Professional Education

For a skill that is so pivotal to one’s survival, it is ironic that we often leave the development of aeronautical decision making (ADM) to chance. “As you gain more experience you will make better decisions”—clearly, this is an outdated axiom. What are you doing to change this? This course will review the tenets of ADM and then explore how it is evolving. In-depth case studies of accidents will help participants understand how decision-making occurs in dynamic situations. Participants will also develop the building blocks for threat-and-error management (TEM) skills.

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

• How to better understand the human decision-making process
•  How to distinguish between analytical and naturalistic decision-making
• About the benefits of TEM and how to start a process for implementing it
• How the systems work together to support successful outcomes

A great deal of misunderstanding surrounds the various physiological responses to stressors. How does the body react to extreme fatigue? How do energy drinks affect response times in an emergency? How do we make decisions under stress? What is spatial disorientation? This course will look at each of these from an operational perspective.

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

• About fatigue and its effects on human performance
• The three aspects of crew rest
• How to compare the effects of sports drinks versus energy drinks
• About stress and its effects on how we process information
• The four ways we make decisions
• About spatial disorientation, and how to compare the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems

This course is designed for aviation professionals who want to better understand and ultimately implement safety programs within a flight department. Concepts covered include emergency preparedness, emergency equipment, safety programs, best practices, and risk management.

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

• The standard techniques and key areas of safety audits
• How to establish a safety program and safety committee
• The key points of developing an accident/incident tracking system
• How to develop plans for disaster recovery and emergency preparedness
• Common maintenance control procedures for inspections, repairs, and prevention measures, including computerized options, and flight department regulatory requirements

This course provides pilots, aircrew, and passengers with basic preflight, in-flight, and post-aircraft-ditching knowledge and survival skills, including use of emergency breathing devices (EBDs).

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

• How to prioritize tasks prior to ditching
• To identify and perform critical steps for the use of underwater egress and EBDs
• To identify water survival skills

Many leaders fall for the general misconception that the most effective way of addressing issues that contribute to incidents and accidents is to add perceived “layers of safety.” This is generally executed by introducing increasingly sophisticated technical systems. This course will train participants on how to effectively improve safety by giving adequate and appropriate consideration to human factors and their consequences.

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

·         The difference between technical and nontechnical skills (NTS)

·         How to apply NTS to address root causal factors of incidents and accidents

·         How to use NTS to enhance general adherence to company rules and regulations

·         How to use NTS to assess company operations

Take your skill level up a notch and learn from leading industry professionals how to properly use, maintain, and execute rigging methods. We will also cover rigging-gear inspection practices that can be used and shared with job-site personnel, leading to a safer work environment for all.

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

• How to properly identify soft web, round, and long-line rigging, and acceptable methods of attachment
• When, and more importantly, when NOT to use certain types of rigging, given susceptibility to environmental and mechanical limitations
• Different methods for ensuring load stability during flight

This risk management training program will raise awareness of fatigue and its associated hazards in the workplace. Participants will learn how to recognize the warning signs of fatigue, apply effective countermeasures, and make life choices that support long-term fatigue management. Fatigue management will be explored within the safety management system (SMS) framework, with reference to individual as well as organizational implications. Contributing factors such as sleep awareness, food, water, caffeine, drugs, exercise, commuting, and work schedule design will be discussed, along with an in-depth review of time management and life balance.

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will learn:

• To monitor potential causes of fatigue and devise action plans to minimize their effects in accord with company procedures
• To identify personal warning signs of fatigue and appropriate countermeasures
• To make positive lifestyle choices to effectively manage fatigue

Get your industry questions answered in this town hall. This experienced panel is prepared to address a host of hot topics, including where we will get the next generation of helicopter pilots and maintenance technicians. The future of the industry depends upon finding quality personnel to fill a growing list of unfilled pilot and mechanic positions for all rotary-wing operators, large and small. Join the discussion on the use of creative options to fill these positions with personnel that are technically qualified, well trained, and highly motivated with a strong safety culture.