Operate & Manage – Operation Preparation & Management

Please review:

• Human Factors 2: Communication
• Human Factors 6: Decision Making

Class exercise:

• How can communication issues during mission planning affect a mission?
• How might these a misunderstanding of the mission affect our decision making during the mission?
• In what ways can we mitigate these risks?

Flight Briefings should be conducted before each flight! §This ensures that all flight-personnel are:

• Fully aware of the mission
• Aware of all mission risks
• Aware of any contingency planes
• Aware of emergency Procedures

Before each flight the Pilot In Command (or authorised representative) should conduct a Flight Briefing.

The purpose of this briefing is to ensure all crew members as well as all persons associated with the flight are fully aware of the mission, what the mission entails, any contingency plans, and all emergency procedures that may be implemented.

Persons included in the briefings should ensure that they are fully conversant with the details of the impending flight.

It is each persons own responsibility to ensure they understand the mission!

The Pilot in Command may conduct a specific crew briefing detailing specific matters.

For example:

• It may contain matters specific ground crew:
  • Sky-line monitoring
  • Personnel management
  • Access restrictions
• It may contain matters specific air crew:
  • Flying the aircraft
  • Expected weather during transit
  • In-flight mission procedures

Before the training flight:

• Immediately prior to a training flight the Instructor will conduct a student briefing, detailing flight relevant information such as the purpose of the training flight, any specific exercises to be undertaken, specific radio frequencies to be used.
• The Instructor should also revise any safety and emergency procedures relevant to the training flight.

After the training flight:

• Immediately following a training flight the Instructor will debrief the student, rating the student on their performance, and if necessary detailing how the training flight may have been better completed.

Please review presentations:

• Human Factors 4: Threat & Error Management
• Human Factors 6: Decision Making

Class exercise:

• What types of risks should be highlighted in a crew briefing?
• What is the purpose of discussing these risks?

A necessity of planning RPAS operations is developing emergency plans!

There are two main categories of emergency planning:

• Those required by CASA as a requirement of the company ReOC
• Those (additionally) required by the company
  • Note: company emergency plans do not take precedence over any requirements of CASA.

Please review:

• ADVISORY CIRCULAR AC 101-01v3.0
• Specifically section 4.6 – Emergency procedures

Please review the document ‘V-TOL Operational Procedures’