Operational Pitfalls Peer Pressure It would be foolish and unsafe for a new pilot to attempt to compete with an older, more experienced pilot. The only safe competition  should be completing the most safe flights with no one endangered or hurt and the aircraft returned to service. Efficiency comes with  experience and on-the-job training. Mindset A pilot should be taught to approach every day as something new. Get-There-Itis This disposition impairs pilot judgment through a fixation on the original goal or destination, combined with a disregard for any  alternative course of action. Duck-Under Syndrome A pilot may be tempted to arrive at an airport by descending below minimums during an approach. There may be a belief that  there is a built-in margin of error in every approach procedure, or the pilot may not want to admit that the landing cannot be  completed and a missed approach must be initiated. Scud Running It is difficult for a pilot to estimate the distance from indistinct forms, such as clouds or fog formation. Continuing Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Into Instrument Conditions Spatial disorientation or collision with ground/obstacles may occur when a pilot continues VFR into instrument conditions. This can  be even more dangerous if the pilot is not instrument rated or current. Getting Behind the Aircraft This pitfall can be caused by allowing events or the situation to control pilot actions. A constant state of surprise at what happens  next may be exhibited when the pilot is “getting behind” the aircraft. Loss of Positional or Situational Awareness In extreme cases of a pilot getting behind the aircraft, a loss of positional or situational awareness may result. The pilot may not  know the aircraft’s geographical location, or may be unable to recognize deteriorating circumstances. Operating Without Adequate Fuel Reserves Pilots should use the last of the known fuel to make a safe landing. Bringing fuel to an aircraft is much less inconvenient than  picking up the pieces of a crashed helicopter! Pilots should land prior to whenever their watch, fuel gauge, low-fuel warning system,  or flight planning indicates fuel burnout. They should always be thinking of unforecast winds, richer-than-planned mixtures,  unknown leaks, mis-servicing, and errors in planning. Newer pilots need to be wary of fuselage attitudes in low-fuel situations.  Some helicopters can port air into the fuel system in low-fuel states, causing the engines to quit or surge. Descent Below the Minimum En Route Altitude The duck-under syndrome, as mentioned above, can also occur during the en route portion of an IFR flight. Flying Outside the Envelope The pilot must understand how to check the charts, understand the results, and fly accordingly. Neglect of Flight Planning, Preflight Inspections, and Checklists All pilots and operators must understand the complexity of the helicopter, the amazing number of parts, and why there are service  times associated with certain parts. Pilots should understand material fatigue and maintenance requirements. Helicopters are  unforgiving of disregarded maintenance requirements. Inspections and maintenance are in place for safety: something functioning  improperly can be the first link in the error chain to an accident. In some cases, proper maintenance is a necessary condition for  insurance converage. Figure 13-9.  Operational pitfalls.  Altitude error is another common cause of CFIT. Cases  of altitude error involve disorientation with respect to the  NAVAID, improper transition on approach, selecting the  wrong NAVAID, or just plain lack of horizontal SA. Today’s  modern aircraft have sophisticated flight directors, autopilots,  autothrottles, and flight management systems. These devices  make significant contributions to the overall safety of flight,  but they are only machines that follow instructions. They  do whatever is asked of them, even if it is wrong. When  commanded, they unerringly follow instructions—sometimes  straight into the ground. The pilot must ensure that both  vertical and horizontal modes are correct and engaged. Cross- check autopilots constantly. 13-16