This a series of articles about Risk, which are a part of Command Judgement and Decision Making (Risk Introduction - Part 7 is here)
Is aviation a risky business?
Definitely – but that doesn’t stop us from going flying.
Consider the following statements;
Risk & Safety
You may have heard the phase “safety is paramount” (i.e. safety comes above and before all else). If that were truly the case we would be out of a job, as we would never go flying. There will always be an element of risk in anything we do (including aviation), but just because there is some form of risk does not mean that we will not attempt it. We obviously want to minimise risk or even eliminate it if possible. Our usual strategy in the aviation game is to be as safe as possible.
Being safe usually does not eliminate risk – it only reduces it.
That is where you, the Captain, come in. One of your primary goals, tasks and jobs is to constantly be a Risk Assessor and Risk Manager and to Balance The Risk that you have elected to take on, to maximise the safe, legal and efficient outcome of your flight. This Risk Management role will often dictate the decisions that you make. You will be required to decide if you, or your crew, engage in risky behaviour or activities and when, where and how much assumed risk you take on. This will have to be assessed based on your desired goals and plans.
Pilots can be “Dangerously Safe”. This is another way of saying they are extremely Risk Aversive and do not willing accept risk or will avoid risk no matter how minor. These dangerously safe pilots usually miss out on the benefits and opportunities associated with taking a considered and calculated Risk Assessment. They usually frustrate the hell out of their other crew members, as the other person cannot understand why they are not accepting some risk to achieve a better outcome.
Most pilots associate risk with external factors; the weather, environment, aircraft serviceability, ATC, terrain, traffic etc.
However, risk can also be associated with internal, “human” factors. Risk is very often human centred – it is YOU!
Do you ever look at yourself as a “risk”? Poor Decision Making, lack of judgement, uncurrent, ill-disciplined, not prepared, fatigued, frustrated, lack of knowledge, emotional (both positive and negative emotions).
Often it is these “humanity” aspects that are risky. You can also gain or lose in the humanity stakes.
You may be worried about being late, not being promoted, being embarrassed, getting reprimanded. You may need to, satisfy your need to be valued, feed your ego, fulfil other’s expectations, be seen as competent, to achieve a personal convenient outcome or be accepted by your peers and/or superiors. You may want to get home, gain or avoid a financial advantage/disadvantage, seek enjoyment or thrills. You may be personally, over/under confident, happy, sad, frustrated, angry or be Risk Aversive or a Risk Taker.
These human factors also have positive and negative opportunities and outcomes and these are the human motivators that may affect what types of risk you accept. These “human” factor risks could be seen as illogical and irrational and have no place in aviation Risk Assessment and Management. But you (and your crew) ARE human and therefore you WILL be affected by these humanity risk factors.
The Weakest & Strongest Link
Accident and incident reports have time and again shown that pilots are very often the weakest link in the accident or incident chain (or in other words, the highest risk factor) and could be considered to be the weakest link in the chain of events. So you and your team are a risk factor that you will have to consider.
But accidents or incidents are the negative outcomes of possibly poor or inadequate Judgement and Decision Making. They are also an extremely tiny minority of the millions of flights that are undertaken.
The vast majority of flights will have a successful outcome. And one of the reasons for this overwhelmingly successful rate is the complex and correct (not always optimal, but nevertheless correct and safe) Judgement and Decision making that the human element (you) of aviation makes continually on every flight. We pilots are irreplaceable (at least at the moment!), as computers and machines cannot match our flexibility, deductive, analytical and decision making abilities in rapidly changing, complex, volatile and ambiguous situations. So you could also be considered to be the strongest link in the chain of events.
As the Captain you are the Leader, the primary Decision Maker and Risk Assessor and Manager. You will most likely determine if you and your team are the weakest or the strongest link on any particular flight. Hopefully you will favour your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day we all just want to go home, see our significant other and ankle biters and have a beer (BBQ optional). A smoking hole is not a good option.
Be the best Risk Assessor and Manager that you can be and Balance The Risk so that you can have that beer.
Is aviation a risky business?
Definitely – but that doesn’t stop us from going flying.
Consider the following statements;
- Everything we do has some sort of risk (high, low or neutral) associated with it.
- Life is risk.
- The only people without risk are six feet under.
- Risk is required to get things done.
- We accept risk on an “assumed risk” basis because there is a potential benefit or opportunity to be gained.
- Where there is no risk there is usually no opportunity.
- Success at a risk-free endeavour is impossible.
- He who risks nothing, gets nothing. (French Proverb)
Risk & Safety
You may have heard the phase “safety is paramount” (i.e. safety comes above and before all else). If that were truly the case we would be out of a job, as we would never go flying. There will always be an element of risk in anything we do (including aviation), but just because there is some form of risk does not mean that we will not attempt it. We obviously want to minimise risk or even eliminate it if possible. Our usual strategy in the aviation game is to be as safe as possible.
That is where you, the Captain, come in. One of your primary goals, tasks and jobs is to constantly be a Risk Assessor and Risk Manager and to Balance The Risk that you have elected to take on, to maximise the safe, legal and efficient outcome of your flight. This Risk Management role will often dictate the decisions that you make. You will be required to decide if you, or your crew, engage in risky behaviour or activities and when, where and how much assumed risk you take on. This will have to be assessed based on your desired goals and plans.
Pilots can be “Dangerously Safe”. This is another way of saying they are extremely Risk Aversive and do not willing accept risk or will avoid risk no matter how minor. These dangerously safe pilots usually miss out on the benefits and opportunities associated with taking a considered and calculated Risk Assessment. They usually frustrate the hell out of their other crew members, as the other person cannot understand why they are not accepting some risk to achieve a better outcome.
Safety in our aviation system depends, to a great extent, upon the amount of control we exercise over our choices to take risks. (Richard S. Jensen).Human Centred Risk
Most pilots associate risk with external factors; the weather, environment, aircraft serviceability, ATC, terrain, traffic etc.
However, risk can also be associated with internal, “human” factors. Risk is very often human centred – it is YOU!
Do you ever look at yourself as a “risk”? Poor Decision Making, lack of judgement, uncurrent, ill-disciplined, not prepared, fatigued, frustrated, lack of knowledge, emotional (both positive and negative emotions).
Often it is these “humanity” aspects that are risky. You can also gain or lose in the humanity stakes.
You may be worried about being late, not being promoted, being embarrassed, getting reprimanded. You may need to, satisfy your need to be valued, feed your ego, fulfil other’s expectations, be seen as competent, to achieve a personal convenient outcome or be accepted by your peers and/or superiors. You may want to get home, gain or avoid a financial advantage/disadvantage, seek enjoyment or thrills. You may be personally, over/under confident, happy, sad, frustrated, angry or be Risk Aversive or a Risk Taker.
These human factors also have positive and negative opportunities and outcomes and these are the human motivators that may affect what types of risk you accept. These “human” factor risks could be seen as illogical and irrational and have no place in aviation Risk Assessment and Management. But you (and your crew) ARE human and therefore you WILL be affected by these humanity risk factors.
The Weakest & Strongest Link
Accident and incident reports have time and again shown that pilots are very often the weakest link in the accident or incident chain (or in other words, the highest risk factor) and could be considered to be the weakest link in the chain of events. So you and your team are a risk factor that you will have to consider.
But accidents or incidents are the negative outcomes of possibly poor or inadequate Judgement and Decision Making. They are also an extremely tiny minority of the millions of flights that are undertaken.
The vast majority of flights will have a successful outcome. And one of the reasons for this overwhelmingly successful rate is the complex and correct (not always optimal, but nevertheless correct and safe) Judgement and Decision making that the human element (you) of aviation makes continually on every flight. We pilots are irreplaceable (at least at the moment!), as computers and machines cannot match our flexibility, deductive, analytical and decision making abilities in rapidly changing, complex, volatile and ambiguous situations. So you could also be considered to be the strongest link in the chain of events.
As the Captain you are the Leader, the primary Decision Maker and Risk Assessor and Manager. You will most likely determine if you and your team are the weakest or the strongest link on any particular flight. Hopefully you will favour your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day we all just want to go home, see our significant other and ankle biters and have a beer (BBQ optional). A smoking hole is not a good option.
Be the best Risk Assessor and Manager that you can be and Balance The Risk so that you can have that beer.
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