Negative Transfer: A Key Factor in Helicopter Accidents

Rotor Safety Challenge (RSC)
Tracks: Safety; Operations
Instructor: Claude Vuichard

Negative transfer is a key contributing factor in many helicopter accidents. Negative transfer refers to false manipulation, which can occur when skills or knowledge learned in one context or situation are inappropriately applied to another context or situation. For helicopter pilots, negative transfer can occur when attempting to apply trained or natural reflexes that are appropriate for one situation but not another, resulting in errors and possibly accidents.

Instructor Bio

Claude Vuichard is a pioneer in the vertical flight industry, with more than 16,000 hours of flight experience and 15 different type ratings. He also flew as a high-altitude rescue pilot for Air Zermatt. On behalf of the government of Switzerland, Claude flew presidential aircraft and carried out search-and-rescue missions for many years. He was a civil aviation flight inspector on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation. He is the creator of the Vuichard Recovery Technique for escaping vortex ring state.