I asume inherent risks and go flying when I have to. I prefer to see the planes from inside rather than from outside. My concern is not if I assume the risk, my concern is if every one in the industry is concerned about risks, at least like me.
In the military aviation, we went in harms way, but in civil aviation the game is take the plane from point A to point B, with a chance of success of 99,99%, and if it possible saving some fuel.
To acomplish this I have to be very well trained in flying and managing, I have to able to fly a plane manually in congested airspace with no risk or no room error, and manage all aircraft systems to reduce work load, increase passenger confort and economy. I have to be a Pilot/Aviator and a Manager. In this times, the first part of this is not a value anymore.
My concern is that aviation is becoming a bruch of SOPs. And not for safety, but economy.
Some years ago, no SOP told me when I should have the A/P conected. It only recomended to use it in dense traffic airspace. This is fine and very logic, because it reduces workload.
But now, the same SOPs require the use of A/P from 400 feet to final approach in any flight and any field. Also it denies me the use of A/THR, I only can use it in turbulent approaches or in the case of failures.
If I dont follow SOPs, and say, one day I dont use A/P or A/THR and I break the plane, for example in a hard landing, they are going to blame me for no following SOPs, not for doing the hard landing, even if the final cause have nothing to do with the SOPs requirements.
Lack of piloting skills is not a concern anymore. The only important thing in the SIM are the SOPs, because with this SOPs you dont need to fly the plane by hand, just do written things of the manual and follow ATC instructions. Only if the thing becomes ugly you have to disconect and fly by hand, and then, will you consider your self captable of flying an aircraft without A/THR?
If your plane has an unexpected problem, dont worry, follow the SOPs and we will see.
Last edited by Strongresolve; 26th Nov 2008 at 23:13.