Risk Management Magazine

The controls that were implemented following this mishap proved to be successful and corrected the safety indiscipline within the organization. Since then, the unit has recorded an estimated 400 flight hours with no new mishaps. This also shows that even though mishaps are regrettable, they can be an eye-opening moment that gives you an opportunity to improve operations in a safe manner.

As a young, thrill-seeking, soon-to-be Army aviator getting ready to start flight school, I did the stereotypical thing and bought a motorcycle. I’d ridden dirt bikes only a handful of times growing up and thought a street bike wouldn’t be much different. Eager to get on the road and start riding with friends that already had motorcycles, I signed up for the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse (BRC).

During a recent trip to Acadia National Park in Maine, I learned a few valuable lessons: I am not as smart as I thought I was, and following established rules and policies protects me from harm. These lessons, although embarrassing, later saved me from greater harm in a different national park and may have prevented a tragic accident in my unit a few weeks later.