Pre-Departure Risk Assessment Check List – This tool has been developed to allow pilots and technicians to evaluate the actual risk of a helicopter flight or the maintenance of the aircraft. It is based on the PAVE (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressure) checklist and is adapted for the type of flight (HEMS, leisure, training, passenger, etc). The aim is to make pilots and technicians aware that small simple situations, when combined, can raise total risk significantly, eventually resulting in a situation so dangerous that the flight should not be taken unless some of the risky situations are mitigated. Find the checklist here.
“IMSAFE” Checklist – Another important way for pilots to assess risk is to use the FAA’s IMSAFE checklist to determine physical and mental readiness for flying. Find the simple checklist here on the IHST website.
12 Classic Pitfalls for Helicopter Pilots – Pilots, particularly those with considerable experience, try to complete a flight as planned to please passengers, meet schedules and generally demonstrate the “right stuff.” This basic drive can have an adverse effect on safety and can impose an unrealistic assessment of piloting skills under stressful situations. Even worse, repetitive patterns of behavior based on unrealistic assessments can produce piloting practices that are dangerous, often illegal, and will ultimately lead to mishaps. Here is a list of these possibly dangerous tendencies or behavior patterns.
