Career Stepping Stone(s)
26500lbs,
On the whole I agree with your post, however in my 23 years on the NS and in Nigeria I have found that the overwhelming majority of coal face commercial pressure emanates from "middle" management, eg Chief Pilots, Ops Managers etc (Sasless and I both suffered it in Nigeria in times past), and not from the very top.
It is exactly as you say, they are worried about their careers and what the top guys will think. Ironically the top guys, having the big picture, would probably much rather a flight didn't go with anything, be it weather, aircraft status or whatever being compromised as they understand the commercial implications of an accident, incident or a flight aborted mid mission.
This could be why investigations focus on the pilots and engineers and not senior management, because experience has shown the investigators that the top people have no idea what transpired. Whether ex pilots/engineers or not the specific operational/engineering issues or that information which would be pertinent is concealed from them by their ambitious subordinates.
I hope, as I think we all do, that in view of the high profile attracted this time, things will change for the better.
NEO