ADM (Flight Risk Management Tools)

kontiki

kontiki

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I'm having trouble flying enough to stay as proficient as I should. I was wondering if I maybe shouldn't be using some sort of risk management/ADM Decision Making tool when I plan a flight, just to make sure I haven't forgotten something or aren't a little too rusty in some critical area.

I know AOPA has one, anyone know of any others?
Thanks,
 
I guess I'd respond with another question...how do you plan to use a risk assessment tool? If it gives you a number, how do you decide whether to go, cancel the trip, or find some method to mitigate the risks involved (which probably doesn't involve lowering your risk number)?

I think risk assessment tools have their place, but they certainly don't address a lot of operational factors, both pro and con, that would allow or prevent a flight.
 
What is not enough to stay proficient? Curious.
 
I use common sense, works well.

At work we have risk assessments, don't think a proper assessment of the danger of a said flight can be as easily boiler plate calculated.
 
James331 said:
I use common sense, works well.

At work we have risk assessments, don't think a proper assessment of the danger of a said flight can be as easily boiler plate calculated.
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Entirely agree on common sense. Far too many people forget about using common sense. Of course far too many people seem not to have much common sense.

CAP has an incredibly detailed (and annoying) ADM matrix. One of the reasons I'm not a CAP pilot but the one in the back seat.
 
murphey said:
Entirely agree on common sense. Far too many people forget about using common sense. Of course far too many people seem not to have much common sense.

CAP has an incredibly detailed (and annoying) ADM matrix. One of the reasons I'm not a CAP pilot but the one in the back seat.
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It’s like 10 questions amd you fill it out online, mostly by selecting radio buttons. Of all the preflight paperwork, this one is trivial. :dunno:

These tools started (I’m told) as a way for military pilots to quantify risks and reject flights they were uncomfortable with. I don’t love the tools, but I do like the way they help me realize when I’m stacking risks on top of each other. It’s a way to break the chain that leads to an accident.

I generally have a “get it done” attitude towards flying, and tend to compartmentalize decisions. So it doesn’t always occur to me right away that things might be piling up and creating extra risks, even though none of the individual items would be a worry. 20 knot winds? No problem. 3000 foot ceilings? That’s fine. High pilot workload? I’ve done it before. Time pressures? I can do a quick preflight and a rolling runup. Get enough sleep? Worked late and only got 5 hours, but I feel okay...

That’s a situation I’ve been in before. Looking a it all on paper makes me realize that maybe something’s gotta change about this flight, including maybe not taking it.
 
DFH65 said:
What is not enough to stay proficient? Curious.
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I'm not an ATP track pilot and I'm older with about 500 hours. I got an instrument rating, but am not current. I have an airplane, but it's a project right now. I didn't fly for about 2 years. I went through a good flight review, and now get up 1-3 times a month in a rental for practice. This will be how it goes until I get things straightened out. I work in 121 aviation providing engineering support for maintenance, but providing support for things like SATCOM and WX radar, really dosen't keep me in the game as a GA pilot. I regularly review written questions and IFR magazine, but am not sure how a written test would go at this point.
 
I just just ask myself whats poa gonna say if i have an accident. An adm tool seems a bit much.
 
midlifeflyer said:
If you want a tool, search FRAK online and in your favorite App or Play Store.
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FRAK or FRAT?

FRAK doesn't seem to turn up anything aviation related, unless you consider swearing on Battlestar Falactica to be aviation related. ;)
 
I appreciate everyone's input. I did find the FRAT tool (there's two, haven't done much with either yet) and had already taken a second look at what's on the AOPA site.

A number of years ago, when I was flying more, I was thinking about a VFR sightseeing flight to KCHA. I had just watched an AOPA ASI training on ADM and they demonstrated an ADM software in the module. I entered in flight details for a MEM-CHA trip and it made me aware, for the first time, that I was flying into mountainous terrain and prompted me to look at some mountain flying review or training. I always look at profile tools when I plan a cross country now.

Recently, I was wondering; it's been ages since I've flown at night, should I use a CFI or just go knock out some night landings? I feel really confident it would be OK, but like I said, it's been awhile. That the train of thought led me to started wondering about using an assessment tool of some kind. How do I go about redeveloping a well rounded proficiency?

I believe aviation it's safe, as long as you understand the environment and address the risks. I approach flying that way. My aviation background is broad technically, but thin as a pilot.
 
I use prism. Simple to go through. Makes you evaluate all the risks you may or may not think about. Only takes a minute or two.
 
18 years of filling out RAs in military / commercial flying and I still think for the most part, it’s bureaucratic fluff.

Never have I used one that is a true go / no go decision maker. I could be flying with thunderstorms in the area, at 3AM with no sleep, landing on a road intersection and I’m still going to be approved to fly. They’re intentionally designed that way. Never once have I had a briefer deny “mission” approval because of fatigue. Unless you’re high on THC, flying on a suspension in the middle of a hurricane, you’re gonna be a “go.” Also, outside of combat, every single RA that I’ve done show me as “low risk.” Low risk for a job (HEMS) that used to be considered the most dangerous in the US and in the case of the military, has had a rash of accidents in recent years. Low risk my a$$.

Second problem that I have is that’s related to the first, is that none of the ones that I’ve used accurately reflect the level of risk. You can’t put an arbitrary number with fatigue any more than you can with weather. Both are fluid and subjective depending on the individual. One pilot flying at 3AM with no sleep might not feel like a “4” but another might flat out bypass any number and go straight to accident waiting to happen. One pilot might handle 1000 & 3 weather just fine, while another could be completely terrified of it. Either way, the only thing keeping the pilot from going is their own self assessment.

Now, we could say the RA is a tool to allow the pilot to be aware of things they might not know. I’d say that anyone who uses a proper preflight planning format that’s IAW with the FARs, will be aware of the majority of what’s covered on an RA. The rest won’t matter anyway because...it’s still gonna tell you that you’re a “go.”:D As private pilots, you won’t even have someone senior, evaluating, mitigating and approving your RA either. So it’s essentially up to you anyway.

So, if you treat an RA for what it is, a general assessment of risk based on a certain group’s interpretation of risk then fine, go with it. But in my opinion, if you do proper preflight planning and include IMSAFE with it, that’s really all that’s necessary. Even then, it has to be an honest go / no go assessment without outside influence on those safety factors (weather, proficiency, IMSAFE). Yeah, easier said than done.
 
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