Communication is critical for aircraft safety, particularly in non-controlled environments such as Shellharbour Airport. Photo: CASA.
As the seasonal uptick in pilots taking to the skies approaches, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is set to host a free pilot safety seminar for pilots of all licence categories in Shellharbour this Thursday (14 November).
Part of CASA’s annual national effort to help pilots refresh their skills, enhance their knowledge and improve flight safety, the Loud and Clear – Effective Communication seminar focuses on what makes for clear communication and how to avoid misunderstandings in the air.
Aviation safety advisor Tim Penney says communication is a critical component of flight safety, particularly in non-controlled environments like Shellharbour Airport, which hosts flying schools, parachutists, private pilots, commercial airlines and visiting aircraft from Sydney, without a control tower.
“Communication is vital for building situational awareness, which is an essential tool for maintaining safety margins, especially at non-controlled aerodromes,” he says.
“Private and recreational flying continues to expand, and more people are learning to fly, which is a great thing. If we can get in and do some early intervention with good education and encourage pilots to take responsibility for their own safety as well, we’ll have safer skies for all.
“We hope pilots of all experience levels pick up a few gold nuggets, hints and tips to make summer flying safer.”
Designed to complement any level of technical knowledge, from novice to highly experienced pilots, forum topics will include the basics of human communication, aviation communication rules and procedures, techniques to improve communication and the use of an AFRU (aerodrome frequency response unit).
Real-life examples of how things can go wrong will provide vehicles for the conversations.
“For instance, there’s an example of two aircraft that came close together in Mildura, Victoria and it was essentially a breakdown in communication between pilots, combined with pilots making assumptions about what the other aircraft was doing,” Tim says.
“It will emphasise the importance of pilots following a standard set of procedures and being predictable in their flying.”
The forum line-up will include a guest speaker from Link Airways – a regular carrier at Shellharbour Airport – and provide an opportunity for local pilots to swap experiences, familiarise themselves with each other’s procedures and get a timely reminder not only of the rules, but some of the human factors behind how people communicate.
Tim says whether pilots fly recreationally, privately or commercially, education programs like this help pilots avoid turbulence in communication.
“We’re not here to point fingers, only to help pilots build that mental model of where other aircraft are in the immediate vicinity of these aerodromes, particularly where there’s no air traffic control tower,” he says. “The air is a safe environment as it stands, but nobody can afford to be complacent up there.”
Loud and Clear – Effective Communication takes place Thursday 14 November from 6 to 8 pm at the Shellharbour Club – book via Humanitix.
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