information in an irregular situation, especially if they are familiar with flying. A strange smell or sound may alert a passenger to a potential problem. As pilot in command, you should brief passengers before the flight to make sure that they are comfortable voicing any concerns. Possibly the greatest external resources during flight are air traffic controllers and flight service specialists. ATC can help decrease pilot workload by providing traffic advisories, radar vectors, and assistance in emer- gency situations. Flight service stations can provide updates on weather, answer questions about airport conditions, and may offer direction-finding assistance. The services provided by ATC can be invaluable in enabling you to make informed in-flight decisions.  Effective workload management ensures that essential operations are accomplished by planning, prioritizing, and sequencing tasks to avoid work overload. As experience is gained, you learn to recognize future workload requirements and can prepare for high workload periods during times of low workload. Reviewing the appropriate chart and setting radio fre- quencies well in advance of when they are needed helps reduce workload as your flight nears the airport. In addition, you should listen to ATIS, ASOS, or AWOS, if available, and then monitor the tower fre- quency or 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. To manage workload, items should be prioritized. For example, during any situation, and especially in an emergency, you should remember the phrase “aviate, 14-7 Passengers can also be a valuable resource. Passengers can help watch for traffic and may be able to provide Checklists are essential cockpit resources for verifying that the aircraft instruments and systems are checked, set, and operating properly, as well as ensuring that the proper procedures are performed if there is a system malfunction or in-flight emergency. In addition, the FAA-approved rotorcraft flight manual, which is required to be carried on board the aircraft, is essential for accurate flight planning and for resolving in-flight equipment malfunctions. Other valuable cockpit resources include current aeronautical charts, and pub- lications, such as the  Airport/Facility Directory . A thorough understanding of all the equipment and sys- tems in the aircraft is necessary to fully utilize all resources. For example, advanced navigation and autopilot systems are valuable resources. However, if pilots do not fully understand how to use this equip- ment, or they rely on it so much that they become  complacent, it can become a detriment to safe flight. Internal resources are found in the cockpit during flight. Since some of the most valuable internal resources are ingenuity, knowledge, and skill, you can expand cockpit resources immensely by improving these capabilities. This can be accomplished by fre- quently reviewing flight information publications, such as the CFRs and the AIM, as well as by pursuing addi- tional training. tified, but you must develop the skills to evaluate whether you have the time to use a particular resource and the impact that its use will have upon the safety of flight. For example, the assistance of ATC may be very useful if you are lost. However, in an emergency situa- tion when action needs be taken quickly, time may not be available to contact ATC immediately. Figure 14-8. The three types of stressors that can affect a pilot’ performance. WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT EXTERNAL RESOURCES INTERNAL RESOURCES STRESSORS Physical Stress— Conditions associated with the en vironment, such as temperature and  humidity extremes, noise, vibration, and lack of oxygen. GLYPH<.notdef> Physiological Stress— Physical conditions, such as fatigue lack of physical fitness, sleep  loss, missed meals (leading to low blood sugar levels), and illness . GLYPH<.notdef> Psychological Stress— Social or emotional factors such as a death in the family, a divorce, a  sick child, or a demotion at work. This type of stress ma also be related to mental workload,  such as analyzing a problem, navigating an aircraft, or making decisions. GLYPH<.notdef>