Aeronautical Decision-Making and Aviation Safety in the Alaskan Operational Setting

1 Aviation Operations in Remote Settings 1

What Are Remote Settings? 4

Transportation in Remote Settings 5

Remote Aviation Operations (Bush Flying) 7

Geography of the Bush 8

Aircraft 8

Airports/Aerodromes/Airfield Infrastructure 12

Regulatory Challenges 17

2 Fly Alaska: Remote Setting Operational Factors and Safety Implications 18

Fly Alaska: Historical Perspectives and Operations Safety 20

Historical Perspectives 20

Operations Safety 21

Organizational, Psychosocial, and Cultural Factors That Influence Operational Safety 22

Aviation Safety Management Initiativesâ"Effectiveness and Limitations 24

3 Theoretical Perspectives of Human Factors That Influence Aeronautical Decision-Making in Remote Operational Settings 28

Hazardous Attitudes and Pilot Personality 29

Anti-authority 30

Invulnerability 31

Macho 31

Impulsiveness 32

Resignation 32

Impact of Ego and Other Attitudinal Factors on Pilot Decision-Making in the Flight Deck 34

Goal Seduction, Plan Continuation Errors, and Pilot Decision- Making 35

Plan Continuation Errors 36

Foot-in-the-Door Persuasion 36

Social Theories Related to Operator Decision-Making 37

Social Identity Theory, Collective Self-efficacy, and Aviation Group Behaviors 38

4 Case Studies on Alaskan Aviation Operational Settings 40

Introduction to Alaska Case Studies 40

The Endemic of Controlled Flight into Terrain 41

CFIT Case Study: Togiak 41

Analysis 43

Organizational Culture and Accident Causation 48

Promech (Ketchikan) 48

Analysis 50

The Production and Protection Conundrum (External Pressures) 52

Ketchikan Mid-air 52

Analysis 53

5 Understanding Pilot Decision-Making in Alaskan Operational Settings: A Qualitative Approach 55

Interviewing 56

The Ethical Dilemma 57

Qualitative Data Analysis 57

Codes and Themes 58

6 Human and Organizational Factors Influencing Aeronautical Decision-Making in Remote Operational Settings: Real-Time Perspectives 60

Pilot Relationships 62

Pilot Attitudes 64

Skill Enhancement 68

Infrastructure Limitations 72

Organizational Factors 76

Regulatory Oversight 78

7 Push the Throttle, Letâs Fly Safely in Alaskaâs Remote Settings: Concluding Perspectives and Reflections 81

Enhancing Aeronautical Decision-Making in Alaskan Aviation Operations Using Insider Perspectives 82

What Is Next for Aviation in Alaska? 85

Global Implications and International Perspective 86

Close Shaves in Northern Ghana 87

Concluding Remarks 91

Chapter References 93

Index 105