The FAA's Susan Parson discusses the science of situational awareness.

1. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Presentation to:
Name:
Date:
Sun ‘n Fun – Safety Seminar
Susan Parson
March 2012
Positive Flight
Attitude
The Science of
Situational Awareness

2. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Perceive
•What is “it” doing?
•Process
•What can “it” do to me?
•Perform
•What can I do to be safe?
Situational Awareness

3. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
 Aircraft
 Weather
 Airspace
 Reality
 External Pressures
A-W-A-R-E

4. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Mechanical condition
•Airworthiness
• A –V –1 –A – T – E
•Preflight
•In-flight
•Post-flight
Aircraft

5. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Systems
•Basic instruments
•Automation
Aircraft
Risk
Management
Automation
Management
Information
Management

6. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Perceive
•What is the weather doing?
•Process
•What can it do to me?
•Perform
•What can I do to be safe?
Weather

7. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Where do I start??

8. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
Create wind (crosswinds)
Reduce ceiling and visibility
(clouds, fog, rain)
Affect aircraft performance
(high density altitude, ice)

9. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Wind Ceiling & Visibility Performance
What Can Weather Do?

10. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
Create wind (crosswinds)
When these conditions exist, there
are questions to ask about both the
pilot and the airplane.
Pilot:
• Crosswind skill?
Airplane:
• Max. demonstrated
crosswind component?

11. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Wind & Turbulence
 Can pilot/airplane “team” handle current
and forecast wind conditions?
 Do I know power setting for maneuvering
speed (VA) at the expected weight?
 Do I have the conditions / equipment to
avoid thunderstorm encounters?
What Can Weather Do?

12. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
Reduce ceiling and visibility (clouds, fog, rain)

13. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
When these conditions exist,
it’s (mostly) about the pilot:
 Instrument rated?
 Legally current?
 Proficient?
Reduce ceiling & visibility (clouds, fog, rain)

14. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Ceiling and Visibility
 Can I safely fly the planned altitudes?
 Do I have a terrain avoidance plan?
 Are ceiling/visibility okay for approach?
 Do I need an alternate?
 Where is the nearest GOOD weather?
 Are conditions within personal
minimums?
What Can Weather Do?

15. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
http://www.skyvector.com

16. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
http://www.skyvector.com

17. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
http://www.skyvector.com

18. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
http://www.skyvector.com

19. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
Affect aircraft performance
(high density altitude, ice)
When these
conditions exist,
it’s (mostly)
about the
airplane.

20. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
Affect aircraft performance
(high density altitude, ice)
Just call me
SUPER-Pilot!

21. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
What Can Weather Do?
Affect aircraft performance
(high density altitude, ice)
…but even
Super-Pilot
has limits
when flying a
Super-Cub!

22. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Aircraft Performance
 What is the expected aircraft performance?
 What are the takeoff & landing distances?
 How about climb & cruise performance?
 Where is the forecast freezing level?
What Can Weather Do?

23. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Perceive
•What airspace is around?
•Process
•What can it do to me?
•Perform
•What can I do to be safe?
Airspace

24. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Airspace
Always
know where
you are…
Tips to avoid traps:
 Know before you go
 Use moving map + chart
 Make verbal position calls
 Avoid edges & ledges
 Say no to NORDO
 Use flight following
 Close VFR flight plan!

25. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Perceive
•What is really happening?
•Process
•What can it do to me?
•Perform
•What can I do to be safe?
Reality

26. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Reality

27. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
•Perceive
•What is pushing me?
•Process
•What can it do to me?
•Perform
•What can I do to be safe?
External Pressures

28. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Personal Minimums
Individual pilot’s set of:
Procedures
Rules
Criteria
Guidelines
for deciding whether, and
under what conditions, to
operate or continue operating.

29. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Personal Minimums
Safety “reserve” between:
Skills & aircraft
performance required for
the specific flight you want
to make, and the
Skills and aircraft
performance available to
you (training, experience,
currency, and proficiency).

30. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
 Tailored to individual training,
experience, currency, and proficiency
with winds, ceiling & visibility, and
performance.
 Consistent with pilot / aircraft
“team” characteristics & capabilities.
Personal Minimums

31. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Category Ceiling (feet AGL) Visibility (miles)
VFR > 3,000 and > 5
MVFR 1,000 to 3,000 and/or 3 to 5
IFR 500 to 999 and/or 1 to < 3
LIFR < 500 and/or < 1
Personal Minimums

32. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Personal Minimums

33. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Baseline Personal Minimums
Baseline Personal Minimums
Weather Condition VFR MVFR IFR LIFR
Ceiling
Day
Night
Visibility
Day
Night
Winds SE ME Make/Model
Surface
Wind Speed
Surface
Wind Gust
Crosswind
Component
Performance SE ME Make/Model
Shortest
runway
Highest
terrain
Highest
density altitude

34. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
If you are facing:
Pilot
Illness, medication,
stress, or fatigue; lack of
currency (e.g., haven’t
flown for several weeks)
Add
At least
500 feet to ceiling
At least
½ mile to visibility
Aircraft
An unfamiliar airplane, or
an aircraft with unfamiliar
avionics/ equipment:
At least
500 ft to runway
length
enVironment
Airports and airspace with
different terrain or
unfamiliar characteristics
Reduce
At least
5 knots from winds
External
pressures
“Must meet” deadlines,
passenger pressures; etc.
Personal Minimums
Adjust baseline personal
minimums to:

35. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Carved in Stone??

36. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Rules to Live by…
No matter how much they whine…
NEVER weaken
your personal
minimums in
order to make a
specific flight.

37. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Rules to Live by…
 Experiment with
care - keep all
other variables
constant.
 Talk through
“push-the-
envelope” plans
with a flight
instructor.

38. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Don’t
cut into
your
skill
reserve.
Rules to Live by…

39. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Don’t go to the
‘unusable fuel’
level of aircraft
performance or
piloting ability.
Rules to Live by…

40. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Stretching Personal Minimums
Gain Experience
Reassess & Review
Modify with Care

41. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Stick to the Plan!
Within my personal minimums?
• Each pilot’s response is unique to individual
training, experience, confidence, and aircraft.

42. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Would you go?

43. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Would you go?

44. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Would you go?

45. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
Wind Ceiling & Visibility Performance
Would you go?

46. Federal Aviation
AdministrationThe Science of Situational Awareness – March 2012
www.faasafety.gov susan.parson@faa.gov