{"id":33545,"date":"2021-04-20T09:12:34","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T09:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=33545"},"modified":"2021-05-19T11:11:20","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T11:11:20","slug":"aircraft-emergencies-communication-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/aircraft-emergencies-communication-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"Aircraft Emergencies \u2013 Communication Strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Don\u2019t panic Mr Mainwaring!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to have a plan for if things go horribly wrong\u2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Crash image by Morgan Mackay \u2013 unbelievably, no-one was hurt!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever been in an aircraft emergency?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The closest to an aircraft emergency I’ve ever come has been watching flames coming out of the engine as it started up while I was sat inside the plane. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Even though we were on the ground, the level of panic and confusion on board has left a lasting impression on me, to the point that I have found myself being in the position of being the load master and just hoping nothing will go wrong.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aircraft emergencies are some of the most dangerous situations in skydiving, and yet there is no communication strategy in place, how to efficiently communicate when needed. This is a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No communication strategy in place… is a recipe for disaster<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Just imagine the implications of just a few too many jumpers panicking and trying to run to the door because of a loud bang and someone yelling “AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY!”. A rapid movement of jumpers trying to get to the door could create a serious change in the balance of the aircraft and suddenly adding another unnecessary problem for the pilot to deal with. In extreme cases the movement of the jumpers, if unchecked by the pilot could lead to a loss of control of the aircraft through an unanticipated and rapid onset of a stall condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a regularly unused and sometimes misunderstood but very important communication link between the pilot and the jumpers. Imagine though, you have someone who isn\u2019t as cool as a cucumber, who doesn\u2019t communicate to you in a calm and controlled manner. This could be potentially disastrous with a total breakdown in communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trapping the Chimp<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Commercial Aviation has clear cut communication structures for emergencies, so that everyone knows exactly what to expect if there is some sort of anomaly. This is called “Trapping the chimp”. The figuratively caged monkey in this case is not referring to a primate that might be causing the ruckus, but rather your inner chimp, the primate brain that goes into panic mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By giving your brain a plan what you can expect in case of an incident, you will be able to keep your higher cognitive functions (reasoning, memory etc.) intact, and stay collected and take deliberate action instead of being overwhelmed by panic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can we expect?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The pilot’s priorities \u2013 1, Aviate; 2, Navigate; 3, Communicate
Image by Rob Lloyd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Pilot’s Priorities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In case of an incident, the pilot\u2019s priorities are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Aviate – Fly the aircraft first<\/li>
  2. Navigate – Assure the aircraft is flying the correct path<\/li>
  3. Communicate – Informing everyone else of his intentions<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If he is putting up his hand, he is not being rude, but is probably busy with point 1, 2 or both. In extreme cases he might be so tied up by 1 and 2 that with the remaining altitude all is there left to say is that it\u2019s time to bail out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Emergency Communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    For the case that there is time and necessity, the aim of communication from the pilot to the jump master and then jump master to the skydivers must follow a concise and structured format to avoid panic and mitigate the risk by means of clear communication. In commercial aviation, NITS briefings serve this purpose, which can be taken over one-to-one in skydiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The NITS Briefing structure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    NITS is an Acronym designed for concise information delivery in emergency situations which stands for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n