An inspiring anecdote
Saturday, I went out in the countryside for a trail. On my way back to the picturesque village of Ham, Province of Liège, Belgium, I was looking down and 'lost in my thoughts'. I was there, but not 'really there'.
Suddenly, my head hit this tree branch: surprising and painful, but more of a scare than anything, altough this could have easily knocked me down:
When I came back along this path on Sunday, I gently avoided it.
Lessons learned
1. Watch out! Avoid flying head down for a long period of time, look out for terrain, other aircraft, obstacles and cables.
Video EASA - DISTRACTION AND CFIT on YouTube "How much time do you spend looking outside?"
2. Mind the situation! Be present 'here and now' (hic and nunc, in Latin), and avoid or manage distractions.
3. Inconsequential events can contribute to flying safer, as they remind us of the risks and lead us to better manage attention and tighten control.
Beware, however: collisions with terrain, cables, obstacles and other aircraft don't give us a second chance!
References
CFIT and Distraction | EASA Community
Can You See the Cables? | EASA Community
Don’t Forget to See and Avoid Other Aircraft (The Rotorcraft Collective)
Threat and Error Management (TEM) for Helicopter Operations | EASA Community
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