Mandates and requirements, why do we need them?
In this modern litigious world, the basics of common sense have gone out the window. The erosion of peoples ability to think for themselves is gathering momentum everyday, leaving us with a robot workforce that needs an SOP for everything.
When VA got the A330, Captains wrote to the training department requesting an SOP for when they could allow the F/O to taxi the aircraft. The answer they received was “ you’re the captains, you decide”. It didn’t go down well.
I have had a check captain tell me not to do the walk around with sunglasses on 😎 because I might miss something in the wheel well. I replied that I was clever enough to remove the sunglasses if I needed to due to differing light levels.
Disembarking an aircraft via the tarmac in the Gold Coast one morning, using the same walkway as the passengers, I was accosted by the airport security guy and was told that I wasn’t wearing my Hi Vis Vest and therefore could be subject to a fine. I asked him “how did you see me if I didn’t have my vest on?” He didn’t get it😂😂
I also mentioned that 250 untrained, non ASIC holding passengers managed to safely follow the marked walkway from the aircraft to the terminals without incident, so I think the risk is low of me getting injured on my 50 metre walk.
We all need to take some responsibility for ourselves, do what is right, and if you don’t want to do something, ie: Vax, then maybe find another profession that suits you.