Discipline
This presentation provides an overview of discipline in aviation. It is intended to enhance the reader's understanding, but it shall not supersede the applicable regulations or airline's operational
documentation. Should there be any discrepancy between this presentation and an airline’s AFM / (M)MEL / FCOM / QRH / FCTM, the latter shall prevail at all times.
Introduction
This visual guide defines discipline and
illustrates its importance to safe flight
operations. The objective is to reinforce the
importance of discipline as the basis of
airmanship. The material may be used for
self study or as part of a formal training
presentation. The speaker’s notes provide
additional information.
Speakers may add Speakers Notes to this presentation. To add Speaker Notes, click the right mouse button in Slideshow View, select Screen, select Speakers Notes.
This presentation can be printed in the notes format to provide a personal reference document. 2.PQ_04_VIS
Contents
1. What is discipline?
2. Attitudes that can affect discipline
3. Violations
4. Summary
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This presentation can be printed in the notes format to provide a personal reference document. 2.PQ_04_VIS
What Is Discipline?
Behavior in accord with rules of conduct
Behavior and order maintained by training
and control
An individual’s personal commitment to
comply with rules and procedures
The willpower and ability to operate safely
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What Produces Discipline?
Aviation discipline comes from training that develops:
• Self-control
• Character
• Positive safety attitudes
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What Is Good Discipline?
Good aviation discipline is planning and preparing for problems
before they arise by thinking ahead and:
Not accepting that rules must be bent to maximize the effectiveness
of the flying task
Suppressing the belief that ability and experience enable a pilot to
do the job without following standard procedures
Avoiding the temptation to make a task more exciting or interesting
by deviating from procedures or rules
Rejecting opportunities for shortcuts or for doing things that
appear to be better but are not permitted by procedures or rules
Resisting the temptation to break rules to impress others
The effects of poor discipline:
Of 93 hull losses investigated, 33% involved a pilot deviation from basic
operational procedures and 26% involved inadequate cross-check by
the second crewmember. Lautman and Gallimore
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Attitudes and Discipline
An attitude:
Is a set of beliefs or state of mind that can influence a pilot’s behavior
Is often directed at a person, object or task
May be positive, negative or neutral (neither positive nor negative)
Attitudes can have a direct effect on an individual’s level of discipline
when operating an aircraft.
An individual’s attitude can influence others and thereby have a direct
effect on a team’s level of discipline.
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Positive Attitudes
Positive attitudes:
Optimism — disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable
side of events or conditions
Openness — willingness to disclose or reveal one's knowledge,
thoughts, feelings; receptive to input from others
Honesty — truthfulness, sincerity or frankness
Benefits of positive attitudes:
Foster self and team discipline
Foster trust among team members
Increase personal confidence
Increase team confidence
A good rule is to trust but verify. Insist that other team
members do the same for your actions and decisions.
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Negative/Hazardous Attitudes
Negative/hazardous attitudes that must be avoided:
Anti-authority
Impulsiveness
Invulnerability
Machismo
Resignation
Complacency
Defense against these attitudes requires continual self-
assessment.
A pilot must be able to identify and correct his or her own
negative/hazardous attitudes before considering the
attitudes of team members.
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Anti-Authority: Don’t tell me what to do!
Some people have a problem with being told what to do
It often stems from a lack of knowledge or preparation
A person may feel that his or her authority is being challenged
Defenses for the individual:
Understand that you do not know everything and that you cannot attend to
everything by yourself
Understand that the other crewmembers are there to help
Do not take offense if someone questions your actions
Explain your thoughts if time permits
Defenses for the entire crew:
Before each mission:
– Agree on the rules and procedures to be followed
– Clearly establish that anyone can voice a concern
– Plan for, and prepare for, possible problems
Do not hesitate to question any team member who fails to adhere to a rule or
procedure
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Impulsiveness: I don’t need to think about that!
An impulsive person acts without thinking or analyzing a
situation
Impulsive people may believe they have enough information to make a decision when
they do not
People who are normally not impulsive may act impulsively when hurried or pressured
for a response
Defenses for the individual:
Do not rush unnecessarily — take time to consider the situation
Maximize information through detailed preparation
Increase skills through practice
Defenses for the entire crew:
Use SOPs whenever possible
For unusual situations, ―create‖ more time to plan and gather information (e.g., initiate
a go-around)
Not So Fast, Think First!
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Invulnerability: It could never happen to me!
Invulnerability is the belief that nothing can go wrong or that
you are immune from harm
Often due to overconfidence in one’s abilities or technology
– Experts are as susceptible to feelings of invulnerability as novices
– Over-reliance on automation or new systems can lead to feeling invulnerable
May stem from a failure to understand surrounding hazards
– Anyone in a new situation, not just novices, may fail to understand the hazards
associated with a particular task
Defenses for the individual:
Increase knowledge and risk-assessment training
Identify opportunities for error, even in routine tasks
Defenses for the entire crew:
Beware of careless and overconfident crewmembers
Openly discuss problems you observe or anticipate and have a plan for
dealing with them
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Machismo: I’m in charge!
A machismo attitude involves being overly assertive and
domineering, and feeling the need to prove oneself or to
impress others
Although machismo is generally associated with men, both men
and women can feel the need to prove themselves and, in turn,
engage in risky behaviors
Machismo can lead to characterizing important information from
others as unimportant and ignoring it
Defenses for the individual:
Request and consider information from fellow
crewmembers
Learn from others, instead of competing
Realize that safe flight is proof enough of your skills
Defenses for the entire crew:
Create a team environment in which everyone’s concerns are heard and
everyone is expected to contribute to decisions
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Resignation: Nothing else can be done!
Resignation is an attitude that nothing more can be done to
improve a situation
Resignation is marked by a sense of helplessness, and
A belief that fate/chance will determine the outcome
Defenses for the individual:
Train for as many scenarios as possible
Seek input from other team members
Never give up
Defenses for the entire crew:
Ask the question, ―Have you considered…?‖
Look outside the aircraft to ATC or others for help
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Complacency: We don’t need to worry about
anything right now!
Complacency is a feeling of satisfaction or contentment with
what is happening without awareness of the real dangers of
the situation
Complacency is often marked by failure to understand the hazards
Complacency can be associated with boredom and attitudes of
machismo and invulnerability
Novice pilots are at risk because they do not understand risks
Expert pilots are at risk because of overconfidence
Defenses for the individual:
Learn and understand the hazards associated with each phase of flight
Constantly assess the status of the aircraft
Defenses for the entire crew:
Monitor each other’s attitudes, activities and activity levels
Do not hesitate to ask a crewmember to pay more attention
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Errors and Discipline
Errors result in the failure of planned actions to achieve their
desired goal. The three main types of aviation errors involve:
Slips — errors of observable actions that are usually related to
attentional failures (e.g., pressing the wrong button when trying to press
the one next to it)
Lapses — internal errors of omission that usually involve memory (e.g.,
forgetting to use a call number when contacting ATC)
Mistakes — errors when a planned action is inadequate or inappropriate
Errors can happen to anyone, but good discipline can help a
crew recover before the error grows into a larger problem.
Cross-checking is especially helpful in detecting errors.
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Violations and Discipline
Violations occur when an individual fails to follow rules or
procedures. Violations can be:
Unintentional — unknowing violations of rules or procedures. These
can include slips, lapses and mistakes that violate a rule and are often
related to lack of knowledge or high workload
Intentional — deliberate failure to comply with a rule or procedure
The same violation (e.g., failure to use a checklist) could be
intentional or unintentional depending on why it occurred.
Time pressure and high workload increase the likelihood of
all types of violations, particularly intentional ones.
The perceived benefits of violating a procedure may appear
to outweigh the risks, but a crew’s perception of risk may be
flawed by external or internal pressures.
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Discipline as a Defense Against Errors and Violations
Following rules and procedures eliminates intentional violations
Having the willpower to use checklists and cross-check even in
common/familiar situations will help avoid errors and detect errors
that do occur
Having the discipline to take training seriously and to take the time
to retrain old skills will eliminate many errors
Exercising discipline in the control of negative/hazardous attitudes
(self and crew) can reduce errors and violations dramatically
Exercising discipline in preparation and planning for each phase of
the flight will eliminate the many errors and violations caused by
―winging it‖
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