Managing Human Factors – Managing Management

John Boyd’s “OODA” loop:

John Boyd, US Airforce pilot and military strategist researched why the US Air Force F-86 Sabre outperformed the Mig-15 during air combat, despite having inferior performance during the Korean War.

What the American pilots did was use certain design features (their maneuverability) to their advantage.

How it works:

1. The loop commences with an observation;
2. Ehich then undergoes orientation;
3. From which a decision is hypothesized (played out in their head) and;
4. Then acted upon.
5. This results in a new undefined situation to observe and manage.

It works as a continuous Dynamic Loop and works to dynamically make decisions and manage a situation. In short:

The OODA and ODAR loops are comparable!

The main thing is that the process repeats and you take things one step at a time:

• Observing is to Review the situation, what has changed?
• Orientate is to create Options to choose a plan of attack to manage forward
• Decide is playing the decision forward in your brain, for testing
• Act is implementing the decision and then reviewing what is now the new situation

Fly – Diagnose – ODAR loop until new diagnosis required or situation resolved. FDODAR includes Continuous  Action Loop:

FDODAR helps crews to prioritise and move through the startle effect quickly as crew have a plan on the process to follow to manage a situation. This also helps with time management:

• Because they move through the startle effect and get their brain working again quickly; and
• As crews have a common understanding on the way forward.

Things can still go wrong!

Fly the Aircraft:

• Who has control? / Hand over control to other pilot if needed
• Auto or Manual mode to maintain control

Let’s look at what happens when your team get distracted with the “!!” (emergency):

30/01/21 Couple loses control of a boat after being frightened by a spider…..

It is really important that 1 person maintains control – FLY THE AIRCRAFT – Don’t end up on an ATSB report

Diagnosis:

• Engine failure of an RPA:
  • immediately after launch
  • On approach to land
  • When operating in CTA
  • Over a built-up area (built up area is an area that is populated with people and/or buildings etc)
  • In the vicinity of bystanders
• A control link failure
• A remote pilot station failure
• An RPA fire during flight or on the ground
• A bird attack

Main factors to assess:

• Assess controllability
• Assess battery life
• Assess populated area
• Assess CTA

Options:

• If Auto => change to a more manual mode, reassess how much control.
• Return to launch
• Loiter
• Communicate
• Avoid aircraft / birds
• Safe landing
• Safe crash / Fire extinguisher / Collect pieces (carbon fibre management)
• Hand over control to Transmitter / GCS
• Return to launch low to ground to avoid attacking birds

Sometimes you need to create time, for the team to manage a better outcome. What are some ways we can create time? ….Loiter or hand over control to another pilot so that all cognitive capacity is on managing the situation.

Decision:

• Based on threats
• What is the safest option? Manned aircraft and helicopters have pilots and passenger onboard, populous areas have people (including children) on the ground.
• What are the mission requirements?
• What is the cost?
• Company reputation at risk…
• Always have a contingency plan

Assign Tasks:

• PIC to assign duties
• Greater SA is achieved by PIC managing and co-pilot manipulating (if not in training)

Review:

• Restate FDODAR and summary review
• Recheck battery life remaining
• Recheck safe flight
• Re enter FDODAR as required until management of flight complete

The “6 Ps”:

• Planned
• Preparation
• Prevents
• Piss
• Poor
• Performance

Main points:

• Plan your mission
• Think about Threats and what can go wrong
• Talk to your team about managing all possible outcomes
• (Follow SOPs and rules)