How Adventurous Is Too Adventurous? You Decide In Newest Online Course

Very few aircraft accidents are the result of a single catastrophic event or decision. Instead, they are usually caused by a string of decisions, each of which made sense at the time it was made. To help pilots improve their decision-making skills, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation launched a free online version Friday of its "Do The Right Thing" series at the ASF Web site.

"Breaking that chain of decisions is one of the easiest ways to prevent an accident -- and one of the hardest," said Bruce Landsberg, executive director of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation.

Building on the successful formula of its in-person seminar on aeronautical decision making, the "Do The Right Thing: Decision Making for Pilots" online course lets pilots make their own adventure.

The course includes five scenarios during which a pilot is faced with a succession of decisions. Each decision has the potential to alter the outcome of the scenario, whether for good or bad. And pilots can see the results of their decisions thanks to the innovative use of Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

"In much the same way airline pilots can learn from mistakes in the safety of simulators, "Do The Right Thing" allows general aviation pilots to experience the consequences of bad decisions without actually putting their lives at risk," said Landsberg. "And the decision trees built into the scenarios let pilots see in dramatic fashion how breaking the chain can avert an accident."

"Do The Right Thing" is free and available to all pilots. The course takes a little over an hour, but pilots can stop and save their progress at any point in the course so they can complete it later.

Pilots who complete the course and pass a 10-question quiz are eligible for credit in the FAA Wings proficiency program. Additionally, pilots who pass the course and who carry their aviation insurance through the AOPA Insurance Agency may be eligible for AOPAIA's accident forgiveness program.

The AOPA Air Safety Foundation is the nation's only private, nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to providing continuing pilot education and safety programs for general aviation. It is funded by donations from individual pilots and organizations, which support the cause of improved general aviation safety.

FMI: www.aopa.org/asf, www.aopa.org