Originally Posted by
Tomaski
I also think one can reasonably discuss inadequate training and adverse corporate culture without going down the path of labeling anyone as a "bad" pilot.
Exactly. I am angered by some (let’s be honest, racist) comments about
3rd world pilots. However, it is a fact that many pilots in Africa do emerge from deeply flawed training systems, built on deeply flawed education systems. I have personally seen this forcing a mentality of working the system and playing the odds rather than focusing on developing core skills and knowledge. These kids do not choose to work like that, the system forces them into it.
It is also a fact that the responses of the Ethiopian and Lion Air crews were less than perfect. None of us can be sure how we would have responded to the situations that they found themselves in. But particularly in the case of ET, there were (in)actions that in the cold light of day are hard to understand. I weep for the young ET FO apparently getting it right at first but subsequently doubting his own judgement.
Dropping in and out of here for a while, I was triggered to post by the comment about Boeing being advised
by their own board to design aircraft for less well-trained pilots. That may be a cynical ploy to keep the pressure on pilot error as the real cause, but we must work to maintain the reputation of the profession in the face of a growing tendency to portray pilots as robotic button pushers.