I bring you a weekly bite-sized chunk of the science behind helicopter human factors and CRM in practice, simplifying the complex and distilling a helicopter related study into a summary of less than 500 words.
TITLE:
Impact of adverse weather on commercial helicopter pilot decision-making and standard operating procedures.
WHAT?
This study explored how commercial helicopter pilots gather, interpret, and act on weather information, and how adverse weather affects decision-making and SOPs. It focused on identifying gaps in weather information and cognitive challenges in helicopter operations.
WHERE?
Georgia Institute of Technology’s Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory and Cognitive Engineering Center, USA.
WHEN?
Researched 2020. Findings presented to AIAA Aviation Forum in August 2021.
WHY?
Helicopter accidents are disproportionately affected by weather. About 28% of fatal helicopter accidents involve weather, especially inadvertent IMC. Helicopters operate at low altitudes, often away from airports, where weather reporting is sparse, creating unique risks compared to fixed-wing aircraft.
HOW?
219 helicopter crews surveyed on weather tools, decision-making, and safety practices. 9 experienced pilots from different sectors participated in Applied Cognitive Task Analysis (ACTA) semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis identified common issues.
FINDINGS:
- Pilots frequently encounter sparse or inaccurate weather data along routes, especially away from airports.
- When data is lacking, pilots fall back on local or knowledge from previous experience, sometimes distrusting official forecasts.
- Although digital tools and cockpit displays have improved, issues such as latency (up to 15 minutes), inability to detect fog/low clouds, and inconsistent information reduce usefulness of weather information.
- External pressures such as patient needs, customer demands, or mission urgency can influence pilots into riskier decisions on weather.
- Some pilots discount certain sources they consider unreliable, which reduces the diversity of weather data consulted.
SO WHAT?
The study concludes that while technology has improved pilots’ access to weather information, gaps remain that compromise decision-making and safety. It recommends:
- Expanding weather reporting infrastructure beyond airports to cover helicopter operational areas.
- Making advanced weather tools used in HEMS available and practical for all helicopter pilots, not just HEMS operators.
- Developing better tools to detect light precipitation and fog, currently invisible to radar.
- Creating integrated, low-latency in-flight weather displays to reduce cognitive workload and prevent reliance on outdated or conflicting information.
Technological improvements for dissemination of meteorological information will help mitigate inadvertent IMC encounters, support safer SOPs, and strengthen aviation safety culture in the rotorcraft community.
REFERENCE:
Speirs, A. H., Ramée, C., Payan, A. P., Mavris, D. N., & Feigh, K. M. (2021, August). Impact of adverse weather on commercial helicopter pilot decision-making and standard operating procedures. AIAA Aviation 2021 Forum. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2771
competentaviators.com 