will make the decision process much easier if you actually encounter it while flying. The third step is to try to determine what all your options are, and analyze the outcome of those options then pick the one that will be the safest. Decide Model Detect the fact that a change has occurred. Estimate the need to counter or react to the change. Choose a desirable outcome for the success of the flight. Identify actions which could success fully control the change. Do the necessary action to adapt to the change and evaluate the effect of the action. This involves two major components: Problem Solving - Detect, estimate, choose, identify Action - Do and evaluate After Evaluating the action you took, it may be wrong, so then you go back to the detect step and start again, determining a better solution External Factors It is very important to ensure that external factors don't lead you to making bad decisions: Money Client demands Convenience Schedule or previous commitments Factors that Influence Decision Making Gather as much relevant information as possible and work out all of the potential options and possible outcomes; take all risk into account and choose the safest option and do it before time runs out. Finally evaluate the results and start over if you're wrong . Knowledge and skill Situational Awareness Experience and Training Risk Assessment Stress and attitude