Two points of safety; signs of skill fatigue and gps awareness

* Loss of accuracy and smoothness of control column and rudder movements.

* An increase in control movements involving greater fluctuation to produce

the same effect.

* Under and over-control movements.

* Forgetting side tasks.

* Errors of inattention; failure to scan sky; fixed vision.

* Preoccupation with one task component to the exclusion of others.

* Allowing various elements of operational sequence to appear out of place

with respect to one another.

* Easy distraction by minor discomfort, aches, pains, noise, etc.

* Increased unawareness of degraded performance and, in extremes, signs of

physical breakdown such as fainting, cardiac arrhythmia, etc.

* The requirement for larger-than-normal stimuli for evocation of

appropriate responses.

* Errors in timing.

* Overlooking important elements in a task series.

GPS AWARENESS

"There are those who are using GPS and those that will" is the opinion of

many operators; sentiment that is music to the ears of the companies

marketing these systems. While all of the electronics we cram into our

aircraft are supposed to make our job easier and more precise, they don't

change our primary objective, which is to safely fly the aircraft.

Four operators with many hours of GPS use under their belts were questioned

about the safety aspect of using a guidance system. If you are a seasoned

veteran of many hours using GPS, you'll already know what we're going to

say here. But if you are a novice, or still considering making the

investment, heed the advice of several of your peers and learn from their

experience.

Those of you with an instrument rating have learned the importance of a

proper instrument scan. You also know that fixating on one instrument can

get you into trouble. The fixation syndrome is easy to fall into while

flying GPS, and the result can be catastrophic. Each of the operators

interviewed echoed the same basic advice: "Keep your head out of the

cockpit". Although the lightbar isn't in the cockpit, don't be dreamily

staring at it either. Lack of discipline in this area can be fatal.

When you purchase a GPS system, you make a significant investment to

provide a better service for your customers. If you don't, learn to use it

efficiently, the resulting confusion not only negates the advantage of

having it, but also takes your attention away from a ground environment

that isn't about to get out of your way.

Illinois' John Ogle points out that using a guidance system does not mean

you can stop buying flags. On the contrary, John suggests that initially,

you continue using the automatic flagger as you have in the past. In other

words, make the transition in steps, first using the GPS as a backup to

your regular marking procedure. This should eliminate the inherent tendency

to fixate on the lightbar. Ogle said that as you gain confidence in the

system and get more comfortable with the rhythm of flying GPS, flag usage

will summarily decrease. John Pew of Coolidge, Arizona, echoed this

sentiment, saying that they continued to send human flaggers to the fields

for a time while making the switch to a guidance system.

Plan on making bigger turns while learning to use a guidance system, so you

don't feel rushed. As you gain experience, your turn time will decrease.

But you have to accept that a slightly increased turn time will become

standard in order for you to have time to stabilize your approach on the

correct line prior to entering the field. While delighted that precision is

enhanced through use of a guidance system, you may think added turn time

reduces the productivity of the aircraft. But understand, it will only be

added seconds; insignificant in the course of a full day. A rule of thumb

is that if you are not entering the field with the lightbar centered, make

a bigger turn. For heaven's sake, don't make major adjustments as you're

entering the field. Pull out, go around, and start again.

When planning the layout of the lightbar, keypad, moving map, etc., talk

with another pilot using the same type of equipment. Position does make a

difference. Don't plan on using a keypad with your right hand and flying

with your left. It's not conducive to longevity. Mount it up high enough so

that your peripheral vision can still ascertain aircraft attitude, and

never use it while making a pass. If you start the pass and something is

not right, discipline yourself to pull up, make the adjustment and start

over.

Jack Bailey of Dalhart, Texas emphasizes that good button placement is even

more important than keypad position. The button used for laying the A-B

line and for swath advance needs to be literally at your fingertip. Some

operators put them on the spray and/or dump handle, but most use a button

on the stick. Stick placement makes more sense because you use the same

button whether you're using a spreader or spray booms.

When learning to use GPS, regardless of which system you use, start with

the operating manual. Get a good, basic understanding of the procedures

before leaving the ground. For initial practice in following the lightbar,

get up high where there is nothing to hit. Don't be discouraged if you find

yourself "chasing" the lights. Experienced operators all agree that you

should start with a wide lightbar sensitivity and narrow it as you gain

confidence.

It is imperative that an ag-pilot in the employ of an operator be allowed

the practice time to become familiar with the GPS. That aircraft time may

not be revenue producing, but it will most certainly pay off in customer

satisfaction and, most important, pilot safety. Ken Grady who operates from

Tuckerman, AZ, suggests having new GPS pilots fly water on fields of

cooperating farmers. Most of the GPS systems have recording and downloading

capability and this record can be evaluated once the pilot is back on the

ground. The operators we interviewed suggest it takes as much as 30 hours

of experience for a pilot to consistently hold track within 13 feet. Of

course, row crops would make for better accuracy.

Mike Schiffer of Ovid, MI, has extensive experience with several GPS

systems in a forestry environment. He stresses the importance of picking a

point far ahead of the aircraft as a reference to fly toward. Flying by

total reference to the lightbar will be next to impossible, and chasing

lights means you are staring at the lightbar, which means you are not

looking where you are supposed to look, which means you are going to hit

something. Through experience you will find your peripheral vision will

relay lightbar indications to the brain, and a quick glance at the other

specific information available in the lightbar is all that is needed to

make adequate adjustments. Would a heads up display be safer? You bet.

There was a general consensus on basic safety considerations among the

operators we talked with, regardless of brand of GPS equipment. So don't

think the information presented here doesn't apply to you. To summarize a

few of the most important bits of advice:

1. Keep your head out of the cockpit.

2. Train yourself to scan and never focus to long. Discipline yourself.

3. Continue to use flaggers or flags until you gain experience and

confidence in the GPS.

4. Make changes on the ground, not in the air. If you must make changes, do

it at least 300-400 feet high.

5. Keep your head out of the cockpit.

6. Pay more attention to obstacles because GPS has just loaded your mind

with one more task, and not an easy one.

7. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to abort a turn or pass if not correct.

8. Count on increasing your turn time to accommodate GPS computer input.

9. Recognize that faster aircraft make following a guidance system more

difficult simply because you have less time to respond to light

indications.

10. Never sacrifice aircraft safety for the sake of swath accuracy.

11. Keep your head out of the cockpit.