Hi guys,

Having trouble understanding this one question, it’s got me beat.

HPL page 10.14, Q3

A pilot is put under pressure from his employer to get back to base before his tour of duty expires. This is an example of-
a) external threat,
b) anticipated threat,
c) environmental threat,
d) latent threat.

Correct answer is listed as d).

On page 10.12 ‘pressure to meet time schedules’ is defined as an external threat. Pressure to get home before the tour expires is kind of like a ‘beat the clock’ situation so that’s kind of like pressure to meet time schedules isn’t it? Why would it not be considered to be an external threat?


Cheers guys,

Michael

Hi CANCEL SARTIME,

I'm studying for my HPL exam now. I think that's a good question!
Page 10.12 defines external threats as environmental and company procedures that fail to deal with safety issues etc.
I would tend to agree with you that a pilot put under pressure is an external threat. However if you look at it from the company perspective it would be a latent threat (something that is realised after the event) or could pose a problem. But in saying that we are meant to look at this as the pilot, since we are pilots and not the company! To pilots, this would be an external threat, to me anyways.

Maybe the answer given as D latent threat is a typo from publishing.
Perhaps Bob could shed some light on this question?

Bob, what's your take on this?

Actually just read part of the CAAP 5-59 under teaching TEM states unnecessary pressure to get the job done is a latent threat!
Latent is not observable by the pilot in flight operations
Take a look