PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - NTSB Recommends Airlines Routinely Monitor CVR's
Old 25th Feb 2010, 05:46
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MosEisley
 
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Bad Idea. I'm sure there are some outfits that will use it as a safety tool but more than likely it will be used as a weapon against anyone who opposes management. I think the data that is randomly and anonymously collected from FDRs is more valuable. I could be talking about cars or strip clubs but as long as the aircraft gets from A to B in a safe and stable manner and I follow the SOPs then what does it matter? It is valuable in post crash investigation but only on occasion is failure to maintain a sterile cockpit below 10K a factor.

A mechanism that would only allow management to listen to those portions of the CVR that occur below 10K AAL might be a viable training tool, otherwise it's just spying.

For those who don't know, for a CVR to be pulled and checked in the US, there are specific legal requirements and paperwork. For management to listen to it, the pilots must be present and are entitled to legal representation.

One of he best parts of my previous contract was a clause that stated that no discliplinary action could be taken against a pilot based on recorded data. The point was to protect the pilots against a hostile management. On the flipside, we had one of the best safety records of any airline and a top FOQA program.

Several years ago I might have agreed that it is a harmless and potentially valuable tool, but after working with current management, they would simply use it to eavesdrop and fire any rabble-rousers. I'm sure they do listen to CVRs and would never state it as the reason for dismissal, but they would put a big target on you.
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