The real situation is thereby continually monitored — Page 306, Lesson 500

I want to walk you through a key part of how we manage the constantly changing environment in the air. The situation is never static, so the review of actions by the flight crew is fundamental and it should be ongoing. That means the Commander doesn't just make a decision and forget about it — if the situation has changed, the Commander should check whether the outcome of his or her decision is still valid. If it is no longer valid, the whole decision-making process starts again from the beginning. The real situation is thereby continually monitored. Now, let's talk about one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce errors: Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs. Rule-based behaviour is one of the things that makes aviation as safe as it is today. Wherever possible, laws, procedures, vital actions, and checklists are produced for the crews to follow. This, in itself, reduces the amount of decision making that crews have to carry out — because many situations are already covered by a known procedure. However, errors can occur at the interface between liveware and software. 'Liveware' is the human element, and 'software' here refers to the non-physical parts of the system — things like checklists, manuals, maps, charts, and airport guides. It is very easy for individuals to misinterpret the content of these items. To try to minimize these errors, Standard Operating Procedures have been introduced. If strictly adhered to, SOPs should be successful in reducing the number of mistakes. One disadvantage is that SOPs cannot be published for every possible situation. They are aimed at establishing a pattern of behaviour that becomes habitual. As most airlines employ the practice of standardizing equipment and procedures, it is possible for the operating habits learned on one aircraft mark or type to be carried over to another. That's a benefit of standardization — the habits you build on one aircraft type can transfer, reducing the learning curve and the chance of error when you switch.