tilnextime
I'm not sure that your comments regarding the ace factor reflect a typical civilian airline. Maybe on a squadron perhaps? In fact it sounds like a lot of what you are describing might be more applicable to military aviation.
If I have given the impression that SFO ATC are acting unprofessionally then I certainly did not mean to. It is a very busy airport but I cannot help thinking whether some of the procedures are just pushing things in a direction that is not conducive to flight safety.
BOAC/MPN
I do hope that the local procedures are looked at in detail. It is a grey area I accept that but if Human Factors are an issue then by definition it is complex. I asked an HF psychologist why the stats were so rigorous in her field of work. She replied that because we are so "woolly" you need to some serious number crunching to try and distil the real effects being observed.