EASA and ESPN-R present a series of 4 new videos with Mona Seeberger on UIMC (Unintended entry into Instruments Meteorological Conditions), also called IIMC (Inadvertent entry into Instruments Meteorological Conditions) or inadvertent VFR into IMC (Visual Flight Rules flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions).
Despite UIMC being a well-known severe risk, fatal accidents continue to occur, calling for sustaining the efforts and promotion. These new videos remind some basic principles and actions to avoid UIMC and prevent related accidents.
This third video addresses UIMC recovery in the air if you get into it.
UIMC: a well-known severe risk!
UIMC is a well-known severe risk that can result in various accident types, notably Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I), Control Flight into Terrain CFIT, Collisions with obstacles or cables especially in Low Altitude Operations (LALT), and Mid-Air Collision (MAC).
UIMC is addressed by a variety of actors, including EASA, FAA and other National Aviation Authorities in Europe and worldwide, Accident Investigation Boards, EHEST and ESPN-R, USHST, IHST and VAST, HAI, EHA and national associations, manufacturers, operators, training schools, research organisations and academia, and pilot and operator associations. UIMC is also addressed on social media.
The risk and solutions are known but accidents continue to happen. This means it’s important to continually remind ourselves of the key messages and promote the topic of widely as possible in the Rotorcraft and VTOL Community.
This series of 4 new videos reminds some basic principles and actions to take to avoid UIMC and prevent accidents. Share the videos, the articles and other resources in your organisations and with your colleagues and friends in the industry.
Actions to take if you get into IMC
This third video covers the actions to recover from UIMC if you get into it.
Recognise the situation, stay calm and act with purpose
Firstly, you should know what being in IMC looks and feels like. If you are in IMC, you’ll lack proper visibility, lack visual references to the horizon and won’t be able to control the helicopter using external visual cues. Things will feel very uncomfortable very quickly, so it is important to stay calm and act with purpose before being caught in a nasty spiral.
Commit to instrument flying, maintain control and execute a recovery
To survive a UIMC situation, admit to yourself that you are in IMC. Commit to instrument flying to maintain speed and attitude. Maintain your composure and full control over the helicopter.
Execute a recovery to get out of the situation. The type of recovery will depend on many factors including the helicopter you are flying and on-board automation, the location, altitude, training and experience with the techniques and other factors such as terrain and cloud dimensions.
There is more guidance on the recovery available in the VAST, ESPN-R and EHEST safety promotion material. The subject has been extensively addressed by ESPN-R in the Workshop on Inadvertent entry into IMC (IIMC) - Rotorcraft & VTOL Symposium 2022 - YouTube and by USHST in their website 56 Seconds to Live – USHST. That page gathers a wealth of material and videos including 56 Seconds to Live, 56 Seconds Rewound - YouTube, EHEST Video Degraded Visual Environment and Loss of Control | EASA (europa.eu) and When IMC is Imminent by Bruce Webb.
Contact ATC and declare an emergency
Finally contact ATC and declare an emergency so they can guide you and help you stay in control and avoid other weather, traffic, terrain and obstacles.
Aviate, Navigate, Communicate - in that order.
Key points from this video
- Know what IMC looks and feels like.
- Accept you are in IMC, then perform a recovery to get out of the situation: it's survivable if you do the right things.
- Aviate, Navigate, Communicate - in that order.
References Workshop on Inadvertent entry into IMC (IIMC) - Rotorcraft & VTOL Symposium 2022 - YouTube
EHEST Video Degraded Visual Environment and Loss of Control | EASA (europa.eu)
When IMC is Imminent by Bruce Webb.
Unintended IMC - An Evening with Claude Vuichard | EASA Community (europa.eu)
Preventing and Recovering from Unintended IMC | EASA Community (europa.eu) Automation and Flight Path Management by Leonardo
Rotorcraft Safety Technologies: The VAST Report | EASA Community (europa.eu) Technologies with Safety Benefits | EASA Community (europa.eu)
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