SOPs

[ALCHPA]

What you think of SOP's?

[FougaMagister]

:confused: Care to elaborate?

Cheers :cool:

[fireflybob]

Basically they are an essential framework to have in place to ensure safe operation.

However they are not the be all and end all. Pilots need many more skills apart from knowing understanding and practising the SOPs.

This assumes that the SOPs are well constructed and defined.

[beamer]

Standard Operating Procedures are designed for standard operations and should provide a framework for dealing with NON-STANDARD SITUATIONS. They do not provide an answer to every problem but with the addition of some common-sense and airmanship should allow the safe conclusion to a given situation - rigid adherence to SOP's will not always solve the problem, no point being word perfect if you fail to notice that lump of granite in front of you !

[FlightDetent]

On the other hand, well designed SOPs will prevent you from getting into a problem in first place!

FD.

[BOAC]

Reminds me of an old definition of 'airmanship' (thinks - is that still an ok word?:) )

"The ability to foresee and avoid situations which would require the use of airmanship"

[fireflybob]

Yes I like that BOAC.

The other one I like is the "Superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid situations where he is called upon to use his superior skill"!

[FlightDetent]

More officially, FAA view (http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/B173BA8A295764F086256CDE006A44AD?OpenDocument&Highlight=120-71a).

[alf5071h]

The answer to this question is similar to the question on CRM;- it all depends what you mean by SOPs. Some thoughts ….

Often the normal operating checklists or manufacturer’s abnormal and emergency drills are incorrectly defined as SOPs. However, excluding these, which are predominantly but not exclusively associated with systems, the focus of SOPs has to be on the practical ‘how to’ and procedural aspects of flying and managing (operating) the aircraft.

SOPs should provide a common basis all aircraft operations; they are normally associated with specific situations or circumstances, which in extreme circumstances might overlap with the abnormal or emergency drills.

SOPs provide the standard for aircraft operations and should aid the crew’s thinking in a given situation (provide options for action if there is a choice), but they must not be so restricting such that deviation from the standard in similar but not identical situations is prevented.

Thus a critical issue in using SOPs is the assessment of the situation. Normally with correct situation assessment the applicable SOP is obvious, but in error, crews might make an incorrect selection or deliberately ignore an applicable SOP. Alternatively if the crew incorrectly asses the situation it may appear that there are no SOPs or they select an inappropriate one based on the false situation assessment. Therefore many problems with the use of SOPs originate from the combination of situation assessment and human behaviour.

Generally we think of SOPs as written guidance, but there is also a need to have a wide range of unwritten or personal SOPs to contribute to safety, this is (in part) experience. The processes of situation assessment and judgement for these ‘SOPs’ need to be within every pilot’s airmanship; good airmanship should improve the problems of SOP selection and implementation.

SOPs are valuable tools for monitoring, they (should) define the boundaries of safe flight thus they can be used to determine a point of intervention, either by the PF or by the PNF (pilot monitoring), e.g. stabilized approach – the PM knows at what speed deviation a call has to be made, the PF should then know why the call has been made, good crew co-ordination, harmonization, etc.

SOPs must be SMART:-
Specific,
Measurable,
Achievable,
Relevant, and
Timely

A procedure has to:-
Have a clear and acceptable aim,
Have a scope which matches its purpose,
Be precise, leaving no room for doubt about its application in any possible case (no loopholes),
Be certain to achieve the purpose, without undesirable side effects.

SOPs should evolve; they must be continuously reviewed, checked and tested. A good method of achieving this is to give line pilots ‘operational’ ownership of SOPs, encourage reports on the applicability and use of SOPs in a range of situations. This is essential safety reporting and feedback to identify situations, threats, or errors, where either an existing SOP did not work or where one is required.

But what do you think of SOPs …

[qwagga1]

SOP's

Well I think it is a real and valid guidline, normally and hopefully laid down by a person with supperior knowlege so that I do not have to make use of my "superior" skills everyday to get out of unknown situations during my normal operations.

So yes it does have its place if used correctly.

qwagga1

[Old Smokey]

Later today, I am required to cross a large ocean, commanding a large aircraft, with 3 other pilots with whom I have never flown before. I am very relaxed in anticipating this flight, because I know that the 3 crew members will be operating the aircraft in exactly the same manner as I do, and in the same manner as all of the other pilots with whom I've flown in this company. My state of relaxation arises from the knowledge that we all operate to the same SOPs.

SOPs considerably enhance safety by removing a large potential for human error arising from poor crew communications, it's not necessary to communicate my intentions if my intended actions are STANDARD, the other crew member(s) will expect me to follow standard procedures unless exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise.

A particular SOP may not be perfect, but it is a proven procedure. There are many ways to skin a cat, any of several ways may be feasible, but if the SOP specified by the operator is safe, proven, and universally complied with by all crews, uncertainty is removed from the cockpit with numerous safety benefits. There are also legal 'benefits' to the crew if, in an investigation following an incident or accident, they have been found to be following SOPs.

SOPs are established for all ANTICIPATED Normal, Non-Normal, and Emergency Procedures, but it must never be forgotten that the S in SOPs stands for Standard, there may be extenuating or unforecast non-standard circumstances where the best judgement of the Commander and His/Her crew is required. In fact, the first SOP on the list should be "Nothing in the following replaces good judgement in the field under extenuating circumstances."

Regards,

Old Smokey

[fireflybob]

Old Smokey, nicely said! Have a good (Standard!) flight!

[flufdriver]

Since there is a banner reminding me that I have not posted on Pprune for a while, let me add my two cents worth to the topic of SOP's:

The need for and usefulness of SOP's has already been explained, a long time ago, one of my instructors further explained that SOP's can be likened to a box within the confines of which we "normally" operate. The size of this box can be varied as required and is usually designed to restrain the strong and bold and to protect the weak or meek.

Beyond that, when there is good and explainable reason, a Pilot must be prepared to deviate form SOP's to deal with the unforseen.

I think it was Clausewitz that said: no plan survives contact with the enemy!

fluf:hmm:

[Kit d'Rection KG]

Imagine two plumbers, carpenters, builders, whatever you like, working together. They're both professionals, they both have skills and experience. They both have toolkits too. Now imagine that one only brings an imperial tape measure whilst the other's is metric... Or that one orders nothing but crosshead screws, unaware that his colleague only has flat-bladed screwdrivers...

Put another (slightly more academic) way, SOPs are fundamental to the manner in which the crew interfaces with each other and the aeroplane, and they provide the framework within which this happens. You could do it without SOPs, but it would be hard work and imprecise at first, there'd be uncertainty, and some tasks would be missed while others were done twice. In fact, what would happen is that you'd start building your own set of ad hoc SOPs, which you might then formalise.

So, in a way, poor SOPs are better than no SOPs at all. But the best SOPs bring a lot to the party.