Which practice best supports proactive risk management and helps fight complacency?

• A. Discuss systems, alternatives, fuel, and 'what if' scenarios
• B. Increase workload without planning
• C. Conduct scenario-based reviews and 'what if' analyses
• D. Rely solely on automation

Answer: (C)

Proactively managing risk and staying vigilant comes from actively rehearsing how things could go wrong and how you would respond. Conducting scenario-based reviews and what-if analyses does exactly that. By walking through realistic, varied situations—including unexpected twists or failures—you explore potential hazards, test procedures, and decision points before they become real problems. This practice helps crews build shared mental models, recognize early warning signs, and agree on effective actions under pressure, which keeps thinking sharp and prevents complacency.

Simply discussing systems, alternatives, fuel, and what-if scenarios can be useful, but without the structured, hands-on analysis and documentation that scenario-based reviews provide, it’s easier for gaps to slip by or for reflexive routines to take over. Increasing workload without planning adds risk and can overwhelm crew capacity, while relying solely on automation can reduce engagement and awareness. Focusing on scenario-based reviews and what-if analyses strikes the right balance by actively exercising risk management and sustaining critical thinking.