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Old 2nd Mar 2013, 22:03
  #2904 (permalink)  
Prober
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: New Forest
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CRM 2B or not 2B

I was serving at the time of BEA 548 and I knew those involved. I maker no comment on the accident per se but the CRM aspect of this thread attracts my attention. I joined the company from the military where I had been an “Independent” Flight Commander. I was very aware of the stresses and strains apparent in the company chain of command (and that is quite definitely another story – which will probably never be told!). As to “bullying management” (Blind Pew), I would suggest that in those days, management was extremely benign compared to what it later became. One would have no hesitation at all in going upstairs to relate ones problems (and cock-ups) pro bono publico (or, at least, for the other crews).
I had to start at the very bottom, as a “third pilot” with only one ring, looked on with contempt by all and sundry in the crew room. I learned to hold my tongue and observe and sometimes it was not a pretty sight. Because of my background – and nothing to do with CRM, which had not even been invented then – I had no hesitation in voicing my concerns and can categorically state that on certainly two occasions I averted disaster, once with probably only one second to spare. In my dotage, morbid curiosity has got the better of me and I have actually been to see the valley where 150 people might have gone to meet their Maker. On other occasions, there might certainly have been considerable embarrassment, but not necessarily any real danger.
And sometimes, old coals are best left unraked. We all learned our lessons – the hard way. As I said, this was before the days of CRM. Or was it?
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