Workload Management

Small Talk, Big distraction: Taking a look at the sterile cockpit concept through the lens of helicopter operations

The concept of the ‘Sterile Cockpit’ as a defence against distraction is a well known one, even well below the cruising levels of the world’s airline operations. The chances are most helicopter pilots will be familiar with it as a company Standard Operating Procedure. Not so many will know that it is in fact aContinue reading “Small Talk, Big distraction: Taking a look at the sterile cockpit concept through the lens of helicopter operations”

The checklist in the rotary wing cockpit: Understanding what, why, and how.

Do helicopter crews have as good an understanding of the proper use of checklists and checklist philosophy as their airline pilot brethren? Like everyone else, I have worked with checklists since I first set foot in the world of aviation. They are omni-present. But my in own experience – as far as I can recollectContinue reading “The checklist in the rotary wing cockpit: Understanding what, why, and how.”