Several decades ago, Professor Bartlett of Cambridge University conducted experiments where a message is passed from one person to another in a room full of people. A popular one was "Send reinforcements, we’re going to advance," which became, "send three and fourpence, we’re going to dance."

Similar misinterpretations plague aviation. A captain’s encouraging comment to a first officer, "Cheer up!" was acted upon as "Gear up"! "You will be cleared for a visual approach" has been interpreted as "you have been cleared for a visual approach."

Language makes for difficulties in the cockpit. The most obvious are the use of non-standard phraseology and the risk of misunderstanding by random conversations in the cockpit. Further experiments by Cambridge researchers show that oral instructions are only 61 percent understood. Also, they demonstrated that departures from standard forms of communication have contributed to many accidents.

Standardization is the essence of flight safety and safety on the airport surface. Our airports are increasing in traffic and congestion on the ground as well as in the skies around them. The graph below shows that errors of potentially disastrous proportions are increasing on our airports. Runway incursions are a real threat to every user’s safety.

Consider adopting a standardized departure procedure for yourself that will assure your safety and freedom from runway incursions.

Study airport pavement markings, have the correct charts and airport diagrams ready, and listen to Air Traffic Control instructions carefully. Here is a seven step pneumonic that might assist you in safely departing: PROCEED.

P	Plan your route, not only in the air, but also from your parking spot to the active runway.
R	Radios: tune your radios before taxiing, not while taxiing.
O	Organize your charts and notes before engine start to minimize cockpit distraction.
C	Clearance, Listen to ATIS, AWOS or ASOS before calling clearance or ground and read back all clearances.
E	Exercise caution, paying close attention to taxiway and runway signs.
E	Expedite when cleared across a runway or taxiway.
D	Depart after you have received clearance and scanned the final approach area as you taxi onto the runway.

Kathleen O’Brien, LGB SPM

Have you ever had a last-minute change to the approach procedure you were going to fly? A B-757 crashed while on approach at night into Cali, Columbia. Crewmembers became disorientated as they attempted to navigate an unexpected clearance.

The Flight Safety Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia reviewed 287 approach-and-landing accidents that resulted in 7,185 deaths worldwide. Although these accidents involved transport category aircraft, the lessons and recommendations make sense for all operators flying IFR.

Here are five of the conclusions and recommendations.

1. Establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) improved approach and landing safety. Do you have yours?

2. Failure to recognize the need and to execute a missed approach is a major cause of accidents. Have you ever suffered from get down-itis?

3. Unstabilized and rushed approaches contribute to accidents.  Were you ever vectored too close or too high to fly the approach with comfort?

4. Improving communication between air traffic control and pilots will improve safety. Have you visited your local tower lately?

Kathleen O’Brien, LGB SPM

Know Beforehand

Have you ever heard of a pilot/owner whose plane was due for its annual inspection and before the owner could deliver the plane to its mechanic, time ran out? What can the owner do to get the aircraft to the maintenance?

Special flight permits are issued for aircraft that may not currently meet applicable airworthiness but are capable of safe flight. Special flight permits may be issued for the following purposes:

(The complete detailed article on this subject written by Cathy VanAssche, an airworthiness inspector, is available on our Web Page, www.awp.faa.gov/flightstandards. Click on Aviation Safety Articles under Services Provided in the upper right hand corner.