Non Standard procedures?

[Bronx]

Link http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/537385-impressive-rescue-us-coast-guard.html

The USCG obviously has its procedures but it also emphasizes making on-site decisions. In this rescue a decision was made to depart from SOP.

On a blog I read the captain is quoted as saying:

“The hardest part was getting on the same page as a crew when you’ve never read that page before. You have to know when you are departing what is standard to get the mission done. This case is a good example. We departed standard policy after having a team discussion and completing a thorough assessment of the situation. The crew coordinated to do the mission safely and return to our standard policy and procedures as soon as possible."


Any thoughts?

Stick rigidly to procedures or adapt as required to get the job done?

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

If you can't adapt, you shouldn't be captain of an aircraft, or a seacraft for that matter.

[Dan Winterland]

Flexibility is the key.

[Wensleydale]

I flew with NATO under the "US" type system a good few years ago. The standardisation manual gave the checklists for everything that you had to carry out under every conceivable circumstance... if you did not tick every box on a check ride then you failed the trip! The rule was...if it is not in the book then you cannot do it!


I had a good few discussions with my instructors on many occasions - won a few and lost a few, usually depending upon the nationality of the instructor.

[BEagle]

Flexibility, plus knowing what might not be SOP, but equally is not forbidden and might be appropriate at the time, is what we expected to see in 'Above the Average' operators. Whereas the 'nothing but SOP' people would rarely rate more than 'Average'.

As the USMC have it: Improvise, Adapt and Overcome!!

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

One of the large blue books in the RAF had in the preface words to the effect of 'These Rules cannot cover every situation. If you follow the Rules when you shouldn't, it's your fault as captain of the aircraft. If you break the rules when you shouldn't, it's your fault as captain of the aircraft.'
A discussion with instructors went along the lines of.
"That's not fair"
"Life's not fair"
".....fair point"
"Look, break the rules for the minimum time possible and be prepared to justify yourself at a subsequent Board of Inquiry. Remember Admiral Byng"

[Wholigan]

It's like anything else in life. If you know the rules and why they are there, then you will know when you can break them for the right reasons!

[Roland Pulfrew]

Surely SOPs are not rules, nor are they limits. I've encountered fleets where people would not deviate from SOPs. SOPs are safe, they should keep you out of trouble but sometimes you need to adopt non standard procedures.

[Rossian]

.....mentioned by wensleydale. Was that USAF or USN?

My experience with both was, from USAF; if it hasn't been specifically authorised it's forbidden; from the USN; if it hasn't been specifically forbidden use your judgement and if you think it's do-able go for it. (But as someone said further up be prepared to justify it.

Fortunately, I had a USN captain chief of staff who fully subscribed to the latter point of view. He was the first S-3 squadron commander and had been CAG (Commander air group) on one of the big carriers and had a firm grasp of the need for flexibility and always backed me up.

The Ancient Mariner

[Wensleydale]

Rossian,


The USAF tended to be very rule bound - the USN less so but much depended upon the individual.

[Tourist]

Captaincy

The art of knowing when and by exactly how much to break SOPs/rules.