given a vector, or decrease speed, ATC assists and becomes  integrated as part of the crew. The services provided by ATC  can not only decrease pilot workload, but also help pilots  make informed in-flight decisions.  but result in accidents as the pilot diverts attention to the  perceived problem and neglects proper control of the aircraft.  The Flight Service Stations (FSSs) are air traffic facilities  that provide pilot briefing, en route communications, VFR  search and rescue services, assist lost aircraft and aircraft  in emergency situations, relay ATC clearances, originate  Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), broadcast aviation weather  and National Airspace System (NAS) information, receive  and process IFR flight plans, and monitor navigational aids  (NAVAIDs). In addition, at selected locations, FSSs provide  En Route Flight Advisory Service (Flight Watch), issue  airport advisories, and advise Customs and Immigration of  transborder flights. Selected FSSs in Alaska also provide  TWEB recordings and take weather observations.  Effective workload management ensures essential operations  are accomplished by planning, prioritizing, and sequencing  tasks to avoid work overload.  [Figure 2-19]  As experience  is gained, a pilot learns to recognize future workload  requirements and can prepare for high workload periods  during times of low workload. Reviewing the appropriate  chart and setting radio frequencies well in advance of when  they are needed helps reduce workload as the flight nears the  airport. In addition, a pilot should listen to ATIS, Automated  Surface Observing System (ASOS), or Automated Weather  Observing System (AWOS), if available, and then monitor  the tower frequency or Common Traffic Advisory Frequency  (CTAF) to get a good idea of what traffic conditions to  expect. Checklists should be performed well in advance so  there is time to focus on traffic and ATC instructions. These  procedures are especially important prior to entering a high- density traffic area, such as Class B airspace.  Situational awareness is the accurate perception and  understanding of all the factors and conditions within  the five fundamental risk elements (flight, pilot, aircraft,  environment, and type of operation that comprise any given  aviation situation) that affect safety before, during, and after  the flight. Monitoring radio communications for traffic,  weather discussion, and ATC communication can enhance  situational awareness by helping the pilot develop a mental  picture of what is happening.  Recognizing a work overload situation is also an important  component of managing workload. The first effect of  high workload is that the pilot may be working harder but  accomplishing less. As workload increases, attention cannot  be devoted to several tasks at one time, and the pilot may  begin to focus on one item. When a pilot becomes task  saturated, there is no awareness of input from various sources,  so decisions may be made on incomplete information and the  possibility of error increases.  [Figure 2-20]  When a work overload situation exists, a pilot needs to stop,  think, slow down, and prioritize. It is important to understand  how to decrease workload. For example, in the case of the  cabin door that opened in VFR flight, the impact on workload  should be insignificant. If the cabin door opens under  IFR different conditions, its impact on workload changes.  Therefore, placing a situation in the proper perspective,  Maintaining situational awareness requires an understanding  of the relative significance of all flight related factors and their  future impact on the flight. When a pilot understands what is  going on and has an overview of the total operation, he or she  is not fixated on one perceived significant factor. Not only  is it important for a pilot to know the aircraft’s geographical  location, it is also important he or she understand what is  happening. For instance, while flying above Richmond,  Virginia, toward Dulles Airport or Leesburg, the pilot  should know why he or she is being vectored and be able to  anticipate spatial location. A pilot who is simply making turns  without understanding why has added an additional burden  to his or her management in the event of an emergency. To  maintain situational awareness, all of the skills involved in  ADM are used.  Fatigue, stress, and work overload can cause a pilot to fixate  on a single perceived important item and reduce an overall  situational awareness of the flight. A contributing factor  in many accidents is a distraction that diverts the pilot’s  attention from monitoring the instruments or scanning  outside the aircraft. Many flight deck distractions begin as a  minor problem, such as a gauge that is not reading correctly,  Figure 2-19.  Balancing workloads can be a difficult task.  Obstacles to Maintaining Situational Awareness  Situational Awareness  Workload Management  2-24 