Tell Me About a Time (TMAT): Helicopter Interview Questions — Part 3
TMAT Question: Tell me about a time when you had to make an operational decision under pressure.
Situation
While flying MEDEVAC missions in Southeast Alaska, weather frequently dictated how—and whether—we could move patients safely and efficiently. On one mission out of Sitka, my co-pilot and I were tasked with transporting a patient when marginal weather created uncertainty about the safest and most time-effective route.
We were faced with two options: fly a longer, well-established route at higher cruise speed, or consider a shorter route through more confined terrain.
Task
Our responsibility was to transport the patient as efficiently as possible without compromising crew or patient safety, which meant selecting a route that balanced weather, visibility, terrain, aircraft performance, and time—while ensuring we didn’t outfly our ability to see and avoid terrain and obstacles.
Action
Rather than defaulting immediately to the shorter route, I proposed that we gather additional real-time information before committing. We reviewed available weather reports and forecasts, checked a FAA weather camera along the potential shortcut, and contacted a local floatplane pilot operating in the area to obtain a current PIREP.
With that information, we assessed the feasibility of safely flying the shortcut at approximately 70 knots while maintaining visual contact with terrain and compared it to the time required to fly the longer route at 135 knots. We discussed the risks, contingency plans, and clear abort criteria before making a decision.
Result
Based on the combined data and shared understanding of the risks, we selected the route that allowed us to conduct the mission safely while still providing the most efficient transport for the patient. The flight was completed without incident, and the patient was delivered promptly and safely.
This experience reinforced the value of deliberate decision making under pressure and effective crew communication. By using all available resources—including technology, local knowledge, and crew input—we were able to make a conservative, informed decision that prioritized safety while still meeting the mission’s urgency. That approach has stayed with me and continues to guide how I balance efficiency and risk in time-sensitive operations.
The Real Deal – Additional discretionary information
This wasn’t a one-time event—it was the reality of nearly every MEDEVAC in Southeast Alaska.
Mountainous terrain, high minimum IFR altitudes both en route and on approach, and frequent, often significant icing made rotor-wing IFR operations impractical from an operational standpoint. Instead, we routinely threaded our way through valleys and along narrow waterways, working to maintain visual references in an environment that rarely made it easy.
On the chart, cutting across a mountainous island through a narrow valley looked like the efficient choice. The time and distance saved over navigating around the island could be substantial. But when ceilings or visibility forced a turn back, that “shortcut” quickly became expensive—costing precious minutes for the patient and critical fuel for the crew.
It was always an exercise in risk management and operational efficiency: shortcuts were often fools’ gold. The longer route, flown at a higher airspeed, usually delivered the most efficient transport for our “customer”—and almost always carried less risk.
Below are a few posts that discuss some low visibility flying techniques employed during these missions – the techniques use tools specific to the MH60T helicopter but can be adapted to many different modern avionics’ suites: