• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flight Literacy

Flight Training Educational Materials

  • Home
  • Basic Flight Training
    • Basic Aircraft Flight
    • Aeronautical Knowledge
    • Airplane Ownership – General Aviation Information
  • Advanced Flight Training
    • Instrument Flight Rules
    • Instrument Procedures
    • Flight Navigation
    • Aircraft Weight and Balance
    • Advanced Avionics
    • Risk Management
    • Aviation Instructor Training
    • Glider Flying
    • Weight-Shift Control Aircraft Flight
    • Helicopter Flight Training
    • Advisory Circulars
  • Training Aids
  • Tip Jar
You are here: Home / Instrument Flight Rules / Emergency Operations / Situational Awareness

Situational Awareness

Filed Under: Emergency Operations

Situational awareness is not simply a mental picture of aircraft location; rather, it is an overall assessment of each element of the environment and how it affects a flight. On one end of the situational awareness spectrum is a pilot who is knowledgeable of every aspect of the flight; consequently, this pilot’s decision-making is proactive. With good situational awareness, this pilot is able to make decisions well ahead of time and evaluate several different options. On the other end of the situational awareness spectrum is a pilot who is missing important pieces of the puzzle: “I knew exactly where I was when I ran out of fuel.” Consequently, this pilot’s decision-making is reactive. With poor situational awareness, a pilot lacks a vision of future events and is forced to make decisions quickly, often with limited options.

Secrets of Instrument Approaches and DeparturesFlight Literacy Recommends

Rod Machado's Secrets of Instrument Approaches and Departures – If you’re an active IFR pilot or preparing for an IPC or even your ATP or IFR rating, then this interactive course is for you. The IFR pilot’s weakest link is approach and departure knowledge as it relates to instrument charts.

During a typical IFR flight, a pilot operates at varying levels of situational awareness. For example, a pilot may be cruising to his or her destination with a high level of situational awareness when ATC issues an unexpected standard terminal arrival route (STAR). Since the pilot was not expecting the STAR and is not familiar with it, situational awareness is lowered. However, after becoming familiar with the STAR and resuming normal navigation, the pilot returns to a higher level of situational awareness.

Factors that reduce situational awareness include: distractions, unusual or unexpected events, complacency, high workload, unfamiliar situations, and inoperative equipment. In some situations, a loss of situational awareness may be beyond a pilot’s control. For example, a pneumatic system failure and associated loss of the attitude and heading indicators could cause a pilot to find his or her aircraft in an unusual attitude. In this situation, established procedures must be used to regain situational awareness.

Pilots should be alert to a loss of situational awareness anytime they are in a reactive mindset. To regain situational awareness, reassess the situation and seek additional information from other sources, such as the navigation instruments or ATC.

 

Traffic Avoidance

EFDs have the capability of displaying transponder-equipped aircraft on the MFD, as well as the inset map on the PFD. However, due to the limitations of the systems, not all traffic is displayed. Some traffic information service (TIS) units display only eight intruding targets within the service volume. The normal service volume has altitude limitations of 3,500 feet below the aircraft to 3,500 feet above the aircraft. The lateral limitation is 7 NM. [Figure 11-17] Pilots unfamiliar with the limitations of the system may rely on the aural warnings to alert them to approaching traffic.

Figure 11-17. The area surrounding the aircraft for coverage using TIS.
Figure 11-17. The area surrounding the aircraft for coverage using TIS.

In addition to an outside visual scan of traffic, a pilot should incorporate any traffic information electronically displayed, such as TIS. This innovation in traffic alerting reinforces and adds synergy to the ability to see and avoid. However, it is an aid and not a replacement for the responsibilities of the pilot. Systems such as TIS provide a visual representation of nearby traffic and displays a symbol on the moving map display with relative information about altitude, vertical trends, and direction of flight. [Figure 11-18]

Figure 11-18. A typical display on aircraft MFD when using TIS.
Figure 11-18. A typical display on aircraft MFD when using TIS. [click image to enlarge]
It is important to remember that most systems display only a specific maximum number of targets allowed. Therefore, it does not mean that the targets displayed are the only aircraft in the vicinity. The system displays only the closest aircraft. In addition, the system does not display aircraft that are not equipped with transponders. The display may not show any aircraft; however, a Piper Cub with no transponder could be flying in the area. TIS coverage can be sporadic and is not available in some areas of the United States. Traffic advisory software is to be utilized only for increased situational awareness and not the sole means of traffic avoidance. There is no substitute for a good visual scan of the surrounding sky.

Flight Literacy Recommends

Rod Machado's Instrument Pilot's Handbook -Flight Literacy recommends Rod Machado's products because he takes what is normally dry and tedious and transforms it with his characteristic humor, helping to keep you engaged and to retain the information longer. (see all of Rod Machado's Products).

-->

Primary Sidebar

SEARCH FLIGHT LITERACY

Basic Flight Training

Basic Aircraft Flight
Aeronautical Knowledge
Airplane Ownership - General Aviation
Training Aids

Advanced Flight Training

Instrument Flight Rules
Instrument Procedures
Flight Navigation
Aircraft Weight and Balance
Advanced Avionics
Risk Management
Aviation Instructor Training
Glider Flying
Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft
Helicopter Flight Training
Aircraft Mechanic (flight-mechanic.com)

Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Easy Campfire Recipes | Recipe Workbook


Please help support our work
HIT THE TIP JAR

Copyright © 2022 FlightLiteracy.com




.