The suicide hour – every parent knows it. The time when you are home alone with the kids – its bath time, homework time, tea time. Everyone is tired and grumpy. The workload is over the top. Learning to manage that workload is vital to staying sane as a parent. Hey, and if you are having a really bad time at home with the kids, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. There are ways you can adjust your workload so it doesn’t feel so bad.
Managing workload for a pilot can at times literally be the difference between life and death. A missed approach due to not becoming visual suddenly becomes asymmetric. The turbulence is bad, ATC are calling about a runway change and a weather update, and then you drop the checklist booklet which proceeds to split open and spew pages down the aisle!
CASR Part 61 requires Flight Training Organisations to teach pilots how to “Organise workload and priorities to ensure optimum outcome of the flight – NTS1.4 (a). How can we teach this?
Set this briefing in the context of normal flight operations and also in the context of other flight events including emergencies and abnormal events. Define workload as “the amount of work in the given time”. Thus, for similar size tasks, the workload to complete 2 jobs in 10 minutes is considerably less than to complete 8 jobs in 5 minutes.
In normal operations, priorities are often set by the standard operating procedures and the general “flow” of the flight. Point out to the student how this general “flow” sets and controls priorities – on arrival for a flight the initial priority is normally to obtain weather and NOTAMs rather than refuelling the aircraft. Get the students to brainstorm the general flow of a flight and identify what are priorities at particular points.
At various times during flight preparation and the flight itself, the workload level begins to peak. Brief the student how to manage workload:
* Plan ahead for workload peaks – for example, the descent and approach and landing is a busy time. Prepare for this ahead of time by having aerodrome charts removed from binder and available in clipboard, having a “Frequency Plan” prepared beforehand so that ERSA is not required to be consulted, the TOLD card prepared early so that Vref does not need to be looked up, etc. Planning ahead is the key step in smoothing out workload peaks.
* Have resources available. Workload is increased when there is a need to change to the CTAF, and the frequency is not known and must be looked up. Similarly, workload is increased when baggage must be carried out to the aircraft a few pieces at a time rather than all at once because a baggage trolley was obtained. Having the appropriate resources available at the appropriate time decreases workload. Use any technology/automation resources available to reduce workload – autopilot, trim, moving map display et cetera.
* Clearly identifying priorities and deferring low priority tasks. For example, in the circuit for landing, pre-landing checks are a priority whereas reprogramming the GPS for the departure is a low priority task that should be deferred.
* Creating time or building a buffer. Workload (amount of jobs in a given time) can be reduced by increasing the time available. A reduced airspeed or a request for additional track miles provides additional time to get tasks completed, thus reducing workload. Additionally, the student may choose to place the aircraft in a “hold” to provide time to organise workload and work on high priority tasks.
What are your tips for controlling workload and setting priorities to optimise the outcome of the flight or your day?