alf5071h: Improvements have to come from within – less checking as per Airbus; more learning, but what and how
An interesting lengthy review, and one which takes some digesting. the statement above is singularly interesting in that is suggests the initiative for improving piloting standards is coming from the manufacturers. That is a disappointing reflection on the role of the XAA's. I had, perhaps the naive thought, that the XAA's were the over see-ers of standards. Sadly they seem to have set their sights quite low and left them there. The companies need to up their game. Training and checking to minimum standards is legal but not ideal IMHO. I hear many management people say that everything is "approved & legal", therefore all is acceptable. SOP's cover 90% of eventualities. This argument covers everything from SOP's to rostering schedules. Approved & legal seems to be back-side covering rather than standards setting. Why? More = cost. Risk management = necessity. It'd be nice but is it really necessary? Car manufacturers do not teach guys how to drive. They teach them how best cooperate the car, but basic techniques are generic. Standards come from the ministry who design the tests. The difference with us is that each company can raise its standards above the minimum. Driving schools & examiners should be national standard.
Our 6 monthly checks are so mundane and basic , and have been for years. Are they really checks that define a modern necessary standard? Is that debate even open & active?
This is a discussion that could/should go on for quite a few years, because the solution to the perceived problems is not a quick easy one to firstly define and then execute. We are chatting in the pub about this one: where are the people who matter in this debate? Are they even awake and considering anything, or is the status quo going to continue.
Recent accidents also have indications of systematic failure, where all levels of the industry contribute, more often with latent factors, which when these come together present situations which pilots have not been, nor can be trained for.
For this the industry needs to consider alternative paths to improvement or at least maintaining safety levels, not just training.
I think this is a very telling last sentence. Could it be that the manufacturer's solution to improving safety levels is more technology, back up systems and more bells & whistles; and the operator's solution is maximum use of that technology and more rigid SOP's?