Helicopter simulator training, with its array of benefits across various devices, is a game-changer for pilots and operators of all types. Choices for all budgets are now widely available. From innovative view-limiting devices that provide a progressive loss of visibility to various high-fidelity full-motion simulators, virtual reality integration, and desktop simulators. Each system can provide users with a safe, controlled environment for pilots to challenge and hone advanced decision-making and foundational flying skills. They can replicate challenging environments and scenarios that may be impossible to experience in aircraft, enhancing proficiency in handling emergencies, and improving spatial awareness. A scalable suite of options offers many high-value, cost-effective, and flexible training solutions. The ability to practice and debrief repeatedly leads to improved safety and elevated performance in real-world operations.
Many of us face the challenge of simply finding and processing the relevance of the treasure trove of information just waiting to be discovered. Once aware of the resources and capabilities now available to everyone, from the well-financed global operator to the budget-conscious owner/pilot, researchers can pursue appropriate training and proficiency requirements.
Several resources are available that can provide us with the information we need to understand and make an informed decision about various simulation technologies, scenario-based training methods, and the fatal accidents that they can help prevent. I’ll share just a few of these resources for your consideration.
USHST Resources
The USHST has dedicated considerable time and effort to develop Helicopter Safety Enhancements (H-SEs) and deliver several valuable resources designed to better equip you for your next flight while avoiding the common pitfalls that can lead to the most common causes of fatal rotorcraft accidents, including unintended flight in IMC, spatial disorientation, loss of control in flight, striking an object while operating at low altitude, and controlled flight into terrain.
- 56 Seconds to Live: The “56 Seconds to Live” campaign has likely generated the most interest of all previous USHST campaigns combined, primarily due to the well-produced video viewed over 71,000 times on YouTube alone. The USHST, however, did not want to merely replicate the Air Transport Safety Institute’s 178 Seconds to Live, which depicts a fixed-wing pilot in a similar IIMC scenario that seeks to scare pilots into straightening up and flying right. The USHST wanted to go further, so they created a web page with dozens of resources focused on preventing the IIMC accident portrayed in the “56-seconds” video from ever happening to viewers. Chief among the resources linked on the page is the 56 Seconds to Live Awareness and Prevention Course. This course provides several alternative scenarios that the pilot chooses that ultimately lead to a much more positive outcome.
- Simulations for Safe Decision Making (H-SE #123): the objective of this safety enhancement was to increase the use of relevant simulation to rehearse at-risk scenarios to develop safe aeronautical decision-making. The H-SE team developed three valuable resources to bolster your simulation training efforts, including:
- A video: “Simulation: Learn From Your Mistakes”
- Recognition & Recovery of Spatial Disorientation (H-SE # 127A:): the objective of this safety enhancement was to develop training for recognition of spatial disorientation and recovery to controlled flight. The H-SE team developed a recommended practice document titled “Spatial Disorientation Induced by a Degraded Visual Environment – Training and Decision-Making Solutions”
Taking the Deep Dive
Some of you might be interested in reviewing two informative documents developed by the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ACT ARC) Spatial Disorientation Training Working Group (SDWG). The SDWG was tasked with providing responses linked to NTSB recommendations stemming from their investigation of the January 2020 fatal S76 helicopter accident in Calabasas, CA. The SDWG responded with the following two documents containing valuable technical data and operational scenarios that both pilots and operators can apply to enhance any future simulator training initiatives.
- ACT ARC Recommendation 23-1, titled, Simulation Training Devices Suitable for Spatial Disorientation Training Simulation, emphasizes the need for spatial disorientation (SD) training in Part 135 helicopter operators’ programs. It advocates for both theoretical and practical training, including scenario-based training, to enhance pilot proficiency and safety. The ARC identified and assessed several training devices for their ability to train pilots to recognize, avoid, and recover from SD. For more details, you can read the full document here.
- ACT ARC Recommendation 23-2, titled Part 135 Helicopter Operations Spatial Disorientation Training, emphasizes improved training and operational guidelines for Part 135 helicopter operators. It specifically recommends incorporating SD training to enhance pilot preparedness and safety. The document includes a sample curriculum for deployment of SD ground, flight, and scenario-based training. Finally, the document suggests both theoretical and practical, scenario-based training exercises and calls for updates to FAA guidance to support these improvements, aiming to reduce SD-related accidents and increase overall operational safety. For more details, you can read the full document here.
The types of devices listed in the ACT ARC can be found anywhere. From your home desktop computer to several full-motion simulators located around the globe, these capabilities continue to improve while becoming both more accessible and affordable. I recently had the opportunity to attend Airbus Helicopters’ Inadvertent IMC Training Course at their Grand Prairie, TX facility. I highly recommend that anyone who can attend this or a similar course through the many providers out there do so. It is a challenging and humbling experience that can help everyone reinforce how extremely important recognition, avoidance, and recovery from IIMC are.
VAI Resources
Those who follow VAI publications might have noticed that our team spends a considerable amount of time and effort focused on IIMC prevention. It’s for a good reason. Unintended Flight in IMC (UIMC)/IIMC consistently remains one of the top three causes of fatal helicopter accidents. We won’t stop until IIMC accidents stop. Below are just a few relevant examples from our Spotlight on Safety (SOS) library.
- SOS: Continuing VFR into IMC? You’ll Strike Out: In our most recent SOS video message we tell viewers that continuing visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) is likened to facing a formidable pitcher in baseball: overconfidence can and will lead to tragic results. You can check out that video, a related poster, and a supporting article from the Chair of Canada’s Transportation Safety Board here.
- SOS: Unlocking the Potential of Flight Simulator Training: Last September, my friend and former Coast Guard colleague Brian Potter, who now works with the Airbus helicopter training team, penned an article titled, “Unlocking the Potential of Flight Simulator Training.” In his piece, Brian details how to maximize the benefits of flight simulator training by preparing thoroughly, staying focused, and practicing under diverse conditions, including inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC). You can access Brian’s full article here, along with a companion video and poster.
- SOS: SD: The Unforgiving Killer:This SOS brings to light the dangers of spatial disorientation (SD) in aviation, particularly its role in numerous fatal helicopter accidents. It explains how SD occurs, the physiological and psychological factors involved, and its impact on pilots’ ability to maintain control of their aircraft. The article underscores the importance of proper training, awareness, and the use of technology to mitigate the risks associated with SD, ultimately aiming to improve pilot safety and prevent future tragedies. You can access the full article, video, and poster here.
- SOS: Flight Time is the Right Time – Even on a Desktop Simulator: In this video, Stan Rose with Helicopter Safety Alliance emphasizes the benefits of using desktop flight simulators for training. He highlights how even the simplest simulators can help pilots practice and enhance their skills in a controlled environment, particularly focusing on scenarios that are difficult to replicate in real life. The video and poster can be accessed here.
As I close this piece, I do so with a heavy heart. There will be many pilots who don’t make it to this point of the article. Many of you already understand, apply, and promote much of the information you can find on these pages. Thank you – please keep it up! But alas, some of you will disregard the messages provided herein. Many will not research the recommended links. Few will make a concerted effort to improve their instrument flying skills, even those needed to recover from IIMC. Regrettably, several will continue to “successfully” recover after flying into deteriorating weather and losing all visual references. Those “successes” will embolden some to try again – and they will die trying.
I hope I’m wrong. I want to be wrong. But statistics force us to acknowledge an inescapable truth. Many pilots simply fail to appreciate their pending doom when they choose to press on in poor weather. Heeding preachy advice from others, no matter how earnest, just does not resonate for some folks. It doesn’t feel real enough until it is. But my readers, this stuff is as real as it gets, and there is no way to sugarcoat it.
So why am I so passionate about this stuff? I’m one of the lucky ones. I survived IIMC – twice. I had no business putting myself into the situation that led to my successful recovery. Still, I am certain that my simulator training equipped me to recover and prevent two fatal crashes. I’ve shared these IIMC experiences in Rotor Pro’s Jan/Feb 2023 submission, IIMC Training Moves the Odds in Your Favor – Surviving Spatial D and IIMC is possible, but is it probable?, if you care to read more.
But this piece is not about me and my experiences – it’s about you and your plans moving forward. Are you willing to research, understand, and exploit the life-saving value of the simulation technologies out there today? Then, please, make a commitment to get started right now.
The life you save could be your own.