The Highlands Safety Beacon: November Flying Safety – Human Factors & Aeronautical Decision-Making
November flying in the Tri-Cities and Appalachian region often looks benign on the surface. Cooler temperatures, smoother air, and fewer thunderstorms can create a false sense of security. But statistically and practically, November is one of the most dangerous months for subtle, human-factor-driven accidents.
This edition of The Highlands Safety Beacon focuses on Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) and the human factors that quietly erode safety—especially as we head into the holidays.
🧠 Why Human Factors Matter More Than Weather
Most accidents aren’t caused by a single failure. They’re caused by a chain of small decisions, each one seemingly reasonable at the time.
In November, those chains often start with:
- Fatigue from shorter daylight and packed schedules
- Holiday pressure (“I need to be there”)
- Overconfidence after a strong flying season
- Marginal weather that looks “good enough”
The aircraft didn’t fail—the decision-making did.
🧳 Get-There-Itis: The Holiday Trap
Thanksgiving travel is a classic setup for poor ADM.
You may hear yourself saying:
- “I’ll just take a look.”
- “It’s legal, so it’s fine.”
- “I’ve flown worse than this.”
These phrases are red flags.
Countermeasures:
- Build hard no-go criteria before the trip (ceilings, winds, visibility).
- Identify a decision point where you will divert or cancel—no debate.
- Tell passengers up front that flying is conditional, not guaranteed.
Professional pilots don’t rely on optimism—they rely on margins.
😴 Fatigue, Stress & Distraction
November introduces multiple fatigue drivers:
- Less daylight = disrupted sleep
- Cold weather = higher physical stress
- End-of-year work and family obligations
Fatigue degrades:
- Reaction time
- Situational awareness
- Risk perception
Mitigation strategies:
- Avoid late-night departures followed by early-morning returns.
- Treat fatigue like weather—if it’s outside limits, you don’t fly.
- Use written checklists and briefings to compensate for reduced mental bandwidth.
⚖️ Legal vs Personal Minimums
A dangerous mindset in late-season flying is confusing legal with safe.
Ask yourself:
- Are these conditions inside my comfort zone?
- Have I flown recently in similar conditions?
- Am I current and proficient?
If your honest answer is “maybe,” that’s your answer.
Strong personal minimums include:
- Higher ceilings than legal VFR
- Lower wind limits than POH maximums
- Conservative fuel reserves
- Daytime-only restrictions when rusty
Good ADM means protecting future flights, not salvaging today’s.
🔗 Recognizing the Accident Chain Early
Most pilots don’t crash because of one bad choice—they crash because they fail to stop the chain.
Common early links:
- Rushing preflight
- Skipping weather updates
- Ignoring gut discomfort
- Accepting “slightly worse than expected” conditions
Break the chain early. The earlier you stop it, the easier it is.
🛡️ Professional Habits That Reduce Risk
Adopt habits that protect you when motivation or judgment slips:
- Verbalize risks out loud during planning
- Brief yourself like you would a student
- Use a personal risk checklist (PAVE, IMSAFE)
- Ask: “Would I launch if this were a checkride?”
Discipline is what carries pilots through low-motivation days.
🚀 Fly the Airplane, Manage the Human
In November, the biggest variable in the cockpit isn’t the weather—it’s you.
Strong pilots aren’t the ones who always go. They’re the ones who know when not to. Building disciplined decision-making habits now pays dividends all year long, especially as winter flying approaches.
At Highlands Aero Flight Center, we emphasize ADM, personal minimums, and risk management at every stage of training—from discovery flights to advanced ratings—because safe flying starts long before the engine does.
📖 Read more safety articles at: blog.highlandsaero.com
💬 Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighlandsAero
🗨️ What’s one personal minimum you’ve tightened over time? Share your experience in the comments below.
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