I've read a lot of touching, heart-breaking stories here about pre-career experiences on the flight deck (like #46, the lap story).
But it is so far away from a truly professional attitude which must be expected from people in charge.
Telling the story, about other times, is one thing. Trying to convince the audience that it was ok and regretting these things have sadly changed and should still be that way puts me off. It is an offense to all those who let their lives. It is ignorant not to use the experience and act wiser and more professional.
SOPs, rules and regulations, the law, it's all there not to bug you, but because someone did a mistake some time ago, and payed for it, dead too early. The results then change the rules, make flying safer.
What keeps me going (with this attitude, I mean sticking to the rules, except for situations making it deemed neccessary to break them) is the one and very true main fact: all of those breaking the rules and thereby making mistakes ending up in a catastrophe never forsaw the outcome, or else they would have not acted so. It was LACK OF IMAGINATION that made them think it would not happen, or made them believe they were superior or invulnerable or immortal.
You find it everywhere man is active, on the road, when people use dangerous tools, children playing with forbidden things, like fire, and on the flight deck: when commanders let amateurs sit in a pilots seat inflight.
So, and hereby referring to the complaints about our customers having no more respect these days: be more professional, and your passengers will be more respectful and say thank you and goodbye when leaving the ship.
