AS332L2 Ditching off Shetland: 23rd August 2013

[xlsky]

It's not the helicopter itself that I am getting at but the way an organisation deals with it's introduction. It also needs to ask itself "are our current training systems going to deliver the right solution for the new equipment", along with "Are our SOPs adequate for the new type."

As the human factor is still the main topic the question I believe is how far can the human brain adapt to automation and how can it be trained in a better way to deal with tasks like operating fully automated aircrafts but be able to change into a 'pants on the seat pilot' in split seconds.

The principles how humans think and learn has not changed a lot the last centuries. In some countries there is a bit more emphasis on learning - Scandinavia for example. Environmental and society aspects are important too to develop our brains to descent and non dysfunctional standards. Anxiety plays a big role in that.

One other important question after machinery and SOP's should be also about the quality of teaching in general. Are the instructors fit for their job?
Are the students fit enough, was their previous education beneficial to understand complex systems in an physical very active and demanding work enviroment?

Good to read some minds are questioning just a bit their own business here, but not that many and that thinking should come even more from high above; but who would expect bean counters in the UK are going to question themselves regarding the hind sight operational affects of counting beans? In other countries they do, occasionally. It may prevent the one or the other crash.

Again it is all about human factors, in a much wider sense. From bean counters to designers to drivers