SAFA Skysailor Magazine

32 SKY SAILOR July | August 2024 Iain Clarke – Safety Management Officer Greetings fellow pilots. I’m going to refresh an article from 2020, because the message remains relevant and deserves a read by our newer members. At the time we had just had a horror year in 2019 when we had nine fatalities. Let’s pause here and ponder that – nine fatalities! In response, and at the Board’s request, I had penned a hard-hitting Airwaves to close out the year. The following article kicked off 2020. Here we go… The 109th episode of Gavin McClurg’s most excellent Cloudbase Mayhem podcast dropped in mid-January 2020. In this episode, Gavin talks with Jeff Shapiro and Will Gadd about some of the hazards we face as pilots. This discussion was prompted by several high- profile fatalities that had occurred in the USA in recent times. When I shared the text of the Airwaves that went out before Christmas, they were shocked to learn of our fatality count from last year. I would urge all of you to have a listen to the podcast; you can find it here . I’d like to share with you some of the things that Gavin, Jeff and Will talk about, and this article should in no way be a substitute for going and listening to the podcast in full. Jeff had recently gone through training to obtain his GA licence and was exposed in his training to ‘The 5 Hazardous Attitudes in Aviation’. These are: anti-authority, macho, invulnerability, impulsivity, resignation. Anti-authority: Don’t tell me what to do. This is not just a push back to regulations or directives from a person with any authority, but also a rejection of advice. Macho: I’m so good that I’ve got this nailed. This character knows it all and can deal with anything and will do it. Invulnerability: It won’t happen to me. Ah yeah, keep telling yourself that. It hasn’t happened to you, yet. Impulsivity: I’m going for it. Regardless of what’s going on and where your head’s at, you’re going to do this, right now, this minute. Resignation: There’s nothing I can do about it… How much margin for error have you left yourself? What about your Plan B, C, D and E? I’d say there is a sixth: Impatience , and even a seventh: Complacency . Impatience could be a stepping stone to Impulsivity , or a cultural/mind-set state in itself. In its stepping stone phase, it can be a smouldering ember – you’re stuck on launch for some reason, you can’t get off the hill, the day is disappearing, then, BAM!, a window of opportunity opens and the ember flames and you’re in the grip of Impulsivity . But have you been keeping track of the changes in the day? Impatience also manifests itself in a lot of accident reports I see. Pilots pushing hard to get up the ratings. Pilots trading up to higher spec equipment almost as soon as they’re in the air. What is your rush? Are your skills really that good? Do you really know how to The 5 (or 7) Hazardous Attitudes in Aviation