“Startle and surprise aren’t outliers—they are predictable disruptors in high-reliability flight operations. When they strike, they can shatter cognitive flow, override muscle memory, and derail even the best-trained responses.”
—Paul 'BJ' Ransbury, CEO, APS
Startle and surprise aren’t rare anomalies. They’re predictable disruptors in high-reliability flight operations. Yet most pilots will go their entire careers without ever receiving meaningful training to manage them.
When these cognitive shocks strike, they can interrupt motor function, override learned procedures, and derail decision-making—often within seconds. Human factors contribute to many Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) accidents, even among highly experienced pilots.
This short video highlights what the research confirms and the evidence reinforces: effective Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) must go beyond technical maneuvering to address the psychological dimension of real-world upsets.
“Let’s train pilots to think when instinct wants to freeze. Let’s prepare for the moment we hope never comes, but might.”
Drawing from accident investigations, academic studies, and UPRT best practices, the video illustrates why cognitive disruption should be treated as a core risk factor, and how properly structured UPRT, particularly when built on the EPIC-S2 framework, offers a path to real resilience.