Well, yesterday the company sent out its monthly Fleet Bulletin, or what I like to call, it’s very own “freak-show-summary”.
As a result of the incident ALL flight ops, including training flights, are allowed using A/T on, except of course when A/T is not available due to MEL; then their “safety conscience” is not as important as on-time-performance. So, when the risk is requiered, it is allowed, but in normal operation a student, Captain or First Officer, are not getting the training requiered.
As this cost the job of an Expat Instructor who not only has been teaching at VNA for a VERY long time but I also highly respect for his skills as a mentor and teacher, I am especially disappointed in the managers as they are supposed to support their Instructors in cases like that and investigate what went wrong, not just apply blame, for it not happen again!
My question: who was the Sim-Instructor that signed the local First Officer off for line Training? Was he also fired? (I am saying HE because Vietnam has NO female instructors in aviation!).
Why was the severe lack of Manual flying skills not addressed at THAT stage already? Was it because he is the son of a management pilot (again)? Is it still ethically and culturally not right to critique a student early enough in training BEFORE he/she becomes a threat?
My point is, there is a SERIOUS problem with managing bad apples in this company, especially the local ones, but you, as an Expat, responsible for everything, are to sit quietly as this is not supposed to concern you!
As someone here said before, it’s a corrupt circus that won’t change...
