Theat and Error Management (TEM). What is it? Why should you care about it? What utilitarian value can it offer me? These are just a few of the questions pilots have regarding this often-overlooked concept in General Aviation. After reviewing this series the reader should be able to describe what threats and errors are, identify where threats and errors are likely to originate, and apply the management concepts that fit your type of operation.
Despite the many advances in available technology e.g., iPad(s), improvements in aircraft manufacturing processes, pilot training, weather forecasting, tracking, accuracy of navigation equipment, and cockpit and cabin ergonomics, accidents are still occurring. The most common denominator is due to a decline in human performance. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), “In the last 20 years, approximately 85 percent of aviation accidents have been caused by pilot error often the result of a tendency in flight training to focus solely on the physical aspects of flying the aircraft”. The FAA along with many industry stakeholders and affiliated organizations recognize this as an issue and have taken several steps to try to improve training. The airline industry has done a great, but not a perfect, job in addressing its accident rate. Maybe it’s time for the General Aviation community to look closely at how airlines adapted their policies and procedures to change these outcomes. In my blog ”Airline Style Recurrent Training for General Aviation” I will discuss this topic. For now back to Threat and Error Management.
The Threat and Error Management model is framework of concepts that consist of (3) basic components, threats, errors and undesirable aircraft states (UAS). Pilots and flight crews should be able to manage the ever-dynamic and complex flight operations in order to manage unsafe outcomes. Threat and Error management assists flight crews in understanding how human performance and safe aircraft operations during all phases of flight are interrelated.
Threats
Threats exist everywhere, every day in every aspect of our flight operations. Threats can present themselves in two forms, external and internal. External threats are threats or conditions that we cannot change or influence. Examples of external threats are; flight operations around questionable terrain, adverse meteorological conditions, ATC, Airport Conditions, MELs etc. Internal threats are those threats to the pilot/flight crew the option to control. Examples of internal threats are; stress, fatigue, hydration, and nutritional status.
Anticipated and Unanticipated Threats
Threats can also either be anticipated or unanticipated. Anticipated threats are those that are known to the pilot or flight crew. For example, your arrival airport has a planned runway closure at your arrival time, or a passing rain shower has left your grass strip wet. Opposite of anticipated threats are those that present as unanticipated threats. These types of threats may cause an additional layer of operational complexity. For example, an aircraft in-flight system malfunction or an airport closure due to a disabled aircraft on the runway.
Errors
Errors originate with the flight crew. They are defined as either actions or omissions by the pilot or flight crew that have the potential to lead the operation of an aircraft in an undesirable state if not trapped.