9 ways for pilots to improve their situational awareness

Here are 9 ways for pilots to improve their situational awareness.

1. Plan ahead

Predetermine crew roles for phases of flight that have high levels of workload. Assign responsibilities for handling problems or unexpected distractions.

2. Be aware

Look at all the services available to you, then use them. For airline pilots, this may require getting input from all crew members, including cabin crew. For single pilots, be proactive in sourcing input from ATC, maintenance, dispatch, etc.

3. Avoid fixating on a problem

Direct your attention systematically to the aircraft, the flight path and finally to the people around you. Repeat this attention pattern over and over again.

4. Monitor your responsibilities

Critically evaluate your current performance (flight path, fuel estimation) based upon your pre-flight plan.

5. Anticipate by considering the “what ifs”

That is, project ahead and design contingencies to avoid being taken by surprise.

6. Don’t forget to scan the big picture

While it is important to focus on the details, make sure you are aware of the bigger stakes at play.

7. Create reminders of interrupted tasks

Tasks that take a lot of time or are subject to interruptions from ATC or other crew are less likely to be done right. For example, some pilots use the technique of selecting the audio for the outer marker when they have been instructed to contact the tower at the outer marker early in their approach. This aural reminder means that they don’t have to remember to look during a busy phase of flight.

8. Use the checklist to watch for clues of degraded situation awareness

If you observe any obvious signs in words or actions that indicate situation awareness is breaking down, speak up.

9. Everyone must act together

For safe and efficient operations all members of a crew need to act together and a key component to achieve this is a high level of group situational awareness (SA), that is “the degree to which every team member possesses the SA required for his or her responsibilities”.