Air Beat Magazine - Journal of the
Airborne Law Enforcement Association
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Setting Standards:
What Is Your “Go, No Go” Policy?
By Keith Johnson
ALEA Safety Program Manager
Loss of visual reference is often followed by spatial
disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft. It has claimed the lives
of many pilots, tactical flight officers and passengers. Research shows that
a pilot who becomes spatially disoriented has at least a 90 percent chance
of having a fatal accident – a very sobering thought.
The Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and
Management Center recently concluded a study on the topic of EMS helicopter
accidents, and I believe the results have similar application to law
enforcement operations. According to professor Susan P. Baker, MPS, “Our
study found that darkness triples the risk of fatalities when EMS
helicopters crash and that bad weather increases the risk eight-fold.”
The study’s authors examined National Transportation
Safety Board records for EMS helicopters between January 1, 1983, and April
30, 2005. During the 22-year study period, 184 occupants died in 182 EMS
helicopter accidents. Seventy-seven percent occurred in weather conditions
when pilots were required to fly primarily by reference to instruments. In
darkness, 56 percent of the accidents were fatal, compared to 24 percent of
the accidents not in darkness. And, the death rate for EMS flight
crewmembers is 20 times the rate for all U.S. workers.
Since much of the flight time in law enforcement aviation
is at night, low-level and often during times of low ceiling and visibility,
we should all pause and consider our organization’s weather standards.
Weather related accidents have high “severity” and
“probability” risk factors, and account for the highest fatality rate of any
other causal factors. This is a standard that requires careful consideration
by management. I highly recommend that every organization examine their
minimum weather standards. The following should be minimums: 800 feet and
two miles visibility for day operations over flat terrain, and 1,000 feet
and three miles over mountainous terrain. For night operations over flat
terrain, 1,000 feet and three miles and mountainous terrains of 1,300 feet
and five miles.
I realize many of us have flown in worse weather without
a mishap. The question we must ask ourselves, “Should we have flown in those
conditions”? We must always manage risk and follow the premise that the risk
we are taking is justified for what we expect to accomplish. If not, abort
the mission.
Other factors that we must consider include the
following factors:
Aircrew: Pilot and TFO experience should be a key factor in determining
whether to increase the minimum. Only pilots with considerable experience
should be permitted to fly in minimum conditions. Assigning less experienced
pilots and TFO together significantly increases risk, and should be avoided.
And, combining inexperienced pilots and TFOs increases risk exponentially,
and requires a new risk assessment.
Aircraft: Assessing aircraft issues is always a
consideration. Aircraft certified for Instrument Flight, and having
autopilot or stabilization capability have value when operating in low
ceiling and visibility conditions. However, more complex aircraft require
more pilot experience, and should generally not be assigned to inexperienced
pilots.
Mission: The complexity of the mission must be carefully
calculated when assessing risk. No two crewmembers have the same knowledge,
skill judgment and experience.
Other Issues: Consider air crew fatigue, projected length
of time and distance of the mission, wind, turbulence and flight over water.
Flight over water, especially at night, poses high risk of spatial
disorientation, and should be conducted with pilots that are Instrument
rated.
All pilots should receive IIMC training a minimum of once
each year. More frequent training is recommended due to the frequent low
ceiling and visibility conditions that exist during winter months.
No pilot should act as pilot in command (PIC) unless the
pilot has received night transition training. There should be a written
endorsement by the chief or instructor pilot stating that the pilot has
complied with unit night currency requirements as defined in FAR Part 61.
Changes in environmental conditions can occur multiple
times on a given flight. External conditions such as clouds, fog, haze,
smoke, rain and overcast sky at night, reduce our ability to avoid things
like mountains, surface obstructions, and even flat terrain. They also make
it more difficult to navigate, and increase the risk of inadvertent entry
into the clouds. We must acknowledge that no pilot intentionally enters the
clouds, and therefore, we are all subject to this often-fatal mistake.
When inadvertent IMC does occur, the attitude of the
aircraft must be determined by artificial means from reference to the flight
instruments. When this occurs, a pilot is particularly vulnerable to
disorientation. The degree of disorientation may vary considerably with
individual pilots.
In the event of experiencing inadvertent IMC, several
things should be considered including steps to prevent/overcome spatial
disorientation:
-
Have and follow your inadvertent IMC plan.
-
Fly on and believe the flight instruments.
-
Utilize a sound instrument scan.
-
Fly straight and level if possible until you are
oriented.
-
Delay control inputs until you can visually confirm
your sensations with flight instruments.
-
Avoid unnecessary and rapid head movements when flying
on the instruments.
-
Avoid fixation that can cause disorientation.
-
Manage and coordinate workload with other crewmembers.
During VFR flight, we rely heavily on visual clues
outside the cockpit. The transition from visual to instrument flight cannot
be accomplished immediately. Not even by highly experienced pilots, even
when they know the transition is about to occur. Studies have shown that it
takes approximately 30 seconds to successfully make the transition. The key
to successfully making this transition is training and having a plan.
Experts tell us that subsequent to entering the clouds,
initial procedures should include flying straight and level, then making
180-degree turns, climbing or descending to return to VMC. These are all
well and good, but sometimes the flying environment demands different
procedures. What would you do when flying through a narrow mountain pass
when inadvertently entering a cloud layer? You may not be able to continue
flying straight and level due to proximity to nearby terrain.
Most in law enforcement operate with crews of two. Your
partner can be a valuable asset in making the transition from visual to
instrument flight. This can include monitoring instruments and giving the
pilot essential information, and communicating with ATC and other nearby
aircraft. Effective response requires training for both pilot and tactical
flight officer. I frequently hear, “It’s too expensive to train.” Try having
a fatal accident.
There are multiple environments crews must be prepared to
operate in, including marine, dessert, mountains, agricultural and urban
areas with high-rise buildings and other surface obstacles. Pilots and
crewmembers, in order to increase the likelihood of responding
appropriately, need to have a plan for the different environmental
conditions in which they operate.
Your organization should have a “go, no go” weather
minimum policy. You should have a personal “go, no go” weather minimum
policy that may be more conservative due to lack of experience, skill or
severe environmental conditions. Ask yourself, “Is your job worth your life?
Editor’s Note: For a copy of the EMS Accident Study, go
to the ALEA website, “EMS
Accident Study.”
(Back to top)
Classroom Tactics
By Cpl. Eric Weidner
TFO Ontario (CA) PD Air Support Unit
Each day on the job provides new learning experiences,
and this is certainly true in the TFO field. Every day and every call shows
us that no one knows it all. The ability to be critical of yourself and your
performance isn’t something that comes easily, but it is necessary if you
are going to continue improving.
Tactical Flight Officer’s (TFO) know that training classes in this field are
few and far between. So, when my sergeant approached me about attending the
first TFO class hosted by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support
Division (LAPD ASD), I enthusiastically agreed. I have been a TFO for the
past three years in a medium-sized, mostly urban city in Southern California
– enough time by most standards to have refined my skills as a TFO.
The Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)
certified class was held in October at the Hooper Memorial Heliport, home of
the LAPD ASD. The aviation division recently converted part of their hangar
facility into a state-of-the-art training center – the Saperstein Training
Center, a comfortable place to hold training seminars. Twenty-eight police
officers and deputies in aviation units from Tucson, Arizona to Placer
County, California attended the class.
Some of the topics covered during the four days of
classes were crew resource management, pursuit tactics, firefighting, SWAT
procedures, K-9 applications, surveillance and FLIR applications. All of the
lectures presented were interesting and informative, and Officer/Pilot Jack
Schonely presented one particularly useful lecture on suspect evasion
tactics. The training experience was enhanced with ride-a-longs in LAPD
aircraft during actual law enforcement tactical operations.
The opportunity to receive TFO training in a formal
training environment and to exchange ideas on tactics and procedures with
other professionals in the field is invaluable. A face-to-face
classroom-training environment is a great way to put the practical
experience that we receive every day into a new and correct perspective.
LAPD started their helicopter unit in 1956, and it has
continued to grow in size and mission capability since its inception. The
number of flight hours and calls handled on a daily basis by this air unit
is quite impressive. The Air Support Division has two, and sometimes three,
helicopters flying in support of patrol over the City of Los Angeles most
hours of the day and night. Being able to observe the inner workings of one
of the largest police aviation units in the world was an added bonus of
attending this TFO class.
So what is a TFO? And what makes a good one? What skills
are required to be an effective TFO? One answer is that a TFO is an officer
who has sound patrol experience, is skilled and knowledgeable in all of the
communications and sensor systems of the aircraft and can utilize this
equipment as required in any tactical situation. Necessary traits of a TFO
are multi-tasking capabilities, complete situational awareness, cockpit
resource management (CRM) in tune with the aircraft pilot, and outstanding
communication skills. The LAPD’s TFO class stressed these skills and did a
great job of illustrating how to apply them for the successful outcome of
tactical situations.
Those of us who are TFOs happily accept that relatively
new title over the original designation of “observer.” The fact is the days
of a cop simply riding along in the aircraft with a pilot and conducting
some “garden variety” visual law enforcement observations are over. This is
not meant to take anything away from those who came before us; their
experiences are invaluable. But today’s TFO is handling the tactical part of
the unit’s operations with an arsenal of technical equipment and systems
that were not available five or ten years ago. When faced with the
challenges of using this new technology, it makes sense that the LAPD ASD
would develop a formalized training seminar to address the role of today’s
TFO.
When it’s all said and done, however, it doesn’t matter
how big or small your air unit is. The most important thing is getting the
right information, correctly acting on it in a timely manner, and doing the
best job possible.
(Back to top)
The Flying Foundation:
Ground Crews Support Law Enforcement Aviation
By Erik P. Feldmanis
Who exactly are ground crews, and what is it that they
do?
For the most part, ground crews are the individuals that
frankly, we couldn’t operate without. They’re simply the devoted, dedicated
and, many times, unnoticed professionals that allow police department’s
aircraft and their crews to operate.
Ground handling and ground servicing is a relatively complex operation.
Unlike pulling your car out of the garage or, better yet, pulling the
lawnmower out of the shed and gassing it up, aircraft require more
attention. They’re bigger, heavier, more dangerous and, of course, more
expensive. As with any high-tech operation, regardless of what that might
be, one must remember that hidden behind that operation lays a multitude of
support foundations. These foundations are the means by which that operation
can exist or perform. These multitude, or layers of support, and the basis
on which they are performed require a certain level of expertise. That level
of expertise is dependent upon the level of complexity of that specific
foundation.
In terms of aviation operations, one important, yet
sometimes overlooked, support foundation is that of ground handling. And
it's important for all of us to take notice of the folks (sometimes not
sworn police officers) who make it happen behind the scenes and spend some
time looking at what it is that they do.
The responsibilities of ground crews can vary from menial
tasks such as washing and cleaning the aircraft (not to imply that washing
and cleaning an aircraft is unnecessary or unwarranted) to complex tasks
such as complete engine and transmission overhauls---and everything in
between. The amount of ground support performed by a particular unit is, of
course, dependent on factors such as out-source availability and budget
constraints. Regardless of the level of groundhandling and servicing,
mistakes can be costly.
Just a couple of years ago, the National Air
Transportation Association (NATA) backed by numerous aviation insurance
agencies, developed what they call a “Ground Incident Reporting Program.”
This reporting program appeared to have been prompted by the belief that
ground handling incidents were the fastest growing area of aviation-related
claims. One estimate then believed that ground handling claims accounted for
somewhere close to $100 million a year. This is an astonishing statistic,
and one not to be taken lightly.
The level of complexity of ground handling tasks isn’t
the issue. What is, or at least can be, an issue is that the personnel
relied upon to fulfill these requirements need to be qualified in order to
perform those tasks.
What is qualified? Qualified is, or at least should be, a
measurable level of knowledge and expertise. Not just theoretical knowledge,
but hands-on practical knowledge as well. It is more than just an assignment
or additional duty---it’s a responsibility. Does qualification include
training? Of course it does. Just as flight crews train, so do ground crew
personnel---or at least they should.
Training is a formalized means by which to provide
theoretical and practical hands-on experience. It aids in ensuring
competence, efficiency and, most importantly, at least in the operation of
aircraft, safety. Damage to property and injury to personnel (including
flight crews, ground crews and the public) are all potential hazards,
especially when aircraft are involved. But we need to take this one step
further. What is that training derived from? Is it based on an industry
standard? Is it tailored to the operation’s specifics, such as location,
equipment, personnel, etc.? Yes and yes.
To get an idea of what an aviation law enforcement agency
may do in terms of ground handling operations, I recently had the distinct
privilege to spend some time with just a few of the Columbus, Ohio Police
Department’s elite ground crews to see first-hand how they operate.
The Columbus Police employs 22 pilots to operate six
MD500E helicopters. Operating 16 hours a day, seven days a week, the flight
crew themselves take care of the day-to-day ground handling operations.
Aircraft maintenance is out-sourced.
Lt. Mike Elkins, the division’s commander, schedules
crews on an overlapping timetable. This aids not only in the availability of
aircraft, but also in the coordination of ground support. Sgt. Edward
Daniher, the first shift supervisor, explained the orientation and training
process that they use. “Once a new crewmember is assigned, they first go
through a basic facility orientation. This orientation includes the building
and hangar layout, facility equipment and aircraft support equipment.
Following the orientation, specific task training begins. A standardized
‘task sign-off’ sheet is utilized to document and organize the training.”
Policies and procedures pertaining to ground support
operations are covered in the department’s standard operating procedures.
The training requirements for each of the listed tasks are also in that SOP.
Rather than just assign a new crewmember the task of reading the material
presented within the SOPs, each individual sits down with a supervisor and
the information is covered one-on-one. This ensures content understanding.
From there, operational experience is gained in all
facets of ground handling: proper operation of the helicopter transport
carts, ground handling wheels, A.P.U. charging, connect-disconnect
procedures, refueling (both cold and hot), tug operations and proper
aircraft cleaning procedures. With regard to aircraft cleaning, each flying
aircraft is cleaned not once, but twice daily. The flight crews are also
responsible for snow plowing, as well as grass maintenance. The crewmembers
watch, listen, and learn. As time progresses, they begin their hands-on
experience under the watchful eye of a supervisor.
The unit’s standards are ever-evolving, whereas policies
and procedures are occasionally modified in order to improve a policy or
procedure. These new changes are inserted into the document in bold and
underlined text, making the new changes easily identifiable. A reading file
is maintained to provide informational updates.
The Columbus Police Department's air division has never
had a single injury or loss of aircraft -- in the air or on the ground. With
an operation in existence since 1972 and an annual flight operation logging
in excess of 5,200 hours, this is a remarkable achievement. But, this didn’t
happen by accident. It happened because of the devotion, dedication to
safety and professionalism demonstrated by the crewmembers that make up the
Columbus Police Department’s Aviation Section.
(Back to top)
Mission Over...
Now the Work Starts
By Shea Gibbs
The Fixed Base Operation at your airfield couldn’t
operate without several linemen running around the ramp at all times. To
keep private aircraft in the air, FBOs employ full-time ground handling
personnel to position, receive, clean and fuel the birds. Flight crews are
reserved for, well, flight.
In most cases, law enforcement pilots and tactical flight
officers aren’t so lucky. Many crewmembers find that their job doesn’t end
even when the bad guys are behind bars. After coming in from a mission,
landing the aircraft and shutting down, they become the linemen. Somebody’s
got to put the thing to bed. And somebody’s got to do it right.
“The majority of the time it’s the pilot and the TFO,”
says Sgt. Dave Hansen of the Albuquerque Police Department. “Late at night
they’re the only ones here, and they have to push it, physically push the
helicopter [into the hangar].”
Sure, most units are blessed with tugs, which take out
the physical part of moving the airplanes and helicopters, but such double
duty is more the rule than the exception. It’s not just the smaller units
that find that budgetary constraints keep them from employing ground
personnel; it’s the standard sized units as well.
The Hillsborough County (FL) Sheriff’s Office currently
employs nine full-time pilots to operate eight different aircraft, six
rotary and two fixed-wings. But even with two mechanics also on staff, sworn
officers often find themselves scraping debris from the airframes.
“It’s a team effort to clean up—mechanics, pilots,” says
Master Sgt. Mark Yost. “After they come in, you tend to get some bugs on the
front end leading edges. That’s all cleaned off after every mission.”
While it wouldn’t alleviate any of the duties performed
by pilots and TFOs, Yost believes that things on the ground would run more
smoothly if the department were to standardize their aircraft. Currently
operating six helicopters in three different models—two American Eurocopter
AS350s, two B2 A-Stars and two Bell OH-58s—he would like to see the unit
consolidate the fleet.
“Our future plans are to try to go with four A-Stars,” he
says.
For the Maryland State Police, with a payroll
accommodating about 130 individuals, two-man teams of a pilot and a
paramedic (70 percent of their calls involve medical transport) handle
everything related to their aircraft during their 12 hour shift. This group
of 100 personnel (50 pilots and 50 medics) handles the responsibilities at
eight different bases across the state.
The MSP operates 12 Dauphin helicopters, a King Air and a
Cessna 210, so all of their aircraft can be maneuvered without the use of a
dolly or by attaching wheels to helicopter skids. But their cleaning regime
for each machine is rigorous. For each, the exterior is washed once a day
and waxed once every two weeks. The flight crews also work to clean the
blades and the interior every week. And on top of the set schedule, says
First Sgt. William Kerr, the airplanes are cleaned on an as needed basis.
The two-man crews also fuel their aircraft on-site, and
this is the only area where Kerr believes the MSP ground handling operation
could be improved.
“In some of our areas, the fuel source is a good distance
from the actual hangar,” he says. “It would be nice to move the fuel sources
in closer proximity to the planes. They’re not always, but in some cases, a
bit of a distance, which increases our response time.”
Most operations have simply come to accept that budgetary
constraints will never allow them to bring in full-time line staff. So they
make the best of things, dividing duties up fairly, usually by tasking
operating pilots with preparing aircraft prior to missions and taking care
of them after the job has been done.
“Everyone’s got their own little niche,” offers Arkansas
State Police Sgt. Jim Moore. “One person handles statistics. Another is
responsible for traffic. And someone else handles equipment other than on
the aircraft.”
Officers at the Hillsborough Police Department, like
those at the MSP, are called upon to operate heavy machinery on the ground
as well as in the air. With a fuel farm on site, it’s up to everyone to keep
the aircraft fueled and ready to go.
Some departments, though, have found ways around putting
too much extra burden on their pilots. One of the most common ways of doing
so is to outsource some of the line tasks – usually fueling – to local FBOs.
Albuquerque relies on the services of Bode Aero for their fueling needs,
which Hansen says has worked out well.
“We call them up and they can bring the truck over and they’ll fill us up,”
he says. “They can also hot fuel the helicopter.” When it comes to hot
fuels, naturally, Albuquerque pilots and TFOs are involved in the process,
the pilot remaining in the cockpit while the TFO exits the aircraft to
provide another set of eyes on the tarmac.
And there are great benefits to having a hand in the
minor upkeep of your law enforcement aircraft. No one cares more about a
machine that will be taken into hostile situations than the person who will
be taking it there. Ground handling, in this case, becomes like an extended
pre- and post-flight inspection for pilots and TFOs, and the equipment is
looked after with the utmost care.
“We had some Eurocopter guys out here,” says Hansen. “And
we’ve had our EC120 going on five years, but they thought it was a lot
newer.”
For startup units, ground operations sometimes have to be
improvised. The Cleveland Division of Police two years ago saw its aviation
department completely eliminated from service, and it has recently been
reinstated. Before being shut down, the CDP relied heavily on an FBO for
their ground handling, but this time, they’re having to do it all
themselves. And it’s no easy do-it-yourself project.
“It’ll take time to get the operation up and running,”
says Lt. Alan Chonko. “The old mayor devastated our program.” This means
that budget concerns are of utmost importance. “Money’s tight because of the
way we’re restarting,” Chonko says.
So the unit is getting by on the seat of their jumpsuits.
They currently have five pilots operating two helicopters and one fixed-wing
aircraft, but Chonko says that they will have a full force of ten in the
near future. They’ve relied heavily on the 1033 military surplus program to
procure all of the necessary equipment to maneuver on the ground. They are
currently refurbishing a fuel truck to convert it to Jet-A fuel, but some of
the equipment they received may be beyond refurbishing.
“We also got a couple tugs,” says Chonko. “They’re not so
great, but we can use a pickup truck if we need to. You put a receiver hitch
on the front end of the truck.”
The Kansas Highway Patrol is in a similar situation. They
have the 10 pilot force that Cleveland is shooting for and a fleet of eight
aircraft, split down the middle between rotary and fixed-wing. They do use a
neighboring FBO for fueling (which they supervise), but the rest of the
nitty-gritty line tasks fall on the pilots’ shoulders.
“It’d be good if we had [extra personnel], but we’re kind
of a fledgling unit,” says Captain Anthony Prideaux. “We’re getting started
back up again. If it’s got to be done, we’re going to do it. We don’t have
the manpower or budget to bring anyone else on.”
According to First Lt. Bern Reidsma, the Michigan State
Police run things a bit differently. They rely on their two full-time
mechanics to perform most of the aircraft maneuvering on the ground, as well
as for fueling and cleaning, though pilots are responsible for maintaining
all of the non-aircraft equipment.
For moving helicopters (of which they have two, along
with a single engine airplane and a twin), Reidsma finds it beneficial to
have both dollies and wheels to slip under the skids. The dollies, he says,
are most efficient, but the attachable wheels are far more portable, and
they often bring them along for convenience when they’ll be landing at a
remote location.
When asked what could be improved in ground handling for
his department, Reidsma offers a common suggestion. “Oh yeah, more budget
would definitely help.”
Regardless of what kind of extra work officers might be
required to do on the ground due to budget constraints, aerial enforcers are
the type to see the benefits of giving increased attention to their
aircraft, rather than complain.
“There’s a number of things that would make things easier—new power
equipment to move the aircraft, a new hangar would be a good thing for the
storage of our aircraft,” says Hansen. “There are a lot of better things out
there, but we make do with what we have.”
In the end, it’s more about getting the job done right
than getting the latest equipment for its luxury. Such is the case for the
start-up unit in Cleveland, and for their military surplus tugs.
“The important thing is we got operating, not that we
have a shiny new tug,” says Chonko.
(Back to top)
Before Pulling Pitch:
The Importance of Ground
Training for Flight Crews
By Dick Gilson
AvStar Media, LLC
The development and maintenance of a comprehensive
training program requires that the unit’s training officer look at all of
the resources available to ensure that there are no essential elements left
out. Just as the FAA requires that each Part 135 operator have a training
manual, each department should also have a formal statement of their
training requirements and how they are going to be met. Whether you fly Part
135 or Part 91, a formal approach to establishing the training curriculum is
necessary to eliminate any training deficiencies. We will deal primarily
with the ground portion of the training requirements, although you can apply
the same procedures for the flight portion.
Take The First Step
Mission Statement: The first and one of the most important steps to
complete is to develop a mission statement. This involves identifying the
services that you provide. For example, “We provide aircraft in support of
law enforcement to include day/night, VFR/IFR, NVGs, external load,
repelling, fire fighting, over water and mountainous terrain, and medevac.”
When describing these services, remember that whatever
you offer, you must budget for the equipment AND the training. It is obvious
that you will not be able to fly NVGs without such things as goggles and the
proper cockpit configuration, but the training to efficiently operate this
equipment is just as important. Some equipment, such as NVGs, can be a
liability rather than an asset if the operator is not properly trained. This
holds true for all of the capabilities that you are offering your
department.
Modified Task Analysis: You need to list your training objectives. In other
words, what do my pilots need to know? There is no substitute for writing
down the individual tasks that must be learned and practiced in order to
maintain proficiency. As an example, you want to list the things a pilot
needs to know if hovering over water, as there are unique concerns in the
event of a water recovery.
It is a good idea to periodically “start from scratch” in
analyzing the mission and therefore the tasks, especially if it has been
some time since you have done so. New equipment or new aircraft can increase
capabilities and “adding on” to your task listing can create a curriculum
that can be disjointed and unmanageable. Just as in the flight training
phase, where you list the maneuvers that the pilot must master, your ground
training likewise should include the items of information that the pilot
needs to learn.
How do I accomplish this training?
Develop a Task Checklist: Many operators satisfy their requirements by a
combination of in-house training and using the services of an outside
vendor. For in-house training, the instruction should include the
development of “lesson plans”. These are often looked upon as a nuisance,
but they are useful in ensuring that all of the required material is
covered. They are living documents and should be reviewed and modified as
necessary.
The outside vendor training, whether a factory program,
visiting instructor, or computer based training, should be reviewed to see
what portion of your specific training requirements they cover. Require that
any vendor providing any portion of your training list specifically what
they are going to cover. This is the only way you can check off the items
that have been completed. The ALEA does an excellent job of listing the
objectives of their educational programs, whether at the annual conference
or the regional safety seminars.
Training is Not a Variable Expense: In many cases, budget
reductions cause training evolutions to be either cancelled or postponed. No
such reductions are proposed for the purchase of fuel or for the conduct of
maintenance. Training is not a variable expense and there is an expenditure
below which, an operator should not go and continue to operate.
Similarly, there are essential training requirements that
other police officers MUST complete such as weapons qualification or driving
re-qualification, that would never be eliminated. Specialized units such as
SWAT have their own unique requirements that must be completed or the member
is not qualified. Your aviation operation should have similar essential
requirements to ensure qualification.
We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know: Unfortunately we do not
know what we have forgotten. There is no alarm that sounds, indicating the
information that we no longer can recall, such as an emergency procedure, a
limitation, or a regulation. How do we ensure that we have retained all the
necessary information? More than likely, your recurrent training can be as
much of a “validation” process as a new learning experience. It will confirm
that we knew what we thought we knew and re-teach those items that might
have escaped us.
I Fly a Lot, So We Don’t Have to Train: Flight hours do
not necessarily equate to experience or competency. If a flight is
uneventful, we use just a small portion of what we need to know to be
“qualified” to conduct the flight. How do we ensure that the “other”
information is learned and retained? It requires a regimented recurrent
training solution. Even if the department has highly qualified pilots, they
may not necessarily be highly qualified instructors.
Evaluate Your Training Program: Look at it in a different
light, as if you just had an accident or incident and you are justifying
your training. If, in evaluating our training program, we used the criteria
that someone was looking over our shoulders to see what deficiencies might
have caused an accident or incident, we would probably arrive at different
conclusions relative to our training program’s adequacy. We would not
rationalize the elimination or postponement of training evolutions and we
would become more aggressive in the advocacy of these programs.
No one ever wants to think about facing their boss, the
FAA or the insurance company, trying to justify their training decisions, so
it is far better to use that method before hand, as it may result in never
having to be in that uncomfortable position. Most importantly, it is more
likely that everyone goes home safely.
Evaluation and Record-keeping: The term “evaluate” may be
more palatable to some, but it is basically a method of “testing” the
pilots. We don’t take someone’s word that they can successfully autorotate a
helicopter and we need to test for the information associated with ground
school. How do I determine that the pilot has retained the information?
Don’t wait until an emergency occurs to find out that the
pilot has forgotten an important procedure. Periodic evaluations, whether
written or oral, are necessary to know how effective your training program
is. Record keeping is an essential part of the training system. Remember
that if you don’t have records that the training was accomplished, to an
outsider, it wasn’t.
Get Management Support: How do we get management to
support our training plan? One way is to emphasize the importance of your
training. Ask your superior about their impression of what constitutes a
safe operation. What are their expectations of the operation from a safety
perspective? What training do they expect to be conducted?
In the absence of specifics, this is the opportunity to
provide a copy of your curriculum and if you have done a good task analysis,
you can easily justify every item on your list. Keep in mind that the
initial premise is that the operation and the training is fine, especially
if there has not been an accident of incident. The key is to have
recommendations as to the most cost effective way to complete the
requirements. A thorough explanation of all requirements should get the
support to fund your recommendations.
The better organized you are and the more specific you
are in organizing your training, the greater the possibility that something
important will not be omitted. It is essential to safety.
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The Stars Behind the Badge
By Sgt. Mike Griffin
LASD Aero Bureau
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Aero Bureau
owes our continued success to the professional employees who keep our
“Tradition of Airborne Service” alive every day. Without the efforts of all
of these people, the Aero Bureau would never be able to turn a blade…
Our operations staff is composed of Management Secretary
Lisa Moore, Operations Assistant Terri Davis, and Law Enforcement
Technicians Laura Wills and Michellerene Marmolejo. They are responsible for
a myriad of administrative tasks such as timekeeping, personnel reports,
billing, fuel ordering, contract maintenance and preparation, budget and
desk operations. Each has a number of collateral duties that task their
skills and talents on a daily basis, and each performs in a manner that sets
a standard for excellence.
Aircraft inspection and repairs, directed by Dennis
Thompson, Chief of Helicopter Maintenance, is divided into two distinct
sections. Sikorsky H-3 maintenance is supervised by Senior Mechanic Sid
Edwards and facilitated by Maintenance Inspector Juan Garibay and mechanics
Alan Butler, Steve Hortz, Duke Lam, Matt Pascone and Tony Nigro. Eurocopter
maintenance is supervised by Senior Mechanic Bill Osborn and facilitated by
Maintenance Inspector Larry Belden and mechanics Dale Buckeridge, Mike
Craine, Pat Hickey, Dean Hendrickson, Carlos Hinestrosa, David Kristjanson,
Tony Martinez, Jeff Marzano, Darren Ota and Derek Westphal. Keeping all of
these talented people supplied with parts, tools, equipment and support is
the job of warehouseman and all around “go to guy,” Raul Perez.
The Avionics Support staff is made up of Senior
Technician Larry Gilson, as well as technicians David Hess and Richard
Webster. Each man works diligently to maintain the functionality of all of
the systems on board our three Sikorsky H-3 rescue helicopters, 12
Eurocopter AS350B2 patrol helicopters and two Cessna 210 airplanes.
Communication, navigation and specialized equipment includes FLIR 7500s,
Nightsun IIs, N.A.T., Wulfsberg and Technisonic radios, AeroComputer Maps,
Video Downlink, Lo-Jack and Sandel, Garmin and Ryan support systems.
Flying 18 aircraft nearly 12,000 hours a year in support
of patrol operations, surveillance, search and rescue, transportation and
photo flights, is a monumental task that requires a great deal from each
member of the Aero Bureau. It is only with the support of these people that
we have been able to provide outstanding service to the law enforcement
officers and citizens of Los Angeles County for almost 80 years.
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