By Dr. Janeen Kochan, CEO at Aviation Research - Unexpected events, particularly those creating surprise, interrupt ongoing mental and behavioral processes, creating an increased potential for unwanted outcomes to the situation. Human reactions to unexpected events vary for a number of reasons, including level of domain expertise, previous experience with similar events, emotional connotation, and the contextual surround of the event. Research suggests that a person becomes surprised when their expectations are inconsistent with reality by an amount higher than could reasonably have been expected from the cues available and utilized by the individual. Expert pilots are normally able to process large amounts of information quickly and accurately, while continually and seamlessly modifying their situation awareness. However, decision making performance can be impaired when pilots are confronted with events that do not adhere to expected schemata. Unexpected or surprising events cause a disruption in cognitive processes leading to a decision making delay. This decision making delay lasts until the inconsistency between what was expected, and reality, is analyzed and integrated into the pilot’s situation awareness.
Data on human factors aspects associated with Loss-of-Control Inflight and thus germane to Upset Prevention and Recovery Training is presented. First, the factors most frequently involved with surprising and unexpected events and their consequences provide the background. Then, three specific human factors aspects of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training are presented as a special case of pilot decision making when initiated by a surprising situation or unexpected event. The focus is on how these select factors can be embedded in the training of the requisite cognitive and flying skills necessary to best perceive the situation, process the information, and perform the correct action, in response to an airplane upset or loss- of-control situation.
Note: Though research based, this presentation is formatted for the operational pilot.
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