PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Real Men don't go around - a fatal cultural flaw.
Old 2nd Apr 2007, 08:34
  #34 (permalink)  
criticalmass
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: South of YSSY
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I have a suspicion that in an Asian airline - any Asian airline - an F/O who managed to get a Captain to go-around (against that Captain's judgement or desire), by whatever means, would in all likelihood be looking at the end of his career - or his life. Life is cheap in many parts of Asia.

I'm not optimistic that any amount of training by western training organisations will ever overcome the imperative, ingrained since birth and reinforced by nurture, for the Asian male in a position of command/responsibility/authority to "save face " at all costs.

The reality is, if Asian aircrew continue to operate heavy jets, then these sorts of accidents will have to be accepted as simply "part of the cost of doing business". Bear in mind the owners of these companies often have very close connections with governments and regulators, in relationships which in some (e.g. Western) societies would be viewed as corrupt, but which in Asian society are regarded as mere "patronage", and just "another cost of doing business".

A major accident may cause an Asian airline to shut down...but within a short time another will rise to take its place, probably established by the same principle players and with the same government officials/ministers etc granting permits/licences etc in return for the appropriate "consideration".

We'd better get used to this, because I simply don't see it changing. There is no way there will ever be such a significant cultural change, no matter how hard you drill it into pilot trainees. Bucking the system will avail them nothing but a one-way trip out the door.

I wish I could be optimistic - but the plain fact is I can't.
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