How effective do you think it was?
The Germans took the old-fashioned military Flight Aptitude and Skills Test and made a REAL science of it and, what does it really and truly prove?
Considering how many men and women have taken to the air, since the Wright Bros. became airborne, December 14, 1903 . . . and safely flew from A to B, long before the DLR Psych Eval was even a notion, it makes one wonder about the true validity of the DLR.
When the former Jade Cargo assessment included the DLR, it was reported to have a whopping 44% failure rate! Without a doubt, everyone of those whom failed went on to fly elsewhere and achieved their own measure of success.
DLR - Institute of Aerospace Medicine - Personnel Selection
The DLR fails to recognise pilots are human beings. A cup of coffee and a good dump, before going to the assessment could easily account for a candidate doing well . . . or someone who is a bundle of nerves, failing to get a good night's sleep or deadheading to an interview last minute, rushing to get there, due to other work commitments being amongst that 44% whom failed the DLR.
Does anyone reading suppose Captain Al Haynes or Chesley Sullenberger sat for the DLR? Or, how about Erik Hartmann, who became the leader of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) and the leading "ace" during World War 2, shooting down 352 enemy aeroplanes. Do you think he took the DLR test? Or, how about Medal of Honour winner and top scoring US Army Air Force Ace, Dick Bong, think he sat the DLR?
If any of you are not aware of this fact, during World War II, there were Kamikaze pilots whom refused to take the one-way flight? Suppose any of them sat for the German DLR.
It is a well known fact that the DLR Psych Eval can be practiced and trained for.
I dare suggest the DLR Pilot Selection Psychological Battery is a bunch of crap. It costs airlines a lot of money. It has likely cost some damned good pilots a job, unnecessarily. And, highly likely there were some pilots whom passed whom one would not trust to fly a kite.
Now, there is a lot of hand-wringing about what we're going to do or how we are going to prevent a similar scenario.
Two pilots to remain in the cockpit at all times, while one steps out to use the toilet.
Flight Attendant to enter the cockpit, while one pilot steps out to use the toilet.
Anyone remember FedEx Flight 705?
A super secret decoder ring to allow a crewmember to override or unlock the door.
When a pilot meets another crewmember for the first time, either in dispatch or on the flight deck, after the small talk, to check each other out, how would any of us know the real state of mind of the other crewmember?
There was a case in Shanghai of a Chinese First Officer who drove his uncle's taxi to work, ran a red (stop) light, killing a bride and groom and a motorcyclist, then went to go fly. Imagine flying with that guy! Do you suppose he told his Captain that he doesn't have a driver licence and just mowed down three people on his way to work?
Not sure there is an answer, but no doubt this event will ramp-up the the rules and regulations, another layer of employment screening, another layer of complete bull$h!t before we can get off the ground en route to our destination.
The world and aviation sure the hell has changed from the time I started flying, in 1978. No more fun. And, hardly worth the money.