Good
aeronautical decision-making includes risk management, a process that systematically
identifies hazards, assesses the degree of risk, and determines the best
course of action. There are many models
for risk management, including
charts that generate a numerical “score.”
Although these tools can be useful,
numbers-based tools suggest a level of precision that may be misleading.
An
alternative method is the Perceive – Process – Perform risk management and aeronautical
decision-making model developed by the FAA Aviation Safety Program. There are three basic steps in this
model:
PERCEIVE hazards
PROCESS to
evaluate level of risk
PERFORM risk
management
PERCEIVE: The goal is to identify hazards, which are
events, objects, or circumstances that could contribute to an undesired
event. You need to consider hazards
associated with:
Pilot
Aircraft
enVironment
External Pressures.
PROCESS: Ask questions to determine what can hurt
you. In short, why do you have to CARE
about these hazards?
What are
the Consequences?
What are
the Alternatives available to me?
What is
the Reality of the situation
facing me?
What kind
of External pressures may affect
my thinking?
PERFORM: Change the situation in your favor. Your objective is to make sure the hazard does not hurt ME
or my loved ones, so work to
Mitigate
or eliminate the risk, and
Evaluate the outcome of your actions.
