Digital Overload

Overreliance on technology adds danger to the cockpit.

Recent accidents in many sectors of commercial aviation have been attributed to pilot distraction and excessive dependence on automation. In such cases, weather or other outside-­the-cockpit factors require pilots to think beyond the technology and manually solve the problem. When pilots’ situational awareness is clouded by a dependence on technology and the desire to accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously, they are unable to recognize simple solutions such as hand-flying the aircraft.

Multitasking is something nearly all of us are guilty of in our daily lives, with varying degrees of success. The wonders of smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices, including electronic flight bags, sometimes lead us to believe we can accomplish more tasks while driving and flying than we safely and effectively can.

Building your ability to seamlessly switch from automated flying to hand-flying is an essential skill for pilots.

The fact is, the more tasks we try to accomplish simultaneously, the less focus we have on any one of them. The probability of distraction increases with each task we take on.

More and more, regulators, accident investigators, and learning institutions are recognizing that an increased dependence on technology, whether that’s a cell phone or advanced avionics, can distract the pilot from the basic tasks that ensure flight safety.

Maintain Your Manual Skills

As technology becomes more accurate and reliable, we tend to become more reliant on it. This dependence can help us be more efficient in completing a task. It can also diminish some of the manual skills we still need should the technology stop working.

Electronic flight bags contain most of our planning and operating documents, but an overreliance on them can erode the skills that allow us to navigate or manually compute weight and balance. Avionics can accomplish many necessary flight tasks, but they can also lull us into neglecting our manual skills, which require practice to maintain.

Technology is here to stay, but we mustn’t lose our proficiency in basic aviation skills. All flight training programs should seek a healthy balance between teaching how to use technology and how to hand-fly the aircraft.

What if Your Tech Fails?

Some newer pilots may find they’re proficient in technology but not in basic flying skills. If the equipment does something unexpected or malfunctions, they may find it difficult to control their aircraft, leading to potentially dire consequences.

Building your ability to seamlessly switch from automated flying to hand-flying is an essential skill for pilots. Maintaining that skill requires recurrent practice and realistic, scenario-based training. Self-assessment is critical to this process in determining the manual skills you need to incorporate into your training sessions.

Train for Realistic Conditions

Aircraft technology is constantly evolving. Training in how to use it should be as well. Initial aircraft-specific training should be designed to match the experience level of the student as well as the mission to be performed. For example, a pilot with many hours in a Bell 206 who changes to an EC145 will require more training time than a BK 117 pilot making the same move, even though both involve going from an analog to a digital cockpit.

Because the EC145 is based on a BK 117 variant, the BK 117 pilot will learn the same basic aircraft but now with a digital cockpit and advanced technology. In addition to a digital cockpit, however, the 206 pilot needs to learn a totally different aircraft and twin-engine procedures. The amount of time needed to train to proficiency for the two pilots can vary significantly.

Take advantage of simulator training for its ability to safely administer effective, realistic scenario-based training. Most new aircraft have simulators available at the OEM’s training centers and/or commercial training providers. Ask the training facility for scenarios that include technological failures, so you can practice those essential hand-flying skills as well as making the transition from automated flying.

Maintenance Training

We often forget the maintenance side when thinking of our training needs, but producing high-tech aircraft has also changed the way we maintain those aircraft. Technicians now have to train in equipment-specific, computer-based systems that often differ from aircraft to aircraft. Gone are the days of simply checking the ship for mechanical integrity.

Training in and managing technology are major factors in maintaining airworthy aircraft. Most aircraft makers now provide training in new technology; it’s crucial technicians seek this training to maintain their aircraft efficiently, effectively, and safely.

Remember, technology is a tool. We can use it carelessly, without attention to our surroundings and competing demands. Or we can use it responsibly, safely, and effectively, with discipline, self-assessment, and proper training to proficiency.

Make the responsible choice.