Mark Twain said something decades ago that will live forever - "It ain't what we don't know that gets us into trouble, it's what we know for sure that just ain't so."
Just for the fun of it, let's imagine the possibilities if we thought differently, and therefore, did things differently.
To begin, let's assume that the way we've all been taught is fatally flawed, that all accidents are preventable, and the only reason they happen is because pilots lose control. We could argue that some accidents are not due to pilot error, but the deeper I've look into the root causes of accidents, the more convinced I became that there was always something the pilot could have done to avert disaster, at least if the accident wasn't prevented, any damage could have been minimized.
It seems to me that the key to achieving ultimate safety stems from taking responsibility for everything that happens, which then enables the pilot to take command and change things in his favour.
To teach someone how to fly, it's important that the instructor knows how to fly themselves. But what if how we're taught was, and still is flawed, which leads us to teach others the same way, because it's all we know? What if there's at least something we think we know for sure, that just ain't so, and that's why pilots still allow accidents to happen?
To correct any potential flaws in our training, it's necessary to first forget everything we thought we knew, and prove everything from first principles.
Before we launch into a potentially risky exercise, we'll do some checks to make sure we've considered every risk. First, we're on the ground and only talking about flying, so there's no risk there. Next, what's the worst that can happen? We might learn something that makes us less safe... Possible, but not likely unless we're incapable of discerning potential risk. Pilots should have well-developed skills in that regard. What's the best that can happen? We might learn something useful. Unlikely, I'm sure, but what's the risk of that happening?
Okay. Checks complete. Anyone interested in hopping aboard? I guarantee it will be a ride you'll never forget...
