Inadvertent IMC: You Can Survive

Rotor Safety Challenge (RSC)
Tracks: Safety; Operations
Instructor: Jason Quisling

Inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC) has been a major factor in fatal accidents for all rotorcraft sectors. While it is a serious threat that must be respected, the good news is that we can make a difference. This session will include an overview of how IIMC has been mitigated in helicopter air ambulance operations. It will provide strategies and techniques that will increase your chances of surviving an IIMC encounter. Data show that this threat exists for every pilot, but real-world experience teaches us that it does not have to involve a fatal encounter.

Instructor Bio

Jason Quisling has more than 33 years of experience as a dual-rated airline transport pilot and 23 years in the air medical industry. He currently serves as the senior VP of flight operations, maintenance, and aircom for Air Methods. He has developed and advanced Air Methods’ Operational Control Center and Emergency Operations Center and oversees a flight training department responsible for supporting over 1,200 pilots that operates a diverse fleet of helicopters and airplanes. Passionate about safety, he is a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)-trained accident investigator and has frequently given lectures on aviation human factors and crew resource management. Jason also volunteers as an active member of the US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) and on other industry safety committees.