Page 38 - World Airnews Magazine February 2020 Edition

HUMAN HUMAN
FACTORS FACTORS

ARE YOU A COMPETENT IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE

PILOT, CAN YOU LEARN? DOES THAT MEAN YOU CAN

DO YOUR JOB?
SAA pilot, CRM training manager and safety in-

vestigator David Doull
By Jaco van der Westhuizen

he educational system is not
Tdedicated to produce learning by
students, but teaching by teachers - and
teaching is a major obstruction to learn-

ing.” Russel Ackoff (A Lifetime of Systems

Thinking, 2019).

We’re often poor at learning from other
people’s mistakes, we learn the most effec-

tively by making our own. This is especially
true for skills based performance. We also
learn most effectively by doing and if we

haven’t done something for awhile it is more

difficult for our brains to activate those

memories. Some examiners, instructors and
managers in our industry fall into a group

that seem to show little understanding of
these human factors. Are you in that group?
There are certain truths about professional Capt Sullenberger is a glider pilot, the co-pilot of the B777 accident

careers in today’s world; you have to work on 17 January 2008 at Heathrow and an aerobatic pilot. Although
hard for no return to get noticed and merit they have their own flaws and challenges, we may be able to learn

will find a home where profit and/or good n my observations during the past two decades there is one as- something from health professions and their continuous profes-

service are the goals. Cultures of politics and (https://safetydifferently.com/the-variet- formance, without judgmental language. Ipect of the aviati on community that tends to be under esti mat- sional development programmes.

personal gains disregard merit, thereby losing ies-of-human-work/). Try to figure out why it looked right to ed or over looked and that is experience. Granted in this complex The same must apply to the blunt end of our organisations. Expe-

money and good people in the process. How- The focus of this article is, however, on you to make those mistakes, update your world that we live in, it is not easy to capture or define exactly rience as a specialist or a manager is one thing, but experience as a

ever, what is unique about a professional avi- the fourth pillar of resilience skills, learning mental models and feel power in learning what experience entails. In the aviation industry the concept has manager or specialist in the aviation domain carries more weight,

ation career is that every licence renewal or from Work-as-Done. My ten year old son something you didn’t know before. Show developed in theoretical and experiential training that can allow if not more than merely having experience as an HR manager, a

proficiency check your ‘merit’ is checked by was trying to learn a new sport recently humility to others. Be open about what you for the determination whether an aviator (pilot, ATC and engineer- CIO or a CFO. This is especially relevant to corporate and team

someone else. In other words, your range of and I found him sitting on the ground, in don’t know. It will help you to train your ing technician or cabin crew) is deemed competent for solo duties. decisions that can have far reaching and detrimental influences on

capabilities, experiences, areas of excellence tears and full of despair. He said to me, own thoughts. These and other elements In fact, the focus that ICAO has provided for competency-based the overall performance of the safety system.

and weakness, personal grit and entire future “Dad, I’m so useless.” I explained to him come from insightful research into the training seems to have created a renewed industry energy that is Human Factors must take into account the area of experience.

career does not lie just in supply and demand that he’s not the only one struggling to difference between a fixed and a growth further complemented by the relentless simulator-based re- For a start, it requires Human Factors specialists, managers or

market forces or in your reputation, it lies in learn through making mistakes. I told him if mindset (Dweck, 2007, Mindset: The New currence training that airlines offer. However, it seems that the safety personnel to consider what makes an aviator experienced,

the human factors of someone else spending he wants be good enough to play with the Psychology of Success). The difference is technical domain as well as the air traffic control domain is not followed by a systematic process of mapping such aspects and

a morning with you. It’s the system, it is what other kids he has to get up and try again, how we see challenges (avoid vs embrace), as regulated to broaden the experience of these aviation safety providing opportunities for such exposure and learning to occur

it is, but don’t think, not even for one second, that the one thing he is not - is useless obstacles (give up vs persist), effort (fruit- stakeholders. Moreover, when it comes to General Aviation, the with appropriate sustainable intervals. The same thinking applies

that your real competency is based upon that because he’s trying and each time his less vs path), criticism (ignore vs learn) gap may even be larger than expected. to regulators and general aviation pilots as well as executives and

morning with an examiner. It lies in what you mistakes are becoming slightly less. After and the success of others (threatened vs There is a reason companies pay for experience, or at least managers earning their salaries in the aviation industry.

do every day. helping him to get up, showing some love, inspired). For a more detailed article on should be paying for experience and this definitely applies to high Can we afford not to critically think about what we consider to

Competency, in the context of being telling him how proud I am of him and par- the difference between these mindsets I reliability organisations such as the aviation industry (Baker, Day & be experience in broad and narrow terms? Broad terms being the

an effective pilot facing the real world, is ticipating in the learning with him I’m proud recommend: https://www.brainpickings. Salas, 2006). But our industry may well qualify as a high reliability amount of hours required to obtain a new license. And narrowly,
about your skills in resilience. Your ability to say he persevered and ended up with a org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset. as well as a high-risk industry at the same time (La Porte, 1996). I about what makes a person more efficient in performing their tasks

to bounce back from difficulty has four beaming smile. He will hopefully remem- Ignore people who are uninspiring and say this because the accident rate of commercial aircraft show- better, and how frequently such exposure is necessary to maintain

pillars; Anticipating (knowing what to ber that learning is hard for everyone. As rather spend time and money on people cases an impressive record. But when things do go wrong, the the particular skill set. In addition, experience should include the

expect), Monitoring (knowing what to look we grow up, for most of us, our emotional that coach and mentor you whilst you make outcome is usually catastrophic. teaching about when it is not enough, in other words, when my lack
for), Responding (knowing what to do) and intelligence may improve but our psycholo- mistakes. Learning is a humbling process so What has this got to do with experience? I would argue that it of experience or deterioration of skill necessitates putting an end to

Learning (knowing what has happened) gy stays the same. We have to learn to aim be humble about it. Take on a growth mind- has everything to do with experience. How we define experience my plan or task. Q

(Pariès, Wreathall & Hollnagel, 2013, for excellence but balance that with self set towards difficulty, setbacks, hard work, in the aviation industry or any other industry for that matter, is not

Resilience Engineering in Practice). This confidence. We need coaches and mentors, feedback and the knowledge that others conclusive. Counting hours may be an indication of the amount

concept has emerged out of research that not instructors and managers. We need are learning faster than you. The history of of hours spent on a flight deck but does it equate to experience, REFERENCES

has attempted to bridge the gap between support, direction and big-picture perspec- life on this planet has shown that it is not especially not for long haul and ultra-long haul flights. The same • Baker, P.B., Day, R. & Salas, E. Teamwork as an essential component of

Work-as-Done and Work-as-Imagined. For tive whilst we’re learning by doing. But survival of the fittest; it is survival of the applies to the air traffic control domain where the amount of hours high-reliability organizations. Health Services Research, 41(4): 1676-

an effective explanation of the gaps that most importantly - as a coach and mentor - most adaptable that has got us here. Aim attained for a validation does not include adequate severe weather 1598.

exist between these terms and more I rec- presence is more important than praise. to help yourself and others to learn and scenario exposure. Perhaps experience is much more than merely • La Porte, T.D. 1996. High reliability organizations: unlikely, demanding

ommend the following article by the editor For ourselves, we must use the power adapt, it will give you the greatest chance having a set amount of hours as an aviator. May I remind you that and at risk. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 4(2):
of Hindsight Magazine, Dr Steven Shorrock of reflection. Reflection on your own per- of success. Q 60-71.

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