JetLag50;
Lest one fine point be misunderstood, just as in a reporting culture, this approach to flight safety is not a 'get-out-of-jail' card, (for others, that means that just because the focus goes beyond just the pilot doesn't mean that the pilot didn't contribute to the accident or perhaps was the main cause of the accident. For example, (because the notion is under discussion here), if a pilot is historically marginal, does his/her continuance in the cockpit rest entirely with the judgement of the individual involved; are those who pass said pilot in checkrides involved; are training failures expensive?
Recognizing factors which lead to an accident does not equate with innocence of cause or vulnerability. It merely prevents blame from stopping further investigation; most formal reports now, do this very well and with great integrity. Others do not.
So to clarify myself for TowerDog and others who may at the moment think that such an approach means, "no one is responsible": - the difference in the approach here is subtle but a material difference nevertheless. When one seeks to find out, the one sure way to determine the difference between the two is to watch for the raised eyebrow, the held-up hand or the outright resistance to questions.
The former approach which intends to find out stuff, is in many countries, standard, but sadly in other countries, less so still. If RadAlt2010 wants change such that all areas are audited without compromise, this is an area to work hard in and make the changes he so vociferously pronounced upon here for a short little while.
This is one key area where help is badly needed from aviation professionals, especially pilots, who have a keen and abiding interest safety work and not just a passing fancy driven by current events, to contribute to their profession in the form of energy, drive, vision and a positive, collegial attitude.
Those who haven't done the work of changing regulatory environments cannot pronounce on either the work or the time it takes to accomplish change.
Believe it or not, not all official bodies, interested parties and corporate interests or even those organizations mentioned, are in accord with saving lives and preventing accidents and otherwise privileging flight safety principles over their respective bottom lines.
Sorry. Enough thread drift.
PJ2
Last edited by PJ2; 18th May 2010 at 21:08.