Human factors and decision making for Part 107: IMSAFE, PAVE and hazardous attitudes

Most aviation accidents involve human factors, and drone flying is no exception. This part of the test checks whether you can recognize when you, or your crew, should not fly.

Alcohol and drugs

Through 14 CFR 107.27, the rules of 91.17 apply to the remote pilot in command, the person at the controls and the visual observer:

• Not within 8 hours after drinking alcohol ("8 hours bottle to throttle").
• Not while under the influence, and not with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more.
• Not while using a drug that affects your faculties.

A hangover still means you are under the influence of alcohol. Over-the-counter medicines such as antihistamines and decongestants can cause drowsiness; FAA guidance suggests waiting at least 48 hours after the first dose of a new medication.

Fit to fly: IMSAFE

Run the IMSAFE checklist before each flight: Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Emotion.

• Fatigue degrades attention and coordination. Only rest prevents it.
• Stress improves performance up to a point, then performance drops quickly.
• Dehydration shows first as fatigue. Drink water regularly on hot days, before you feel thirsty.
• Hyperventilation under stress causes dizziness and tingling; slow your breathing.

The five hazardous attitudes

Each has an antidote to say to yourself:

• Anti-authority ("Don't tell me"): follow the rules, they are usually right.
• Impulsivity ("Do it quickly"): not so fast, think first.
• Invulnerability ("It won't happen to me"): it could happen to me.
• Macho ("I can do it"): taking chances is foolish.
• Resignation ("What's the use?"): I'm not helpless, I can make a difference.

Managing risk

A hazard is a condition or event; risk is your assessment of its potential impact. The PAVE checklist helps you spot hazards: Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment and External pressures. External pressures, such as a client who needs photos today, are often the most dangerous because they push pilots to ignore everything else.

The 3P model turns that into action: Perceive hazards with PAVE, Process them with CARE (Consequences, Alternatives, Reality, External factors), and Perform with TEAM (Transfer, Eliminate, Accept, Mitigate).

Crew resource management means using every resource available, including your visual observer, so no one is overloaded and everyone shares the same picture.