AOPA Air Safety Foundation Friday announced the launch of a free online course called "Do The Right Thing" designed "to help pilots improve their decision-making skills" and reduce accidents by preventing the formation of poor decision strings. Based on its seminar titled "Do The Right Thing: Decision Making for Pilots," the online course presents pilots with five scenarios and a succession of decisions, each of which alters the outcome of the adventure. At the end, pilots "experience the consequences" of their decisions graphically through "innovative use of Microsoft Flight Simulator X." Decision trees built into the scenarios allow pilots to clearly see the virtual results of their decisions and how a break in the chain can successfully avert an accident that could otherwise be set in motion.

The course takes about an hour to complete, but may be stopped at any point (your progress is saved) and completed at your convenience. Completion of the course, which also involves a separate ten-question quiz, makes you eligible for credit in the FAA Wings proficiency program and potential insurance benefits for pilots who carry insurance through AOPA.