Time to Stand Down and Re-evaluate Aviation Risk Management

[okikuma]

Whenever the U.S. Military experiences a rash of accidents, a "Stand Down" is implemented to review operations and procedures using proven Risk Management protocols. This is the perfect time for all of us aviators here on this forum to Stand Down and review our own Risk Management procedures to mitigate any future accidents.

Wayne

https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/handbooksmanuals/risk-management-handbook-faa-h-8083-2a

 

[TyroGyro]

Almost since I joined this forum, I have reported what the numbers scream loud and clear.

80% of fatal gyro accidents are avoidable, and can ultimately be traced to POOR ADM.

Risk and Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)

I attach the relevant section from the latest version of the UK CAA "Skyway Code". As I firmly believe that the vast majority of fatal gyro accidents are caused by poor ADM I think the gyro world would be a lot safer if more attention was paid to such things... Fly Safe

www.rotaryforum.com

And the number one killer is: WIRE STRIKES.

 

[Jazzenjohn]

I think the gyro as an aircraft has huge advantages in the safety of low level flying, But, if someone doesn't carefully overfly those areas beforehand for wires, people, structures, antenna, etc. that extra margin of safety evaporates.

I think Gyros as an aircraft also lends itself to overconfidence in lower time pilots. The dangerous times as was explained to me in an Air Force accident class is, Absolute beginner where someone might freeze and lock up, or doesn't know what they might do is impossible or unrecoverable, Low time, where the pilot gets a good sense of flying the gyro and his or her confidence rises and surpasses their skills and can lead to flying in such a way that they get in over their head.
High time pilot where their huge experience and extreme skills are subverted by lackadaisical flying and carelessness.

It would be my hope that we could develop a black box for gyros to get a better handle on the many unknown causes of accidents. Perhaps a combination of the rotorhead stuff from Mike, and data logging.

 

[Mayfield]

and his or her confidence rises and surpasses their skills

All your other points are valid, but this, in my opinion, is the proximate cause of many accidents. This is the killer that Abid and others harp on and is an easy trap to fall into.

In the Corps we called it the "Alligator mouth, hummingbird ass" syndrome.

Jim

 

[Abid]

I think the gyro as an aircraft has huge advantages in the safety of low level flying, But, if someone doesn't carefully overfly those areas beforehand for wires, people, structures, antenna, etc. that extra margin of safety evaporates.

I think Gyros as an aircraft also lends itself to overconfidence in lower time pilots. The dangerous times as was explained to me in an Air Force accident class is, Absolute beginner where someone might freeze and lock up, or doesn't know what they might do is impossible or unrecoverable, Low time, where the pilot gets a good sense of flying the gyro and his or her confidence rises and surpasses their skills and can lead to flying in such a way that they get in over their head.
High time pilot where their huge experience and extreme skills are subverted by lackadaisical flying and carelessness.

It would be my hope that we could develop a black box for gyros to get a better handle on the many unknown causes of accidents. Perhaps a combination of the rotorhead stuff from Mike, and data logging.

The black box is there but there seems little interest. Gyro Warning System does collect a lot of data. Unfortunately, it isn't able to collect engine RPM from some Rotax models like iS engines. But Chris was developing a linux based system to be a logger for all GWS data plus other engine data. He gave up because there isn't a lot of demand from Magni, AutoGyro or ELA. We are the only gyroplane manufacturer who have shown interest. The Europeans who sell more and would make it viable have zero interest.
I have just bought the company 100% back from investors who had taken majority shares of SilverLight Aviation so I am in the process of revamping marketing, sales and supply chain. All new AR-1's will come with GWS and will have at least the logger that comes with it.
Gyroplane is safe but no one protect you from yourself. I used to be fearful of gyroplanes when I first came into them coming from mainly trikes and then airplanes. Gyroplanes are more maneuverable but that does not mean they are aerobatic. It also does not mean just because the machine can do certain things that you as a weekend pilot should do them. There isn't a huge difference flying at 150 feet or flying at 20 feet in the view but there is a difference in accident rate there.

 

[MikeBoyette]

Dad always warned me about the ace syndrome. He said every gyro pilot he ever knew felt invincible at around the 50 to 75 hour mark.
He stated this is when they are the most dangerous. Confidence for sure is way higher than actual skill. He surmised that if you can survive that you will somewhere shortly do something stupid and survive that makes you realize your skill isn't as good as you thought.
This is the best teacher of respect for the machine and for most of us it becomes a wake up call to calm it down.
This may have been already addressed but, why wouldn't a wire cutting device such as most helicopters have mounted work on a gyro?

 

[GyrOZprey]

I was told by several CFI's that the new-gyro pilot has 3 "over-confidence" periods in their flight-time ...as Mike &Ernie have observed - approaching 100 hours .....again about 300 hours & around 1,000 hours!

In my own journey I have observed my personal "caution/fear-factor" see changes around these experience-points!

 

[Andino]

He said every gyro pilot he ever knew felt invincible at around the 50 to 75 hour mark. He stated this is when they are the most dangerous. Confidence for sure is way higher than actual skill. He surmised that if you can survive that you will somewhere shortly do something stupid and survive that makes you realize your skill isn't as good as you thought.

Sounds like the equivalent of a boy's teenager years. Survive them, and he has a chance to become an adult.