Organisations dealing with distractions around single pilot operations.
What can CASR Part 135 Operators do?
Operators have several regulatory requirements to help manage distraction during:
- single pilot operations
- broader human performance related issues.
However, you should also consider implementing other strategies beyond regulatory requirements.
Under CASR 119, you must have a program for training and assessment in human factors principles and non‑technical skills. Your program should include human performance related issues, including distraction.
If you are conducting single pilot operations, you should include the relevant human factors considerations and non-technical skills. You should incorporate learning and outcomes of the operators safety management system into your human factors program to make sure improvements are ongoing.
Beyond regulatory requirements, you should also consider other initiatives to minimise the risk with distraction during single pilot operations. This includes standardising operations as much as possible and incorporating ‘airline’ style SOPs into operations.
What is CASA doing or has already delivered?
We have introduced CASR Part 119 which details the requirements for the certification and management for air transport operators. This includes the requirements for scalable human factors and non-technical training (HF/NTS) for operational safety critical personnel.
This Part ensures all operational safety critical personnel are at an acceptable level of competency prior to undertaking safety critical tasks.
In 135.120 of CASR, operators and flight crew members must ensure they carry out activities necessary for safe operation of the aircraft only at certain high-risk times. This is known as the ‘sterile cockpit’ concept.
We have also published a specific AC on human factors principles and non-technical skills training and assessment for air transport operations (AC 119-12).
In addition, we have a range to promotional and educational material to support you in implementing a human factors training system.
This also includes support for pilots to help them understand human factors and applying non-technical skills. Such material include:
- Safety behaviours human factors: Resource guide for pilots
- Avsafety cards on decision making and situational awareness
- enhancing pilot skills in a dynamic environment - Threat and error management training video.
For full details on all Human factors and safety behaviours resources, visit human factors and safety behaviours page.