Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

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Matt Thurber

A good example is what helicopter flight school Hillsboro Aero Academy teaches its students: the concept of the en-route descent point (EDP). Before taking off, the student has to specify their particular EDP on a written form, and it varies depending on their experience level.
For example, a relatively low-time student might create an EDP that says, “If I have to reduce speed by five or more knots twice,” (typically due to deteriorating weather), “then I will either land or turn around.” Another example is that if the pilot finds himself lowering the collective two times or more and, due to the lower power output, descending 200 feet below the flight-planned altitude, then he would turn around or land. The fixed-wing analog might be descending 500 feet below the planned altitude and slowing 15 knots below cruise speed, but that also could depend on the type of airplane.
Hillsboro Aero students make a pledge to adhere to their EDPs before taking off, and because they have helped set the parameters and are comfortable with them, they are more invested in complying. The idea is to give new pilots a reasonable way to decide to make the right move to preserve safety instead of just pushing on in the hope that conditions will improve.
What I like about Hillsboro’s EDP concept is that it forces students to think about what they are doing instead of blindly blundering on into deteriorating conditions. And the fact is, in real life, deteriorating conditions can be awfully hard to determine precisely. Rarely do pilots face a wall of clouds; more often the visibility gradually gets worse and worse until they find themselves fully engulfed, and by then recovery is difficult if not doubtful.&nbsp;
Another example of a decision point is having a plan that allows for aborting the takeoff if the airplane isn’t performing properly. If the airplane doesn’t reach 70 percent of takeoff speed by the runway midpoint, the takeoff should be stopped. This decision point assures plenty of runway to stop if the engine isn’t delivering the necessary power and acceleration is sluggish. Note that achieving the 70 percent number at the halfway doesn’t necessarily mean that the airplane will be able to take off and climb well, so be prepared ahead of time to decide what to do. A decision point is useless if it isn’t adhered to.
It’s not necessary to apply decision points to all aspects of our flying, and we also need flexibility to change plans when necessary. But decision points can remove confusion when there isn’t time to dither and help maximize safety margins.&nbsp;

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