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

Dana Atkins started her career flying medevac operations to remote locations across Alaska. She has flown for numerous operators in Alaska and previously flew the Boeing 767 domestically and abroad. She currently flies the Boeing 737 for a Legacy Airline in the United States. Dana holds a Master of Science (MS) in Aviation from the University of North Dakota. Her main research interests are the human factors of bush and backcountry flying in remote settings. Daniel Kwasi Adjekum is an assistant professor in the Department of Aviation, University of North Dakota, teaching courses in crew resource management, safety management systems, and human factors. He has over 24 years of experience as a former Ghana Air Force aircraft commander and aviation safety consultant. He has experience flying the BN-2T islanders and the Fokker F-27 into remote airstrips in Africa and previously flew the Boeing 737 aircraft for an international airline. Kwasi holds a Ph.D. in aerospace sciences. He is a globally recognized subject matter expert in aviation safety and a sought-after resource for global news media on aviation safety issues. He is also an International Air Transport Association (IATA) certified Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation and control expert.

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 Initiatives—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, Let’s Fly Safely in Alaska’s 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