What does TEM help to identify and manage in flight operations?

Threat and Error Management (TEM) is a systematic approach that helps aviation professionals identify potential threats and errors during flight operations. By focusing on threats—external factors that may affect safety, such as weather, air traffic control issues, or mechanical failures—and errors—pilot actions that lead to deviations from expected performance—TEM provides a framework for effectively managing these challenges. This proactive identification and management enable flight crews to mitigate risks, ensuring a safer operation.

Operational guidelines, aircraft maintenance issues, and weather conditions are all important aspects of aviation safety, but they do not encapsulate the core focus of TEM, which specifically addresses the dynamics of human performance and safety management in the context of flying. With TEM, pilots are better equipped to recognize and respond to the complexities of flight operations, ultimately enhancing decision-making and safety practices in the cockpit.