The NTSB already issued a safety recommendation in 2012, based on numerous accident reports, to install taxi collision avoidance aids, like wingtip cameras ( Unfortunately the FAA and EASA didnt follow up so far. The FAA claims wingtip cameras are "too expensive", that they dont pass a cost/benefit analysis, but they are "studying" other systems.
AFAIK the NTSB keeps a file labelled “Open – Unacceptable Response”. The NTSB has also had improvments to ground ops on it's "most wanted" list since around 2000).
http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletter...12-048-049.pdf
As for age/experience, let's stick to evidence, and I am not aware of any that would suggest age plays a significant role for transport aircraft accidents in general. There's been some research about age and pilot error, eg
Pilot error in air carrier accidents... [Aviat Space Environ Med. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI and it seems
The lack of association between pilot age and error may be due to the "safe worker effect" resulting from the rigorous selection processes and certification standards for professional pilots.
Professional pilots of all age groups make mistakes at about the same rate. Neither are experienced captains infallible, nor are young FO's particularly accident prone. However, lo and behold, regarding accident circumstances, and taxiing incidents specifically, the authors found
Accidents involving older pilots were more likely to be caused by turbulence, whereas accidents involving younger pilots were more likely to be taxiing events.
So granted, experience/age may play a role for taxiing. Yet, the difference in % was small (3 or 6% if I remember correctly), in other words, older pilots may help a little, but wont solve the problem completely. The RYR hiring debate is interesting, but imho it contributes little to threads about wingtip clearance incidents. If MOL could cut overall cost by paying less insurance fees and/or lower his ground accident rate I'm sure he would be the first to get rid of young pilots and hire older, a little more expensive ones. Age is a bit of a red herring here imho.
Honeywell developed a wingtip collision avoidance “radar” prototype, that can be retrofitted in nav light pods, and wirelessly transmits a warning to the flight deck. Based on existing and mass produced car technology, minimal wiring, minimal weight, no new holes, no added drag. To me, that's a constructive idea. Some aid like that, to increase pilot awareness, would be more helpful for everyone, than blaming the pilots.
If in doubt there is not doubt; so you stop
is excellent advice. However I suspect that a lot of crews who rammed their wingtip into an obstacle already knew this piece of advice, but unfortunately were not in doubt when the accident happened. They simply lacked awareness at that moment. Despite excellent training, good SOPs, and experienced crews, these incidents continue to happen. I think the NTSB has a point.