1st Edition
Aeronautical Decision-Making and Aviation Safety in the Alaskan Operational Setting
Aeronautical Decision-Making and Aviation Safety in the Alaskan Operational Setting introduces the reader to the real-life experiences of aviators who fly in remote settings such as Alaska in the United States. It covers the challenges related to limited aviation infrastructure and support that affect human factors like aeronautical decision-making and its impact on aviation safety.
Through a unique blend of meticulous case study analysis and semi-structured interviews with Alaskan pilots, this book offers a comprehensive understanding of the proverbial challenges of flying in Alaska. It uncovers the human factors elements specific to this environment, shedding light on the factors that influence a pilot’s decision-making which may contribute to the high rate of accidents in Alaska and other remote regions. The content is supported by historical and socio-economic perspectives on remote-setting aviation operations. Global perspectives are discussed with narratives from one author's experiences flying to remote airstrips in Africa. The book concludes with practical recommendations to improve decision-making and aviation safety in these remote settings, making it a must-read for aviation professionals.
This insightful research is not just for academic consumption. It is a practical guide for aviation professionals, including pilots, dispatch teams, air traffic controllers, and aviation support personnel. It offers valuable insights into the human factors involved in flying in Alaska, which can be directly applied in other aviation resource-constrained geographical regions, making it an indispensable resource for those in the field.
CHAPTER 1: AVIATION OPERATIONS IN REMOTE SETTINGS
What are Remote Settings?
Transportation in Remote Settings
Remote Aviation Operations (Bush Flying)
Geography of the Bush
Aircraft
Pilot Group/Experience
Airports/Infrastructure
Regulatory Challenges
CHAPTER 2: REMOTE SETTING OPERATIONAL FACTORS AND SAFETY IMPLICATIONS
Fly Alaska: Historical Perspectives and Operations Safety
Historical Perspectives
Operations Safety
Organizational, Psychosocial, and Cultural Factors that Influence Operational Safety
Aviation Safety Management Initiatives—Effectiveness and Limitations
CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES OF HUMAN FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING IN REMOTE OPERATIONAL SETTINGS
Hazardous Attitudes and Pilot Personality
Anti-authority
Invulnerability
Macho
Impulsiveness
Resignation
Impact of Ego and Other Attitudinal Factors on Pilot Decision-Making in the Flight Deck
Goal Seduction, Plan Continuation Errors, and Pilot Decision-Making
Plan Continuation Errors
Foot-in-the-door Persuasion
Social Theories Related to Operator Decision-Making
Social Identity Theory, Collective Self-efficacy, and Aviation Group Behaviors
CHAPTER 4: CASE STUDIES ON ALASKAN AVIATION OPERATIONAL SETTINGS
Introduction to Alaska Case Studies
The Endemic of Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT)
CFIT Case Study: Togiak
Analysis
Organizational Culture and Accident Causation
Promech Air: Ketchikan
Analysis
The Production and Protection Conundrum (External Pressures)
Ketchikan Mid-Air
Analysis
CHAPTER 5: RESEARCHING PILOT DECISION-MAKING IN ALASKAN OPERATIONAL SETTINGS (QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY)
Interviewing
The Ethical Dilemma
Qualitative Data Analysis
Codes and Themes
CHAPTER 6: HUMAN AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING IN REMOTE OPERATIONAL SETTINGS: REAL-TIME PERSPECTIVES
Pilot Relationships
Pilot Attitudes
Skill Enhancement
Infrastructure Limitations
Organizational Factors
Regulatory Oversight
CHAPTER 7: PUSH THE THROTTLE, LET’S FLY SAFELY IN ALASKA’S REMOTE SETTINGS: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUDING PERSPECTIVES
Enhancing Aeronautical Decision-Making in Alaskan Aviation Operations Using Insider Perspectives
What is Next for Aviation in Alaska?
Global Implications and International Perspectives
Concluding Remarks
CHAPTER REFERENCES
Index
Biography
Dana Atkins started her career flying medevac operations to remote locations across Alaska. She has flown for numerous operators in Alaska and previously flew the Boeing 767, domestically and abroad. She currently flies the Boeing 737 for a Legacy Airline in the U.S. Dana holds a Master of Science (MS) in Aviation from the University of North Dakota. Her main research interests are the human factors of bush and backcountry flying in remote settings.
Daniel Kwasi Adjekum is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Dakota Aviation Department, teaching courses in crew resource management, safety management systems, and human factors. He has over 24 years of experience as a former Ghana Air Force aircraft commander and aviation safety consultant. He has experience flying BN-2T islanders and Fokker F-27 into remote airstrips in Africa and previously flew Boeing 737 aircraft for an international airline. Kwasi holds a Ph.D. in aerospace sciences. He is a globally recognized subject matter expert in aviation safety and a sought-after resource for global news media on aviation safety issues. He is also an International Air Transport Association (IATA) certified Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation and control expert.
