Aeronautical Decision Making

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Introduction According to the Air Safety Institute (ASI) (2014), during the past ten years, 264 accidents were caused by continued Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). Eighty-nine percent of these accidents were fatal causing hundreds of deaths. Despite initiatives by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) these statistics continue to be a concern for the aviation community. Previous quantitative research has focused on identification of causal factors, decision making process and new technology (Shappell & Wiegmann, 2009). Recent efforts have investigated and evaluated the effectiveness of safety programs intended to mitigate risks associated with weather (Shappell et. al, 2012). Contrary to popular opinion, good judgment can be taught. Tradition held that good judgment was a natural by-product of experience, but as pilots continued to log accident-free flight hours, a corresponding increase of good judgment was assumed (FAA, 2012). Learning positive aeronautical decision making should begin on the first day of flight training. Aeronautical decision making (ADM) “is decision-making in a unique environment—aviation. It is a systematic approach to the mental process used by pilots to consistently determine the best course of action in response to a given set of circumstances. It is what a pilot intends to do based on the latest information he or she has” (FAA, 2012 p.1). ADM is necessary in all situations but this study will pertain to specifically ADM regarding VFR flight into IMC conditions. In the General Aviation Pilot’s Guide to Preflight Weather Planning, Weather Self-Briefings, and Weather Decision Making handbook (200... ... middle of paper ... ... Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage. Federal Aviation Administration. (2012). Pilot handbook. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/media/PHAK%20-%20Chapter%2017.pdf Federal Aviation Administration. (2010). Mission. Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/about/mission/ Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Shappell, S., Holcomb, K., Hackworth, C., Lanicci, J., Bazargan, M., Baron, J & Halperin, D. (2012). General Aviation Weather Encounter Case Studies. Shappell, S., & Wiegmann, D. (2009). A methodology for assessing safety programs targeting human error in aviation. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 19(3), 252-269. Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Sage.

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